Presentation Details
| Ecological Roles of Nasal Microbes Pia LaPorte1, Jeba Chelladurai2, Melissa Singletary1, 3. 1Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL, Auburn, AL, USA.2Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL, Auburn, AL, USA.3Canine Performance Sciences Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL, Auburn, AL, USA |
Abstract
The nasal cavity microenvironment is home to diverse communities of bacteria playing critical roles in respiratory health and thought to play a role in olfactory function. Bacterial taxa in the nasal cavity have been shown to contribute to host immune responses, produce antimicrobial compounds, compete for resources, and maintain epithelial barrier integrity. Dysbiosis in this particularly vulnerable region is shown to disrupt protective functions and lead to overgrowth of opportunistic pathogens, the production of biofilms, tissue inflammation, and various diseases. To further evaluate the relationship between the bacterial community of the nasal cavity and its functional significance we aimed to characterize the regional microenvironments within the nasal cavity. Using a rat rodent model we isolated the ethmoidal labyrinth (E) and the olfactory (OE) and respiratory (RE) epithelial regions and performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing to a minimum of 165M Illumina reads (25Gbp) on the tissues. Preliminary analyses reveal statistically significant differences in alpha diversity between the two functional olfactory sensory regions of the Ethmoid and Olfactory Epithelium but not from the respiratory epithelium. Linear Discriminant Analysis however indicated several bacterial taxa that are uniquely isolated to each separate region. The ecological roles of these bacteria are being identified using the HUMAnN tools on the Galaxy platform to profile the presence or absence of microbial pathways from our metagenomic reads. An improved functional understanding of the nasal microbes will provide a valuable model for studying bacterial ecological processes and related implications on health and olfaction.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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