151
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Costa S, Lopes I, Proença DN, Ribeiro R, Morais PV. Diversity of cutaneous microbiome of Pelophylax perezi populations inhabiting different environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 572:995-1004. [PMID: 27522290 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 07/31/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Potential synergetic interaction between chemicals, climate change and the emergence of opportunistic diseases is of utmost concern within the amphibian decline scenario. Understand the structure and dynamic of this microbiome and how environmental stressors act on this community is a priority. The present study aimed to: i) characterize the skin microbiome of Pelophylax perezi frog by looking for variations between populations in reference and under stress conditions (one metal contaminated and another with salinity fluctuations) and ii) evaluate the tolerance of skin-isolated bacteria to chemical contamination. Skin swabs were collected from frog populations inhabiting three reference sites (LB, VA and AM), one metal-rich contaminated (TP) and one brackish lentic aquatic system (SL). The frogs' skin microbiome was characterized by culture independent method (DGGE) and by cultivation methods. DGGE showed a characteristic profile in frogs from TP population. Results of recovered communities revealed low morphotype diversity and density (Colony Forming Units per frog) on individuals from TP population, comparatively to the other sampled populations. Isolated bacteria identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequence belong mainly to the classes Actinobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria. Ecotoxicological assays with acid-metal contaminated effluent (ETP) showed that the percentage of tolerant strains was higher in frogs from TP population than in SL and LB populations. In conclusion, results suggest that: a) environmental specific characteristics, as the presence of chemical contaminants, influence the composition of amphibian microbiome, comparing with sites without such contaminants; b) there are differences in microbiome composition between populations; and c) bacteria historically exposed to effluent may evolve tolerance to this kind of contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Costa
- Department of Biology and CESAM, Campus of Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Isabel Lopes
- Department of Biology and CESAM, Campus of Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Diogo Neves Proença
- Department of Biology and CESAM, Campus of Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences and CEMUC, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rui Ribeiro
- Department of Life Sciences and CEMUC, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paula V Morais
- Department of Life Sciences and CEMUC, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal.
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152
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Woodhams DC, Bletz M, Kueneman J, McKenzie V. Managing Amphibian Disease with Skin Microbiota. Trends Microbiol 2016; 24:161-4. [PMID: 26916805 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Revised: 12/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The contribution of emerging amphibian diseases to the sixth mass extinction is driving innovative wildlife management strategies, including the use of probiotics. Bioaugmentation of the skin mucosome, a dynamic environment including host and microbial components, may not provide a generalized solution. Multi-omics technologies and ecological context underlie effective implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas C Woodhams
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Molly Bletz
- Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jordan Kueneman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Valerie McKenzie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
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153
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Cheng TL, Mayberry H, McGuire LP, Hoyt JR, Langwig KE, Nguyen H, Parise KL, Foster JT, Willis CKR, Kilpatrick AM, Frick WF. Efficacy of a probiotic bacterium to treat bats affected by the disease white‐nose syndrome. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tina L. Cheng
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
| | - Heather Mayberry
- University of Winnipeg Winnipeg MB R3B 2E9 Canada
- University of Toronto 3359 Mississauga Road Mississauga ON L5L 1C6 Canada
| | - Liam P. McGuire
- University of Winnipeg Winnipeg MB R3B 2E9 Canada
- Texas Tech University Lubbock TX 79409 USA
| | - Joseph R. Hoyt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
| | - Kate E. Langwig
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Boston MA 02115 USA
| | - Hung Nguyen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
| | | | | | | | - Auston Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
| | - Winifred F. Frick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
- Bat Conservation International PO Box 162603 Austin TX 78716 USA
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154
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Sabino-Pinto J, Bletz MC, Islam MM, Shimizu N, Bhuju S, Geffers R, Jarek M, Kurabayashi A, Vences M. Composition of the Cutaneous Bacterial Community in Japanese Amphibians: Effects of Captivity, Host Species, and Body Region. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2016; 72:460-9. [PMID: 27278778 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-016-0797-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The cutaneous microbiota plays a significant role in the biology of their vertebrate hosts, and its composition is known to be influenced both by host and environment, with captive conditions often altering alpha diversity. Here, we compare the cutaneous bacterial communities of 61 amphibians (both wild and captive) from Hiroshima, Japan, using high-throughput amplicon sequencing of a segment of the 16S rRNA gene. The majority of these samples came from a captive breeding facility at Hiroshima University where specimens from six species are maintained under highly standardized conditions for several generations. This allowed to identify host effects on the bacterial communities under near identical environmental conditions in captivity. We found the structure of the cutaneous bacterial community significantly differing between wild and captive individuals of newts, Cynops pyrrhogaster, with a higher alpha diversity found in the wild individuals. Community structure also showed distinct patterns when comparing different species of amphibians kept under highly similar conditions, revealing an intrinsic host effect. Bacterial communities of dorsal vs. ventral skin surfaces did not significantly differ in most species, but a trend of higher alpha diversity on the ventral surface was found in Oriental fire-bellied toads, Bombina orientalis. This study confirms the cutaneous microbiota of amphibians as a highly dynamic system influenced by a complex interplay of numerous factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Sabino-Pinto
- Zoological Institute, Braunschweig University of Technology, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | | | - Mohammed Mafizul Islam
- Institute for Amphibian Biology, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Norio Shimizu
- Hiroshima University Museums, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Sabin Bhuju
- Department of Genome Analytics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Robert Geffers
- Department of Genome Analytics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Jarek
- Department of Genome Analytics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Atsushi Kurabayashi
- Institute for Amphibian Biology, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Miguel Vences
- Zoological Institute, Braunschweig University of Technology, Braunschweig, Germany
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155
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Whitfield SM, Lips KR, Donnelly MA. Amphibian Decline and Conservation in Central America. COPEIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1643/ch-15-300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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156
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Direct and Indirect Horizontal Transmission of the Antifungal Probiotic Bacterium Janthinobacterium lividum on Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans) Tadpoles. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:2457-2466. [PMID: 26873311 DOI: 10.1128/aem.04147-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphibian populations worldwide are being threatened by the disease chytridiomycosis, which is caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis To mitigate the effects of B. dendrobatidis, bioaugmentation of antifungal bacteria has been shown to be a promising strategy. One way to implement bioaugmentation is through indirect horizontal transmission, defined as the transfer of bacteria from a host to the environment and to another host. In addition, direct horizontal transmission among individuals can facilitate the spread of a probiotic in a population. In this study, we tested whether the antifungal bacterium Janthinobacterium lividum could be horizontally transferred, directly or indirectly, in a laboratory experiment using Lithobates clamitans tadpoles. We evaluated the ability of J. lividumto colonize the tadpoles' skin and to persist through time using culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. We also tested whether the addition of J. lividum affected the skin community in L. clamitans tadpoles. We found that transmission occurred rapidly by direct and indirect horizontal transmission, but indirect transmission that included a potential substrate was more effective. Even though J. lividum colonized the skin, its relative abundance on the tadpole skin decreased over time. The inoculation of J. lividum did not significantly alter the skin bacterial diversity of L. clamitans tadpoles, which was dominated by Pseudomonas Our results show that indirect horizontal transmission can be an effective bioaugmentation method. Future research is needed to determine the best conditions, including the presence of substrates, under which a probiotic can persist on the skin so that bioaugmentation becomes a successful strategy to mitigate chytridiomycosis.
