Abstract
Microbial communities in different gastrointestinal regions (stomach, foregut, midgut, and hindgut) of the northern snakehead Channa argus (Cantor, 1842) were compared by polymerase chain reaction and partial 16S rDNA sequencing. A total of 194, 140, 212, and 122 OTUs were detected in the stomach, foregut, midgut, and hindgut, respectively. Significant differences were found in the Sobs, ACE, Shannon, and Simpson indices among samples (P < 0.05). The gastrointestinal microbial community of C. argus consisted predominantly of Proteobacteria with either Halomonas, Shewanella, Plesiomonas, or Sphingomonas. Fusobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes also existed in the gastrointestinal tracts. However, significant differences were found in the compositions of microbial community among the four regions (P < 0.05). Cyanobacteria and Spirochetes were significantly higher in the midgut and hindgut (P < 0.05). Fusobacteria and Firmicutes were dominant in the hindgut and foregut, respectively (P < 0.05). Proteobacteria was the lowest in the hindgut (P < 0.05). At genus level, Cetobacterium and Plesiomonas were significantly higher in the hindgut than in the other three samples (P < 0.05). Clostridium and Prevotella were the highest in the midgut (P < 0.05). Halomonas, Shewanella, and Sphingomonas were the highest in the foregut (P < 0.05). Paracoccus and Vibrio were the highest in the stomach. Several genera were only detected in certain regions, as follows:stomach, Paracoccus and Vibrio; foregut, Halomonas, Shewanella, and Sphingomonas; midgut, Clostridium and Prevotella; and hindgut, Cetobacterium and Plesiomonas (P < 0.05). At the species level, Acinetobacter rhizosphaerae was only detected in the stomach. Prevotella copri and Clostridium perfring were not detected in the foregut and midgut, respectively, whereas Prevotella copri and Faecalibacterium pra were not detected in the hindgut. These findings provide valuable information on the microbial community in each gastrointestinal region of C. argus. Moreover, this study indicated that microbial community was not only related to rearing environment but also to the physico-chemical characteristics of each gastrointestinal region.
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