Comparative analysis of the gut microbiota composition between two sea snakes, Hydrophis curtus, and Hydrophis cyanocinctus

Zhong, Jun; Guo, Kun; Liao, Zheng-Lan; Hu, Shi-Chen; Du, Yuguang; Ji, Xiang

doi:10.1007/s00338-021-02200-z

Cited by 5 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Moreover, the phyla Actinobacteriota and Fusobacteriota exhibited greater abundance in some samples in the present study (Fig. 3a), and occasionally in other studies [25,27]. Because snakes are carnivorous, their gut microbiomes included phyla present in other carnivores (e.g., coyotes [43], foxes [44], raccoon dogs [45], and tigers [46]), which highlights the extensive effects of diet on the gut microbiome in animals.…”

Section: The Mucosal Microbiome Exhibits Greater Diversitysupporting

confidence: 76%

“…In cattle, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were more abundant in epimural biopsy samples, whereas Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria were more abundant in luminal samples [34,39]. To our knowledge, no study has explored the mucosal microbiome in snakes, but there is evidence that dominant phyla in the snake microbiome are in uenced by many factors, including host species [25,27], venom secretion [29], gastrointestinal biogeography [30], and foraging pattern [31].…”

Section: The Mucosal Microbiome Exhibits Greater Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The physicochemical conditions and substrate availability at mucosal and luminal sites create diverse microenvironments that support distinct microbial populations [47]. Previous studies showed that the gut microbiome of snakes was dominated by diverse genera, whereas Bacteroides was the only taxon shared among all samples; thus, Bacteroides is a core member of the microbiome in snakes [25,27,29,30]. Bacteroides is the important keystone bacteria in animal gut; it primarily participates in the digestion and utilization of complex carbohydrates, indigestible polysaccharides, fat, and proteins [48].…”

Section: The Mucosal Microbiome Exhibits Greater Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…cloacal swabs [26, 28], and luminal contents [25,29]; only one study has been conducted with a focus on gut tissues that represent the mixed mucosal and luminal microbiome [30]. Snakes are carnivores that require extended intervals (several days to a few weeks) to digest and absorb food, and their intestinal contents are likely to be strongly affected by the state of absorption and recent diet [31].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies of snake microbes have investigated the relationships among environment [32], diet [31], and host species [25,27]. However, explorations of physiology and immunity require more targeted sampling methods.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Heterogeneity and Co-occurrence in the Luminal and Mucosal Gut Microbiomes and Metabolomes of Oriental Rat snake (Ptyas mucosus)

Wei

Zhou

Fang

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Background The gut microbiomes of animals have been widely investigated, but the effects of sampling sites in the gastrointestinal tract remain unclear. Previous studies regarding the gastrointestinal biogeography of microbiomes generally focused on longitudinal comparisons, whereas few studies have compared luminal and mucosal microbiomes. Investigations of the snake gut microbiome have attracted interest because of the unique digestive physiology and hibernation behavior, but adequate sampling methods must be developed. Here, we used an omics approach combining 16S rRNA gene sequencing with untargeted metabolomics to profile the luminal and mucosal gut microbiomes and metabolomes in oriental rat snakes, with the goal of revealing the heterogeneity and co-occurrence at these sites. Results The α-diversity of the gut microbiome was significantly higher at mucosal sites than at luminal sites. Microbial composition also differed according to sampling site, with significant differences in the abundances of dominant phyla and genera, as well as β-diversity clustering and distribution. Metabolome profiling revealed differences that were mainly related to cholinergic substances and nucleic acids. Analysis of variations in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functions of microbes and metabolites showed that the mucosal microbiome was more frequently involved in genetic information processing and cellular processes, whereas the luminal microbiome generally participated in metabolic regulation. Notably, we found a greater abundance of the opportunistic pathogen genus Escherichia-Shigella at luminal sites, and higher levels of the lipid-regulator metabolite fenfluramine at mucosal sites. Despite the extensive differences between the two sampling sites, the results revealed similarities in terms of amplicon sequence variant composition and dominant core microbes. Conclusions Our results partly support the hypothesis that the luminal microbiome is associated with metabolism, whereas the mucosal microbiome mainly contributes to immune function. Although studies of the snake microbiome have been limited, this pilot exploration of luminal and mucosal microbiomes and metabolites provides key insights to guide future research.

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