Plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine

Abstract Birds present a stunning diversity of plumage colors that have long fascinated evolutionary ecologists. Although plumage coloration is often linked to sexual selection, it may impact a number of physiological processes, including microbial resistance. At present, the degree to which differe...

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Autores principales:	Veronika Gvoždíková Javůrková, Erik D. Enbody, Jakub Kreisinger, Kryštof Chmel, Jakub Mrázek, Jordan Karubian
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2019
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/24785a26b1b54732beb140fa6f5b0613
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:24785a26b1b54732beb140fa6f5b06132021-12-02T15:09:37ZPlumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine10.1038/s41598-019-49220-y2045-2322https://doaj.org/article/24785a26b1b54732beb140fa6f5b06132019-09-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49220-yhttps://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Birds present a stunning diversity of plumage colors that have long fascinated evolutionary ecologists. Although plumage coloration is often linked to sexual selection, it may impact a number of physiological processes, including microbial resistance. At present, the degree to which differences between pigment-based vs. structural plumage coloration may affect the feather microbiota remains unanswered. Using quantitative PCR and DGGE profiling, we investigated feather microbial load, diversity and community structure among two allopatric subspecies of White-shouldered Fairywren, Malurus alboscapulatus that vary in expression of melanin-based vs. structural plumage coloration. We found that microbial load tended to be lower and feather microbial diversity was significantly higher in the plumage of black iridescent males, compared to black matte females and brown individuals. Moreover, black iridescent males had distinct feather microbial communities compared to black matte females and brown individuals. We suggest that distinctive nanostructure properties of iridescent male feathers or different investment in preening influence feather microbiota community composition and load. This study is the first to point to structural plumage coloration as a factor that may significantly regulate feather microbiota. Future work might explore fitness consequences and the role of microorganisms in the evolution of avian sexual dichromatism, with particular reference to iridescence.Veronika Gvoždíková JavůrkováErik D. EnbodyJakub KreisingerKryštof ChmelJakub MrázekJordan KarubianNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2019)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Veronika Gvoždíková Javůrková Erik D. Enbody Jakub Kreisinger Kryštof Chmel Jakub Mrázek Jordan Karubian Plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine
description	Abstract Birds present a stunning diversity of plumage colors that have long fascinated evolutionary ecologists. Although plumage coloration is often linked to sexual selection, it may impact a number of physiological processes, including microbial resistance. At present, the degree to which differences between pigment-based vs. structural plumage coloration may affect the feather microbiota remains unanswered. Using quantitative PCR and DGGE profiling, we investigated feather microbial load, diversity and community structure among two allopatric subspecies of White-shouldered Fairywren, Malurus alboscapulatus that vary in expression of melanin-based vs. structural plumage coloration. We found that microbial load tended to be lower and feather microbial diversity was significantly higher in the plumage of black iridescent males, compared to black matte females and brown individuals. Moreover, black iridescent males had distinct feather microbial communities compared to black matte females and brown individuals. We suggest that distinctive nanostructure properties of iridescent male feathers or different investment in preening influence feather microbiota community composition and load. This study is the first to point to structural plumage coloration as a factor that may significantly regulate feather microbiota. Future work might explore fitness consequences and the role of microorganisms in the evolution of avian sexual dichromatism, with particular reference to iridescence.
format	article
author	Veronika Gvoždíková Javůrková Erik D. Enbody Jakub Kreisinger Kryštof Chmel Jakub Mrázek Jordan Karubian
author_facet	Veronika Gvoždíková Javůrková Erik D. Enbody Jakub Kreisinger Kryštof Chmel Jakub Mrázek Jordan Karubian
author_sort	Veronika Gvoždíková Javůrková
title	Plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine
title_short	Plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine
title_full	Plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine
title_fullStr	Plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine
title_full_unstemmed	Plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine
title_sort	plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2019
url	https://doaj.org/article/24785a26b1b54732beb140fa6f5b0613
work_keys_str_mv	AT veronikagvozdikovajavurkova plumageiridescenceisassociatedwithdistinctfeathermicrobiotainatropicalpasserine AT erikdenbody plumageiridescenceisassociatedwithdistinctfeathermicrobiotainatropicalpasserine AT jakubkreisinger plumageiridescenceisassociatedwithdistinctfeathermicrobiotainatropicalpasserine AT krystofchmel plumageiridescenceisassociatedwithdistinctfeathermicrobiotainatropicalpasserine AT jakubmrazek plumageiridescenceisassociatedwithdistinctfeathermicrobiotainatropicalpasserine AT jordankarubian plumageiridescenceisassociatedwithdistinctfeathermicrobiotainatropicalpasserine
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Plumage iridescence is associated with distinct feather microbiota in a tropical passerine

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