Project description:<p>The protection of associated microbiota for their animal hosts against pathogen infection has been studied widely over the last 100 years. However, how those microbes protect the animal host is limitedly investigated. In former studies, body surface microbes of one insect, <em>Delia antiqua</em>, protect the insect larvae from infection with the entomopathogen <em>Beauveria bassiana</em>. By comparing the metabolites produced by microbes that protect the insect and microbes that cannot protect the insect, how the microbes protect the insect is answered. It turns out that body surface bacteria produce a metabolite cocktail that inhibit colonization of <em>B. bassiana</em>, and consequently protect the insect. This work reveals novel molecules that with antifungal activity, which may aid in discovery and expansion of new prophylactic and therapeutic natural chemicals for treating infectious diseases.</p>
