Comparative analysis of the fecal bacterial communities of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). 2022

Yuan Chen, and Zhongrong Xia, and Hongwei Li
School of Life Science, Huizhou University, No. 46 Yanda Road, Huizhou 516007, China.

Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are important for maintaining healthy coral reef ecosystems currently qualify as "critically endangered" by the IUCN. Their gut microbiota is closely linked to host nutrition and health, however, the gut microbiota of hawksbill sea turtles from a natural reserve remains unclear. Therefore, exploring their microbial community structure in a natural reserve may provide valuable information on strategies for protecting this species. In this study, we investigated hawksbill sea turtle fecal microbial communities from a natural reserve using 16S metagenomics and compared the gut microbiota from fecal samples of hawksbill and green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). The results indicated that the structure of fecal microbial communities was significantly different between hawksbill and green sea turtles. In hawksbill sea turtles, the three dominant phyla were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Fusobacteria, whereas the fecal microbial communities of green sea turtles were mainly composed of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria. Among the hawksbill sea turtle fecal microbes, the predominant genera were Cetobacterium and Rikenell, whereas in green sea turtles, the predominant genera were Bacteroides and Paludibacter. In addition, predictive metagenomic analysis indicated that sugar catabolism was enriched in green sea turtle fecal microbiota, whereas pathways related to secondary metabolite production were enriched in hawksbill sea turtle fecal microbiota. Our study provides preliminary data on the fecal microbiota features of sea turtles from the natural reserve, which may contribute to the management of the food requirements and long-term conservation of hawksbill sea turtles.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D005243 Feces Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D000069196 Gastrointestinal Microbiome All of the microbial organisms that naturally exist within the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. Enteric Bacteria,Gastric Microbiome,Gastrointestinal Flora,Gastrointestinal Microbial Community,Gastrointestinal Microbiota,Gastrointestinal Microflora,Gut Flora,Gut Microbiome,Gut Microbiota,Gut Microflora,Intestinal Flora,Intestinal Microbiome,Intestinal Microbiota,Intestinal Microflora,Bacteria, Enteric,Flora, Gastrointestinal,Flora, Gut,Flora, Intestinal,Gastric Microbiomes,Gastrointestinal Microbial Communities,Gastrointestinal Microbiomes,Gastrointestinal Microbiotas,Gut Microbiomes,Gut Microbiotas,Intestinal Microbiomes,Intestinal Microbiotas,Microbial Community, Gastrointestinal,Microbiome, Gastric,Microbiome, Gastrointestinal,Microbiome, Gut,Microbiome, Intestinal,Microbiota, Gastrointestinal,Microbiota, Gut,Microbiota, Intestinal,Microflora, Gastrointestinal,Microflora, Gut,Microflora, Intestinal
D000073893 Sugars Short chain carbohydrate molecules that have hydroxyl groups attached to each carbon atom unit with the exception of one carbon that has a doubly-bond aldehyde or ketone oxygen. Cyclical sugar molecules are formed when the aldehyde or ketone groups respectively form a hemiacetal or hemiketal bond with one of the hydroxyl carbons. The three dimensional structure of the sugar molecule occurs in a vast array of biological and synthetic classes of specialized compounds including AMINO SUGARS; CARBASUGARS; DEOXY SUGARS; SUGAR ACIDS; SUGAR ALCOHOLS; and SUGAR PHOSPHATES. Sugar
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014426 Turtles Any reptile including tortoises, fresh water, and marine species of the order Testudines with a body encased in a bony or cartilaginous shell consisting of a top (carapace) and a bottom (plastron) derived from the ribs. Sea Turtles,Terrapins,Tortoises,Sea Turtle,Terrapin,Tortoise,Turtle,Turtle, Sea,Turtles, Sea
D041963 Bacteroidetes A phylum of bacteria comprising four classes; Bacteroidia, Cytophagia, Flavobacteriia, and Sphingobacteriia. CFB Group Bacteria,Cytophaga-Flavobacteria-Bacteroides Group Bacteria,Cytophagales
D064307 Microbiota The full collection of microbes (bacteria, fungi, virus, etc.) that naturally exist within a particular biological niche such as an organism, soil, a body of water, etc. Human Microbiome,Microbiome,Microbiome, Human,Microbial Community,Microbial Community Composition,Microbial Community Structure,Community Composition, Microbial,Community Structure, Microbial,Community, Microbial,Composition, Microbial Community,Human Microbiomes,Microbial Communities,Microbial Community Compositions,Microbial Community Structures,Microbiomes,Microbiotas

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