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Russell AC, Kenna MA, Huynh AV, Rice AM. Microbial DNA extraction method for avian feces and preen oil from diverse species. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70220. [PMID: 39224152 PMCID: PMC11368492 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
As DNA sequencing technology continues to rapidly improve, studies investigating the microbial communities of host organisms (i.e., microbiota) are becoming not only more popular but also more financially accessible. Across many taxa, microbiomes can have important impacts on organismal health and fitness. To evaluate the microbial community composition of a particular microbiome, microbial DNA must be successfully extracted. Fecal samples are often easy to collect and are a good source of gut microbial DNA. Additionally, interest in the avian preen gland microbiome is rapidly growing, due to the importance of preen oil for many aspects of avian life. Microbial DNA extractions from avian fecal and preen oil samples present multiple challenges, however. Here, we describe a modified PrepMan Ultra Sample Preparation Reagent microbial DNA extraction method that is less expensive than other commonly used methodologies and is highly effective for both fecal and preen oil samples collected from a broad range of avian species. We expect our method will facilitate microbial DNA extractions from multiple avian microbiome reservoirs, which have previously proved difficult and expensive. Our method therefore increases the feasibility of future studies of avian host microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin C. Russell
- Department of Biological SciencesLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Margaret A. Kenna
- Department of Biological SciencesLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Alex Van Huynh
- Department of BiologyDeSales UniversityCenter ValleyPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Amber M. Rice
- Department of Biological SciencesLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
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2
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Kristensen TN, Schönherz AA, Rohde PD, Sørensen JG, Loeschcke V. Selection for stress tolerance and longevity in Drosophila melanogaster have strong impacts on microbiome profiles. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17789. [PMID: 39090347 PMCID: PMC11294339 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68753-5] [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: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
There is experimental evidence that microbiomes have a strong influence on a range of host traits. Understanding the basis and importance of symbiosis between host and associated microorganisms is a rapidly developing research field, and we still lack a mechanistic understanding of ecological and genetic pressures affecting host-microbiome associations. Here Drosophila melanogaster lines from a large-scale artificial selection experiment were used to investigate whether the microbiota differ in lines selected for different stress resistance traits and longevity. Following multiple generations of artificial selection all selection regimes and corresponding controls had their microbiomes assessed. The microbiome was interrogated based on 16S rRNA sequencing. We found that the microbiome of flies from the different selection regimes differed markedly from that of the unselected control regime, and microbial diversity was consistently higher in selected relative to control regimes. Several common Drosophila bacterial species showed differentially abundance in the different selection regimes despite flies being exposed to similar environmental conditions for two generations prior to assessment. Our findings provide strong evidence for symbiosis between host and microbiomes but we cannot reveal whether the interactions are adaptive, nor whether they are caused by genetic or ecological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torsten Nygaard Kristensen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark.
| | - Anna A Schönherz
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Palle Duun Rohde
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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3
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Anka IZ, Uren Webster TM, Berbel-Filho WM, Hitchings M, Overland B, Weller S, Garcia de Leaniz C, Consuegra S. Microbiome and epigenetic variation in wild fish with low genetic diversity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4725. [PMID: 38830879 PMCID: PMC11148108 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49162-8] [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: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-genetic sources of phenotypic variation, such as the epigenome and the microbiome, could be important contributors to adaptive variation for species with low genetic diversity. However, little is known about the complex interaction between these factors and the genetic diversity of the host, particularly in wild populations. Here, we examine the skin microbiome composition of two closely-related mangrove killifish species with different mating systems (self-fertilising and outcrossing) under sympatric and allopatric conditions. This allows us to partition the influence of the genotype and the environment on their microbiome and (previously described) epigenetic profiles. We find the diversity and community composition of the skin microbiome are strongly shaped by the environment and, to a lesser extent, by species-specific influences. Heterozygosity and microbiome alpha diversity, but not epigenetic variation, are associated with the fluctuating asymmetry of traits related to performance (vision) and behaviour (aggression). Our study identifies that a proportion of the epigenetic diversity and microbiome differentiation is unrelated to genetic variation, and we find evidence for an associative relationship between microbiome and epigenetic diversity in these wild populations. This suggests that both mechanisms could potentially contribute to variation in species with low genetic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishrat Z Anka
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK
- Department of Aquaculture, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, 4225, Bangladesh
| | - Tamsyn M Uren Webster
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Waldir M Berbel-Filho
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA
| | - Matthew Hitchings
- Institute of Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Benjamin Overland
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Sarah Weller
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Carlos Garcia de Leaniz
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK
- Marine Research Centre (CIM-UVIGO), Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Sofia Consuegra
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK.
- Grupo de Biotecnología Acuática, Departamento de Biotecnología y Acuicultura, Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas, IIM-CSIC, Vigo, Spain.
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Amin A, Mekadim C, Modrackova N, Bolechova P, Mrazek J, Neuzil-Bunesova V. Microbiome composition and presence of cultivable commensal groups of Southern Tamanduas (Tamandua tetradactyla) varies with captive conditions. Anim Microbiome 2024; 6:21. [PMID: 38698458 PMCID: PMC11064412 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-024-00311-w] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Southern Tamanduas (Tamandua tetradactyla) belong to the specialized placental myrmecophages. There is not much information about their intestinal microbiome. Moreover, due to their food specialization, it is difficult to create an adequate diet under breeding conditions. Therefore, we used 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing to analyze the fecal microbiome of captive Southern Tamanduas from four locations in the Czech Republic and evaluated the impact of the incoming diet and facility conditions on microbiome composition. Together with the microbiome analysis, we also quantified and identified cultivable commensals. The anteater fecal microbiome was dominated by the phyla Bacillota and Bacteroidota, while Pseudomonadota, Spirochaetota, and Actinobacteriota were less abundant. At the taxonomic family level, Lachnospiraceae, Prevotellaceae, Bacteroidaceae, Oscillospiraceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Spirochaetaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Leuconostocaceae, and Streptococcaceae were mainly represented in the fecal microbiome of animals from all locations. Interestingly, Lactobacillaceae dominated in the location with a zoo-made diet. These animals also had significantly lower diversity of gut microbiome in comparison with animals from other locations fed mainly with a complete commercial diet. Moreover, captive conditions of analyzed anteater included other factors such as the enrichment of the diet with insect-based products, probiotic interventions, the presence of other animals in the exposure, which can potentially affect the composition of the microbiome and cultivable microbes. In total, 63 bacterial species from beneficial commensal to opportunistic pathogen were isolated and identified using MALDI-TOF MS in the set of more than one thousand selected isolates. Half of the detected species were present in the fecal microbiota of most animals, the rest varied across animals and locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Amin
- Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Chahrazed Mekadim
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, v. v. i., Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Nikol Modrackova
- Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Bolechova
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, 165 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Mrazek
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, v. v. i., Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vera Neuzil-Bunesova
- Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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Jenkins L, McKnight DT, Parks M, Byer NW, Oliaro FJ, Thompson D, Scott R. Variable effects of captivity on microbiomes in populations of IUCN-endangered Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii). J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae121. [PMID: 38755020 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae121] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Microbiome composition is increasingly considered in species reintroduction efforts and may influence survival and reproductive success. Many turtle species are threatened by anthropogenic pressures and are frequently raised in captivity for reintroduction efforts, yet little is known about turtle microbiome composition in either wild or captive settings. Here, we investigated trends in microbiome composition of captive and wild IUCN-endangered Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii). METHODS AND RESULTS We amplified and sequenced the V4 region of the 16S rDNA locus from plastron, cloaca, and water samples of wild E. blandingii adults and two populations of captive E. blandingii juveniles being raised for headstarting. Plastron, cloaca, and water-associated microbiomes differed strongly from each other and were highly variable among captive sites and between captive and wild sites. Across plastron, cloaca, and water-associated microbial communities, microbial diversity changed over time, but not in a predictable direction between captive sites. Plastron beta diversity correlated with growth rate in captive samples, indicating that external microbiomes may correlate with individual fitness. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that external and internal microbiomes vary between captive and wild turtles and may reflect differences in fitness of captive-raised individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Jenkins
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
- Department of Biology, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL 60187, United States
| | | | - Matthew Parks
- Department of Biology, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK 73034, United States
| | - Nathan W Byer
- Division of Natural Resources, Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland, OH 44144, United States
| | - Francis J Oliaro
- Conservation Research Department, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
| | - Dan Thompson
- Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Wheaton, IL 60189, United States
| | - Rodney Scott
- Department of Biology, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL 60187, United States
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Subrata SA, Yuda P, Artama WT, de-Garine Wichatitsky M, André A, Michaux J. Rusa deer microbiota: the importance of preliminary data analysis for meaningful diversity comparisons. Int Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s10123-024-00521-x. [PMID: 38589705 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-024-00521-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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The microbiome is an important consideration for the conservation of endangered species. Studies provided evidence of the effect of behavior and habitat change on the microbiota of wild animals and reported various inferences. It indicates the complexity of factors influencing microbiota diversity, including incomplete sampling procedures. Data abnormality may arise due to the procedures warranting preliminary analysis, such as rarefaction, before downstream analysis. This present study demonstrated the effect of data rarefaction and aggregation on the comparison of wild rusa deer's gut microbial diversity. Eighty-five feces samples were collected from 11 deer populations inhabiting three national parks in Java and Bali islands. Using the Illumina Nova-Seq platform, fragments of 16s rRNA gene were sequenced, and raw data of 51,389 reads corresponding to 2 domains, 22 phyla, 45 classes, 83 orders, 182 families, and 460 genera of bacteria were obtained. Data rarefaction was applied at two different library sizes (minimum and fixed) and aggregation (11 populations into 3 research sites) to investigate its effect on the microbial diversity comparison. There are significant differences in alpha diversity between populations, but not research sites, at all library sizes of rarefaction. A similar finding is also found in beta diversity. Moreover, data rarefaction and aggregation result in different values of the diversity metrics. This present study shows that statistical analysis remains a substantial concern in microbiome studies applied to conservation biology. It suggests reporting a more detailed data normalization in microbiome studies as an inherent control of suboptimal sampling, particularly when involving feces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sena A Subrata
- Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Pramana Yuda
- Faculty of Technobiology, Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Wayan T Artama
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Adrien André
- Conservation Genetics Unit, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liège, Liege, Belgium
| | - Johan Michaux
- Conservation Genetics Unit, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liège, Liege, Belgium
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Wesseltoft JB, Danielsen CD, Andersen AM, de Jonge N, Olsen A, Rohde PD, Kristensen TN. Feeding Drosophila gut microbiomes from young and old flies modifies the microbiome. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7799. [PMID: 38565609 PMCID: PMC10987527 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58500-1] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
It is becoming increasingly evident that the myriad of microbes in the gut, within cells and attached to body parts (or roots of plants), play crucial roles for the host. Although this has been known for decades, recent developments in molecular biology allow for expanded insight into the abundance and function of these microbes. Here we used the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to investigate fitness measures across the lifetime of flies fed a suspension of gut microbes harvested from young or old flies, respectively. Our hypothesis was that flies constitutively enriched with a 'Young microbiome' would live longer and be more agile at old age (i.e. have increased healthspan) compared to flies enriched with an 'Old microbiome'. Three major take home messages came out of our study: (1) the gut microbiomes of young and old flies differ markedly; (2) feeding flies with Young and Old microbiomes altered the microbiome of recipient flies and (3) the two different microbial diets did not have any effect on locomotor activity nor lifespan of the recipient flies, contradicting our working hypothesis. Combined, these results provide novel insight into the interplay between hosts and their microbiomes and clearly highlight that the phenotypic effects of gut transplants and probiotics can be complex and unpredictable.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nadieh de Jonge
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Anders Olsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Palle Duun Rohde
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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Kelly LA, Yost CK, Cooke SJ. Opportunities and challenges with transitioning to non-lethal sampling of wild fish for microbiome research. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:912-919. [PMID: 38226503 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15650] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The microbial communities of fish are considered an integral part of maintaining the overall health and fitness of their host. Research has shown that resident microbes reside on various mucosal surfaces, such as the gills, skin, and gastrointestinal tract, and play a key role in various host functions, including digestion, immunity, and disease resistance. A second, more transient group of microbes reside in the digesta, or feces, and are primarily influenced by environmental factors such as the host diet. The vast majority of fish microbiome research currently uses lethal sampling to analyse any one of these mucosal and/or digesta microbial communities. The present paper discusses the various opportunities that non-lethal microbiome sampling offers, as well as some inherent challenges, with the ultimate goal of creating a sound argument for future researchers to transition to non-lethal sampling of wild fish in microbiome research. Doing so will reduce animal welfare and population impacts on fish while creating novel opportunities to link host microbial communities to an individual's behavior and survival across space and time (e.g., life-stages, seasons). Current lethal sampling efforts constrain our ability to understand the mechanistic ecological consequences of variation in microbiome communities in the wild. Transitioning to non-lethal sampling will open new frontiers in ecological and microbial research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Kelly
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher K Yost
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Institute for Microbial Systems and Society, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Mancin E, Maltecca C, Huang YJ, Mantovani R, Tiezzi F. A first characterization of the microbiota-resilience link in swine. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:53. [PMID: 38486255 PMCID: PMC10941389 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01771-7] [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: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in understanding complex biological mechanisms, including host resilience to stressors. Investigating the microbiota-resilience link in animals and plants holds relevance in addressing challenges like adaptation of agricultural species to a warming environment. This study aims to characterize the microbiota-resilience connection in swine. As resilience is not directly observable, we estimated it using four distinct indicators based on daily feed consumption variability, assuming animals with greater intake variation may face challenges in maintaining stable physiological status. These indicators were analyzed both as linear and categorical variables. In our first set of analyses, we explored the microbiota-resilience link using PERMANOVA, α-diversity analysis, and discriminant analysis. Additionally, we quantified the ratio of estimated microbiota variance to total phenotypic variance (microbiability). Finally, we conducted a Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) to assess the classification performance of the microbiota with indicators expressed in classes. RESULTS This study offers four key insights. Firstly, among all indicators, two effectively captured resilience. Secondly, our analyses revealed robust relationship between microbial composition and resilience in terms of both composition and richness. We found decreased α-diversity in less-resilient animals, while specific amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and KEGG pathways associated with inflammatory responses were negatively linked to resilience. Thirdly, considering resilience indicators in classes, we observed significant differences in microbial composition primarily in animals with lower resilience. Lastly, our study indicates that gut microbial composition can serve as a reliable biomarker for distinguishing individuals with lower resilience. CONCLUSION Our comprehensive analyses have highlighted the host-microbiota and resilience connection, contributing valuable insights to the existing scientific knowledge. The practical implications of PLS-DA and microbiability results are noteworthy. PLS-DA suggests that host-microbiota interactions could be utilized as biomarkers for monitoring resilience. Furthermore, the microbiability findings show that leveraging host-microbiota insights may improve the identification of resilient animals, supporting their adaptive capacity in response to changing environmental conditions. These practical implications offer promising avenues for enhancing animal well-being and adaptation strategies in the context of environmental challenges faced by livestock populations. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Mancin
- Department of Agronomy, Animals and Environment, (DAFNAE), Food, Natural Resources, University of Padova, Viale del Università 14, 35020, Legnaro (Padova), Italy
| | - Christian Maltecca
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 18, 50144, Firenze, Italy
| | - Yi Jian Huang
- Smithfield Premium Genetics, Rose Hill, NC, 28458, USA
| | - Roberto Mantovani
- Department of Agronomy, Animals and Environment, (DAFNAE), Food, Natural Resources, University of Padova, Viale del Università 14, 35020, Legnaro (Padova), Italy
| | - Francesco Tiezzi
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 18, 50144, Firenze, Italy.
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Colombo SA, de Mello DMD, Morais BRM, Salvato LA, Dorella FA, Tavares GC, da Silva VMF, de Azevedo MI. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE FUNGAL MICROBIOTA IN THE NOSTRILS AND RECTUM OF AMAZONIAN MANATEES ( TRICHECHUS INUNGUIS) FROM A REHABILITATION PROGRAM IN BRAZIL. J Zoo Wildl Med 2024; 55:125-135. [PMID: 38453495 DOI: 10.1638/2022-0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study characterized the filamentous and yeast-like fungal microbiota of the nasal cavity and rectum of Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis) undergoing rehabilitation at the Laboratory of Aquatic Mammals, National Institute of Amazonian Research, Manaus, Amazonas, and determined the antifungal susceptibility of these organisms. Nasal and rectal swabs were collected from 22 calves and three juveniles. The samples were seeded in Sabouraud agar supplemented with chloramphenicol 10%, incubated at 26°C, and observed daily for up to 7 d. The growth of different filamentous and yeast-like fungi was observed among the two anatomical sites. Filamentous fungi were categorized by macro- and microscopic characteristics of the colonies. Representatives of each group were selected for molecular identification based on the internal transcribed spacer region. Yeast identification was performed using MALDI-TOF MS and molecular analyses. Thirteen genera of filamentous fungi and six genera of yeasts were isolated and identified. The dominant filamentous species were Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Cochliobolus lunatus in the nostril samples and Aspergillus melleus in the rectal samples. Candida was the dominant genus among the identified yeasts at both anatomical sites. In the antifungal susceptibility test, 28 isolates showed resistance to fluconazole (78%), itraconazole (39%), and nystatin (42%). The knowledge of fungal microbiota composition of Amazonian manatees provides information that assists in monitoring the health status of individuals maintained in captivity, as these organisms can behave either as opportunists or as primary pathogens. Moreover, the composition and resistance of these organisms may vary among different rehabilitation institutions or different time frames of search, reinforcing the importance of constant in loco surveillance of these microorganisms. This study provides new perspectives on the fungal diversity in the microbiota of manatees and supports future studies concerning the clinical and epidemiological aspects and the impacts of these agents on the health of Amazonian manatees undergoing rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salene A Colombo
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Daniela M D de Mello
- Laboratory of Aquatic Mammals, National Institute of Amazonian Research-INPA, Manaus, AM 69060-001, Brazil
| | - Bruna R M Morais
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Lauranne A Salvato
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Fernanda A Dorella
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Guilherme C Tavares
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Vera M F da Silva
- Laboratory of Aquatic Mammals, National Institute of Amazonian Research-INPA, Manaus, AM 69060-001, Brazil
| | - Maria I de Azevedo
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil,
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Parks M, Lee JS, Camua K, Hollender E. Turtle species and ecology drive carapace microbiome diversity in three seasonally interconnected wetland habitats. Access Microbiol 2024; 6:000682.v3. [PMID: 38361649 PMCID: PMC10866032 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000682.v3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Different species of freshwater turtles exhibit primary behaviours ranging from aerial basking to benthic bottom-walking, cycle between wet and dry conditions at different time intervals, and undertake short-distance overland movements between aquatic habitats. These behaviours in turn may impact the accumulation of microbes on external shell surfaces of turtles and provide novel niches for differentiation of microbial communities. We assessed microbial diversity using 16S and 18S rRNA metabarcoding on carapace surfaces of six species of freshwater turtles residing in three adjacent and seasonally interconnected wetland habitats in southeast Oklahoma (United States). Communities were highly diverse, with nearly 4200 prokaryotic and 500 micro-eukaryotic amplicon sequence variants recovered, and included taxa previously reported as common or differentially abundant on turtle shells. The 16S rRNA alpha diversity tended to be highest for two species of benthic turtles, while 18S rRNA alpha diversity was highest for two basking and one shallow-water benthic species. Beta diversity of communities was more strongly differentiated by turtle species than by collection site, and ordination patterns were largely reflective of turtle species' primary habits (i.e. benthic, basking, or benthic-basking). Our data support that freshwater turtles could play a role in microbial ecology and evolution in freshwater habitats and warrant additional exploration including in areas with high native turtle diversity and inter-habitat turtle movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Parks
- Department of Biology, University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N University Drive, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034, USA
| | - Jun Sheng Lee
- Department of Biology, University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N University Drive, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034, USA
- DNA Reference Lab, 5282 Medical Dr. Suite 312, San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
| | - Kassandra Camua
- Department of Biology, University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N University Drive, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034, USA
| | - Ethan Hollender
- Department of Biological Sciences, 601 Science Engineering Hall, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
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Dosi A, Meziti A, Tounta E, Koemtzopoulos K, Komnenou A, Dendrinos P, Kormas K. Fecal and skin microbiota of two rescued Mediterranean monk seal pups during rehabilitation. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0280523. [PMID: 38084980 PMCID: PMC10783143 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02805-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This study showed that during the rehabilitation of two rescued Mediterranean monk seal pups (Monachus monachus), the skin and fecal bacterial communities showed similar succession patterns between the two individuals. This finding means that co-housed pups share their microbiomes, and this needs to be considered in cases of infection outbreaks and their treatment. The housing conditions, along with the feeding scheme and care protocols, including the admission of antibiotics as prophylaxis, probiotics, and essential food supplements, resulted in bacterial communities with no apparent pathogenic bacteria. This is the first contribution to the microbiome of the protected seal species of M. monachus and contributes to the animal's conservation practices through its microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aggeliki Dosi
- Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
| | - Alexandra Meziti
- Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
| | - Eleni Tounta
- MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal, Athens, Greece
| | - Kimon Koemtzopoulos
- MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Komnenou
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Dendrinos
- MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Kormas
- Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
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13
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Martínez-Ugalde E, Ávila-Akerberg V, González Martínez TM, Rebollar EA. Gene functions of the Ambystoma altamirani skin microbiome vary across space and time but potential antifungal genes are widespread and prevalent. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001181. [PMID: 38240649 PMCID: PMC10868611 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Amphibian skin microbiomes can play a critical role in host survival against emerging diseases by protecting their host against pathogens. While a plethora of biotic and abiotic factors have been shown to influence the taxonomic diversity of amphibian skin microbiomes it remains unclear whether functional genomic diversity varies in response to temporal and environmental factors. Here we applied a metagenomic approach to evaluate whether seasonality, distinct elevations/sites, and pathogen presence influenced the functional genomic diversity of the A. altamirani skin microbiome. We obtained a gene catalogue of 92 107 nonredundant annotated genes and a set of 50 unique metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs). Our analysis showed that genes linked to general and potential antifungal traits significantly differed across seasons and sampling locations at different elevations. Moreover, we found that the functional genomic diversity of A. altamirani skin microbiome differed between B. dendrobatidis infected and not infected axolotls only during winter, suggesting an interaction between seasonality and pathogen infection. In addition, we identified the presence of genes and biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) linked to potential antifungal functions such as biofilm formation, quorum sensing, secretion systems, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and chitin degradation. Interestingly genes linked to these potential antifungal traits were mainly identified in Burkholderiales and Chitinophagales MAGs. Overall, our results identified functional traits linked to potential antifungal functions in the A. altamirani skin microbiome regardless of variation in the functional diversity across seasons, elevations/sites, and pathogen presence. Our findings suggest that potential antifungal traits found in Burkholderiales and Chitinophagales taxa could be related to the capacity of A. altamirani to survive in the presence of Bd, although further experimental analyses are required to test this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Víctor Ávila-Akerberg
- Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Rurales, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico
| | | | - Eria A. Rebollar
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
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14
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Dhivahar J, Parthasarathy A, Krishnan K, Kovi BS, Pandian GN. Bat-associated microbes: Opportunities and perils, an overview. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22351. [PMID: 38125540 PMCID: PMC10730444 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential biotechnological uses of bat-associated bacteria are discussed briefly, indicating avenues for biotechnological applications of bat-associated microbes. The uniqueness of bats in terms of their lifestyle, genomes and molecular immunology may predispose bats to act as disease reservoirs. Molecular phylogenetic analysis has shown several instances of bats harbouring the ancestral lineages of bacterial (Bartonella), protozoal (Plasmodium, Trypanosoma cruzi) and viral (SARS-CoV2) pathogens infecting humans. Along with the transmission of viruses from bats, we also discuss the potential roles of bat-associated bacteria, fungi, and protozoan parasites in emerging diseases. Current evidence suggests that environmental changes and interactions between wildlife, livestock, and humans contribute to the spill-over of infectious agents from bats to other hosts. Domestic animals including livestock may act as intermediate amplifying hosts for bat-origin pathogens to transmit to humans. An increasing number of studies investigating bat pathogen diversity and infection dynamics have been published. However, whether or how these infectious agents are transmitted both within bat populations and to other hosts, including humans, often remains unknown. Metagenomic approaches are uncovering the dynamics and distribution of potential pathogens in bat microbiomes, which might improve the understanding of disease emergence and transmission. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on bat zoonoses of public health concern and flag the gaps in the knowledge to enable further research and allocation of resources for tackling future outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Dhivahar
- Research Department of Zoology, St. Johns College, Palayamkottai, 627002, India
- Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Loyola College, Chennai, 600034, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Virology, University of Madras, Chennai, 600025, India
| | - Anutthaman Parthasarathy
- Department of Chemistry and Biosciences, Richmond Building, University of Bradford, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP, United Kingdom
| | - Kathiravan Krishnan
- Department of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Virology, University of Madras, Chennai, 600025, India
| | - Basavaraj S. Kovi
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Yoshida Ushinomiyacho, 69, Sakyo Ward, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ganesh N. Pandian
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Yoshida Ushinomiyacho, 69, Sakyo Ward, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan
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15
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Chalifour BN, Elder LE, Li J. Diversity of gut microbiome in Rocky Mountainsnail across its native range. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290292. [PMID: 38011083 PMCID: PMC10681204 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290292] [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: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The animal gut microbiome is often a key requirement for host nutrition, digestion, and immunity, and can shift in relation to host geography and environmental factors. However, ecological drivers of microbiome community assembly across large geographic ranges have rarely been examined in invertebrates. Oreohelix strigosa (Rocky Mountainsnail) is a widespread land snail found in heterogeneous environments across the mountainous western United States. It is ideally suited for biogeography studies due to its broad distribution, low migration, and low likelihood of passive transport via other animals. This study aims to uncover large-scale geographic shifts in the composition of O. strigosa gut microbiomes by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing on samples from across its native range. Additionally, we elucidate smaller-scale microbiome variation using samples collected only within Colorado. Results show that gut microbiomes vary significantly across broad geographic ranges. Several possible ecological drivers, including soil and vegetation composition, habitat complexity, habitat type, and human impact, collectively explained 27% of the variation across Coloradan O. strigosa gut microbiomes. Snail gut microbiomes show more similarity to vegetation than soil microbiomes. Gut microbial richness was highest in the rocky habitats and increased significantly in the most disturbed habitats (low complexity, high human impact), potentially indicating signs of dysbiosis in the snails' gut microbiomes. These small-scale environmental factors may be driving changes in O. strigosa gut microbiome composition seen across large-scale geography. This knowledge will also help us better understand how microbial associations influence species survival in diverse environments and aid wildlife conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget N. Chalifour
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Leanne E. Elder
- Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Jingchun Li
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
- Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
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16
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Tang L, Yan L, Jia H, Xiong Y, Ma X, Chu H, Sun Z, Wang L, Shalitanati M, Li K, Hu D, Zhang D. Gut microbial community structure and function of Przewalski's horses varied across reintroduced sites in China. Integr Zool 2023; 18:1027-1040. [PMID: 36606497 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12699] [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] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Host-associated microbiota can significantly impact host fitness. Therefore, naturally occurring variations in microbiota may influence the health and persistence of their hosts. This finding is particularly important in reintroduced animals, as they typically experience habitat changes during translocations. However, little is known about how microbiomes are altered in response to conservation translocation. Here, we accessed the gut microbiome of Przewalski's horse (Equus przewalskii) populations in China from three nature reserves (i.e. Xinjiang Kalamaili Nature Reserve, KNR; Dunhuang Xihu National Nature Reserve, DXNNR; and Anxi Extreme-arid Desert Nature Reserve, AENR) using 16s rRNA gene and metagenome sequencing. The results showed that the microbial composition and function differed significantly across locations, while a subset of core taxa was consistently present in most of the samples. The abundance of genes encoding microbe-produced enzymes involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, especially for glycoside hydrolases, was significantly higher in open-spaced KNR populations than in more confined AENR individuals. This study offers detailed and significant differential characters related to the microbial community and metabolic pathways in various reintroduced sites of Przewalski's horse, which might provide a basis for future microecological and conservation research on endangered reintroduced animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Tang
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Liping Yan
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Huiping Jia
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Xiong
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinping Ma
- Xinjiang Mountain Ungulate Nature Reserve Management Center, Urumqi, China
| | - Hongjun Chu
- Institute of Forestry Ecology, Xinjiang Academy of Forestry Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Zhicheng Sun
- Administrative Bureau of Dunhuang Xihu National Nature Reserve, Dunhuang, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Administration of Gansu Anxi Extra-arid Desert National Nature Reserve, Guazhou, China
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mubalake Shalitanati
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Wild Horse Breeding Research Center, Urumqi, China
| | - Kai Li
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Defu Hu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
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17
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Cui J, Tian S, Gu Y, Wu X, Wang L, Wang J, Chen X, Meng Z. Toxicity effects of pesticides based on zebrafish (Danio rerio) models: Advances and perspectives. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 340:139825. [PMID: 37586498 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides inevitably enter aquatic environments, posing potential risks to organisms. The common aquatic model organism, zebrafish (Danio rerio), are widely used to evaluate the toxicity of pesticides. In this review, we searched the Web of Science database for articles published between 2012 and 2022, using the keywords "pesticide", "zebrafish", and "toxicity", retrieving 618 publications. Furthermore, we described the main pathways by which pesticides enter aquatic environments and the fate of their residues in these environments. We systematically reviewed the toxicity effects of pesticides on zebrafish, including developmental toxicity, endocrine-disrupting effects, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and genotoxicity. Importantly, we summarized the latest research progress on the toxicity mechanism of pesticides to zebrafish based on omics technologies, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics. Finally, we discussed future research prospects, focusing on the combined exposure of multiple pollutants including pesticides, the risk of multigenerational exposure to pesticides, and the chronic toxicity of aquatic nanopesticides. This review provides essential data support for ecological risk assessments of pesticides in aquatic environments, and has implications for water management in the context of pesticide pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Cui
- Department of Pesticide Science, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Sinuo Tian
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Yuntong Gu
- Department of Pesticide Science, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Xinyi Wu
- Department of Pesticide Science, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Pesticide Science, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Jianjun Wang
- Department of Pesticide Science, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Xiaojun Chen
- Department of Pesticide Science, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Zhiyuan Meng
- Department of Pesticide Science, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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18
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Klinsawat W, Uthaipaisanwong P, Jenjaroenpun P, Sripiboon S, Wongsurawat T, Kusonmano K. Microbiome variations among age classes and diets of captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Thailand using full-length 16S rRNA nanopore sequencing. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17685. [PMID: 37848699 PMCID: PMC10582034 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44981-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is the national symbol of Thailand and linked to Thai history and culture for centuries. The elephant welfare improvement is one of the major components to achieve sustainable captive management. Microbiome inhabiting digestive tracts have been shown with symbiotic relations to host health. This work provided high-resolution microbiome profiles of 32 captive elephants at a species level by utilizing full-length 16S rRNA gene nanopore sequencing. Eleven common uncultured bacterial species were found across elephants fed with solid food including uncultured bacterium Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, Kiritimatiellae WCHB1-41, Phascolarctobacterium, Oscillospiraceae NK4A214 group, Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Oribacterium, Oscillospirales UCG-010, Lachnospiraceae, Bacteroidales F082, uncultured rumen Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, and Lachnospiraceae AC2044 group. We observed microbiome shifts along the age classes of baby (0-2 years), juvenile (2-10 years), and adult (> 10 years). Interestingly, we found distinct microbiome profiles among adult elephants fed with a local palm, Caryota urens, as a supplement. Potential beneficial microbes have been revealed according to the age classes and feed diets. The retrieved microbiome data could be provided as good baseline microbial profiles for monitoring elephant health, suggesting further studies towards dietary selection suitable for each age class and the use of local supplementary diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Worata Klinsawat
- Conservation Ecology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pichahpuk Uthaipaisanwong
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Research Group, Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Piroon Jenjaroenpun
- Division of Medical Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Supaphen Sripiboon
- Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Thidathip Wongsurawat
- Division of Medical Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | - Kanthida Kusonmano
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Research Group, Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Schools of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.
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19
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Thorel M, Obregon D, Mulot B, Maitre A, Mateos-Hernandez L, Moalic PY, Wu-Chuang A, Cabezas-Cruz A, Leclerc A. Conserved core microbiota in managed and free-ranging Loxodonta africana elephants. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1247719. [PMID: 37860133 PMCID: PMC10582353 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1247719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in animal health and homeostasis, particularly in endangered species conservation. This study investigated the fecal microbiota composition of European captive-bred African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) housed in French zoos, and compared it with wild African savanna elephants. Fecal samples were collected and processed for DNA extraction and amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The analysis of α and β diversity revealed significant effects of factors such as diet, daily activity, and institution on microbiota composition. Specifically, provision of branches as part of the diet positively impacted microbiota diversity. Comparative analyses demonstrated distinct differences between captive and wild elephant microbiomes, characterized by lower bacterial diversity and altered co-occurrence patterns in the captive population. Notably, specific taxa were differentially abundant in captive and wild elephants, suggesting the influence of the environment on microbiota composition. Furthermore, the study identified a core association network shared by both captive and wild elephants, emphasizing the importance of certain taxa in maintaining microbial interactions. These findings underscore the impact of environment and husbandry factors on elephant gut microbiota, highlighting the benefits of dietary enrichment strategies in zoos to promote microbiome diversity and health. The study contributes to the broader understanding of host-microbiota interactions and provides insights applicable to conservation medicine and captive animal management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Thorel
- ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature, Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Dasiel Obregon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Baptiste Mulot
- ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature, Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Apolline Maitre
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernandez
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
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20
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Rajput M, Thakur N. Editorial: Advances in host-pathogen interactions for diseases in animals and birds. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1282110. [PMID: 37766859 PMCID: PMC10520279 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1282110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mrigendra Rajput
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, United States
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21
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de Morais Nobre ML, Santos LS, de Carvalho Sousa B, Campos MAS, Schwarz DGG, Pinheiro REE, Catenacci LS, Dos Santos Soares MJ. A systematic review of the microbial community in taiassuids: a One Health approach. Braz J Microbiol 2023; 54:2485-2496. [PMID: 37380932 PMCID: PMC10485205 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-023-01046-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Collared and white-lipped peccaries are sympatric and are distributed in most of South America and in the humid tropical forests of Mexico and Central America. Historically, these species have been used as a source of protein by traditional and/or indigenous human communities, but currently they have been used for legal consumption in different countries. Thus, there has been greater interaction between these wild species and domestic animals and humans, enabling microbial interactions between different niches. The present study presents a systematic review of the literature on the microbial community of collared peccaries and white-lipped peccaries distributed throughout the world, focusing on experimental studies related to the detection of microorganisms as well as the prevalence of the animal species and its characterization of the studied population, in situ or ex situ. Seventy-two studies were selected, mainly in South American countries, related to different species of microorganisms isolated or serologically detected (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites), either as microbiota, pathogens or commensals, many of which are of zoonotic interest, such as Leptospira, Toxoplasma, Brucella, among others. Therefore, these wild mammals are characterized as sentinel agents of anthropic action and require the implementation of studies in relation to their contribution to the spread of microorganisms, being a potential source of amplification and transmission of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márcio Leonardo de Morais Nobre
- Federal Institute of Maranhão, IFMA, Caxias, Maranhão, Brazil.
- Postgraduate Program in Technologies Applied to Animals of Regional Interest, Center of Agricultural Science, Federal University of Piauí, UFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil.
| | - Leidiane Sousa Santos
- Department of Veterinary Morphophysiology, Federal University of Piauí, UFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Bianca de Carvalho Sousa
- Postgraduate Program in Technologies Applied to Animals of Regional Interest, Center of Agricultural Science, Federal University of Piauí, UFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Lilian Silva Catenacci
- Department of Veterinary Morphophysiology, Federal University of Piauí, UFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
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22
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Pascoal F, Tomasino MP, Piredda R, Quero GM, Torgo L, Poulain J, Galand PE, Fuhrman JA, Mitchell A, Tinta T, Turk Dermastia T, Fernandez-Guerra A, Vezzi A, Logares R, Malfatti F, Endo H, Dąbrowska AM, De Pascale F, Sánchez P, Henry N, Fosso B, Wilson B, Toshchakov S, Ferrant GK, Grigorov I, Vieira FRJ, Costa R, Pesant S, Magalhães C. Inter-comparison of marine microbiome sampling protocols. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:84. [PMID: 37598259 PMCID: PMC10439934 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00278-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Research on marine microbial communities is growing, but studies are hard to compare because of variation in seawater sampling protocols. To help researchers in the inter-comparison of studies that use different seawater sampling methodologies, as well as to help them design future sampling campaigns, we developed the EuroMarine Open Science Exploration initiative (EMOSE). Within the EMOSE framework, we sampled thousands of liters of seawater from a single station in the NW Mediterranean Sea (Service d'Observation du Laboratoire Arago [SOLA], Banyuls-sur-Mer), during one single day. The resulting dataset includes multiple seawater processing approaches, encompassing different material-type kinds of filters (cartridge membrane and flat membrane), three different size fractionations (>0.22 µm, 0.22-3 µm, 3-20 µm and >20 µm), and a number of different seawater volumes ranging from 1 L up to 1000 L. We show that the volume of seawater that is filtered does not have a significant effect on prokaryotic and protist diversity, independently of the sequencing strategy. However, there was a clear difference in alpha and beta diversity between size fractions and between these and "whole water" (with no pre-fractionation). Overall, we recommend care when merging data from datasets that use filters of different pore size, but we consider that the type of filter and volume should not act as confounding variables for the tested sequencing strategies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a publicly available dataset effectively allows for the clarification of the impact of marine microbiome methodological options across a wide range of protocols, including large-scale variations in sampled volume.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Pascoal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169- 007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Paola Tomasino
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208, Porto, Portugal
| | - Roberta Piredda
- Integrative Marine Ecology Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Grazia Marina Quero
- Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies, National Research Council (IRBIM-CNR), Largo Fiera della Pesca 2, 60125, Ancona, Italy
| | - Luís Torgo
- Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Julie Poulain
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 2 Rue Gaston Crémieux, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Pierre E Galand
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Écogéochimie des Environnements Benthiques (LECOB), Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls, Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Jed A Fuhrman
- Marine & Environmental Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alex Mitchell
- EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Tinkara Tinta
- National Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station Piran, Piran, Slovenia
| | | | - Antonio Fernandez-Guerra
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alessandro Vezzi
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Ramiro Logares
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC. Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, ES08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Hisashi Endo
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Japan
| | - Anna Maria Dąbrowska
- Department of Marine Ecology, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - Fabio De Pascale
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Pablo Sánchez
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC. Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, ES08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nicolas Henry
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Station Biologique de Roscoff, AD2M ECOMAP, UMR 7144, Roscoff, France
- CNRS, FR2424, ABiMS, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
| | - Bruno Fosso
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Bryan Wilson
- Department of Biology, John Krebs Field Station, University of Oxford, Wytham, OX2 8QJ, UK
| | | | | | - Ivo Grigorov
- Technical University of Denmark, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Rodrigo Costa
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB) and i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Stéphane Pesant
- EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SD, UK.
| | - Catarina Magalhães
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208, Porto, Portugal.
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169- 007, Porto, Portugal.
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23
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Oliveros A, Terraube J, Levengood AL, Powell D, Frère CH. Influence of scat ageing on the gut microbiome: how old is too old? BMC Genomics 2023; 24:427. [PMID: 37525141 PMCID: PMC10388479 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09520-0] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study of the host-microbiome by the collection of non-invasive samples has the potential to become a powerful tool for conservation monitoring and surveillance of wildlife. However, multiple factors can bias the quality of data recovered from scats, particularly when field-collected samples are used given that the time of defecation is unknown. Previous studies using scats have shown that the impact of aerobic exposure on the microbial composition is species-specific, leading to different rates of change in microbial communities. However, the impact that this aging process has on the relationship between the bacterial and fungal composition has yet to be explored. In this study, we measured the effects of time post-defecation on bacterial and fungal compositions in a controlled experiment using scat samples from the endangered koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). RESULTS We found that the bacterial composition remained stable through the scat aging process, while the fungal composition did not. The absence of an increase in facultative anaerobes and the stable population of obligate anaerobic bacteria were likely due to our sampling from the inner portion of the scat. We report a cluster of fungal taxa that colonises scats after defecation which can dilute the genetic material from the autochthonous mycoflora and inhibit recovery. CONCLUSION We emphasize the need to preserve the integrity of scat samples collected in the wild and combat the effects of time and provide strategies for doing so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Oliveros
- The School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia.
| | - Julien Terraube
- Vulture Conservation Foundation, Wuhrstrasse 12, Zürich, CH-8003, Switzerland
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Alexis L Levengood
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Daniel Powell
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Céline H Frère
- The School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
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24
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Lim YZ, Poh YH, Lee KC, Pointing SB, Wainwright BJ, Tan EJ. Influence of native and exotic plant diet on the gut microbiome of the Gray's Malayan stick insect, Lonchodes brevipes. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1199187. [PMID: 37577436 PMCID: PMC10412900 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1199187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Herbivorous insects require an active lignocellulolytic microbiome to process their diet. Stick insects (phasmids) are common in the tropics and display a cosmopolitan host plant feeding preference. The microbiomes of social insects are vertically transmitted to offspring, while for solitary species, such as phasmids, it has been assumed that microbiomes are acquired from their diet. This study reports the characterization of the gut microbiome for the Gray's Malayan stick insect, Lonchodes brevipes, reared on native and introduced species of host plants and compared to the microbiome of the host plant and surrounding soil to gain insight into possible sources of recruitment. Clear differences in the gut microbiome occurred between insects fed on native and exotic plant diets, and the native diet displayed a more species-rich fungal microbiome. While the findings suggest that phasmids may be capable of adapting their gut microbiome to changing diets, it is uncertain whether this may lead to any change in dietary efficiency or organismal fitness. Further insight in this regard may assist conservation and management decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhen Lim
- Division of Science, Yale-NUS College, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yan Hong Poh
- Division of Science, Yale-NUS College, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kevin C. Lee
- School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Stephen Brian Pointing
- Division of Science, Yale-NUS College, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Benjamin J. Wainwright
- Division of Science, Yale-NUS College, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eunice Jingmei Tan
- Division of Science, Yale-NUS College, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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25
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Amiri N, M. Keady M, Lim HC. Honey bees and bumble bees occupying the same landscape have distinct gut microbiomes and amplicon sequence variant-level responses to infections. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15501. [PMID: 37312881 PMCID: PMC10259447 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome of bees is vital for the health of their hosts. Given the ecosystem functions performed by bees, and the declines faced by many species, it is important to improve our understanding of the amount of natural variation in the gut microbiome, the level of sharing of bacteria among co-occurring species (including between native and non-native species), and how gut communities respond to infections. We conducted 16S rRNA metabarcoding to discern the level of microbiome similarity between honey bees (Apis mellifera, N = 49) and bumble bees (Bombus spp., N = 66) in a suburban-rural landscape. We identified a total of 233 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and found simple gut microbiomes dominated by bacterial taxa belonging to Gilliamella, Snodgrassella, and Lactobacillus. The average number of ASVs per species ranged from 4.00-15.00 (8.79 ± 3.84, mean ± SD). Amplicon sequence variant of one bacterial species, G. apicola (ASV 1), was widely shared across honey bees and bumble bees. However, we detected another ASV of G. apicola that was either exclusive to honey bees, or represented an intra-genomic 16S rRNA haplotype variant in honey bees. Other than ASV 1, honey bees and bumble bees rarely share gut bacteria, even ones likely derived from outside environments (e.g., Rhizobium spp., Fructobacillus spp.). Honey bee bacterial microbiomes exhibited higher alpha diversity but lower beta and gamma diversities than those of bumble bees, likely a result of the former possessing larger, perennial hives. Finally, we identified pathogenic or symbiotic bacteria (G. apicola, Acinetobacter sp. and Pluralibacter sp.) that associate with Trypanosome and/or Vairimorpha infections in bees. Such insights help to determine bees' susceptibility to infections should gut microbiomes become disrupted by chemical pollutants and contribute to our understanding of what constitutes a state of dysbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navolle Amiri
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Mia M. Keady
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
- Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, D.C., United States
| | - Haw Chuan Lim
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, D.C., United States
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26
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Sengupta P, Sivabalan SKM, Mahesh A, Palanikumar I, Kuppa Baskaran DK, Raman K. Big Data for a Small World: A Review on Databases and Resources for Studying Microbiomes. J Indian Inst Sci 2023; 103:1-17. [PMID: 37362854 PMCID: PMC10073628 DOI: 10.1007/s41745-023-00370-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature and form complex community networks to survive in various environments. This community structure depends on numerous factors like nutrient availability, abiotic factors like temperature and pH as well as microbial composition. Categorising accessible biomes according to their habitats would help in understanding the complexity of the environment-specific communities. Owing to the recent improvements in sequencing facilities, researchers have started to explore diverse microbiomes rapidly and attempts have been made to study microbial crosstalk. However, different metagenomics sampling, preprocessing, and annotation methods make it difficult to compare multiple studies and hinder the recycling of data. Huge datasets originating from these experiments demand systematic computational methods to extract biological information beyond microbial compositions. Further exploration of microbial co-occurring patterns across the biomes could help us in designing cross-biome experiments. In this review, we catalogue databases with system-specific microbiomes, discussing publicly available common databases as well as specialised databases for a range of microbiomes. If the new datasets generated in the future could maintain at least biome-specific annotation, then researchers could use those contemporary tools for relevant and bias-free analysis of complex metagenomics data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratyay Sengupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
| | | | - Amrita Mahesh
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
| | - Indumathi Palanikumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
| | - Dinesh Kumar Kuppa Baskaran
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
| | - Karthik Raman
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036 India
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27
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Rohrer SD, Jiménez-Uzcátegui G, Parker PG, Chubiz LM. Composition and function of the Galapagos penguin gut microbiome vary with age, location, and a putative bacterial pathogen. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5358. [PMID: 37005428 PMCID: PMC10067942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31826-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial colonization plays a direct role in host health. Understanding the ecology of the resident microbial community for a given host species is thus an important step for detecting population vulnerabilities like disease. However, the idea of integrating microbiome research into conservation is still relatively new, and wild birds have received less attention in this field than mammals or domesticated animals. Here we examine the composition and function of the gut microbiome of the endangered Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) with the goals of characterizing the normal microbial community and resistome, identifying likely pathogens, and testing hypotheses of structuring forces for this community based on demographics, location, and infection status. We collected fecal samples from wild penguins in 2018 and performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing and whole genome sequencing (WGS) on extracted DNA. 16S sequencing revealed that the bacterial phyla Fusobacteria, Epsilonbacteraeota, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria dominate the community. Functional pathways were computed from WGS data, showing genetic functional potential primarily focused on metabolism-amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and energy metabolism are the most well-represented functional groups. WGS samples were each screened for antimicrobial resistance, characterizing a resistome made up of nine antibiotic resistance genes. Samples were screened for potential enteric pathogens using virulence factors as indicators; Clostridium perfringens was revealed as a likely pathogen. Overall, three factors appear to be shaping the alpha and beta diversity of the microbial community: penguin developmental stage, sampling location, and C. perfringens. We found that juvenile penguins have significantly lower alpha diversity than adults based on three metrics, as well as significantly different beta diversity. Location effects are minimal, but one site has significantly lower Shannon diversity than the other primary sites. Finally, when samples were grouped by C. perfringens virulence factors, we found dramatic changes in beta diversity based on operational taxonomic units, protein families, and functional pathways. This study provides a baseline microbiome for an endangered species, implicates both penguin age and the presence of a potential bacterial pathogen as primary factors associated with microbial community variance, and reveals widespread antibiotic resistance genes across the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sage D Rohrer
- Department of Biology and Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA.
