Characterization of the bacterial microbiome among free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

ABSTRACT: Marine animals represent a dynamic and complex habitat for diverse microbial communities. The microbiota associated with bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are believed to influence their health status, but it remains poorly understood. We therefore characterized and compared the bacterial microbiome of bottlenose dolphins from six different anatomical sites that represent four different body systems (respiratory, digestive, reproductive, and integumentary). In this study, a total of 14 free-ranging bottlenose dolphins were sampled during the 2015 Sarasota Bay Dolphin Health Assessment. Bacterial diversity and abundance were assessed by PCR amplification of the hypervariable V3-V4 regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene for each sample, followed by sequencing on an Illumina MiS

SUBMITTER: Robles-Malagamba MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7305398 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature