Bacterial community dynamics on bats and the implications for pathogen resistance

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Ecology
• Mycology

Background:

• The skin microbiota of bats is crucial for defense against pathogens, including the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which causes white-nose syndrome.
• Understanding how bat skin bacterial communities respond to environmental changes is vital for disease resistance.
• Rhinolophus ferrumequinum exhibits high resistance to P. destructans, making it a key species for studying host-microbe interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the temporal and spatial dynamics of the skin bacterial community in Rhinolophus ferrumequinum.
• To identify environmental factors influencing skin bacterial community structure.
• To investigate the antifungal potential of bat skin microbiota against P. destructans.

Main Methods:

• Collected skin bacterial samples from Rhinolophus ferrumequinum over time and space.
• Gathered environmental covariate data (e.g., temperature, geographic distance).
• Analyzed bacterial community structure and identified key influencing factors and antifungal taxa.

Main Results:

• Significant temporal and spatial variations were observed in the bat skin bacterial community.
• Community structure was influenced by environmental microbial reservoirs, host body condition, roosting temperature, and geographic distance.
• The skin microbiota was enriched with bacteria possessing antifungal properties, including Enterococcus, Burkholderia, Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, Corynebacterium, and Rhodococcus.

Conclusions:

• Bat skin bacterial communities exhibit dynamic changes influenced by environmental and host-related factors.
• Specific bacterial taxa on bat skin demonstrate antifungal capabilities, contributing to pathogen resistance.
• Characterizing skin microbiota variations can predict a host's ability to resist or survive infections.