Comparative genomics of bacteria from amphibian skin associated with inhibition of an amphibian fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is a skin disease associated with worldwide amphibian declines. Symbiotic microbes living on amphibian skin interact with Bd and may alter infection outcomes. We completed whole genome sequencing of 40 bacterial isolates cultured from the skin of four amphibian species in the Eastern US. Each isolate was tested in vitro for the ability to inhibit Bd growth. The aim of this study was to identify genomic differences among the isolates and generate hypotheses about the genomic underpinnings of Bd growth inhibition. We identified sixty-five gene families that were present in all 40 isolates. Screening for common biosynthetic gene clusters revealed that this set of isolates contained a wide variety of clusters; the two most abundant clusters with potential antifungal activity were siderophores (N=17 isolates) and Type III polyketide synthases (N=22 isolates). We then examined various subsets of the 22 isolates in the phylum Proteobacteria for genes encoding specific compounds that may inhibit fungal growth, including chitinase and violacein. We identified differences in Agrobacterium and Sphingomonas isolates in the chitinase genes that showed some association with anti-Bd activity, as well as variation in the violacein genes in the Janthinobacterium isolates. Using a comparative genomics approach, we generated several testable hypotheses about differences among bacterial isolates from amphibian skin communities that could contribute to variation in the ability to inhibit Bd growth. Further work is necessary to explore and uncover the various mechanisms utilized by amphibian skin bacterial isolates to inhibit Bd.

Automated summary

This study sequenced the whole genomes of bacterial isolates from amphibian skin in the Eastern US and tested their ability to inhibit the growth of the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The results revealed differences in gene families and biosynthetic gene clusters among the isolates, suggesting potential mechanisms for inhibiting Bd growth. Further research is needed to explore and verify these hypotheses.