SV
slavica vaselek
Hacettepe University
Ankara, Türkiye
About this Research Topic
Background
Insect microbiome research has emerged as a dynamic field, revealing the profound influence of microbial communities on the biology and ecology of their hosts. Insects, which represent the most diverse group of animals on Earth, maintain complex associations with bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other symbionts throughout their lives. These microbial partnerships can modulate immune system function, enhance or inhibit development, alter reproductive strategies, and significantly affect how insects interact with pathogens and their environment. Recent advances have highlighted the critical roles of microbiomes in shaping insect health, facilitating adaptation to environmental stressors, and modulating vector competence—the capacity of insects to transmit infectious agents to humans, animals, or plants. Despite the increasing body of knowledge, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the functional mechanisms underlying these intricate associations and the implications for ecosystem services, pest management, and public health.
This Research Topic aims to unravel the complex relationships between insect microbiomes and essential biological traits such as immunity, nutrition, reproduction, development, and the transmission potential of disease vectors in natural and artificial environments. By incorporating both experimental and computational approaches, the goal is to elucidate how microbial communities contribute to host adaptation, pesticide resistance, and ecological success in various insect groups, including disease vectors, agricultural pests, pollinators, decomposers, and social insects. Central to this objective are questions regarding the molecular and ecological mechanisms by which microbiota shape host fitness and the practical potential for manipulating these communities to enhance insect management strategies.
To advance comprehensive and integrative insights, this Research Topic focuses on all facets of the insect microbiome, but not on vertebrate hosts or plant microbiota. Both basic and applied research are encouraged, spanning evolutionary, ecological, and mechanistic studies. We welcome research articles, reviews and any other type of articles accepted by the journal addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Dynamics of microbiome composition across insect life stages
o Host-microbe interactions affecting vectorial and reproductive traits
o Microbial contributions to adaptation, insecticide resistance, and fitness
o Microbiota-driven strategies for pest and disease vector control, as well as pollinator conservation
o Impact of microbiomes on insect dispersal, behavior, and habitat selection
o Innovative methodological approaches, including multi-omics, experimental manipulations, and ecological modeling
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
- Brief Research Report
- Case Report
- Classification
- Clinical Trial
- Data Report
- Editorial
- FAIR² Data
- General Commentary
- Hypothesis and Theory
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Keywords: Insect microbiome, Host-microbe interactions, Vector competence, Disease transmission, Pesticide resistance, Pathogen transmission, Pollinator health, Pest management, Social insects, Farmed insects
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
