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A comparative study of the fecal microbiota of grey seal pups and yearlings - a marine mammal sentinel species
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  • Craig Watkins,
  • Taylor Gaines,
  • Fiona Strathdee,
  • Johanna Bailey,
  • Eleanor Watson,
  • Ailsa Hall,
  • Andrew Free,
  • Mark Dagleish
Craig Watkins
Moredun Research Institute

Corresponding Author:craig.watkins@moredun.ac.uk

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Taylor Gaines
Moredun Research Institute
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Fiona Strathdee
The University of Edinburgh
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Johanna Bailey
University of Stirling
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Eleanor Watson
Moredun Research Institute
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Ailsa Hall
University of St Andrews
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Andrew Free
The University of Edinburgh
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Mark Dagleish
Moredun Research Institute
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Abstract

Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) can act as sentinel species reflecting the condition of the environment they inhabit. Our previous research identified strains of pathogenic Campylobacter and Salmonella, originating from both human and agricultural animal hosts, on rectal swabs from live grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pups and yearlings on the Isle of May, Scotland, UK. We examined rectal swabs from the same pup (n=90) and yearling (n=19) grey seals to gain further understanding into the effects of age-related changes (pup versus yearling) and three different natal terrestrial habitats on seal pup fecal microbiota. DNA was extracted from a subset of rectal swabs (pups n=23, yearlings n=9) using an optimized procedure, and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced to identify each individual’s microbiota. Diversity in pup samples was lower (3.92 ± 0.19) than yearlings (4.66 ± 0.39) although not significant at the p=0.05 level (p = 0.062) but differences in the composition of the microbiota were (p < 0.001). Similarly, differences between the composition of the microbiota from pups from three different terrestrial habitats (PH, RR, and TS) were highly significant (p < 0.001). Pairwise tests showed significant differences between all three habitats: PH vs TS (p = 0.019), PH vs RR (p = 0.042) and TS vs RR (p = 0.020). This preliminary study suggests a general trend, that seal microbiomes are modified by both age and, in pups, different terrestrial habitats. Furthermore, knowledge of the microbiota species present has the potential to be used in determining the environmental quality index.
31 Jan 2022Submitted to MicrobiologyOpen
01 Feb 2022Submission Checks Completed
01 Feb 2022Assigned to Editor
03 Feb 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
06 Mar 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
07 Mar 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
16 Mar 20221st Revision Received
17 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
17 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
17 Mar 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Mar 2022Editorial Decision: Accept