Factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitats
Background Host-gut microbiota interactions are complex and can have a profound impact on the ecology and evolution of both counterparts. Several host traits such as systematics, diet and social behavior, and external factors such as prey availability and local environment are known to influence the...
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| Format: | Article |
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PeerJ Inc.
2023-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/15146.pdf |
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| author | Diana S. Vasconcelos D. James Harris Isabel Damas-Moreira Ana Pereira Raquel Xavier |
| author_facet | Diana S. Vasconcelos D. James Harris Isabel Damas-Moreira Ana Pereira Raquel Xavier |
| author_sort | Diana S. Vasconcelos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Host-gut microbiota interactions are complex and can have a profound impact on the ecology and evolution of both counterparts. Several host traits such as systematics, diet and social behavior, and external factors such as prey availability and local environment are known to influence the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota. Methods In this study, we investigate the influence of systematics, sex, host size, and locality/habitat on gut microbiota diversity in five lizard species from two different sites in Portugal: Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis lusitanicus, living in syntopy in a rural area in northern Portugal (Moledo); the invasive Podarcis siculus and the native Podarcis virescens, living in sympatry in an urbanized environment (Lisbon); and the invasive Teira dugesii also living in an urban area (Lisbon). We also infer the potential microbial transmission occurring between species living in sympatry and syntopy. To achieve these goals, we use a metabarcoding approach to characterize the bacterial communities from the cloaca of lizards, sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA. Results Habitat/locality was an important factor explaining differences in gut bacterial composition and structure, with species from urbanized environments having higher bacterial diversity. Host systematics (i.e., species) influenced gut bacterial community structure only in lizards from the urbanized environment. We also detected a significant positive correlation between lizard size and gut bacterial alpha-diversity in the invasive species P. siculus, which could be due to its higher exploratory behavior. Moreover, estimates of bacterial transmission indicate that P. siculus may have acquired a high proportion of local microbiota after its introduction. These findings confirm that a diverse array of host and environmental factors can influence lizards’ gut microbiota. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:29:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f2510f5a96e48db8dfb994f267cdf7c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:29:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f2510f5a96e48db8dfb994f267cdf7c2023-12-03T13:36:37ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592023-05-0111e1514610.7717/peerj.15146Factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitatsDiana S. Vasconcelos0D. James Harris1Isabel Damas-Moreira2Ana Pereira3Raquel Xavier4CIBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão da Universidade do Porto, Vairão, PortugalCIBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão da Universidade do Porto, Vairão, PortugalDepartment of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, GermanyCIBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão da Universidade do Porto, Vairão, PortugalCIBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão da Universidade do Porto, Vairão, PortugalBackground Host-gut microbiota interactions are complex and can have a profound impact on the ecology and evolution of both counterparts. Several host traits such as systematics, diet and social behavior, and external factors such as prey availability and local environment are known to influence the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota. Methods In this study, we investigate the influence of systematics, sex, host size, and locality/habitat on gut microbiota diversity in five lizard species from two different sites in Portugal: Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis lusitanicus, living in syntopy in a rural area in northern Portugal (Moledo); the invasive Podarcis siculus and the native Podarcis virescens, living in sympatry in an urbanized environment (Lisbon); and the invasive Teira dugesii also living in an urban area (Lisbon). We also infer the potential microbial transmission occurring between species living in sympatry and syntopy. To achieve these goals, we use a metabarcoding approach to characterize the bacterial communities from the cloaca of lizards, sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA. Results Habitat/locality was an important factor explaining differences in gut bacterial composition and structure, with species from urbanized environments having higher bacterial diversity. Host systematics (i.e., species) influenced gut bacterial community structure only in lizards from the urbanized environment. We also detected a significant positive correlation between lizard size and gut bacterial alpha-diversity in the invasive species P. siculus, which could be due to its higher exploratory behavior. Moreover, estimates of bacterial transmission indicate that P. siculus may have acquired a high proportion of local microbiota after its introduction. These findings confirm that a diverse array of host and environmental factors can influence lizards’ gut microbiota.https://peerj.com/articles/15146.pdfMetabarcodingPodarcisTeiraGut microbiotaBacterial transmissionSympatry |
| spellingShingle | Diana S. Vasconcelos D. James Harris Isabel Damas-Moreira Ana Pereira Raquel Xavier Factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitats PeerJ Metabarcoding Podarcis Teira Gut microbiota Bacterial transmission Sympatry |
| title | Factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitats |
| title_full | Factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitats |
| title_fullStr | Factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitats |
| title_short | Factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitats |
| title_sort | factors shaping the gut microbiome of five species of lizards from different habitats |
| topic | Metabarcoding Podarcis Teira Gut microbiota Bacterial transmission Sympatry |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/15146.pdf |
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