Characterization of the Blood Bacterial Microbiota in Lowland Tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a Vulnerable Species in Brazil
Microbiome studies targeting hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene are suitable for understanding interactions between animals and their associated bacteria. While many studies focus on the gut microbiome, assessments of blood microbiota remain scarce despite the prevalence of blood-borne patho...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2270 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846152849115840512 |
|---|---|
| author | Anna Claudia Baumel Mongruel Emília Patrícia Medici Rosangela Zacarias Machado Keith Clay Marcos Rogério André |
| author_facet | Anna Claudia Baumel Mongruel Emília Patrícia Medici Rosangela Zacarias Machado Keith Clay Marcos Rogério André |
| author_sort | Anna Claudia Baumel Mongruel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microbiome studies targeting hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene are suitable for understanding interactions between animals and their associated bacteria. While many studies focus on the gut microbiome, assessments of blood microbiota remain scarce despite the prevalence of blood-borne pathogens in vertebrates. This study aimed to investigate the bacterial community in blood samples from 79 living and 7 road-killed lowland tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a vulnerable species, sampled in two biomes in midwestern Brazil: Pantanal and Cerrado. Animals were categorized by condition (living or road-killed), sex, age, and biome. V3–V4 16S rRNA fragments were obtained from 86 blood samples and 4 negative controls. After filtering contaminants, 13,742,198 sequences representing 2146 ASVs were analyzed. Alpha diversity significantly differed by condition, while beta diversity differed by condition, site, and age (adults vs. sub-adults). For living animals (79/86 samples), alpha diversity showed no significant differences, but beta diversity differed by age. Different vector-borne bacterial pathogens, including <i>Anaplasmataceae</i>, <i>Bartonella</i>, and <i>Borrelia</i> spp., were detected. Additionally, evidence of transient translocation of microbial communities from other body regions to the bloodstream was observed. Amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA from blood samples of wild <i>T. terrestris</i> provided novel information about the diversity of blood-borne microbiota of lowland tapirs, members of a poorly studied mammalian family. Next-generation sequencing proved to be a valuable tool for screening potential vector-borne pathogens in this host. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-588af3e57e45413d9c674d4a944eeb3c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj-art-588af3e57e45413d9c674d4a944eeb3c2024-11-26T18:14:45ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072024-11-011211227010.3390/microorganisms12112270Characterization of the Blood Bacterial Microbiota in Lowland Tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a Vulnerable Species in BrazilAnna Claudia Baumel Mongruel0Emília Patrícia Medici1Rosangela Zacarias Machado2Keith Clay3Marcos Rogério André4Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV), Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, BrazilLowland Tapir Conservation Initiative (LTCI), Institute for Ecological Research (IPÊ), Campo Grande 79046-150, Mato Grosso do Sul, BrazilVector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV), Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, BrazilDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USAVector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV), Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, BrazilMicrobiome studies targeting hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene are suitable for understanding interactions between animals and their associated bacteria. While many studies focus on the gut microbiome, assessments of blood microbiota remain scarce despite the prevalence of blood-borne pathogens in vertebrates. This study aimed to investigate the bacterial community in blood samples from 79 living and 7 road-killed lowland tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a vulnerable species, sampled in two biomes in midwestern Brazil: Pantanal and Cerrado. Animals were categorized by condition (living or road-killed), sex, age, and biome. V3–V4 16S rRNA fragments were obtained from 86 blood samples and 4 negative controls. After filtering contaminants, 13,742,198 sequences representing 2146 ASVs were analyzed. Alpha diversity significantly differed by condition, while beta diversity differed by condition, site, and age (adults vs. sub-adults). For living animals (79/86 samples), alpha diversity showed no significant differences, but beta diversity differed by age. Different vector-borne bacterial pathogens, including <i>Anaplasmataceae</i>, <i>Bartonella</i>, and <i>Borrelia</i> spp., were detected. Additionally, evidence of transient translocation of microbial communities from other body regions to the bloodstream was observed. Amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA from blood samples of wild <i>T. terrestris</i> provided novel information about the diversity of blood-borne microbiota of lowland tapirs, members of a poorly studied mammalian family. Next-generation sequencing proved to be a valuable tool for screening potential vector-borne pathogens in this host.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2270Brazilian tapirNGSwild animalsmicrobiome |
| spellingShingle | Anna Claudia Baumel Mongruel Emília Patrícia Medici Rosangela Zacarias Machado Keith Clay Marcos Rogério André Characterization of the Blood Bacterial Microbiota in Lowland Tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a Vulnerable Species in Brazil Microorganisms Brazilian tapir NGS wild animals microbiome |
| title | Characterization of the Blood Bacterial Microbiota in Lowland Tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a Vulnerable Species in Brazil |
| title_full | Characterization of the Blood Bacterial Microbiota in Lowland Tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a Vulnerable Species in Brazil |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of the Blood Bacterial Microbiota in Lowland Tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a Vulnerable Species in Brazil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of the Blood Bacterial Microbiota in Lowland Tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a Vulnerable Species in Brazil |
| title_short | Characterization of the Blood Bacterial Microbiota in Lowland Tapirs (<i>Tapirus terrestris</i>), a Vulnerable Species in Brazil |
| title_sort | characterization of the blood bacterial microbiota in lowland tapirs i tapirus terrestris i a vulnerable species in brazil |
| topic | Brazilian tapir NGS wild animals microbiome |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2270 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annaclaudiabaumelmongruel characterizationofthebloodbacterialmicrobiotainlowlandtapirsitapirusterrestrisiavulnerablespeciesinbrazil AT emiliapatriciamedici characterizationofthebloodbacterialmicrobiotainlowlandtapirsitapirusterrestrisiavulnerablespeciesinbrazil AT rosangelazacariasmachado characterizationofthebloodbacterialmicrobiotainlowlandtapirsitapirusterrestrisiavulnerablespeciesinbrazil AT keithclay characterizationofthebloodbacterialmicrobiotainlowlandtapirsitapirusterrestrisiavulnerablespeciesinbrazil AT marcosrogerioandre characterizationofthebloodbacterialmicrobiotainlowlandtapirsitapirusterrestrisiavulnerablespeciesinbrazil |