Khumalo, Nolwandle N. and Obi, Linda U. and Yusuf, Abdullahi A. and Adeleke, Rasheed A (2025) Dietary modulation of gut microbiota and functional enzymes in savannah honey bees (Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier). Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 109 (226).
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Abstract
Honey bees gather pollen from fowering plants, using it as a vital protein source and, in turn, acquire pollen-associated microbes that interact with their existing gut microbiota. Despite their ecological importance, limited information exists regarding the gut microbiota of African savannah honey bees (Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier) and how diet and its associated microbial community infuence this crucial internal ecosystem. This study aimed to investigate the diferences in gut microbiota between wild honey bees collected during the fowering season and microbially depleted honey bees reared under semi-sterile conditions and fed various protein diets. To achieve this, freshly hatched worker bees were maintained in hoarding cages and assigned one of four protein diets: fresh sunfower pollen, casein, sterilised casein, or sterilised pollen. High-throughput DNA metabarcoding was then employed to compare the microbial composition of the honey bee gut across these groups. Our fndings revealed that the gut of microbially depleted honey bees exhibited higher species diversity and richness. Conversely, the non-core gut microbial community predominated in wild bees and those fed the diferent protein diets. Specifcally, Commensalibacter, Bartonella, and Bifdobacterium were the most dominant bacterial genera across all treatments. Interestingly, Gilliamella, a common core gut bacterium, was undetected, while Apibacter was exclusively found in wild honey bees. Furthermore, pollen-associated microbes such as Devosia and Pedobacter were identifed solely in the gut of honey bees fed a pollen diet. Functional predictions of the gut microbial community also indicated the presence of key enzymes such as β-glucosidase, β-galactosidase, pyruvate dehydrogenase and phosphoglycerate mutase, which are crucial for enhancing nutrient absorption, digestion, and carbohydrate metabolism. These results underscore the intricate relationship between honey bees, microbes, and plants, ofering valuable insights into how diet and its associated microbial communities could shape the gut microbiota of African honey bees.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | Q Science > Q Science (General) |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Natural Sciences and Environmental Studies |
| Depositing User: | Uchenna Eneogwe |
| Date Deposited: | 27 Aug 2026 14:10 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Aug 2026 14:10 |
| URI: | http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/6321 |
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