1
|
Song H, Lee K, Hwang I, Yang E, Ha J, Kim W, Park S, Cho H, Choe JC, Lee SI, Jablonski P. Dynamics of Bacterial Communities on Eggshells and on Nest Materials During Incubation in the Oriental Tit (Parus minor). Microb Ecol 2023; 85:429-440. [PMID: 35094098 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01927-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Eggshell bacterial communities may affect hatching success and nestling's condition. Nest materials are in direct contact with the eggshells, but the relationships with the eggshell microbiome during incubation have not been fully elucidated. Here, we characterize eggshell and nest material bacterial communities and their changes during incubation in the Oriental Tit (Parus minor). Bacterial communities on the nest material were relatively stable and remained distinct from the eggshell communities and had higher diversity and greater phylogenetic clustering than the eggshell communities from the same nest, resulting in lower phylogenetic turnover rate of nest material microbiome during incubation than expected by chance. While the species diversity of both communities did not change during incubation, we found significantly greater changes in the structure of bacterial communities on the eggshell than on the nest material. However, eggshell microbiome remained distinct from nest material microbiome, suggesting independent dynamics of the two microbiomes during incubation. We detected an increase in the relative abundance of several bacterial taxa on the eggshell that likely come from the bird's skin, feathers, cloaca/intestine, or uropygial secretion which suggests some exchange of bacteria between the incubating bird and the eggshell. Furthermore, incubation appeared to promote the abundance of antibiotic producing taxa on the eggshell, which may hypothetically inhibit growth of many bacteria including pathogenic ones. Our results suggest that the future studies should focus on simultaneous monitoring of absolute abundance as well as relative abundance in communities on eggshells, nest materials, and the incubating bird's body.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hokyung Song
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21990, South Korea
| | - Keesan Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Injae Hwang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eunjeong Yang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jungmoon Ha
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Woojoo Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sungjin Park
- Office of Planning & Strategy, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea
- Seoul National University Forests, Taehwasan, 572 Docheogwit-ro, Docheok-myeon, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Hyunjoon Cho
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21990, South Korea
| | - Jae Chun Choe
- Interdisciplinary Program of EcoCreative, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, 03760, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sang-Im Lee
- Department of New Biology, DGIST, 333 Techno Jungang-daero, 42988, Daegu, South Korea.
| | - Piotr Jablonski
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 08826, Seoul, South Korea.
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679, Warsaw, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yu QZ, Hu MY, Wang L, Lin JQ, Fang SG. Incubation determines favorable microbial communities in Chinese alligator nests. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:983808. [PMID: 36312961 PMCID: PMC9606745 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.983808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nest materials are a major heat source due to rotting promoted by microbial activity. Additionally, they are a potential microbial source given their direct contact with eggshells. Microbial dynamics during incubation have been studied in wild birds; however, similar studies in reptiles remain elusive. Here, the study characterized microbial communities in the nest materials of Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) using high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences. The results showed that significant changes in the diversity and structure of microbial communities according to different incubation periods. The diversity and richness of bacterial species increased significantly over time, but the relative abundance of the most dominant bacteria in pre-incubation period, including some pathogenic bacteria, declined after incubation. In contrast, fungal species diversity and richness decreased significantly with time. Additionally, nest material composition significantly influenced microbial community structure rather than species diversity and richness. Notably, the fungal community structure showed a stronger response than bacteria to nest material composition, which varied due to differences in plant litter composition. Our results demonstrate the significant response of microbial community diversity and structure to differences in incubation periods and nest material composition in reptiles. It is further emphasized that the importance of incubation period in the conservation of the Chinese alligator and could inform similar studies in other reptiles and birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qin-Zhang Yu
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng-Yuan Hu
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Qing Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Science, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Sheng-Guo Fang
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sun F, Chen J, Liu K, Tang M, Yang Y. The avian gut microbiota: Diversity, influencing factors, and future directions. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:934272. [PMID: 35992664 PMCID: PMC9389168 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.934272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota is viewed as the “second genome” of animals, sharing intricate relationships with their respective hosts. Because the gut microbial community and its diversity are affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, studying intestinal microbes has become an important research topic. However, publications are dominated by studies on domestic or captive birds, while research on the composition and response mechanism of environmental changes in the gut microbiota of wild birds remains scarce. Therefore, it is important to understand the co-evolution of host and intestinal bacteria under natural conditions to elucidate the diversity, maintenance mechanisms, and functions of gut microbes in wild birds. Here, the existing knowledge of gut microbiota in captive and wild birds is summarized, along with previous studies on the composition and function, research methods employed, and factors influencing the avian gut microbial communities. Furthermore, research hotspots and directions were also discussed to identify the dynamics of the avian gut microbiota, aiming to contribute to studies of avian microbiology in the future.
Collapse
|
4
|
Cardenas Gomez K, Rose A, Gibb KS, Christian KA. Microbial communities associated with mounds of the Orange-footed scrubfowl Megapodius reinwardt. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13600. [PMID: 35910771 PMCID: PMC9332330 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Megapodius reinwardt, the orange-footed scrubfowl, belongs to a small family of birds that inhabits the Indo-Australian region. Megapodes are unique in incubating their eggs in mounds using heat from microbial decomposition of organic materials and solar radiation. Little is known about the microorganisms involved in the decomposition of organic matter in mounds. To determine the source of microbes in the mounds, we used 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the microbial communities of mound soil, adjacent soil and scrubfowl faeces. We found that the microbial communities of scrubfowl faeces were substantially different from those of the mounds and surrounding soils, suggesting that scrubfowls probably do not use their faeces to inoculate their mounds although a few microbial sequence variants were present in both faeces and mound samples. Further, the mound microbial community structure was significantly different to the adjacent soils. For example, mounds had a high relative abundance of sequence variants belonging to Thermomonosporaceae, a thermophilic soil bacteria family able to degrade cellulose from plant residues. It is not clear whether members of Thermomonosporaceae disproportionately contribute to the generation of heat in the mound, or whether they simply thrive in the warm mound environment created by the metabolic activity of the mound microbial community. The lack of clarity in the literature between designations of heat-producing (thermogenic) and heat-thriving (thermophilic) microbes poses a challenge to understanding the role of specific bacteria and fungi in incubation.
Collapse
|
5
|
Kulshreshtha G, D’Alba L, Dunn IC, Rehault-Godbert S, Rodriguez-Navarro AB, Hincke MT. Properties, Genetics and Innate Immune Function of the Cuticle in Egg-Laying Species. Front Immunol 2022; 13:838525. [PMID: 35281050 PMCID: PMC8914949 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.838525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cleidoic eggs possess very efficient and orchestrated systems to protect the embryo from external microbes until hatch. The cuticle is a proteinaceous layer on the shell surface in many bird and some reptile species. An intact cuticle forms a pore plug to occlude respiratory pores and is an effective physical and chemical barrier against microbial penetration. The interior of the egg is assumed to be normally sterile, while the outer eggshell cuticle hosts microbes. The diversity of the eggshell microbiome is derived from both maternal microbiota and those of the nesting environment. The surface characteristics of the egg, outer moisture layer and the presence of antimicrobial molecules composing the cuticle dictate constituents of the microbial communities on the eggshell surface. The avian cuticle affects eggshell wettability, water vapor conductance and regulates ultraviolet reflectance in various ground-nesting species; moreover, its composition, thickness and degree of coverage are dependent on species, hen age, and physiological stressors. Studies in domestic avian species have demonstrated that changes in the cuticle affect the food safety of eggs with respect to the risk of contamination by bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli. Moreover, preventing contamination of internal egg components is crucial to optimize hatching success in bird species. In chickens there is moderate heritability (38%) of cuticle deposition with a potential for genetic improvement. However, much less is known about other bird or reptile cuticles. This review synthesizes current knowledge of eggshell cuticle and provides insight into its evolution in the clade reptilia. The origin, composition and regulation of the eggshell microbiome and the potential function of the cuticle as the first barrier of egg defense are discussed in detail. We evaluate how changes in the cuticle affect the food safety of table eggs and vertical transmission of pathogens in the production chain with respect to the risk of contamination. Thus, this review provides insight into the physiological and microbiological characteristics of eggshell cuticle in relation to its protective function (innate immunity) in egg-laying birds and reptiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Garima Kulshreshtha
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Liliana D’Alba
- Evolutionary Ecology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ian C. Dunn
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Maxwell T. Hincke
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Innovation in Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li X, Bi R, Xiao K, Roy A, Zhang Z, Chen X, Peng J, Wang R, Yang R, Shen X, Irwin DM, Shen Y. Hen raising helps chicks establish gut microbiota in their early life and improve microbiota stability after H9N2 challenge. Microbiome 2022; 10:14. [PMID: 35074015 PMCID: PMC8785444 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01200-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early gut microbial colonization is important for postnatal growth and immune development of the chicken. However, at present, commercial chickens are hatched and raised without adult hens, thus are cut off from the microbiota transfer between hens and chicks. In this study, we compared the gut microbiota composition between hen-reared and separately reared chicks, and its impact on the resistance to H9N2 avian influenza virus, with the motive of investigating the impact of this cutoff in microbiota transfer. RESULTS We used the 16SrRNA sequencing method to assess the composition of the gut microbiota in chicks represented by three hen-reared groups and one separately reared group. We found that the diversity of gut microbes in the chicks from the three hen-reared groups was more abundant than in the separately reared group, both at the phylum and genus levels. Our findings highlight the importance of early parental care in influencing the establishment of gut microbiota in the early life of chicks. SourceTracker analysis showed that the feather and cloaca microbiota of hens are the main sources of gut microbiota of chicks. After H9N2 exposure, the viral infection lasted longer in the separately reared chicks, with the viral titers in their oropharyngeal swabs being higher compared to the hen-reared chicks at day 5 post-infection. Interestingly, our results revealed that the gut microbiota of the hen-reared chicks was more stable after H9N2 infection in comparison to that of the separately reared chicks. CONCLUSIONS Microbiota transfer between the hens and their chicks promotes the establishment of a balanced and diverse microbiota in the early life of the chicks and improves microbiota stability after H9N2 challenge. These findings advance our understanding of the protective role of gut microbiota in the early life of chicks and should be instrumental in improving chick rearing in the commercial poultry industry. Video Abstract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Li
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Ran Bi
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Kangpeng Xiao
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Ayan Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, Lovely Professional University, Bengaluru, India
| | - Zhipeng Zhang
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Chen
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Jinyu Peng
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Ruichen Wang
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Rou Yang
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Xuejuan Shen
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- Zhaoqing Branch Center of Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agricultural Science and Technology, Zhaoqing, 526238, China
| | - David M Irwin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S1A8, Canada
- Banting and Best Diabetes Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Yongyi Shen
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
- Zhaoqing Branch Center of Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agricultural Science and Technology, Zhaoqing, 526238, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Guangzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lindström S, Timonen S, Sundström L. The bacterial and fungal community composition in time and space in the nest mounds of the ant Formica exsecta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Microbiologyopen 2021; 10:e1201. [PMID: 34459553 PMCID: PMC8289489 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In a subarctic climate, the seasonal shifts in temperature, precipitation, and plant cover drive the temporal changes in the microbial communities in the topsoil, forcing soil microbes to adapt or decline. Many organisms, such as mound-building ants, survive the cold winter owing to the favorable microclimate in their nest mounds. We have previously shown that the microbial communities in the nest of the ant Formica exsecta are significantly different from those in the surrounding bulk soil. In the current study, we identified taxa, which were consistently present in the nests over a study period of three years. Some taxa were also significantly enriched in the nest samples compared with spatially corresponding reference soils. We show that the bacterial communities in ant nests are temporally stable across years, whereas the fungal communities show greater variation. It seems that the activities of the ants contribute to unique biochemical processes in the secluded nest environment, and create opportunities for symbiotic interactions between the ants and the microbes. Over time, the microbial communities may come to diverge, due to drift and selection, especially given the long lifespan (up to 30 years) of the ant colonies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stafva Lindström
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research ProgrammeFaculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Tvärminne Zoological StationHankoFinland
- Department of MicrobiologyUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Sari Timonen
- Department of MicrobiologyUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Liselotte Sundström
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research ProgrammeFaculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Tvärminne Zoological StationHankoFinland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
Developing general principles of host-microorganism interactions necessitates a robust understanding of the eco-evolutionary processes that structure microbiota. Phylosymbiosis, or patterns of microbiome composition that can be predicted by host phylogeny, is a unique framework for interrogating these processes. Identifying the contexts in which phylosymbiosis does and does not occur facilitates an evaluation of the relative importance of different ecological processes in shaping the microbial community. In this Review, we summarize the prevalence of phylosymbiosis across the animal kingdom on the basis of the current literature and explore the microbial community assembly processes and related host traits that contribute to phylosymbiosis. We find that phylosymbiosis is less prevalent in taxonomically richer microbiomes and hypothesize that this pattern is a result of increased stochasticity in the assembly of complex microbial communities. We also note that despite hosting rich microbiomes, mammals commonly exhibit phylosymbiosis. We hypothesize that this pattern is a result of a unique combination of mammalian traits, including viviparous birth, lactation and the co-evolution of haemochorial placentas and the eutherian immune system, which compound to ensure deterministic microbial community assembly. Examining both the individual and the combined importance of these traits in driving phylosymbiosis provides a new framework for research in this area moving forward.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K Mallott
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Katherine R Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Stephens CRA, McAmmond BM, Van Hamme JD, Otter KA, Reudink MW, Bottos EM. Analysis of bacterial communities associated with Mountain Chickadees ( Poecile gambeli) across urban and rural habitats. Can J Microbiol 2021; 67:572-583. [PMID: 33656947 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2020-0320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Host-associated microbial communities play important roles in wildlife health, but these dynamics can be influenced by environmental factors. Urbanization has numerous effects on wildlife; however, the degree to which wildlife-associated bacterial communities and potential bacterial pathogens vary across urban-rural/native habitat gradients remains largely unknown. We used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to examine bacterial communities found on Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) feathers and nests in urban and rural habitats. The feathers and nests in urban and rural sites had similar abundances of major bacterial phyla and dominant genera with pathogenic members. However, richness of bacterial communities and potential pathogens on birds were higher in urban habitats, and potential pathogens accounted for some of the differences in bacterial occurrence between urban and rural environments. We predicted habitat using potential pathogen occurrence with a 90% success rate for feather bacteria, and a 72.2% success rate for nest bacteria, suggesting an influence of urban environments on the presence of potential pathogens. We additionally observed similarities in bacterial communities between nests and their occupants, suggesting bacterial transmission between them. These findings improve our understanding of the bacterial communities associated with urban wildlife and suggest that urbanization impacts the composition of wildlife-associated bacterial communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Colton R A Stephens
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Breanne M McAmmond
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Van Hamme
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Ken A Otter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Matthew W Reudink
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Eric M Bottos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Darolová A, Poláček M, Krištofík J, Lukasch B, Hoi H. First Evidence of a Relationship Between Female Major Histocompatibility Complex Diversity and Eggshell Bacteria in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.615667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria are known to exert positive and negative influences on animals’ health and fitness. Bacteria, in particular those inhabiting the skin and inner organs of vertebrates, are horizontally or vertically transmitted. Specifically, mothers of bird species can transfer bacterial strains to their offspring when the egg is passing the reproductive tract, as the eggshell rubs against the wall of the uterus. In this context, the female immune system might play an important role in influencing the vertical transmission of bacteria. Here, we investigate the relationship between the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and cultivable eggshell bacteria originating putatively from the female urogenital tract in a captive population of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We predict that females with a more variable MHC will transfer fewer bacteria onto the eggshells. Our results show a negative relationship between the number of functional MHC class I alleles and bacteria originating in the urinary tract and growing on a selective medium. This is the first study to find a correlation between female MHC diversity and eggshell bacteria.
Collapse
|
11
|
Jose PA, Ben-Yosef M, Lahuatte P, Causton CE, Heimpel GE, Jurkevitch E, Yuval B. Shifting microbiomes complement life stage transitions and diet of the bird parasite Philornis downsi from the Galapagos Islands. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:5014-5029. [PMID: 33587780 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Domestication disconnects an animal from its natural environment and diet, imposing changes in the attendant microbial community. We examine these changes in Philornis downsi (Muscidae), an invasive parasitic fly of land birds in the Galapagos Islands. Using a 16S rDNA profiling approach we studied the microbiome of larvae and adults of wild and laboratory-reared populations. These populations diverged in their microbiomes, significantly more so in larval than in adult flies. In field-collected second-instar larvae, Klebsiella (70.3%) was the most abundant taxon, while in the laboratory Ignatzschineria and Providencia made up 89.2% of the community. In adults, Gilliamella and Dysgonomonas were key members of the core microbiome of field-derived females and males but had no or very low representation in the laboratory. Adult flies harbour sex-specific microbial consortia in their gut, as male core microbiomes were significantly dominated by Klebsiella. Thus, P. downsi microbiomes are dynamic and shift correspondingly with life cycle and diet. Sex-specific foraging behaviour of adult flies and nest conditions, which are absent in the laboratory, may contribute to shaping distinct larval, and adult male and female microbiomes. We discuss these findings in the context of microbe-host co-evolution and the implications for control measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Polpass Arul Jose
- Faculty of Agriculture Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 7612001, Israel
| | - Michael Ben-Yosef
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Center, M. P. Negev, 85280, Israel
| | - Paola Lahuatte
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, 200350, Ecuador
| | - Charlotte E Causton
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, 200350, Ecuador
| | - George E Heimpel
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Avenue, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Edouard Jurkevitch
- Faculty of Agriculture Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 7612001, Israel
| | - Boaz Yuval
- Faculty of Agriculture Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 7612001, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Krunt O, Zita L, Kraus A, Okrouhlá M, Chodová D, Stupka R. Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) eggs and free-range housing: a convenient alternative to laying hens' eggs in terms of food safety? Poult Sci 2021; 100:101006. [PMID: 33662664 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the genotype (guinea fowl, native breed Leghorn, and commercial hybrid hens), storage time (0, 14, 28 d) and storage temperature (fresh, 5, 20°C) on eggshell quality traits and microbiological contamination of eggshell, eggshell membranes, and albumen. A total of 150 hens (50 hens per genotype—divided into 2 equal groups because of the results replication) were used. There were 150 eggs (50 per genotype) used for microbial analysis and 600 eggs used for the analysis of eggshell quality. The effects of genotype, storage time, and storage temperature were observed. Moreover, interactions between these factors were calculated. The significant effect of genotype (P = 0.0001) was found in egg weight, in all observed parameters of eggshell quality (proportion, thickness, strength, surface, and index), eggshell contamination of Escherichia coli (EC) and total number of micro-organisms (TNM), penetration of TNM into eggshell membranes (P = 0.0014), and penetration of TNM into albumen (P = 0.0019). Storage time significantly affected egg weight and all parameters of eggshell quality except the eggshell strength and index. It also significantly affected count of Enterococcus (ENT) on eggshell, TNM in eggshell membranes and TNM in albumen. Storage temperature significantly influenced egg weight (P = 0.0001) and all parameters but eggshell thickness and surface. Regarding the microbial contamination, storage temperature significantly affected a count of ENT on shell, TNM in shell membranes, and TNM in albumen. Concerning significant interactions, the interaction among genotype and storage time was found significant (P = 0.0148). Fresh and 28-day-old commercial hybrid eggs were the most contaminated, whereas guinea fowl eggs (fresh and 14 d old) and Leghorn hen eggs (fresh, 14, 28 d old) had the lowest level of contamination by EC. When looking for an alternative to laying hens, guinea fowls should be taken into consideration due to their higher resistance to diseases, ability of adaptation to different environmental conditions, and especially in terms of eggshell quality and therefore egg safety.
Collapse
|
13
|
Capunitan DC, Johnson O, Terrill RS, Hird SM. Evolutionary signal in the gut microbiomes of 74 bird species from Equatorial Guinea. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:829-847. [PMID: 31943484 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
How the microbiome interacts with hosts across evolutionary time is poorly understood. Data sets including many host species are required to conduct comparative analyses. Here, we analyzed 142 intestinal microbiome samples from 92 birds belonging to 74 species from Equatorial Guinea, using the 16S rRNA gene. Using four definitions for microbial taxonomic units (97%OTU, 99%OTU, 99%OTU with singletons removed, ASV), we conducted alpha and beta diversity analyses. We found that raw abundances and diversity varied between the data sets but relative patterns were largely consistent across data sets. Host taxonomy, diet and locality were significantly associated with microbiomes, at generally similar levels using three distance metrics. Phylogenetic comparative methods assessed the evolutionary relationship between the microbiome as a trait of a host species and the underlying bird phylogeny. Using multiple ways of defining "microbiome traits", we found that a neutral Brownian motion model did not explain variation in microbiomes. Instead, we found a White Noise model (indicating little phylogenetic signal), was most likely. There was some support for the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck model (that invokes selection), but the level of support was similar to that of a White Noise simulation, further supporting the White Noise model as the best explanation for the evolution of the microbiome as a trait of avian hosts. Our study demonstrated that both environment and evolution play a role in the gut microbiome and the relationship does not follow a neutral model; these biological results are qualitatively robust to analytical choices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darien C Capunitan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Oscar Johnson
- Museum of Natural Science, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Ryan S Terrill
- Museum of Natural Science, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.,Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah M Hird
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Peralta-Sánchez JM, Martín-Platero AM, Wegener-Parfrey L, Martínez-Bueno M, Rodríguez-Ruano S, Navas-Molina JA, Vázquez-Baeza Y, Martín-Gálvez D, Martín-Vivaldi M, Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Knight R, Soler JJ. Bacterial density rather than diversity correlates with hatching success across different avian species. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2019; 94:4847879. [PMID: 29438507 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial communities within avian nests are considered an important determinant of egg viability, potentially selecting for traits that confer embryos with protection against trans-shell infection. A high bacterial density on the eggshell increases hatching failure, whether this effect could be due to changes in bacterial community or just a general increase in bacterial density. We explored this idea using intra- and interspecific comparisons of the relationship between hatching success and eggshell bacteria characterized by culture and molecular techniques (fingerprinting and high-throughput sequencing). We collected information for 152 nests belonging to 17 bird species. Hatching failures occurred more frequently in nests with higher density of aerobic mesophilic bacteria on their eggshells. Bacterial community was also related to hatching success, but only when minority bacterial operational taxonomic units were considered. These findings support the hypothesis that bacterial density is a selective agent of embryo viability, and hence a proxy of hatching failure only within species. Although different avian species hold different bacterial densities or assemblages on their eggs, the association between bacteria and hatching success was similar for different species. This result suggests that interspecific differences in antibacterial defenses are responsible for keeping the hatching success at similar levels in different species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel Peralta-Sánchez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, Calle Fuentenueva, s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain.,Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, C.S.I.C. Avda. Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092 Seville, Spain
| | | | | | - Manuel Martínez-Bueno
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, Calle Fuentenueva, s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Sonia Rodríguez-Ruano
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, Calle Fuentenueva, s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 1760, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - José Antonio Navas-Molina
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Yoshiki Vázquez-Baeza
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - David Martín-Gálvez
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Manuel Martín-Vivaldi
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Juan Diego Ibáñez-Álamo
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen. 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Knight
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Juan José Soler
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva. Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, C.S.I.C., E-04120 Almería, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Brusch GA, Heulin B, DeNardo DF. Dehydration during egg production alters egg composition and yolk immune function. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2018; 227:68-74. [PMID: 30300746 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Parent-offspring conflicts occur when resources are limited for allocation, and, historically, energy has been the primary currency of focus when examining these trade-offs. Water is a fundamental resource that has received far less consideration for parent-offspring conflicts. Previous research suggests that, when water is limited, reproductive females are compromised in favor of developing embryos. However, these studies limited their assessments to standard metrics such as clutch size and mass. We tested the hypothesis that the mother-offspring conflict over limited water resources leads to finer scale morphological and physiological impacts on the eggs in Children's pythons (Antaresia childreni). We predicted that water deprivation during gravidity alters female investment into her eggs, impacting egg water content and shell development. Additionally, we predicted that the yolk in these dehydrated eggs would have enhanced immune performance metrics, as has been documented in dehydrated adults. We found that eggs from water-deprived females were dehydrated as indicated by reduced percent water and greater yolk osmolality compared to eggs from females that received ad libitum water. We also found that eggs from dehydrated mothers had thinner shells and higher water loss rates. The impacts were not entirely negative as dehydrated eggs had higher antimicrobial capabilities. Also, thinner and more permeability eggshells might allow for elevated rates of rehydration from nest substrate. Overall, by examining an array of egg traits, we demonstrated that dehydration of gravid females impacts the eggs, not just the females as previously reported. As a result, the mother-offspring conflicts are indeed two-sided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George A Brusch
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 East Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA.
| | - Benoit Heulin
- Paimpont Biological Station, CNRS UMR6553, University of Rennes 1, 35380 Paimpont, France
| | - Dale F DeNardo
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 East Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Maraci Ö, Engel K, Caspers BA. Olfactory Communication via Microbiota: What Is Known in Birds? Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E387. [PMID: 30065222 PMCID: PMC6116157 DOI: 10.3390/genes9080387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal bodies harbour a complex and diverse community of microorganisms and accumulating evidence has revealed that microbes can influence the hosts' behaviour, for example by altering body odours. Microbial communities produce odorant molecules as metabolic by-products and thereby modulate the biochemical signalling profiles of their animal hosts. As the diversity and the relative abundance of microbial species are influenced by several factors including host-specific factors, environmental factors and social interactions, there are substantial individual variations in the composition of microbial communities. In turn, the variations in microbial communities would consequently affect social and communicative behaviour by influencing recognition cues of the hosts. Therefore, microbiota studies have a great potential to expand our understanding of recognition of conspecifics, group members and kin. In this review, we aim to summarize existing knowledge of the factors influencing the microbial communities and the effect of microbiota on olfactory cue production and social and communicative behaviour. We concentrate on avian taxa, yet we also include recent research performed on non-avian species when necessary.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Öncü Maraci
- Research Group Chemical Signalling, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Engel
- Research Group Chemical Signalling, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Research Group Chemical Signalling, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Teyssier A, Lens L, Matthysen E, White J. Dynamics of Gut Microbiota Diversity During the Early Development of an Avian Host: Evidence From a Cross-Foster Experiment. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1524. [PMID: 30038608 PMCID: PMC6046450 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the increasing knowledge on the processes involved in the acquisition and development of the gut microbiota in model organisms, the factors influencing early microbiota successions in natural populations remain poorly understood. In particular, little is known on the role of the rearing environment in the establishment of the gut microbiota in wild birds. Here, we examined the influence of the nesting environment on the gut microbiota of Great tits (Parus major) by performing a partial cross-fostering experiment during the intermediate stage of nestling development. We found that the cloacal microbiota of great tit nestlings underwent substantial changes between 8 and 15 days of age, with a strong decrease in diversity, an increase in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and a shift in the functional features of the community. Second, the nesting environment significantly influenced community composition, with a divergence among separated true siblings and a convergence among foster siblings. Third, larger shifts in both microbiota diversity and composition correlated with lower nestling body condition. Our results shed new light on the dynamics of microbial diversity during the ontogeny of avian hosts, indicating that the nest environment continues to shape the gut microbiota during the later stages of nestling development and that the increase in gut diversity between hatching and adulthood may not be as linear as previously suspected. Lastly, the microbiota changes incurred during this period may have implications for nestling body condition which can lead to long-term consequences for host fitness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aimeric Teyssier
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique–Université Paul Sabatier–Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Toulouse, France
| | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Joël White
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique–Université Paul Sabatier–Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Toulouse, France
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Viji R, Shrinithivihahshini ND, Ranjeetha R, Santhanam P, Narayanan PSR, Balakrishnan S. Assessment of environmental parameters with special emphasis on avifaunal breeding season in the coastal wetland of Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Southeast coast of India. Mar Pollut Bull 2018; 131:233-238. [PMID: 29886942 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The present study focuses on the hydrographic parameters and the population level of microbial indicators in wetland ecosystems and their effects on bird breeding habitat in Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary. Water samples were collected during the bird breeding seasons at five different stations in the sanctuaries, and samples were analyzed by standard methods. Results were compared with CPCB and USEPA standards and clearly denoted that the water quality is not suitable for bird feeding and breeding habitat. One-way ANOVA showed a strong evidence (p < 0.01) of risk for birds breeding in this habitat. As a result of salt pan chemical industries, aquaculture continues to have a major effect on the homogenization and breeding habitat of avian species. Urgent action is needed to prohibit the unregulated economical activities and to regulate water quality monitoring to strictly follow the wildlife conservation rules and regulations. This effective action will help in maintaining species diversity and composition of historical monuments to provide suitable breeding sites in the sanctuary.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajendran Viji
- Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Management, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Nirmaladevi D Shrinithivihahshini
- Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Management, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rajendran Ranjeetha
- Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Management, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Perumal Santhanam
- Marine Planktonology & Aquaculture Laboratory, Department of Marine Science, School of Marine Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Palani Swamy Ram Narayanan
- Environmental Impact Assessment and Climate Change Laboratory, Department of Environmental Management, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Srinivasan Balakrishnan
- Marine Aquarium & Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Digha 721 428, West Bengal, India
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
van Veelen HPJ, Salles JF, Tieleman BI. Microbiome assembly of avian eggshells and their potential as transgenerational carriers of maternal microbiota. ISME J 2018; 12:1375-1388. [PMID: 29445132 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0067-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The microbiome is essential for development, health and homeostasis throughout an animal's life. Yet, the origins and transmission processes governing animal microbiomes remain elusive for non-human vertebrates, oviparous vertebrates in particular. Eggs may function as transgenerational carriers of the maternal microbiome, warranting characterisation of egg microbiome assembly. Here, we investigated maternal and environmental contributions to avian eggshell microbiota in wild passerine birds: woodlark Lullula arborea and skylark Alauda arvensis. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we demonstrated in both lark species, at the population and within-nest levels, that bacterial communities of freshly laid eggs were distinct from the female cloacal microbiome. Instead, soil-borne bacteria appeared to thrive on freshly laid eggs, and eggshell microbiota composition strongly resembled maternal skin, body feather and nest material communities, sources in direct contact with laid eggs. Finally, phylogenetic structure analysis and microbial source tracking underscored species sorting from directly contacting sources rather than in vivo-transferred symbionts. The female-egg-nest system allowed an integrative assessment of avian egg microbiome assembly, revealing mixed modes of symbiont acquisition not previously documented for vertebrate eggs. Our findings illuminated egg microbiome origins, which suggested a limited potential of eggshells for transgenerational transmission, encouraging further investigation of eggshell microbiome functions in vertebrates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H Pieter J van Veelen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, P.O. box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Joana Falcão Salles
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, P.O. box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - B Irene Tieleman
