Presenters: Amanda Morrison
Authors: Amanda Morrison, Aubrey Johansen
Faculty Advisor: John Chaston
Institution: Brigham Young University
In order to better understand the microbiome,Drosophila melanogasterhas been studied as a model organism. Patterns have been linked between abundance of various microbes within the gut and various life history traits especially regardingAcetobacter(AAB) andLactobacillus(LAB) strains. This ratio has been found to vary based on geographic latitudinal gradients. The purpose of this research is to explore the relationship between the ratio of AAB:LAB in wild flies, their diet, and their environment. We will sample flies, their diets, and the soil from eight orchards located in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina. We will then sequence the microbiota of these samples and compare their LAB: AAB ratios in order to see if there is a correlation between the ratios and the latitude, as well as the environment in which they are found.