scholarly journals Temporal Dynamics of Cloacal Microbiota in Adult Laying Chickens With and Without Access to an Outdoor Range

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janneke Schreuder ◽  
Francisca C. Velkers ◽  
Alex Bossers ◽  
Ruth J. Bouwstra ◽  
Willem F. de Boer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Intestinal Microbiota ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Poultry House ◽  
Over Time

Associations between animal health and performance, and the host’s microbiota have been recently established. In poultry, changes in the intestinal microbiota have been linked to housing conditions and host development, but how the intestinal microbiota respond to environmental changes under farm conditions is less well understood. To gain insight into the microbial responses following a change in the host’s immediate environment, we monitored four indoor flocks of adult laying chickens three times over 16 weeks, during which two flocks were given access to an outdoor range, and two were kept indoors. To assess changes in the chickens’ microbiota over time, we collected cloacal swabs of 10 hens per flock and performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The poultry house (i.e., the stable in which flocks were housed) and sampling time explained 9.2 and 4.4% of the variation in the microbial community composition of the flocks, respectively. Remarkably, access to an outdoor range had no detectable effect on microbial community composition, the variability of microbiota among chickens of the same flock, or microbiota richness, but the microbiota of outdoor flocks became more even over time. Fluctuations in the composition of the microbiota over time within each poultry house were mainly driven by turnover in rare, rather than dominant, taxa and were unique for each flock. We identified 16 amplicon sequence variants that were differentially abundant over time between indoor and outdoor housed chickens, however none were consistently higher or lower across all chickens of one housing type over time. Our study shows that cloacal microbiota community composition in adult layers is stable following a sudden change in environment, and that temporal fluctuations are unique to each flock. By exploring microbiota of adult poultry flocks within commercial settings, our study sheds light on how the chickens’ immediate environment affects the microbiota composition.

scholarly journals Development of the duodenal, ileal, jejunal and caecal microbiota in chickens

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Glendinning ◽  
Kellie A. Watson ◽  
Mick Watson
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Intestinal Microbiota ◽  
Intestinal Tract ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Intestinal Content ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Large Role ◽  
The 16S Rrna Gene ◽  
Caecal Microbiota ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background The chicken intestinal microbiota plays a large role in chicken health and productivity and a greater understanding of its development may lead to interventions to improve chicken nutrition, disease resistance and welfare. Results In this study we examine the duodenal, jejunal, ileal and caecal microbiota of chickens from day of hatch to 5 weeks of age (day 1, 3, 7, 14 and week 5). DNA was extracted from intestinal content samples and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced. We identified significant differences in microbial community composition, diversity and richness between samples taken from different locations within the chicken intestinal tract. We also characterised the development of the microbiota at each intestinal site over time. Conclusions Our study builds upon existing literature to further characterise the development of the chicken intestinal microbiota.

scholarly journals Development of the duodenal, ileal, jejunal and caecal microbiota in chickens

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Glendinning ◽  
Kellie A Watson ◽  
Mick Watson
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Intestinal Microbiota ◽  
Intestinal Tract ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Intestinal Content ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Large Role ◽  
The 16S Rrna Gene ◽  
Caecal Microbiota ◽  
Over Time

AbstractBackgroundThe chicken intestinal microbiota plays a large role in chicken health and productivity and a greater understanding of its development may lead to interventions to improve chicken nutrition, disease resistance and welfare.ResultsIn this study we examine the duodenal, jejunal, ileal and caecal microbiota of chickens from day of hatch to 5 weeks of age (day 1, 3, 7, 14 and week 5). DNA was extracted from intestinal content samples and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced. We identify significant differences in microbial community composition, diversity and richness between samples taken from different locations within the chicken intestinal tract. We also characterise the development of the microbiota at each intestinal site over time.ConclusionsOur study builds upon existing literature to further characterise the development of the chicken intestinal microbiota.

scholarly journals Benchmarking laboratory processes to characterise low-biomass respiratory microbiota

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raiza Hasrat ◽  
Jolanda Kool ◽  
Wouter A. A. de Steenhuijsen Piters ◽  
Mei Ling J. N. Chu ◽  
Sjoerd Kuiling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Positive Control ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Elution Buffer ◽  
Community Profile ◽  
Microbial Community Profile ◽  
Microbial Dna ◽  
Pcr Conditions

