Dataset Information

Microbiome Analyses Demonstrate Specific Communities Within Five Shark Species.

ABSTRACT: Profiles of symbiotic microbial communities ("microbiomes") can provide insight into the natural history and ecology of their hosts. Using high throughput DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region, microbiomes of five shark species in South Florida (nurse, lemon, sandbar, Caribbean reef, and tiger) have been characterized for the first time. The microbiomes show species specific microbiome composition, distinct from surrounding seawater. Shark anatomical location (gills, teeth, skin, cloaca) affected the diversity of microbiomes. An in-depth analysis of teeth communities revealed species specific microbial communities. For example, the genus Haemophilus, explained 7.0% of the differences of the teeth microbiomes of lemon and Caribbean reef sharks. Lemon shark teeth communities (n = 11) contained a high abundance of both Vibrio (10.8 ± 26.0%) and Corynebacterium (1.6 ± 5.1%), genera that can include human pathogenic taxa. The Vibrio (2.8 ± 6.34%) and Kordia (3.1 ± 6.0%) genera and Salmonella enterica (2.6 ± 6.4%) were the most abundant members of nurse shark teeth microbial communities. The Vibrio genus was highly represented in the sandbar shark (54.0 ± 46.0%) and tiger shark (5.8 ± 12.3%) teeth microbiomes. The prevalence of genera containing potential human pathogens could be informative in shark bite treatment protocols and future research to confirm or deny human pathogenicity. We conclude that South Florida sharks host species specific microbiomes that are distinct from their surrounding environment and vary due to differences in microbial community composition among shark species and diversity and composition among anatomical locations. Additionally, when considering the confounding effects of both species and location, microbial community diversity and composition varies.

SUBMITTER: Storo R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7904884 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Microbiome Analyses Demonstrate Specific Communities Within Five Shark Species.

Storo Rachael R Easson Cole C Shivji Mahmood M Lopez Jose V JV

Frontiers in microbiology 20210211

Profiles of symbiotic microbial communities ("microbiomes") can provide insight into the natural history and ecology of their hosts. Using high throughput DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region, microbiomes of five shark species in South Florida (nurse, lemon, sandbar, Caribbean reef, and tiger) have been characterized for the first time. The microbiomes show species specific microbiome composition, distinct from surrounding seawater. Shark anatomical location (gills, teeth, skin, cloaca) affe ...[more]

PMID: 33643235

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Project description:BackgroundHost-associated microbes comprise an integral part of animal digestive systems and these interactions have a long evolutionary history. It has been hypothesized that the gastrointestinal microbiome of humans and other non-human primates may have played significant roles in host evolution by facilitating a range of dietary adaptations. We have undertaken a comparative sequencing survey of the gastrointestinal microbiomes of several non-human primate species, with the goal of better understanding how these microbiomes relate to the evolution of non-human primate diversity. Here we present a comparative analysis of gastrointestinal microbial communities from three different species of Old World wild monkeys.Methodology/principal findingsWe analyzed fecal samples from three different wild non-human primate species (black-and-white colobus [Colubus guereza], red colobus [Piliocolobus tephrosceles], and red-tailed guenon [Cercopithecus ascanius]). Three samples from each species were subjected to small subunit rRNA tag pyrosequencing. Firmicutes comprised the vast majority of the phyla in each sample. Other phyla represented were Bacterioidetes, Proteobacteria, Spirochaetes, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Lentisphaerae, Tenericutes, Planctomycetes, Fibrobacateres, and TM7. Bray-Curtis similarity analysis of these microbiomes indicated that microbial community composition within the same primate species are more similar to each other than to those of different primate species. Comparison of fecal microbiota from non-human primates with microbiota of human stool samples obtained in previous studies revealed that the gut microbiota of these primates are distinct and reflect host phylogeny.Conclusion/significanceOur analysis provides evidence that the fecal microbiomes of wild primates co-vary with their hosts, and that this is manifested in higher intraspecies similarity among wild primate species, perhaps reflecting species specificity of the microbiome in addition to dietary influences. These results contribute to the limited body of primate microbiome studies and provide a framework for comparative microbiome analysis between human and non-human primates as well as a comparative evolutionary understanding of the human microbiome.

Project description:Bacteria are known to have explicit roles within the microbiomes of host tissues, therefore examining these communities may prove useful in assessing host health and responses to environmental change. The present study contributes to the emerging, yet understudied, field of microbiome research in elasmobranchs. We provide a screening of the culturable bacteria communities found on multiple tissue sites on the body surface of blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus), bull (Carcharhinus leucas), and tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier) sharks near Miami, Florida. Tissue sites include mouth, gills, skin, and any visible wounds. The study adds to our understanding of the diversity of bacteria present on sharks in comparison to their natural environment. We also compare bacterial groups found within wounds in shark skin to healthy tissue sites on the same individual. Results indicate that wounds on an individual may allow for opportunistic bacteria to invade or overgrow where they would not normally be found, which may have potential health consequences for sharks that become wounded due to fishing practices. Identified bacteria belonged to the Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria phyla, known to be prominent bacterial groups associated with marine organisms. Results indicate shark species-specific differences in bacterial communities, including the presence of bacteria belonging to Planococcaceae exclusively on the skin of tiger sharks. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this family in any elasmobranch. While most tissue sites displayed commensal bacteria identified in similar studies, known pathogens belonging to Vibrionaceae and Staphylococcaceae were identified in the wounds of blacktip and bull sharks. Some bacteria may be normal residents, but the loss of protective dermal denticles due to a wound may allow colonization by pathogens. Continued research is needed to explore microbial communities associated with sharks and their influence on host health.

Dataset Information

Microbiome Analyses Demonstrate Specific Communities Within Five Shark Species.

Publications

Microbiome Analyses Demonstrate Specific Communities Within Five Shark Species.

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