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157
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Loudon AH, Venkataraman A, Van Treuren W, Woodhams DC, Parfrey LW, McKenzie VJ, Knight R, Schmidt TM, Harris RN. Vertebrate Hosts as Islands: Dynamics of Selection, Immigration, Loss, Persistence, and Potential Function of Bacteria on Salamander Skin. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:333. [PMID: 27014249 PMCID: PMC4793798 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Skin bacterial communities can protect amphibians from a fungal pathogen; however, little is known about how these communities are maintained. We used a neutral model of community ecology to identify bacteria that are maintained on salamanders by selection or by dispersal from a bacterial reservoir (soil) and ecological drift. We found that 75% (9/12) of bacteria that were consistent with positive selection, <1% of bacteria that were consistent with random dispersal and none of the bacteria that were consistent under negative selection had a 97% or greater match to antifungal isolates. Additionally we performed an experiment where salamanders were either provided or denied a bacterial reservoir and estimated immigration and loss (emigration and local extinction) rates of bacteria on salamanders in both treatments. Loss was strongly related to bacterial richness, suggesting competition is important for structuring the community. Bacteria closely related to antifungal isolates were more likely to persist on salamanders with or without a bacterial reservoir, suggesting they had a competitive advantage. Furthermore, over-represented and under-represented operational taxonomic units (OTUs) had similar persistence on salamanders when a bacterial reservoir was present. However, under-represented OTUs were less likely to persist in the absence of a bacterial reservoir, suggesting that the over-represented and under-represented bacteria were selected against or for on salamanders through time. Our findings from the neutral model, migration and persistence analyses show that bacteria that exhibit a high similarity to antifungal isolates persist on salamanders, which likely protect hosts against pathogens and improve fitness. This research is one of the first to apply ecological theory to investigate assembly of host associated-bacterial communities, which can provide insights for probiotic bioaugmentation as a conservation strategy against disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew H Loudon
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg VA, USA
| | | | | | - Douglas C Woodhams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder CO, USA
| | | | - Valerie J McKenzie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder CO, USA
| | - Rob Knight
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder CO, USA
| | - Thomas M Schmidt
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, USA
| | - Reid N Harris
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg VA, USA
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158
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Gut bacterial communities across tadpole ecomorphs in two diverse tropical anuran faunas. Naturwissenschaften 2016; 103:25. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-016-1348-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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159
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Rebollar EA, Antwis RE, Becker MH, Belden LK, Bletz MC, Brucker RM, Harrison XA, Hughey MC, Kueneman JG, Loudon AH, McKenzie V, Medina D, Minbiole KPC, Rollins-Smith LA, Walke JB, Weiss S, Woodhams DC, Harris RN. Using "Omics" and Integrated Multi-Omics Approaches to Guide Probiotic Selection to Mitigate Chytridiomycosis and Other Emerging Infectious Diseases. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:68. [PMID: 26870025 PMCID: PMC4735675 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases in wildlife are responsible for massive population declines. In amphibians, chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd, has severely affected many amphibian populations and species around the world. One promising management strategy is probiotic bioaugmentation of antifungal bacteria on amphibian skin. In vivo experimental trials using bioaugmentation strategies have had mixed results, and therefore a more informed strategy is needed to select successful probiotic candidates. Metagenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic methods, colloquially called "omics," are approaches that can better inform probiotic selection and optimize selection protocols. The integration of multiple omic data using bioinformatic and statistical tools and in silico models that link bacterial community structure with bacterial defensive function can allow the identification of species involved in pathogen inhibition. We recommend using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and methods such as indicator species analysis, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Measure, and co-occurrence networks to identify bacteria that are associated with pathogen resistance in field surveys and experimental trials. In addition to 16S amplicon sequencing, we recommend approaches that give insight into symbiont function such as shotgun metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, or metabolomics to maximize the probability of finding effective probiotic candidates, which can then be isolated in culture and tested in persistence and clinical trials. An effective mitigation strategy to ameliorate chytridiomycosis and other emerging infectious diseases is necessary; the advancement of omic methods and the integration of multiple omic data provide a promising avenue toward conservation of imperiled species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eria A. Rebollar
- Department of Biology, James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA, USA
| | - Rachael E. Antwis
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West UniversityPotchefstroom, South Africa
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of LondonLondon, UK
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of SalfordSalford, UK
| | - Matthew H. Becker
- Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological ParkWashington, DC, USA
| | - Lisa K. Belden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Molly C. Bletz
- Zoological Institute, Technische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweig, Germany
| | | | | | - Myra C. Hughey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jordan G. Kueneman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of ColoradoBoulder, CO, USA
| | - Andrew H. Loudon
- Department of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Valerie McKenzie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of ColoradoBoulder, CO, USA
| | - Daniel Medina
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA, USA
| | | | - Louise A. Rollins-Smith
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN, USA
| | - Jenifer B. Walke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Sophie Weiss
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado at BoulderBoulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Reid N. Harris
- Department of Biology, James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA, USA
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160
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161
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Bataille A, Lee-Cruz L, Tripathi B, Kim H, Waldman B. Microbiome Variation Across Amphibian Skin Regions: Implications for Chytridiomycosis Mitigation Efforts. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2016; 71:221-32. [PMID: 26271741 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-015-0653-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous bacteria may play an important role in the resistance of amphibians to the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Microbial communities resident on hosts' skin show topographical diversity mapping to skin features, as demonstrated by studies of the human microbiome. We examined skin microbiomes of wild and captive fire-bellied toads (Bombina orientalis) for differences across their body surface. We found that bacterial communities differed between ventral and dorsal skin. Wild toads showed slightly higher bacterial richness and diversity in the dorsal compared to the ventral region. On the other hand, captive toads hosted a higher richness and diversity of bacteria on their ventral than their dorsal skin. Microbial community composition and relative abundance of major bacterial taxonomic groups also differed between ventral and dorsal skin in all populations. Furthermore, microbiome diversity patterns varied as a function of their Bd infection status in wild toads. Bacterial richness and diversity was greater, and microbial community structure more complex, in wild than captive toads. The results suggest that bacterial community structure is influenced by microhabitats associated with skin regions. These local communities may be differentially modified when interacting with environmental bacteria and Bd. A better understanding of microbiome variation across skin regions will be needed to assess how the skin microbiota affects the abilities of amphibian hosts to resist Bd infection, especially in captive breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Bataille
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-747, South Korea
| | - Larisa Lee-Cruz
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-747, South Korea
| | - Binu Tripathi
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-747, South Korea
| | | | - Bruce Waldman
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-747, South Korea.
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162
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Yasumiba K, Bell S, Alford R. Cell Density Effects of Frog Skin Bacteria on Their Capacity to Inhibit Growth of the Chytrid Fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2016; 71:124-130. [PMID: 26563320 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-015-0701-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial symbionts on frog skin can reduce the growth of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) through production of inhibitory metabolites. Bacteria can be effective at increasing the resistance of amphibians to chytridiomycosis when added to amphibian skin, and isolates can be screened for production of metabolites that inhibit Bd growth in vitro. However, some bacteria use density-dependent mechanism such as quorum sensing to regulate metabolite production. It is therefore important to consider cell density effects when evaluating bacteria as possible candidates for bioaugmentation. The aim of our study was to evaluate how the density of cutaneous bacteria affects their inhibition of Bd growth in vitro. We sampled cutaneous bacteria isolated from three frog species in the tropical rainforests of northern Queensland, Australia, and selected ten isolates that were inhibitory to Bd in standardised pilot trials. We grew each isolate in liquid culture at a range of initial dilutions, sub-sampled each dilution at a series of times during the first 48 h of growth and measured spectrophotometric absorbance values, cell counts and Bd-inhibitory activity of cell-free supernatants at each time point. The challenge assay results clearly demonstrated that the inhibitory effects of most isolates were density dependent, with relatively low variation among isolates in the minimum cell density needed to inhibit Bd growth. We suggest the use of minimum cell densities and fast-growing candidate isolates to maximise bioaugmentation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyomi Yasumiba
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
| | - Sara Bell
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Ross Alford
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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163
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Skerratt LF, Berger L, Clemann N, Hunter DA, Marantelli G, Newell DA, Philips A, McFadden M, Hines HB, Scheele BC, Brannelly LA, Speare R, Versteegen S, Cashins SD, West M. Priorities for management of chytridiomycosis in Australia: saving frogs from extinction. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
To protect Australian amphibian biodiversity, we have identified and prioritised frog species at an imminent risk of extinction from chytridiomycosis, and devised national management and research priorities for disease mitigation. Six Australian frogs have not been observed in the wild since the initial emergence of chytridiomycosis and may be extinct. Seven extant frog species were assessed as needing urgent conservation interventions because of (1) their small populations and/or ongoing declines throughout their ranges (southern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree, New South Wales), northern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi, Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales), Baw Baw frog (Philoria frosti, Victoria), Litoria spenceri (spotted tree frog, Victoria, New South Wales), Kroombit tinkerfrog (Taudactylus pleione, Queensland), armoured mist frog (Litoria lorica, Queensland)) or (2) predicted severe decline associated with the spread of chytridiomycosis in the case of Tasmanian tree frog (Litoria burrowsae, Tasmania). For these species, the risk of extinction is high, but can be mitigated. They require increased survey effort to define their distributional limits and to monitor and detect further population changes, as well as well-resourced management strategies that include captive assurance populations. A further 22 frog species were considered at a moderate to lower risk of extinction from chytridiomycosis. Management actions that identify and create or maintain habitat refugia from chytridiomycosis and target other threatening processes such as habitat loss and degradation may be effective in promoting their recovery. Our assessments for some of these species remain uncertain and further taxonomical clarification is needed to determine their conservation importance. Management actions are currently being developed and trialled to mitigate the threat posed by chytridiomycosis. However, proven solutions to facilitate population recovery in the wild are lacking; hence, we prioritise research topics to achieve this aim. Importantly, the effectiveness of novel management solutions will likely differ among species due to variation in disease ecology, highlighting the need for species-specific research. We call for an independent management and research fund of AU$15 million over 5 years to be allocated to recovery actions as determined by a National Chytridiomycosis Working Group of amphibian managers and scientists. Procrastination on this issue will likely result in additional extinction of Australia’s amphibians in the near future.
