Comparison of intestinal microbes in female and male Chinese concave‐eared frogs (Odorrana tormota) and effect of nematode infection on gut bacterial communities

Abstract

The Chinese concave‐eared frog ( Odorrana tormota ) is a rare and threatened species with remarkable sexual dimorphism. Intestinal microbes are understood to play important roles in animal physiology, growth, ecology, and evolution. However, little is known about the intestinal microbes in female and male frogs, as well as the contributing effect by gut infesting nematodes to the co‐habiting bacteria and their function in degradation food rich in chitin. Here, this study analyzed the microbiota of the intestinal tract of both female and male, healthy as well as nematode‐infested concave‐eared frogs using high throughput 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomic techniques. The results showed that the bacterial composition of the microbiota at the phylum level was dominated by Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria. The study also revealed that the community composition below the class level could be represent sex differences, particularly with regard to Enterobacteriales, Enterobacteriaceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Rikenellaceae, among others. Carbohydrate‐active enzyme‐encoding genes and modules were identified in related gut bacteria by metagenomic analysis, with Bacteroidia, Clostridia, and gammaproteobacteria predicted to be the main classes of chitin‐decomposing bacteria in the frog intestine. In addition, the abundance of some bacteria significantly increased or decreased in nematode‐infected hosts compared with healthy individuals, including Verrucomicrobia, Verrucomicrobiae, Negativicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacilli, among others. This indicates that nematode infection may affect the richness and composition of some gut bacteria.

Sex Differences in Intestinal Microbial Composition and Function of Hainan Special Wild Boar

“…Studies have shown that the intestinal microflora of entire male pig has a greater ability to use carbohydrates and proteins, while the intestinal microflora of female pigs promotes energy collection [30]. At some lower classification levels, there were significant differences in the composition of intestinal microbiomes between the sexes [49]. These differences in microbial species may lead to the observed differences in intestinal microbial diversity and functions of different groups.…”

Conservation biology needs a microbial renaissance: a call for the consideration of host-associated microbiota in wildlife management practices

“…Documenting the threats to host-associated microbial communities. a land-use change -habitat fragmentation is associated with reductions in diversity and altered community composition of the mammalian gut [18,19] and amphibian skin microbiomes [20] -urbanization decreases bacterial richness and alters the community composition and functional profile of the bird gut microbiome [21] -amphibians living in agricultural habitats have distinct gut microbial community composition from those living in natural habitats [22] contamination -heavy metal exposure decreases diversity and alters the community composition of the fish gut microbiome [23] -exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls alters the community composition of the larval amphibian gut microbiome, which persists in the adult life stage [24] -pesticide and herbicide use are, respectively, linked to compositional changes in the gut microbiome of insects [25] and the skin microbiome of larval and adult amphibians [26] climate change -increased temperature results in losses of diversity and alterations to the community composition of reptile [27] and amphibian [28] gut microbiomes -warming ocean temperature alters the assemblage of the microbial communities associated with marine sponges [29] -ocean acidification reduces diversity and alters the community composition of coral associated microbes [30] infectious disease -parasite infection can decrease diversity of the bird gut microbiome [31], and alter community composition of the mammalian [32 -34] and amphibian [35] gut microbiomes -viral infections alter the community composition of the bird gut microbiome [36] and amphibian skin microbiome [37] -cutaneous fungal infection alters skin microbial communities of amphibians [38], the degree of which increases with pathogen load [39] captivity -gut microbial communities of fish [40], reptiles [41], birds [42] and mammals [43 -47], and skin microbial communities of amphibians [48,49] and reptiles [50], are distinct between captive individuals and their wild conspecifics -mammalian gut microbial communities [47] and amphibian skin microbial communities…”

The Potential Effect of Oral Bacterial Community in Melanophryniscus Admirabilis (Admirable Red-Belly Toads) Conservation

“…Amphibian microbiome studies have been increasing in recent years to facilitate an improved understanding of the diverse communities of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that inhabit their bodies [2,[17][18][19]29,30]. The skin microbiome has been extensively studied due to its relationship to an emergent disease caused by the chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) [2,31].…”

“…The study of composition, diversity, and function of microbial communities not only mirrors the host health species maintenance in the environment but, may also reflect the ecological condition of the habitat. To date, amphibian skin and gut microbiome has been relatively well studied, although studies involving oral microbiome are still scarce [2,[17][18][19]. In this sense, to ensure the successful conservation of M. admirabilis, it is important to assess the microbiota of this species.…”