| | | | - Patricia G Parker
- Department of Biology and Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA
- WildCare Institute, Saint Louis Zoo, One Government Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Lon M Chubiz
- Department of Biology and Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA
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28
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Fackelmann G, Pham CK, Rodríguez Y, Mallory ML, Provencher JF, Baak JE, Sommer S. Current levels of microplastic pollution impact wild seabird gut microbiomes. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:698-706. [PMID: 36973353 PMCID: PMC10172112 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02013-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics contaminate environments worldwide and are ingested by numerous species, whose health is affected in multiple ways. A key dimension of health that may be affected is the gut microbiome, but these effects are relatively unexplored. Here, we investigated if microplastics are associated with changes in proventricular and cloacal microbiomes in two seabird species that chronically ingest microplastics: northern fulmars and Cory's shearwaters. The amount of microplastics in the gut was significantly correlated with gut microbial diversity and composition: microplastics were associated with decreases in commensal microbiota and increases in (zoonotic) pathogens and antibiotic-resistant and plastic-degrading microbes. These results illustrate that environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations and mixtures are associated with changes in gut microbiomes in wild seabirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Fackelmann
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Christopher K Pham
- Institute of Marine Sciences - Okeanos, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
| | - Yasmina Rodríguez
- Institute of Marine Sciences - Okeanos, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
| | - Mark L Mallory
- Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Jennifer F Provencher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julia E Baak
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Simone Sommer
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
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29
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Sheehy L, MacDonald‐Howard K, Williams CD, Weedall GD, Jones H, Rae R. A parasitic nematode induces dysbiosis in susceptible but not resistant gastropod hosts. Microbiologyopen 2023; 12:e1346. [PMID: 37186232 PMCID: PMC9999464 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1346] [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: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals’ gut microbiomes affect a wide array of biological processes including immunity and protection from pathogens. However, how the microbiome changes due to infection by parasites is still largely unknown, as is how the microbiome changes in hosts that differ in their susceptibility to parasites. To investigate this, we exposed two slug species of differing susceptibility to the parasitic nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Deroceras reticulatum is highly susceptible and Ambigolimax valentianus resistant to the nematode) and profiled the gut microbiota after 7 and 14 days. Before infection, both slug species’ microbiota was dominated by similar bacterial genera: Pseudomonas (by far the most abundant), Sphingobacterium, Pedobacter, Chryseobacterium, and Flavobacterium. In the resistant host A. valentianus, there was no significant change in the bacterial genera after infection, but in D. reticulatum, the bacterial profile changed, with a decrease in the abundance of Pseudomonadaceae and an increase in the abundance of Flavobacteriaceae and Sphingobacteriaceae after 7 days postinfection. This suggests nematode infection causes dysbiosis in hosts that are susceptible to infection, but the microbiome of resistant species remains unaltered. In summary, the regulation of the immune system is tightly linked with host survival, and nematode infection can alter the microbiome structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sheehy
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
| | - Kerry MacDonald‐Howard
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
| | - Chris D. Williams
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
| | - Gareth D. Weedall
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
| | - Hayley Jones
- Royal Horticultural Society GardenWisley, WokingSurreyUK
| | - Robbie Rae
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
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30
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Panova MAZ, Varfolomeeva MA, Gafarova ER, Maltseva AL, Mikhailova NA, Granovitch AI. First insights into the gut microbiomes and the diet of the Littorina snail ecotypes, a recently emerged marine evolutionary model. Evol Appl 2023; 16:365-378. [PMID: 36793697 PMCID: PMC9923488 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes can play a prominent role in the evolution of their hosts, facilitating adaptation to various environments and promoting ecological divergence. The Wave and Crab ecotypes of the intertidal snail Littorina saxatilis is an evolutionary model of rapid and repeated adaptation to environmental gradients. While patterns of genomic divergence of the Littorina ecotypes along the shore gradients have been extensively studied, their microbiomes have been so far overlooked. The aim of the present study is to start filling this gap by comparing gut microbiome composition of the Wave and Crab ecotypes using metabarcoding approach. Since Littorina snails are micro-grazers feeding on the intertidal biofilm, we also compare biofilm composition (i.e. typical snail diet) in the crab and wave habitats. In the results, we found that bacterial and eukaryotic biofilm composition varies between the typical habitats of the ecotypes. Further, the snail gut bacteriome was different from outer environments, being dominated by Gammaproteobacteria, Fusobacteria, Bacteroidia and Alphaproteobacteria. There were clear differences in the gut bacterial communities between the Crab and the Wave ecotypes as well as between the Wave ecotype snails from the low and high shores. These differences were both observed in the abundances and in the presence of different bacteria, as well as at different taxonomic level, from bacterial OTU's to families. Altogether, our first insights show that Littorina snails and their associated bacteria are a promising marine system to study co-evolution of the microbes and their hosts, which can help us to predict the future for wild species in the face of rapidly changing marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina A Z Panova
- Department of Marine Sciences-Tjärnö University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden.,The Centre for Marine Evolutionary Biology CeMEB University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Marina A Varfolomeeva
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology St. Petersburg State University St. Petersburg Russia
| | - Elizaveta R Gafarova
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology St. Petersburg State University St. Petersburg Russia
| | - Arina L Maltseva
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology St. Petersburg State University St. Petersburg Russia
| | - Natalia A Mikhailova
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology St. Petersburg State University St. Petersburg Russia.,Centre of Cell Technologies Institute of Cytology RAS St. Petersburg Russia
| | - Andrei I Granovitch
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology St. Petersburg State University St. Petersburg Russia
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31
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Abstract
The gut epithelia of virtually all animals harbor complex microbial communities that play an important role in maintaining immune and cellular homeostasis. Gut microbiota have evolutionarily adapted to the host gut environment, serving as key regulators of intestinal stem cells to promote a healthy gut barrier and modulate epithelial self-renewal. Disruption of these populations has been associated with inflammatory disorders or cancerous lesions of the intestine. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling gut-microbe interactions are only partially understood due to the high diversity and biologically dynamic nature of these microorganisms. This article reviews the current knowledge on Drosophila gut microbiota and its role in signaling pathways that are crucial for the induction of distinct homeostatic and immune responses. Thanks to the genetic tractability of Drosophila and its cultivable and simple microbiota, this association model offers new efficient tools for investigating the crosstalk between a host and its microbiota while providing a framework for a better understanding of the ecological and evolutionary roles of the microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghada Tafesh-Edwards
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Ioannis Eleftherianos
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA
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32
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Martínez-Ugalde E, Ávila-Akerberg V, González Martínez TM, Vázquez Trejo M, Zavala Hernández D, Anaya-Morales SL, Rebollar EA. The skin microbiota of the axolotl Ambystoma altamirani is highly influenced by metamorphosis and seasonality but not by pathogen infection. Anim Microbiome 2022; 4:63. [PMID: 36503640 PMCID: PMC9743558 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-022-00215-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbiomes have been increasingly recognized as major contributors to host health and survival. In amphibians, bacterial members of the skin microbiota protect their hosts by inhibiting the growth of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Even though several studies describe the influence of biotic and abiotic factors over the skin microbiota, it remains unclear how these symbiotic bacterial communities vary across time and development. This is particularly relevant for species that undergo metamorphosis as it has been shown that host physiology and ecology drastically influence diversity of the skin microbiome. RESULTS We found that the skin bacterial communities of the axolotl A. altamirani are largely influenced by the metamorphic status of the host and by seasonal variation of abiotic factors such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and conductivity. Despite high Bd prevalence in these samples, the bacterial diversity of the skin microbiota did not differ between infected and non-infected axolotls, although relative abundance of particular bacteria were correlated with Bd infection intensity. CONCLUSIONS Our work shows that metamorphosis is a crucial process that shapes skin bacterial communities and that axolotls under different developmental stages respond differently to environmental seasonal variations. Moreover, this study greatly contributes to a better understanding of the factors that shape amphibian skin microbiota, especially in a largely underexplored group like axolotls (Mexican Ambystoma species).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Víctor Ávila-Akerberg
- Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Rurales, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Sara Lucia Anaya-Morales
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
| | - Eria A Rebollar
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
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33
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Kuang Z, Li F, Duan Q, Tian C, Nevo E, Li K. Host diet shapes functionally differentiated gut microbiomes in sympatric speciation of blind mole rats in Upper Galilee, Israel. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1062763. [PMID: 36458196 PMCID: PMC9707624 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1062763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome is important for host nutrient metabolism and ecological adaptation. However, how the gut microbiome is affected by host phylogeny, ecology and diet during sympatric speciation remain unclear. Here, we compare and contrast the gut microbiome of two sympatric blind mole rat species and correlate them with their corresponding host phylogeny, ecology soil metagenomes, and diet to determine how these factors may influence their gut microbiome. Our results indicate that within the host microbiome there is no significant difference in community composition, but the functions between the two sympatric species populations vary significantly. No significant correlations were found between the gut microbiome differentiation and their corresponding ecological soil metagenomes and host phylogeny. Functional enrichment analysis suggests that the host diets may account for the functional divergence of the gut microbiome. Our results will help us understand how the gut microbiome changes with corresponding ecological dietary factors in sympatric speciation of blind subterranean mole rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoran Kuang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Zoology, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Mudanjiang Normal University, Mudanjiang, China
| | - Qijiao Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Cuicui Tian
- Northwest Surveying and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xi’an, China
| | - Eviatar Nevo
- Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Kexin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Wagener C, du Plessis M, Measey J. Invasive Amphibian Gut Microbiota and Functions Shift Differentially in an Expanding Population but Remain Conserved Across Established Populations. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 84:1042-1054. [PMID: 34735604 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01896-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Studies of laboratory animals demonstrate extensive variation of host gut microbiomes and their functional capabilities across populations, but how does anthropogenic change impact the microbiomes of non-model species? The anthropogenic movement of species to novel environments can drastically alter animals' microbiomes; however, factors that shape invasive species gut microbiota during introduction remain relatively unexplored. Through 16S amplicon sequencing on guttural toad (Sclerophrys gutturalis) faecal samples, we determine that residence time does not impact microbiome variation between source and introduced populations. The youngest population (~ 20 years in Cape Town) has the most distinct microbiome and associated functional capabilities, whereas longer residence times (~ 100 years in Réunion and Mauritius) produce less divergent microbial compositional, phylogenetic, and predicted functional diversity and differential abundance from source populations (Durban). Additionally, we show extensive variation of microbial and functional diversity, as well as differential abundance patterns in an expanding introduced population (Cape Town) between core and periphery sites. Contrasting previous studies, we suggest that introduction pathways might be an important factor impacting host microbial divergence. These findings also imply that the microbiome can diverge in accordance with host population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Wagener
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
| | - Morne du Plessis
- Zoological Research, Foundational Research and Services, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - John Measey
