Interactions between hosts and microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature, capable of modulating animal physiology, fitness, protection against infections, and host behavior. We are using whole shotgun metagenomics to study the microbial communities associated with biological (mosquitoes and kissing bugs) and mechanical insect vectors (houseflies and blowflies). Insects are major agents of infectious diseases, often inhabiting densely populated areas where their propagation is increased. Switches in microbial communities could lead us to a set of naturally occurring microbes that respond to metabolic pathways that could help us to assemble a microbiome-based strategy to control vectors of diseases in urban and rural areas.

Junqueira et al., 2017. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-16353-x