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Ma ZS, Shi P. Critical complex network structures in animal gastrointestinal tract microbiomes. Anim Microbiome 2024; 6:23. [PMID: 38702785 PMCID: PMC11067214 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-024-00291-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Living things from microbes to their hosts (plants, animals and humans) interact with each other, and their relationships may be described with complex network models. The present study focuses on the critical network structures, specifically the core/periphery nodes and backbones (paths of high-salience skeletons) in animal gastrointestinal microbiomes (AGMs) networks. The core/periphery network (CPN) mirrors nearly ubiquitous nestedness in ecological communities, particularly dividing the network as densely interconnected core-species and periphery-species that only sparsely linked to the core. Complementarily, the high-salience skeleton network (HSN) mirrors the pervasive asymmetrical species interactions (strictly microbial species correlations), particularly forming heterogenous pathways in AGM networks with both "backbones" and "rural roads" (regular or weak links). While the cores and backbones can act as critical functional structures, the periphery nodes and weak links may stabilize network functionalities through redundancy. RESULTS Here, we build and analyze 36 pairs of CPN/HSN for the AGMs based on 4903 gastrointestinal-microbiome samples containing 473,359 microbial species collected from 318 animal species covering all vertebrate and four major invertebrate classes. The network analyses were performed at host species, order, class, phylum, kingdom scales and diet types with selected and comparative taxon pairs. Besides diet types, the influence of host phylogeny, measured with phylogenetic (evolutionary) timeline or "age", were integrated into the analyses. For example, it was found that the evolutionary trends of three primary microbial phyla (Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes/Proteobacteria) and their pairwise abundance-ratios in animals do not mirror the patterns in modern humans phylogenetically, although they are consistent in terms of diet types. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the critical network structures of AGMs are qualitatively and structurally similar to those of the human gut microbiomes. Nevertheless, it appears that the critical composition (the three phyla of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria) in human gut microbiomes has broken the evolutionary trend from animals to humans, possibly attributable to the Anthropocene epoch and reflecting the far-reaching influences of agriculture and industrial revolution on the human gut microbiomes. The influences may have led to the deviations between modern humans and our hunter-gather ancestors and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanshan Sam Ma
- Computational Biology and Medical Ecology Lab, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Harvard Forest, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
| | - Peng Shi
- Evolutionary and Functional Genomics Lab, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
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Schwob G, Cabrol L, Saucède T, Gérard K, Poulin E, Orlando J. Unveiling the co-phylogeny signal between plunderfish Harpagifer spp. and their gut microbiomes across the Southern Ocean. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0383023. [PMID: 38441978 PMCID: PMC10986581 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03830-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the factors that sculpt fish gut microbiome is challenging, especially in natural populations characterized by high environmental and host genomic complexity. However, closely related hosts are valuable models for deciphering the contribution of host evolutionary history to microbiome assembly, through the underscoring of phylosymbiosis and co-phylogeny patterns. Here, we propose that the recent diversification of several Harpagifer species across the Southern Ocean would allow the detection of robust phylogenetic congruence between the host and its microbiome. We characterized the gut mucosa microbiome of 77 individuals from four field-collected species of the plunderfish Harpagifer (Teleostei, Notothenioidei), distributed across three biogeographic regions of the Southern Ocean. We found that seawater physicochemical properties, host phylogeny, and geography collectively explained 35% of the variation in bacterial community composition in Harpagifer gut mucosa. The core microbiome of Harpagifer spp. gut mucosa was characterized by a low diversity, mostly driven by selective processes, and dominated by a single Aliivibrio Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) detected in more than 80% of the individuals. Nearly half of the core microbiome taxa, including Aliivibrio, harbored co-phylogeny signal at microdiversity resolution with host phylogeny, indicating an intimate symbiotic relationship and a shared evolutionary history with Harpagifer. The clear phylosymbiosis and co-phylogeny signals underscore the relevance of the Harpagifer model in understanding the role of fish evolutionary history in shaping the gut microbiome assembly. We propose that the recent diversification of Harpagifer may have led to the diversification of Aliivibrio, exhibiting patterns that mirror the host phylogeny. IMPORTANCE Although challenging to detect in wild populations, phylogenetic congruence between marine fish and its microbiome is critical, as it highlights intimate associations between hosts and ecologically relevant microbial symbionts. Our study leverages a natural system of closely related fish species in the Southern Ocean to unveil new insights into the contribution of host evolutionary trajectory on gut microbiome assembly, an underappreciated driver of the global marine fish holobiont. Notably, we unveiled striking evidence of co-diversification between Harpagifer and its microbiome, demonstrating both phylosymbiosis of gut bacterial communities and co-phylogeny of some specific bacterial symbionts, mirroring the host diversification patterns. Given Harpagifer's significance as a trophic resource in coastal areas and its vulnerability to climatic and anthropic pressures, understanding the potential evolutionary interdependence between the hosts and its microbiome provides valuable microbial candidates for future monitoring, as they may play a pivotal role in host species acclimatization to a rapidly changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Schwob
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago, Chile
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Santiago, Chile
| | - Léa Cabrol
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Santiago, Chile
- Aix Marseille University, Univ Toulon, CNRS, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) UM 110, Marseille, France, Marseille, France
| | - Thomas Saucède
- UMR 6282 Biogeosciences, University Bourgogne Franche-Comté, CNRS, EPHE, Dijon, France
| | - Karin Gérard
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory of Antarctic and Subantarctic Marine Ecosystems, Faculty of Sciences, University of Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
- Cape Horn International Center, Puerto Williams, Chile
| | - Elie Poulin
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago, Chile
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Santiago, Chile
| | - Julieta Orlando
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago, Chile
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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3
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van der Valk T, Dalèn L. From genomic threat assessment to conservation action. Cell 2024; 187:1038-1041. [PMID: 38428386 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Genomic approaches have the potential to play a pivotal role in conservation, both to detect threats to species and populations and to restore biodiversity through actions. We here separate these approaches into two subdisciplines, vulnerability and restoration genomics, and discuss current applications, outstanding questions, and future potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom van der Valk
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden; Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Love Dalèn
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Alfei S. Shifting from Ammonium to Phosphonium Salts: A Promising Strategy to Develop Next-Generation Weapons against Biofilms. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:80. [PMID: 38258091 PMCID: PMC10819902 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Since they are difficult and sometimes impossible to treat, infections sustained by multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, emerging especially in nosocomial environments, are an increasing global public health concern, translating into high mortality and healthcare costs. In addition to having acquired intrinsic abilities to resist available antibiotic treatments, MDR bacteria can transmit genetic material encoding for resistance to non-mutated bacteria, thus strongly decreasing the number of available effective antibiotics. Moreover, several pathogens develop resistance by forming biofilms (BFs), a safe and antibiotic-resistant home for microorganisms. BFs are made of well-organized bacterial communities, encased and protected in a self-produced extracellular polymeric matrix, which impedes antibiotics' ability to reach bacteria, thus causing them to lose efficacy. By adhering to living or abiotic surfaces in healthcare settings, especially in intensive care units where immunocompromised older patients with several comorbidities are hospitalized BFs cause the onset of difficult-to-eradicate infections. In this context, recent studies have demonstrated that quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), acting as membrane disruptors and initially with a low tendency to develop resistance, have demonstrated anti-BF potentialities. However, a paucity of innovation in this space has driven the emergence of QAC resistance. More recently, quaternary phosphonium salts (QPSs), including tri-phenyl alkyl phosphonium derivatives, achievable by easy one-step reactions and well known as intermediates of the Wittig reaction, have shown promising anti-BF effects in vitro. Here, after an overview of pathogen resistance, BFs, and QACs, we have reviewed the QPSs developed and assayed to this end, so far. Finally, the synthetic strategies used to prepare QPSs have also been provided and discussed to spur the synthesis of novel compounds of this class. We think that the extension of the knowledge about these materials by this review could be a successful approach to finding effective weapons for treating chronic infections and device-associated diseases sustained by BF-producing MDR bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana Alfei
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano, 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
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5
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Troitsky TS, Laine VN, Lilley TM. When the host's away, the pathogen will play: the protective role of the skin microbiome during hibernation. Anim Microbiome 2023; 5:66. [PMID: 38129884 PMCID: PMC10740296 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-023-00285-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The skin of animals is enveloped by a symbiotic microscopic ecosystem known as the microbiome. The host and microbiome exhibit a mutualistic relationship, collectively forming a single evolutionary unit sometimes referred to as a holobiont. Although the holobiome theory highlights the importance of the microbiome, little is known about how the skin microbiome contributes to protecting the host. Existing studies focus on humans or captive animals, but research in wild animals is in its infancy. Specifically, the protective role of the skin microbiome in hibernating animals remains almost entirely overlooked. This is surprising, considering the massive population declines in hibernating North American bats caused by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which causes white-nose syndrome. Hibernation offers a unique setting in which to study the function of the microbiome because, during torpor, the host's immune system becomes suppressed, making it susceptible to infection. We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature on the protective role of the skin microbiome in non-human animals. We selected 230 publications that mentioned pathogen inhibition by microbes residing on the skin of the host animal. We found that the majority of studies were conducted in North America and focused on the bacterial microbiome of amphibians infected by the chytrid fungus. Despite mentioning pathogen inhibition by the skin microbiome, only 30.4% of studies experimentally tested the actual antimicrobial activity of symbionts. Additionally, only 7.8% of all publications studied defensive cutaneous symbionts during hibernation. With this review, we want to highlight the knowledge gap surrounding skin microbiome research in hibernating animals. For instance, research looking to mitigate the effects of white-nose syndrome in bats should focus on the antifungal microbiome of Palearctic bats, as they survive exposure to the Pseudogymnoascus destructans -pathogen during hibernation. We also recommend future studies prioritize lesser-known microbial symbionts, such as fungi, and investigate the effects of a combination of anti-pathogen microbes, as both areas of research show promise as probiotic treatments. By incorporating the protective skin microbiome into disease mitigation strategies, conservation efforts can be made more effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- T S Troitsky
- BatLab Finland, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - V N Laine
- BatLab Finland, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - T M Lilley
- BatLab Finland, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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6
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Wen Y, Zhang G, Zhang W, Liu G. Distribution patterns and functional characteristics of soil bacterial communities in desert ecosystems of northern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167081. [PMID: 37714348 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Deserts are extremely arid environments where life is exposed to multiple environmental stresses, including low water availability, high temperatures, intense radiation environments and soil carbon and nitrogen limitation. Microorganisms have enormous potential applications due to their unique physiological adaptation mechanisms, extensive involvement in geochemical cycles and production of new antibiotics, among many other characteristics. With the increasing amount of open data provides unprecedented opportunities to further reveal bacterial biodiversity and its global role in ecosystem function. Through the collection of published high-quality sequencing data supplemented with experimental findings, we investigated the distribution characteristics and functional properties of bacteria in desert ecosystems in northern China. We show that there are significant differences in bacterial diversity among different sandy areas, and that soil properties and climatic factors are the main factors affecting bacterial diversity in desert ecosystems. The mean annual precipitation in growing season, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus had significant effects on the diversity of desert bacteria and main bacteria. Desert bacteria primarily participate in the macromolecular decomposition, phototrophy, and geochemical cycling of nitrogen. These findings deepen our understanding of the regional-scale soil microbial diversity patterns in Chinese desert ecosystems and broaden our understanding of the ecological functions carried out by bacteria in these environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wen
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering of Gansu Province, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Gaosen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering of Gansu Province, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering of Gansu Province, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Guangxiu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering of Gansu Province, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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7
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Korpita TM, Muths EL, Watry MK, McKenzie VJ. Captivity, Reintroductions, and the Rewilding of Amphibian-associated Bacterial Communities. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:2271-2281. [PMID: 37222806 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02229-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have noted differences in microbes associated with animals reared in captivity compared to their wild counterparts, but few studies have examined how microbes change when animals are reintroduced to the wild after captive rearing. As captive assurance populations and reintroduction programs increase, a better understanding of how microbial symbionts respond during animal translocations is critical. We examined changes in microbes associated with boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas), a threatened amphibian, after reintroduction to the wild following captive rearing. Previous studies demonstrate that developmental life stage is an important factor in amphibian microbiomes. We collected 16S marker-gene sequencing datasets to investigate: (i) comparisons of the skin, mouth, and fecal bacteria of boreal toads across four developmental life stages in captivity and the wild, (ii) tadpole skin bacteria before and after reintroduction to the wild, and (iii) adult skin bacteria during reintroduction to the wild. We demonstrated that differences occur across skin, fecal, and mouth bacterial communities in captive versus wild boreal toads, and that the degree of difference depends on developmental stage. Skin bacterial communities from captive tadpoles were more similar to their wild counterparts than captive post-metamorphic individuals were to their wild counterparts. When captive-reared tadpoles were introduced to a wild site, their skin bacteria changed rapidly to resemble wild tadpoles. Similarly, the skin bacterial communities of reintroduced adult boreal toads also shifted to resemble those of wild toads. Our results indicate that a clear microbial signature of captivity in amphibians does not persist after release into natural habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M Korpita
- Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Erin L Muths
- United States Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Ave. Bldg C, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Mary Kay Watry
- National Park Service, Rocky Mountain National Park, 1000 US Highway 36, Estes Park, CO, 80517, USA
| | - Valerie J McKenzie
- Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
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Ochoa-Sánchez M, Acuña Gomez EP, Ramírez-Fenández L, Eguiarte LE, Souza V. Current knowledge of the Southern Hemisphere marine microbiome in eukaryotic hosts and the Strait of Magellan surface microbiome project. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15978. [PMID: 37810788 PMCID: PMC10557944 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-microbe interactions are ubiquitous and play important roles in host biology, ecology, and evolution. Yet, host-microbe research has focused on inland species, whereas marine hosts and their associated microbes remain largely unexplored, especially in developing countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, we review the current knowledge of marine host microbiomes in the Southern Hemisphere. Our results revealed important biases in marine host species sampling for studies conducted in the Southern Hemisphere, where sponges and marine mammals have received the greatest attention. Sponge-associated microbes vary greatly across geographic regions and species. Nevertheless, besides taxonomic heterogeneity, sponge microbiomes have functional consistency, whereas geography and aging are important drivers of marine mammal microbiomes. Seabird and macroalgal microbiomes in the Southern Hemisphere were also common. Most seabird microbiome has focused on feces, whereas macroalgal microbiome has focused on the epibiotic community. Important drivers of seabird fecal microbiome are aging, sex, and species-specific factors. In contrast, host-derived deterministic factors drive the macroalgal epibiotic microbiome, in a process known as "microbial gardening". In turn, marine invertebrates (especially crustaceans) and fish microbiomes have received less attention in the Southern Hemisphere. In general, the predominant approach to study host marine microbiomes has been the sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Interestingly, there are some marine holobiont studies (i.e., studies that simultaneously analyze host (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics) and microbiome (e.g., 16S rRNA gene, metagenome) traits), but only in some marine invertebrates and macroalgae from Africa and Australia. Finally, we introduce an ongoing project on the surface microbiome of key species in the Strait of Magellan. This is an international project that will provide novel microbiome information of several species in the Strait of Magellan. In the short-term, the project will improve our knowledge about microbial diversity in the region, while long-term potential benefits include the use of these data to assess host-microbial responses to the Anthropocene derived climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ochoa-Sánchez
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | | | - Lia Ramírez-Fenández
- Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique, Chile
- Centro de Desarrollo de Biotecnología Industrial y Bioproductos, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Luis E. Eguiarte
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Valeria Souza
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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Pacheco-Torres I, Hernández-Sánchez D, García-De la Peña C, Tarango-Arámbula LA, Crosby-Galván MM, Sánchez-Santillán P. Analysis of the Intestinal and Faecal Bacterial Microbiota of the Cervidae Family Using 16S Next-Generation Sequencing: A Review. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1860. [PMID: 37513032 PMCID: PMC10386072 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Cervidae family has a wide distribution due to its adaptation to numerous ecological environments, which allows it to develop a diverse microbial community in its digestive tract. Recently, research has focused on the taxonomic composition and functionality of the intestinal and faecal microbiota of different cervid species worldwide, as well as their microbial diversity and variation under different associated factors such as age, sex, diet, distribution, and seasonal variation. In addition, there is special interest in knowing how cervids act as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogenic microorganisms, which represent a threat to public health. This review provides a synthesis of the growing field of microbiota determination in cervids worldwide, focusing on intestinal and faecal samples using 16S next-generation sequencing. It also documents factors influencing microbial diversity and composition, the microorganisms reported as pathogenic/zoonotic, and the perspectives regarding the conservation of these species. Knowing the interactions between bacteria and cervid health can drive management and conservation strategies for these species and help develop an understanding of their evolutionary history and the interaction with emerging disease-causing microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Paulino Sánchez-Santillán
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics No. 2, Autonomous University of Guerrero, Cuajinicuilapa 41940, Mexico
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Burnham CM, McKenney EA, van Heugten KA, Minter LJ, Trivedi S. Effects of age, seasonality, and reproductive status on the gut microbiome of Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) at the North Carolina zoo. Anim Microbiome 2023; 5:27. [PMID: 37147724 PMCID: PMC10163733 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-023-00249-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Managed southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) serve as assurance populations for wild conspecifics threatened by poaching and other anthropocentric effects, though many managed populations experience subfertility and reproductive failure. Gut microbiome and host health are inextricably linked, and reproductive outcomes in managed southern white rhinoceros may be mediated in part by their diet and gut microbial diversity. Thus, understanding microbial dynamics within managed populations may help improve conservation efforts. We characterized the taxonomic composition of the gut microbiome in the managed population of female southern white rhinoceros (n = 8) at the North Carolina Zoo and investigated the effects of seasonality (summer vs. winter) and age classes (juveniles (n = 2; 0-2 years), subadults (n = 2; 3-7 years), and adults (n = 4; >7 years)) on microbial richness and community structure. Collection of a fecal sample was attempted for each individual once per month from July-September 2020 and January-March 2021 resulting in a total of 41 samples analyzed. Microbial DNA was extracted and sequenced using the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA bacterial gene. Total operational taxonomic units (OTUs), alpha diversity (species richness, Shannon diversity), and beta diversity (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity, linear discriminant analysis effect size) indices were examined, and differentially enriched taxa were identified. RESULTS There were differences (p < 0.05) in alpha and beta diversity indices across individuals, age groups, and sampling months. Subadult females had higher levels of Shannon diversity (Wilcoxon, p < 0.05) compared to adult females and harbored a community cluster distinct from both juveniles and adults. Samples collected during winter months (January-March 2021) possessed higher species richness and statistically distinct communities compared to summer months (July-September 2020) (PERMANOVA, p < 0.05). Reproductively active (n = 2) and currently nonreproductive adult females (n = 2) harbored differentially enriched taxa, with the gut microbiome of nonreproductive females significantly enriched (p = 0.001) in unclassified members of Mobiluncus, a genus which possesses species associated with poor reproductive outcomes in other animal species when identified in the cervicovaginal microbiome. CONCLUSION Together, our results increase the understanding of age and season related microbial variation in southern white rhinoceros at the North Carolina Zoo and have identified a potential microbial biomarker for reproductive concern within managed female southern white rhinoceros.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Burnham
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, 120 W Broughton Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA
| | - Erin A McKenney
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, 100 Brooks Ave, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA
| | - Kimberly Ange- van Heugten
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, 120 W Broughton Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA
| | - Larry J Minter
- North Carolina Zoo, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC, 27205, USA
| | - Shweta Trivedi
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, 120 W Broughton Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
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11
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Koide RT. On Holobionts, Holospecies, and Holoniches: the Role of Microbial Symbioses in Ecology and Evolution. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:1143-1149. [PMID: 35396623 PMCID: PMC10167095 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02005-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
My goal in writing this is to increase awareness of the roles played by microbial symbionts in eukaryote ecology and evolution. Most eukaryotes host one or more species of symbiotic microorganisms, including prokaryotes and fungi. Many of these have profound impacts on the biology of their hosts. For example, microbial symbionts may expand the niches of their hosts, cause rapid adaptation of the host to the environment and re-adaptation to novel conditions via symbiont swapping, facilitate speciation, and fundamentally alter our concept of the species. In some cases, microbial symbionts and multicellular eukaryote hosts have a mutual dependency, which has obvious conservation implications. Hopefully, this contribution will stimulate a reevaluation of important ecological and evolutionary concepts including niche, adaptation, the species, speciation, and conservation of multicellular eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger T Koide
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
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Zhu Y, Zhu D, Rillig MC, Yang Y, Chu H, Chen Q, Penuelas J, Cui H, Gillings M. Ecosystem Microbiome Science. MLIFE 2023; 2:2-10. [PMID: 38818334 PMCID: PMC10989922 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The microbiome contributes to multiple ecosystem functions and services through its interactions with a complex environment and other organisms. To date, however, most microbiome studies have been carried out on individual hosts or particular environmental compartments. This greatly limits a comprehensive understanding of the processes and functions performed by the microbiome and its dynamics at an ecosystem level. We propose that the theory and tools of ecosystem ecology be used to investigate the connectivity of microorganisms and their interactions with the biotic and abiotic environment within entire ecosystems and to examine their contributions to ecosystem services. Impacts of natural and anthropogenic stressors on ecosystems will likely cause cascading effects on the microbiome and lead to unpredictable outcomes, such as outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases or changes in mutualistic interactions. Despite enormous advances in microbial ecology, we are yet to study microbiomes of ecosystems as a whole. Doing so would establish a new framework for microbiome study: Ecosystem Microbiome Science. The advent and application of molecular and genomic technologies, together with data science and modeling, will accelerate progress in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong‐Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban EnvironmentChinese Academy of SciencesXiamenChina
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Centre for Eco‐environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Dong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Centre for Eco‐environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Matthias C. Rillig
- Institute of BiologyFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB)BerlinGermany
| | - Yunfeng Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of EnvironmentTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Haiyan Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesNanjingChina
| | - Qing‐Lin Chen
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural SciencesThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Josep Penuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF‐CSIC‐UABBellaterraCataloniaSpain
