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Martínez-Renau E, Martín-Platero AM, Bodawatta KH, Martín-Vivaldi M, Martínez-Bueno M, Poulsen M, Soler JJ. Social environment influences microbiota and potentially pathogenic bacterial communities on the skin of developing birds. Anim Microbiome 2024; 6:47. [PMID: 39148142 PMCID: PMC11325624 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-024-00327-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal bacterial symbionts are established early in life, either through vertical transmission and/or by horizontal transmission from both the physical and the social environment, such as direct contact with con- or heterospecifics. The social environment particularly can influence the acquisition of both mutualistic and pathogenic bacteria, with consequences for the stability of symbiotic communities. However, segregating the effects of the shared physical environment from those of the social interactions is challenging, limiting our current knowledge on the role of the social environment in structuring bacterial communities in wild animals. Here, we take advantage of the avian brood-parasite system of Eurasian magpies (Pica pica) and great spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) to explore how the interspecific social environment (magpie nestlings developing with or without heterospecifics) affects bacterial communities on uropygial gland skin. RESULTS We demonstrated interspecific differences in bacterial community compositions in members of the two species when growing up in monospecific nests. However, the bacterial community of magpies in heterospecific nests was richer, more diverse, and more similar to their cuckoo nest-mates than when growing up in monospecific nests. These patterns were alike for the subset of microbes that could be considered core, but when looking at the subset of potentially pathogenic bacterial genera, cuckoo presence reduced the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacterial genera on magpies. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the role of social interactions in shaping the assembly of the avian skin bacterial communities during the nestling period, as exemplified in a brood parasite-host system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Martínez-Renau
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Antonio M Martín-Platero
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Kasun H Bodawatta
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Section for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Manuel Martín-Vivaldi
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Martínez-Bueno
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Juan José Soler
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), 04120, Almería, Spain.
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.
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Alves Soares T, Caspers BA, Loos HM. Volatile organic compounds in preen oil and feathers - a review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1085-1099. [PMID: 38303487 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13059] [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: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
For a long time birds were assumed to be anosmic or at best microsmatic, with olfaction a poorly understood and seldom investigated part of avian physiology. The full viability of avian olfaction was first discovered through its functions in navigation and foraging. Subsequently, researchers have investigated the role of olfaction in different social and non-social contexts, including reproduction, kin recognition, predator avoidance, navigation and foraging. In parallel to the recognition of the importance of olfaction for avian social behaviour, there have been advances in the techniques and methods available for the sampling and analysis of trace volatiles and odourants, leading to insights into the chemistry underlying chemical communication in birds. This review provides (i) an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the volatile chemical composition of preen oil and feathers, its phylogenetic coverage, chemical signatures and their potential functions, and (ii) a discussion of current methods used for the isolation and detection of volatiles. Finally, lines for future research are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Alves Soares
- Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9, Erlangen, 91054, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
- Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment (JICE), University of Münster and Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Helene M Loos
- Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9, Erlangen, 91054, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Giggenhauser Straße 35, Freising, 85354, Germany
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Zhu Y, Ma R, Hu L, Yang H, Gong H, He K. Structure, variation and assembly of body-wide microbiomes in endangered crested ibis Nipponia nippon. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17238. [PMID: 38108198 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17238] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Limited knowledge of bird microbiome in the all-body niche hinders our understanding of host-microbial relationships and animal health. Here, we characterized the microbial composition of the crested ibis from 13 body sites, representing the cloaca, oral, feather and skin habitats, and explored assembly mechanism structuring the bacterial community of the four habitats respectively. The bacterial community characteristics were distinct among the four habitats. The skin harboured the highest alpha diversity and most diverse functions, followed by feather, oral and cloaca. Individual-specific features were observed when the skin and feathers were concentrated independently. Skin and feather samples of multiple body sites from the same individual were more similar than those from different individuals. Although a significant proportion of the microbiota in the host (85.7%-96.5%) was not derived from the environmental microbiome, as body sites became more exposed to the environment, the relative importance of neutral processes (random drift or dispersal) increased. Neutral processes were the most important contributor in shaping the feather microbiome communities (R2 = .859). A higher percentage of taxa (29.3%) on the skin were selected by hosts compared to taxa on other body habitats. This study demonstrated that niche speciation and partial neutral processes, rather than environmental sources, contribute to microbiome variation in the crested ibis. These results enhance our knowledge of baseline microbial diversity in birds and will aid health management in crested ibises in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhu
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Provincial Key Laboratory for Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruifeng Ma
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Provincial Key Laboratory for Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Hu
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Provincial Key Laboratory for Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Haiqiong Yang
- Emei Breeding Center for Crested Ibis, Emei, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Haizhou Gong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Ke He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
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Whittaker DJ, Atyam A, Burroughs NA, Greenberg JM, Hagey TJ, Novotny MV, Soini HA, Theis KR, Van Laar TA, Slade JWG. Effects of short-term experimental manipulation of captive social environment on uropygial gland microbiome and preen oil volatile composition. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1027399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionAvian preen oil, secreted by the uropygial gland, is an important source of volatile compounds that convey information about the sender’s identity and quality, making preen oil useful for the recognition and assessment of potential mates and rivals. Although intrinsic factors such as hormone levels, genetic background, and diet can affect preen oil volatile compound composition, many of these compounds are not the products of the animal’s own metabolic processes, but rather those of odor-producing symbiotic microbes. Social behavior affects the composition of uropygial microbial communities, as physical contact results in microbe sharing. We experimentally manipulated social interactions in captive dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) to assess the relative influence of social interactions, subspecies, and sex on uropygial gland microbial composition and the resulting preen oil odor profiles.MethodsWe captured 24 birds at Mountain Lake Biological Station in Virginia, USA, including birds from two seasonally sympatric subspecies – one resident, one migratory. We housed them in an outdoor aviary in three phases of social configurations: first in same-sex, same-subspecies flocks, then in male-female pairs, and finally in the original flocks. Using samples taken every four days of the experiment, we characterized their uropygial gland microbiome through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and their preen oil volatile compounds via GC-MS.ResultsWe predicted that if social environment was the primary driver of uropygial gland microbiome composition, and if microbiome composition in turn affected preen oil volatile profiles, then birds housed together would become more similar over time. Our results did not support this hypothesis, instead showing that sex and subspecies were stronger predictors of microbiome composition. We observed changes in volatile compounds after the birds had been housed in pairs, which disappeared after they were moved back into flocks, suggesting that hormonal changes related to breeding condition were the most important factor in these patterns.DiscussionAlthough early life social environment of nestlings and long-term social relationships have been shown to be important in shaping uropygial gland microbial communities, our study suggests that shorter-term changes in social environment do not have a strong effect on uropygial microbiomes and the resulting preen oil volatile compounds.
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Ma R, Zheng W, Guo J, Hou R, Huang H, Xue F, Zhou Y, Wu W, Huang C, Gu J, Feng F, Yu X, Liu J, Li Z, Zhang L, Lan G, Chen C, Bi W, Dai Q, Owens JR, Yang H, Gu X, Yan QG, Qi D. Symbiotic microbiota and odor ensure mating in time for giant pandas. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1015513. [PMID: 36466630 PMCID: PMC9712809 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1015513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
To achieve reproduction, male solitary mammals need to locate females using chemical communication with high levels of precision. In the case of giant pandas, the total estrus period of females was usually 15 days each year, however, successful mating activity is finished within 3 days from respective home range. The mating pattern of giant pandas, where multiple males compete for each female requires females employ efficient systems to communicate their estrus phases. To verifying whether the scent secretions of giant pandas changes by gender and estrus progression, the microbiota and compounds in 29 anogenital gland samples from 14 individuals during estrus were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing and GC-MS. We show that the microbiota communities covary by gender with 4 particular compounds of scent secretions. Among 597 genera, 34 were identified as biomarkers that could be used to distinguish between different estrus phases. By bacterial-compounds co-analysis, 3 fatty ester acids and squalene compounds covaried with the development of estrus in the bacterial communities of female giant pandas. This study helps clarify how a large, solitary mammal expresses accurate information to improve the likelihood of successful reproduction by changing the composition of microbiota and odor compounds of anogenital glands during estrus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | | | - Junliang Guo
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Rong Hou
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - He Huang
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Fei Xue
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanshan Zhou
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Chong Huang
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiang Gu
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Feifei Feng
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiang Yu
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiabin Liu
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Zusheng Li
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Guanwei Lan
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenlei Bi
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiang Dai
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Jacob R. Owens
- Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Hong Yang
- Daxiangling Nature Reserve, Yaan, China
| | - Xiaodong Gu
- Sichuan Forestry and Grassland Bureau, Chengdu, China
| | - Qi-gui Yan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dunwu Qi
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, China
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Grieves LA, Bottini CLJ, Gloor GB, MacDougall-Shackleton EA. Uropygial gland microbiota differ between free-living and captive songbirds. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18283. [PMID: 36316352 PMCID: PMC9622905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22425-4] [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: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Symbiotic microbes can affect host behavior and fitness. Gut microbiota have received the most study, with less attention to other important microbial communities like those of scent-producing glands such as mammalian anal glands and the avian uropygial gland. However, mounting evidence suggests that microbes inhabiting scent-producing glands play an important role in animal behavior by contributing to variation in chemical signals. Free-living and captive conditions typically differ in social environment, food diversity and availability, disease exposure, and other factors-all of which can translate into differences in gut microbiota. However, whether extrinsic factors such as captivity alter microbial communities in scent glands remains an open question. We compared the uropygial gland microbiota of free-living and captive song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) and tested for an effect of dietary manipulations on the gland microbiota of captive birds. As predicted, the uropygial gland microbiota was significantly different between free-living and captive birds. Surprisingly, microbial diversity was higher in captive than free-living birds, and we found no effect of dietary treatments on captive bird microbiota. Identifying the specific factors responsible for microbial differences among groups and determining whether changes in symbiotic microbiota alter behavior and fitness are important next steps in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. A. Grieves
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON N6A 5B7 Canada ,grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Present Address: Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON L8S 3L8 Canada
| | - C. L. J. Bottini
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON N6A 5B7 Canada
| | - G. B. Gloor
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON N6A 5C1 Canada
| | - E. A. MacDougall-Shackleton
- grid.39381.300000 0004 1936 8884Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON N6A 5B7 Canada
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Zhang K, Wang X, Gong X, Sui J. Gut Microbiome Differences in Rescued Common Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) Before and After Captivity. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:858592. [PMID: 35794924 PMCID: PMC9251364 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.858592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut microbes significantly impact animal health, yet research on the gut microbiota of most birds, especially raptors, is lacking. This study investigated the effects of dietary and environmental changes on the composition and abundance of gut microbiota in 17 rescued common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) through 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing of microorganisms in the feces of the birds. Firmicutes (relative abundance, 43.63%), Proteobacteria (37.26%), Actinobacteria (7.31%), and Bacteroidetes (5.48%) were the dominant phyla in the gut microbiota of the common kestrels. A comparison of the gut microbiota before and after captivity revealed that community composition and abundance of the common kestrel gut microbiota differed among different living conditions including diet and environment. At the phylum level, the abundance of Firmicutes was higher (P < 0.05), and that of Proteobacteria was lower (P < 0.05), after captivity (54.62 and 27.16%, respectively) compared with before captivity (33.67 and 46.41%, respectively), but no significant differences were found among other phyla. At the genus level, the abundance of Lactobacillus was higher (P < 0.05) after captivity (15.77%) compared with the abundance before captivity (5.02%). Hierarchical clustering and principal component analyses showed that common kestrels in different living conditions exhibited differences (P < 0.05) in gut microbiota at phylum and genus levels. Functional prediction of gene sequences using PICRUSt2 further revealed that pathways related to glucose metabolism and amino acid metabolism were enhanced (P < 0.05) after captivity. Collectively, the findings from this study demonstrated that the relative abundance of specific microbes in the gut of the rescued common kestrels either increased or decreased, and that dietary and environment changes might be the predominant factors affecting the gut microbiota of these birds during rescue or captivity.
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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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Grieves LA, Gilles M, Cuthill IC, Székely T, MacDougall-Shackleton EA, Caspers BA. Olfactory camouflage and communication in birds. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1193-1209. [PMID: 35128775 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Smell is a sensory modality that is rarely considered in birds, but evidence is mounting that olfaction is an important aspect of avian behaviour and ecology. The uropygial gland produces an odoriferous secretion (preen oil) that can differ seasonally and between the sexes. These differences are hypothesized to function in olfactory camouflage, i.e. minimizing detection by nest predators (olfactory crypsis hypothesis), and/or intraspecific olfactory communication, particularly during breeding (sex semiochemical hypothesis). However, evidence for seasonal and sex differences in preen oil is mixed, with some studies finding differences and others not, and direct evidence for the putative function(s) of seasonal variation and sex differences in preen oil remains limited. We conducted a systematic review of the evidence for such changes in preen oil chemical composition, finding seasonal differences in 95% of species (57/60 species in 35 studies) and sex differences in 47% of species (28/59 species in 46 studies). We then conducted phylogenetic comparative analyses using data from 59 bird species to evaluate evidence for both the olfactory crypsis and sex semiochemical hypotheses. Seasonal differences were more likely in the incubating than non-incubating sex in ground-nesting species, but were equally likely regardless of incubation strategy in non-ground-nesting species. This result supports the olfactory crypsis hypothesis, if ground nesters are more vulnerable to olfactorily searching predators than non-ground nesters. Sex differences were more likely in species with uniparental than biparental incubation and during breeding than non-breeding, consistent with both the olfactory crypsis and sex semiochemical hypotheses. At present, the data do not allow us to disentangle these two hypotheses, but we provide recommendations that will enable researchers to do so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne A Grieves
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M4, Canada
| | - Marc Gilles
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
| | - Innes C Cuthill
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Tamás Székely
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, U.K.,Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem ter 1, Debrecen, H-4032, Hungary
| | | | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
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Sin SYW, Cloutier A, Nevitt G, Edwards SV. Olfactory receptor subgenome and expression in a highly olfactory procellariiform seabird. Genetics 2021; 220:6458329. [PMID: 34888634 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Procellariiform seabirds rely on their sense of smell for foraging and homing. Both genomes and transcriptomes yield important clues about how olfactory receptor (OR) subgenomes are shaped by natural and sexual selection, yet no transcriptomes have been made of any olfactory epithelium of any bird species thus far. Here we assembled a high-quality genome and nasal epithelium transcriptome of the Leach's storm-petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) to extensively characterize their OR repertoire. Using a depth-of-coverage-assisted counting method, we estimated over 160 intact OR genes (∼500 including OR fragments). This method reveals the highest number of intact OR genes and the lowest proportion of pseudogenes compared to other waterbirds studied, and suggests that rates of OR gene duplication vary between major clades of birds, with particularly high rates in passerines. OR expression patterns reveal two OR genes (OR6-6 and OR5-11) highly expressed in adults, and four OR genes (OR14-14, OR14-12, OR10-2, and OR14-9) differentially expressed between age classes of storm-petrels. All four genes differentially expressed between age classes were more highly expressed in chicks compared to adults, suggesting that ORs genes may exhibit ontogenetic specializations. Three highly differentially expressed OR genes also had high copy number ratios, suggesting that expression variation may be linked to copy number in the genome. We provide better estimates of OR gene number by using a copy number-assisted counting method, and document ontogenetic changes in OR gene expression that may be linked to olfactory specialization. These results provide valuable insight into the expression, development, and macroevolution of olfaction in seabirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Yung Wa Sin
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alison Cloutier
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Gabrielle Nevitt