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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Eliades SJ, Colston TJ, Siler CD. Gut microbial ecology of Philippine gekkonids: ecoevolutionary effects on microbiome compositions. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6763418. [PMID: 36259773 PMCID: PMC9681010 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the rapidly changing landscapes of habitats across the globe, a sound understanding of host-associated microbial communities and the ecoevolutionary forces that shape them is needed to assess general organismal adaptability. Knowledge of the symbiotic endogenous microbiomes of most reptilian species worldwide remains limited. We sampled gut microbiomes of geckos spanning nine species and four genera in the Philippines to (i) provide baseline data on gut microbiota in these host species, (ii) test for significant associations between host phylogenetic relationships and observed microbial assemblages, potentially indicative of phylosymbiosis, and (iii) identify correlations between multiple ecoevolutionary factors (e.g. species identity, habitat tendencies, range extents, and maximum body sizes) and gut microbiomes in Philippine gekkonids. We recovered no significant association between interspecific host genetic distances and observed gut microbiomes, providing limited evidence for phylosymbiosis in this group. Philippine gekkonid microbiomes were associated most heavily with host species identity, though marked variation among conspecifics at distinct sampling sites indicates that host locality influences gut microbiomes as well. Interestingly, individuals grouped as widespread and microendemic regardless of host species identity displayed significant differences in alpha and beta diversity metrics examined, likely driven by differences in rare OTU presence between groups. These results provide much needed insight in host-associated microbiomes in wild reptiles and the ecoevolutionary forces that structure such communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Eliades
- Corresponding author: 2401 Chautauqua Avenue, Norman, OK 73072, United States. E-mail:
| | - Timothy J Colston
- Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Call Box 9000, 00681-9000 Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
| | - Cameron D Siler
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History and Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 2401 Chautauqua Avenue, Norman, OK 73072, United States
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Costanzo A, Ambrosini R, Franzetti A, Romano A, Cecere JG, Morganti M, Rubolini D, Gandolfi I. The cloacal microbiome of a cavity-nesting raptor, the lesser kestrel ( Falco naumanni). PeerJ 2022; 10:e13927. [PMID: 36221261 PMCID: PMC9548316 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Microbial communities are found on any part of animal bodies exposed to the environment, and are particularly prominent in the gut, where they play such a major role in the host metabolism and physiology to be considered a "second genome". These communities, collectively known as "microbiome", are well studied in humans and model species, while studies on wild animals have lagged behind. This is unfortunate, as different studies suggested the central role of the gut microbiome in shaping the evolutionary trajectories of species and their population dynamics. Among bird species, only few descriptions of raptor gut microbiomes are available, and mainly carried out on captive individuals. Objectives In this study, we aimed at improving the knowledge of raptor microbiomes by providing the first description of the gut microbiome of the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), a cavity-nesting raptor. Results The gut microbiome of the lesser kestrel was dominated by Actinobacteria (83.9%), Proteobacteria (8.6%) and Firmicutes (4.3%). We detected no differences in microbiome composition between males and females. Furthermore, the general composition of the microbiome appears similar to that of phylogenetically distant cavity-nesting species. Conclusions Our results broaden the knowledge of raptor gut microbial communities and let us hypothesize that the distinct nest environment in terms of microclimate and presence of organic material from previous breeding attempts, to which cavity-nesting species that reuse the nest are exposed, might be an important driver shaping microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Costanzo
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Franzetti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan—Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Romano
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Jacopo G. Cecere
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per La Protezione e La Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano Emilia, (BO), Italy
| | - Michelangelo Morganti
- IRSA-CNR, Water Research Institute-National Research Council of Italy, Brugherio, Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- IRSA-CNR, Water Research Institute-National Research Council of Italy, Brugherio, Italy
| | - Isabella Gandolfi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan—Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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Sustained Drought, but Not Short-Term Warming, Alters the Gut Microbiomes of Wild Anolis Lizards. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0053022. [PMID: 36165625 PMCID: PMC9552597 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00530-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As rising temperatures threaten biodiversity across the globe, tropical ectotherms are thought to be particularly vulnerable due to their narrow thermal tolerance ranges. Nevertheless, physiology-based models highlighting the vulnerability of tropical organisms rarely consider the contributions of their gut microbiota, even though microbiomes influence numerous host traits, including thermal tolerance. We combined field and lab experiments to understand the response of the slender anole lizard (Anolis apletophallus) gut microbiome to climatic shifts of various magnitude and duration. First, to examine the effects of long-term climate warming in the wild, we transplanted lizards from the mainland Panama to a series of warmer islands in the Panama Canal and compared their gut microbiome compositions after three generations of divergence. Next, we mimicked the effects of a short-term "heat-wave" by using a greenhouse experiment and explored the link between gut microbiome composition and lizard thermal physiology. Finally, we examined variation in gut microbiomes in our mainland population in the years both before and after a naturally occurring drought. Our results suggest that slender anole microbiomes are surprisingly resilient to short-term warming. However, both the taxonomic and predicted functional compositions of the gut microbiome varied by sampling year across all sites, suggesting that the drought may have had a regional effect. We provide evidence that short-term heat waves may not substantially affect the gut microbiota, while more sustained climate anomalies may have effects at broad geographic scales. IMPORTANCE As climate change progresses, it is crucial to understand how animals will respond to shifts in their local environments. One component of this response involves changes in the microbial communities living in and on host organisms. These "microbiomes" can affect many processes that contribute to host health and survival, yet few studies have measured changes in the microbiomes of wild organisms experiencing novel climatic conditions. We examined the effects of shifting climates on the gut microbiome of the slender anole lizard (Anolis apletophallus) by using a combination of field and laboratory studies, including transplants to warm islands in the Panama Canal. We found that slender anole microbiomes remain stable in response to short-term warming but may be sensitive to sustained climate anomalies, such as droughts. We discuss the significance of these findings for a species that is considered highly vulnerable to climate change.
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Pitarch A, Diéguez-Uribeondo J, Martín-Torrijos L, Sergio F, Blanco G. Fungal signatures of oral disease reflect environmental degradation in a facultative avian scavenger. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 837:155397. [PMID: 35460785 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Degradation of natural ecosystems increases the risk of infections in wildlife due to microbiota dysbiosis. However, little is known about its influence on the development of fungal communities in predators and facultative avian scavengers. We evaluated the incidence of oral disease in wild nestling black kites (Milvus migrans) under contrasting environmental degradation conditions, and explored their oral fungal patterns using molecular methods and multivariate analysis. Oral lesions were found in 36.8% of the 38 nestlings examined in an anthropogenically altered habitat (southeastern Madrid, Spain), but in none of the 105 nestlings examined in a well-conserved natural area (Doñana National Park, Spain). In a subsample of 48 black kites, the composition of the oral fungal community differed among symptomatic nestlings from Madrid (SM) and asymptomatic nestlings from Madrid (AM) and Doñana (AD). Opportunistic fungal pathogens (e.g., Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex, Mucor spp., Rhizopus oryzae) were more prevalent in SM and AM than in AD. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analyses revealed that fungal patterns were distinct between both study areas, and that anthropogenic and natural environmental factors had a greater impact on them than oral disease. Fungal signatures associated with anthropogenic and natural stresses harbored some taxa that could be used to flag oral infection (F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex and Alternaria), indicate environmental degradation (Alternaria) or provide protective benefits in degraded environments (Trichoderma, Epicoccum nigrum and Sordaria). Co-occurrence associations between potentially beneficial and pathogenic fungi were typical of AM and AD, hinting at a possible role in host health. This study shows that early-life exposure to highly degraded environments induces a shift towards a higher prevalence of pathogenic species in the oral cavity of black kites, favoring oral disease. Furthermore, our findings suggest potential ecological applications of the monitoring of oral mycobiome as a bioindication of oral disease and environmental degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Pitarch
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and Ramón y Cajal Institute of Health Research (IRYCIS), Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Teaching Unit of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Arcos de Jalón, 118, 28037 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Laura Martín-Torrijos
- Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico-CSIC, Plaza Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fabrizio Sergio
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estacion Biologica de Doñana-CSIC, Americo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Guillermo Blanco
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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Ienes-Lima J, Prichula J, Abadie M, Borges-Martins M, Frazzon APG. First Report of Culturable Skin Bacteria in Melanophryniscus admirabilis (Admirable Redbelly Toad). MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02069-7. [PMID: 35859070 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02069-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Melanophryniscus admirabilis is a small toad, critically endangered with a microendemic distribution in the Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil. The amphibian skin microbiome is considered one of the first lines of defense against pathogenic infections, such as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The knowledge of skin amphibian microbiomes is important to numerous fields, including species conservation, detection, and quantification of environmental changes and stressors. In the present study, we investigated, for the first time, cultivable bacteria in the skin of wild M. admirabilis, and detected Bd fungus by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Skin swab samples were collected from 15 wild M. admirabilis, and the isolation of bacteria was performed by means of different culture strategies. A total of 62 bacterial isolates being Bacillus (n = 22; 34.48%), Citrobacter (n = 10; 16.13%), and Serratia (n = 12; 19.35%) were more frequently isolated genera. Interestingly, all skin samples tested were Bd negative. Some bacterial genera identified in our study might be acting in a synergic relationship and protecting them against the Bd fungus. In addition, these bacteria may play an essential role in maintaining this species in an environment modulated by anthropic actions. This first report of skin cultivable bacteria from M. admirabilis natural population improves our knowledge of skin amphibian microbiomes, contributing to a better understanding of their ecology and how this species has survived in an environment modulated by anthropic action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ienes-Lima
- Post-Graduation Program in Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Janira Prichula
- Gram-Positive Cocci Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Michelle Abadie
- Post-Graduation Program in Animal Biology, Department of Zoology, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Márcio Borges-Martins
- Post-Graduation Program in Animal Biology, Department of Zoology, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Guedes Frazzon
- Post-Graduation Program in Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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Olmo R, Wetzels SU, Armanhi JSL, Arruda P, Berg G, Cernava T, Cotter PD, Araujo SC, de Souza RSC, Ferrocino I, Frisvad JC, Georgalaki M, Hansen HH, Kazou M, Kiran GS, Kostic T, Krauss-Etschmann S, Kriaa A, Lange L, Maguin E, Mitter B, Nielsen MO, Olivares M, Quijada NM, Romaní-Pérez M, Sanz Y, Schloter M, Schmitt-Kopplin P, Seaton SC, Selvin J, Sessitsch A, Wang M, Zwirzitz B, Selberherr E, Wagner M. Microbiome Research as an Effective Driver of Success Stories in Agrifood Systems – A Selection of Case Studies. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:834622. [PMID: 35903477 PMCID: PMC9315449 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.834622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing knowledge of the microbiome has led to significant advancements in the agrifood system. Case studies based on microbiome applications have been reported worldwide and, in this review, we have selected 14 success stories that showcase the importance of microbiome research in advancing the agrifood system. The selected case studies describe products, methodologies, applications, tools, and processes that created an economic and societal impact. Additionally, they cover a broad range of fields within the agrifood chain: the management of diseases and putative pathogens; the use of microorganism as soil fertilizers and plant strengtheners; the investigation of the microbial dynamics occurring during food fermentation; the presence of microorganisms and/or genes associated with hazards for animal and human health (e.g., mycotoxins, spoilage agents, or pathogens) in feeds, foods, and their processing environments; applications to improve HACCP systems; and the identification of novel probiotics and prebiotics to improve the animal gut microbiome or to prevent chronic non-communicable diseases in humans (e.g., obesity complications). The microbiomes of soil, plants, and animals are pivotal for ensuring human and environmental health and this review highlights the impact that microbiome applications have with this regard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Olmo