- CREAFCerdanyola del VallèsCataloniaSpain
| | - Hui‐Ling Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Centre for Eco‐environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Michael Gillings
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Synthetic Biology, and Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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13
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Fieschi-Méric L, Van Leeuwen P, Hopkins K, Bournonville M, Denoël M, Lesbarrères D. Strong restructuration of skin microbiota during captivity challenges ex-situ conservation of amphibians. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1111018. [PMID: 36891392 PMCID: PMC9986596 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1111018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In response to the current worldwide amphibian extinction crisis, conservation instances have encouraged the establishment of ex-situ collections for endangered species. The resulting assurance populations are managed under strict biosecure protocols, often involving artificial cycles of temperature and humidity to induce active and overwintering phases, which likely affect the bacterial symbionts living on the amphibian skin. However, the skin microbiota is an important first line of defense against pathogens that can cause amphibian declines, such as the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Determining whether current husbandry practices for assurance populations might deplete amphibians from their symbionts is therefore essential to conservation success. Here, we characterize the effect of the transitions from the wild to captivity, and between aquatic and overwintering phases, on the skin microbiota of two newt species. While our results confirm differential selectivity of skin microbiota between species, they underscore that captivity and phase-shifts similarly affect their community structure. More specifically, the translocation ex-situ is associated with rapid impoverishment, decrease in alpha diversity and strong species turnover of bacterial communities. Shifts between active and overwintering phases also cause changes in the diversity and composition of the microbiota, and on the prevalence of Bd-inhibitory phylotypes. Altogether, our results suggest that current husbandry practices strongly restructure the amphibian skin microbiota. Although it remains to be determined whether these changes are reversible or have deleterious effects on their hosts, we discuss methods to limit microbial diversity loss ex-situ and emphasize the importance of integrating bacterial communities to applied amphibian conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Fieschi-Méric
- Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians (LECA), Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS), Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Biology Department, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | | | - Kevin Hopkins
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London (ZSL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Bournonville
- Aquarium-Muséum de l'Université de Liège, Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS), Liège, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Denoël
- Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians (LECA), Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS), Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - David Lesbarrères
- Biology Department, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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14
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Galla SJ, Mittan-Moreau CS, Barbosa S. Capturing conservation in the post-genomics era: a book review of “Conservation and Genomics of Populations.”. CONSERV GENET 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-022-01481-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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15
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Glidden CK, Field LC, Bachhuber S, Hennessey SM, Cates R, Cohen L, Crockett E, Degnin M, Feezell MK, Fulton‐Bennett HK, Pires D, Poirson BN, Randell ZH, White E, Gravem SA. Strategies for managing marine disease. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2643. [PMID: 35470930 PMCID: PMC9786832 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) has increased in wildlife populations in recent years and is expected to continue to increase with global environmental change. Marine diseases are relatively understudied compared with terrestrial diseases but warrant parallel attention as they can disrupt ecosystems, cause economic loss, and threaten human livelihoods. Although there are many existing tools to combat the direct and indirect consequences of EIDs, these management strategies are often insufficient or ineffective in marine habitats compared with their terrestrial counterparts, often due to fundamental differences between marine and terrestrial systems. Here, we first illustrate how the marine environment and marine organism life histories present challenges and opportunities for wildlife disease management. We then assess the application of common disease management strategies to marine versus terrestrial systems to identify those that may be most effective for marine disease outbreak prevention, response, and recovery. Finally, we recommend multiple actions that will enable more successful management of marine wildlife disease emergencies in the future. These include prioritizing marine disease research and understanding its links to climate change, improving marine ecosystem health, forming better monitoring and response networks, developing marine veterinary medicine programs, and enacting policy that addresses marine and other wildlife diseases. Overall, we encourage a more proactive rather than reactive approach to marine wildlife disease management and emphasize that multidisciplinary collaborations are crucial to managing marine wildlife health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline K. Glidden
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
- Present address:
Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Laurel C. Field
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Silke Bachhuber
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Robyn Cates
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Lesley Cohen
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Elin Crockett
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Michelle Degnin
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Maya K. Feezell
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Devyn Pires
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Zachary H. Randell
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Erick White
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Sarah A. Gravem
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
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16
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Littleford-Colquhoun BL, Weyrich LS, Hohwieler K, Cristescu R, Frère CH. How microbiomes can help inform conservation: landscape characterisation of gut microbiota helps shed light on additional population structure in a specialist folivore. Anim Microbiome 2022; 4:12. [PMID: 35101152 PMCID: PMC8802476 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00122-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), an iconic yet endangered specialised folivore experiencing widespread decline across Australia, is the focus of many conservation programs. Whilst animal translocation and progressive conservation strategies such as faecal inoculations may be required to bring this species back from the brink of extinction, insight into the variation of host-associated gut microbiota and the factors that shape this variation are fundamental for their success. Despite this, very little is known about the landscape variability and factors affecting koala gut microbial community dynamics. We used large scale field surveys to evaluate the variation and diversity of koala gut microbiotas and compared these diversity patterns to those detected using a population genetics approach. Scat samples were collected from five locations across South East Queensland with microbiota analysed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. RESULTS Across the landscape koala gut microbial profiles showed large variability, with location having a large effect on bacterial community composition and bacterial diversity. Certain bacteria were found to be significantly differentially abundant amongst locations; koalas from Noosa showed a depletion in two bacterial orders (Gastranaerophilales and Bacteroidales) which have been shown to provide beneficial properties to their host. Koala gut microbial patterns were also not found to mirror population genetic patterns, a molecular tool often used to design conservation initiatives. CONCLUSIONS Our data shows that koala gut microbiotas are extremely variable across the landscape, displaying complex micro- and macro- spatial variation. By detecting locations which lack certain bacteria we identified koala populations that may be under threat from future microbial imbalance or dysbiosis. Additionally, the mismatching of gut microbiota and host population genetic patterns exposed important population structure that has previously gone undetected across South East Queensland. Overall, this baseline data highlights the importance of integrating microbiota research into conservation biology in order to guide successful conservation programs such as species translocation and the implementation of faecal inoculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. L. Littleford-Colquhoun
- Global Change Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556 Australia
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912 USA
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912 USA
| | - L. S. Weyrich
- Department of Anthropology and Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005 Australia
| | - K. Hohwieler
- Global Change Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556 Australia
| | - R. Cristescu
- Global Change Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556 Australia
| | - C. H. Frère
- Global Change Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556 Australia
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17
