Is it time to assign <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> as a keystone species in the <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> microbiota?

Recent work by Yang et al. published in <i>Applied and Environmental Microbiology</i> (91:e00707-25, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00707-25) offers fresh insights into the important roles played by <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> within the microbial community of the fruit fly <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>. This commentary summarizes their findings in the context of earlier studies, highlighting the unique and influential position of <i>L. plantarum</i> in shaping the biology and microbial dynamics of <i>D. melanogaster</i>.