Title: Environmental Sources of Bacteria Differentially Influence Host-Associated Microbial Dynamics

Abstract

ABSTRACT Host-associated microbial dynamics are influenced by dietary and immune factors, but how exogenous microbial exposure shapes host-microbe dynamics remains poorly characterized. To investigate this phenomenon, we characterized the skin, rectum, and respiratory tract-associated microbiota in four aquarium-housed dolphins daily over a period of 6 weeks, including administration of a probiotic during weeks 4 to 6. The environmental bacterial sources were also characterized, including the animals’ human handlers, the aquarium air and water, and the dolphins’ food supply. Continuous microbial exposure occurred between all sites, yet each environment maintained a characteristic microbiota, suggesting that the majority of exposure events do not result in colonization. Small changes in water physicochemistry had a significant but weak correlation with change in dolphin-associated bacterial richness but had no influence on phylogenetic diversity. Food and air microbiota were the richest and had the largest conditional influence on other microbiota in the absence of probiotics, but during probiotic administration, food alone had the largest influence on the stability of the dolphin microbiota. Our results suggest that respiratory tract and gastrointestinal epithelium interactions with air- and food-associated microbes had the biggest influence on host-microbiota dynamics, while other interactions, such as skin transmission, played only a minor role. Finally,more » direct oral stimulation with a foreign exogenous microbial source can have a profound effect on microbial stability. IMPORTANCE Furthermore, these results provide valuable insights into the ecological influence of exogenous microbial exposure, as well as laying the foundation for improving aquarium management practices. By comparing data for dolphins from aquaria that use natural versus artificial seawater, we demonstrate the potential influence of aquarium water disinfection procedures on dolphin microbial dynamics.« less

Authors:

Cardona, Cesar  ^[1];

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Lax, Simon ^[1]; Larsen, Peter ^[2]; Stephens, Brent ^[3]; Hampton-Marcell, Jarrad ^[4]; Edwardson, Christian F. ^[5]; Henry, Chris ^[2]; Van Bonn, Bill ^[5]; Gilbert, Jack A. ^[6]; Adams, Rachel I. ^[7]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States)
2. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
3. Illinois Inst. of Technology, Chicago, IL (United States)
4. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Univ. of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States)
5. John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL (United States)
6. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States)
7. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

Publication Date:

Tue May 29 00:00:00 EDT 2018

Research Org.:

Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

National Science Foundation (NSF); John G. Shedd Aquarium; Argonne National Laboratory; USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1489235

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC02-06CH11357

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

mSystems

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 3; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 2379-5077

Publisher:

American Society for Microbiology

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; dolphin microbiome; environmental interactions; host microbiome; microbial ecology; microbial stability; probiotics