Common Cutaneous Bacteria Isolated from Snakes Inhibit Growth of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola

Aubree J. Hill; Jacob E. Leys; Danny Bryan; Fantasia M. Erdman; Katherine S. Malone; Gabrielle N. Russell; Roger D. Applegate; Heather Fenton; Kevin Niedringhaus; Andrew N. Miller; Matthew C. Allender; Donald M. Walker

doi:10.1007/s10393-017-1289-y

Common Cutaneous Bacteria Isolated from Snakes Inhibit Growth of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola

Aubree J. Hill, Jacob E. Leys, Danny Bryan, Fantasia M. Erdman, Katherine S. Malone, Gabrielle N. Russell, Roger D. Applegate, Heather Fenton, Kevin Niedringhaus, Andrew N. Miller, Matthew C. Allender, Donald M. Walker

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

There is increasing concern regarding potential impacts of snake fungal disease (SFD), caused by Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), on free-ranging snake populations in the eastern USA. The snake cutaneous microbiome likely serves as the first line of defense against Oo and other pathogens; however, little is known about microbial associations in snakes. The objective of this study was to better define the composition and immune function of the snake cutaneous microbiome. Eight timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) and four black racers (Coluber constrictor) were captured in Arkansas and Tennessee, with some snakes exhibiting signs of SFD. Oo was detected through real-time qPCR in five snakes. Additional histopathological techniques confirmed a diagnosis of SFD in one racer, the species’ first confirmed case of SFD in Tennessee. Fifty-eight bacterial and five fungal strains were isolated from skin swabs and identified with Sanger sequencing. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and PERMANOVA analyses indicated that the culturable microbiome does not differ between snake species. Fifteen bacterial strains isolated from rattlesnakes and a single strain isolated from a racer inhibited growth of Oo in vitro. Results shed light on the culturable cutaneous microbiome of snakes and probiotic members that may play a role in fighting an emergent disease.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	109-120
Number of pages	12
Journal	EcoHealth
Volume	15
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-017-1289-y
State	Published - Mar 1 2018

Keywords

Cutaneous microbiome
Dermatophytic fungi
Emerging fungal pathogens
Wildlife disease

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Online availability

10.1007/s10393-017-1289-y

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@article{6338cf8f0ab54433886e22c99c6f49c5,

title = "Common Cutaneous Bacteria Isolated from Snakes Inhibit Growth of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola",

abstract = "There is increasing concern regarding potential impacts of snake fungal disease (SFD), caused by Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), on free-ranging snake populations in the eastern USA. The snake cutaneous microbiome likely serves as the first line of defense against Oo and other pathogens; however, little is known about microbial associations in snakes. The objective of this study was to better define the composition and immune function of the snake cutaneous microbiome. Eight timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) and four black racers (Coluber constrictor) were captured in Arkansas and Tennessee, with some snakes exhibiting signs of SFD. Oo was detected through real-time qPCR in five snakes. Additional histopathological techniques confirmed a diagnosis of SFD in one racer, the species{\textquoteright} first confirmed case of SFD in Tennessee. Fifty-eight bacterial and five fungal strains were isolated from skin swabs and identified with Sanger sequencing. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and PERMANOVA analyses indicated that the culturable microbiome does not differ between snake species. Fifteen bacterial strains isolated from rattlesnakes and a single strain isolated from a racer inhibited growth of Oo in vitro. Results shed light on the culturable cutaneous microbiome of snakes and probiotic members that may play a role in fighting an emergent disease.",

keywords = "Cutaneous microbiome, Dermatophytic fungi, Emerging fungal pathogens, Wildlife disease",

author = "Hill, {Aubree J.} and Leys, {Jacob E.} and Danny Bryan and Erdman, {Fantasia M.} and Malone, {Katherine S.} and Russell, {Gabrielle N.} and Applegate, {Roger D.} and Heather Fenton and Kevin Niedringhaus and Miller, {Andrew N.} and Allender, {Matthew C.} and Walker, {Donald M.}",

note = "Funding Information: Funding was provided by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Grant 32801-00745, awarded to JEL and DMW, and by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Multistate Wildlife Grant TN-U2-F14AP00077, Conserving Snake Species of Greatest Conservation Need Threatened by an Emerging Fungal Skin Disease, awarded to RDA.",

year = "2018",

month = mar,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1007/s10393-017-1289-y",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "15",

pages = "109--120",

journal = "EcoHealth",

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T1 - Common Cutaneous Bacteria Isolated from Snakes Inhibit Growth of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola

AU - Hill, Aubree J.

AU - Leys, Jacob E.

AU - Bryan, Danny

AU - Erdman, Fantasia M.

AU - Malone, Katherine S.

AU - Russell, Gabrielle N.

AU - Applegate, Roger D.

AU - Fenton, Heather

AU - Niedringhaus, Kevin

AU - Miller, Andrew N.

AU - Allender, Matthew C.

AU - Walker, Donald M.

N1 - Funding Information: Funding was provided by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Grant 32801-00745, awarded to JEL and DMW, and by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Multistate Wildlife Grant TN-U2-F14AP00077, Conserving Snake Species of Greatest Conservation Need Threatened by an Emerging Fungal Skin Disease, awarded to RDA.

PY - 2018/3/1

Y1 - 2018/3/1

N2 - There is increasing concern regarding potential impacts of snake fungal disease (SFD), caused by Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), on free-ranging snake populations in the eastern USA. The snake cutaneous microbiome likely serves as the first line of defense against Oo and other pathogens; however, little is known about microbial associations in snakes. The objective of this study was to better define the composition and immune function of the snake cutaneous microbiome. Eight timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) and four black racers (Coluber constrictor) were captured in Arkansas and Tennessee, with some snakes exhibiting signs of SFD. Oo was detected through real-time qPCR in five snakes. Additional histopathological techniques confirmed a diagnosis of SFD in one racer, the species’ first confirmed case of SFD in Tennessee. Fifty-eight bacterial and five fungal strains were isolated from skin swabs and identified with Sanger sequencing. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and PERMANOVA analyses indicated that the culturable microbiome does not differ between snake species. Fifteen bacterial strains isolated from rattlesnakes and a single strain isolated from a racer inhibited growth of Oo in vitro. Results shed light on the culturable cutaneous microbiome of snakes and probiotic members that may play a role in fighting an emergent disease.

AB - There is increasing concern regarding potential impacts of snake fungal disease (SFD), caused by Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), on free-ranging snake populations in the eastern USA. The snake cutaneous microbiome likely serves as the first line of defense against Oo and other pathogens; however, little is known about microbial associations in snakes. The objective of this study was to better define the composition and immune function of the snake cutaneous microbiome. Eight timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) and four black racers (Coluber constrictor) were captured in Arkansas and Tennessee, with some snakes exhibiting signs of SFD. Oo was detected through real-time qPCR in five snakes. Additional histopathological techniques confirmed a diagnosis of SFD in one racer, the species’ first confirmed case of SFD in Tennessee. Fifty-eight bacterial and five fungal strains were isolated from skin swabs and identified with Sanger sequencing. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and PERMANOVA analyses indicated that the culturable microbiome does not differ between snake species. Fifteen bacterial strains isolated from rattlesnakes and a single strain isolated from a racer inhibited growth of Oo in vitro. Results shed light on the culturable cutaneous microbiome of snakes and probiotic members that may play a role in fighting an emergent disease.

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KW - Dermatophytic fungi

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KW - Wildlife disease

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Common Cutaneous Bacteria Isolated from Snakes Inhibit Growth of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola

Abstract

Keywords

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