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164
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Becker MH, Walke JB, Cikanek S, Savage AE, Mattheus N, Santiago CN, Minbiole KPC, Harris RN, Belden LK, Gratwicke B. Composition of symbiotic bacteria predicts survival in Panamanian golden frogs infected with a lethal fungus. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:rspb.2014.2881. [PMID: 25788591 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.2881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Symbiotic microbes can dramatically impact host health and fitness, and recent research in a diversity of systems suggests that different symbiont community structures may result in distinct outcomes for the host. In amphibians, some symbiotic skin bacteria produce metabolites that inhibit the growth of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a cutaneous fungal pathogen that has caused many amphibian population declines and extinctions. Treatment with beneficial bacteria (probiotics) prevents Bd infection in some amphibian species and creates optimism for conservation of species that are highly susceptible to chytridiomycosis, the disease caused by Bd. In a laboratory experiment, we used Bd-inhibitory bacteria from Bd-tolerant Panamanian amphibians in a probiotic development trial with Panamanian golden frogs, Atelopus zeteki, a species currently surviving only in captive assurance colonies. Approximately 30% of infected golden frogs survived Bd exposure by either clearing infection or maintaining low Bd loads, but this was not associated with probiotic treatment. Survival was instead related to initial composition of the skin bacterial community and metabolites present on the skin. These results suggest a strong link between the structure of these symbiotic microbial communities and amphibian host health in the face of Bd exposure and also suggest a new approach for developing amphibian probiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew H Becker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jenifer B Walke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Shawna Cikanek
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Anna E Savage
- Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Nichole Mattheus
- Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - Reid N Harris
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA
| | - Lisa K Belden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Brian Gratwicke
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA
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165
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Inhibitory bacteria reduce fungi on early life stages of endangered Colorado boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas). ISME JOURNAL 2015; 10:934-44. [PMID: 26565725 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2015.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Increasingly, host-associated microbiota are recognized to mediate pathogen establishment, providing new ecological perspectives on health and disease. Amphibian skin-associated microbiota interact with the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), but little is known about microbial turnover during host development and associations with host immune function. We surveyed skin microbiota of Colorado's endangered boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas), sampling 181 toads across four life stages (tadpoles, metamorphs, subadults and adults). Our goals were to (1) understand variation in microbial community structure among individuals and sites, (2) characterize shifts in communities during development and (3) examine the prevalence and abundance of known Bd-inhibitory bacteria. We used high-throughput 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina MiSeq) to characterize bacteria and microeukaryotes, respectively. Life stage had the largest effect on the toad skin microbial community, and site and Bd presence also contributed. Proteobacteria dominated tadpole microbial communities, but were later replaced by Actinobacteria. Microeukaryotes on tadpoles were dominated by the classes Alveolata and Stramenopiles, while fungal groups replaced these groups after metamorphosis. Using a novel database of Bd-inhibitory bacteria, we found fewer Bd-inhibitory bacteria in post-metamorphic stages correlated with increased skin fungi, suggesting that bacteria have a strong role in early developmental stages and reduce skin-associated fungi.
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166
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Hess A, McAllister C, DeMarchi J, Zidek M, Murone J, Venesky MD. Salamanders increase their feeding activity when infected with the pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2015; 116:205-212. [PMID: 26503775 DOI: 10.3354/dao02915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Immune function is a costly line of defense against parasitism. When infected with a parasite, hosts frequently lose mass due to these costs. However, some infected hosts (e.g. highly resistant individuals) can clear infections with seemingly little fitness losses, but few studies have tested how resistant hosts mitigate these costly immune defenses. We explored this topic using eastern red-backed salamanders Plethodon cinereus and the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Bd is generally lethal for amphibians, and stereotypical symptoms of infection include loss in mass and deficits in feeding. However, individuals of P. cinereus can clear their Bd infections with seemingly few fitness costs. We conducted an experiment in which we repeatedly observed the feeding activity of Bd-infected and non-infected salamanders. We found that Bd-infected salamanders generally increased their feeding activity compared to non-infected salamanders. The fact that we did not observe any differences in mass change between the treatments suggests that increased feeding might help Bd-infected salamanders minimize the costs of an effective immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Hess
- Department of Biology, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA 16335, USA
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167
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Wei Z, Yang T, Friman VP, Xu Y, Shen Q, Jousset A. Trophic network architecture of root-associated bacterial communities determines pathogen invasion and plant health. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8413. [PMID: 26400552 PMCID: PMC4598729 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 264] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-associated bacterial communities can function as an important line of defence against pathogens in animals and plants. Empirical evidence and theoretical predictions suggest that species-rich communities are more resistant to pathogen invasions. Yet, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we experimentally test how the underlying resource competition networks of resident bacterial communities affect invasion resistance to the plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum in microcosms and in tomato plant rhizosphere. We find that bipartite resource competition networks are better predictors of invasion resistance compared with resident community diversity. Specifically, communities with a combination of stabilizing configurations (low nestedness and high connectance), and a clear niche overlap with the pathogen, reduce pathogen invasion success, constrain pathogen growth within invaded communities and have lower levels of diseased plants in greenhouse experiments. Bacterial resource competition network characteristics can thus be important in explaining positive diversity-invasion resistance relationships in bacterial rhizosphere communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong Wei
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Tianjie Yang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ville-Petri Friman
- Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Yangchun Xu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qirong Shen
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Alexandre Jousset
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
- Institute for Environmental Biology, Ecology & Biodiversity, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
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168
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James TY, Toledo LF, Rödder D, da Silva Leite D, Belasen AM, Betancourt-Román CM, Jenkinson TS, Soto-Azat C, Lambertini C, Longo AV, Ruggeri J, Collins JP, Burrowes PA, Lips KR, Zamudio KR, Longcore JE. Disentangling host, pathogen, and environmental determinants of a recently emerged wildlife disease: lessons from the first 15 years of amphibian chytridiomycosis research. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:4079-97. [PMID: 26445660 PMCID: PMC4588650 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis, which affects species across all continents, recently emerged as one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Yet, many aspects of the basic biology and epidemiology of the pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), are still unknown, such as when and from where did Bd emerge and what is its true ecological niche? Here, we review the ecology and evolution of Bd in the Americas and highlight controversies that make this disease so enigmatic. We explore factors associated with variance in severity of epizootics focusing on the disease triangle of host susceptibility, pathogen virulence, and environment. Reevaluating the causes of the panzootic is timely given the wealth of data on Bd prevalence across hosts and communities and the recent discoveries suggesting co-evolutionary potential of hosts and Bd. We generate a new species distribution model for Bd in the Americas based on over 30,000 records and suggest a novel future research agenda. Instead of focusing on pathogen "hot spots," we need to identify pathogen "cold spots" so that we can better understand what limits the pathogen's distribution. Finally, we introduce the concept of "the Ghost of Epizootics Past" to discuss expected patterns in postepizootic host communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Y James
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109
| | - L Felipe Toledo
- Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB) Departamento de Biologia Animal Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Caixa Postal 6109 Campinas São Paulo CEP 13083-863 Brazil
| | - Dennis Rödder
- Section of Herpetology Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig Adenauerallee 160 53113 Bonn Germany
| | - Domingos da Silva Leite
- Laboratório de Antígenos Bacterianos II Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Caixa Postal 6109 Campinas São Paulo CEP 13083-862 Brazil
| | - Anat M Belasen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109
| | | | - Thomas S Jenkinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109
| | - Claudio Soto-Azat
- Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello Santiago Chile
| | - Carolina Lambertini
- Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB) Departamento de Biologia Animal Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas Caixa Postal 6109 Campinas São Paulo CEP 13083-863 Brazil
| | - Ana V Longo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York 14853
| | - Joice Ruggeri
- Departamento de Zoologia Laboratório de Anfíbios e Répteis Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Ilha do Fundão, Caixa postal: 68044 Rio de Janeiro RJ CEP 21941-590 Brazil
| | - James P Collins
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University PO Box 874501 Tempe Arizona 85287-4501
| | | | - Karen R Lips
- Department of Biology University of Maryland College Park Maryland 20901
| | - Kelly R Zamudio
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York 14853
| | - Joyce E Longcore
- School of Biology and Ecology University of Maine Orono Maine 04469-5722
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169
