Differential Ecological Specificity of Protist and Bacterial Microbiomes across a Set of Termite Species.

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiome of lower termites comprises protists and bacteria that help these insects to digest cellulose and to thrive on wood. The composition of the termite gut microbiome correlates with phylogenetic distance of the animal host and host ecology (diet) in termites collected from their natural environment. However, carryover of transient microbes from host collection sites are an experimental concern and might contribute to the ecological imprints on the termite gut microbiome. Here, we set out to test whether an ecological imprint on the termite gut microbiome remains, when focusing on the persistent microbiome. Therefore, we kept five termite species under strictly controlled dietary conditions and subsequently profiled their protist and bacterial gut microbial communities using

SUBMITTER: Waidele L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5742190 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature