Characterization of oral and cloacal microbial communities in cold-stunned Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) during the time course of rehabilitation.

ABSTRACT: Microbial communities of animals play a role in health and disease, including immunocompromised conditions. In the northeastern United States, cold-stunning events often cause endangered Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) to become stranded on beaches in autumn. These sea turtles are admitted to rehabilitation facilities when rescued alive and are presumed immunocompromised secondary to hypothermia. To better understand the role that microbes play in the health of cold-stunned sea turtles, we characterized the oral and cloacal microbiome from Kemp's ridley turtles at multiple timepoints during rehabilitation, from admission to pre-release, by using Illumina sequencing to analyze the 16S rRNA gene. Microbial communities were distinct between body sites and among turtles that surviv

SUBMITTER: McNally KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8159006 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature