Detection of treponemes in digital dermatitis lesions of captive European bison (Bison bonasus)

A newly-discovered foot disease of unknown origin in captive European Bison (Bison bonasus) was recently detected at Berne Animal Park. Dermatitis of the interdigital cleft of varying degrees of severity was diagnosed in all animals (n = 10). The aim of this study was to describe the gross and histological lesions of the interdigital cleft found in 10 captive European bison and to identify involved potential pathogens in affected feet using molecular-based methods for Treponema spp., Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum. Lesions were scored according to the degree of gross pathology at limb level. In a single animal, the gross lesions were restricted to focal lesions on the dorsal aspect of the digital skin of each foot (score 1), whereas all other animals showed at least one foot with extended lesions including the interdigital cleft (score 2). The presence of viable spirochaetes was observed in all animals using dark field microscopy. Applying fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) on biopsies, Treponema spp. were identified, infiltrating the skin lesions in varying numbers in nine animals. Nested PCRs for Treponema medium, Treponema phagedenis and Treponema pedis of swab samples showed three positive animals out of ten for the latter two, whereas pooled biopsy samples were positive in all ten animals for at least T. phagedenis (9/10) and/or T. pedis (7/10), while all samples were negative for T. medium. However, none of these Treponema species could be isolated and sequence analysis of the amplified products showed 100% match of 365 base pairs (bp) to Treponema phylotype PT3 and almost full match (530 of 532 bp, 99.6%) to Treponema phylotype PT13. The presence of T. phagedenis, PT3 and PT13 phylotypes was confirmed by FISH analyses. The phylotypes of T. phagedenis were present in all hybridized positive biopsies of Treponema spp., and PT13 and PT3 were less abundant. Neither D. nodosus nor F. necrophorum were detected. The histological Treponema score was mostly mild. Digital dermatitis in captive European Bison is contagious and differs from bovine digital dermatitis, concerning associated pathogens as well as gross appearance.

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The dysbiosis of ovine foot microbiome during the development and treatment of contagious ovine digital dermatitis

Animal Microbiome ◽

10.1186/s42523-021-00078-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

J. S. Duncan ◽

J. W. Angell ◽

P. Richards ◽

L. Lenzi ◽

G. J. Staton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antibiotic Treatment ◽

Amplicon Sequencing ◽

Strong Tendency ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Digital Dermatitis ◽

Healthy State ◽

Foot Disease ◽

End Stage ◽

And Control ◽

Interdigital Dermatitis

Abstract Background Contagious Ovine Digital Dermatitis (CODD) is an emerging and common infectious foot disease of sheep which causes severe welfare and economic problems for the sheep industry. The aetiology of the disease is not fully understood and control of the disease is problematic. The aim of this study was to investigate the polybacterial aetiopathogenesis of CODD and the effects of antibiotic treatment, in a longitudinal study of an experimentally induced disease outbreak using a 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing approach. Results CODD was induced in 15/30 experimental sheep. During the development of CODD three distinct phenotypic lesion stages were observed. These were an initial interdigital dermatitis (ID) lesion, followed by a footrot (FR) lesion, then finally a CODD lesion. Distinct microbiota were observed for each lesion in terms of microbial diversity, clustering and composition. Porphyromonadaceae, Family XI, Veillonellaceae and Fusobacteriaceae were significantly associated with the diseased feet. Veillonellaceae and Fusobacteriaceae were most associated with the earlier stages of ID and footrot rather than CODD. Following antibiotic treatment of the sheep, the foot microbiota showed a strong tendency to return to the composition of the healthy state. The microbiota composition of CODD lesions collected by swab and biopsy methods were different. In particular, the Spirochaetaceae family were more abundant in samples collected by the biopsy method, suggesting that these bacteria are present in deeper tissues of the diseased foot. Conclusion In this study, CODD presented as part of a spectrum of poly-bacterial foot disease strongly associated with bacterial families Porphyromonadaceae, Family XI (a family in Clostridiales also known as Clostridium cluster XI), Veillonellaceae and Fusobacteriaceae which are predominately Gram-negative anaerobes. Following antibiotic treatment, the microbiome showed a strong tendency to return to the composition of the healthy state. The composition of the healthy foot microbiome does not influence susceptibility to CODD. Based on the data presented here and that CODD appears to be the severest end stage of sheep infectious foot disease lesions, better control of the initial ID and FR lesions would enable better control of CODD and enable better animal welfare.

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Rapid Multi-Hybridisation FISH Screening for Balanced Porcine Reciprocal Translocations Suggests a Much Higher Abnormality Rate Than Previously Appreciated

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells10020250 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 250

Author(s):

Rebecca E O’Connor ◽

Lucas G Kiazim ◽

Claudia C Rathje ◽

Rebecca L Jennings ◽

Darren K Griffin

Keyword(s):

Semen Analysis ◽

In Situ Hybridisation ◽

Economic Loss ◽

Environmental Damage ◽

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation ◽

Reciprocal Translocations ◽

Chromosome Translocations ◽

Farrowing Rate ◽

Significant Economic Loss

With demand rising, pigs are the world’s leading source of meat protein; however significant economic loss and environmental damage can be incurred if boars used for artificial insemination (AI) are hypoprolific (sub-fertile). Growing evidence suggests that semen analysis is an unreliable tool for diagnosing hypoprolificacy, with litter size and farrowing rate being more applicable. Once such data are available, however, any affected boar will have been in service for some time, with significant financial and environmental losses incurred. Reciprocal translocations (RTs) are the leading cause of porcine hypoprolificacy, reportedly present in 0.47% of AI boars. Traditional standard karyotyping, however, relies on animal specific expertise and does not detect more subtle (cryptic) translocations. Previously, we reported development of a multiple hybridisation fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) strategy; here, we report on its use in 1641 AI boars. A total of 15 different RTs were identified in 69 boars, with four further animals XX/XY chimeric. Therefore, 4.5% had a chromosome abnormality (4.2% with an RT), a 0.88% incidence. Revisiting cases with both karyotype and FISH information, we reanalysed captured images, asking whether the translocation was detectable by karyotyping alone. The results suggest that chromosome translocations in boars may be significantly under-reported, thereby highlighting the need for pre-emptive screening by this method before a boar enters a breeding programme.

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Connecting structure to function with the recovery of over 1000 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes from activated sludge using long-read sequencing

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-22203-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Caitlin M. Singleton ◽

Francesca Petriglieri ◽

Jannie M. Kristensen ◽

Rasmus H. Kirkegaard ◽

Thomas Y. Michaelsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

16S Rrna ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

In Situ Hybridisation ◽

Amplicon Sequencing ◽

Rrna Genes ◽

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation ◽

Sequencing Data ◽

High Quality ◽

16S Rrna Amplicon Sequencing ◽

Long Read

AbstractMicroorganisms play crucial roles in water recycling, pollution removal and resource recovery in the wastewater industry. The structure of these microbial communities is increasingly understood based on 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data. However, such data cannot be linked to functional potential in the absence of high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) for nearly all species. Here, we use long-read and short-read sequencing to recover 1083 high-quality MAGs, including 57 closed circular genomes, from 23 Danish full-scale wastewater treatment plants. The MAGs account for ~30% of the community based on relative abundance, and meet the stringent MIMAG high-quality draft requirements including full-length rRNA genes. We use the information provided by these MAGs in combination with >13 years of 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data, as well as Raman microspectroscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridisation, to uncover abundant undescribed lineages belonging to important functional groups.