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Hoyt JR, Cheng TL, Langwig KE, Hee MM, Frick WF, Kilpatrick AM. Bacteria isolated from bats inhibit the growth of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white-nose syndrome. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121329. [PMID: 25853558 PMCID: PMC4390377 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases are a key threat to wildlife. Several fungal skin pathogens have recently emerged and caused widespread mortality in several vertebrate groups, including amphibians, bats, rattlesnakes and humans. White-nose syndrome, caused by the fungal skin pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, threatens several hibernating bat species with extinction and there are few effective treatment strategies. The skin microbiome is increasingly understood to play a large role in determining disease outcome. We isolated bacteria from the skin of four bat species, and co-cultured these isolates with P. destructans to identify bacteria that might inhibit or kill P. destructans. We then conducted two reciprocal challenge experiments in vitro with six bacterial isolates (all in the genus Pseudomonas) to quantify the effect of these bacteria on the growth of P. destructans. All six Pseudomonas isolates significantly inhibited growth of P. destructans compared to non-inhibitory control bacteria, and two isolates performed significantly better than others in suppressing P. destructans growth for at least 35 days. In both challenge experiments, the extent of suppression of P. destructans growth was dependent on the initial concentration of P. destructans and the initial concentration of the bacterial isolate. These results show that bacteria found naturally occurring on bats can inhibit the growth of P. destructans in vitro and should be studied further as a possible probiotic to protect bats from white-nose syndrome. In addition, the presence of these bacteria may influence disease outcomes among individuals, populations, and species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R. Hoyt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Tina L. Cheng
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Kate E. Langwig
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Mallory M. Hee
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Winifred F. Frick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - A. Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
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170
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Amphibian Symbiotic Bacteria Do Not Show a Universal Ability To Inhibit Growth of the Global Panzootic Lineage of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Appl Environ Microbiol 2015; 81:3706-11. [PMID: 25819964 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00010-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbiomes associated with multicellular organisms influence the disease susceptibility of hosts. The potential exists for such bacteria to protect wildlife from infectious diseases, particularly in the case of the globally distributed and highly virulent fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis of the global panzootic lineage (B. dendrobatidis GPL), responsible for mass extinctions and population declines of amphibians. B. dendrobatidis GPL exhibits wide genotypic and virulence variation, and the ability of candidate probiotics to restrict growth across B. dendrobatidis isolates has not previously been considered. Here we show that only a small proportion of candidate probiotics exhibited broad-spectrum inhibition across B. dendrobatidis GPL isolates. Moreover, some bacterial genera showed significantly greater inhibition than others, but overall, genus and species were not particularly reliable predictors of inhibitory capabilities. These findings indicate that bacterial consortia are likely to offer a more stable and effective approach to probiotics, particularly if related bacteria are selected from genera with greater antimicrobial capabilities. Together these results highlight a complex interaction between pathogens and host-associated symbiotic bacteria that will require consideration in the development of bacterial probiotics for wildlife conservation. Future efforts to construct protective microbiomes should incorporate bacteria that exhibit broad-spectrum inhibition of B. dendrobatidis GPL isolates.
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171
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Becker MH, Walke JB, Murrill L, Woodhams DC, Reinert LK, Rollins-Smith LA, Burzynski EA, Umile TP, Minbiole KPC, Belden LK. Phylogenetic distribution of symbiotic bacteria from Panamanian amphibians that inhibit growth of the lethal fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:1628-41. [PMID: 25737297 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Revised: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The introduction of next-generation sequencing has allowed for greater understanding of community composition of symbiotic microbial communities. However, determining the function of individual members of these microbial communities still largely relies on culture-based methods. Here, we present results on the phylogenetic distribution of a defensive functional trait of cultured symbiotic bacteria associated with amphibians. Amphibians are host to a diverse community of cutaneous bacteria and some of these bacteria protect their host from the lethal fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) by secreting antifungal metabolites. We cultured over 450 bacterial isolates from the skins of Panamanian amphibian species and tested their interactions with Bd using an in vitro challenge assay. For a subset of isolates, we also completed coculture experiments and found that culturing isolates with Bd had no effect on inhibitory properties of the bacteria, but it significantly decreased metabolite secretion. In challenge assays, approximately 75% of the bacterial isolates inhibited Bd to some extent and these inhibitory isolates were widely distributed among all bacterial phyla. Although there was no clear phylogenetic signal of inhibition, three genera, Stenotrophomonas, Aeromonas and Pseudomonas, had a high proportion of inhibitory isolates (100%, 77% and 73%, respectively). Overall, our results demonstrate that antifungal properties are phylogenetically widespread in symbiotic microbial communities of Panamanian amphibians and that some functional redundancy for fungal inhibition occurs in these communities. We hope that these findings contribute to the discovery and development of probiotics for amphibians that can mitigate the threat of chytridiomycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew H Becker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
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172
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Colombo BM, Scalvenzi T, Benlamara S, Pollet N. Microbiota and mucosal immunity in amphibians. Front Immunol 2015; 6:111. [PMID: 25821449 PMCID: PMC4358222 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We know that animals live in a world dominated by bacteria. In the last 20 years, we have learned that microbes are essential regulators of mucosal immunity. Bacteria, archeas, and viruses influence different aspects of mucosal development and function. Yet, the literature mainly covers findings obtained in mammals. In this review, we focus on two major themes that emerge from the comparative analysis of mammals and amphibians. These themes concern: (i) the structure and functions of lymphoid organs and immune cells in amphibians, with a focus on the gut mucosal immune system; and (ii) the characteristics of the amphibian microbiota and its influence on mucosal immunity. Lastly, we propose to use Xenopus tadpoles as an alternative small-animal model to improve the fundamental knowledge on immunological functions of gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno M Colombo
- Institute of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne , Evry , France
| | - Thibault Scalvenzi
- Institute of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne , Evry , France
| | - Sarah Benlamara
- Institute of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne , Evry , France
| | - Nicolas Pollet
- Institute of Systems and Synthetic Biology, CNRS , Evry , France ; Evolution, Genome, Comportement et Ecologie, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, IRD , Gif-sur-Yvette , France
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173
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Bletz MC, Rosa GM, Andreone F, Courtois EA, Schmeller DS, Rabibisoa NHC, Rabemananjara FCE, Raharivololoniaina L, Vences M, Weldon C, Edmonds D, Raxworthy CJ, Harris RN, Fisher MC, Crottini A. Widespread presence of the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in wild amphibian communities in Madagascar. Sci Rep 2015; 5:8633. [PMID: 25719857 PMCID: PMC4341422 DOI: 10.1038/srep08633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphibian chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been a significant driver of amphibian declines. While globally widespread, Bd had not yet been reported from within Madagascar. We document surveys conducted across the country between 2005 and 2014, showing Bd's first record in 2010. Subsequently, Bd was detected in multiple areas, with prevalence reaching up to 100%. Detection of Bd appears to be associated with mid to high elevation sites and to have a seasonal pattern, with greater detectability during the dry season. Lineage-based PCR was performed on a subset of samples. While some did not amplify with any lineage probe, when a positive signal was observed, samples were most similar to the Global Panzootic Lineage (BdGPL). These results may suggest that Bd arrived recently, but do not exclude the existence of a previously undetected endemic Bd genotype. Representatives of all native anuran families have tested Bd-positive, and exposure trials confirm infection by Bd is possible. Bd's presence could pose significant threats to Madagascar's unique "megadiverse" amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly C Bletz
- 1] Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA [2] Technische Universität Braunschweig, Division of Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Gonçalo M Rosa
- 1] Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NR, UK [2] Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK [3] Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Bloco 2, Piso 5, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Franco Andreone
- 1] Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Via G. Giolitti, 36, I-10123, Torino, Italy [2] IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group-Madagascar, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Elodie A Courtois
- 1] CNRS-Guyane, USR 3456, 2 avenue Gustave Charlery, 97300 Cayenne, Guyane Française [2] Station d'écologie expérimentale du CNRS à Moulis, USR 2936, 2 route du CNRS, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Dirk S Schmeller
- 1] UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Conservation Biology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany [2] EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement), CNRS/Université de Toulouse; UPS, INPT; 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Nirhy H C Rabibisoa
- 1] IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group-Madagascar, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar [2] Département de Biologie Animale et Ecologie, Faculté des Sciences, University of Mahajanga, Ambondrona, B.P. 652, Mahajanga 401, Madagascar
| | - Falitiana C E Rabemananjara
- 1] IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group-Madagascar, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar [2] University of Antananarivo, BP 906, Antananarivo 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Miguel Vences
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Division of Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ché Weldon
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Devin Edmonds
- Association Mitsinjo, Lot 104 A Andasibe Gare, Andasibe 514, Madagascar
| | - Christopher J Raxworthy
- Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St. New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Reid N Harris
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA
| | - Matthew C Fisher
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Angelica Crottini
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, N° 7, 4485-661 Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
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174
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Holden WM, Reinert LK, Hanlon SM, Parris MJ, Rollins-Smith LA. Development of antimicrobial peptide defenses of southern leopard frogs, Rana sphenocephala, against the pathogenic chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 48:65-75. [PMID: 25218643 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2014.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2014] [Revised: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/05/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Amphibian species face the growing threat of extinction due to the emerging fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which causes the disease chytridiomycosis. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) produced in granular glands of the skin are an important defense against this pathogen. Little is known about the ontogeny of AMP production or the impact of AMPs on potentially beneficial symbiotic skin bacteria. We show here that Rana (Lithobates) sphenocephala produces a mixture of four AMPs with activity against B. dendrobatidis, and we report the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of synthesized replicates of these four AMPs tested against B. dendrobatidis. Using mass spectrometry and protein quantification assays, we observed that R. sphenocephala does not secrete a mature suite of AMPs until approximately 12 weeks post-metamorphosis, and geographically disparate populations produce a different suite of peptides. Use of norepinephrine to induce maximal secretion significantly reduced levels of culturable skin bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney M Holden
