Clerissi C, Huot C, Portet A, Gourbal B, Toulza E. Covariation between microeukaryotes and bacteria associated with Planorbidae snails.
PeerJ 2023;
11:e16639. [PMID:
38144201 PMCID:
PMC10740603 DOI:
10.7717/peerj.16639]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background
Microbial communities associated with macroorganisms might affect host physiology and homeostasis. Bacteria are well studied in this context, but the diversity of microeukaryotes, as well as covariations with bacterial communities, remains almost unknown.
Methods
To study microeukaryotic communities associated with Planorbidae snails, we developed a blocking primer to reduce amplification of host DNA during metabarcoding analyses. Analyses of alpha and beta diversities were computed to describe microeukaryotes and bacteria using metabarcoding of 18S and 16S rRNA genes, respectively.
Results
Only three phyla (Amoebozoa, Opisthokonta and Alveolata) were dominant for microeukaryotes. Bacteria were more diverse with five dominant phyla (Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes, Planctomycetes and Actinobacteria). The composition of microeukaryotes and bacteria were correlated for the Biomphalaria glabrata species, but not for Planorbarius metidjensis. Network analysis highlighted clusters of covarying taxa. Among them, several links might reflect top-down control of bacterial populations by microeukaryotes, but also possible competition between microeukaryotes having opposite distributions (Lobosa and Ichthyosporea). The role of these taxa remains unknown, but we believe that the blocking primer developed herein offers new possibilities to study the hidden diversity of microeukaryotes within snail microbiota, and to shed light on their underestimated interactions with bacteria and hosts.
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