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Hill MS, Gilbert JA. Microbiology of the built environment: harnessing human-associated built environment research to inform the study and design of animal nests and enclosures. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0012121. [PMID: 38047636 PMCID: PMC10732082 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00121-21] [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] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYOver the past decade, hundreds of studies have characterized the microbial communities found in human-associated built environments (BEs). These have focused primarily on how the design and use of our built spaces have shaped human-microbe interactions and how the differential selection of certain taxa or genetic traits has influenced health outcomes. It is now known that the more removed humans are from the natural environment, the greater the risk for the development of autoimmune and allergic diseases, and that indoor spaces can be harsh, selective environments that can increase the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant and virulent phenotypes in surface-bound communities. However, despite the abundance of research that now points to the importance of BEs in determining human-microbe interactions, only a fraction of non-human animal structures have been comparatively explored. It is here, in the context of human-associated BE research, that we consider the microbial ecology of animal-built natural nests and burrows, as well as artificial enclosures, and point to areas of primary interest for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan S. Hill
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Jack A. Gilbert
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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2
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Murphy KM, Le SM, Wilson AE, Warner DA. The Microbiome as a Maternal Effect: A Systematic Review on Vertical Transmission of Microbiota. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:597-609. [PMID: 37218690 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad031] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The microbiome is an interactive and fluctuating community of microbes that colonize and develop across surfaces, including those associated with organismal hosts. A growing number of studies exploring how microbiomes vary in ecologically relevant contexts have recognized the importance of microbiomes in affecting organismal evolution. Thus, identifying the source and mechanism for microbial colonization in a host will provide insight into adaptation and other evolutionary processes. Vertical transmission of microbiota is hypothesized to be a source of variation in offspring phenotypes with important ecological and evolutionary implications. However, the life-history traits that govern vertical transmission are largely unexplored in the ecological literature. To increase research attention to this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic review to address the following questions: (1) How often is vertical transmission assessed as a contributor to offspring microbiome colonization and development? (2) Do studies have the capacity to address how maternal transmission of microbes affects the offspring phenotype? (3) How do studies vary based on taxonomy and life history of the study organism, as well as the experimental, molecular, and statistical methods employed? Extensive literature searches reveal that many studies examining vertical transmission of microbiomes fail to collect whole microbiome samples from both maternal and offspring sources, particularly for oviparous vertebrates. Additionally, studies should sample functional diversity of microbes to provide a better understanding of mechanisms that influence host phenotypes rather than solely taxonomic variation. An ideal microbiome study incorporates host factors, microbe-microbe interactions, and environmental factors. As evolutionary biologists continue to merge microbiome science and ecology, examining vertical transmission of microbes across taxa can provide inferences on causal links between microbiome variation and phenotypic evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Samantha M Le
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Alan E Wilson
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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3
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Song H, Lee K, Hwang I, Yang E, Ha J, Kim W, Park S, Cho H, Choe JC, Lee SI, Jablonski P. Dynamics of Bacterial Communities on Eggshells and on Nest Materials During Incubation in the Oriental Tit (Parus minor). MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:429-440. [PMID: 35094098 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01927-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Eggshell bacterial communities may affect hatching success and nestling's condition. Nest materials are in direct contact with the eggshells, but the relationships with the eggshell microbiome during incubation have not been fully elucidated. Here, we characterize eggshell and nest material bacterial communities and their changes during incubation in the Oriental Tit (Parus minor). Bacterial communities on the nest material were relatively stable and remained distinct from the eggshell communities and had higher diversity and greater phylogenetic clustering than the eggshell communities from the same nest, resulting in lower phylogenetic turnover rate of nest material microbiome during incubation than expected by chance. While the species diversity of both communities did not change during incubation, we found significantly greater changes in the structure of bacterial communities on the eggshell than on the nest material. However, eggshell microbiome remained distinct from nest material microbiome, suggesting independent dynamics of the two microbiomes during incubation. We detected an increase in the relative abundance of several bacterial taxa on the eggshell that likely come from the bird's skin, feathers, cloaca/intestine, or uropygial secretion which suggests some exchange of bacteria between the incubating bird and the eggshell. Furthermore, incubation appeared to promote the abundance of antibiotic producing taxa on the eggshell, which may hypothetically inhibit growth of many bacteria including pathogenic ones. Our results suggest that the future studies should focus on simultaneous monitoring of absolute abundance as well as relative abundance in communities on eggshells, nest materials, and the incubating bird's body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hokyung Song
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21990, South Korea
| | - Keesan Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Injae Hwang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eunjeong Yang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jungmoon Ha
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Woojoo Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sungjin Park
- Office of Planning & Strategy, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
- Seoul National University Forests, Taehwasan, 572 Docheogwit-ro, Docheok-myeon, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Hyunjoon Cho
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21990, South Korea
| | - Jae Chun Choe
- Interdisciplinary Program of EcoCreative, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, 03760, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sang-Im Lee
- Department of New Biology, DGIST, 333 Techno Jungang-daero, 42988, Daegu, South Korea.
| | - Piotr Jablonski
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea.
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679, Warsaw, Poland.
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4
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Yu QZ, Hu MY, Wang L, Lin JQ, Fang SG. Incubation determines favorable microbial communities in Chinese alligator nests. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:983808. [PMID: 36312961 PMCID: PMC9606745 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.983808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nest materials are a major heat source due to rotting promoted by microbial activity. Additionally, they are a potential microbial source given their direct contact with eggshells. Microbial dynamics during incubation have been studied in wild birds; however, similar studies in reptiles remain elusive. Here, the study characterized microbial communities in the nest materials of Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) using high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences. The results showed that significant changes in the diversity and structure of microbial communities according to different incubation periods. The diversity and richness of bacterial species increased significantly over time, but the relative abundance of the most dominant bacteria in pre-incubation period, including some pathogenic bacteria, declined after incubation. In contrast, fungal species diversity and richness decreased significantly with time. Additionally, nest material composition significantly influenced microbial community structure rather than species diversity and richness. Notably, the fungal community structure showed a stronger response than bacteria to nest material composition, which varied due to differences in plant litter composition. Our results demonstrate the significant response of microbial community diversity and structure to differences in incubation periods and nest material composition in reptiles. It is further emphasized that the importance of incubation period in the conservation of the Chinese alligator and could inform similar studies in other reptiles and birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin-Zhang Yu
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng-Yuan Hu
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Qing Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Science, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Sheng-Guo Fang
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Kulshreshtha G, D’Alba L, Dunn IC, Rehault-Godbert S, Rodriguez-Navarro AB, Hincke MT. Properties, Genetics and Innate Immune Function of the Cuticle in Egg-Laying Species. Front Immunol 2022; 13:838525. [PMID: 35281050 PMCID: PMC8914949 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.838525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cleidoic eggs possess very efficient and orchestrated systems to protect the embryo from external microbes until hatch. The cuticle is a proteinaceous layer on the shell surface in many bird and some reptile species. An intact cuticle forms a pore plug to occlude respiratory pores and is an effective physical and chemical barrier against microbial penetration. The interior of the egg is assumed to be normally sterile, while the outer eggshell cuticle hosts microbes. The diversity of the eggshell microbiome is derived from both maternal microbiota and those of the nesting environment. The surface characteristics of the egg, outer moisture layer and the presence of antimicrobial molecules composing the cuticle dictate constituents of the microbial communities on the eggshell surface. The avian cuticle affects eggshell wettability, water vapor conductance and regulates ultraviolet reflectance in various ground-nesting species; moreover, its composition, thickness and degree of coverage are dependent on species, hen age, and physiological stressors. Studies in domestic avian species have demonstrated that changes in the cuticle affect the food safety of eggs with respect to the risk of contamination by bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli. Moreover, preventing contamination of internal egg components is crucial to optimize hatching success in bird species. In chickens there is moderate heritability (38%) of cuticle deposition with a potential for genetic improvement. However, much less is known about other bird or reptile cuticles. This review synthesizes current knowledge of eggshell cuticle and provides insight into its evolution in the clade reptilia. The origin, composition and regulation of the eggshell microbiome and the potential function of the cuticle as the first barrier of egg defense are discussed in detail. We evaluate how changes in the cuticle affect the food safety of table eggs and vertical transmission of pathogens in the production chain with respect to the risk of contamination. Thus, this review provides insight into the physiological and microbiological characteristics of eggshell cuticle in relation to its protective function (innate immunity) in egg-laying birds and reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garima Kulshreshtha
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Liliana D’Alba
- Evolutionary Ecology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ian C. Dunn
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Maxwell T. Hincke
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Innovation in Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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6
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Leclaire S, Pineaux M, Blanchard P, White J, Hatch SA. Microbiota composition and diversity of multiple body sites vary according to reproductive performance in a seabird. Mol Ecol 2022; 32:2115-2133. [PMID: 35152516 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The microbiota is suggested to be a fundamental contributor to host reproduction and survival, but associations between microbiota and fitness are rare, especially for wild animals. Here, we tested the association between microbiota and two proxies of breeding performance in multiple body sites of the black-legged kittiwake, a seabird species. First we found that, in females, nonbreeders (i.e., birds that did not lay eggs) hosted different microbiota composition to that of breeders in neck and flank feathers, in the choanae, in the outer-bill and in the cloacae, but not in preen feathers and tracheae. These differences in microbiota might reflect variations in age or individual quality between breeders and nonbreeders. Second, we found that better female breeders (i.e., with higher body condition, earlier laying date, heavier eggs, larger clutch, and higher hatching success) had lower abundance of several Corynebacteriaceae in cloaca than poorer female breeders, suggesting that these bacteria might be pathogenic. Third, in females, better breeders had different microbiota composition and lower microbiota diversity in feathers, especially in preen feathers. They had also reduced dispersion in microbiota composition across body sites. These results might suggest that good breeding females are able to control their feather microbiota-potentially through preen secretions-more tightly than poor breeding females. We did not find strong evidence for an association between reproductive outcome and microbiota in males. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that natural variation in the microbiota is associated with differences in host fitness in wild animals, but the causal relationships remain to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Leclaire
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB) UMR5174 Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier CNRS, IRD Toulouse France
| | - Maxime Pineaux
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB) UMR5174 Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier CNRS, IRD Toulouse France
| | - Pierrick Blanchard
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB) UMR5174 Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier CNRS, IRD Toulouse France
| | - Joël White
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB) UMR5174 Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier CNRS, IRD Toulouse France
- ENSFEA Castanet‐Tolosan France
| | - Scott A Hatch
- Institute for Seabird Research and Conservation Anchorage AK 99516 USA
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Svobodová J, Kreisinger J, Gvoždíková Javůrková V. Temperature-induced changes in egg white antimicrobial concentrations during pre-incubation do not influence bacterial trans-shell penetration but do affect hatchling phenotype in Mallards. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12401. [PMID: 34824913 PMCID: PMC8590799 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbiome formation and assemblage are essential processes influencing proper embryonal and early-life development in neonates. In birds, transmission of microbes from the outer environment into the egg’s interior has been found to shape embryo viability and hatchling phenotype. However, microbial transmission may be affected by egg-white antimicrobial proteins (AMPs), whose concentration and antimicrobial action are temperature-modulated. As both partial incubation and clutch covering with nest-lining feathers during the pre-incubation period can significantly alter temperature conditions acting on eggs, we experimentally investigated the effects of these behavioural mechanisms on concentrations of both the primary and most abundant egg-white AMPs (lysozyme and avidin) using mallard (Anas platyrhychos) eggs. In addition, we assessed whether concentrations of egg-white AMPs altered the probability and intensity of bacterial trans-shell penetration, thereby affecting hatchling morphological traits in vivo. We observed higher concentrations of lysozyme in partially incubated eggs. Clutch covering with nest-lining feathers had no effect on egg-white AMP concentration and we observed no association between concentration of egg-white lysozyme and avidin with either the probability or intensity of bacterial trans-shell penetration. The higher egg-white lysozyme concentration was associated with decreased scaled body mass index of hatchlings. These outcomes demonstrate that incubation prior to clutch completion in precocial birds can alter concentrations of particular egg-white AMPs, though with no effect on bacterial transmission into the egg in vivo. Furthermore, a higher egg white lysozyme concentration compromised hatchling body condition, suggesting a potential growth-regulating role of lysozyme during embryogenesis in precocial birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Svobodová
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Ecology, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Kreisinger
- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Gvoždíková Javůrková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Department of Animal Science, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Suchdol, Czech Republic
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Tomás G, Zamora-Muñoz C, Martín-Vivaldi M, Barón MD, Ruiz-Castellano C, Soler JJ. Effects of Chemical and Auditory Cues of Hoopoes (Upupa epops) in Repellence and Attraction of Blood-Feeding Flies. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.579667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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9
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Bodawatta KH, Schierbech SK, Petersen NR, Sam K, Bos N, Jønsson KA, Poulsen M. Great Tit ( Parus major) Uropygial Gland Microbiomes and Their Potential Defensive Roles. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1735. [PMID: 32849371 PMCID: PMC7401573 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The uropygial gland (preen gland) of birds plays an important role in maintaining feather integrity and hygiene. Although a few studies have demonstrated potential defensive roles of bacteria residing within these glands, the diversity and functions of the uropygial gland microbiota are largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated the microbiota of great tit (Parus major) uropygial glands through both isolation of bacteria (culture-dependent) and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (culture-independent). Co-culture experiments of selected bacterial isolates with four known feather-degrading bacteria (Bacillus licheniformis, Kocuria rhizophila, Pseudomonas monteilii, and Dermacoccus nishinomiyaensis), two non-feather degrading feather bacteria, one common soil bacterial pathogen and two common fungal pathogens enabled us to evaluate the potential antimicrobial