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Laura K Reinert
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Shane M Hanlon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Matthew J Parris
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Louise A Rollins-Smith
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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175
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Ellison AR, Tunstall T, DiRenzo GV, Hughey MC, Rebollar EA, Belden LK, Harris RN, Ibáñez R, Lips KR, Zamudio KR. More than skin deep: functional genomic basis for resistance to amphibian chytridiomycosis. Genome Biol Evol 2014; 7:286-98. [PMID: 25539724 PMCID: PMC4316636 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evu285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The amphibian-killing chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is one of the most generalist pathogens known, capable of infecting hundreds of species globally and causing widespread population declines and extinctions. However, some host species are seemingly unaffected by Bd, tolerating or clearing infections without clinical signs of disease. Variation in host immune responses is commonly evoked for these resistant or tolerant species, yet to date, we have no direct comparison of amphibian species responses to infection at the level of gene expression. In this study, we challenged four Central American frog species that vary in Bd susceptibility, with a sympatric virulent strain of the pathogen. We compared skin and spleen orthologous gene expression using differential expression tests and coexpression gene network analyses. We found that resistant species have reduced skin inflammatory responses and increased expression of genes involved in skin integrity. In contrast, only highly susceptible species exhibited suppression of splenic T-cell genes. We conclude that resistance to chytridiomycosis may be related to a species’ ability to escape the immunosuppressive activity of the fungus. Moreover, our results indicate that within-species differences in splenic proteolytic enzyme gene expression may contribute to intraspecific variation in survival. This first comparison of amphibian functional immunogenomic architecture in response to Bd provides insights into key genetic mechanisms underlying variation in disease outcomes among amphibian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R Ellison
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University
| | - Tate Tunstall
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Roberto Ibáñez
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá
| | - Karen R Lips
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park
| | - Kelly R Zamudio
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University
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Ferrie GM, Alford VC, Atkinson J, Baitchman E, Barber D, Blaner WS, Crawshaw G, Daneault A, Dierenfeld E, Finke M, Fleming G, Gagliardo R, Hoffman EA, Karasov W, Klasing K, Koutsos E, Lankton J, Lavin SR, Lentini A, Livingston S, Lock B, Mason T, McComb A, Morris C, Pessier AP, Olea-Popelka F, Probst T, Rodriguez C, Schad K, Semmen K, Sincage J, Stamper MA, Steinmetz J, Sullivan K, Terrell S, Wertan N, Wheaton CJ, Wilson B, Valdes EV. Nutrition and health in amphibian husbandry. Zoo Biol 2014; 33:485-501. [PMID: 25296396 PMCID: PMC4685711 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Revised: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Amphibian biology is intricate, and there are many inter-related factors that need to be understood before establishing successful Conservation Breeding Programs (CBPs). Nutritional needs of amphibians are highly integrated with disease and their husbandry needs, and the diversity of developmental stages, natural habitats, and feeding strategies result in many different recommendations for proper care and feeding. This review identifies several areas where there is substantial room for improvement in maintaining healthy ex situ amphibian populations specifically in the areas of obtaining and utilizing natural history data for both amphibians and their dietary items, achieving more appropriate environmental parameters, understanding stress and hormone production, and promoting better physical and population health. Using a scientific or research framework to answer questions about disease, nutrition, husbandry, genetics, and endocrinology of ex situ amphibians will improve specialists' understanding of the needs of these species. In general, there is a lack of baseline data and comparative information for most basic aspects of amphibian biology as well as standardized laboratory approaches. Instituting a formalized research approach in multiple scientific disciplines will be beneficial not only to the management of current ex situ populations, but also in moving forward with future conservation and reintroduction projects. This overview of gaps in knowledge concerning ex situ amphibian care should serve as a foundation for much needed future research in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina M. Ferrie
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
| | - Vance C. Alford
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Jim Atkinson
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Andy Daneault
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | | | | | - Greg Fleming
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | | | - Eric A. Hoffman
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
| | - William Karasov
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Kirk Klasing
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate Program in Avian Sciences, UC Davis, Davis, CA
| | | | - Julia Lankton
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Shana R. Lavin
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | | | - Shannon Livingston
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | | | | | | | | | - Allan P. Pessier
- Wildlife Disease Laboratories, Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, San Diego, CA
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | | | - Tom Probst
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Carlos Rodriguez
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Kristine Schad
- European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kent Semmen
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Jamie Sincage
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - M. Andrew Stamper
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Jason Steinmetz
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Kathleen Sullivan
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Scott Terrell
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Nina Wertan
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Catharine J. Wheaton
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
| | - Brad Wilson
- Amphibian Ark, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA
| | - Eduardo V. Valdes
- Animals, Science and Environment, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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177
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Antwis RE, Purcell R, Walker SL, Fidgett AL, Preziosi RF. Effects of visible implanted elastomer marking on physiological traits of frogs. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 2:cou042. [PMID: 27293663 PMCID: PMC4732488 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cou042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Revised: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Amphibians possess innate immune defences, including antimicrobial peptides and symbiotic bacterial communities, that can protect them from infectious diseases, including chytridiomycosis. On-going research is attempting to use amphibian symbiotic bacteria to develop probiotic treatments that can protect hosts from the causative agent of chytridiomycosis, the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Events that cause disruption of symbiotic bacterial communities or deplete peptide stores could increase the susceptibility of individuals to disease and may have implications for amphibians involved in probiotic trials or time course studies that investigate symbiotic bacterial communities. It has previously been shown that passive integrated transponder tagging of frogs causes a rapid (within 24 h) and major proliferation of micro-organisms on the skin. Here, we show that marking of red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas) with visible elastomer has no effect on adrenal response (represented by faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations) or peptide production, although there was evidence of a slightly greater microbial abundance associated with the skin of marked frogs 2 weeks after tagging. The results indicate that visible elastomer may be a preferable marking technique to passive integrated transponder tagging, particularly in the context of probiotic trials or time course studies that investigate symbiotic bacterial communities. More work is required to determine the effects of different marking techniques on physiological responses of amphibians, whether these physiological responses are consistent across host species and whether such 'non-invasive' marking methods affect the susceptibility of amphibians to infectious pathogens, such as B. dendrobatidis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E. Antwis
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Carys Bannister Building, Dover Street, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | | | | | | | - Richard F. Preziosi
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Carys Bannister Building, Dover Street, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
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178
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Scheele BC, Hunter DA, Grogan LF, Berger L, Kolby JE, McFadden MS, Marantelli G, Skerratt LF, Driscoll DA. Interventions for reducing extinction risk in chytridiomycosis-threatened amphibians. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2014; 28:1195-1205. [PMID: 24975971 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife diseases pose an increasing threat to biodiversity and are a major management challenge. A striking example of this threat is the emergence of chytridiomycosis. Despite diagnosis of chytridiomycosis as an important driver of global amphibian declines 15 years ago, researchers have yet to devise effective large-scale management responses other than biosecurity measures to mitigate disease spread and the establishment of disease-free captive assurance colonies prior to or during disease outbreaks. We examined the development of management actions that can be implemented after an epidemic in surviving populations. We developed a conceptual framework with clear interventions to guide experimental management and applied research so that further extinctions of amphibian species threatened by chytridiomycosis might be prevented. Within our framework, there are 2 management approaches: reducing Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (the fungus that causes chytridiomycosis) in the environment or on amphibians and increasing the capacity of populations to persist despite increased mortality from disease. The latter approach emphasizes that mitigation does not necessarily need to focus on reducing disease-associated mortality. We propose promising management actions that can be implemented and tested based on current knowledge and that include habitat manipulation, antifungal treatments, animal translocation, bioaugmentation, head starting, and selection for resistance. Case studies where these strategies are being implemented will demonstrate their potential to save critically endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben C Scheele
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, National Environmental Research Program Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Forestry Building [48], Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia; NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Queanbeyan, NSW 2620, Australia.
