Gut Microbiomes of the Eastern Oyster (<italic toggle="yes">Crassostrea virginica</italic>) and the Blue Mussel (<italic toggle="yes">Mytilus edulis</italic>): Temporal Variation and the Influence of Marine Aggregate-Associated Microbial Communities

ABSTRACT Gut microbial community structure was evaluated for two species of bivalve molluscs, the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) collected from Long Island Sound, Connecticut, over the course of a year. These bivalves utilize a shared feeding mechanism, w...

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Autores principales: Melissa L. Pierce, J. Evan Ward
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Publicado: American Society for Microbiology 2019
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Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/efe0b9f0252c419295a8cb839dddb6ff
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spelling oai:doaj.org-article:efe0b9f0252c419295a8cb839dddb6ff2021-11-15T15:22:24ZGut Microbiomes of the Eastern Oyster (<italic toggle="yes">Crassostrea virginica</italic>) and the Blue Mussel (<italic toggle="yes">Mytilus edulis</italic>): Temporal Variation and the Influence of Marine Aggregate-Associated Microbial Communities10.1128/mSphere.00730-192379-5042https://doaj.org/article/efe0b9f0252c419295a8cb839dddb6ff2019-12-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphere.00730-19https://doaj.org/toc/2379-5042ABSTRACT Gut microbial community structure was evaluated for two species of bivalve molluscs, the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) collected from Long Island Sound, Connecticut, over the course of a year. These bivalves utilize a shared feeding mechanism, which may result in similar gut microbial communities. Their particle diet, marine aggregates, and surrounding environment, aggregate-free seawater (AFSW), were also collected for comparison. Due to the suspension-feeding activities of bivalves, the potential for aggregate- and AFSW-associated microbiota to influence their microbial communities may be significant. Both taxonomic and functional diversity of the samples were assessed. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing indicated that oysters and mussels maintained similar, but not identical, gut microbiomes, with some temporal variation. Throughout the year, bivalve species had gut microbial community compositions that were more similar to one another than to aggregates. Within a month, bivalves shared on average a quarter of their total operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with each other and a 10th of their total OTUs with aggregates. During months with warm water temperatures, individuals within each of the four sample types had similar alpha diversity, but again, temporal variation was observed. On a functional level, bivalve gut microbial communities exhibited variation attributed to host species and season. Unlike oysters, mussel gut bacterial communities maintained high richness and evenness values throughout the year, even when values for the particle diet and AFSW were reduced. Overall, a core gut bivalve microbiome was present, and it was partially influenced by the marine aggregate microbial community. IMPORTANCE This work investigates the influence that extrinsic factors, diet, and the environment can have on the microbiomes of shellfish. Over the course of a year, the gut microbial communities of two species of bivalves, oysters and mussels, held under identical conditions in coastal marine waters were compared. While the mussels and oysters harbored gut microbial communities with similar composition, on a functional level, they exhibited species and temporal variation. These results indicate that intrinsic factors influence the bivalve microbiome, resulting in species variability, even when environmental conditions, feeding mechanism, and particle diet are constant. Seasonal and multispecies comparisons for bivalve-associated microbial communities are rare, and we believe this research represents an important contribution. The results presented here advance our understanding of the symbiotic interactions between marine invertebrates, the microbial communities they harbor, and the environment.Melissa L. PierceJ. Evan WardAmerican Society for MicrobiologyarticleoystermusselmicrobiomeaggregategutbivalveMicrobiologyQR1-502ENmSphere, Vol 4, Iss 6 (2019)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic oyster
mussel
microbiome
aggregate
gut
bivalve
Microbiology
QR1-502
spellingShingle oyster
mussel
microbiome
aggregate
gut
bivalve
Microbiology
QR1-502
Melissa L. Pierce
J. Evan Ward
Gut Microbiomes of the Eastern Oyster (<italic toggle="yes">Crassostrea virginica</italic>) and the Blue Mussel (<italic toggle="yes">Mytilus edulis</italic>): Temporal Variation and the Influence of Marine Aggregate-Associated Microbial Communities