properties of these isolates. Our results show major differences between bacterial communities characterized using culture-dependent and -independent approaches. In the former, we were only able to isolate 12 bacterial genera (dominated by members of the Firmicutes and Actinobacteria), while amplicon sequencing identified 110 bacterial genera (dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria). Uropygial gland bacterial isolates belonging to the genera Bacillus and Kocuria were able to suppress the growth of four of the nine tested antagonists, attesting to potential defensive roles. However, these bacterial genera were infrequent in our MiSeq results suggesting that the isolated bacteria may not be obligate gland symbionts. Furthermore, bacterial functional predictions using 16S rRNA sequences also revealed the ability of uropygial gland bacteria to produce secondary metabolites with antimicrobial properties, such as terpenes. Our findings support that uropygial gland bacteria may play a role in feather health and that bacterial symbionts might act as defensive microbes. Future investigations of these bacterial communities, with targeted approaches (e.g., bacterial isolation and chemical analyses), are thus warranted to improve our understanding of the evolution and function of these host-microbe interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasun H. Bodawatta
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Signe K. Schierbech
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nanna R. Petersen
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Katerina Sam
- Biology Centre of Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Nick Bos
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Knud A. Jønsson
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Campos-Cerda F, Bohannan BJM. The Nidobiome: A Framework for Understanding Microbiome Assembly in Neonates. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:573-582. [PMID: 32360079 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The importance of microbial associations to animals' development, physiology, and fitness is widely recognized. In most animals, these microbial associations must be developed anew with every generation, making microbiome assembly a critical ecological and evolutionary process. To fully understand neonate microbial colonization, we need to study the interacting effects of neonate, parents, nest, and external environment. We propose an integrative approach based on the concept of the 'nidobiome', a new unit of microbiome-host interactions, which brings together these key elements. We discuss the contribution of each element on microbial colonization at different stages of host development, and we provide a framework based on key developmental events to compare microbiome assembly across animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Campos-Cerda
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Biology Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97405, USA.
| | - Brendan J M Bohannan
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Biology Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97405, USA
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11
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Chen X, Li X, He Z, Hou Z, Xu G, Yang N, Zheng J. Comparative study of eggshell antibacterial effectivity in precocial and altricial birds using Escherichia coli. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220054. [PMID: 31339918 PMCID: PMC6655735 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we compared the antibacterial effectivity of the eggs of six precocial and four altricial bird species using Escherichia coli, based on their eggshell traits. The ultrastructure of eggshell was observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). According to SEM results, eggs from precocial birds (chicken, turkey, quail, duck, ostrich, and goose) had cuticle on the eggshells, while eggs from altricial birds (pigeon, budgerigar, munia, and canary) did not. The environment/selection pressure may induce the divergent evolution process in eggs of precocial and altricial birds. The E. coli experiment results showed that chicken, turkey, quail, duck, and goose eggs, with a high cuticle opacity, exhibited a much lower E. coli penetration rate. In contrast, the eggs with poor (ostrich) or without (pigeon, budgerigar, munia, and canary) cuticle exhibited a higher penetration rate. It is suggested that cuticle is a main barrier against bacterial penetration in precocial birds’ eggs. Turkey and quail eggs showed the lowest E. coli contamination rate (3.33% and 2.22%, respectively), probably because of the tightly connected nanosphere structure on their cuticle. As for altricial birds’ eggs, the eggs of budgerigar, munia, and canary with small pore diameter (0.57 to 1.22 μm) had a lower E. coli penetration rate than pigeon eggs (45.56%, 66.67%, 50%, and 97.78%, respectively, P < 0.05), indicating that pore diameter played a significant role in defending against bacterial trans-shell invasion. We found that eggshell thickness and pore area decreased with egg size. The cuticle quality had no relationship with egg size, but was closely related to the bird species. The E. coli penetration rate of altricial birds’ eggs was significantly higher than that of precocial birds’ eggs, mainly because the pores are exposed on the eggshell surface and cuticle protection is absent. This study provides detailed information on the eggshell cuticle, which gives insight into the cuticle evolution process that occurred in precocial and altricial bird species. Moreover, the results of E. coli penetration may help understanding the antibacterial behavior in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Chen
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xingzheng Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoxiang He
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhuocheng Hou
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Guiyun Xu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangxia Zheng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
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12