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Mills JG, Selway CA, Weyrich LS, Skelly C, Weinstein P, Thomas T, Young JM, Marczylo E, Yadav S, Yadav V, Lowe AJ, Breed MF. Rare genera differentiate urban green space soil bacterial communities in three cities across the world. Access Microbiol 2022; 4:000320. [PMID: 35252756 PMCID: PMC8895604 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Vegetation complexity is potentially important for urban green space designs aimed at fostering microbial biodiversity to benefit human health. Exposure to urban microbial biodiversity may influence human health outcomes via immune training and regulation. In this context, improving human exposure to microbiota via biodiversity-centric urban green space designs is an underused opportunity. There is currently little knowledge on the association between vegetation complexity (i.e. diversity and structure) and soil microbiota of urban green spaces. Here, we investigated the association between vegetation complexity and soil bacteria in urban green spaces in Bournemouth, UK; Haikou, China; and the City of Playford, Australia by sequencing the 16S rRNA V4 gene region of soil samples and assessing bacterial diversity. We characterized these green spaces as having ‘low’ or ‘high’ vegetation complexity and explored whether these two broad categories contained similar bacterial community compositions and diversity around the world. Within cities, we observed significantly different alpha and beta diversities between vegetation complexities; however, these results varied between cities. Rare genera (<1% relative abundance individually, on average 35% relative abundance when pooled) were most likely to be significantly different in sequence abundance between vegetation complexities and therefore explained much of the differences in microbial communities observed. Overall, general associations exist between soil bacterial communities and vegetation complexity, although these are not consistent between cities. Therefore, more in-depth work is required to be done locally to derive practical actions to assist the conservation and restoration of microbial communities in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob G. Mills
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Caitlin A. Selway
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Laura S. Weyrich
- Department of Anthropology and Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Chris Skelly
- Research & Intelligence, Public Health Dorset, Dorset County Council, Dorset, UK
- Healthy Urban Microbiome Initiative
| | - Philip Weinstein
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
- Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Torsten Thomas
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jennifer M. Young
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Emma Marczylo
- Toxicology Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Sudesh Yadav
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Vijay Yadav
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Andrew J. Lowe
- Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Martin F. Breed
- Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia
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18
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Tipton L, Zahn GL, Darcy JL, Amend AS, Hynson NA. Hawaiian Fungal Amplicon Sequence Variants Reveal Otherwise Hidden Biogeography. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 83:48-57. [PMID: 33742230 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01730-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
To study biogeography and other ecological patterns of microorganisms, including fungi, scientists have been using operational taxonomic units (OTUs) as representations of species or species hypotheses. However, when defined by 97% sequence similarity cutoff at an accepted barcode locus such as 16S in bacteria or ITS in fungi, these OTUs can obscure biogeographic patterns, mask taxonomic diversity, and hinder meta-analyses. Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) have been proposed to alleviate all of these issues and have been shown to do so in bacteria. Analyzing ASVs is just emerging as a common practice among fungal studies, and it is unclear whether the benefits found in bacterial studies of using such an approach carryover to fungi. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of Hawaiian fungi by analyzing ITS1 amplicon sequencing data as ASVs and exploring ecological patterns. These surveys spanned three island groups and five ecosystems combined into the first comprehensive Hawaiian Mycobiome ASV Database. Our results show that ASVs can be used to combine fungal ITS surveys, increase reproducibility, and maintain the broad ecological patterns observed with OTUs, including diversity orderings. Additionally, the ASVs that comprise some of the most common OTUs in our database reveals some island specialists, indicating that traditional OTU clustering can obscure important biogeographic patterns. We recommend that future fungal studies, especially those aimed at assessing biogeography, analyze ASVs rather than OTUs. We conclude that similar to bacterial studies, ASVs improve reproducibility and data sharing for fungal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tipton
- School of Natural Science and Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | | | - John L Darcy
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Anthony S Amend
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Nicole A Hynson
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.
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19
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Diaz J, Reese AT. Possibilities and limits for using the gut microbiome to improve captive animal health. Anim Microbiome 2021; 3:89. [PMID: 34965885 PMCID: PMC8715647 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00155-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Because of its potential to modulate host health, the gut microbiome of captive animals has become an increasingly important area of research. In this paper, we review the current literature comparing the gut microbiomes of wild and captive animals, as well as experiments tracking the microbiome when animals are moved between wild and captive environments. As a whole, these studies report highly idiosyncratic results with significant differences in the effect of captivity on the gut microbiome between host species. While a few studies have analyzed the functional capacity of captive microbiomes, there has been little research directly addressing the health consequences of captive microbiomes. Therefore, the current body of literature cannot broadly answer what costs, if any, arise from having a captive microbiome in captivity. Addressing this outstanding question will be critical to determining whether it is worth pursuing microbial manipulations as a conservation tool. To stimulate the next wave of research which can tie the captive microbiome to functional and health impacts, we outline a wide range of tools that can be used to manipulate the microbiome in captivity and suggest a variety of methods for measuring the impact of such manipulation preceding therapeutic use. Altogether, we caution researchers against generalizing results between host species given the variability in gut community responses to captivity and highlight the need to understand what role the gut microbiome plays in captive animal health before putting microbiome manipulations broadly into practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Diaz
- Section of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Aspen T Reese
- Section of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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20
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Durán M, San Emeterio L, Canals RM. Comparison of Culturing and Metabarcoding Methods to Describe the Fungal Endophytic Assemblage of Brachypodium rupestre Growing in a Range of Anthropized Disturbance Regimes. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10121246. [PMID: 34943161 PMCID: PMC8698972 DOI: 10.3390/biology10121246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The richness (number of species) of the fungi kingdom is estimated at 1.5 million species, but the vast majority remains unknown. Many of them inhabit plants—the so-called fungal endophytes—and may establish different types of interactions with their host plant. Fungal endophytes have been traditionally studied by letting them grow in appropriate culturing media in petri dishes, but novel massive DNA sequencing techniques which do not require a cultivation step (metabarcoding) are gaining ground. Both techniques were applied and compared to characterize the mycobiome of plants of a tall grass (Brachypodium rupestre) growing in high-mountain grasslands with different plant diversity (low and high). The two methods showed similar trends comparing endophyte richness between plant tissue types (root > rhizome > shoot) and between grasslands (low-diversity > high-diversity). However, the metabarcoding identified almost six times more endophyte species than the culturing although the most isolated fungal species via culturing, Omnidemptus graminis, was not recognized via metabarcoding. We conclude that the complementation of both techniques is still the best option to obtain a complete characterization of the fungal endophytic assemblage of the plant species. Abstract Fungal endophytes develop inside plants without visible external signs, and they may confer adaptive advantages to their hosts. Culturing methods have been traditionally used to recognize the fungal endophytic assemblage, but novel metabarcoding techniques are being increasingly applied. This study aims to characterize the fungal endophytic assemblage in shoots, rhizomes and roots of the tall grass Brachypodium rupestre growing in a large area of natural grasslands with a continuum of anthropized disturbance regimes. Seven out of 88 taxa identified via metabarcoding accounted for 81.2% of the reads (Helotiaceae, Lachnum sp. A, Albotricha sp. A, Helotiales A, Agaricales A, Mycena sp. and Mollisiaceae C), revealing a small group of abundant endophytes and a large group of rare species. Although both methods detected the same trends in richness and fungal diversity among the tissues (root > rhizome > shoot) and grasslands (low-diversity > high-diversity grasslands), the metabarcoding tool identified 5.8 times more taxa than the traditional culturing method (15 taxa) but, surprisingly, failed to sequence the most isolated endophyte on plates, Omnidemptus graminis. Since both methods are still subject to important constraints, both are required to obtain a complete characterization of the fungal endophytic assemblage of the plant species.
