Mono-specific algal diets shape microbial networking in the gut of the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla elatensis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Algivorous sea urchins can obtain energy from a diet of a single algal species, which may result in consequent changes in their gut microbe assemblies and association networks.

Methods

To ascertain whether such changes are led by specific microbes or limited to a specific region in the gut, we compared the microbial assembly in the three major gut regions of the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla elatensis when fed a mono-specific algal diet of either Ulva fasciata or Gracilaria conferta, or an algal-free diet. DNA extracts from 5 to 7 individuals from each diet treatment were used for Illumina MiSeq based 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V3-V4 region). Niche breadth of each microbe in the assembly was calculated for identification of core, generalist, specialist, or unique

SUBMITTER: Masasa M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8594234 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature