TITLE:
Characterization of the Dominant Bacterial Communities Associated with Terrestrial Isopod Species Based on 16S rDNA Analysis by PCR-DGGE
AUTHORS:
Delhoumi Majed, Zaabar Wahiba, Bouslama Mohamed Fadhel, Achouri Mohamed Sghaier
KEYWORDS:
Microbial Community, PCR-DGGE, Terrestrial Isopod, Symbiont
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Ecology,
Vol.8 No.9,
September
18,
2018
ABSTRACT: From the marine environment,
woodlice gradually colonized terrestrial areas benefiting from the symbiotic
relationship with the bacterial community that they host. Indeed, they
constitute the only group of Oniscidea suborder that has succeed to accomplish
their lives in terrestrial even desert surfaces. Herein they play an important
role in the dynamic of ecosystems and the decomposition of litter. So to
enhance our understanding of the sea-land transition and other process like
decomposition and digestion of detritus, we studied the bacterial community
associated with 11 specimens of terrestrial isopods belonging to six species
using a Culture independent approach (DGGE). Bands sequencing showed that the
cosmopolitan species Porcellionides pruinosus has the most microbial
diversity. Screening demonstrated the predominance of Proteobacteria followed
by members from Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria phyla. In fact we detected some symbionts like Wolbachia, Mycoplasma and Spiroplasma for the first time in a terrestrial isopod species.