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179
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Loudon AH, Holland JA, Umile TP, Burzynski EA, Minbiole KPC, Harris RN. Interactions between amphibians' symbiotic bacteria cause the production of emergent anti-fungal metabolites. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:441. [PMID: 25191317 PMCID: PMC4139739 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphibians possess beneficial skin bacteria that protect against the disease chytridiomycosis by producing secondary metabolites that inhibit the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Metabolite production may be a mechanism of competition between bacterial species that results in host protection as a by-product. We expect that some co-cultures of bacterial species or strains will result in greater Bd inhibition than mono-cultures. To test this, we cultured four bacterial isolates (Bacillus sp., Janthinobacterium sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Chitinophaga arvensicola) from red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) and cultured isolates both alone and together to collect their cell-free supernatants (CFS). We challenged Bd with CFSs from four bacterial species in varying combinations. This resulted in three experimental treatments: (1) CFSs of single isolates; (2) combined CFSs of two isolates; and (3) CFSs from co-cultures. Pair-wise combinations of four bacterial isolates CFSs were assayed against Bd and revealed additive Bd inhibition in 42.2% of trials, synergistic inhibition in 42.2% and no effect in 16.6% of trials. When bacteria isolates were grown in co-cultures, complete Bd inhibition was generally observed, and synergistic inhibition occurred in four out of six trials. A metabolite profile of the most potent co-culture, Bacillus sp. and Chitinophaga arvensicola, was determined with LC-MS and compared with the profiles of each isolate in mono-culture. Emergent metabolites appearing in the co-culture were inhibitory to Bd, and the most potent inhibitor was identified as tryptophol. Thus mono-cultures of bacteria cultured from red-backed salamanders interacted synergistically and additively to inhibit Bd, and such bacteria produced emergent metabolites when cultured together, with even greater pathogen inhibition. Knowledge of how bacterial species interact to inhibit Bd can be used to select probiotics to provide amphibians with protection against Bd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew H Loudon
- Department of Biology, James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA, USA
| | - Jessica A Holland
- Department of Biology, James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA, USA
| | - Thomas P Umile
- Department of Chemistry, Villanova University Villanova, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Reid N Harris
- Department of Biology, James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA, USA
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180
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Russell JA, Dubilier N, Rudgers JA. Nature's microbiome: introduction. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:1225-1237. [PMID: 24628935 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2014] [Accepted: 01/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A Russell
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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181
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Daskin JH, Bell SC, Schwarzkopf L, Alford RA. Cool temperatures reduce antifungal activity of symbiotic bacteria of threatened amphibians--implications for disease management and patterns of decline. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100378. [PMID: 24941262 PMCID: PMC4062522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is a widespread disease of amphibians responsible for population declines and extinctions. Some bacteria from amphibians' skins produce antimicrobial substances active against Bd. Supplementing populations of these cutaneous antifungal bacteria might help manage chytridiomycosis in wild amphibians. However, the activity of protective bacteria may depend upon environmental conditions. Biocontrol of Bd in nature thus requires knowledge of how environmental conditions affect their anti-Bd activity. For example, Bd-driven amphibian declines have often occurred at temperatures below Bd's optimum range. It is possible these declines occurred due to reduced anti-Bd activity of bacterial symbionts at cool temperatures. Better understanding of the effects of temperature on chytridiomycosis development could also improve risk evaluation for amphibian populations yet to encounter Bd. We characterized, at a range of temperatures approximating natural seasonal variation, the anti-Bd activity of bacterial symbionts from the skins of three species of rainforest tree frogs (Litoria nannotis, Litoria rheocola, and Litoria serrata). All three species declined during chytridiomycosis outbreaks in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have subsequently recovered to differing extents. We collected anti-Bd bacterial symbionts from frogs and cultured the bacteria at constant temperatures from 8 °C to 33 °C. Using a spectrophotometric assay, we monitored Bd growth in cell-free supernatants (CFSs) from each temperature treatment. CFSs from 11 of 24 bacteria showed reduced anti-Bd activity in vitro when they were produced at cool temperatures similar to those encountered by the host species during population declines. Reduced anti-Bd activity of metabolites produced at low temperatures may, therefore, partially explain the association between Bd-driven declines and cool temperatures. We show that to avoid inconsistent antifungal activity, bacteria evaluated for use in chytridiomycosis biocontrol should be tested over a range of environmental temperatures spanning those likely to be encountered in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua H. Daskin
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Sara C. Bell
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lin Schwarzkopf
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ross A. Alford
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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182
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Longo AV, Burrowes PA, Zamudio KR. Genomic Studies of Disease-Outcome in Host-Pathogen Dynamics. Integr Comp Biol 2014; 54:427-38. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icu073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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183
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Tagging frogs with passive integrated transponders causes disruption of the cutaneous bacterial community and proliferation of opportunistic fungi. Appl Environ Microbiol 2014; 80:4779-84. [PMID: 24878599 PMCID: PMC4148814 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01175-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Symbiotic bacterial communities play a key role in protecting amphibians from infectious diseases including chytridiomycosis, caused by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Events that lead to the disruption of the bacterial community may have implications for the susceptibility of amphibians to such diseases. Amphibians are often marked both in the wild and in captivity for a variety of reasons, and although existing literature indicates that marking techniques have few negative effects, the response of cutaneous microbial communities has not yet been investigated. Here we determine the effects of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagging on culturable cutaneous microbial communities of captive Morelet's tree frogs (Agalychnis moreletii) and assess the isolated bacterial strains for anti-B. dendrobatidis activity in vitro. We find that PIT tagging causes a major disruption to the bacterial community associated with the skin of frogs (∼12-fold increase in abundance), as well as a concurrent proliferation in resident fungi (up to ∼200-fold increase). Handling also caused a disruption the bacterial community, although to a lesser extent than PIT tagging. However, the effects of both tagging and handling were temporary, and after 2 weeks, the bacterial communities were similar to their original compositions. We also identify two bacterial strains that inhibit B. dendrobatidis, one of which increased in abundance on PIT-tagged frogs at 1 day postmarking, while the other was unaffected. These results show that PIT tagging has previously unobserved consequences for cutaneous microbial communities of frogs and may be particularly relevant for studies that intend to use PIT tagging to identify individuals involved in trials to develop probiotic treatments.