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior and the Graduate Group in Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Scott V Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Grieves LA, Gloor GB, Bernards MA, MacDougall-Shackleton EA. Preen gland microbiota covary with major histocompatibility complex genotype in a songbird. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210936. [PMID: 34754501 PMCID: PMC8493191 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Pathogen-mediated selection at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is thought to promote MHC-based mate choice in vertebrates. Mounting evidence implicates odour in conveying MHC genotype, but the underlying mechanisms remain uncertain. MHC effects on odour may be mediated by odour-producing symbiotic microbes whose community structure is shaped by MHC genotype. In birds, preen oil is a primary source of body odour and similarity at MHC predicts similarity in preen oil composition. Hypothesizing that this relationship is mediated by symbiotic microbes, we characterized MHC genotype, preen gland microbial communities and preen oil chemistry of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Consistent with the microbial mediation hypothesis, pairwise similarity at MHC predicted similarity in preen gland microbiota. Counter to this hypothesis, overall microbial similarity did not predict chemical similarity of preen oil. However, permutation testing identified a maximally predictive set of microbial taxa that best reflect MHC genotype, and another set of taxa that best predict preen oil chemical composition. The relative strengths of relationships between MHC and microbes, microbes and preen oil, and MHC and preen oil suggest that MHC may affect host odour both directly and indirectly. Thus, birds may assess MHC genotypes based on both host-associated and microbially mediated odours.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. A. Grieves
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B7
| | - G. B. Gloor
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5C1
| | - M. A. Bernards
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B7
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12
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Vibrio cholerae Infection Induces Strain-Specific Modulation of the Zebrafish Intestinal Microbiome. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0015721. [PMID: 34061623 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00157-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an attractive model organism to use for an array of scientific studies, including host-microbe interactions. Zebrafish contain a core (i.e., consistently detected) intestinal microbiome consisting primarily of Proteobacteria. Furthermore, this core intestinal microbiome is plastic and can be significantly altered due to external factors. Zebrafish are particularly useful for the study of aquatic microbes that can colonize vertebrate hosts, including Vibrio cholerae. As an intestinal pathogen, V. cholerae must colonize the intestine of an exposed host for pathogenicity to occur. Members of the resident intestinal microbial community likely must be reduced or eliminated by V. cholerae for colonization, and subsequent disease, to occur. Many studies have explored a variety of aspects of the pathogenic effects of V. cholerae on zebrafish and other model organisms but few have researched how a V. cholerae infection changes the resident intestinal microbiome. In this study, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to examine how five genetically diverse V. cholerae strains alter the intestinal microbiome following an infection. We found that V. cholerae colonization induced significant changes in the zebrafish intestinal microbiome. Notably, changes in the microbial profile were significantly different from each other, based on the particular strain of V. cholerae used to infect zebrafish hosts. We conclude that V. cholerae significantly modulates the zebrafish intestinal microbiota to enable colonization and that specific microbes that are targeted depend on the V. cholerae genotype.
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13
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The Vibrio cholerae Type Six Secretion System Is Dispensable for Colonization but Affects Pathogenesis and the Structure of Zebrafish Intestinal Microbiome. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0015121. [PMID: 34097462 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00151-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are an attractive model organism for a variety of scientific studies, including host-microbe interactions. The organism is particularly useful for the study of aquatic microbes that can colonize vertebrate hosts, including Vibrio cholerae, an intestinal pathogen. V. cholerae must colonize the intestine of an exposed host for pathogenicity to occur. While numerous studies have explored various aspects of the pathogenic effects of V. cholerae on zebrafish and other model organisms, few, if any, have examined how a V. cholerae infection alters the resident intestinal microbiome and the role of the type six secretion system (T6SS) in that process. In this study, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was utilized to investigate how strains of V. cholerae both with and without the T6SS alter the aforementioned microbial profiles following an infection. V. cholerae infection induced significant changes in the zebrafish intestinal microbiome, and while not necessary for colonization, the T6SS was important for inducing mucin secretion, a marker for diarrhea. Additional salient differences to the microbiome were observed based on the presence or absence of the T6SS in the V. cholerae utilized for challenging the zebrafish hosts. We conclude that V. cholerae significantly modulates the zebrafish intestinal microbiome to enable colonization and that the T6SS is important for pathogenesis induced by the examined V. cholerae strains. Furthermore, the presence or absence of T6SS differentially and significantly affected the composition and structure of the intestinal microbiome, with an increased abundance of other Vibrio bacteria observed in the absence of V. cholerae T6SS.
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14
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Grieves LA, Gloor GB, Kelly TR, Bernards MA, MacDougall-Shackleton EA. Preen gland microbiota of songbirds differ across populations but not sexes. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2202-2212. [PMID: 34002375 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Metabolites produced by symbiotic microbes can affect the odour of their hosts, providing olfactory cues of identity, sex or other salient features. In birds, preen oil is a major source of body odour that differs between populations and sexes. We hypothesized that population and sex differences in preen oil chemistry reflect underlying differences in preen gland microbiota, predicting that these microbes also differ among populations and between the sexes. We further predicted that pairwise similarity in the community composition of preen gland microbiota would covary with that of preen oil chemical composition, consistent with the fermentation hypothesis for chemical recognition. We analysed preen oil chemistry and preen gland bacterial communities of song sparrows Melospiza melodia. Birds were sampled at sites for which population and sex differences in preen oil have been reported, and at a third site that has been less studied. Consistent with prior work in this system, we found population and sex differences in preen oil chemistry. By contrast, we found population differences but not sex differences in the community composition of preen gland microbes. Overall similarity in the community composition of preen gland microbiota did not significantly covary with that of preen oil chemistry. However, we identified a subset of six microbial genera that maximally correlated with preen oil composition. Although both preen gland microbiota and preen oil composition differ across populations, we did not observe an overall association between them that would implicate symbiotic microbes in mediating variation in olfactory cues associated with preen oil. Instead, certain subsets of microbes may be involved in mediating olfactory cues in birds, but experiments are required to test this.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gregory B Gloor
- Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Tosha R Kelly
- Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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15
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Schubert N, Nichols HJ, Winternitz JC. How can the MHC mediate social odor via the microbiota community? A deep dive into mechanisms. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have long been linked to odor signaling and recently researchers’ attention has focused on MHC structuring of microbial communities and how this may in turn impact odor. However, understanding of the mechanisms through which the MHC could affect the microbiota to produce a chemical signal that is both reliable and strong enough to ensure unambiguous transmission of behaviorally important information remains poor. This is largely because empirical studies are rare, predictions are unclear, and the underlying immunological mechanisms governing MHC–microbiota interactions are often neglected. Here, we review the immunological processes involving MHC class II (MHC-II) that could affect the commensal community. Focusing on immunological and medical research, we provide background knowledge for nonimmunologists by describing key players within the vertebrate immune system relating to MHC-II molecules (which present extracellular-derived peptides, and thus interact with extracellular commensal microbes). We then systematically review the literature investigating MHC–odor–microbiota interactions in animals and identify areas for future research. These insights will help to design studies that are able to explore the role of MHC-II and the microbiota in the behavior of wild populations in their natural environment and consequently propel this research area forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Schubert
- Department of Animal Behavior, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Hazel J Nichols
- Department of Animal Behavior, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz, Bielefeld, Germany
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK
| | - Jamie C Winternitz
- Department of Animal Behavior, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz, Bielefeld, Germany
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16
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Cusick JA, Wellman CL, Demas GE. The call of the wild: using non-model systems to investigate microbiome-behaviour relationships. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb224485. [PMID: 33988717 PMCID: PMC8180253 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.224485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
On and within most sites across an animal's body live complex communities of microorganisms. These microorganisms perform a variety of important functions for their hosts, including communicating with the brain, immune system and endocrine axes to mediate physiological processes and affect individual behaviour. Microbiome research has primarily focused on the functions of the microbiome within the gastrointestinal tract (gut microbiome) using biomedically relevant laboratory species (i.e. model organisms). These studies have identified important connections between the gut microbiome and host immune, neuroendocrine and nervous systems, as well as how these connections, in turn, influence host behaviour and health. Recently, the field has expanded beyond traditional model systems as it has become apparent that the microbiome can drive differences in behaviour and diet, play a fundamental role in host fitness and influence community-scale dynamics in wild populations. In this Review, we highlight the value of conducting hypothesis-driven research in non-model organisms and the benefits of a comparative approach that assesses patterns across different species or taxa. Using social behaviour as an intellectual framework, we review the bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiome and host behaviour, and identify understudied mechanisms by which these effects may be mediated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Cusick
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Biology Building 142, 1001 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Animal Behavior Program, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Cara L. Wellman
- Animal Behavior Program, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, 1101 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-7007, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Psychology Building, 1101 E 10th Street Bloomington, IN 47405-2204, USA
| | - Gregory E. Demas
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Biology Building 142, 1001 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Animal Behavior Program, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Psychology Building, 1101 E 10th Street Bloomington, IN 47405-2204, USA
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17
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Engel K, Pankoke H, Jünemann S, Brandl HB, Sauer J, Griffith SC, Kalinowski J, Caspers BA. Family matters: skin microbiome reflects the social group and spatial proximity in wild zebra finches. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:58. [PMID: 33187490 PMCID: PMC7664024 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00326-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background So far, large numbers of studies investigating the microbiome have focused on gut microbiota and less have addressed the microbiome of the skin. Especially in avian taxa our understanding of the ecology and function of these bacteria remains incomplete. The involvement of skin bacteria in intra-specific communication has recently received attention, and has highlighted the need to understand what information is potentially being encoded in bacterial communities. Using next generation sequencing techniques, we characterised the skin microbiome of wild zebra finches, aiming to understand the impact of sex, age and group composition on skin bacteria communities. For this purpose, we sampled skin swabs from both sexes and two age classes (adults and nestlings) of 12 different zebra finch families and analysed the bacterial communities. Results Using 16S rRNA sequencing we found no effect of age, sex and family on bacterial diversity (alpha diversity). However, when comparing the composition (beta diversity), we found that animals of social groups (families) harbour highly similar bacterial communities on their skin with respect to community composition. Within families, closely related individuals shared significantly more bacterial taxa than non-related animals. In addition, we found that age (adults vs. nestlings) affected bacterial composition. Finally, we found that spatial proximity of nest sites, and therefore individuals, correlated with the skin microbiota similarity. Conclusions Birds harbour very diverse and complex bacterial assemblages on their skin. These bacterial communities are distinguishable and characteristic for intraspecific social groups. Our findings are indicative for a family-specific skin microbiome in wild zebra finches. Genetics and the (social) environment seem to be the influential factors shaping the complex bacterial communities. Bacterial communities associated with the skin have a potential to emit volatiles and therefore these communities may play a role in intraspecific social communication, e.g. via signalling social group membership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Engel