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21
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Costantini MS, Medeiros MCI, Crampton LH, Reed FA. Wild gut microbiomes reveal individuals, species, and location as drivers of variation in two critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12291. [PMID: 34760361 PMCID: PMC8557688 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The gut microbiome of animals is an important component that has strong influence on the health, fitness, and behavior of its host. Most research in the microbiome field has focused on human populations and commercially important species. However, researchers are now considering the link between endangered species conservation and the microbiome. In Hawaiʻi, several threats (e.g., avian malaria and habitat loss) have caused widespread population declines of Hawaiian honeycreepers (subfamily: Carduelinae). These threats can have a significant effect on the avian gut microbiome and may even lead to disruption of microbial function. However, the gut microbiome of honeycreeper in the wild has yet to be explored. Methods We collected 13 and 42 fecal samples, respectively, from two critically endangered honeycreeper species, the ʻakikiki (Oreomystis bairdi) and the ʻakekeʻe (Loxops caeruleirostris). The 16S rRNA gene was sequenced and processed though a MOTHUR-based bioinformatics pipeline. Bacterial ASVs were identified using the DADA2 program and bacterial community analyses, including alpha and beta diversity measures, were conducted using R packages Phyloseq and vegan. Results A total of 8,958 bacterial ASVs were identified from the fecal samples. Intraspecific differences in the gut microbiome among individual birds explained most of the variation present in the dataset, however differences between species did exist. Both species had distinct microbiomes with minimal overlap in beta diversity. ‘Akikiki had a more diverse microbiome compared to ‘akekeʻe. Additionally, small but stastically significant differences in beta diversity also exist between sampling location and sexes in ʻakikiki. Conclusion ʻAkikiki and ʻakekeʻe are currently the focus of captive breeding efforts and plans to translocate the two species to other islands are underway. This baseline knowledge will help inform management decisions for these honeycreeper species in their native habitats, on other islands, and in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria S Costantini
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, United States
| | - Matthew C I Medeiros
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, United States.,Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaií, United States
| | - Lisa H Crampton
- Hawai'i Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Hanapepe, Hawai'i, United States.,Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Hawai'i, United States
| | - Floyd A Reed
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, United States
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22
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Penesyan A, Paulsen IT, Kjelleberg S, Gillings MR. Three faces of biofilms: a microbial lifestyle, a nascent multicellular organism, and an incubator for diversity. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2021; 7:80. [PMID: 34759294 PMCID: PMC8581019 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-021-00251-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilms are organised heterogeneous assemblages of microbial cells that are encased within a self-produced matrix. Current estimates suggest that up to 80% of bacterial and archaeal cells reside in biofilms. Since biofilms are the main mode of microbial life, understanding their biology and functions is critical, especially as controlling biofilm growth is essential in industrial, infrastructure and medical contexts. Here we discuss biofilms both as collections of individual cells, and as multicellular biological individuals, and introduce the concept of biofilms as unique incubators of diversity for the microbial world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anahit Penesyan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
| | - Ian T Paulsen
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Staffan Kjelleberg
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, 60 Nanyang Drive, SBS-01N-27, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Michael R Gillings
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
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23
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Sentenac H, Loyau A, Leflaive J, Schmeller DS. The significance of biofilms to human, animal, plant and ecosystem health. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Sentenac
- Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement UMR 5245 Université de Toulouse CNRS INPT UPS Castanet‐Tolosan Cedex France
| | - Adeline Loyau
- Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement UMR 5245 Université de Toulouse CNRS INPT UPS Castanet‐Tolosan Cedex France
- Department of Experimental Limnology Leibniz‐Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) Stechlin Germany
| | - Joséphine Leflaive
- Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement UMR 5245 Université de Toulouse CNRS INPT UPS Castanet‐Tolosan Cedex France
| | - Dirk S. Schmeller
- Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement UMR 5245 Université de Toulouse CNRS INPT UPS Castanet‐Tolosan Cedex France
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24
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Zhu D, Delgado-Baquerizo M, Ding J, Gillings MR, Zhu YG. Trophic level drives the host microbiome of soil invertebrates at a continental scale. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:189. [PMID: 34544484 PMCID: PMC8454154 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01144-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing our knowledge of soil biodiversity is fundamental to forecast changes in ecosystem functions under global change scenarios. All multicellular organisms are now known to be holobionts, containing large assemblages of microbial species. Soil fauna is now known to have thousands of species living within them. However, we know very little about the identity and function of host microbiome in contrasting soil faunal groups, across different terrestrial biomes, or at a large spatial scale. Here, we examined the microbiomes of multiple functionally important soil fauna in contrasting terrestrial ecosystems across China. RESULTS Different soil fauna had diverse and unique microbiomes, which were also distinct from those in surrounding soils. These unique microbiomes were maintained within taxa across diverse sampling sites and in contrasting terrestrial ecosystems. The microbiomes of nematodes, potworms, and earthworms were more difficult to predict using environmental data, compared to those of collembolans, oribatid mites, and predatory mites. Although stochastic processes were important, deterministic processes, such as host selection, also contributed to the assembly of unique microbiota in each taxon of soil fauna. Microbial biodiversity, unique microbial taxa, and microbial dark matter (defined as unidentified microbial taxa) all increased with trophic levels within the soil food web. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that soil animals are important as repositories of microbial biodiversity, and those at the top of the food web harbor more diverse and unique microbiomes. This hidden source of biodiversity is rarely considered in biodiversity and conservation debates and stresses the importance of preserving key soil invertebrates. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jing Ding
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, 30 Qingquan Road, Yantai, 264005, China
| | - Michael R Gillings
- Department of Biological Sciences, ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China.
