Journal Article

Probiotics Modulate a Novel Amphibian Skin Defense Peptide That Is Antifungal and Facilitates Growth of Antifungal Bacteria

Woodhams, Douglas C., Lam, Briana A., Hunziker, Peter, Bigler, Laurent, Caprioli, Richard M., Chaurand, Pierre, Rollins-Smith, Louise A., Patel, Bhumi T., Briggs, Cheryl J., Reinert, Laura K., Vredenburg, Vance T., Harris, Reid N.

2020

Overview

Probiotics can ameliorate diseases of humans and wildlife, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Host responses to interventions that change their microbiota are largely uncharacterized. We applied a consortium of four natural antifungal bacteria to the skin of endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs, Rana sierrae, before experimental exposure to the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The probiotic microbes did not persist, nor did they protect hosts, and skin peptide sampling indicated immune modulation. We characterized a novel skin defense peptide brevinin-1Ma (FLPILAGLAANLVPKLICSITKKC) that was downregulated by the probiotic treatment. Brevinin-1Ma was tested against a range of amphibian skin cultures and found to inhibit growth of fungal pathogens Bd and B. salamandrivorans, but enhanced the growth of probiotic bacteria including Janthinobacterium lividum, Chryseobacterium ureilyticum, Serratia grimesii, and Pseudomonas sp. While commonly thought of as antimicrobial peptides, here brevinin-1Ma showed promicrobial function, facilitating microbial growth. Thus, skin exposure to probiotic bacterial cultures induced a shift in skin defense peptide profiles that appeared to act as an immune response functioning to regulate the microbiome. In addition to direct microbial antagonism, probiotic-host interactions may be a critical mechanism affecting disease resistance.

• Publisher: Springer Science + Business Media,Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Amino Acid Sequence / Animals / Antagonism / antibiosis / Antifungal agents / Antifungal Agents - chemistry / Antifungal Agents - metabolism / Antifungal Agents - pharmacology / Antimicrobial agents / Antimicrobial peptides / Aquatic reptiles / Bacteria / Batrachochytrium / Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Chryseobacterium / Chytridiomycota - drug effects / Chytridiomycota - growth & development / Consortia / Defence mechanisms / dermal exposure / Disease resistance / Ecology / endangered species / Frogs / Fungi / Fungicides / Geoecology/Natural Processes / Growth / HOST MICROBE INTERACTIONS / hosts / Immune response / Immune system / Immunity / Immunomodulation / Interactions / Janthinobacterium lividum / Life Sciences / Microbial Ecology / Microbial flora / microbial growth / Microbiology / microbiome / Microbiomes / Microbiota / Microbiota - drug effects / Microorganisms / mountains / Nature Conservation / Pathogens / Peptides / Peptides - chemistry / Peptides - genetics / Peptides - metabolism / Peptides - pharmacology / Probiotics / Probiotics - pharmacology / Profiles / Pseudomonas / Rana / Ranidae - metabolism / Ranidae - microbiology / Serratia grimesii / Skin / Skin - metabolism / Skin - microbiology / virulent strains / Water Quality/Water Pollution / Wildlife