AbstractThe low biomass of respiratory samples makes it difficult to accurately characterise the microbial community composition. PCR conditions and contaminating microbial DNA can alter the biological profile. The objective of this study was to benchmark the currently available laboratory protocols to accurately analyse the microbial community of low biomass samples. To study the effect of PCR conditions on the microbial community profile, we amplified the 16S rRNA gene of respiratory samples using various bacterial loads and different number of PCR cycles. Libraries were purified by gel electrophoresis or AMPure XP and sequenced by V2 or V3 MiSeq reagent kits by Illumina sequencing. The positive control was diluted in different solvents. PCR conditions had no significant influence on the microbial community profile of low biomass samples. Purification methods and MiSeq reagent kits provided nearly similar microbiota profiles (paired Bray–Curtis dissimilarity median: 0.03 and 0.05, respectively). While profiles of positive controls were significantly influenced by the type of dilution solvent, the theoretical profile of the Zymo mock was most accurately analysed when the Zymo mock was diluted in elution buffer (difference compared to the theoretical Zymo mock: 21.6% for elution buffer, 29.2% for Milli-Q, and 79.6% for DNA/RNA shield). Microbiota profiles of DNA blanks formed a distinct cluster compared to low biomass samples, demonstrating that low biomass samples can accurately be distinguished from DNA blanks. In summary, to accurately characterise the microbial community composition we recommend 1. amplification of the obtained microbial DNA with 30 PCR cycles, 2. purifying amplicon pools by two consecutive AMPure XP steps and 3. sequence the pooled amplicons by V3 MiSeq reagent kit. The benchmarked standardized laboratory workflow presented here ensures comparability of results within and between low biomass microbiome studies.

scholarly journals Do initial concentration and activated sludge seasonality affect pharmaceutical biotransformation rate constants?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara J. H. M. van Bergen ◽  
Ana B. Rios-Miguel ◽  
Tom M. Nolte ◽  
Ad M. J. Ragas ◽  
Rosalie van Zelm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Rate Constants ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Initial Concentration ◽  
Different Seasons

Abstract Pharmaceuticals find their way to the aquatic environment via wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Biotransformation plays an important role in mitigating environmental risks; however, a mechanistic understanding of involved processes is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential relationships between first-order biotransformation rate constants (kb) of nine pharmaceuticals and initial concentration of the selected compounds, and sampling season of the used activated sludge inocula. Four-day bottle experiments were performed with activated sludge from WWTP Groesbeek (The Netherlands) of two different seasons, summer and winter, spiked with two environmentally relevant concentrations (3 and 30 nM) of pharmaceuticals. Concentrations of the compounds were measured by LC–MS/MS, microbial community composition was assessed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, and kb values were calculated. The biodegradable pharmaceuticals were acetaminophen, metformin, metoprolol, terbutaline, and phenazone (ranked from high to low biotransformation rates). Carbamazepine, diatrizoic acid, diclofenac, and fluoxetine were not converted. Summer and winter inocula did not show significant differences in microbial community composition, but resulted in a slightly different kb for some pharmaceuticals. Likely microbial activity was responsible instead of community composition. In the same inoculum, different kb values were measured, depending on initial concentration. In general, biodegradable compounds had a higher kb when the initial concentration was higher. This demonstrates that Michealis-Menten kinetic theory has shortcomings for some pharmaceuticals at low, environmentally relevant concentrations and that the pharmaceutical concentration should be taken into account when measuring the kb in order to reliably predict the fate of pharmaceuticals in the WWTP. Key points • Biotransformation and sorption of pharmaceuticals were assessed in activated sludge. • Higher initial concentrations resulted in higher biotransformation rate constants for biodegradable pharmaceuticals. • Summer and winter inocula produced slightly different biotransformation rate constants although microbial community composition did not significantly change. Graphical abstract

scholarly journals Changes in the Active, Dead, and Dormant Microbial Community Structure across a Pleistocene Permafrost Chronosequence

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Burkert ◽  
Thomas A. Douglas ◽  
Mark P. Waldrop ◽  
Rachel Mackelprang
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
16S Rrna ◽  
16S Rrna Gene ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Subzero Temperatures ◽  
Dormant Cells