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Boza G, Worsley SF, Yu DW, Scheuring I. Efficient assembly and long-term stability of defensive microbiomes via private resources and community bistability. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1007109. [PMID: 31150382 PMCID: PMC6576795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms that promote the assembly and maintenance of host-beneficial microbiomes is an open problem. Empirical evidence supports the idea that animal and plant hosts can combine 'private resources' with the ecological phenomenon known as 'community bistability' to favour some microbial strains over others. We briefly review evidence showing that hosts can: (i) protect the growth of beneficial strains in an isolated habitat, (ii) use antibiotics to suppress non-beneficial, competitor strains, and (iii) provide resources that only beneficial strains are able to translate into an increased rate of growth, reproduction, or antibiotic production. We then demonstrate in a spatially explicit, individual-based model that these three mechanisms act similarly by selectively promoting the initial proliferation of preferred strains, that is, by acting as a private resource. The faster early growth of preferred strains, combined with the phenomenon of 'community bistability,' allows those strains to continue to dominate the microbiome even after the private resource is withdrawn or made public. This is because after a beneficial colony reaches a sufficiently large size, it can resist invasion by parasites without further private support from the host. We further explicitly model localized microbial interactions and diffusion dynamics, and we show that an intermediate level of antibiotic diffusion is the most efficient mechanism in promoting preferred strains and that there is a wide range of parameters under which hosts can promote the assembly of a self-sustaining defensive microbiome. This in turn supports the idea that hosts readily evolve to promote host-beneficial defensive microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Boza
- Evolutionary Systems Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Tihany, Hungary
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
- * E-mail: , (GB); (IS)
| | - Sarah F. Worsley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas W. Yu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - István Scheuring
- Evolutionary Systems Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Tihany, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail: , (GB); (IS)
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13
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Svobodová J, Šmídová L, Javůrková VG. Different incubation patterns affect selective antimicrobial properties of the egg interior: experimental evidence from eggs of precocial and altricial birds. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.201442. [PMID: 30814292 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.201442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Avian eggs contend with omnipresent microorganisms entering the egg interior, where they affect embryo viability and hatchling phenotype. The incubation behaviour and deposition of egg white antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) vary highly across the avian altricial-precocial spectrum. Experimental evidence of how these alterations in avian reproductive strategies affect the antimicrobial properties of the precocial and altricial egg interior is lacking, however. Here, we tested the egg white antimicrobial activity in eggs of two representative model species, from each end of the avian altricial-precocial spectrum, against potentially pathogenic and beneficial probiotic microorganisms. Eggs were experimentally treated to mimic un-incubated eggs in the nest, partial incubation during the egg-laying period, the onset of full incubation and the increased deposition of two main egg white AMPs, lysozyme and ovotransferrin. We moreover assessed to what extent egg antimicrobial components, egg white pH and AMP concentrations varied as a result of different incubation patterns. Fully incubated precocial and altricial eggs decreased their antimicrobial activity against a potentially pathogenic microorganism, whereas partial incubation significantly enhanced the persistence of a beneficial probiotic microorganism in precocial eggs. These effects were most probably conditioned by temperature-dependent alterations in egg white pH and AMP concentrations. While lysozyme concentration and pH decreased in fully incubated precocial but not altricial eggs, egg white ovotransferrin increased along with the intensity of incubation in both precocial and altricial eggs. This study is the first to experimentally demonstrate that different incubation patterns may have selective antimicrobial potential mediated by species-specific effects on antimicrobial components in the egg white.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Svobodová
- Czech University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Ecology, Kamýcká 1176, 165 21 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Šmídová
- Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Gvoždíková Javůrková
- Czech University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Department of Animal Science, Kamýcká 957, 165 21 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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14
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Fuirst M, Veit RR, Hahn M, Dheilly N, Thorne LH. Effects of urbanization on the foraging ecology and microbiota of the generalist seabird Larus argentatus. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0209200. [PMID: 30562368 PMCID: PMC6298667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Larus gull species have proven adaptable to urbanization and due to their generalist feeding behaviors, they provide useful opportunities to study how urban environments impact foraging behavior and host-associated microbiota. We evaluated how urbanization influenced the foraging behavior and microbiome characteristics of breeding herring gulls (Larus argentatus) at three different colonies on the east coast of the United States. Study colonies represented high, medium and low degrees of urbanization, respectively. At all colonies, gulls frequently foraged at landfills and in other urban environments, but both the use of urban environments and gull foraging metrics differed with the degree of urbanization. Gulls at the more urban colonies used urban environments more frequently, showed higher rates of site fidelity and took shorter trips. Gulls at less urban colonies used a greater diversity of habitat types and foraged offshore. We observed high microbial diversity at all colonies, though microbial diversity was highest at the least urban colony where gulls used a wider variety of foraging habitats. This suggests that gulls may acquire a wider range of bacteria when visiting a higher variety of foraging sites. Our findings highlight the influence of urban habitats on gull movements and microbiome composition and diversity during the breeding season and represent the first application of amplicon sequence variants, an objective and repeatable method of bacterial classification, to study the microbiota of a seabird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Fuirst
