Evolution, multifunctionality, and agricultural potential of insect microbiomes and the holobiont concept

Abstract

Insect-associated microbiomes, as co-evolved members of the holobiont, play pivotal roles in host physiology, ecological resilience, and evolutionary innovation. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding microbial symbionts’ contributions to metabolic adaptation, insecticide detoxification, and immune modulation. Framed within hologenome theory-which posits host-microbe assemblages as units of natural selection-we explore co-evolutionary dynamics driving mutualistic specialization and adaptive plasticity. Cutting-edge tools like genome editing and metagenomics reveal how gut microbiota mediate cross-kingdom interactions, insecticide resistance, and reproductive fitness. Intriguingly, microbial symbionts can enhance host resistance through detoxification while sensitizing hosts to specific toxins, highlighting context-dependent trade-offs. Targeted manipulation of microbial consortia-via detoxification disruption or symbiont engineering-offers new avenues for sustainable pest control, though ecological risks demand rigorous biosafety protocols. A paradigm shift toward holobiont-centered models promises unified strategies for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation in the Anthropocene.

Functional division between root endosphere and rhizosphere microbiomes supports seagrass holobiont resilience under high nutrient and sulfide exposure
Wenqian Qi, Zhijian Jiang, Xu Long +7
Microbiome2 Oct 2026Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0EcologyCrossref
Comparison of long and short 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing for agricultural soil and grain microbiomes using custom Kinnex libraries
Sung-Jong Lee, Tiffany Chin, Niradha Withana Gamage +6
ISME Communications6 Oct 2026Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textEcologyPMC
Convergent and divergent patterns of holobiont evolution in co-distributed chemosynthetic symbioses
C. Breusing, C. Q. Plowman, S. M. Arellano +3
bioRxiv1 Oct 2026PreprintCC BY-NC-NDFull textEvolutionary biologybioRxiv
Pine wilt disease as a holobiont disorder: microbiome assembly as a potential management target
David Pires, Margarida Espada, Diogo Proença +1
EcoEvoRxiv7 Oct 2026PreprintCC BY 4.0Full textEcology Evolutionary biologyEcoEvoRxiv
Invasive Chinese tallow is associated with distinct rhizosphere microbial communities, core microbiomes, and functional potential relative to native Loblolly pine
M. Khan, B. Pant, A. H. Kabir
bioRxiv9 Oct 2026PreprintAll rights reservedFull textEcologybioRxiv

Cite

BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@article{zhang2026evolution,
  title = {{Evolution, multifunctionality, and agricultural potential of insect microbiomes and the holobiont concept}},
  author = {Wei Zhang and Ioannis Eleftherianos and Amr Mohamed and Guy Smagghe and George Chakkalakkal and Rasha Al-Akeel and Umut Toprak and Gianluca Tettamanti and Nemat Keyhani and David Renault},
  journal = {The International Society of Microbiologial Ecology Journal},
  year = {2026},
  month = may,
  doi = {10.1093/ismejo/wrag137},
  url = {https://hal.science/hal-05657480v1},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

RIS

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Evolution, multifunctionality, and agricultural potential of insect microbiomes and the holobiont concept
AU  - Wei Zhang
AU  - Ioannis Eleftherianos
AU  - Amr Mohamed
AU  - Guy Smagghe
AU  - George Chakkalakkal
AU  - Rasha Al-Akeel
AU  - Umut Toprak
AU  - Gianluca Tettamanti
AU  - Nemat Keyhani
AU  - David Renault
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/27
JO  - The International Society of Microbiologial Ecology Journal
DO  - 10.1093/ismejo/wrag137
UR  - https://hal.science/hal-05657480v1
AB  - Insect-associated microbiomes, as co-evolved members of the holobiont, play pivotal roles in host physiology, ecological resilience, and evolutionary innovation. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding microbial symbionts’ contributions to metabolic adaptation, insecticide detoxification, and immune modulation. Framed within hologenome theory-which posits host-microbe assemblages as units of natural selection-we explore co-evolutionary dynamics driving mutualistic specialization and adaptive plasticity. Cutting-edge tools like genome editing and metagenomics reveal how gut microbiota mediate cross-kingdom interactions, insecticide resistance, and reproductive fitness. Intriguingly, microbial symbionts can enhance host resistance through detoxification while sensitizing hosts to specific toxins, highlighting context-dependent trade-offs. Targeted manipulation of microbial consortia-via detoxification disruption or symbiont engineering-offers new avenues for sustainable pest control, though ecological risks demand rigorous biosafety protocols. A paradigm shift toward holobiont-centered models promises unified strategies for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation in the Anthropocene.
SN  - 1751-7362
SN  - 1751-7370
ER  -

Abstract

Related

Cite