Is the gut microbiome involved in adaptation of beetles to caves?

Cave beetles are endemic to one or few caves and live in a stable subterranean microclimate permanent darkness. However, not much is known about the food sources of cave share autotrophic their diet. Seven were sampled seasonally from five Romanian together with sampling sediments climatic measurements. Gut was extracted specimens, Illumina's 16S amplicon-based metagenomics sequencing protocol applied identify gut microbiome. About 50% most abundant bacteria genera studied unknown taxa. The core elements sediments' microbiome wb1-P19, Pseudomonas , Lysobacter all producers decomposers organic matter. Only Acinetobacter shared for beetles. Leiodidae species Vagococcus Dysgonomonas Candidatus Soleaferrea two phylotypes. Carabidae dominated by Carnobacterium Enhydrobacter other, showing different regimes within Duvalius genus. present Leptodirini Duvalius, genus which might be involved adaptation life caves, where scarce autochthonous productivity low. Higher body weight another helpful strategy cope an infrequent supply, as demonstrated presence obesity-related microbiota representatives, Lactococcus Serratia .