Characteristics of gut microbiome communities in the invasive African giant snail under urbanization gradient

Abstract

To investigate the diversity and community structure of gut microbiome of the invasive species, Achatina fulica, along an urbanization gradient, we collected 30 A. fulica samples from five parks in the urban, suburban, and rural areas of Xiamen City. Using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing performed by the third generation PacBio sequencing platform, we analyzed the community characteristics of gut microbiome and soil microbiome in different habitats. We found a significant disparity between the composition of gut microbiome of A. fulica and that of the soil microbiome in their habitats. Furthermore, the gut microbiome of A. fulica were more sensitive to urbanization. The microbial α-diversity indices (Sobs, Chao, Shannon indices) in the soil of A. fulica habitats were consistently higher than those within their guts. Despite the similar β-diversity indices of microbial communities in urban, suburban, and rural soils, we found a significant discrepancy in gut microbiome composition. Urbanization significantly influenced A. fulica gut microbiome composition. Gut microbiome of A. fulica in urban and suburban regions primarily consisted of Enterobacteriaceae, Xanthomonadaceae, and Mycoplasmataceae, while that in rural areas chiefly composed of Streptococcaceae and Paenibacillaceae. The diversity and abundance of potential human pathogenic bacteria within the gut microbiome of A. fulica significantly increased in urban environments, suggesting that urbanization escalated the risk of A. fulica transmitting potential pathogens.