Distinct gut microbial communities and functional predictions in divergent ophiuroid species: host differentiation, ecological niches, and adaptation to cold-water habitats.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Gastrointestinal microorganisms are critical to the survival and adaptation of hosts, and there are few studies on the differences and functions of gastrointestinal microbes in widely distributed species. This study investigated the gut microbes of two ophiuroid species (Ophiura sarsii and its subspecies O. sarsii vadicola) in cold-water habitats of the Northern Pacific Ocean. The results showed that a combination of host and environmental factors shapes the intestinal microbiota of ophiuroids. There was a high similarity in microbial communities between the two groups living in different regions, which may be related to their similar ecological niches. These microorganisms played a vital role in the ecological success of ophiuroids as the foundation for th

SUBMITTER: Dong Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10715168 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature