Scheelings T Franciscus, Kodikara Saritha, Beale David J, Van Thi Thu Hao, Moore Robert J, Skerratt Lee F
Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, 3030, Australia.
School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052, Australia.
Microb Ecol. 2025 May 23;88(1):50. doi: 10.1007/s00248-025-02556-7.
The gut microbiota of vertebrates significantly influences host physiology, yet little is known about how habitat factors shape microbiotas in non-human species, especially freshwater turtles. This study explores the relationship between cloacal microbiota and serum metabolome in eastern longneck turtles (Chelodina longicollis), marking the first such investigation in chelonians. By comparing microbiotas from two distinct pond environments, we applied a multi-omics approach combining 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomic profiling. Results showed that location influenced microbial composition and metabolic profiles, with dominant bacterial phyla Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, and Bacillota, and distinct families linked to differences in microbial diversity. Notably, turtles from one pond displayed an unusually high proportion of Actinomycetota. We also found a clear connection between microbiota diversity and metabolome, suggesting certain bacterial combinations impact host physiology. These findings offer important insights into the complex interaction between microbial communities and metabolism in freshwater turtles, a highly threatened group. This research emphasises the value of integrating microbiota and metabolomic data in conservation strategies and highlights the need for further longitudinal studies to explore the dynamic host-microbiota relationship in these understudied species.
脊椎动物的肠道微生物群对宿主生理有显著影响，但对于栖息地因素如何塑造非人类物种的微生物群，尤其是淡水龟的微生物群，我们了解甚少。本研究探讨了东部长颈龟（Chelodina longicollis）泄殖腔微生物群与血清代谢组之间的关系，这是龟类中首次进行此类调查。通过比较来自两种不同池塘环境的微生物群，我们采用了一种多组学方法，将16S rRNA测序和代谢组分析相结合。结果表明，地理位置影响微生物组成和代谢谱，主要细菌门为假单胞菌门、放线菌门和芽孢杆菌门，不同的科与微生物多样性差异有关。值得注意的是，来自一个池塘的龟类放线菌门比例异常高。我们还发现微生物群多样性与代谢组之间存在明显联系，表明某些细菌组合会影响宿主生理。这些发现为淡水龟（一个受到高度威胁的群体）微生物群落与代谢之间的复杂相互作用提供了重要见解。本研究强调了在保护策略中整合微生物群和代谢组数据的价值，并突出了进一步进行纵向研究以探索这些研究不足物种中动态宿主-微生物群关系的必要性。
