Abstract
MethodsFecal samples were collected from 92 bats in Slovenia, consisting of 12 different species, and the bacterial microbiota was assessed via next generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene V4 region.ResultsSequences were assigned to 28 different phyla, but only Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria accounted for ≥1% of sequences. One phylum (Proteobacteria), one class (Gammaproteobacteria), three orders (Pseudomonadales, Lactobacillales, Bacillales), four families (Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Carnobacteriaceae), and five genera (Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Carnobacterium, an unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter) accounted for 50% of sequences. There were no significant differences in the relative abundances of any phyla between bat species, but various differences were noted at lower taxonomic levels, such as Enterobacteriaceae (P = 0.007, most abundant in M. blythii), Pseudomonadaceae (P = 0.007, most abundant in Rhinolophus hipposideros) and Chlamydiaceae (P = 0.04, most abundant in Myotis myotis). There were significant differences in richness between species in both adults and juveniles/subadults, but there was no impact of sex on any alpha diversity index. When only adults are considered, there were significant differences in community membership between M. blythii and M. emarginatus (P = 0.011), and M. blythii and R. hipposideros (P = 0.004). There were also significant differences in community structure between M. blythii and M. emarginatus (P = 0.025), and M. blythii and R. hipposideros (P = 0.026). When adults of the four main species were compared, 14 OTUs were identified as differentially abundant using LEfSe. Only one difference was identified when comparing R. hipposideros adults and juvenile/subadults, with Klebsiella over-represented in the younger bats.ConclusionsBats have a complex and diverse microbiota with a high relative abundance of Proteobacteria. The relevance of this difference is unclear and requires further study. Differences in the microbiota were observed between bat species, perhaps reflecting different diets and environmental exposures.
Highlights
Bats are a diverse group of mammals adapted to a variety of ecological niches across the globe
[2] Their presence in a variety of human habitats, and their ability to migrate over larger geographical distances make them significant sources of transmission of pathogens to humans, livestock and wildlife species. [5, 6] Migration habits and their tendency to share roosting sites with other migrating and non-migrating bat species enables horizontal spread of pathogens within and among bat species. [2, 5] Such behaviour is critical for transmission of bat specific viral and nonviral infectious diseases, [7, 8] including those with a potential negative impact on the sustainability of bat population, [7, 9] as evident from a significant decline in North American bat population due to White-nose syndrome caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans. [10, 11]
Samples were collected from 92 bats; 29 (32%) Rhinolophus hipposideros, 19 (21%) Myotis emarginatus (Geoffroy’s bat), 11 (12%) each of M. myotis and M. blythii, five (5.4%) Myotis daubentonii (Daubenton’s bat), four (4.3%) Barbastella barbastellus (Barbastelle bat), three (3.3%) each of Miniopterus schreibersii (Schreibers’ bent-wing bat), Myotis bechsteinii (Bechstein’s bat), and Myotis nattererii (Natterer’s bat), two (2.2%) Pipistrellus pipistrellus and one (1.1%) each of Plecostus auritus and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
Summary
Bats (order Chiroptera) are a diverse group of mammals adapted to a variety of ecological niches across the globe. They are the only mammals capable of true flight, which is essential for their biology. Attention is increasingly being paid to the importance of the broad microbiota communities, or microbiotas, present in or on animals These microbiotas play important but poorly defined roles in health and disease. Through diverse effects such as pathogen inhibition, coaggregation and regulation of the immune system and metabolism, microbial communities can have profound effects on their host and on other microorganisms (e.g. viruses, fungi, protozoa).
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