Abstract
Vertebrates are metagenomic organisms in that they are composed not only of their own genes but also those of their associated microbial cells. The majority of these associated microorganisms are found in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and presumably assist in processes such as energy and nutrient acquisition. Few studies have investigated the associated gut bacterial communities of non-mammalian vertebrates, and most rely on captive animals and/or fecal samples only. Here we investigate the gut bacterial community composition of a squamate reptile, the cottonmouth snake, Agkistrodon piscivorus through pyrosequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. We characterize the bacterial communities present in the small intestine, large intestine and cloaca. Many bacterial lineages present have been reported by other vertebrate gut community studies, but we also recovered unexpected bacteria that may be unique to squamate gut communities. Bacterial communities were not phylogenetically clustered according to GIT region, but there were statistically significant differences in community composition between regions. Additionally we demonstrate the utility of using cloacal swabs as a method for sampling snake gut bacterial communities.
Highlights
Vertebrates are metagenomic organisms; they are composed of their own genetic material, and that of their associated microbial communities [1]
While based on a limited number of samples from just two locations, non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) of community similarity based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) binary data showed a clear pattern of distinct small intestine, large intestine, and cloacal communities, with only slight overlapping of multidimensional space between the large and small intestine samples (Fig 1A)
There was no apparent association in gastrointestinal tract (GIT) bacterial community structure among individuals or localities, our ability to test this was limited by the number of individuals sampled
Summary
Vertebrates are metagenomic organisms; they are composed of their own genetic material, and that of their associated microbial communities [1]. The majority of these microorganisms are found in the host intestinal tract, and presumably assist in essential processes of energy and nutrient acquisition[2]. The ecological and evolutionary forces that act on both the host and it’s trillions of resident microorganisms sculpt the endogenic microbiome. Most studies investigating evolutionary patterns in vertebrate gut microbiomes have focused on mammals [1,2] and even among these studies, many have used captive animals from zoos or farms rather than wild populations.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
