“Let’s Dry up and Survive Together”: Is Anhydrobiosis in Two Paramacrobiotus Species (Tardigrada) Associated with a Specific Microbiome Community?

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  • Mioduchowska M.
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Genetics and Biosystematics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
  • Kayastha P.
    • College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology
  • Bartylak M.M.
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland
  • Konecka E.
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poznań, Poland
  • Brahmantio B.
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Computer and Information Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
  • Mackiewicz J.
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Genetics and Biosystematics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
  • Przybyszewski W.
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Genetics and Biosystematics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
  • Naczk A.M.
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
  • Górniak M.
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Genetics and Biosystematics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
  • Pienaar J.
    • Other Affiliation: The Institute of Environment & Department of Biology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
  • Fiałkowska E.
    • Other Affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
  • Kaczmarek Ł.
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań,Poland
Abstract
  • This study reports, for the first time, changes in the microbiome community associated with anhydrobiosis in two tardigrade species of the genus Paramacrobiotus. To identify bacteria linked to the anhydrobiosis phenomenon and to track microbiome changes under anhydrobiotic stress, next-generation sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes was conducted. Microbiome profiling was performed across various developmental and physiological stages of tardigrades, including: eggs; active adult specimens (both before and after 7, and 120 days of anhydrobiosis, referred to as short- and long-term anhydrobiosis, respectively); specimens in the desiccated tun stage; dead specimens following long-term anhydrobiosis (no dead specimens were observed after short-term anhydrobiosis); and the culture medium. It was shown that the microbiome community varied among stages, with high stage-specificity. Several bacterial genera were identified that may assist the host during anhydrobiosis, potentially through biofilm formation and by supporting stress-protective mechanisms such as heat shock protein expression and trehalose synthesis in eggs and tuns. These findings reveal that microbiota may contribute to anhydrobiotic survival in tardigrades, providing novel insights into host–microbe interactions under extreme environmental stress.
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  • Article
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  • In Copyright
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  • Attribution 4.0 International
Journal title
  • International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Journal volume
  • 27
Journal issue
  • 12
Language
  • English
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  • Publisher
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  • Narodowe Centrum Nauki, NCN
ISSN
  • 1661-6596
Publisher
  • Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)

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