Navigating spatio-temporal microbiome dynamics: Environmental factors and trace elements shape the symbiont community of an invasive marine species

The proliferation of marine invasive species is a mounting concern. While the role of microbial communities in invasive ascidian species is recognized, the role of seasonal shifts in microbiome composition remains largely unexplored. We sampled five individuals of the invasive ascidian Styela plicat...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Galià Camps, Carles; Junkin, Liam; Borrallo, Xavier; Carreras Huergo, Carlos; Pascual Damieta, Marta; Turon Barrera, Xavier
Format: Article
Status:Published version
Publication date:2024
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:ubarcelona__::022cd50f3ad2575f716db3f2b2d6dba8
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/228851
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Microbiota intestinal
Simbiosi
Tortugues marines
Gastrointestinal microbiome
Symbiosis
Sea turtles
Description
Summary:The proliferation of marine invasive species is a mounting concern. While the role of microbial communities in invasive ascidian species is recognized, the role of seasonal shifts in microbiome composition remains largely unexplored. We sampled five individuals of the invasive ascidian Styela plicata quarterly from January 2020 to October 2021 in two harbours, examining gills, tunics, and surrounding water. By analysing Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) and seawater trace elements, we found that compartment (seawater, tunic, or gills) was the primary differentiating factor, followed by harbour. Clear seasonal patterns were evident in seawater bacteria, less so in gills, and absent in tunics. We identified compartment-specific bacteria, as well as seasonal indicator ASVs and ASVs correlated with trace element concentrations. Among these bacteria, we found that Endozoicomonas, Hepatoplasma and Rhodobacteraceae species had reported functions which might be necessary for overcoming seasonality and trace element shifts. This study contributes to understanding microbiome dynamics in invasive holobiont systems, and the patterns found indicate a potential role in adaptation and invasiveness.