Discovery and characterization of novel fungal diversity in the equine alimentary tract
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Date
2022-04-15Author
Arreola, Alex X.
Meili, Casey H.
Youssef, Noha H.
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Most fungi thrive as free-living organisms, but few can forge symbiotic relationships with their hosts. One of the most enigmatic fungal groups are the anaerobic fungi (AF, phylum Neocallimastigomycota). They reside in the alimentary tract of herbivores and play a crucial role in the digestion and assimilation of ingested plant material. Surprisingly, little is known regarding their scope of diversity and distribution patterns across animal hosts. The aim of this study is to characterize patterns of AF diversity in the equine alimentary tract using DNA sequence-based molecular biology approaches. We collected over 145 equine manure samples across various geographic regions around the world. I extracted DNA from these samples, used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a specific gene (D1/D2 LSU), and sequenced the obtained PCR products. A suite of bioinformatic, phylogenetic, and statistical analyses was performed on the obtained data to assess the novelty, diversity, and community structure of AF within and across samples. My analysis revealed a high level of AF diversity within the equine alimentary tract, as evident by the detection of > 30 different AF genera. A fraction of the sequences obtained belonged to previously unknown genera, indicating that the scope of AF diversity is much broader than previously suggested. Further, my analysis indicated that age and geographical location appear to be the most important factors in shaping AF diversity, degree of novelty, and community composition in equines. The activity of AF in the herbivorous gut is crucial for the health and growth of their hosts. My study broadens our knowledge of fungal diversity in this ecosystem. Beyond expanding basic knowledge, a solid understanding of AF diversity opens the door for their utilization as dietary supplements for animals raised for human consumption. Indeed, AF may play a critical role in allowing the utilization of low-quality forages for animal feed. Further, the superior plant degradation capacities of AF render them extremely promising agents for plant biomass conversion to biofuels, bioproducts, and biomaterials.
Citation
Arreola, A. X., Meili, C. H., Youssef, N. H., & Elshahed, M. S. (2022, April 15). Discovery and characterization of novel fungal diversity in the equine alimentary tract. Poster session presented at the Oklahoma State University Wentz Research Scholars Symposium, Stillwater, OK.