scholarly journals Microbial Diversity Profiling of Gut Microbiota of Macropus giganteus Using Three Hypervariable Regions of the Bacterial 16S rRNA

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1721
Author(s):  
Christian O’Dea ◽  
Roger Huerlimann ◽  
Nicole Masters ◽  
Anna Kuballa ◽  
Cameron Veal ◽  
...  

Animal faecal contamination of surface waters poses a human health risk, as they may contain pathogenic bacteria or viruses. Of the numerous animal species residing along surface waterways in Australia, macropod species are a top contributor to wild animals’ faecal pollution load. We characterised the gut microbiota of 30 native Australian Eastern Grey Kangaroos from six geographical regions (five kangaroos from each region) within South East Queensland in order to establish their bacterial diversity and identify potential novel species-specific bacteria for the rapid detection of faecal contamination of surface waters by these animals. Using three hypervariable regions (HVRs) of the 16S rRNA gene (i.e., V1–V3, V3–V4, and V5–V6), for their effectiveness in delineating the gut microbial diversity, faecal samples from each region were pooled and microbial genomic DNA was extracted, sequenced, and analysed. Results indicated that V1-V3 yielded a higher taxa richness due to its larger target region (~480 bp); however, higher levels of unassigned taxa were observed using the V1-V3 region. In contrast, the V3–V4 HVR (~569 bp) attained a higher likelihood of a taxonomic hit identity to the bacterial species level, with a 5-fold decrease in unassigned taxa. There were distinct dissimilarities in beta diversity between the regions, with the V1-V3 region displaying the highest number of unique taxa (n = 42), followed by V3–V4 (n = 11) and V5–V6 (n = 8). Variations in the gut microbial diversity profiles of kangaroos from different regions were also observed, which indicates that environmental factors may impact the microbial development and, thus, the composition of the gut microbiome of these animals.

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 478-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Tang ◽  
Anthony Underwood ◽  
Adriana Gielbert ◽  
Martin J. Woodward ◽  
Liljana Petrovska

ABSTRACTThe animal gastrointestinal tract houses a large microbial community, the gut microbiota, that confers many benefits to its host, such as protection from pathogens and provision of essential metabolites. Metagenomic approaches have defined the chicken fecal microbiota in other studies, but here, we wished to assess the correlation between the metagenome and the bacterial proteome in order to better understand the healthy chicken gut microbiota. Here, we performed high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons and metaproteomics analysis of fecal samples to determine microbial gut composition and protein expression. 16 rRNA gene sequencing analysis identifiedClostridiales,Bacteroidaceae, andLactobacillaceaespecies as the most abundant species in the gut. For metaproteomics analysis, peptides were generated by using the Fasp method and subsequently fractionated by strong anion exchanges. Metaproteomics analysis identified 3,673 proteins. Among the most frequently identified proteins, 380 proteins belonged toLactobacillusspp., 155 belonged toClostridiumspp., and 66 belonged toStreptococcusspp. The most frequently identified proteins were heat shock chaperones, including 349 GroEL proteins, from many bacterial species, whereas the most abundant enzymes were pyruvate kinases, as judged by the number of peptides identified per protein (spectral counting). Gene ontology and KEGG pathway analyses revealed the functions and locations of the identified proteins. The findings of both metaproteomics and 16S rRNA sequencing analyses are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Mediano ◽  
Leonides Fernández ◽  
Esther Jiménez ◽  
Rebeca Arroyo ◽  
Irene Espinosa-Martos ◽  
...  

Background: Lactational mastitis constitutes a significant cause of premature weaning. However, its etiology, linked to the presence of pathogenic microorganisms, has been scarcely reported. Research aim: The aim of this study was to describe the microbial diversity in milk samples from women suffering from lactational mastitis and to identify more accurately a collection of isolates belonging to coagulase-negative staphylococci, streptococci, and coryneform bacteria. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive one-group study. A total of 5,009 isolates from 1,849 mastitis milk samples was identified by culture, biochemical, and/or molecular methods at the species or genus level. A more precise identification of a collection of 211 isolates was carried out by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: Mean total bacterial count in milk samples was 4.11 log10 colony-forming units/ml, 95% confidence interval [4.08, 4.15]. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common species being isolated from 91.56% of the samples, whereas Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 29.74%. Streptococci and corynebacteria constituted the second (70.20%) and third (16.60%) most prevalent bacterial groups, respectively, found in this study. In contrast, Candida spp. was present in only 0.54% of the samples. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed a high diversity of bacterial species among identified isolates. Conclusion: Many coagulase-negative staphylococci, viridans group streptococci, and corynebacteria, usually dismissed as contaminant bacteria, may play an important role as etiologic agents of mastitis. Proper diagnosis of mastitis should be established after performing microbiological testing of milk based on standardized procedures. A reliable analysis must identify the mastitis-causing pathogen(s) at the species level and its(their) concentration(s).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur Trzebny ◽  
Anna Slodkowicz-Kowalska ◽  
Johanna Björkroth ◽  
Miroslawa Dabert

AbstractThe animal gut microbiota consist of many different microorganisms, mainly bacteria, but archaea, fungi, protozoans, and viruses may also be present. This complex and dynamic community of microorganisms may change during parasitic infection. In the present study, we investigated the effect of the presence of microsporidians on the composition of the mosquito gut microbiota and linked some microbiome taxa and functionalities to infections caused by these parasites. We characterised bacterial communities of 188 mosquito females, of which 108 were positive for microsporidian DNA. To assess how bacterial communities change during microsporidian infection, microbiome structures were identified using 16S rRNA microbial profiling. In total, we identified 46 families and four higher taxa, of which Comamonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Flavobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae were the most abundant mosquito-associated bacterial families. Our data suggest that the mosquito gut microbial composition varies among host species. In addition, we found a correlation between the microbiome composition and the presence of microsporidians. The prediction of metagenome functional content from the 16S rRNA gene sequencing suggests that microsporidian infection is characterised by some bacterial species capable of specific metabolic functions, especially the biosynthesis of ansamycins and vancomycin antibiotics and the pentose phosphate pathway. Moreover, we detected a positive correlation between the presence of microsporidian DNA and bacteria belonging to Spiroplasmataceae and Leuconostocaceae, each represented by a single species, Spiroplasma sp. PL03 and Weissella cf. viridescens, respectively. Additionally, W. cf. viridescens was observed only in microsporidian-infected mosquitoes. More extensive research, including intensive and varied host sampling, as well as determination of metabolic activities based on quantitative methods, should be carried out to confirm our results.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Fu ◽  
Maozhang He ◽  
Jinyuan Wu ◽  
Yunyan Zhou ◽  
Shanlin Ke ◽  
...  

Parturition is a crucial event in the sow reproduction cycle, which accompanies by a series of physiological changes, including sex hormones, metabolism, and immunity. More and more studies have indicated the changes of the gut microbiota from pregnancy to parturition. However, what bacterial species and functional capacities of the gut microbiome are changed around parturition has been largely unknown, and the correlations between the changes of gut bacterial species and host metabolome were also uncovered. In this study, by combining 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing data, and the profiles of serum metabolome and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), we investigated the changes of gut microbiome, serum metabolite features and fecal SCFAs from late pregnancy (LP) to postpartum (PO) stage. We found the significant changes of gut microbiota from LP to PO stage in both 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic sequencing analyses. The bacterial species from Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Clostridium were enriched at the LP stage, while the species from Bacteroides, Escherichia, and Campylobacter had higher abundances at the PO stage. Functional capacities of the gut microbiome were also significantly changed and associated with the shifts of gut bacteria. Untargeted metabolomic analyses revealed that the metabolite features related to taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis and metabolism were enriched at the LP stage, and positively associated with those bacterial species enriched at the LP stage, while the metabolite features associated with vitamin B6 and glycerophospholipid metabolism had higher abundances at the PO stage and were positively correlated with the bacteria enriched at the PO stage. Six kinds of SCFAs were measured in feces samples and showed higher concentrations at the LP stage. These results suggested that the changes of gut microbiome from LP to PO stage lead to the shifts of host lipid, amino acids and vitamin metabolism and SCFA production. The results from this study provided new insights for the changes of sow gut microbiome and host metabolism around parturition, and gave new knowledge for guiding the feeding and maternal care of sows from late pregnancy to lactation in the pig industry.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Victor H. G. Dias ◽  
Priscila da S. F. C. Gomes ◽  
Allan C. Azevedo-Martins ◽  
Bianca C. A. Cabral ◽  
August E. Woerner ◽  
...  

