Characterising the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) pouch microbiome in lactating and non-lactating females.

ABSTRACT: Wildlife harbour a diverse range of microorganisms that affect their health and development. Marsupials are born immunologically naïve and physiologically underdeveloped, with primary development occurring inside a pouch. Secretion of immunological compounds and antimicrobial peptides in the epithelial lining of the female's pouch, pouch young skin, and through the milk, are thought to boost the neonate's immune system and potentially alter the pouch skin microbiome. Here, using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, we characterised the Tasmanian devil pouch skin microbiome from 25 lactating and 30 non-lactating wild females to describe and compare across these reproductive stages. We found that the lactating pouch skin microbiome had significantly lower amplicon sequence variant richness and dive

SUBMITTER: Ockert LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11220038 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature