Evaluating efficacy of anti-Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis probiotic treatment on Pacific chorus frogs (Pseudacris regilla) at current and modeled climate change temperatures
Faculty Mentor
Jenifer Walke
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
10-5-2023 9:55 AM
End Date
10-5-2023 10:15 AM
Location
PUB 319
Department
Biology
Abstract
Chytridiomycosis, an amphibian disease caused by a fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been linked to global population declines. Symbiotic antifungal skin bacteria contribute to Bd-resistance in some amphibians and may be used in probiotic therapy, but probiotic development often fails to consider potential climate change impacts. Field microbiome analysis and in vitro anti-Bd assays of isolates from Pacific chorus frogs (Pseudacris regilla) at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge suggested Pseudomonas silesiensis was strongly anti-Bd and present at a higher abundance in uninfected frogs, indicating potential for in vivo anti-Bd activity. We tested the anti-Bd efficacy of P. silesiensis treatment on P. regilla (n = 60) collected from Turnbull and housed at historical and modeled future temperatures to determine the current and long-term probiotic potential under climate change conditions. Frogs were swabbed for Bd infection and microbiome analysis in the field and in the laboratory at incremental time points to investigate effects of captivity and heat, probiotic, and Bd treatments. To evaluate host-microbiome-pathogen dynamics, we will analyze 16S rRNA sequencing and Bd qPCR data. Preliminary results indicate undetectable infection levels in situ despite high prevalence here in recent years; however, some frogs had low intensity infections after isolation in captivity and before Bd exposure. These frogs may have had undetectable field infection levels presenting in captivity, a phenomenon previously observed due to lowered microbiome diversity. This ongoing research will determine the efficacy of a promising probiotic and provide insight into host-microbiome-pathogen interactions to help reduce amphibian declines.
Recommended Citation
Holley, Autumn, "Evaluating efficacy of anti-Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis probiotic treatment on Pacific chorus frogs (Pseudacris regilla) at current and modeled climate change temperatures" (2023). 2023 Symposium. 2.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2023/res_2023/os2_2023/2
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Evaluating efficacy of anti-Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis probiotic treatment on Pacific chorus frogs (Pseudacris regilla) at current and modeled climate change temperatures
PUB 319
Chytridiomycosis, an amphibian disease caused by a fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been linked to global population declines. Symbiotic antifungal skin bacteria contribute to Bd-resistance in some amphibians and may be used in probiotic therapy, but probiotic development often fails to consider potential climate change impacts. Field microbiome analysis and in vitro anti-Bd assays of isolates from Pacific chorus frogs (Pseudacris regilla) at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge suggested Pseudomonas silesiensis was strongly anti-Bd and present at a higher abundance in uninfected frogs, indicating potential for in vivo anti-Bd activity. We tested the anti-Bd efficacy of P. silesiensis treatment on P. regilla (n = 60) collected from Turnbull and housed at historical and modeled future temperatures to determine the current and long-term probiotic potential under climate change conditions. Frogs were swabbed for Bd infection and microbiome analysis in the field and in the laboratory at incremental time points to investigate effects of captivity and heat, probiotic, and Bd treatments. To evaluate host-microbiome-pathogen dynamics, we will analyze 16S rRNA sequencing and Bd qPCR data. Preliminary results indicate undetectable infection levels in situ despite high prevalence here in recent years; however, some frogs had low intensity infections after isolation in captivity and before Bd exposure. These frogs may have had undetectable field infection levels presenting in captivity, a phenomenon previously observed due to lowered microbiome diversity. This ongoing research will determine the efficacy of a promising probiotic and provide insight into host-microbiome-pathogen interactions to help reduce amphibian declines.
