Cell density effects of frog skin bacteria on their capacity to inhibit growth of the Chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Yasumiba, Kiyomi, Bell, Sara, and Alford, Ross (2016) Cell density effects of frog skin bacteria on their capacity to inhibit growth of the Chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Microbial Ecology, 71 (1). pp. 124-130.

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Abstract

Bacterial symbionts on frog skin can reduce the growth of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) through production of inhibitory metabolites. Bacteria can be effective at increasing the resistance of amphibians to chytridiomycosis when added to amphibian skin, and isolates can be screened for production of metabolites that inhibit Bd growth in vitro. However, some bacteria use density-dependent mechanism such as quorum sensing to regulate metabolite production. It is therefore important to consider cell density effects when evaluating bacteria as possible candidates for bioaugmentation. The aim of our study was to evaluate how the density of cutaneous bacteria affects their inhibition of Bd growth in vitro. We sampled cutaneous bacteria isolated from three frog species in the tropical rainforests of northern Queensland, Australia, and selected ten isolates that were inhibitory to Bd in standardised pilot trials. We grew each isolate in liquid culture at a range of initial dilutions, sub-sampled each dilution at a series of times during the first 48 h of growth and measured spectrophotometric absorbance values, cell counts and Bd-inhibitory activity of cell-free supernatants at each time point. The challenge assay results clearly demonstrated that the inhibitory effects of most isolates were density dependent, with relatively low variation among isolates in the minimum cell density needed to inhibit Bd growth. We suggest the use of minimum cell densities and fast-growing candidate isolates to maximise bioaugmentation efforts.

Item ID: 42413
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1432-184X
Keywords: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, density-dependent, symbiosis
Funders: Australian Research Council (ARC)
Projects and Grants: ARC DP0986537
Date Deposited: 03 Feb 2016 14:27
FoR Codes: 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3205 Medical biochemistry and metabolomics > 320501 Medical biochemistry - amino acids and metabolites @ 100%
SEO Codes: 92 HEALTH > 9299 Other Health > 929999 Health not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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