Staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free-ranging population of the fruit bat Pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivity
Abstract Conservation of endangered species has become increasingly complex, and costly interventions to protect wildlife require a robust scientific evidence base. This includes consideration of the role of the microbiome in preserving animal health. Captivity introduces stressors not encountered i...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17835-3 |
| _version_ | 1811315111625752576 |
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| author | Kay Fountain Alberto Barbon Marjorie J. Gibbon David H. Lloyd Anette Loeffler Edward J. Feil |
| author_facet | Kay Fountain Alberto Barbon Marjorie J. Gibbon David H. Lloyd Anette Loeffler Edward J. Feil |
| author_sort | Kay Fountain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Conservation of endangered species has become increasingly complex, and costly interventions to protect wildlife require a robust scientific evidence base. This includes consideration of the role of the microbiome in preserving animal health. Captivity introduces stressors not encountered in the wild including environmental factors and exposure to exotic species, humans and antimicrobial drugs. These stressors may perturb the microbiomes of wild animals, with negative consequences for their health and welfare and hence the success of the conservation project, and ultimately the risk of release of non-native organisms into native ecosystems. We compared the genomes of Staphylococcus aureus colonising critically endangered Livingstone’s fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii) which have been in a captive breeding programme for 25 years, with those from bats in the endemic founder population free ranging in the Comoros Republic. Using whole genome sequencing, we compared 47 isolates from captive bats with 37 isolates from those free ranging in the Comoros Republic. Our findings demonstrate unexpected resilience in the bacteria carried, with the captive bats largely retaining the same two distinctive lineages carried at the time of capture. In addition, we found evidence of genomic changes which suggest specific adaptations to the bat host. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:24:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ef6280481ad4ffc80f39905cd5b9e9c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:24:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ef6280481ad4ffc80f39905cd5b9e9c2022-12-22T02:48:44ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-08-011211810.1038/s41598-022-17835-3Staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free-ranging population of the fruit bat Pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivityKay Fountain0Alberto Barbon1Marjorie J. Gibbon2David H. Lloyd3Anette Loeffler4Edward J. Feil5Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of BathNorth of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo)Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of BathDepartment of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary CollegeDepartment of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary CollegeDepartment of Biology and Biochemistry, University of BathAbstract Conservation of endangered species has become increasingly complex, and costly interventions to protect wildlife require a robust scientific evidence base. This includes consideration of the role of the microbiome in preserving animal health. Captivity introduces stressors not encountered in the wild including environmental factors and exposure to exotic species, humans and antimicrobial drugs. These stressors may perturb the microbiomes of wild animals, with negative consequences for their health and welfare and hence the success of the conservation project, and ultimately the risk of release of non-native organisms into native ecosystems. We compared the genomes of Staphylococcus aureus colonising critically endangered Livingstone’s fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii) which have been in a captive breeding programme for 25 years, with those from bats in the endemic founder population free ranging in the Comoros Republic. Using whole genome sequencing, we compared 47 isolates from captive bats with 37 isolates from those free ranging in the Comoros Republic. Our findings demonstrate unexpected resilience in the bacteria carried, with the captive bats largely retaining the same two distinctive lineages carried at the time of capture. In addition, we found evidence of genomic changes which suggest specific adaptations to the bat host.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17835-3 |
| spellingShingle | Kay Fountain Alberto Barbon Marjorie J. Gibbon David H. Lloyd Anette Loeffler Edward J. Feil Staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free-ranging population of the fruit bat Pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivity Scientific Reports |
| title | Staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free-ranging population of the fruit bat Pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivity |
| title_full | Staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free-ranging population of the fruit bat Pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivity |
| title_fullStr | Staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free-ranging population of the fruit bat Pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free-ranging population of the fruit bat Pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivity |
| title_short | Staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free-ranging population of the fruit bat Pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivity |
| title_sort | staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free ranging population of the fruit bat pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17835-3 |
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