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, P.O. box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Geltsch N, Elek Z, Manczinger L, Vágvölgyi C, Moskát C. Common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) affect the bacterial diversity of the eggshells of their great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) hosts. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191364. [PMID: 29351548 PMCID: PMC5774785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is an avian brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of other bird species, where these hosts incubate the parasitic eggs, feed and rear the nestlings. The appearance of a cuckoo egg in a host nest may change the bacterial community in the nest. This may have consequences on the hatchability of host eggs, even when hosts reject the parasitic egg, typically within six days after parasitism. The present study revealed the bacterial community of cuckoo eggshells and those of the great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), one of the main hosts of cuckoos. We compared host eggs from non-parasitized clutches, as well as host and cuckoo eggs from parasitized clutches. As incubation may change bacterial assemblages on eggshells, we compared these egg types in two stages: the egg-laying stage, when incubation has not been started, and the mid-incubation stage (ca. on days 5–7 in incubation), where heat from the incubating female dries eggshells. Our results obtained by the 16S rRNA gene sequencing technique showed that fresh host and cuckoo eggs had partially different bacterial communities, but they became more similar during incubation in parasitized nests. Cluster analysis revealed that fresh cuckoo eggs and incubated host eggs in unparasitized nests (where no cuckoo effect could have happened) were the most dissimilar from the other groups of eggs. Cuckoo eggs did not reduce the hatchability of great reed warbler eggs. Our results on the cuckoo-great reed warbler relationship supported the idea that brood parasites may change bacterial microbiota in the host nest. Further studies should reveal how bacterial communities of cuckoo eggshells may vary by host-specific races (gentes) of cuckoos.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Geltsch
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a joint research group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Elek
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a joint research group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Manczinger
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Csaba Vágvölgyi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Csaba Moskát
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a joint research group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Pearce DS, Hoover BA, Jennings S, Nevitt GA, Docherty KM. Morphological and genetic factors shape the microbiome of a seabird species (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) more than environmental and social factors. Microbiome 2017; 5:146. [PMID: 29084611 PMCID: PMC5663041 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-017-0365-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The microbiome provides multiple benefits to animal hosts that can profoundly impact health and behavior. Microbiomes are well-characterized in humans and other animals in controlled settings, yet assessments of wild bird microbial communities remain vastly understudied. This is particularly true for pelagic seabirds with unique life histories that differ from terrestrial bird species. This study was designed to examine how morphological, genetic, environmental, and social factors affect the microbiome of a burrow-nesting seabird species, Leach's storm petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa). These seabirds are highly olfactory and may rely on microbiome-mediated odor cues during mate selection. Composition and structure of bacterial communities associated with the uropygial gland and brood patch were assessed using 16S rRNA amplicon-based Illumina Mi-Seq analysis and compared to burrow-associated bacterial communities. This is the first study to examine microbial diversity associated with multiple body sites on a seabird species. RESULTS Results indicate that sex and skin site contribute most to bacterial community variation in Leach's storm petrels and that major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotype may impact the composition of bacterial assemblages in males. In contrast to terrestrial birds and other animals, environmental and social interactions do not significantly influence storm petrel-associated bacterial assemblages. Thus, individual morphological and genetic influences outweighed environmental and social factors on microbiome composition. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to observations of terrestrial birds, microbiomes of Leach's storm petrels vary most by the sex of the bird and by the body site sampled, rather than environmental surroundings or social behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas S. Pearce
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, 1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 USA
| | - Brian A. Hoover
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Sarah Jennings
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Gabrielle A. Nevitt
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Kathryn M. Docherty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, 1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Dearborn DC, Page SM, Dainson M, Hauber ME, Hanley D. Eggshells as hosts of bacterial communities: An experimental test of the antimicrobial egg coloration hypothesis. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:9711-9719. [PMID: 29188002 PMCID: PMC5696418 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Oviparous animals have evolved multiple defenses to prevent microbes from penetrating their eggs and causing embryo mortality. In birds, egg constituents such as lysozyme and antibodies defend against microbial infestation, but eggshell pigments might also impact survival of bacteria. If so, microbes could exert an important selective pressure on the evolution of eggshell coloration. In a previous lab experiment, eggshell protoporphyrin caused drastic mortality in cultures of Gram positive, but not Gram negative, bacteria when exposed to light. Here, we test this "photodynamic antimicrobial hypothesis" in a field experiment. In a paired experimental design, we placed sanitized brown, protoporphyrin-rich chicken eggs alongside white eggs that lack protoporphyrin. We deployed eggs for 48 hr without incubation, as can occur between laying and incubation, when microbial infection risk is highest. Eggs were placed on the open ground exposed to sunlight and in dark underground storm-petrel burrows. We predicted that the proportion of Gram-positive bacteria on brown eggs should be lower when exposed to sunlight than when kept in the dark, but we expected no such difference for white eggs. Although our data revealed variation in bacterial community composition, the proportion of Gram-positive bacteria on eggshells did not vary by egg color, and there was no interaction between egg color and location. Instead, Gram-positive bacteria were proportionally more common on eggs on the ground than eggs in burrows. Overall, our experiment did not support the photodynamic antimicrobial hypothesis. The diverse range of avian egg colors is generated by just two pigments, but over 10 hypotheses have been proposed for the evolution of eggshell color. If our results are generalizable, eggshell protoporphyrin might not play a substantial role in defending eggs against microbes, which narrows the field of candidate hypotheses for the evolution of avian eggshell coloration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Symmantha M Page
- Department of Biology Bates College Lewiston ME USA.,College of Veterinary Medicine Midwestern University Glendale AZ USA
| | - Miri Dainson
- Department of Animal Biology School of Integrative Biology University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL USA
| | - Mark E Hauber
- Department of Animal Biology School of Integrative Biology University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL USA
| | - Daniel Hanley
- Department of Biology Long Island University - Post Brookville NY USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lee SI, Lee H, Jablonski PG, Choe JC, Husby M. Microbial abundance on the eggs of a passerine bird and related fitness consequences between urban and rural habitats. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185411. [PMID: 28953940 PMCID: PMC5617198 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban environments present novel and challenging habitats to wildlife. In addition to well-known difference in abiotic factors between rural and urban environments, the biotic environment, including microbial fauna, may also differ significantly. In this study, we aimed to compare the change in microbial abundance on eggshells during incubation between urban and rural populations of a passerine bird, the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica), and examine the consequences of any differences in microbial abundances in terms of hatching success and nestling survival. Using real-time PCR, we quantified the abundances of total bacteria, Escherichia coli/Shigella spp., surfactin-producing Bacillus spp. and Candida albicans on the eggshells of magpies. We found that urban magpie eggs harboured greater abundances of E. coli/Shigella spp. and C. albicans before incubation than rural magpie eggs. During incubation, there was an increase in the total bacterial load, but a decrease in C. albicans on urban eggs relative to rural eggs. Rural eggs showed a greater increase in E. coli/Shigella spp. relative to their urban counterpart. Hatching success of the brood was generally lower in urban than rural population. Nestling survival was differentially related with the eggshell microbial abundance between urban and rural populations, which was speculated to be the result of the difference in the strength of the interaction among the microbes. This is the first demonstration that avian clutches in urban and rural populations differ in eggshell microbial abundance, which can be further related to the difference in hatching success and nestling survival in these two types of environments. We suggest that future studies on the eggshell microbes should investigate the interaction among the microbes, because the incubation and/or environmental factors such as urbanization or climate condition can influence the dynamic interactions among the microbes on the eggshells which can further determine the breeding success of the parents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sang-im Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, Korea
| | - Hyunna Lee
- Laboratory of Behavior and Ecology, EcoCreative Program, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Piotr G. Jablonski
- Laboratory of Behavioral Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jae Chun Choe
- Laboratory of Behavior and Ecology, EcoCreative Program, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Magne Husby
- Department of Science, Nord University, Levanger, Norway
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Yew WC, Pearce DA, Dunn MJ, Adlard S, Alias SA, Samah AA, Convey P. Links between bacteria derived from penguin guts and deposited guano and the surrounding soil microbiota. Polar Biol 2018; 41:269-81. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2189-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
25
|
Evans JK, Buchanan KL, Griffith SC, Klasing KC, Addison B. Ecoimmunology and microbial ecology: Contributions to avian behavior, physiology, and life history. Horm Behav 2017; 88:112-121. [PMID: 28065710 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria have had a fundamental impact on vertebrate evolution not only by affecting the evolution of the immune system, but also generating complex interactions with behavior and physiology. Advances in molecular techniques have started to reveal the intricate ways in which bacteria and vertebrates have coevolved. Here, we focus on birds as an example system for understanding the fundamental impact bacteria have had on the evolution of avian immune defenses, behavior, physiology, reproduction and life histories. The avian egg has multiple characteristics that have evolved to enable effective defense against pathogenic attack. Microbial risk of pathogenic infection is hypothesized to vary with life stage, with early life risk being maximal at either hatching or fledging. For adult birds, microbial infection risk is also proposed to vary with habitat and life stage, with molt inducing a period of increased vulnerability. Bacteria not only play an important role in shaping the immune system as well as trade-offs with other physiological systems, but also for determining digestive efficiency and nutrient uptake. The relevance of avian microbiomes for avian ecology, physiology and behavior is highly topical and will likely impact on our understanding of avian welfare, conservation, captive breeding as well as for our understanding of the nature of host-microbe coevolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica K Evans
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Geelong 3220, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, 2122, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katherine L Buchanan
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Geelong 3220, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, 2122, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kirk C Klasing
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - BriAnne Addison
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Geelong 3220, Victoria, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Nettle D, Andrews C, Reichert S, Bedford T, Gott A, Parker C, Kolenda C, Martin-Ruiz C, Monaghan P, Bateson M. Brood size moderates associations between relative size, telomere length, and immune development in European starling nestlings. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8138-8148. [PMID: 27891221 PMCID: PMC5108265 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 09/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
For young birds in a nest, body size may have implications for other aspects of development such as telomere length and immune function. However, it is possible to predict associations in either direction. On the one hand, there may be trade-offs between growth and telomere maintenance, and growth and investment in immune function, suggesting there will be negative correlations. On the other hand, relatively larger individuals might be advantaged in competition with their nest-mates, allowing them to garner more resources overall, leading to positive correlations. We studied development over the nestling period in 34 nests of wild European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris. Intrabrood competition is typically more intense in larger broods. Hence, we predicted that body size should become an increasingly positive predictor of telomere length and immune functioning as brood size increases. In partial support of our prediction, there were significant interactions between brood size and body size in predicting both erythrocyte telomere length change and plasma levels of the cytokine interleukin-6. The associations between body size and these outcomes went from negative in the smallest broods to positive in the largest. A further immune marker, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, showed no systematic patterning with body size or brood size. Our results confirm that the size to which a nestling grows is important for telomere dynamics and the development of the immune system, but the phenotypic associations are moderated by the competitive context.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Nettle
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Clare Andrews
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Sophie Reichert
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Tom Bedford
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Annie Gott
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Craig Parker
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Claire Kolenda
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Carmen Martin-Ruiz
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Melissa Bateson
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Martínez-García Á, Martín-Vivaldi M, Rodríguez-Ruano SM, Peralta-Sánchez JM, Valdivia E, Soler JJ. Nest Bacterial Environment Affects Microbiome of Hoopoe Eggshells, but Not That of the Uropygial Secretion. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158158. [PMID: 27409772 PMCID: PMC4943718 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of associations between symbiotic bacterial communities of hosts and those of surrounding environments would help to understand how bacterial assemblages are acquired, and how they are transmitted from one to another location (i.e. symbiotic bacteria acquisition by hosts). Hoopoes (Upupa epops) smear their eggshells with uropygial secretion (oily secretion produced in their uropygial gland) that harbors antibiotic producing bacteria. Trying to elucidate a possible role of nest material and cloaca microbiota in determining the bacterial community of the uropygial gland and the eggshells of hoopoes, we characterized bacterial communities of nest material, cloaca, uropygial gland and eggshells by the ARISA fingerprinting. Further, by adding material with scarce bacteria and antimicrobial properties, we manipulated the bacterial community of nest material and thus tested experimentally its effects on the microbiomes of the uropygial secretion and of the eggshells. The experiment did not influence the microbiome of the uropygial secretion of females, but affected the community established on eggshells. This is the first experimental evidence indicating that nest material influences the bacterial community of the eggshells and, therefore, probability of embryo infection. Some of the bacterial strains detected in the secretion were also in the bacterial communities of the nest material and of cloaca, but their occurrence within nests was not associated, which suggests that bacterial environments of nest material and cloaca are not sources of symbiotic bacteria for the gland. These results do not support a role of nest environments of hoopoes as reservoirs of symbiotic bacteria. We discuss possible scenarios explaining bacterial acquisition by hoopoes that should be further explored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Eva Valdivia
- Departamento de Microbiología Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Juan J. Soler