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Helga Pankoke
- Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH, Kantstr. 2, 33790, Halle, Germany
| | - Sebastian Jünemann
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.,Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Hanja B Brandl
- Institute of Zoology, Behavioural Biology, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Jan Sauer
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
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18
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Whittaker DJ, Hagelin JC. Female-Based Patterns and Social Function in Avian Chemical Communication. J Chem Ecol 2020; 47:43-62. [PMID: 33103230 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-020-01230-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Much of the growing interest in avian chemical signals has focused on the role of kin recognition or mate attraction, often with an emphasis on males, with uropygial gland secretions perhaps providing information about an individual's identity and quality. Yet, data collected to date suggest sexual dimorphism in uropygial glands and secretions are often emphasized in female, rather than in male birds. That is, when a sexual difference occurs (often during the breeding season only), it is the female that typically exhibits one of three patterns: (1) a larger uropygial gland, (2) a greater abundance of volatile or semi-volatile preen oil compounds and/or (3) greater diversity of preen oil compounds or associated microbes. These patterns fit a majority of birds studied to date (23 of 30 chemically dimorphic species exhibit a female emphasis). Multiple species that do not fit are confounded by a lack of data for seasonal effects or proper quantitative measures of chemical compounds. We propose several social functions for these secretions in female-based patterns, similar to those reported in mammals, but which are largely unstudied in birds. These include: (1) intersexual advertisement of female receptivity or quality, including priming effects on male physiology, (2) intrasexual competition, including scent marking and reproductive suppression or (3) parental behaviors, such as parent-offspring recognition and chemical protection of eggs and nestlings. Revisiting the gaps of chemical studies to quantify the existence of female social chemosignals and any fitness benefit(s) during breeding are potentially fruitful but overlooked areas of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle J Whittaker
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | - Julie C Hagelin
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
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19
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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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20
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel T. Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Los Angeles CA USA
| | | | - Sasha G. Tetu
- Department of Molecular Sciences Macquarie University North Ryde NSW Australia
| | - Michael R. Gillings
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University North Ryde NSW Australia
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21
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Whittaker DJ, Slowinski SP, Greenberg JM, Alian O, Winters AD, Ahmad MM, Burrell MJE, Soini HA, Novotny MV, Ketterson ED, Theis KR. Experimental evidence that symbiotic bacteria produce chemical cues in a songbird. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.202978. [PMID: 31537652 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.202978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Symbiotic microbes that inhabit animal scent glands can produce volatile compounds used as chemical signals by the host animal. Though several studies have demonstrated correlations between scent gland bacterial community structure and host animal odour profiles, none have systematically demonstrated a causal relationship. In birds, volatile compounds in preen oil secreted by the uropygial gland serve as chemical cues and signals. Here, we tested whether manipulating the uropygial gland microbial community affects chemical profiles in the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis). We found an effect of antibiotic treatment targeting the uropygial gland on both bacterial and volatile profiles. In a second experiment, we cultured bacteria from junco preen oil, and found that all of the cultivars produced at least one volatile compound common in junco preen oil, and that most cultivars produced multiple preen oil volatiles. In both experiments, we identified experimentally generated patterns in specific volatile compounds previously shown to predict junco reproductive success. Together, our data provide experimental support for the hypothesis that symbiotic bacteria produce behaviourally relevant volatile compounds within avian chemical cues and signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle J Whittaker
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Samuel P Slowinski
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
| | - Jonathan M Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Osama Alian
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-4320, USA
| | - Andrew D Winters
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Madison M Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Mikayla J E Burrell
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA.,Institute for Pheromone Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA
| | - Helena A Soini
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA.,Institute for Pheromone Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA
| | - Milos V Novotny
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA.,Institute for Pheromone Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA
| | - Ellen D Ketterson
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Kevin R Theis
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
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22
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Breen P, Winters AD, Nag D, Ahmad MM, Theis KR, Withey JH. Internal Versus External Pressures: Effect of Housing Systems on the Zebrafish Microbiome. Zebrafish 2019; 16:388-400. [PMID: 31145047 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2018.1711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are an attractive model organism for scientific studies, including host-microbe interactions. The organism is particularly useful for studying aquatic microbes that can colonize vertebrate hosts, including Vibrio cholerae. Previous studies have established the presence of a core zebrafish intestinal microbiome, and tracked the development of the zebrafish intestinal microbiome from the larval stage to adulthood. An unexplored matter in this host-microbe relationship is the effect of the housing system on the zebrafish intestinal and tank water microbiomes. In this study, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the response of zebrafish intestinal and tank water microbiomes to a change in housing conditions. Zebrafish in the separated fish tanks showed no initial differences in the structures of their intestinal microbial profiles; the same prominent bacteria were present and abundant across tanks. Immediately after the housing switch, the zebrafish intestinal microbial profiles changed in composition and structure. Within 5 days of the housing switch, the intestinal microbiome had stabilized, and changed significantly from the prehousing switch profile. This study demonstrates that although external factors can significantly perturb and alter the zebrafish intestinal microbiome, the microbiome displays a large level of selective resilience whose primary members (namely Vibrio) persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Breen
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Andrew D Winters
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Dhrubajyoti Nag
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Madison M Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Kevin R Theis
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Jeffrey H Withey
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
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23
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Whittaker DJ, Kuzel M, Burrell MJ, Soini HA, Novotny MV, DuVal EH. Chemical profiles reflect heterozygosity and seasonality in a tropical lekking passerine bird. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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24
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Leclaire S, Strandh M, Dell'Ariccia G, Gabirot M, Westerdahl H, Bonadonna F. Plumage microbiota covaries with the major histocompatibility complex in blue petrels. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:833-846. [PMID: 30582649 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
To increase fitness, a wide range of vertebrates preferentially mate with partners that are dissimilar at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) or that have high MHC diversity. Although MHC often can be assessed through olfactory cues, the mechanism by which MHC genes influence odour remains largely unclear. MHC class IIB molecules, which enable recognition and elimination of extracellular bacteria, have been suggested to influence odour indirectly by shaping odour-producing microbiota, i.e. bacterial communities. However, there is little evidence of the predicted covariation between an animal's MHC genotype and its bacterial communities in scent-producing body surfaces. Here, using high-throughput sequencing, we tested the covariation between MHC class IIB genotypes and feather microbiota in the blue petrel (Halobaena caerulea), a seabird with highly developed olfaction that has been suggested to rely on oduor cues during an MHC-based mate choice. First, we show that individuals with similar MHC class IIB profiles also have similar bacterial assemblages in their feathers. Then, we show that individuals with high MHC diversity have less diverse feather microbiota and also a reduced abundance of a bacterium of the genus Arsenophonus, a genus in which some species are symbionts of avian ectoparasites. Our results, showing that feather microbiota covary with MHC, are consistent with the hypothesis that individual MHC genotype may shape the semiochemical-producing microbiota in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Leclaire
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 (CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, ENFA), Toulouse, France.,Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS-CEFE, Montpellier, France
| | - Maria Strandh
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Gaia Dell'Ariccia
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS-CEFE, Montpellier, France
| | - Marianne Gabirot
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS-CEFE, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Francesco Bonadonna
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS-CEFE, Montpellier, France
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25
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Engel K, Sauer J, Jünemann S, Winkler A, Wibberg D, Kalinowski J, Tauch A, Caspers BA. Individual- and Species-Specific Skin Microbiomes in Three Different Estrildid Finch Species Revealed by 16S Amplicon Sequencing. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2018; 76:518-529. [PMID: 29282519 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-1130-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
An animals' body is densely populated with bacteria. Although a large number of investigations on physiological microbial colonisation have emerged in recent years, our understanding of the composition, ecology and function of the microbiota remains incomplete. Here, we investigated whether songbirds have an individual-specific skin microbiome that is similar across different body regions. We collected skin microbe samples from three different bird species (Taeniopygia gutatta, Lonchura striata domestica and Stagonopleura gutatta) at two body locations (neck region, preen gland area). To characterise the skin microbes and compare the bacterial composition, we used high-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. This method proved suitable for identifying the skin microbiome of birds, even though the bacterial load on the skin appeared to be relatively low. We found that across all species, the two evaluated skin areas of each individual harboured very similar microbial communities, indicative of an individual-specific skin microbiome. Despite experiencing the same environmental conditions and consuming the same diet, significant differences in the skin microbe composition were identified among the three species. The bird species differed both quantitatively and qualitatively regarding the observed bacterial taxa. Although each species harboured its own unique set of skin microbes, we identified a core skin microbiome among the studied species. As microbes are known to influence the host's body odour, our findings of an individual-specific skin microbiome might suggest that the skin microbiome in birds is involved in the odour production and could encode information on the host's genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Engel
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Chemical Signalling, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Jan Sauer
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Chemical Signalling, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Jünemann
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Anika Winkler
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Daniel Wibberg
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Andreas Tauch
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Chemical Signalling, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
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26
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Maraci Ö, Engel K, Caspers BA. Olfactory Communication via Microbiota: What Is Known in Birds? Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E387. [PMID: 30065222 PMCID: PMC6116157 DOI: 10.3390/genes9080387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal bodies harbour a complex and diverse community of microorganisms and accumulating evidence has revealed that microbes can influence the hosts' behaviour, for example by altering body odours. Microbial communities produce odorant molecules as metabolic by-products and thereby modulate the biochemical signalling profiles of their animal hosts. As the diversity and the relative abundance of microbial species are influenced by several factors including host-specific factors, environmental factors and social interactions, there are substantial individual variations in the composition of microbial communities. In turn, the variations in microbial communities would consequently affect social and communicative behaviour by influencing recognition cues of the hosts. Therefore, microbiota studies have a great potential to expand our understanding of recognition of conspecifics, group members and kin. In this review, we aim to summarize existing knowledge of the factors influencing the microbial communities and the effect of microbiota on olfactory cue production and social and communicative behaviour. We concentrate on avian taxa, yet we also include recent research performed on non-avian species when necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Öncü Maraci
- Research Group Chemical Signalling, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Engel
- Research Group Chemical Signalling, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Research Group Chemical Signalling, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
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27
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Grieneisen LE, Livermore J, Alberts S, Tung J, Archie EA. Group Living and Male Dispersal Predict the Core Gut Microbiome in Wild Baboons. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 57:770-785. [PMID: 29048537 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian gut microbiome plays a profound role in the physiology, metabolism, and overall health of its host. However, biologists have only a nascent understanding of the forces that drive inter-individual heterogeneity in gut microbial composition, especially the role of host social environment. Here we used 178 samples from 78 wild yellow baboons (Papio cynocephalus) living in two social groups to test how host social context, including group living, social interactions within groups, and transfer between social groups (e.g., dispersal) predict inter-individual variation in gut microbial alpha and beta diversity. We also tested whether social effects differed for prevalent "core" gut microbial taxa, which are thought to provide primary functions to hosts, versus rare "non-core" microbes, which may represent relatively transient environmental acquisitions. Confirming prior studies, we found that each social group harbored a distinct gut microbial community. These differences included both non-core and core gut microbial taxa, suggesting that these effects are not solely driven by recent gut microbial exposures. Within social groups, close grooming partners had more similar core microbiomes, but not non-core microbiomes, than individuals who rarely groomed each other, even controlling for kinship and diet similarity between grooming partners. Finally, in support of the idea that the gut microbiome can be altered by current social context, we found that the longer an immigrant male had lived in a given social group, the more closely his gut microbiome resembled the gut microbiomes of the group's long-term residents. Together, these results reveal the importance of a host's social context in shaping the gut microbiome and shed new light onto the microbiome-related consequences of male dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Grieneisen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Josh Livermore
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Susan Alberts
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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28
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Krause ET, Bischof HJ, Engel K, Golüke S, Maraci Ö, Mayer U, Sauer J, Caspers BA. Olfaction in the Zebra Finch ( Taeniopygia guttata ): What Is Known and Further Perspectives. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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29
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van Veelen HPJ, Falcao Salles J, Tieleman BI. Multi-level comparisons of cloacal, skin, feather and nest-associated microbiota suggest considerable influence of horizontal acquisition on the microbiota assembly of sympatric woodlarks and skylarks. MICROBIOME 2017; 5:156. [PMID: 29191217 PMCID: PMC5709917 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-017-0371-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working toward a general framework to understand the role of microbiota in animal biology requires the characterisation of animal-associated microbial communities and identification of the evolutionary and ecological factors shaping their variation. In this study, we described the microbiota in the cloaca, brood patch skin and feathers of two species of birds and the microbial communities in their nest environment. We compared patterns of resemblance between these microbial communities at different levels of biological organisation (species, individual, body part) and investigated the phylogenetic structure to deduce potential microbial community assembly processes. RESULTS Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon data of woodlarks (Lullula arborea) and skylarks (Alauda arvensis), we demonstrated that bird- and nest-associated microbiota showed substantial OTU co-occurrences and shared dominant taxonomic groups, despite variation in OTU richness, diversity and composition. Comparing host species, we uncovered that sympatric woodlarks and skylarks harboured similar microbiota, dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Acidobacteria. Yet, compared with the nest microbiota that showed little variation, each species' bird-associated microbiota displayed substantial variation. The latter could be partly (~ 20%) explained by significant inter-individual differences. The various communities of the bird's body (cloaca, brood patch skin and feathers) appeared connected with each other and with the nest microbiota (nest lining material and surface soil). Communities were more similar when the contact between niches was frequent or intense. Finally, bird microbiota showed significant phylogenetic clustering at the tips, but not at deeper branches of the phylogeny. CONCLUSIONS Our interspecific comparison suggested that the environment is more important than phylogeny in shaping the bird-associated microbiotas. In addition, variation among individuals and among body parts suggested that intrinsic or behavioural differences among females and spatial heterogeneity among territories contributed to the microbiome variation of larks. Modest but significant phylogenetic clustering of cloacal, skin and feather microbiotas suggested weak habitat filtering in these niches. We propose that lark microbiota may be primarily, but not exclusively, shaped by horizontal acquisition from the regional bacterial pool at the breeding site. More generally, we hypothesise that the extent of ecological niche-sharing by avian (or other vertebrate) hosts may predict the convergence of their microbiota.
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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 Falcao 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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30
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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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31
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Whittaker DJ, Rosvall KA, Slowinski SP, Soini HA, Novotny MV, Ketterson ED. Songbird chemical signals reflect uropygial gland androgen sensitivity and predict aggression: implications for the role of the periphery in chemosignaling. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 204:5-15. [PMID: 29063285 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1221-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Chemical signals can provide useful information to potential mates and rivals. The production mechanisms of these signals are poorly understood in birds, despite emerging evidence that volatile compounds from preen oil may serve as chemosignals. Steroid hormones, including testosterone (T), may influence the production of these signals, yet variation in circulating T only partly accounts for this variation. We hypothesized that odor is a T-mediated signal of an individual's phenotype, regulated in part by androgen sensitivity in the uropygial gland. We quantified natural variation in chemosignals, T, uropygial gland androgen sensitivity, and aggressive behavior in dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis). The interaction between circulating T and androgen receptor transcript abundance significantly correlated with volatile concentrations in male, but not female, preen oil. In both sexes, odorant variables correlated with aggressive response to an intruder. Our results suggest that preen oil volatiles could function as signals of aggressive intent, and, at least in males, may be regulated by local androgen receptor signaling in the uropygial gland. Because these behavioral and chemical traits have been linked with reproductive success, local regulation of androgen sensitivity in the periphery has the potential to be a target of selection in the evolution of avian olfactory signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle J Whittaker
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Rd. Room 1441, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | - Kimberly A Rosvall
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Samuel P Slowinski
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Helena A Soini
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Pheromone Research, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Milos V Novotny
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Pheromone Research, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Ellen D Ketterson
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
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