Insect gut microbiota and pesticide degradation in response to innate metabolites - A review

Insects host a diverse microbiota in their gut, encompassing bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea, influencing their physiology, nutrition, and overall health. The composition of these microbial communities varies with factors like insect species, diet, and the environment. Insect gut microbiota serve pivotal roles such as aiding digestion, synthesizing essential nutrients, safeguarding against pathogens, and detoxifying toxins, including insecticides. A particularly promising facet of their function lies in influencing the metabolism of insecticides. These gut microbiotas can either augment or diminish insecticide toxicity through mechanisms like enzymatic breakdown, sequestration, target site alteration, or modulation of the insect's immune response. Understanding these interactions is paramount for devising sustainable pest management strategies. This review explores into insect gut microbiota, their impact on insecticide susceptibility, and the potential use of microbial metabolites in ecofriendly pest control. We explore pesticide degradation mechanisms, the consequences of microbiota disruption on susceptibility, and the role of microbiota-produced metabolites in shaping pesticide efficacy. Ultimately, we highlight the potential of microbiota manipulation as a strategy to enhance insecticide effectiveness and combat pesticide resistance in pest management.