- FFoQSI GmbH - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Rocío Olmo,
| | - Stefanie Urimare Wetzels
- FFoQSI GmbH - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jaderson Silveira Leite Armanhi
- Symbiomics Microbiome Solutions, Florianópolis, Brazil
- Genomics for Climate Change Research Center, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Paulo Arruda
- Genomics for Climate Change Research Center, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Gabriele Berg
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
- Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Potsdam, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tomislav Cernava
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Paul D. Cotter
- Food Bioscience, Teagasc Food Research Centre Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland and VistaMilk, Cork, Ireland
| | - Solon Cordeiro Araujo
- SCA, Consultoria em Microbiologia Agrícola, Campinas, Brazil
- Brazil National Association of Inoculant Producers and Importers (ANPII), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Rafael Soares Correa de Souza
- Symbiomics Microbiome Solutions, Florianópolis, Brazil
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Ilario Ferrocino
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Jens C. Frisvad
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Marina Georgalaki
- Laboratory of Dairy Research, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Hanne Helene Hansen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Maria Kazou
- Laboratory of Dairy Research, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Tanja Kostic
- Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Tulln, Austria
| | - Susanne Krauss-Etschmann
- Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Borstel, Germany
- Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Aicha Kriaa
- Microbiota Interaction With Human and Animal Team (MIHA), Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Lene Lange
- BioEconomy, Research & Advisory, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emmanuelle Maguin
- Microbiota Interaction With Human and Animal Team (MIHA), Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Birgit Mitter
- Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Tulln, Austria
| | - Mette Olaf Nielsen
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Marta Olivares
- Microbial Ecology, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Narciso Martín Quijada
- FFoQSI GmbH - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marina Romaní-Pérez
- Microbial Ecology, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Yolanda Sanz
- Microbial Ecology, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Michael Schloter
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Joseph Selvin
- School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
| | - Angela Sessitsch
- Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Tulln, Austria
| | - Mengcen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Benjamin Zwirzitz
- Institute of Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Evelyne Selberherr
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Wagner
- FFoQSI GmbH - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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Perry T, West E, Eisenhofer R, Stenhouse A, Wilson I, Laming B, Rismiller P, Shaw M, Grützner F. Characterising the Gut Microbiomes in Wild and Captive Short-Beaked Echidnas Reveals Diet-Associated Changes. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:687115. [PMID: 35847103 PMCID: PMC9279566 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.687115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome plays a vital role in health and wellbeing of animals, and an increasing number of studies are investigating microbiome changes in wild and managed populations to improve conservation and welfare. The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is an iconic Australian species, the most widespread native mammal, and commonly held in zoos. Echidnas are cryptic animals, and much is still unknown about many aspects of their biology. Furthermore, some wild echidna populations are under threat, while echidnas held in captivity can have severe gastric health problems. Here, we used citizen science and zoos to collect echidna scats from across Australia to perform the largest gut microbiome study on any native Australian animal. Using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding of scat samples, we characterised and compared the gut microbiomes of echidnas in wild (n = 159) and managed (n = 44) populations, which were fed four different diets. Wild echidna samples were highly variable, yet commonly dominated by soil and plant-fermenting bacteria, while echidnas in captivity were dominated by gut commensals and plant-fermenting bacteria, suggesting plant matter may play a significant role in echidna diet. This work demonstrates significant differences between zoo held and wild echidnas, as well as managed animals on different diets, revealing that diet is important in shaping the gut microbiomes in echidnas. This first analysis of echidna gut microbiome highlights extensive microbial diversity in wild echidnas and changes in microbiome composition in managed populations. This is a first step towards using microbiome analysis to better understand diet, gastrointestinal biology, and improve management in these iconic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahlia Perry
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Ella West
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Raphael Eisenhofer
- Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Alan Stenhouse
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Isabella Wilson
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | - Peggy Rismiller
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Pelican Lagoon Research and Wildlife Centre, Penneshaw, SA, Australia
| | - Michelle Shaw
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Taronga Wildlife Nutrition Centre, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW, Australia
| | - Frank Grützner
- The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Chalifour BN, Elder LE, Li J. Gut microbiome of century-old snail specimens stable across time in preservation. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:99. [PMID: 35765039 PMCID: PMC9241308 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01286-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Museum biological specimens provide a unique means of gathering ecological information that spans wide temporal ranges. Museum specimens can also provide information on the microbial communities that persist within the host specimen. Together, these provide researchers valuable opportunities to study long-term trends and mechanisms of microbial community change. The effects of decades-long museum preservation on host-microbial communities have not been systematically assessed. The University of Colorado's Museum of Natural History has densely sampled Oreohelix strigosa (Rocky Mountainsnail) for the past century; many are preserved in ethanol, which provides an excellent opportunity to explore how the microbiome changes across time in preservation. RESULTS We used 16S rRNA (ribosomal ribonucleic acid) gene amplicon sequencing to examine Oreohelix strigosa gut microbiomes from museum specimens across a 98-year range, as well as within short-term preservation treatments collected in 2018. Treatment groups included samples extracted fresh, without preservation; samples starved prior to extraction; and samples preserved for 1 month, 6 months, and 9 months. General microbiome composition was similar across all years. Sample groups belonging to specific years, or specific short-term treatments, showed unique associations with select bacterial taxa. Collection year was not a significant predictor of microbial richness, though unpreserved short-term treatments showed significantly higher richness than preserved treatments. While the year was a significant factor in microbiome composition, it did not explain much of the variation across samples. The location was a significant driver of community composition and explained more of the variability. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to examine animal host-associated microbiome change across a period of nearly one century. Generally, geographic location was a greater factor in shaping gut microbiome composition, rather than a year collected. Consistent patterns across this temporal range indicate that historic specimens can answer many ecological questions surrounding the host-associated microbiome. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget N. Chalifour
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1900 Pleasant Street, 334 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
| | - Leanne E. Elder
- Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, 265 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
- New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, 231 Morrin Road St. Johns, Auckland, NZ 1072 New Zealand
| | - Jingchun Li
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1900 Pleasant Street, 334 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
- Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, 265 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
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Malik H, Ratovonamana YR, Rakotondranary SJ, Ganzhorn JU, Sommer S. Anthropogenic Disturbance Impacts Gut Microbiome Homeostasis in a Malagasy Primate. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:911275. [PMID: 35801106 PMCID: PMC9253676 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.911275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing anthropogenic disturbances in Madagascar are exerting constrains on endemic Malagasy lemurs and their habitats, with possible effects on their health and survival. An important component of health is the gut microbiome, which might be disrupted by various stressors associated with environmental change. We have studied the gut microbiome of gray-brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus griseorufus), one of the smallest Malagasy primates and an important model of the convergent evolution of diseases. We sampled two sites: one situated in a national park and the other consisting of a more disturbed site around human settlement. We found that more intense anthropogenic disturbances indeed disrupted the gut microbiome of this lemur species marked by a reduction in bacterial diversity and a shift in microbial community composition. Interestingly, we noted a decrease in beneficial bacteria (i.e., members of the Bacteroidaceae family) together with a slight increase in disease-associated bacteria (i.e., members of the Veillonellaceae family), and alterations in microbial metabolic functions. Because of the crucial services provided by the microbiome to pathogen resistance and host health, such negative alterations in the gut microbiome of mouse lemurs inhabiting anthropogenically disturbed habitats might render them susceptible to diseases and ultimately affecting their survival in the shrinking biodiversity seen in Madagascar. Gut microbiome analyses might thus serve as an early warning signal for pending threats to lemur populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hina Malik
- Centre for One Health, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
| | - Yedidya R Ratovonamana
- Institute of Zoology, Animal Ecology and Conservation, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Département Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences, Université d' Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Solofomalala Jacques Rakotondranary
- Institute of Zoology, Animal Ecology and Conservation, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Département Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences, Université d' Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Jörg U Ganzhorn
- Institute of Zoology, Animal Ecology and Conservation, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Sommer
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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44
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Leonhardt SD, Peters B, Keller A. Do amino and fatty acid profiles of pollen provisions correlate with bacterial microbiomes in the mason bee Osmia bicornis? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210171. [PMID: 35491605 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bee performance and well-being strongly depend on access to sufficient and appropriate resources, in particular pollen and nectar of flowers, which constitute the major basis of bee nutrition. Pollen-derived microbes appear to play an important but still little explored role in the plant pollen-bee interaction dynamics, e.g. through affecting quantities and ratios of important nutrients. To better understand how microbes in pollen collected by bees may affect larval health through nutrition, we investigated correlations between the floral, bacterial and nutritional composition of larval provisions and the gut bacterial communities of the solitary megachilid bee Osmia bicornis. Our study reveals correlations between the nutritional quality of pollen provisions and the complete bacterial community as well as individual members of both pollen provisions and bee guts. In particular pollen fatty acid profiles appear to interact with specific members of the pollen bacterial community, indicating that pollen-derived bacteria may play an important role in fatty acid provisioning. As increasing evidence suggests a strong effect of dietary fatty acids on bee performance, future work should address how the observed interactions between specific fatty acids and the bacterial community in larval provisions relate to health in O. bicornis. This article is part of the theme issue 'Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Diana Leonhardt
- Plant-Insect Interactions, TUM School of Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Birte Peters
- Department for Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.,Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Würzburg, Emil Fischer Strasse, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Keller
- Cellular and Organismic Networks, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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45
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de Jonge N, Carlsen B, Christensen MH, Pertoldi C, Nielsen JL. The Gut Microbiome of 54 Mammalian Species. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:886252. [PMID: 35783446 PMCID: PMC9246093 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.886252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome plays a critical role in many aspects of host life, and the microbial community composition is heavily influenced by the prevailing conditions in the gut environment. Community composition has been suggested to have large implications for conservation efforts, and gut health has become of interest for optimizing animal care in captivity. In this study, we explore the gut microbiome of a wide range of animals in the context of conservation biology. The composition of the gut microbial community of 54 mammalian animal species was investigated using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The composition of the gut microbiota clearly reflects diet and the structure of the gastrointestinal system, and it is to a certain degree more similar between closely related animals. Specific clusters of taxa were observed across animals of the same species, diet, and gut morphology. The microbiota retained regardless of captivity status is hypothesized to cover important symbiotic relationships with the host, while the remaining part reflects the artificial living conditions and can therefore be used as a future tool for conservation biologists. For five animal species (giraffes, horses, baboons, elephants, and zebras), it was possible to compare the microbiota of wild and captive individuals. Differences were observed in the proportion of microbiota detected between wild and captive specimens of the same animal species. We propose that the gut microbiota harbours important species, which can potentially serve as indicators for the well-being of the animal and the effect of living in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadieh de Jonge