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Essential differences in the mineral status of free-ranging European bison Bison bonasus populations in Poland: The effect of the anthroposphere and lithosphere

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143926 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 757 ◽

pp. 143926

Author(s):

Daniel Klich ◽

Ignacy Kitowski ◽

Rafał Łopucki ◽

Dariusz Wiącek ◽

Wanda Olech

Keyword(s):

Bison Bison ◽

European Bison ◽

Bison Bonasus ◽

Mineral Status ◽

Free Ranging

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Stress hormone level and the welfare of captive European bison (Bison bonasus): the effects of visitor pressure and the social structure of herds

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica ◽

10.1186/s13028-021-00589-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 63 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Klich ◽

Rafał Łopucki ◽

Marta Gałązka ◽

Agnieszka Ścibior ◽

Dorota Gołębiowska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Structure ◽

Physiological Stress ◽

Active Role ◽

European Bison ◽

Bison Bonasus ◽

Fecal Cortisol ◽

In Captivity ◽

Parasitic Burden ◽

Cortisol Levels ◽

Study Sites

Abstract Background Captive European bison (Bison bonasus) play an active role in conservation measures for this species; this includes education, which may conflict with these animals’ welfare. The effect of the presence of visitors on the welfare of captive animals can be negative, positive or neutral. However, the response of a given species to visitors is difficult to predict, since even closely related species display varying levels of tolerance to captivity. The aim of the study was to compare immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels (regarded as an indicator of the level of physiological stress) in groups of captive European bison that differed in terms of their social structure and the level of visitor pressure. The second aim was to determine if there was a correlation between intestinal parasitic burden and immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels. Results Immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels were not influenced by sex or age. However, study site and the interaction between study site and visitor pressure were statistically significant. European bison in one enclosure presented higher levels of immunoreactive fecal cortisol on weekdays than at weekends. In the other two study sites, the levels did not differ between weekdays and weekends. No correlation was found between parasitological infestation and immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels. Conclusions Measurement of fecal cortisol metabolites could be a valuable method for further research into the welfare of European bison in captivity. More subtle factors such as individual animal characteristics, feeding systems, and the arrangement of enclosures can be of great importance in terms of the effect of visitors on animals. The results of this study can be used in guidelines for the management of European bison populations.

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Effects of the diploidisation process upon the 5S and 35S rDNA sequences in the allopolyploid species of the Dilatata group of Paspalum (Poaceae, Paniceae)

Australian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1071/bt18236 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 67 (7) ◽

pp. 521

Author(s):

Magdalena Vaio ◽

Cristina Mazzella ◽

Marcelo Guerra ◽

Pablo Speranza

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary Dynamics ◽

In Situ Hybridisation ◽

5S Rdna ◽

Its Region ◽

Variable Number ◽

Rrna Genes ◽

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation ◽

Rdna Sites ◽

35S Rdna ◽

Genome Restructuring

The Dilatata group of Paspalum includes species and biotypes native to temperate South America. Among them, five sexual allotetraploids (x = 10) share the same IIJJ genome formula: P. urvillei Steud, P. dasypleurum Kunze ex Desv., P. dilatatum subsp. flavescens Roseng., B.R. Arrill. & Izag., and two biotypes P. dilatatum Vacaria and P. dilatatum Virasoro. Previous studies suggested P. intermedium Munro ex Morong & Britton and P. juergensii Hack. or related species as their putative progenitors and donors of the I and J genome, respectively, and pointed to a narrow genetic base for their maternal origin. It has not yet been established whether the various members of the Dilatata group are the result of a single or of multiple allopolyploid formations. Here, we aimed to study the evolutionary dynamics of rRNA genes after allopolyploidisation in the Dilatata group of Paspalum and shed some light into the genome restructuring of the tetraploid taxa with the same genome formula. We used double target fluorescence in situ hybridisation of 35S and 5S rDNA probes and sequenced the nrDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. A variable number of loci at the chromosome ends were observed for the 35S rDNA, from 2 to 6, suggesting gain and loss of sites. For the 5S rDNA, only one centromeric pair of signals was observed, indicating a remarkable loss after polyploidisation. All ITS sequences generated were near identical to the one found for P. intermedium. Although sequences showed a directional homogeneisation towards the putative paternal progenitor in all tetraploid species, the observed differences in the number and loss of rDNA sites suggest independent ongoing diploidisation processes in all taxa and genome restructuring following polyploidy.

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