Characterization of Bacterial Communities Associated with the Tyrian Purple Producing Gland in a Marine Gastropod.
Dicathais orbita is a marine mollusc recognised for the production of anticancer compounds that are precursors to Tyrian purple. This study aimed to assess the diversity and identity of bacteria associated with the Tyrian purple producing hypobranchial gland, in comparison with foot tissue, using a high-throughput sequencing approach. Taxonomic and phylogenetic analysis of variable region V1-V3 of 16S rRNA bacterial gene amplicons in QIIME and MEGAN were carried out. This analysis revealed a highly diverse bacterial assemblage associated with the hypobranchial gland and foot tissues of D. orbita. The dominant bacterial phylum in the 16S rRNA bacterial profiling data set was Proteobacteria followed by Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes and Spirochaetes. In comparison to the foot, the hypobranchial gland had significantly lower bacterial diversity and a different community composition, based on taxonomic assignment at the genus level. A higher abundance of indole producing Vibrio spp. and the presence of bacteria with brominating capabilities in the hypobranchial gland suggest bacteria have a potential role in biosynthesis of Tyrian purple in D. orbita.
Marine Ecology Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
Ajit Kumar
AK
Ngangbam
Southern Cross Plant Science, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
Abdul
A
Baten
Southern Cross Plant Science, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
Daniel L E
DL
Waters
Marine Ecology Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
Steve
S
Whalan
Marine Ecology Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
Kirsten
K
Benkendorff
D000818:Animals; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D041963:Bacteroidetes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001483:Base Sequence; D044822:Biodiversity; D049851:Gastropoda / Q000382:microbiology*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism*; D064307:Microbiota / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013144:Spirochaetales / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008973:Tenericutes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
C553805:6,6'-dibromoindigo; D007211:Indoles; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S