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184
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Walke JB, Becker MH, Loftus SC, House LL, Cormier G, Jensen RV, Belden LK. Amphibian skin may select for rare environmental microbes. ISME JOURNAL 2014; 8:2207-17. [PMID: 24858782 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2014.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2013] [Revised: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Host-microbe symbioses rely on the successful transmission or acquisition of symbionts in each new generation. Amphibians host a diverse cutaneous microbiota, and many of these symbionts appear to be mutualistic and may limit infection by the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has caused global amphibian population declines and extinctions in recent decades. Using bar-coded 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we addressed the question of symbiont transmission by examining variation in amphibian skin microbiota across species and sites and in direct relation to environmental microbes. Although acquisition of environmental microbes occurs in some host-symbiont systems, this has not been extensively examined in free-living vertebrate-microbe symbioses. Juvenile bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), adult red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens), pond water and pond substrate were sampled at a single pond to examine host-specificity and potential environmental transmission of microbiota. To assess population level variation in skin microbiota, adult newts from two additional sites were also sampled. Cohabiting bullfrogs and newts had distinct microbial communities, as did newts across the three sites. The microbial communities of amphibians and the environment were distinct; there was very little overlap in the amphibians' core microbes and the most abundant environmental microbes, and the relative abundances of OTUs that were shared by amphibians and the environment were inversely related. These results suggest that, in a host species-specific manner, amphibian skin may select for microbes that are generally in low abundance in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenifer B Walke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Matthew H Becker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Stephen C Loftus
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Leanna L House
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Guy Cormier
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Roderick V Jensen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Lisa K Belden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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185
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Increasing phytoremediation efficiency and reliability using novel omics approaches. Trends Biotechnol 2014; 32:271-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2014.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2013] [Revised: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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186
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Woodhams DC, Brandt H, Baumgartner S, Kielgast J, Küpfer E, Tobler U, Davis LR, Schmidt BR, Bel C, Hodel S, Knight R, McKenzie V. Interacting symbionts and immunity in the amphibian skin mucosome predict disease risk and probiotic effectiveness. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96375. [PMID: 24789229 PMCID: PMC4005770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenesis is strongly dependent on microbial context, but development of probiotic therapies has neglected the impact of ecological interactions. Dynamics among microbial communities, host immune responses, and environmental conditions may alter the effect of probiotics in human and veterinary medicine, agriculture and aquaculture, and the proposed treatment of emerging wildlife and zoonotic diseases such as those occurring on amphibians or vectored by mosquitoes. Here we use a holistic measure of amphibian mucosal defenses to test the effects of probiotic treatments and to assess disease risk under different ecological contexts. We developed a non-invasive assay for antifungal function of the skin mucosal ecosystem (mucosome function) integrating host immune factors and the microbial community as an alternative to pathogen exposure experiments. From approximately 8500 amphibians sampled across Europe, we compared field infection prevalence with mucosome function against the emerging fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Four species were tested with laboratory exposure experiments, and a highly susceptible species, Alytes obstetricans, was treated with a variety of temperature and microbial conditions to test the effects of probiotic therapies and environmental conditions on mucosome function. We found that antifungal function of the amphibian skin mucosome predicts the prevalence of infection with the fungal pathogen in natural populations, and is linked to survival in laboratory exposure experiments. When altered by probiotic therapy, the mucosome increased antifungal capacity, while previous exposure to the pathogen was suppressive. In culture, antifungal properties of probiotics depended strongly on immunological and environmental context including temperature, competition, and pathogen presence. Functional changes in microbiota with shifts in temperature provide an alternative mechanistic explanation for patterns of disease susceptibility related to climate beyond direct impact on host or pathogen. This nonlethal management tool can be used to optimize and quickly assess the relative benefits of probiotic therapies under different climatic, microbial, or host conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas C. Woodhams
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Hannelore Brandt
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Simone Baumgartner
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jos Kielgast
- Section for Freshwater Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eliane Küpfer
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ursina Tobler
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- KARCH, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Leyla R. Davis
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benedikt R. Schmidt
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- KARCH, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Bel
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sandro Hodel
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rob Knight
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Valerie McKenzie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
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187
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Michaels CJ, Antwis RE, Preziosi RF. Impact of plant cover on fitness and behavioural traits of captive red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas). PLoS One 2014; 9:e95207. [PMID: 24740289 PMCID: PMC3989275 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the importance of ex situ conservation programmes as highlighted in the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan, there are few empirical studies that examine the influence of captive conditions on the fitness of amphibians, even for basic components of enclosure design such as cover provision. Maintaining the fitness of captive amphibian populations is essential to the success of ex situ conservation projects. Here we examined the impact of plant cover on measures of fitness and behaviour in captive red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas). We found significant effects of plant provision on body size, growth rates and cutaneous bacterial communities that together demonstrate a compelling fitness benefit from cover provision. We also demonstrate a strong behavioural preference for planted rather than non-planted areas. We also assessed the impact of plant provision on the abiotic environment in the enclosure as a potential driver of these behavioural and fitness effects. Together this data provides valuable information regarding enclosure design for a non-model amphibian species and has implications for amphibian populations maintained in captivity for conservation breeding programmes and research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachael E. Antwis
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Richard F. Preziosi
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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188
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Küng D, Bigler L, Davis LR, Gratwicke B, Griffith E, Woodhams DC. Stability of microbiota facilitated by host immune regulation: informing probiotic strategies to manage amphibian disease. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87101. [PMID: 24489847 PMCID: PMC3906108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities can augment host immune responses and probiotic therapies are under development to prevent or treat diseases of humans, crops, livestock, and wildlife including an emerging fungal disease of amphibians, chytridiomycosis. However, little is known about the stability of host-associated microbiota, or how the microbiota is structured by innate immune factors including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) abundant in the skin secretions of many amphibians. Thus, conservation medicine including therapies targeting the skin will benefit from investigations of amphibian microbial ecology that provide a model for vertebrate host-symbiont interactions on mucosal surfaces. Here, we tested whether the cutaneous microbiota of Panamanian rocket frogs, Colostethus panamansis, was resistant to colonization or altered by treatment. Under semi-natural outdoor mesocosm conditions in Panama, we exposed frogs to one of three treatments including: (1) probiotic - the potentially beneficial bacterium Lysinibacillus fusiformis, (2) transplant – skin washes from the chytridiomycosis-resistant glass frog Espadarana prosoblepon, and (3) control – sterile water. Microbial assemblages were analyzed by a culture-independent T-RFLP analysis. We found that skin microbiota of C. panamansis was resistant to colonization and did not differ among treatments, but shifted through time in the mesocosms. We describe regulation of host AMPs that may function to maintain microbial community stability. Colonization resistance was metabolically costly and microbe-treated frogs lost 7–12% of body mass. The discovery of strong colonization resistance of skin microbiota suggests a well-regulated, rather than dynamic, host-symbiont relationship, and suggests that probiotic therapies aiming to enhance host immunity may require an approach that circumvents host mechanisms maintaining equilibrium in microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Küng
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Bigler
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Leyla R. Davis
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Brian Gratwicke
- Center for Species Survival, Conservation and Science, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Edgardo Griffith
- El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center, El Valle, República de Panamá
| | - Douglas C. Woodhams
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá, República de Panamá
- * E-mail:
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189
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Antwis RE, Haworth RL, Engelmoer DJP, Ogilvy V, Fidgett AL, Preziosi RF. Ex situ diet influences the bacterial community associated with the skin of red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas). PLoS One 2014; 9:e85563. [PMID: 24416427 PMCID: PMC3887054 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphibians support symbiotic bacterial communities on their skin that protect against a range of infectious pathogens, including the amphibian chytrid fungus. The conditions under which amphibians are maintained in captivity (e.g. diet, substrate, enrichment) in ex situ conservation programmes may affect the composition of the bacterial community. In addition, ex situ amphibian populations may support different bacterial communities in comparison to in situ populations of the same species. This could have implications for the suitability of populations intended for reintroduction, as well as the success of probiotic bacterial inoculations intended to provide amphibians with a bacterial community that resists invasion by the chytrid fungus. We aimed to investigate the effect of a carotenoid-enriched diet on the culturable bacterial community associated with captive red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas) and make comparisons to bacteria isolated from a wild population from the Chiquibul Rainforest in Belize. We successfully showed carotenoid availability influences the overall community composition, species richness and abundance of the bacterial community associated with the skin of captive frogs, with A. callidryas fed a carotenoid-enriched diet supporting a greater species richness and abundance of bacteria than those fed a carotenoid-free diet. Our results suggest that availability of carotenoids in the diet of captive frogs is likely to be beneficial for the bacterial community associated with the skin. We also found wild A. callidryas hosted more than double the number of different bacterial species than captive frogs with very little commonality between species. This suggests frogs in captivity may support a reduced and diverged bacterial community in comparison to wild populations of the same species, which could have particular relevance for ex situ conservation projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E. Antwis
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Rachel L. Haworth
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel J. P. Engelmoer
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Victoria Ogilvy
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- FrogLife, Peterborough, United Kingdom
| | | | - Richard F. Preziosi
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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190
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Microbial community dynamics and effect of environmental microbial reservoirs on red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus). ISME JOURNAL 2013; 8:830-40. [PMID: 24335825 PMCID: PMC3960541 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2013.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 204] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2013] [Revised: 09/19/2013] [Accepted: 09/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Beneficial cutaneous bacteria on amphibians can protect against the lethal disease chytridiomycosis, which has devastated many amphibian species and is caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. We describe the diversity of bacteria on red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) in the wild and the stability of these communities through time in captivity using culture-independent Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing. After field sampling, salamanders were housed with soil from the field or sterile media. The captive conditions led to different trajectories of bacterial communities. Eight OTUs present on >90% of salamanders in the field, through time, and in both treatments were defined as the core community, suggesting that some bacteria are closely associated with the host and are independent of an environmental reservoir. One of these taxa, a Pseudomonas sp., was previously cultured from amphibians and found to be antifungal. As all host-associated bacteria were found in the soil reservoir, environmental microbes strongly influence host-microbial diversity and likely regulate the core community. Using PICRUSt, an exploratory bioinformatics tool to predict gene functions, we found that core skin bacteria provided similar gene functions to the entire community. We suggest that future experiments focus on testing whether core bacteria on salamander skin contribute to the observed resistance to chytridiomycosis in this species even under hygenic captive conditions. For disease-susceptible hosts, providing an environmental reservoir with defensive bacteria in captive-rearing programs may improve outcomes by increasing bacterial diversity on threatened amphibians or increasing the likelihood that defensive bacteria are available for colonization.
