Skin microbiomes of frogs vary among individuals and body regions, revealing differences that reflect known patterns of chytrid infection.

ABSTRACT: The amphibian skin microbiome is an important line of defense against pathogens including the deadly chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Intra-species variation in disease susceptibility and intra-individual variation in infection distribution across the skin, therefore, may relate to differences in skin microbiomes. However, characterization of microbiome variation within and among amphibian individuals is needed. We utilized 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to compare microbiomes of ten body regions from nine captive R. sierrae individuals and their tank environments. While frogs harbored distinct microbial communities compared to their tank environments, tank identity was associated with more variation in frog microbiomes than individual frog ident

SUBMITTER: Ghose SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11839087 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature