Gut of Red-backed Salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) May Serve as a Reservoir for an Antifungal Cutaneous Bacterium

Wiggins, Patrick J.; Smith, Jacob; Harris, Reid N.; Minbiole, Kevin P. C.

doi:10.1670/10-231.1

Cited by 23 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…In humans, bacteria are found in deep epidermal layers, not only on the skin external layer ( Nakatsuji et al, 2013 ), thus providing a reservoir for re-inoculating the skin after disturbance. This has not yet been demonstrated for amphibians; however, the salamander gut has been shown to be a reservoir for the anti-fungal cutaneous bacterium J. lividum ( Wiggins et al, 2011 ) and bacteria residing in gland openings may also serve as a reservoir ( Lauer et al, 2007 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using “Omics” and Integrated Multi-Omics Approaches to Guide Probiotic Selection to Mitigate Chytridiomycosis and Other Emerging Infectious Diseases

et al. 2016

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Emerging infectious diseases in wildlife are responsible for massive population declines. In amphibians, chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd, has severely affected many amphibian populations and species around the world. One promising management strategy is probiotic bioaugmentation of antifungal bacteria on amphibian skin. In vivo experimental trials using bioaugmentation strategies have had mixed results, and therefore a more informed strategy is needed to select successful probiotic candidates. Metagenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic methods, colloquially called “omics,” are approaches that can better inform probiotic selection and optimize selection protocols. The integration of multiple omic data using bioinformatic and statistical tools and in silico models that link bacterial community structure with bacterial defensive function can allow the identification of species involved in pathogen inhibition. We recommend using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and methods such as indicator species analysis, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov Measure, and co-occurrence networks to identify bacteria that are associated with pathogen resistance in field surveys and experimental trials. In addition to 16S amplicon sequencing, we recommend approaches that give insight into symbiont function such as shotgun metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, or metabolomics to maximize the probability of finding effective probiotic candidates, which can then be isolated in culture and tested in persistence and clinical trials. An effective mitigation strategy to ameliorate chytridiomycosis and other emerging infectious diseases is necessary; the advancement of omic methods and the integration of multiple omic data provide a promising avenue toward conservation of imperiled species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using “Omics” and Integrated Multi-Omics Approaches to Guide Probiotic Selection to Mitigate Chytridiomycosis and Other Emerging Infectious Diseases

et al. 2016

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“…Additionally, this genus has been successfully used as a probiotic to protect other susceptible species from chytridiomycosis (Harris et al, 2009;Kueneman et al, 2016). Because of its typically high abundance and ability to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract, it has been suggested that the gut harbors important reservoirs of Janthinobacterium, allowing colonization of the skin upon exit from the cloaca (Wiggins et al, 2011). Our results suggest this reservoir may become depleted under warming conditions, potentially hindering the ability of salamanders to resist cutaneous pathogens.…”

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confidence: 88%

Environmental temperature alters the digestive performance and gut microbiota of a terrestrial amphibian

Fontaine

Novarro

Kohl

2018

Journal of Experimental Biology

121

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Environmental temperature and gut microbial communities can both have profound impacts on the digestive performance of ectothermic vertebrates. Additionally, the diversity, composition and function of gut microbial communities themselves are influenced by temperature. It is typically assumed that the temperature-dependent nature of ectotherm digestive performance is due to factors such as host physiological changes and adaptation to local climatic conditions. However, it is also possible that temperature-induced alterations to gut microbiota may influence the relationship between temperature and digestion. To explore the connections between these three factors, we compared digestive performance and gut microbial community diversity and composition in red-backed salamanders housed at three experimental temperatures: 10, 15 and 20°C. We also investigated associations between specific bacterial taxa and temperature or salamander digestive performance. We found that salamander digestive performance was greatest at 15°C, while gut microbial diversity was reduced at 20°C. Further, gut microbial community composition differed among the three temperature treatments. The relative abundance of 25 bacterial genera was dependent on temperature, with high temperatures being associated with reductions in the relative abundance of disease-resistant bacteria and increases in pathogenic taxa. The relative abundance of four bacterial genera was correlated with salamander energy assimilation, two of which are known to digest chitin, a main component of the red-backed salamander diet. These findings suggest that gut microbiota may mediate the relationship between temperature and digestion in ectotherms. We discuss how global climate change may impact ectotherms by altering host-microbe interactions.

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“…While Janthinobacterium as well as Duganella appear to be non-pathogenic to humans, animals, and plants, they are well-known for their antifungal effects. For example, J. livium suppresses fungal growth on human and amphibian skin or J. agaricidamnsoum causes the soft rot disease on the mushroom Agaricus bisporus (Becker et al, 2009; Harris et al, 2009; Wiggins et al, 2011; Graupner et al, 2015; Ramsey et al, 2015). The antifungal activities within this Oxalobacteraceae family are most likely induced through a regulatory network in response to chitin or degradation products (Cretoiu et al, 2013; Kielak et al, 2013) and the involvement of the secondary metabolite violacein is hypothesized (Brucker et al, 2008; Ramsey et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Keys to the Janthinobacterium and Duganella spp. Interaction with the Plant Pathogen Fusarium graminearum

et al. 2016

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Janthinobacterium and Duganella are well-known for their antifungal effects. Surprisingly, almost nothing is known on molecular aspects involved in the close bacterium-fungus interaction. To better understand this interaction, we established the genomes of 11 Janthinobacterium and Duganella isolates in combination with phylogenetic and functional analyses of all publicly available genomes. Thereby, we identified a core and pan genome of 1058 and 23,628 genes. All strains encoded secondary metabolite gene clusters and chitinases, both possibly involved in fungal growth suppression. All but one strain carried a single gene cluster involved in the biosynthesis of alpha-hydroxyketone-like autoinducer molecules, designated JAI-1. Genome-wide RNA-seq studies employing the background of two isolates and the corresponding JAI-1 deficient strains identified a set of 45 QS-regulated genes in both isolates. Most regulated genes are characterized by a conserved sequence motif within the promoter region. Among the most strongly regulated genes were secondary metabolite and type VI secretion system gene clusters. Most intriguing, co-incubation studies of J. sp. HH102 or its corresponding JAI-1 synthase deletion mutant with the plant pathogen Fusarium graminearum provided first evidence of a QS-dependent interaction with this pathogen.

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Gut of Red-backed Salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) May Serve as a Reservoir for an Antifungal Cutaneous Bacterium

Cited by 23 publications

References 24 publications

Using “Omics” and Integrated Multi-Omics Approaches to Guide Probiotic Selection to Mitigate Chytridiomycosis and Other Emerging Infectious Diseases

Using “Omics” and Integrated Multi-Omics Approaches to Guide Probiotic Selection to Mitigate Chytridiomycosis and Other Emerging Infectious Diseases

Environmental temperature alters the digestive performance and gut microbiota of a terrestrial amphibian

Molecular Keys to the Janthinobacterium and Duganella spp. Interaction with the Plant Pathogen Fusarium graminearum

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