RESUMO
Animal-associated microbial communities can play major roles in the physiology, development, ecology, and evolution of their hosts, but the study of their diversity has yet focused on a limited number of host species. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing of partial sequences of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to assess the diversity of the gut-inhabiting bacterial communities of 212 specimens of tropical anuran amphibians from Brazil and Madagascar. The core gut-associated bacterial communities among tadpoles from two different continents strongly overlapped, with eight highly represented operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in common. In contrast, the core communities of adults and tadpoles from Brazil were less similar with only one shared OTU. This suggests a community turnover at metamorphosis. Bacterial diversity was higher in tadpoles compared to adults. Distinct differences in composition and diversity occurred among gut bacterial communities of conspecific tadpoles from different water bodies and after experimental fasting for 8 days, demonstrating the influence of both environmental factors and food on the community structure. Communities from syntopic tadpoles clustered by host species both in Madagascar and Brazil, and the Malagasy tadpoles also had species-specific isotope signatures. We recommend future studies to analyze the turnover of anuran gut bacterial communities at metamorphosis, compare the tadpole core communities with those of other aquatic organisms, and assess the possible function of the gut microbiota as a reservoir for protective bacteria on the amphibian skin.
Assuntos
Anuros/microbiologia , Fenômenos Fisiológicos Bacterianos , Trato Gastrointestinal/microbiologia , Animais , Bactérias/classificação , Bactérias/genética , Biodiversidade , Brasil , Larva , Madagáscar , Metamorfose Biológica , RNA Ribossômico 16S/genéticaRESUMO
It has been widely accepted, that pyrazinamide (PZA) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is correlated with mutations in the pncA gene. But since years researchers have been puzzled by the fact that up to 30% of PZA resistant strains do not show any correlation between PZA resistance and mutations in the pncA gene, and thus may vary with geographic area. The objective of the study was to investigate the correlation between PZA susceptibility and mutations in pncA gene in M. tuberculosis isolates from individuals living in a highly endemic area. Therefore we analyzed drug resistant and multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates from patients in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From a total of 97 clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis 35 were identified as PZA resistant, 24/35 strains did not show PZase activity and 15/24 (62.5%) strains possess mutation in the pncA gene. This is a low correlation between PZA resistance and PZase activity (68.6%) and even lower correlation between PZA resistance and the presence of mutation in pncA gene (45.7%). Most of the mutations found were conserved near the active site or metal binding site of PZase. The 146A>C mutation was found both in PZA resistant and susceptible isolates, suggesting that this mutation may not fully associated with PZA resistance. Of the mutations found, three have not been previously described. The insertions 192-193 TCCTCGTC and 388-389 AGGTCGATG, although found before, here was found to be a short tandem repeat and in one strain, insertion of the IS6110 was observed 55nt upstream of the gene. All PZA resistant isolates had no mutation in the gene coding ribosomal protein S1 (rpsA), which has recently been proposed as alternate target for pyrazinoic acid (POA). The results show a low association of PZA resistance and pncA gene mutations in a selected patient group from an highly endemic area. Our findings point out that the phenotypic susceptibility testing remains important for the detection of PZA-resistant M. tuberculosis.