Microbial Masters: Endosymbionts’ Influence on Insect Nutrition and Ecological Balance

Endosymbiosis, a specific form of symbiosis, involves one organism residing inside another and has a pivotal role in the evolution of eukaryotic organisms. Insects, thriving globally due to their adaptable diets, harbor endosymbionts in various body regions, notably near the digestive tracts. Endosymbionts play a vital role in insect nutrition, nitrogen recycling, amino acid provisioning, manipulation of plant phenotypes, detoxification of plant secondary metabolites, and pest management strategies, such as reproductive manipulation and pathogen interference. Microbial associations of insects can impact ecological communities by altering the dynamics of plant interactions with both competitors and natural adversaries of their insect hosts. The study of endosymbiosis in insects faces challenges such as the complexity of symbiotic relationships and the specificity of host interactions, requiring advanced techniques and interdisciplinary approaches. Despite these challenges, it elucidates the crucial roles of endosymbionts in insect nutrition, plant-insect interactions, and pest management, offering insights for sustainable agriculture and effective pest control strategies. An attempt is made to explain the role of endosymbionts and insect-plant interactions with promising literature. This review focuses on the significance of endosymbionts in insect biology, their functions, pest management strategies, challenges, and prospects.