description ABSTRACT Gut microbial community structure was evaluated for two species of bivalve molluscs, the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) collected from Long Island Sound, Connecticut, over the course of a year. These bivalves utilize a shared feeding mechanism, which may result in similar gut microbial communities. Their particle diet, marine aggregates, and surrounding environment, aggregate-free seawater (AFSW), were also collected for comparison. Due to the suspension-feeding activities of bivalves, the potential for aggregate- and AFSW-associated microbiota to influence their microbial communities may be significant. Both taxonomic and functional diversity of the samples were assessed. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing indicated that oysters and mussels maintained similar, but not identical, gut microbiomes, with some temporal variation. Throughout the year, bivalve species had gut microbial community compositions that were more similar to one another than to aggregates. Within a month, bivalves shared on average a quarter of their total operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with each other and a 10th of their total OTUs with aggregates. During months with warm water temperatures, individuals within each of the four sample types had similar alpha diversity, but again, temporal variation was observed. On a functional level, bivalve gut microbial communities exhibited variation attributed to host species and season. Unlike oysters, mussel gut bacterial communities maintained high richness and evenness values throughout the year, even when values for the particle diet and AFSW were reduced. Overall, a core gut bivalve microbiome was present, and it was partially influenced by the marine aggregate microbial community. IMPORTANCE This work investigates the influence that extrinsic factors, diet, and the environment can have on the microbiomes of shellfish. Over the course of a year, the gut microbial communities of two species of bivalves, oysters and mussels, held under identical conditions in coastal marine waters were compared. While the mussels and oysters harbored gut microbial communities with similar composition, on a functional level, they exhibited species and temporal variation. These results indicate that intrinsic factors influence the bivalve microbiome, resulting in species variability, even when environmental conditions, feeding mechanism, and particle diet are constant. Seasonal and multispecies comparisons for bivalve-associated microbial communities are rare, and we believe this research represents an important contribution. The results presented here advance our understanding of the symbiotic interactions between marine invertebrates, the microbial communities they harbor, and the environment.
format article
author Melissa L. Pierce
J. Evan Ward
author_facet Melissa L. Pierce
J. Evan Ward
author_sort Melissa L. Pierce
title Gut Microbiomes of the Eastern Oyster (<italic toggle="yes">Crassostrea virginica</italic>) and the Blue Mussel (<italic toggle="yes">Mytilus edulis</italic>): Temporal Variation and the Influence of Marine Aggregate-Associated Microbial Communities
title_short Gut Microbiomes of the Eastern Oyster (<italic toggle="yes">Crassostrea virginica</italic>) and the Blue Mussel (<italic toggle="yes">Mytilus edulis</italic>): Temporal Variation and the Influence of Marine Aggregate-Associated Microbial Communities
title_full Gut Microbiomes of the Eastern Oyster (<italic toggle="yes">Crassostrea virginica</italic>) and the Blue Mussel (<italic toggle="yes">Mytilus edulis</italic>): Temporal Variation and the Influence of Marine Aggregate-Associated Microbial Communities
title_fullStr Gut Microbiomes of the Eastern Oyster (<italic toggle="yes">Crassostrea virginica</italic>) and the Blue Mussel (<italic toggle="yes">Mytilus edulis</italic>): Temporal Variation and the Influence of Marine Aggregate-Associated Microbial Communities
title_full_unstemmed Gut Microbiomes of the Eastern Oyster (<italic toggle="yes">Crassostrea virginica</italic>) and the Blue Mussel (<italic toggle="yes">Mytilus edulis</italic>): Temporal Variation and the Influence of Marine Aggregate-Associated Microbial Communities
title_sort gut microbiomes of the eastern oyster (<italic toggle="yes">crassostrea virginica</italic>) and the blue mussel (<italic toggle="yes">mytilus edulis</italic>): temporal variation and the influence of marine aggregate-associated microbial communities
publisher American Society for Microbiology
publishDate 2019
url https://doaj.org/article/efe0b9f0252c419295a8cb839dddb6ff
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