Captivity and Infection by the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans Perturb the Amphibian Skin Microbiome
The emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) is responsible for the catastrophic decline of European salamanders and poses a threat to amphibians globally. The amphibian skin microbiome can influence disease outcome for several host-pathogen systems, yet little is known of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01834/full |
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| author | Kieran A. Bates Kieran A. Bates Kieran A. Bates Jennifer M. G. Shelton Victoria L. Mercier Kevin P. Hopkins Xavier A. Harrison Xavier A. Harrison Silviu O. Petrovan Silviu O. Petrovan Matthew C. Fisher |
| author_facet | Kieran A. Bates Kieran A. Bates Kieran A. Bates Jennifer M. G. Shelton Victoria L. Mercier Kevin P. Hopkins Xavier A. Harrison Xavier A. Harrison Silviu O. Petrovan Silviu O. Petrovan Matthew C. Fisher |
| author_sort | Kieran A. Bates |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) is responsible for the catastrophic decline of European salamanders and poses a threat to amphibians globally. The amphibian skin microbiome can influence disease outcome for several host-pathogen systems, yet little is known of its role in Bsal infection. In addition, many experimental in-vivo amphibian disease studies to date have relied on specimens that have been kept in captivity for long periods without considering the influence of environment on the microbiome and how this may impact the host response to pathogen exposure. We characterized the impact of captivity and exposure to Bsal on the skin bacterial and fungal communities of two co-occurring European newt species, the smooth newt, Lissotriton vulgaris and the great-crested newt, Triturus cristatus. We show that captivity led to significant losses in bacterial and fungal diversity of amphibian skin, which may be indicative of a decline in microbe-mediated protection. We further demonstrate that in both L. vulgaris and T. cristatus, Bsal infection was associated with changes in the composition of skin bacterial communities with possible negative consequences to host health. Our findings advance current understanding of the role of host-associated microbiota in Bsal infection and highlight important considerations for ex-situ amphibian conservation programmes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T14:21:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1d2544290bb34e3c9acde332aa8bf67b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T14:21:56Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1d2544290bb34e3c9acde332aa8bf67b2022-12-21T19:37:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2019-08-011010.3389/fmicb.2019.01834474263Captivity and Infection by the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans Perturb the Amphibian Skin MicrobiomeKieran A. Bates0Kieran A. Bates1Kieran A. Bates2Jennifer M. G. Shelton3Victoria L. Mercier4Kevin P. Hopkins5Xavier A. Harrison6Xavier A. Harrison7Silviu O. Petrovan8Silviu O. Petrovan9Matthew C. Fisher10Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United KingdomDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United KingdomInstitute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United KingdomInstitute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United KingdomInstitute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United KingdomCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United KingdomDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomFroglife, Peterborough, United KingdomDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United KingdomThe emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) is responsible for the catastrophic decline of European salamanders and poses a threat to amphibians globally. The amphibian skin microbiome can influence disease outcome for several host-pathogen systems, yet little is known of its role in Bsal infection. In addition, many experimental in-vivo amphibian disease studies to date have relied on specimens that have been kept in captivity for long periods without considering the influence of environment on the microbiome and how this may impact the host response to pathogen exposure. We characterized the impact of captivity and exposure to Bsal on the skin bacterial and fungal communities of two co-occurring European newt species, the smooth newt, Lissotriton vulgaris and the great-crested newt, Triturus cristatus. We show that captivity led to significant losses in bacterial and fungal diversity of amphibian skin, which may be indicative of a decline in microbe-mediated protection. We further demonstrate that in both L. vulgaris and T. cristatus, Bsal infection was associated with changes in the composition of skin bacterial communities with possible negative consequences to host health. Our findings advance current understanding of the role of host-associated microbiota in Bsal infection and highlight important considerations for ex-situ amphibian conservation programmes.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01834/fullBatrachochytrium salamandrivoranschytridiomycosismicrobiomemicrobial ecologyamphibian |
| spellingShingle | Kieran A. Bates Kieran A. Bates Kieran A. Bates Jennifer M. G. Shelton Victoria L. Mercier Kevin P. Hopkins Xavier A. Harrison Xavier A. Harrison Silviu O. Petrovan Silviu O. Petrovan Matthew C. Fisher Captivity and Infection by the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans Perturb the Amphibian Skin Microbiome Frontiers in Microbiology Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans chytridiomycosis microbiome microbial ecology amphibian |
| title | Captivity and Infection by the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans Perturb the Amphibian Skin Microbiome |
| title_full | Captivity and Infection by the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans Perturb the Amphibian Skin Microbiome |
| title_fullStr | Captivity and Infection by the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans Perturb the Amphibian Skin Microbiome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Captivity and Infection by the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans Perturb the Amphibian Skin Microbiome |
| title_short | Captivity and Infection by the Fungal Pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans Perturb the Amphibian Skin Microbiome |
| title_sort | captivity and infection by the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium salamandrivorans perturb the amphibian skin microbiome |
| topic | Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans chytridiomycosis microbiome microbial ecology amphibian |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01834/full |
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