A survey of the sperm whale (<i>Physeter catodon</i>) commensal microbiome

Li, Chang; Tan, Xiaoxuan; Bai, Jie; Xu, Qiwu; Liu, Shanshan; Guo, Wenjie; Ye, Cong; Fan, Guangyi; Lu, Yue; Zhang, He; Yang, Huanming; Chen, Jian Wei; Liu, Xin

doi:10.7717/peerj.7257

Cited by 17 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 60 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A clear host specific pattern is visible between the two different species. In both cases Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla, and this finding agrees with previous studies 13 , 21 , 22 . Sperm whales were characterized by a higher number of sequences related to Synergistetes and Spirochaetae, as well as Verrucomicrobia and Actinobacteria, if compared with fin whales.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

Wild whale faecal samples as a proxy of anthropogenic impact

Marangi

Airoldi

Beneduce

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The occurrence of protozoan parasite, bacterial communities, organic pollutants and heavy metals was investigated in free-ranging species of fin (Balaenoptera physalus, n. 2) and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus, n. 2) whales from the Pelagos Sanctuary, Corsican-Ligurian Provencal Basin (Northern-Western Mediterranean Sea). Out of four faecal samples investigated, two from fin whales and one from sperm whale were found positive to Blastocystis sp. A higher number of sequences related to Synergistetes and Spirochaetae were found in sperm whales if compared with fin whales. Moreover, As, Co and Hg were found exclusively in sperm whale faecal samples, while Pb was found only in fin whale faecal samples. The concentration of both PAH and PCB was always below the limit of detection. This is the first report in which the presence of these opportunistic pathogens, bacteria and chemical pollutants have been investigated in faecal samples of free-ranging whale species and the first record of Blastocystis in fin and sperm whales. Thus, this study may provide baseline data on new anthropozoonotic parasite, bacterial records and heavy metals in free-ranging fin and sperm whales, probably as a result of an increasing anthropogenic activity. This survey calls for more integrated research to perform regular monitoring programs supported by national and/or international authorities responsible for preservation of these still vulnerable and threatened whale species in the Mediterranean Sea.

show abstract

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

Wild whale faecal samples as a proxy of anthropogenic impact

Marangi

Airoldi

Beneduce

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Nevertheless, at the genus level, only Psychrobacter was detected as a dominant bacterial lineage both in the gut and the skin microbial communities of fur seals, and Chryseobacterium and Jeotgalibaca , which were dominant in the skin microbial communities, were either not detected ( Chryseobacterium ) in the gut microbial dataset or identified as a single ASV ( Jeotgalibaca ) within in the gut of AX (0.003–0.05%, relative abundance, Pacific white-sided dolphin), and Kun, Flaca (0.003–0.02%, relative abundance, Cape fur seals). The Fusobacterium , as an animal-associated genus affiliated with the Fusobacteriaceae , are widely found in the gut of humans and other animals ( Brennan and Garrett, 2019 ) including rats ( Zhang et al, 2020 ), macaques ( Nugeyre et al, 2019 ), pigs ( Wylensek et al, 2020 ), penguins ( Tian et al, 2021 ), striped dolphin ( Godoy-Vitorino et al, 2017 ), and whales ( Li et al, 2019 ), and some birds and fishes ( Michl et al, 2017 ; Rasheeda et al, 2017 ; Chen et al, 2018 ; Michel et al, 2018 ). These organisms may play a symbiotic or pathogenic role ( Brennan and Garrett, 2019 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Study of the Gut Microbiota Among Four Different Marine Mammals in an Aquarium

Bai

Zhang

Zhang³

et al. 2021

Front. Microbiol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite an increasing appreciation in the importance of host–microbe interactions in ecological and evolutionary processes, information on the gut microbial communities of some marine mammals is still lacking. Moreover, whether diet, environment, or host phylogeny has the greatest impact on microbial community structure is still unknown. To fill part of this knowledge gap, we exploited a natural experiment provided by an aquarium with belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) affiliated with family Monodontidae, Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) and common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) affiliated with family Delphinidae, and Cape fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) affiliated with family Otariidae. Results show significant differences in microbial community composition of whales, dolphins, and fur seals and indicate that host phylogeny (family level) plays the most important role in shaping the microbial communities, rather than food and environment. In general, the gut microbial communities of dolphins had significantly lower diversity compared to that of whales and fur seals. Overall, the gut microbial communities were mainly composed of Firmicutes and Gammaproteobacteria, together with some from Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and Epsilonbacteraeota. However, specific bacterial lineages were differentially distributed among the marine mammal groups. For instance, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Peptostreptococcaceae were the dominant bacterial lineages in the gut of belugas, while for Cape fur seals, Moraxellaceae and Bacteroidaceae were the main bacterial lineages. Moreover, gut microbial communities in both Pacific white-sided dolphins and common bottlenose dolphins were dominated by a number of pathogenic bacteria, including Clostridium perfringens, Vibrio fluvialis, and Morganella morganii, reflecting the poor health condition of these animals. Although there is a growing recognition of the role microorganisms play in the gut of marine mammals, current knowledge about these microbial communities is still severely lacking. Large-scale research studies should be undertaken to reveal the roles played by the gut microbiota of different marine mammal species.

show abstract

“…Studies of the faecal microbiomes of humans and mice and several other terrestrial mammals showed a relative abundance of 60–80% Bacteroidetes and 20–40% Firmicutes [ 12 ]. Dominant roles for these two phyla were found in faecal microbiomes of different baleen whale species [ 14 ], two live blue whales [ 18 ], stranded pygmy and dwarf sperm whales [ 16 ], one sperm whale [ 47 ] and southern right whale calves [ 17 ]. The faecal samples of the two blue whales analysed by Guass et al [ 18 ] were dominated by Firmicutes (relative abundance >98%); in the study of Sanders et al [ 14 ] some faecal microbiomes were also dominated by Firmicutes while others showed a higher abundance of Bacteroidetes followed by Firmicutes .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Preliminary Comparison on Faecal Microbiomes of Free-Ranging Large Baleen (Balaenoptera musculus, B. physalus, B. borealis) and Toothed (Physeter macrocephalus) Whales

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Large baleen and toothed whales play crucial ecological roles in oceans; nonetheless, very little is known about their intestinal microbiomes. Based on striking differences in natural history and thus in feeding behaviours, it can be expected that intestinal microbiomes of large baleen whales and toothed whales are different. To test this hypothesis, the phylogenetic composition of faecal microbiomes was investigated by a 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence–based approach for Bacteria and Archaea. Faecal samples from free-ranging large whales collected off the Azores Archipelago (Portugal) were used, comprising 13 individual baleen whales (one sei, two blue and ten fin whales) and four sperm whales. The phylogenetic composition of the Bacteria faecal microbiomes of baleen and toothed whales showed no significant differences at the phylum level. However, significant differences were detected at the family and genus levels. Most abundant phyla were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Tenericutes and Spirochaeta. Few highly abundant bacterial genera were identified as key taxa with a high contribution to differences among baleen and toothed whales microbiomes. Only few archaeal sequences were detected, primarily Methanomassiliicoccales representing potential methanogenic Archaea. This is the first study that directly compares the faecal bacterial and archaeal microbiomes of free-ranging baleen and toothed whales which represent the two parvorders of Cetacea which members are fully aquatic large mammals which were evolutionary split millions of years ago.

show abstract

A survey of the sperm whale (Physeter catodon) commensal microbiome

Cited by 17 publications

References 60 publications

Wild whale faecal samples as a proxy of anthropogenic impact

Wild whale faecal samples as a proxy of anthropogenic impact

Comparative Study of the Gut Microbiota Among Four Different Marine Mammals in an Aquarium

A Preliminary Comparison on Faecal Microbiomes of Free-Ranging Large Baleen (Balaenoptera musculus, B. physalus, B. borealis) and Toothed (Physeter macrocephalus) Whales

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About