Comparison of biochemical and molecular methods for the identification of bacterial isolates associated with failed loggerhead sea turtle eggs

Awong-Taylor, J.; Craven, Kathryn S.; Griffiths, L. A.; Bass, Catherine; Muscarella, Mario E.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2672.2007.03650.x

Cited by 32 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…There was no diVerence in embryonic stages at which embryos died in the diVerent density plots. Although microbes have been identiWed from dead sea turtle eggs (Wyneken et al 1988;Acuna et al 1999;Awong-Taylor et al 2007), there was probably limited microbial activity in our experimental plots because there were no broken eggs and we cleaned organic matter from the experimental plots before placing clutches there. Therefore, it is unlikely that there was a direct microbial impact on hatchability in our experiment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Density-dependent effects on hatching success of the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea

2008

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Historically, the olive ridley arribada at Playa Nancite, Costa Rica, was one of the largest olive ridley arribadas in the eastern Pacific with 70,000 nesting females in a year. Recently the Nancite arribada drastically declined. We hypothesized that the population decline at Playa Nancite could have been due to low hatching success as a result of the high density of nests on the beach, such that recruitment to the population was insufficient to balance losses. To test this hypothesis, we examined density-dependent effects on hatching success and their underlying mechanisms by experimentally manipulating nest densities in experimental plots on the nesting beach. We set up four nest-density treatments in five experimental blocks. We measured effects of density on hatching success, CO(2) and O(2) concentrations and temperature both within nests and in sand adjacent to nests frequently during incubation. Experimental nest densities affected hatching success with the highest density having the lowest hatching success. Higher nest density led to lower O(2) levels and higher CO(2) levels in the nest with greater changes in the latter part of the incubation. Highest temperatures occurred in high-density areas. Temperatures were lower in sand surrounding the nest than in the nest. Effects of density on temperature, CO(2) and O(2) were confirmed at a naturally high-density nesting beach, Playa La Flor, Nicaragua. Long-term failure in production of hatchlings due to historic high densities may have contributed to the decline of arribadas on Playa Nancite. Thus, density-dependent population control would have operated at the embryonic life stage in this population of olive ridley turtles.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Density-dependent effects on hatching success of the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea

2008

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“…The loggerhead turtle is included in the Red List of the world conservation union, and the microbial contamination of the turtle eggs is suspected to play a role in embryonic death and a low loggerhead hatch success rate in Georgia, USA. Indeed, among other Gram-negative isolates from unhatched eggs of the turtle on Jekyll Island, Georgia, P. penneri and P. vulgaris strains were identified [10]. …”

Section: Proteus Spp In Animals—adverse and Friendlymentioning

confidence: 99%

Significance and Roles of Proteus spp. Bacteria in Natural Environments

2016

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Proteus spp. bacteria were first described in 1885 by Gustav Hauser, who had revealed their feature of intensive swarming growth. Currently, the genus is divided into Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus penneri, Proteus hauseri, and three unnamed genomospecies 4, 5, and 6 and consists of 80 O-antigenic serogroups. The bacteria are known to be human opportunistic pathogens, isolated from urine, wounds, and other clinical sources. It is postulated that intestines are a reservoir of these proteolytic organisms. Many wild and domestic animals may be hosts of Proteus spp. bacteria, which are commonly known to play a role of parasites or commensals. However, interesting examples of their symbiotic relationships with higher organisms have also been described. Proteus spp. bacteria present in soil or water habitats are often regarded as indicators of fecal pollution, posing a threat of poisoning when the contaminated water or seafood is consumed. The health risk may also be connected with drug-resistant strains sourcing from intestines. Positive aspects of the bacteria presence in water and soil are connected with exceptional features displayed by autochthonic Proteus spp. strains detected in these environments. These rods acquire various metabolic abilities allowing their adaptation to different environmental conditions, such as high concentrations of heavy metals or toxic substances, which may be exploited as sources of energy and nutrition by the bacteria. The Proteus spp. abilities to tolerate or utilize polluting compounds as well as promote plant growth provide a possibility of employing these microorganisms in bioremediation and environmental protection.

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“…The establishment of the etiology of low egg viability may ultimately lead to a treatment modality to increase the hatching rate of this critically endangered species. Indeed, recent reports demonstrated that bacteria (Awong‐Jaylor et al ., 2008) and the fungus, Fusarium solani (Sarmiento‐Ramirez et al ., 2010), were responsible for/associated with failed loggerhead sea turtle eggs, making it clear that egg‐associated pathogens are an area of concern for leatherback turtles.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acinetobacter sp. HM746599 isolated from leatherback turtle blood

Soslau¹,

Russell²,

Spotila³

et al. 2011

FEMS Microbiology Letters

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A newly described bacterial isolate, Acinetobacter sp. HM746599, has been obtained from leatherback sea turtle hatchling blood. The implication is that the hatchling was infected during development in the egg, which is substantiated by other studies to be reported by us in the future. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the bacterium (GenBank accession number: HM746599) showed the greatest similarity to the identified species, Acinetobacter beijerinckii (97.6-99.78%) and Acinetobacter venetianus (99.78%). Acinetobacter sp. HM746599 are gram-negative, rod-shaped coccobacilli and are hemolytic/cytotoxic to human and sea turtle red blood cells (RBCs). Hemolysis is not the result of any detectable soluble toxin. Acinetobacter beijerinckii and A. venetianus hemolyze sheep RBCs while Acinetobacter sp. HM746599 does not, and unlike A. venetianus, the growth of Acinetobacter sp. HM746599 and A. beijerinckii is not supported by l-arginine. Many Acinetobacter species, especially hemolytic ones, are pathogenic to immunologically compromised humans and it is possible that, in addition to sea turtles, this bacterium might also be a danger to susceptible humans who handle infected hatchlings. The bacteria are available from CCUG (Culture Collection, University Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden) and from NRRL (Agricultural Research Service Culture Collection, Peoria, IL).

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Comparison of biochemical and molecular methods for the identification of bacterial isolates associated with failed loggerhead sea turtle eggs

Cited by 32 publications

References 15 publications

Density-dependent effects on hatching success of the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea

Density-dependent effects on hatching success of the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea

Significance and Roles of Proteus spp. Bacteria in Natural Environments

Acinetobacter sp. HM746599 isolated from leatherback turtle blood

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