Influence of fasting during moult on the faecal microbiota of penguins
- Dewar, Meagan, Arnould, John, Krause, Lutz, Trathan, Phil, Dann, Peter, Smith, Stuart
- Authors: Dewar, Meagan , Arnould, John , Krause, Lutz , Trathan, Phil , Dann, Peter , Smith, Stuart
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 9, no. 6 (2014), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Many seabirds including penguins are adapted to long periods of fasting, particularly during parts of the reproductive cycle and during moult. However, the influence of fasting on the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota has not been investigated in seabirds. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the microbial composition and diversity of the GI microbiota of fasting little (Eudyptula minor) and king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) penguins during early and late moult. The results from this study indicated that there was little change in the abundance of the major phyla during moult, except for a significant increase in the level of Proteobacteria in king penguins. In king penguins the abundance of Fusobacteria increases from 1.73% during early moult to 33.6% by late moult, whilst the abundance of Proteobacteria (35.7% to 17.2%) and Bacteroidetes (19.5% to 11%) decrease from early to late moult. In little penguins, a decrease in the abundances of Firmicutes (44% to 29%) and an increase in the abundance of Bacteroidetes (11% to 20%) were observed from early to late moult respectively. The results from this study indicate that the microbial composition of both king and little penguins alters during fasting. However, it appears that the microbial composition of king penguins is more affected by fasting than little penguins with the length of fast the most probable cause for this difference.
- Authors: Dewar, Meagan , Arnould, John , Krause, Lutz , Trathan, Phil , Dann, Peter , Smith, Stuart
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 9, no. 6 (2014), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Many seabirds including penguins are adapted to long periods of fasting, particularly during parts of the reproductive cycle and during moult. However, the influence of fasting on the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota has not been investigated in seabirds. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the microbial composition and diversity of the GI microbiota of fasting little (Eudyptula minor) and king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) penguins during early and late moult. The results from this study indicated that there was little change in the abundance of the major phyla during moult, except for a significant increase in the level of Proteobacteria in king penguins. In king penguins the abundance of Fusobacteria increases from 1.73% during early moult to 33.6% by late moult, whilst the abundance of Proteobacteria (35.7% to 17.2%) and Bacteroidetes (19.5% to 11%) decrease from early to late moult. In little penguins, a decrease in the abundances of Firmicutes (44% to 29%) and an increase in the abundance of Bacteroidetes (11% to 20%) were observed from early to late moult respectively. The results from this study indicate that the microbial composition of both king and little penguins alters during fasting. However, it appears that the microbial composition of king penguins is more affected by fasting than little penguins with the length of fast the most probable cause for this difference.
Microbiota of little penguins and short-tailed shearwaters during development
- Dewar, Meagan, Arnould, John, Allnutt, Theo, Crowley, Tamsyn, Krause, Lutz, Reynolds, John, Dann, Peter, Smith, Stuart
- Authors: Dewar, Meagan , Arnould, John , Allnutt, Theo , Crowley, Tamsyn , Krause, Lutz , Reynolds, John , Dann, Peter , Smith, Stuart
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 12, no. 8 (2017), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The establishment and early colonisation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has been recognised as a crucial stage in chick development, with pioneering microbial species responsible for influencing the development of the GI tract and influencing host health, fitness and disease status throughout life. Development of the microbiota in long lived seabirds is poorly understood. This study characterised the microbial composition of little penguin and short-tailed shearwater chicks throughout development, using Quantitative Real Time PCR (qPCR) and 16S rRNA sequencing. The results indicated that microbial development differed between the two seabird species with the short-tailed shearwater microbiota being relatively stable throughout development whilst significant fluctuations in the microbial composition and an upward trend in the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were observed in the little penguin. When the microbial composition of adults and chicks was compared, both species showed low similarity in microbial composition, indicating that the adult microbiota may have a negligible influence over the chick’s microbiota.
- Authors: Dewar, Meagan , Arnould, John , Allnutt, Theo , Crowley, Tamsyn , Krause, Lutz , Reynolds, John , Dann, Peter , Smith, Stuart
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 12, no. 8 (2017), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The establishment and early colonisation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has been recognised as a crucial stage in chick development, with pioneering microbial species responsible for influencing the development of the GI tract and influencing host health, fitness and disease status throughout life. Development of the microbiota in long lived seabirds is poorly understood. This study characterised the microbial composition of little penguin and short-tailed shearwater chicks throughout development, using Quantitative Real Time PCR (qPCR) and 16S rRNA sequencing. The results indicated that microbial development differed between the two seabird species with the short-tailed shearwater microbiota being relatively stable throughout development whilst significant fluctuations in the microbial composition and an upward trend in the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were observed in the little penguin. When the microbial composition of adults and chicks was compared, both species showed low similarity in microbial composition, indicating that the adult microbiota may have a negligible influence over the chick’s microbiota.
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