Molecular detection and classification of the bacterial groups in a sample are relevant in several areas, including medical research and forensics. Sanger sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene is considered the gold standard for microbial phylogenetic analysis. However, the development of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) offers enhanced sensitivity and specificity for microbiological analyses. In addition, 16S rRNA target amplification followed by MPS facilitates the combined use of multiple markers/regions, better discrimination of sample background, and higher sample throughput. We designed a novel set of 16S rRNA gene primers for detection of bacterial species associated with clinical, bioweapon, and biohazards microorganisms via alignment of 364 sequences representing 19 bacterial species and strains relevant to medical and forensics applications. In silico results indicated that the hypervariable regions (V1V2), (V4V5), and (V6V7V8) support the resolution of a selected group of bacteria. Interspecies and intraspecies comparisons showed 74.23%–85.51% and 94.48%–99.98% sequencing variation among species and strains, respectively. Sequence reads from a simulated scenario of bacterial species mapped to each of the three hypervariable regions of the respective species with different affinities. The minimum limit of detection was achieved using two different MPS platforms. This protocol can be used to detect or monitor as low as 2,000 genome equivalents of bacterial species associated with clinical, bioweapon, and biohazard microorganisms and potentially can distinguish natural outbreaks of pathogenic microorganisms from those occurring by intentional release.


mSystems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zigui Chen ◽  
Pak Chun Hui ◽  
Mamie Hui ◽  
Yun Kit Yeoh ◽  
Po Yee Wong ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Proper preservation of stool samples to minimize microbial community shifts and inactivate infectious agents is important for self-collected specimens requiring shipment to laboratories when cold chain transport is not feasible. In this study, we evaluated the performance of six preservation solutions (Norgen, OMNI, RNAlater, CURNA, HEMA, and Shield) for these aspects. Following storage of human stool samples with these preservatives at room temperature for 7 days, three hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene (V1-V2, V3-V4, and V4) were amplicon sequenced. We found that samples collected in two preservatives, Norgen and OMNI, showed the least shift in community composition relative to −80°C standards compared with other storage conditions, and both efficiently inhibited the growth of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. RNAlater did not prevent bacterial activity and exhibited relatively larger community shift. Although the effect of preservation solution was small compared to intersubject variation, notable changes in microbiota composition were observed, which could create biases in downstream data analysis. When community profiles inferred from different 16S rRNA gene hypervariable regions were compared, we found differential sensitivity of primer sets in identifying overall microbial community and certain bacterial taxa. For example, reads generated by the V4 primer pair showed a higher alpha diversity of the gut microbial community. The degenerate 27f-YM primer failed to detect the majority of Bifidobacteriales. Our data indicate that choice of preservation solution and 16S rRNA gene primer pair are critical determinants affecting gut microbiota profiling. IMPORTANCE Large-scale human microbiota studies require specimens collected from multiple sites and/or time points to maximize detection of the small effects in microbe-host interactions. However, batch biases caused by experimental protocols, such as sample collection, massively parallel sequencing, and bioinformatics analyses, remain critical and should be minimized. This work evaluated the effects of preservation solutions and bacterial 16S rRNA gene primer pairs in revealing human gut microbiota composition. Since notable changes in detecting bacterial composition and abundance were observed among choice of preservatives and primer pairs, a consistent methodology is essential in minimizing their effects to facilitate comparisons between data sets.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shenhai Gong ◽  
Yinglin Feng ◽  
Yunong Zeng ◽  
Huanrui Zhang ◽  
Meiping Pan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Gut microbiota has been reported to be disrupted by cisplatin, as well as to modulate chemotherapy toxicity. However, the precise role of intestinal microbiota in the pathogenesis of cisplatin hepatotoxicity remains unknown. Methods We compared the composition and function of gut microbiota between mice treated with and without cisplatin using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and via metabolomic analysis. For understanding the causative relationship between gut dysbiosis and cisplatin hepatotoxicity, antibiotics were administered to deplete gut microbiota and faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed before cisplatin treatment. Results 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomic analysis showed that cisplatin administration caused gut microbiota dysbiosis in mice. Gut microbiota ablation by antibiotic exposure protected against the hepatotoxicity induced by cisplatin. Interestingly, mice treated with antibiotics dampened the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway activation and promoted nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 nuclear translocation, resulting in decreased levels of both inflammation and oxidative stress in the liver. FMT also confirmed the role of microbiota in individual susceptibility to cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity. Conclusions This study elucidated the mechanism by which gut microbiota mediates cisplatin hepatotoxicity through enhanced inflammatory response and oxidative stress. This knowledge may help develop novel therapeutic approaches that involve targeting the composition and metabolites of microbiota.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Durazzi ◽  
Claudia Sala ◽  
Gastone Castellani ◽  
Gerardo Manfreda ◽  
Daniel Remondini ◽  
...  