ABSTRACTPermafrost hosts a community of microorganisms that survive and reproduce for millennia despite extreme environmental conditions, such as water stress, subzero temperatures, high salinity, and low nutrient availability. Many studies focused on permafrost microbial community composition use DNA-based methods, such as metagenomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. However, these methods do not distinguish among active, dead, and dormant cells. This is of particular concern in ancient permafrost, where constant subzero temperatures preserve DNA from dead organisms and dormancy may be a common survival strategy. To circumvent this, we applied (i) LIVE/DEAD differential staining coupled with microscopy, (ii) endospore enrichment, and (iii) selective depletion of DNA from dead cells to permafrost microbial communities across a Pleistocene permafrost chronosequence (19,000, 27,000, and 33,000 years old). Cell counts and analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicons from live, dead, and dormant cells revealed how communities differ between these pools, how they are influenced by soil physicochemical properties, and whether they change over geologic time. We found evidence that cells capable of forming endospores are not necessarily dormant and that members of the classBacilliwere more likely to form endospores in response to long-term stressors associated with permafrost environmental conditions than members of theClostridia, which were more likely to persist as vegetative cells in our older samples. We also found that removing exogenous “relic” DNA preserved within permafrost did not significantly alter microbial community composition. These results link the live, dead, and dormant microbial communities to physicochemical characteristics and provide insights into the survival of microbial communities in ancient permafrost.IMPORTANCEPermafrost soils store more than half of Earth’s soil carbon despite covering ∼15% of the land area (C. Tarnocai et al., Global Biogeochem Cycles 23:GB2023, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GB003327). This permafrost carbon is rapidly degraded following a thaw (E. A. G. Schuur et al., Nature 520:171–179, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14338). Understanding microbial communities in permafrost will contribute to the knowledge base necessary to understand the rates and forms of permafrost C and N cycling postthaw. Permafrost is also an analog for frozen extraterrestrial environments, and evidence of viable organisms in ancient permafrost is of interest to those searching for potential life on distant worlds. If we can identify strategies microbial communities utilize to survive in permafrost, it may yield insights into how life (if it exists) survives in frozen environments outside of Earth. Our work is significant because it contributes to an understanding of how microbial life adapts and survives in the extreme environmental conditions in permafrost terrains.

scholarly journals Response of Soil Microbial Community Structure and Function to Different Altitudes in Arid Valley in Panzhihua, China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Runji Zhang ◽  
Xianrui Tian ◽  
Quanju Xiang ◽  
Petri Penttinen ◽  
Yunfu Gu
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Chemical Characteristics ◽  
Soil Microbial Community Structure ◽  
Available N ◽  
Different Altitudes

Abstract Background: Altitude affects biodiversity and physic-chemical properties of soil, providing natural sites for studying species distribution and the response of biota to environmental changes. We sampled soil at three altitudes in an arid valley, determined the physic-chemical characteristics and microbial community composition in the soils, identified differentially abundant taxa and the relationships between community composition and environmental factors. Results: The low, medium and high altitudes were roughly separated based on the physic-chemical characteristics and clearly separated based on the microbial community composition. The differences in community composition were associated with differences in all measured factors except pH. The contents of organic and microbial biomass C, total and available N and available P, and the richness and diversity of the microbial communities were lowest in the medium altitude. The relative abundances of phyla Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria were high at all altitudes. The differentially abundant ASVs were mostly assigned to Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria. The highest number of ASVs characterizing altitude were detected in the high altitude. However, the predicted functions of the communities were overlapping, suggesting that the contribution of the communities to soil processes changed relatively little along the altitude gradient. Conclusions: The composition of microbial community at different altitudes was related to the differences of all measuring factors except pH in arid valley in Panzhihua, China.

Microbial community shift under exposure of dredged sediments from a tropical eutrophic bay

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Nascimento ◽  
Cole Easson ◽  
Diogo Jurelevicius ◽  
Jose Lopes ◽  
Edison Bidone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Dredged Sediments ◽  
Community Shift ◽  
Geochemical Parameters ◽  
Enriched Environments ◽  
Microbiome Data

<p>Microbial communities occur in almost every habitat. To evaluate the homeostasis disruption of in situ microbiomes, dredged sediments from Guanabara Bay-Brazil (GB) were mixed with sediments outside the bay (D) in three different proportions (25%, 50% and 75%) which we called GBD25, GBD50 and GBD75. Grain size, TOC and metals -as indicators of complex contamination-; dehydrogenase (DHA) and esterases enzymes (EST) – as indicators of microbial community availability, were determined. Microbial community composition was addressed by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene for DGGE analysis and sequencing using MiSeq platform (Illumina). We applied the Quality Ratio index (QR) to the GB, D and every GBD mixture to integrate geochemical parameters with our microbiome data. QR indicated high environmental risk for GB and every GBD mixture; and low risk for D. The community shifted from aerobic to anaerobic profile, consistent with the characteristics of GB. Sample D was dominated by JTB255 marine benthic group, related to low impacted areas. Milano-WF1B-44 was the most representative of GB, often found in anaerobic and sulfur enriched environments. In GBD, the denitrifying sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, Sulfurovum, was the most representative, typically found in suboxic or anoxic niches. The canonical correspondence analysis was able to explain 60% of the community composition variation and exhibit the decrease of environmental quality as the contamination increases. Physiological and taxonomic shifts of the microbial assemblage in sediments was inferred by QR, which was suitable to determinate sediment risk. The study produced sufficient information to improve dredging plan and management.</p>

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