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States of America
| | - Richard R. Veit
- Department of Biology, College of Staten Island (CSI) CUNY, Staten Island, NY, United States of America
| | - Megan Hahn
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States of America
| | - Nolwenn Dheilly
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States of America
| | - Lesley H. Thorne
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States of America
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15
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Rodríguez-Ruano SM, Martín-Vivaldi M, Peralta-Sánchez JM, García-Martín AB, Martínez-García Á, Soler JJ, Valdivia E, Martínez-Bueno M. Seasonal and Sexual Differences in the Microbiota of the Hoopoe Uropygial Secretion. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9080407. [PMID: 30103505 PMCID: PMC6115775 DOI: 10.3390/genes9080407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The uropygial gland of hoopoe nestlings and nesting females hosts bacterial symbionts that cause changes in the characteristics of its secretion, including an increase of its antimicrobial activity. These changes occur only in nesting individuals during the breeding season, possibly associated with the high infection risk experienced during the stay in the hole-nests. However, the knowledge on hoopoes uropygial gland microbial community dynamics is quite limited and based so far on culture-dependent and molecular fingerprinting studies. In this work, we sampled wild and captive hoopoes of different sex, age, and reproductive status, and studied their microbiota using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and pyrosequencing. Surprisingly, we found a complex bacterial community in all individuals (including non-nesting ones) during the breeding season. Nevertheless, dark secretions from nesting hoopoes harbored significantly higher bacterial density than white secretions from breeding males and both sexes in winter. We hypothesize that bacterial proliferation may be host-regulated in phases of high infection risk (i.e., nesting). We also highlight the importance of specific antimicrobial-producing bacteria present only in dark secretions that may be key in this defensive symbiosis. Finally, we discuss the possible role of environmental conditions in shaping the uropygial microbiota, based on differences found between wild and captive hoopoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia M Rodríguez-Ruano
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, CZ-370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.
| | - Manuel Martín-Vivaldi
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Unidad Asociada Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
| | | | | | - Ángela Martínez-García
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC), E-04120 Almeria, Spain.
| | - Juan J Soler
- Unidad Asociada Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC), E-04120 Almeria, Spain.
| | - Eva Valdivia
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Unidad Asociada Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
| | - Manuel Martínez-Bueno
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Unidad Asociada Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
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16
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Ruiz-Rodríguez M, Martín-Vivaldi M, Martínez-Bueno M, Soler JJ. Gut Microbiota of Great Spotted Cuckoo Nestlings is a Mixture of Those of Their Foster Magpie Siblings and of Cuckoo Adults. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9080381. [PMID: 30060541 PMCID: PMC6115760 DOI: 10.3390/genes9080381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Diet and host genetic or evolutionary history are considered the two main factors determining gut microbiota of animals, although studies are scarce in natural populations. The system of great spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) parasitizing magpies (Pica pica) is ideal to study both effects since magpie adults feed cuckoo and magpie nestlings with the same diet and, consequently, differences in gut microbiota of nestlings of these two species will mainly reflect the importance of genetic components. Moreover, the diet of adults and of nestling cuckoos drastically differ from each other and, thus, differences and similarities in their microbiotas would respectively reflect the effect of environmental and genetic factors. We used next-generation sequencing technologies to analyze the gut microbiota of cuckoo adults and nestlings and of magpie nestlings. The highest α-diversity estimates appeared in nestling cuckoos and the lowest in nestling magpies. Moreover, despite the greatest differences in the microbiome composition of magpies and cuckoos of both ages, cuckoo nestlings harbored a mixture of the Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) present in adult cuckoos and nestling magpies. We identified the bacterial taxa responsible for such results. These results suggest important phylogenetic components determining gut microbiome of nestlings, and that diet might be responsible for similarities between gut microbiome of cuckoo and magpie nestlings that allow cuckoos to digest food provided by magpie adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Ruiz-Rodríguez
- Biologie Integrative des Organismes Marins, Observatoire Océanologique, Sorbonne Universités, Avenue du Fontaulé, 66650 Banyuls-Sur-Mer, France.