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25
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Schapheer C, Pellens R, Scherson R. Arthropod-Microbiota Integration: Its Importance for Ecosystem Conservation. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:702763. [PMID: 34408733 PMCID: PMC8365148 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.702763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent reports indicate that the health of our planet is getting worse and that genuine transformative changes are pressing. So far, efforts to ameliorate Earth's ecosystem crises have been insufficient, as these often depart from current knowledge of the underlying ecological processes. Nowadays, biodiversity loss and the alterations in biogeochemical cycles are reaching thresholds that put the survival of our species at risk. Biological interactions are fundamental for achieving biological conservation and restoration of ecological processes, especially those that contribute to nutrient cycles. Microorganism are recognized as key players in ecological interactions and nutrient cycling, both free-living and in symbiotic associations with multicellular organisms. This latter assemblage work as a functional ecological unit called "holobiont." Here, we review the emergent ecosystem properties derived from holobionts, with special emphasis on detritivorous terrestrial arthropods and their symbiotic microorganisms. We revisit their relevance in the cycling of recalcitrant organic compounds (e.g., lignin and cellulose). Finally, based on the interconnection between biodiversity and nutrient cycling, we propose that a multicellular organism and its associates constitute an Ecosystem Holobiont (EH). This EH is the functional unit characterized by carrying out key ecosystem processes. We emphasize that in order to meet the challenge to restore the health of our planet it is critical to reduce anthropic pressures that may threaten not only individual entities (known as "bionts") but also the stability of the associations that give rise to EH and their ecological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanza Schapheer
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Silvoagropecuarias y Veterinarias, Campus Sur Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratorio de Sistemática y Evolución, Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Roseli Pellens
- UMR 7205, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Pratique de Hautes Etudes, Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Rosa Scherson
- Laboratorio de Sistemática y Evolución, Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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26
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Mazorra-Alonso M, Tomás G, Soler JJ. Microbially Mediated Chemical Ecology of Animals: A Review of Its Role in Conspecific Communication, Parasitism and Predation. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:274. [PMID: 33801728 PMCID: PMC8065758 DOI: 10.3390/biology10040274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Microbial symbionts are nowadays considered of pivotal importance for animal life. Among the many processes where microorganisms are involved, an emerging research avenue focuses on their major role in driving the evolution of chemical communication in their hosts. Volatiles of bacterial origin may underlie chemical communication and the transfer of social information through signals, as well as inadvertent social information. We reviewed the role of microorganisms in animal communication between conspecifics, and, because the microbiome may cause beneficial as well as deleterious effects on their animal hosts, we also reviewed its role in determining the outcome of the interactions with parasites and predators. Finally, we paid special attention to the hypothetical role of predation and parasitism in driving the evolution of the animal microbiome. We highlighted the novelty of the theoretical framework derived from considering the microbiota of animals in scenarios of communication, parasitism, and predation. We aimed to encourage research in these areas, suggesting key predictions that need to be tested to better understand what is one of the main roles of bacteria in animal biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Mazorra-Alonso
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Gustavo Tomás
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 04120 Almería, Spain
- Unidad Asociada (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Juan José Soler
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 04120 Almería, Spain
- Unidad Asociada (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
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27
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Lyu D, Zajonc J, Pagé A, Tanney CAS, Shah A, Monjezi N, Msimbira LA, Antar M, Nazari M, Backer R, Smith DL. Plant Holobiont Theory: The Phytomicrobiome Plays a Central Role in Evolution and Success. Microorganisms 2021; 9:675. [PMID: 33805166 PMCID: PMC8064057 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Under natural conditions, plants are always associated with a well-orchestrated community of microbes-the phytomicrobiome. The nature and degree of microbial effect on the plant host can be positive, neutral, or negative, and depends largely on the environment. The phytomicrobiome is integral for plant growth and function; microbes play a key role in plant nutrient acquisition, biotic and abiotic stress management, physiology regulation through microbe-to-plant signals, and growth regulation via the production of phytohormones. Relationships between the plant and phytomicrobiome members vary in intimacy, ranging from casual associations between roots and the rhizosphere microbial community, to endophytes that live between plant cells, to the endosymbiosis of microbes by the plant cell resulting in mitochondria and chloroplasts. If we consider these key organelles to also be members of the phytomicrobiome, how do we distinguish between the two? If we accept the mitochondria and chloroplasts as both members of the phytomicrobiome and the plant (entrained microbes), the influence of microbes on the evolution of plants becomes so profound that without microbes, the concept of the "plant" is not viable. This paper argues that the holobiont concept should take greater precedence in the plant sciences when referring to a host and its associated microbial community. The inclusivity of this concept accounts for the ambiguous nature of the entrained microbes and the wide range of functions played by the phytomicrobiome in plant holobiont homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Lyu
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Jonathan Zajonc
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Antoine Pagé
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
- National Research Council Canada, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development (ACRD), Montréal, QC H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Cailun A. S. Tanney
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Ateeq Shah
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Nadia Monjezi
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Levini A. Msimbira
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Mohammed Antar
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Mahtab Nazari
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Rachel Backer
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Donald L. Smith
- Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada; (D.L.); (J.Z.); (A.P.); (C.A.S.T.); (A.S.); (N.M.); (L.A.M.); (M.A.); (M.N.); (R.B.)
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28
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Storo R, Easson C, Shivji M, Lopez JV. Microbiome Analyses Demonstrate Specific Communities Within Five Shark Species. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:605285. [PMID: 33643235 PMCID: PMC7904884 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.605285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Profiles of symbiotic microbial communities (“microbiomes”) can provide insight into the natural history and ecology of their hosts. Using high throughput DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region, microbiomes of five shark species in South Florida (nurse, lemon, sandbar, Caribbean reef, and tiger) have been characterized for the first time. The microbiomes show species specific microbiome composition, distinct from surrounding seawater. Shark anatomical location (gills, teeth, skin, cloaca) affected the diversity of microbiomes. An in-depth analysis of teeth communities revealed species specific microbial communities. For example, the genus Haemophilus, explained 7.0% of the differences of the teeth microbiomes of lemon and Caribbean reef sharks. Lemon shark teeth communities (n = 11) contained a high abundance of both Vibrio (10.8 ± 26.0%) and Corynebacterium (1.6 ± 5.1%), genera that can include human pathogenic taxa. The Vibrio (2.8 ± 6.34%) and Kordia (3.1 ± 6.0%) genera and Salmonella enterica (2.6 ± 6.4%) were the most abundant members of nurse shark teeth microbial communities. The Vibrio genus was highly represented in the sandbar shark (54.0 ± 46.0%) and tiger shark (5.8 ± 12.3%) teeth microbiomes. The prevalence of genera containing potential human pathogens could be informative in shark bite treatment protocols and future research to confirm or deny human pathogenicity. We conclude that South Florida sharks host species specific microbiomes that are distinct from their surrounding environment and vary due to differences in microbial community composition among shark species and diversity and composition among anatomical locations. Additionally, when considering the confounding effects of both species and location, microbial community diversity and composition varies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Storo
- Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.,Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Cole Easson
- Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.,Biology Department, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, United States
| | - Mahmood Shivji
- Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.,Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center, and Guy Harvey Research Institute, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States
| | - Jose V Lopez
- Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States
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29
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The Seagrass Holobiont: What We Know and What We Still Need to Disclose for Its Possible Use as an Ecological Indicator. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13040406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Microbes and seagrass establish symbiotic relationships constituting a functional unit called the holobiont that reacts as a whole to environmental changes. Recent studies have shown that the seagrass microbial associated community varies according to host species, environmental conditions and the host’s health status, suggesting that the microbial communities respond rapidly to environmental disturbances and changes. These changes, dynamics of which are still far from being clear, could represent a sensitive monitoring tool and ecological indicator to detect early stages of seagrass stress. In this review, the state of art on seagrass holobiont is discussed in this perspective, with the aim of disentangling the influence of different factors in shaping it. As an example, we expand on the widely studied Halophila stipulacea’s associated microbial community, highlighting the changing and the constant components of the associated microbes, in different environmental conditions. These studies represent a pivotal contribution to understanding the holobiont’s dynamics and variability pattern, and to the potential development of ecological/ecotoxicological indices. The influences of the host’s physiological and environmental status in changing the seagrass holobiont, alongside the bioinformatic tools for data analysis, are key topics that need to be deepened, in order to use the seagrass-microbial interactions as a source of ecological information.
