Molecular detection of Bifidobacterium spp. in faeces of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra).
J Med Primatol 2018;
48:99-105. [PMID:
30520095 DOI:
10.1111/jmp.12395]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Bifidobacterium genus are considered to be beneficial bacteria for their hosts; however, knowledge about the specific species that are part of the gut microbiome of howler monkeys is scarce. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a useful technique for the identification of non-cultivable or difficult to grow bacterial species. With the goal of detecting species of the genus Bifidobacterium in black howler monkeys, we used PCR on DNA derived from faecal samples.
METHODS
We collected and extracted DNA from 40 faecal samples. Using specific primers, we performed PCR and nested PCR to detect members of the Bifidobacterium genus and a subset of species: Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. animalis.
RESULTS
97.5% (39/40) of the samples were positive for Bifidobacterium spp. We found B longum in 100% of the analysed samples.
CONCLUSIONS
This is the first report of B longum in black howler monkey faeces.
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