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Benjamin Carlsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | | | - Cino Pertoldi
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- Aalborg Zoo, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Jeppe Lund Nielsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Jeppe Lund Nielsen
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46
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Carranco AS, Romo D, de Lourdes Torres M, Wilhelm K, Sommer S, Gillingham MAF. Egg microbiota is the starting point of hatchling gut microbiota in the endangered yellow-spotted Amazon river turtle. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:3917-3933. [PMID: 35621392 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Establishment and development of gut microbiota during vertebrates' early life are likely to be important predictors of health and fitness. Host-parental and host-environment interactions are essential to these processes. In oviparous reptiles whose nests represent a source of the parent's microbial inocula, the relative role of host-selection and stochastic environmental factors during gut microbial assemblage remains unknown. We sampled eggs incubated in artificial nests as well as hatchlings and juveniles (up to 30 days old) of the yellow-spotted Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) developing in tubs filled with river water. We examined the relative role of the internal egg microbiota and the abiotic environment on hatchling and juvenile turtle's cloacal microbiota assemblages during the first 30 days of development. A mean of 71% of ASVs in hatched eggs could be traced to the nest environmental microbiota and in turn a mean of 77% of hatchlings' cloacal ASVs were traced to hatched eggs. Between day 5 and 20 of juvenile turtle's development, the river water environment plays a key role in the establishment of the gut microbiota (accounting for a mean of 13%-34.6% of cloacal ASVs) and strongly influences shifts in microbial diversity and abundance. After day 20, shifts in gut microbiota composition were mainly driven by host-selection processes. Therefore, colonization by environmental microbiota is key in the initial stages of establishing the host's gut microbiota which is subsequently shaped by host-selection processes. Our study provides a novel quantitative understanding of the host-environment interactions during gut microbial assemblage of oviparous reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofia Carranco
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - David Romo
- Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Cumbaya-, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Maria de Lourdes Torres
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Cumbaya-, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Kerstin Wilhelm
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Simone Sommer
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mark A F Gillingham
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Biodiversity Research Institute (CSIC, Oviedo University, Principality of Asturias), Campus of Mieres, University of Oviedo, 33600, Mieres, Spain
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Ørsted M, Yashiro E, Hoffmann AA, Kristensen TN. Population bottlenecks constrain host microbiome diversity and genetic variation impeding fitness. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010206. [PMID: 35604942 PMCID: PMC9166449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
It is becoming increasingly clear that microbial symbionts influence key aspects of their host’s fitness, and vice versa. This may fundamentally change our thinking about how microbes and hosts interact in influencing fitness and adaptation to changing environments. Here we explore how reductions in population size commonly experienced by threatened species influence microbiome diversity. Consequences of such reductions are normally interpreted in terms of a loss of genetic variation, increased inbreeding and associated inbreeding depression. However, fitness effects of population bottlenecks might also be mediated through microbiome diversity, such as through loss of functionally important microbes. Here we utilise 50 Drosophila melanogaster lines with different histories of population bottlenecks to explore these questions. The lines were phenotyped for egg-to-adult viability and their genomes sequenced to estimate genetic variation. The bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified in these lines to investigate microbial diversity. We found that 1) host population bottlenecks constrained microbiome richness and diversity, 2) core microbiomes of hosts with low genetic variation were constituted from subsets of microbiomes found in flies with higher genetic variation, 3) both microbiome diversity and host genetic variation contributed to host population fitness, 4) connectivity and robustness of bacterial networks was low in the inbred lines regardless of host genetic variation, 5) reduced microbial diversity was associated with weaker evolutionary responses of hosts in stressful environments, and 6) these effects were unrelated to Wolbachia density. These findings suggest that population bottlenecks reduce hologenomic variation (combined host and microbial genetic variation). Thus, while the current biodiversity crisis focuses on population sizes and genetic variation of eukaryotes, an additional focal point should be the microbial diversity carried by the eukaryotes, which in turn may influence host fitness and adaptability with consequences for the persistence of populations. It is becoming increasingly clear that organisms and the microbes that live on or in them–their microbiome–affect each other in profound ways that we are just beginning to understand. For instance, a diverse microbiome can help maintain metabolic functions or fight pathogens causing diseases. A disrupted microbiome may be especially critical for animals and plants that occur in low numbers because of threats from e.g. human exploitation or climate change, as they may already suffer from genetic challenges such as inbreeding and reduced evolutionary potential. The importance of such a reduction in population size, called a bottleneck, on the microbial diversity and the potential interactive effects on host health remains unexplored. Here we experimentally test these associations by investigating the microbiomes of 50 inbred or non-inbred populations of vinegar flies. We found that restricting the population size constrain the host’s genetic variation and simultaneously decreases the diversity of the microbiome that they harbor, and that both effects were detrimental to host fitness. The microbial communities in inbred host populations were less robust than in their non-inbred counterparts, suggesting that we should increasingly consider the microbiome diversity, which may ultimately influence the health and persistence of threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ørsted
- Section for Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Section for Bioscience and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- * E-mail:
| | - Erika Yashiro
- Section for Bioscience and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- Institute for Plant Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Section for Bioscience and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- School of Biosciences, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Torsten Nygaard Kristensen
- Section for Bioscience and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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48
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Kang S, Kim KT, Choi J, Kim H, Cheong K, Bandara A, Lee YH. Genomics and Informatics, Conjoined Tools Vital for Understanding and Protecting Plant Health. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2022; 112:981-995. [PMID: 34889667 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-10-21-0418-rvw] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Genomics' impact on crop production continuously expands. The number of sequenced plant and microbial species and strains representing diverse populations of individual species rapidly increases thanks to the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies. Their genomic blueprints revealed candidate genes involved in various functions and processes crucial for crop health and helped in understanding how the sequenced organisms have evolved at the genome level. Functional genomics quickly translates these blueprints into a detailed mechanistic understanding of how such functions and processes work and are regulated; this understanding guides and empowers efforts to protect crops from diverse biotic and abiotic threats. Metagenome analyses help identify candidate microbes crucial for crop health and uncover how microbial communities associated with crop production respond to environmental conditions and cultural practices, presenting opportunities to enhance crop health by judiciously configuring microbial communities. Efficient conversion of disparate types of massive genomics data into actionable knowledge requires a robust informatics infrastructure supporting data preservation, analysis, and sharing. This review starts with an overview of how genomics came about and has quickly transformed life science. We illuminate how genomics and informatics can be applied to investigate various crop health-related problems using selected studies. We end the review by noting why community empowerment via crowdsourcing is crucial to harnessing genomics to protect global food and nutrition security without continuously expanding the environmental footprint of crop production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seogchan Kang
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, U.S.A
| | - Ki-Tae Kim
- Department of Agricultural Life Science, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea
| | - Jaeyoung Choi
- Korea Institute of Science and Technology Gangneung Institute of Natural Products, Gangneung 25451, Korea
| | - Hyun Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Kyeongchae Cheong
- Plant Immunity Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Ananda Bandara
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, U.S.A
| | - Yong-Hwan Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
- Plant Immunity Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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49
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Cui X, Zhang Q, Zhang Q, Zhang Y, Chen H, Liu G, Zhu L. Research Progress of the Gut Microbiome in Hybrid Fish. Microorganisms 2022; 10:891. [PMID: 35630336 PMCID: PMC9146865 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fish, including hybrid species, are essential components of aquaculture, and the gut microbiome plays a vital role in fish growth, behavior, digestion, and immune health. The gut microbiome can be affected by various internal and/or external factors, such as host development, diet, and environment. We reviewed the effects of diet and dietary supplements on intestinal microorganisms in hybrid fish and the difference in the gut microbiome between the hybrid and their hybrids that originate. Then, we summarized the role of the gut microbiome in the speciation and ecological invasion of hybrid fish. Finally, we discussed possible future studies on the gut microbiome in hybrid fish, including the potential interaction with environmental microbiomes, the effects of the gut microbiome on population expansion, and fish conservation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyuan Cui
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (X.C.); (Q.Z.); (Q.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Qinrong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (X.C.); (Q.Z.); (Q.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Qunde Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (X.C.); (Q.Z.); (Q.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yongyong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (X.C.); (Q.Z.); (Q.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Hua Chen
- Mingke Biotechnology, Hangzhou 310000, China; (H.C.); (G.L.)
| | - Guoqi Liu
- Mingke Biotechnology, Hangzhou 310000, China; (H.C.); (G.L.)
| | - Lifeng Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; (X.C.); (Q.Z.); (Q.Z.); (Y.Z.)
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50
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Chiarello M, Bucholz JR, McCauley M, Vaughn SN, Hopper GW, Sánchez González I, Atkinson CL, Lozier JD, Jackson CR. Environment and Co-occurring Native Mussel Species, but Not Host Genetics, Impact the Microbiome of a Freshwater Invasive Species ( Corbicula fluminea). Front Microbiol 2022; 13:800061. [PMID: 35444631 PMCID: PMC9014210 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.800061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Asian clam Corbicula fluminea (Family: Cyneridae) has aggressively invaded freshwater habitats worldwide, resulting in dramatic ecological changes and declines of native bivalves such as freshwater mussels (Family: Unionidae), one of the most imperiled faunal groups. Despite increases in our knowledge of invasive C. fluminea biology, little is known of how intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including co-occurring native species, influence its microbiome. We investigated the gut bacterial microbiome across genetically differentiated populations of C. fluminea in the Tennessee and Mobile River Basins in the Southeastern United States and compared them to those of six co-occurring species of native freshwater mussels. The gut microbiome of C. fluminea was diverse, differed with environmental conditions and varied spatially among rivers, but was unrelated to host genetic variation. Microbial source tracking suggested that the gut microbiome of C. fluminea may be influenced by the presence of co-occurring native mussels. Inferred functions from 16S rRNA gene data using PICRUST2 predicted a high prevalence and diversity of degradation functions in the C. fluminea microbiome, especially the degradation of carbohydrates and aromatic compounds. Such modularity and functional diversity of the microbiome of C. fluminea may be an asset, allowing to acclimate to an extensive range of nutritional sources in invaded habitats, which could play a vital role in its invasive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlène Chiarello
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, United States
| | - Jamie R Bucholz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Mark McCauley
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, United States
| | - Stephanie N Vaughn
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, United States
| | - Garrett W Hopper
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | | | - Carla L Atkinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Jeffrey D Lozier
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Colin R Jackson
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, United States
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