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30
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Caballero S, Galeano AM, Lozano JD, Vives M. Description of the microbiota in epidermal mucus and skin of sharks ( Ginglymostoma cirratum and Negaprion brevirostris) and one stingray ( Hypanus americanus). PeerJ 2020; 8:e10240. [PMID: 33362953 PMCID: PMC7747685 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Skin mucus in fish is the first barrier between the organism and the environment but the role of skin mucus in protecting fish against pathogens is not well understood. During copulation in sharks, the male bites the female generating wounds, which are then highly likely to become infected by opportunistic bacteria from the water or from the male shark's mouth. Describing the microbial component of epithelial mucus may allow future understanding of this first line of defense in sharks. In this study, we analyzed mucus and skin samples obtained from 19 individuals of two shark species and a stingray: the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum), the lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) and the southern stingray (Hypanus americanus). Total DNA was extracted from all samples, and the bacterial 16S rRNA gene (region V3-V4) was amplified and sequenced on the Ion Torrent Platform. Bacterial diversity (order) was higher in skin and mucus than in water. Order composition was more similar between the two shark species. Alpha-diversities (Shannon and Simpson) for OTUs (clusters of sequences defined by a 97% identity threshold for the16S rRNA gene) were high and there were non-significant differences between elasmobranch species or types of samples. We found orders of potentially pathogenic bacteria in water samples collected from the area where the animals were found, such as Pasteurellales (i.e., genus Pasteurella spp. and Haemophilus spp.) and Oceanospirillales (i.e., genus Halomonas spp.) but these were not found in the skin or mucus samples from any species. Some bacterial orders, such as Flavobacteriales, Vibrionales (i.e., genus Pseudoalteromonas), Lactobacillales and Bacillales were found only in mucus and skin samples. However, in a co-occurrence analyses, no significant relationship was found among these orders (strength less than 0.6, p-value > 0.01) but significant relationships were found among the order Trembayales, Fusobacteriales, and some previously described marine environmental Bacteria and Archaea, including Elusimicrobiales, Thermoproteales, Deinococcales and Desulfarculales. This is the first study focusing on elasmobranch microbial communities. The functional role and the benefits of these bacteria still needs understanding as well as the potential changes to microbial communities as a result of changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Caballero
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos, LEMVA, Biological Sciences Department, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Ana Maria Galeano
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos, LEMVA, Biological Sciences Department, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Juan Diego Lozano
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos, LEMVA, Biological Sciences Department, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Martha Vives
- Centro de Investigaciones Microbiológicas, CIMIC, Biological Sciences Department, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
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31
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Wild black bears harbor simple gut microbial communities with little difference between the jejunum and colon. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20779. [PMID: 33247155 PMCID: PMC7695734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77282-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome (GMB), comprising the commensal microbial communities located in the gastrointestinal tract, has co-evolved in mammals to perform countless micro-ecosystem services to facilitate physiological functions. Because of the complex inter-relationship between mammals and their gut microbes, the number of studies addressing the role of the GMB on mammalian health is almost exclusively limited to human studies and model organisms. Furthermore, much of our knowledge of wildlife-GMB relationships is based on studies of colonic GMB communities derived from the feces of captive specimens, leaving our understanding of the GMB in wildlife limited. To better understand wildlife-GMB relationships, we engaged hunters as citizen scientists to collect biological samples from legally harvested black bears (Ursus americanus) and used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to characterize wild black bear GMB communities in the colon and jejunum, two functionally distinct regions of the gastrointestinal tract. We determined that the jejunum and colon of black bears do not harbor significantly different GMB communities: both gastrointestinal sites were dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. However, a number of bacteria were differentially enriched in each site, with the colon harboring twice as many enriched taxa, primarily from closely related lineages.
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32
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Salgueiro J, Pimper LE, Segura DF, Milla FH, Russo RM, Asimakis E, Stathopoulou P, Bourtzis K, Cladera JL, Tsiamis G, Lanzavecchia SB. Gut Bacteriome Analysis of Anastrepha fraterculus sp. 1 During the Early Steps of Laboratory Colonization. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:570960. [PMID: 33193166 PMCID: PMC7606190 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.570960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities associated to insect species are involved in essential biological functions such as host nutrition, reproduction and survivability. Main factors have been described as modulators of gut bacterial community, such as diet, habit, developmental stage and taxonomy of the host. The present work focuses on the complex changes that gut microbial communities go through when wild insects are introduced to artificial rearing conditions. Specifically, we analyzed the effect of the laboratory colonization on the richness and diversity of the gut bacteriome hosted by the fruit fly pest Anastrepha fraterculus sp. 1. Bacterial profiles were studied by amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA V3-V4 hypervariable region in gut samples of males and females, in teneral (1-day-old, unfed) and post-teneral (15-day-old, fed) flies. A total of 3,147,665 sequence reads were obtained and 32 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum (93.3% of the total reads) and, Wolbachia and Enterobacter were the most represented taxa at the genus level (29.9% and 27.7%, respectively, of the total read counts). Wild and laboratory flies showed highly significant differences in the relative abundances of bacteria. The analysis of the core bacteriome showed the presence of five OTUs in all samples grouped by origin, while nine and five OTUs were exclusively detected in laboratory and wild flies, respectively. Irrespective of fly origin or sex, a dominant presence of Wolbachia was observed in teneral flies, whereas Enterobacter was highly abundant in post-teneral individuals. We evidenced significant differences in bacterial richness and diversity among generations under laboratory colonization (F0, F1, F3 and F6) and compared to laboratory and wild flies, displaying also differential patterns between teneral and post-teneral flies. Laboratory and wild A. fraterculus sp. 1 harbor different gut bacterial communities. Laboratory colonization has an important effect on the microbiota, most likely associated to the combined effects of insect physiology and environmental conditions (e.g., diet and colony management).
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Salgueiro
- Laboratorio de Insectos de Importancia Agronómica, Instituto de Genética "E.A. Favret", Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lida E Pimper
- Laboratorio de Insectos de Importancia Agronómica, Instituto de Genética "E.A. Favret", Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego F Segura
- Laboratorio de Insectos de Importancia Agronómica, Instituto de Genética "E.A. Favret", Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fabián H Milla
- Laboratorio de Insectos de Importancia Agronómica, Instituto de Genética "E.A. Favret", Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Romina M Russo
- Laboratorio de Insectos de Importancia Agronómica, Instituto de Genética "E.A. Favret", Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Elias Asimakis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, Agrinio, Greece
| | | | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jorge L Cladera
- Laboratorio de Insectos de Importancia Agronómica, Instituto de Genética "E.A. Favret", Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - George Tsiamis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, Agrinio, Greece
| | - Silvia B Lanzavecchia
- Laboratorio de Insectos de Importancia Agronómica, Instituto de Genética "E.A. Favret", Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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