Gut microbiome of the sole surviving member of reptile order Rhynchocephalia reveals biogeographic variation, influence of host body condition and a substantial core microbiota in tuatara across New Zealand

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

Tuatara are the sole extant species in reptile order Rhynchocephalia. They ecologically and evolutionarily unique, having been isolated geographically for ~84 million years from their closest living relatives ~250 years. Here we report tuatara gut bacterial community first time. We sampled microbiota of translocated at five sanctuaries spanning a latitudinal range ~1000 km within Aotearoa New Zealand, as well individuals source population on Takapourewa (Stephens Island). This represents look Rhynchocephalia provides opportunity to address several key hypotheses, namely that microbiota: (1) differs those other orders; (2) varies among geographic locations but is more similar sites with temperatures (3) shaped by body condition, parasitism ambient temperature. found significant drivers sampling site, temperature, suggesting importance these factors when considering conservation. also derived 'core' shared bacteria across many sites, despite isolation. Remarkably, >70% amplicon sequence variants could not be assigned known genera, largely undescribed this ancient host species.

Language: Английский

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Gut microbiota plasticity in insular lizards under reversed island syndrome

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: July 25, 2022

Abstract Animals living on small islands are more drastically exposed to environmental changes, such as food or water starvation, and rapid temperature shifts. Facing conditions, probably thank adaptive plasticity mechanisms, some animals display a Reversed Island Syndrome (RIS), suite of traits, including skin pigmentation, voracity, sexual dimorphism, showed differently from mainland relatives. Here, we analyse so far poorly explored aspect RIS: the effect this microbiota composition host Italian wall lizard ( Podarcis siculus ), strongly influenced by animal’s lifestyle, conditioning same. We compare island populations, assessing difference between their microbial communities response under unexpected food, experimentally provided. Our observations significant in groups, depended mainly changes relative abundance shared genera (difference due decrease/increase). Exposure experimental diet regimes resulted into significative reshaping bacterial greater variation body mass only population. results could be an evidence that gut community contributes mechanisms lizards RIS efficiently respond changes.

Language: Английский

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Season, Body Condition and Developmental Stage Influence the Gut Microbiota of the Sole Living Rhynchocephalian Reptile (Sphenodon punctatus)

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(4)

Published: April 1, 2025

Seasonality plays a crucial role for many species, especially reptiles. In multiple reptile seasonality has been linked to shifts in the gut microbiota, influenced by factors, such as ambient temperature, food availability and shifting host function across different seasons. We tested whether tuatara, an endemic New Zealand sole extant member of order Rhynchocephalia, maintains stable microbiota over 2 years sampling three seasons (summer, autumn, spring) or if dominant bacterial community varies with season. found that diversity changed significantly seasonally, most diverse spring. also season beta-diversity, did tuatara developmental stage, body condition tick abundance. However, there was little evidence recurring seasonal assemblage 2024 compared 2023. For where same individual resampled seasons, composition appeared be correlated time sampling, closer temporal samples more similar one another than taken further apart, which seen significance period factor explaining variation all tuatara. identified genera increased decreased each Despite notable among particularly exhibits remarkable persistence time, including within individuals.

Language: Английский

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The reproductive microbiome and maternal transmission of microbiota via eggs in Sceloporus virgatus

FEMS Microbiology Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 100(3)

Published: Feb. 2, 2024

Abstract Maternal transmission of microbes occurs across the animal kingdom and is vital for offspring development long-term health. The mechanisms this transfer are most well-studied in humans other mammals but less well-understood egg-laying animals, especially those with no parental care. Here, we investigate maternal oviparous phrynosomatid lizard, Sceloporus virgatus. We compared microbiota three tissues—oviduct, cloaca, intestine—to sample types: egg contents eggshells on day oviposition, hatchling intestinal tissue hatching. found that identity an important factor microbiome composition, indicating occurring. cloacal oviductal communities contribute to all types, minimal sourced from intestines. This indicates reproductive more microbial inheritance than gut microbiome, tissue-level variation adult S. virgatus must develop as matures. Despite differences between communities, were primarily members Enterobacteriaceae Yersiniaceae families (Phylum Proteobacteria), consistent past studies microbiomes.

Language: Английский

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Wild microbiomes of striped plateau lizards vary with reproductive season, sex, and body size

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Nov. 30, 2022

Long-term studies of animal microbiomes under natural conditions are valuable for understanding the effects host demographics and environmental factors on host-associated microbial communities, how those interact shift over time. We examined cloacal microbiome wild Sceloporus virgatus (the striped plateau lizard) varies in a multi-year study. Cloacal swabs were collected from wild-caught lizards across their entire active season three years southeastern Arizona, USA. Analyses 16S rRNA data generated Illumina platform revealed that S. vary as function season, sex, body size, reproductive state, do so independently one another. Briefly, diversity was lowest both sexes during higher females than males, when they vitellogenic, composition varied seasons, sexes, sizes. The pattern decreased periods with increased sociality is surprising, other systems often suggest generally increases sociality. not affected significantly by hibernation relatively stable year to year. This study highlights importance long term, wide-scale capturing accurate perspectives animals. It also serves warning comparisons species, each may be different suite selective pressures or exhibit short-term variation external innate factors, which differ species-specific manner.

Language: Английский

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Insular holobionts: persistence and seasonal plasticity of the Balearic wall lizard (Podarcis lilfordi) gut microbiota

PeerJ, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 11, P. e14511 - e14511

Published: Jan. 3, 2023

Background Integrative studies of animals and associated microbial assemblages ( i.e. , the holobiont) are rapidly changing our perspectives on organismal ecology evolution. Insular vertebrates provide ideal natural systems to understand patterns host-gut microbiota coevolution, resilience plasticity these communities over temporal spatial scales, ultimately their role in host ecological adaptation. Methods Here we used endemic Balearic wall lizard Podarcis lilfordi dissect drivers diversity within across allopatric populations/islets. By focusing three extensively studied populations/islets Mallorca (Spain) fecal sampling from individually identified lizards along two years (both spring autumn), sorted out effect islet, sex, life stage, year season composition. We further related genetics, trophic expected annual metabolic changes. Results All populations showed a remarkable conservation major taxonomic profile, while carrying unique signature at finer level resolution (Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs)). Microbiota distances were compatible with both genetics (based microsatellites) niche stable isotopes content). Within populations, large proportion ASVs (30–50%) recurrently found four dates. The was strongly marked by seasonality, no sex marginal stage effect. seasonal fluctuations sampled years, primarily due changes relative abundances fermentative bacteria (mostly families Lachnospiraceae Ruminococcaceae), without any compositional turnover. Conclusions These results support aspects P. gut short-term evolutionary divergence (<10,000 years), but also indicate an undergoing process parallel diversification microbes. Predictable dynamics suggests lizards’ adaptation resource-constrained insular environments. Overall, study supports need for longitudinal integrative microbes systems.

Language: Английский

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16S rRNA Gene Sequencing-Based Identification and Comparative Analysis of the Fecal Microbiota of Five Syntopic Lizard Species from a Low-Mountain Area in Western Bulgaria

Applied Microbiology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 4(1), P. 181 - 193

Published: Jan. 18, 2024

Studies on the gut microbiome of free-living reptiles in Europe are generally fragmentary and still missing Bulgaria. We aimed to identify compare fecal microbiota profiles five syntopic lizard species from three families: European green (Lacerta viridis), common wall (Podarcis muralis), meadow (Darevskia praticola) (Lacertidae), snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) (Scincidae), slow worm (Anguis fragilis) (Anguidae), which coinhabit a low mountainous area western part country. A high-throughput sequencing hypervariable V3-V4 region 16S rRNA gene, performed Illumina HiSeq2500 platform, was used. The core hosts seems be species-specific. dynamic phyla proportion between found. richest alpha diversity observed D. praticola, lowest P. muralis A. fragilis. Within lacertids, praticola L. viridis were more closely related each other than they those muralis. Sharing largely trophic resource (all except fragilis mainly insectivorous) not an indication similarity their microbial communities.

Language: Английский

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Factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitats

PeerJ, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 11, P. e15146 - e15146

Published: May 9, 2023

Background Host-gut microbiota interactions are complex and can have a profound impact on the ecology evolution of both counterparts. Several host traits such as systematics, diet social behavior, external factors prey availability local environment known to influence composition diversity gut microbiota. Methods In this study, we investigate sex, size, locality/habitat in five lizard species from two different sites Portugal: Podarcis bocagei lusitanicus , living syntopy rural area northern Portugal (Moledo); invasive siculus native virescens sympatry an urbanized (Lisbon); Teira dugesii also urban (Lisbon). We infer potential microbial transmission occurring between syntopy. To achieve these goals, use metabarcoding approach characterize bacterial communities cloaca lizards, sequencing V4 region 16S rRNA. Results Habitat/locality was important factor explaining differences structure, with environments having higher diversity. Host systematics ( i.e. species) influenced community structure only lizards environment. detected significant positive correlation size alpha-diversity P. which could be due its exploratory behavior. Moreover, estimates indicate that may acquired high proportion after introduction. These findings confirm diverse array environmental lizards’

Language: Английский

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Chromosome-level genome assembly of Lilford’s wall lizard, Podarcis lilfordi (Günther, 1874) from the Balearic Islands (Spain)

DNA Research, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 30(3)

Published: May 4, 2023

Abstract The Mediterranean lizard Podarcis lilfordi is an emblematic species of the Balearic Islands. extensive phenotypic diversity among extant isolated populations makes a great insular model system for eco-evolutionary studies, as well challenging target conservation management plans. Here we report first high-quality chromosome-level assembly and annotation P. genome, along with its mitogenome, based on mixed sequencing strategy (10X Genomics linked reads, Oxford Nanopore Technologies long reads Hi-C scaffolding) coupled transcriptomic data (Illumina PacBio). genome (1.5 Gb) highly contiguous (N50 = 90 Mb) complete, 99% sequence assigned to candidate chromosomal sequences &gt;97% gene completeness. We annotated total 25,663 protein-coding genes translating into 38,615 proteins. Comparison related muralis revealed substantial similarity in size, metrics, repeat content, strong collinearity, despite their evolutionary distance (~18–20 MYA). This expands repertoire available reptilian genomes will facilitate exploration molecular processes underlying extraordinary this species, while providing critical resource genomics.

Language: Английский

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Chromosome-level genome assembly of Lilford’s wall lizard,Podarcis lilfordi(Günther, 1874) from the Balearic Islands (Spain)

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 15, 2023

Abstract The Mediterranean lizard Podarcis lilfordi is an emblematic species of the Balearic Islands. extensive phenotypic diversity among extant isolated populations makes a great insular model system for eco-evolutionary studies, as well challenging target conservation management plans. Here we report first high quality chromosome-level assembly and annotation P. genome, along with its mitogenome, based on mixed sequencing strategy (10X Genomics linked reads, Oxford Nanopore Technologies long reads Hi-C scaffolding) coupled transcriptomic data (Illumina PacBio). genome (1.5 Gb) highly contiguous (N50 = 90 Mb) complete, 99% sequence assigned to candidate chromosomal sequences >97% gene completeness. We annotated total 25,663 protein-coding genes, assigning 72% known functions. Comparison related muralis revealed substantial similarity in size, metrics, repeat content, strong collinearity, despite their evolutionary distance (~18-20 MYA). This expands repertoire available reptilian genomes will facilitate exploration molecular processes underlying extraordinary this species, while providing critical resource genomics.

Language: Английский

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