Insects harbor diverse microorganisms in the gut, providing their host with physiological and ecological advantages. For example, gut symbionts contribute to detoxification in phytophagous insects, degradation of lignocellulose in xylophagous insects, and in many insects, protection from pathogens by producing antimicrobial compounds. Furthermore, an unexpected function of the insect gut microbiota has been discovered—plastic degradation. Based on these diverse abilities of the insect gut microbiota that have been sophisticated under the natural environment, recent studies have aimed at applying the potential of gut microbes in the medical, engineering, and industrial fields.

昆虫在肠道内藏有多种微生物，为宿主提供生理和生态优势。例如，肠道共生体有助于吞噬植物的昆虫排毒，在木食性昆虫中降解木质纤维素，在许多昆虫中，通过产生抗菌化合物来保护它们免受病原体的侵害。此外，还发现了昆虫肠道菌群的意外功能-塑料降解。基于昆虫肠道菌群在自然环境下已具备的多种多样的能力，最近的研究旨在将肠道菌群的潜力应用于医学，工程和工业领域。