Integrating the role of antifungal bacteria into skin symbiotic communities of three Neotropical frog species.

ABSTRACT: Chytridiomycosis, caused by the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has led to population declines and extinctions of frog species around the world. While it is known that symbiotic skin bacteria can play a protective role against pathogens, it is not known how these defensive bacteria are integrated into the bacterial community on amphibian skin. In this study, we used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, culturing and Bd inhibition bioassays to characterize the communities of skin bacteria on three Neotropical frog species that persist in a Bd-infected area in Panama and determined the abundance and integration of anti-Bd bacteria into the community. We found that the two treefrog species had a similar bacterial community structure, which differed from the more diverse community

SUBMITTER: Rebollar EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6776000 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature