UNASSIGNED: This study investigated the microbial composition in snakes from varying altitudinal ranges by assessing the fecal and oral bacterial communities in Protobothrops mucrosquamatus, Elaphe dione, and Gloydius angusticeps from Sichuan Province, China, using metagenomic sequencing.
UNASSIGNED: It was revealed that Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Fusobacteria were the core microbial phyla in fecal samples across all three species, while Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes were the core microbial phyla in oral samples across all three species. Notably, the dominance of Armatimonadetes was documented for the first time in the feces of all three species. Comparative analysis of the microbiomes of the three species indicated distinct microbiological profiles between snakes living at low- and high-altitude regions. Furthermore, 12 to 17 and 22 to 31 bacterial pathogens were detected in the oral and fecal samples, respectively, suggesting that snakes may serve as a novel reservoir for emerging diseases. Overall, this study provides a comparative analysis of the fecal and oral microbiomes in three snake species. Future investigations are anticipated to further elucidate the influence of age, genetics, behavior, diet, environment, ecology, and evolution on the gut and oral microbial communities of snakes.
■这项研究通过评估Protobothropsmucrosquamatus的粪便和口腔细菌群落,调查了不同海拔范围的蛇中的微生物组成,Elaphedione,和来自四川省的格劳迪斯,中国,使用宏基因组测序。
■发现拟杆菌,变形杆菌,Firmicutes,梭菌是这三个物种粪便样本中的核心微生物门,而变形杆菌,拟杆菌,放线菌,Firmicutes是所有三个物种口腔样品中的核心微生物门。值得注意的是,在所有三个物种的粪便中,首次记录了Armatimonadetes的优势。对这三种物种的微生物群落的比较分析表明,生活在低海拔和高海拔地区的蛇之间的微生物特征不同。此外,在口腔和粪便样品中检测到12至17和22至31种细菌病原体,分别,这表明蛇可能是新出现的疾病的新型水库。总的来说,这项研究对三种蛇类的粪便和口腔微生物组进行了比较分析。未来的调查预计将进一步阐明年龄的影响,遗传学,行为,饮食,环境,生态学,以及蛇的肠道和口腔微生物群落的进化。