Open AccessDiversity of the skin microbiota of fishes: evidence for host species specificity
Author(s) -
Larsen Andrea,
Tao Zhen,
Bullard Stephen A.,
Arias Covadonga R.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/1574-6941.12136
Subject(s) - biology , firmicutes , mugil , zoology , proteobacteria , bacteroidetes , ecology , 16s ribosomal rna , abundance (ecology) , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , genetics , bacteria
Skin microbiota of G ulf of M exico fishes were investigated by ribosomal internal spacer analysis ( RISA ) and 16 S r RNA gene sequencing. A total of 102 fish specimens representing six species ( M ugil cephalus , L utjanus campechanus , C ynoscion nebulosus , C ynoscion arenarius , M icropogonias undulatus , and L agodon rhomboides ) were sampled at regular intervals throughout a year. The skin microbiota from each individual fish was analyzed by RISA and produced complex profiles with 23 bands on average. Similarities between RISA profiles ranged from 97.5% to 4.0%. At 70% similarity, 11 clusters were defined, each grouping individuals from the same fish species. Multidimensional scaling and analysis of similarity correlated the RISA ‐defined clusters with geographic locality, date, and fish species. Global R values indicated that fish species was the most indicative variable for group separation. Analysis of 16 S rRNA gene sequences (from pooled samples of 10 individual fish for each fish species) showed that the P roteobacteria was the predominant phylum in skin microbiota, followed by the F irmicutes and the A ctinobacteria . The distribution and abundance of bacterial sequences were different among all species analyzed. A eribacillus was found in all fish species representing 19% of all clones sequenced, while some genera were fish species‐specific ( N eorickettsia in M . cephalus and M icrobacterium in L . campechanus ). Our data provide evidence for the existence of specific skin microbiota associated with particular fish species.