| | - Manuel Martín-Vivaldi
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Unidad Asociada Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
| | - Manuel Martínez-Bueno
- Unidad Asociada Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
| | - Juan José Soler
- Unidad Asociada Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Ctra. Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, E-04120 Almería, Spain.
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17
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Martín-Vivaldi M, Soler JJ, Martínez-García Á, Arco L, Juárez-García-Pelayo N, Ruiz-Rodríguez M, Martínez-Bueno M. Acquisition of Uropygial Gland Microbiome by Hoopoe Nestlings. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2018; 76:285-297. [PMID: 29250734 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-1125-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Mutualistic symbioses between animals and bacteria depend on acquisition of appropriate symbionts while avoiding exploitation by non-beneficial microbes. The mode of acquisition of symbionts would determine, not only the probability of encountering but also evolutionary outcomes of mutualistic counterparts. The microbiome inhabiting the uropygial gland of the European hoopoe (Upupa epops) includes a variety of bacterial strains, some of them providing antimicrobial benefits. Here, the mode of acquisition and stability of this microbiome is analyzed by means of Automated rRNA Intergenic Spacer Analysis and two different experiments. The first experiment impeded mothers' access to their glands, thus avoiding direct transmission of microorganisms from female to offspring secretions. The second experiment explored the stability of the microbiomes by inoculating glands with secretions from alien nests. The first experiment provoked a reduction in similarity of microbiomes of mother and nestlings. Interestingly, some bacterial strains were more often detected when females had not access to their glands, suggesting antagonistic effects among bacteria from different sources. The second experiment caused an increase in richness of the microbiome of receivers in terms of prevalence of Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) that reduced differences in microbiomes of donors and receivers. That occurred because OTUs that were present in donors but not in receivers incorporated to the microbiome of the latter, which provoked that cross-inoculated nestlings got similar final microbiomes that included the most prevalent OTUs. The results are therefore consistent with a central role of vertical transmission in bacterial acquisition by nestling hoopoes and support the idea that the typical composition of the hoopoe gland microbiome is reached by the incorporation of some bacteria during the nestling period. This scenario suggests the existence of a coevolved core microbiome composed by a mix of specialized vertically transmitted strains and facultative symbionts able to coexist with them. The implications of this mixed mode of transmission for the evolution of the mutualism are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Martín-Vivaldi
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Juan José Soler
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), 04120, Almería, Spain
| | | | - Laura Arco
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
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van Veelen HPJ, Salles JF, Tieleman BI. Microbiome assembly of avian eggshells and their potential as transgenerational carriers of maternal microbiota. ISME JOURNAL 2018; 12:1375-1388. [PMID: 29445132 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0067-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The microbiome is essential for development, health and homeostasis throughout an animal's life. Yet, the origins and transmission processes governing animal microbiomes remain elusive for non-human vertebrates, oviparous vertebrates in particular. Eggs may function as transgenerational carriers of the maternal microbiome, warranting characterisation of egg microbiome assembly. Here, we investigated maternal and environmental contributions to avian eggshell microbiota in wild passerine birds: woodlark Lullula arborea and skylark Alauda arvensis. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we demonstrated in both lark species, at the population and within-nest levels, that bacterial communities of freshly laid eggs were distinct from the female cloacal microbiome. Instead, soil-borne bacteria appeared to thrive on freshly laid eggs, and eggshell microbiota composition strongly resembled maternal skin, body feather and nest material communities, sources in direct contact with laid eggs. Finally, phylogenetic structure analysis and microbial source tracking underscored species sorting from directly contacting sources rather than in vivo-transferred symbionts. The female-egg-nest system allowed an integrative assessment of avian egg microbiome assembly, revealing mixed modes of symbiont acquisition not previously documented for vertebrate eggs. Our findings illuminated egg microbiome origins, which suggested a limited potential of eggshells for transgenerational transmission, encouraging further investigation of eggshell microbiome functions in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Pieter J van Veelen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, P.O. box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Joana Falcão Salles
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, P.O. box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - B Irene Tieleman