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191
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Sutherland WJ, Aveling R, Brooks TM, Clout M, Dicks LV, Fellman L, Fleishman E, Gibbons DW, Keim B, Lickorish F, Monk KA, Mortimer D, Peck LS, Pretty J, Rockström J, Rodríguez JP, Smith RK, Spalding MD, Tonneijck FH, Watkinson AR. A horizon scan of global conservation issues for 2014. Trends Ecol Evol 2013; 29:15-22. [PMID: 24332318 PMCID: PMC3884124 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2013.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Revised: 11/08/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
This is the fifth in our annual series of horizon scans published in TREE. We identify 15 issues that we considered insufficiently known by the conservation community. These cover a wide range of issues. Four relate to climate change, two to invasives and two to disease spread. This exercise has been influential in the past.
This paper presents the output of our fifth annual horizon-scanning exercise, which aims to identify topics that increasingly may affect conservation of biological diversity, but have yet to be widely considered. A team of professional horizon scanners, researchers, practitioners, and a journalist identified 15 topics which were identified via an iterative, Delphi-like process. The 15 topics include a carbon market induced financial crash, rapid geographic expansion of macroalgal cultivation, genetic control of invasive species, probiotic therapy for amphibians, and an emerging snake fungal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Sutherland
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
| | - Rosalind Aveling
- Fauna & Flora International, 4th Floor, Jupiter House, Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2JD, UK
| | - Thomas M Brooks
- International Union for Conservation of Nature, 28 rue Mauverney, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland
| | - Mick Clout
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, PB 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lynn V Dicks
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Liz Fellman
- Natural Environment Research Council, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1EU, UK
| | - Erica Fleishman
- John Muir Institute of the Environment, The Barn, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - David W Gibbons
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, SG19 2DL, UK
| | - Brandon Keim
- WIRED, 520 3rd Street, Third Floor at Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA
| | - Fiona Lickorish
- Centre for Environmental Risks and Futures, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Kathryn A Monk
- Natural Resources Wales, Cambria House, 29 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0TP, UK
| | - Diana Mortimer
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Monkstone House, City Road, Peterborough, PE1 1JY, UK
| | - Lloyd S Peck
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Jules Pretty
- Essex Sustainability Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Johan Rockström
- Stockholm Resilience Center, Stockholm University, Kräftriket 2B, SE-106 19, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jon Paul Rodríguez
- Center for Ecology, Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Investigation (Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas - IVIC), Apdo. 20632, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela
| | - Rebecca K Smith
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Mark D Spalding
- Global Marine Team, The Nature Conservancy, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Femke H Tonneijck
- Wetlands International, PO Box 471, 6700 AL Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew R Watkinson
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
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192
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Zampiglia M, Canestrelli D, Chiocchio A, Nascetti G. Geographic distribution of the chytrid pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis among mountain amphibians along the Italian peninsula. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2013; 107:61-68. [PMID: 24270024 DOI: 10.3354/dao02655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The amphibian chytrid pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is considered a major cause of amphibian population declines, particularly in montane areas. Here, we investigated the presence and distribution of Bd among populations of 3 mid- to high-altitude species spanning the entire Italian peninsula (486 individuals from 39 sites overall): the stream frog Rana italica, the fire salamander Salamandra salamandra gigliolii, and the alpine newt Mesotriton alpestris apuanus. We found Bd in all of the analyzed species. Despite the widespread distribution of the pathogen, its overall prevalence (6, 9 and 19%, respectively) was lower than previously reported for the endangered Apennine yellow-bellied toad Bombina pachypus (62.5%). Moreover, several populations of the species studied here were not infected, even at sites where Bd has been detected in other host species. When coupled with the lack of evidence for Bd-related mortalities in these species in peninsular Italy, these results suggest that mechanisms of resistance and/or tolerance are protecting populations of these species from the pathogenic activity of Bd. Nevertheless, in light of the dynamic pattern of Bd-host interactions reported in other studies, of Bd-related mortalities in at least 1 study species (S. s. salamandra) in other areas, and the ongoing climate changes in montane environments, we suggest that the occurrence of Bd should be considered a potential threat to the long-term persistence of these species, and urge the implementation of monitoring and conservation plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Zampiglia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche, Università della Tuscia. Viale dell'Università s.n.c., 01100 Viterbo, Italy
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193
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Kueneman JG, Parfrey LW, Woodhams DC, Archer HM, Knight R, McKenzie VJ. The amphibian skin-associated microbiome across species, space and life history stages. Mol Ecol 2013; 23:1238-1250. [PMID: 24171949 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 242] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Revised: 08/15/2013] [Accepted: 08/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Skin-associated bacteria of amphibians are increasingly recognized for their role in defence against pathogens, yet we have little understanding of their basic ecology. Here, we use high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing to examine the host and environmental influences on the skin microbiota of the cohabiting amphibian species Anaxyrus boreas, Pseudacris regilla, Taricha torosa and Lithobates catesbeianus from the Central Valley in California. We also studied populations of Rana cascadae over a large geographic range in the Klamath Mountain range of Northern California, and across developmental stages within a single site. Dominant bacterial phylotypes on amphibian skin included taxa from Bacteroidetes, Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, Sphingobacteria and Actinobacteria. Amphibian species identity was the strongest predictor of microbial community composition. Secondarily, within a given amphibian species, wetland site explained significant variation. Amphibian-associated microbiota differed systematically from microbial assemblages in their environments. Rana cascadae tadpoles have skin bacterial communities distinct from postmetamorphic conspecifics, indicating a strong developmental shift in the skin microbes following metamorphosis. Establishing patterns observed in the skin microbiota of wild amphibians and environmental factors that underlie them is necessary to understand skin symbiont community assembly, and ultimately, the role skin microbiota play in the extended host phenotype including disease resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan G Kueneman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Ramaley N-122, UCB 334, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
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194
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Wang S, Huang J, Yang Y, Hui Y, Ge Y, Larssen T, Yu G, Deng S, Wang B, Harman C. First report of a Chinese PFOS alternative overlooked for 30 years: its toxicity, persistence, and presence in the environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:10117-28. [PMID: 23952109 DOI: 10.1021/es402455r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
This is the first report on the environmental occurrence of a chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (locally called F-53B, C8ClF16O4SK). It has been widely applied as a mist suppressant by the chrome plating industry in China for decades but has evaded the attention of environmental research and regulation. In this study, F-53B was found in high concentrations (43-78 and 65-112 μg/L for the effluent and influent, respectively) in wastewater from the chrome plating industry in the city of Wenzhou, China. F-53B was not successfully removed by the wastewater treatments in place. Consequently, it was detected in surface water that receives the treated wastewater at similar levels to PFOS (ca. 10-50 ng/L) and the concentration decreased with the increasing distance from the wastewater discharge point along the river. Initial data presented here suggest that F-53B is moderately toxic (Zebrafish LC50-96 h 15.5 mg/L) and is as resistant to degradation as PFOS. While current usage is limited to the chrome plating industry, the increasing demand for PFOS alternatives in other sectors may result in expanded usage. Collectively, the results of this work call for future assessments on the effects of this overlooked contaminant and its presence and fate in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siwen Wang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control (SKJLESPC), School of Environment, POPs Research Centre, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, P.R. China
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195
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Weldon C, Crottini A, Bollen A, Rabemananjara FCE, Copsey J, Garcia G, Andreone F. Pre-emptive national monitoring plan for detecting the amphibian chytrid fungus in Madagascar. ECOHEALTH 2013; 10:234-240. [PMID: 24057802 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-013-0869-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2012] [Revised: 06/05/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ché Weldon
- Unit for Environmental Science and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa,
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