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) E-04120 Almería, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Evans JK, Griffith SC, Klasing KC, Buchanan KL. Impact of nest sanitation on the immune system of parents and nestlings in a passerine bird. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:1985-93. [PMID: 27143751 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.130948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial communities are thought to have fundamental effects on the growth and development of nestling birds. The antigen exposure hypothesis suggests that, for both nestlings and adult birds, exposure to a diverse range of bacteria would select for stronger immune defences. However, there are relatively few studies that have tested the immune/bacterial relationships outside of domestic poultry. We therefore sought to examine indices of immunity (microbial killing ability in naive birds, which is a measure of innate immunity, and the antibody response to sheep red blood cells, which measures adaptive immunity) in both adult and nestling zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We did this throughout breeding and between reproductive attempts in nests that were experimentally manipulated to change the intensity of bacterial exposure. Our results suggest that nest sanitation and bacterial load affected measures of the adaptive immune system, but not the innate immune parameters tested. Adult finches breeding in clean nests had a lower primary antibody response to sheep red blood cells, particularly males, and a greater difference between primary and secondary responses. Adult microbial killing of Escherichia coli decreased as parents moved from incubation to nestling rearing for both nest treatments; however, killing of Candida albicans remained consistent throughout. In nestlings, both innate microbial killing and the adaptive antibody response did not differ between nest environments. Together, these results suggest that exposure to microorganisms in the environment affects the adaptive immune system in nesting birds, with exposure upregulating the antibody response in adult birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica K Evans
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3217, Australia
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Kirk C Klasing
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Katherine L Buchanan
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3217, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Ruiz-Raya F, Rodríguez L, Soler M. Fecal sacs attract insects to the nest and provoke an activation of the immune system of nestlings. Front Zool 2016; 13:3. [PMID: 26793266 PMCID: PMC4719217 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-016-0135-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nest sanitation is a widespread but rarely studied behavior in birds. The most common form of nest sanitation behavior, the removal of nestling feces, has focused the discussion about which selective pressures determine this behavior. The parasitism hypothesis, which states that nestling fecal sacs attract parasites that negatively affect breeding birds, was proposed 40 years ago and is frequently cited as a demonstrated fact. But, to our knowledge, there is no previous experimental test of this hypothesis. Results We carried out three different experiments to investigate the parasitism hypothesis. First, we used commercial McPhail traps to test for the potential attraction effect of nestling feces alone on flying insects. We found that traps with fecal sacs attracted significantly more flies (Order Diptera), but not ectoparasites, than the two control situations. Second, we used artificial blackbird (Turdus merula) nests to investigate the combined attraction effect of feces and nest materials on arthropods (not only flying insects). Flies, again, were the only group of arthropods significantly attracted by fecal sacs. We did not detect an effect on ectoparasites. Third, we used active blackbird nests to investigate the potential effect of nestling feces in ecto- and endoparasite loads in real nestlings. The presence of fecal sacs near blackbird nestlings did not increase the number of louse flies or chewing lice, and unexpectedly reduced the number of nests infested with mites. The endoparasite prevalence was also not affected. In contrast, feces provoked an activation of the immune system as the H/L ratio of nestlings living near excrements was significantly higher than those kept under the two control treatments. Conclusions Surprisingly, our findings do not support the parasitism hypothesis, which suggests that parasites are not the main reason for fecal sac removal. In contrast, the attraction of flies to nestling feces, the elevation of the immune response of chicks, and the recently described antimicrobial function of the mucous covering of fecal sacs suggest that microorganisms could be responsible of this important form of parental care behavior (microbial hypothesis).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Diego Ibáñez-Álamo
- Behavioral and Physiological Ecology group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands ; Department Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, C.S.I.C, Avda. Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Francisco Ruiz-Raya
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Laura Rodríguez
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Soler
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Martínez-García Á, Soler JJ, Rodríguez-Ruano SM, Martínez-Bueno M, Martín-Platero AM, Juárez-García N, Martín-Vivaldi M. Preening as a Vehicle for Key Bacteria in Hoopoes. Microb Ecol 2015; 70:1024-1033. [PMID: 26078039 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-015-0636-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Oily secretions produced in the uropygial gland of incubating female hoopoes contain antimicrobial-producing bacteria that prevent feathers from degradation and eggs from pathogenic infection. Using the beak, females collect the uropygial gland secretion and smear it directly on the eggshells and brood patch. Thus, some bacterial strains detected in the secretion should also be present on the eggshell, beak, and brood patch. To characterize these bacterial communities, we used Automatic Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA), which distinguishes between taxonomically different bacterial strains (i.e. different operational taxonomic units [OTUs]) by the size of the sequence amplified. We identified a total of 146 different OTUs with sizes between 139 and 999 bp. Of these OTUs, 124 were detected in the uropygial oil, 106 on the beak surface, 97 on the brood patch, and 98 on the eggshell. The highest richness of OTUs appeared in the uropygial oil samples. Moreover, the detection of some OTUs on the beak, brood patch, and eggshells of particular nests depended on these OTUs being present in the uropygial oil of the female. These results agree with the hypothesis that symbiotic bacteria are transmitted from the uropygial gland to beak, brood patch, and eggshell surfaces, opening the possibility that the bacterial community of the secretion plays a central role in determining the communities of special hoopoe eggshell structures (i.e., crypts) that, soon after hatching, are filled with uropygial oil, thereby protecting embryos from pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan J Soler
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Møller AP, Soler JJ, Nielsen JT, Galván I. Pathogenic bacteria and timing of laying. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:1676-85. [PMID: 25937910 PMCID: PMC4409415 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2014] [Revised: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria constitute a serious threat to viability of many organisms. Because growth of most bacteria is favored by humid and warm environmental conditions, earlier reproducers in seasonal environments should suffer less from the negative consequences of pathogenic bacteria. These relationships, and the effects on reproductive success, should be particularly prominent in predators because they are frequently exposed to pathogenic microorganisms from sick prey. Here, we presented and tested this hypothesis by sampling bacteria on adult and nestling goshawks Accipiter gentilis. We predicted that early breeders and their offspring should have fewer bacteria than those reproducing later during the breeding season. Adult goshawks with a high abundance of Staphylococcus on their beak and claws were easier to capture and their laying date was delayed. Moreover, goshawks that laid their eggs later had offspring with more Staphylococcus on their beaks and claws. The strength of the association between laying date and bacterial density of nestlings was stronger during the warm spring of 2013, when nestlings suffered from a higher abundance of pathogenic bacteria. Hatching failure and fledging failure were more common in nests with a higher abundance of Staphylococcus independently of the number of years occupied, laying date, and age of the female nest owner. These findings imply that timing of reproduction may be under the influence of pathogenic bacteria. Because early breeding goshawks produce more recruits than later breeders, our results suggest a role for pathogenic bacteria in the optimal timing of reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anders Pape Møller
- Laboratoire Ecologie, Systematique et Evolution, UMR 8079 CNRS-Université Paris-Sud XI-AgroParisTech Batiment 362, Université Paris-Sud XI, F-91405, Orsay Cedex, France
| | - Juan J Soler
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Carretera de Sacramento s/n E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | | | - Ismael Galván
- Laboratoire Ecologie, Systematique et Evolution, UMR 8079 CNRS-Université Paris-Sud XI-AgroParisTech Batiment 362, Université Paris-Sud XI, F-91405, Orsay Cedex, France ; Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana - CSIC, c/ Américo Vespucio s/n 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| |
Collapse
|