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, P.O. box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Geltsch N, Elek Z, Manczinger L, Vágvölgyi C, Moskát C. Common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) affect the bacterial diversity of the eggshells of their great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) hosts. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191364. [PMID: 29351548 PMCID: PMC5774785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is an avian brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of other bird species, where these hosts incubate the parasitic eggs, feed and rear the nestlings. The appearance of a cuckoo egg in a host nest may change the bacterial community in the nest. This may have consequences on the hatchability of host eggs, even when hosts reject the parasitic egg, typically within six days after parasitism. The present study revealed the bacterial community of cuckoo eggshells and those of the great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), one of the main hosts of cuckoos. We compared host eggs from non-parasitized clutches, as well as host and cuckoo eggs from parasitized clutches. As incubation may change bacterial assemblages on eggshells, we compared these egg types in two stages: the egg-laying stage, when incubation has not been started, and the mid-incubation stage (ca. on days 5–7 in incubation), where heat from the incubating female dries eggshells. Our results obtained by the 16S rRNA gene sequencing technique showed that fresh host and cuckoo eggs had partially different bacterial communities, but they became more similar during incubation in parasitized nests. Cluster analysis revealed that fresh cuckoo eggs and incubated host eggs in unparasitized nests (where no cuckoo effect could have happened) were the most dissimilar from the other groups of eggs. Cuckoo eggs did not reduce the hatchability of great reed warbler eggs. Our results on the cuckoo-great reed warbler relationship supported the idea that brood parasites may change bacterial microbiota in the host nest. Further studies should reveal how bacterial communities of cuckoo eggshells may vary by host-specific races (gentes) of cuckoos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Geltsch
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a joint research group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Elek
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a joint research group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Manczinger
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Csaba Vágvölgyi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Csaba Moskát
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a joint research group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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20
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Pearce DS, Hoover BA, Jennings S, Nevitt GA, Docherty KM. Morphological and genetic factors shape the microbiome of a seabird species (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) more than environmental and social factors. MICROBIOME 2017; 5:146. [PMID: 29084611 PMCID: PMC5663041 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-017-0365-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The microbiome provides multiple benefits to animal hosts that can profoundly impact health and behavior. Microbiomes are well-characterized in humans and other animals in controlled settings, yet assessments of wild bird microbial communities remain vastly understudied. This is particularly true for pelagic seabirds with unique life histories that differ from terrestrial bird species. This study was designed to examine how morphological, genetic, environmental, and social factors affect the microbiome of a burrow-nesting seabird species, Leach's storm petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa). These seabirds are highly olfactory and may rely on microbiome-mediated odor cues during mate selection. Composition and structure of bacterial communities associated with the uropygial gland and brood patch were assessed using 16S rRNA amplicon-based Illumina Mi-Seq analysis and compared to burrow-associated bacterial communities. This is the first study to examine microbial diversity associated with multiple body sites on a seabird species. RESULTS Results indicate that sex and skin site contribute most to bacterial community variation in Leach's storm petrels and that major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotype may impact the composition of bacterial assemblages in males. In contrast to terrestrial birds and other animals, environmental and social interactions do not significantly influence storm petrel-associated bacterial assemblages. Thus, individual morphological and genetic influences outweighed environmental and social factors on microbiome composition. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to observations of terrestrial birds, microbiomes of Leach's storm petrels vary most by the sex of the bird and by the body site sampled, rather than environmental surroundings or social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas S. Pearce
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, 1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 USA
| | - Brian A. Hoover
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Sarah Jennings
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Gabrielle A. Nevitt
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Kathryn M. Docherty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, 1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 USA
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Abstract
The microbiome is a vital component to the evolution of a host and much of what we know about the microbiome derives from studies on humans and captive animals. But captivity alters the microbiome and mammals have unique biological adaptations that affect their microbiomes (e.g., milk). Birds represent over 30% of known tetrapod diversity and possess their own suite of adaptations relevant to the microbiome. In a previous study, we showed that 59 species of birds displayed immense variation in their microbiomes and host (bird) taxonomy and ecology were most correlated with the gut microbiome. In this Frontiers Focused Review, I put those results in a broader context by discussing how collecting and analyzing wild microbiomes contributes to the main goals of evolutionary biology and the specific ways that birds are unique microbial hosts. Finally, I outline some of the methodological considerations for adding microbiome sampling to the research of wild animals and urge researchers to do so. To truly understand the evolution of a host, we need to understand the millions of microorganisms that inhabit it as well: evolutionary biology needs wild microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Hird
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT, USA
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