Dataset Information

Interspecific variations in the gastrointestinal microbiota in penguins.

ABSTRACT: Despite the enormous amount of data available on the importance of the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota in vertebrate (especially mammals), information on the GI microbiota of seabirds remains incomplete. As with many seabirds, penguins have a unique digestive physiology that enables them to store large reserves of adipose tissue, protein, and lipids. This study used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing to characterize the interspecific variations of the GI microbiota of four penguin species: the king, gentoo, macaroni, and little penguin. The qPCR results indicated that there were significant differences in the abundance of the major phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroides, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. A total of 132,340, 18,336, 6324, and 4826 near full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences were amplified from fecal samples collected from king, gentoo, macaroni, and little penguins, respectively. A total of 13 phyla were identified with Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Fusobacteria dominating the composition; however, there were major differences in the relative abundance of the phyla. In addition, this study documented the presence of known human pathogens, such as Campylobacter, Helicobacter, Prevotella, Veillonella, Erysipelotrichaceae, Neisseria, and Mycoplasma. However, their role in disease in penguins remains unknown. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide an in-depth investigation of the GI microbiota of penguins.

SUBMITTER: Dewar ML

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3584224 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Interspecific variations in the gastrointestinal microbiota in penguins.

Dewar Meagan L ML Arnould John P Y JP Dann Peter P Trathan Phil P Groscolas Rene R Smith Stuart S

MicrobiologyOpen 20130125 1

Despite the enormous amount of data available on the importance of the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota in vertebrate (especially mammals), information on the GI microbiota of seabirds remains incomplete. As with many seabirds, penguins have a unique digestive physiology that enables them to store large reserves of adipose tissue, protein, and lipids. This study used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing to characterize the interspecific variati ...[more]

PMID: 23349094

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Project description:The chicken gastrointestinal tract (GIT) harbours a complex microbial community, involved in several physiological processes such as host immunomodulation and feed digestion. Other studies were already performed to define the chicken gut metagenome and its fecal metaproteome. For the first time, the present study analysed dietary effects on the protein inventory of the microbiota in crop and ceca of broilers. We performed quantitative label-free metaproteomics by using 1D-gel electrophoresis coupled with LC-MS/MS to identify the structural and functional changes triggered by diets supplied with varying amount of mineral phosphorus (P) and microbial phytase (MP). Phylogenetic assessment based on label-free quantification (LFQ) values of the proteins identified Lactobacillaceae as the major family in the crop section regardless of the diet, whereas proteins belonging to the family Veillonellaceae increased with the P supplementation. Within the ceca section, proteins of Bacteroidaceae were more abundant in the P-supplied diets, whereas proteins of Eubacteriaceae decreased with the P-addition. Proteins of the Ruminococcaceae increasedraised with the amount of MP while proteins of Lactobacillaceae werewas more abundant in the MP-lacking diets. Classification of the identified proteins into COGs and KEGG pathways underlined a diverse microbiota activity depending on the dietary regimen, indicating a thriving microbial community in the case of P and MP supplementation, and stressed microbial community when no P and MP were supplied. Insights oninto the identified KEGG pathways, as well as comparison between the GIT sections, dietary treatments, and the bacterial families encoding for the pathways of interest are provided. T) harbours a complex microbial community, involved in several physiological processes such as host immunomodulation and feed digestion. Other studies were already performed to define the chicken gut metagenome and its fecal metaproteome. For the first time, the present study analysed dietary effects on the protein inventory of the microbiota in crop and ceca of broilers. We performed quantitative label-free metaproteomics by using 1D-gel electrophoresis coupled with LC-MS/MS to identify the structural and functional changes triggered by diets supplied with varying amount of mineral phosphorus (P) and microbial phytase (MP). Phylogenetic assessment based on label-free quantification (LFQ) values of the proteins identified Lactobacillaceae as the major family in the crop section regardless of the diet, whereas proteins belonging to the family Veillonellaceae increased with the P supplementation. Within the ceca section, proteins of Bacteroidaceae were more abundant in the P-supplied diets, whereas proteins of Eubacteriaceae decreased with the P-addition. Proteins of the Ruminococcaceae increasedraised with the amount of MP while proteins of Lactobacillaceae werewas more abundant in the MP-lacking diets. Classification of the identified proteins into COGs and KEGG pathways underlined a diverse microbiota activity depending on the dietary regimen, indicating a thriving microbial community in the case of P and MP supplementation, and stressed microbial community when no P and MP were supplied. Insights oninto the identified KEGG pathways, as well as comparison between the GIT sections, dietary treatments, and the bacterial families encoding for the pathways of interest are provided.

Dataset Information

Interspecific variations in the gastrointestinal microbiota in penguins.

Publications

Interspecific variations in the gastrointestinal microbiota in penguins.

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