AbstractIn this paper we compared taxonomic results obtained by metataxonomics (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and metagenomics (whole shotgun metagenomic sequencing) to investigate their reliability for bacteria profiling, studying the chicken gut as a model system. The experimental conditions included two compartments of gastrointestinal tracts and two sampling times. We compared the relative abundance distributions obtained with the two sequencing strategies and then tested their capability to distinguish the experimental conditions. The results showed that 16S rRNA gene sequencing detects only part of the gut microbiota community revealed by shotgun sequencing. Specifically, when a sufficient number of reads is available, Shotgun sequencing has more power to identify less abundant taxa than 16S sequencing. Finally, we showed that the less abundant genera detected only by shotgun sequencing are biologically meaningful, being able to discriminate between the experimental conditions as much as the more abundant genera detected by both sequencing strategies.


Author(s):  
Yoshihiro Tomizawa ◽  
Shunya Kurokawa ◽  
Daiki Ishii ◽  
Katsuma Miyaho ◽  
Chiharu Ishii ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The antibacterial effects of psychotropics may be part of their pharmacological effects when treating depression. However, limited studies have focused on gut microbiota in relation to prescribed medication. Method We longitudinally investigated the relationship between patients’ prescribed medications and intestinal bacterial diversity in a naturalistic treatment course for patients with major depressive disorders and anxiety disorders. Patients were recruited and their stool was collected at 3 time points during their usual psychiatric treatments. Gut microbiota were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We examined the impact of psychotropics (i.e., antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics) on their gut microbial diversity and functions. Results We collected 246 stool samples from 40 patients. Despite no differences in microbial diversity between medication groups at the baseline, over the course of treatment, phylogenic diversity whole-tree diversity decreased in patients on antipsychotics compared with patients without (P = .027), and beta diversity followed this trend. Based on a fixed-effect model, antipsychotics predicted microbial diversity; the higher doses correlated with less diversity based on the Shannon index and phylogenic diversity whole tree (estimate = −0.00254, SE = 0.000595, P < .0001; estimate = −0.02644, SE = 0.00833, P = .002, respectively). Conclusion Antipsychotics may play a role in decreasing the alpha diversity of the gut microbiome among patients with depression and anxiety, and our results indicate a relationship with medication dosage. Future studies are warranted and should consider patients’ types and doses of antipsychotics in order to further elucidate the mechanisms of gut-brain interactions in psychiatric disorders.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 396
Author(s):  
Ewa Sajnaga ◽  
Marcin Skowronek ◽  
Agnieszka Kalwasińska ◽  
Waldemar Kazimierczak ◽  
Karolina Ferenc ◽  
...  

This study focused on the potential relationships between midgut microbiota of the common cockchafer Melolontha melolontha larvae and their resistance to entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) infection. We investigated the bacterial community associated with control and unsusceptible EPN-exposed insects through nanopore sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant bacterial phyla within the complex and variable midgut microbiota of the wild M. melolontha larvae. The core microbiota was found to include 82 genera, which accounted for 3.4% of the total number of identified genera. The EPN-resistant larvae differed significantly from the control ones in the abundance of many genera belonging to the Actinomycetales, Rhizobiales, and Clostridiales orders. Additionally, the analysis of the microbiome networks revealed different sets of keystone midgut bacterial genera between these two groups of insects, indicating differences in the mutual interactions between bacteria. Finally, we detected Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus as gut residents and various bacterial species exhibiting antagonistic activity against these entomopathogens. This study paves the way to further research aimed at unravelling the role of the host gut microbiota on the output of EPN infection, which may contribute to enhancement of the efficiency of nematodes used in eco-friendly pest management.


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