Impact of environmental micropollutants and diet composition on the gut microbiota of wild european eels (Anguilla anguilla). (1st December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bertucci, Anthony; Hoede, Claire; Dassié, Emilie; Gourves, Pierre-Yves; Suin, Amandine; Le Menach, Karine; Budzinski, Hélène; Daverat, Françoise
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 314(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12-01
• Subjects: European eel -- Gut microbiome -- Heavy metals -- Persistent organic pollutants -- Diet; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120207
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: In fish, the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in homeostasis and health and is affected by several organic and inorganic environmental contaminants. Amphidromous fish are sentinel species, particularly exposed to these stressors. We used whole metagenome sequencing to characterize the gut microbiome of wild European eels ( Anguilla anguilla ) at a juvenile stage captured from three sites with contrasted pollution levels in term of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. The objectives were to identify what parameters could alter the gut microbiome of this catadromous fish and to explore the potential use of microbiota as bioindicators of environment quality. We identified a total of 1079 microbial genera. Overall, gut microbiome was dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria . Alpha and beta diversity were different amongst sites and could be explained by a reduced number of environmental and biological factors, specifically the relative abundance of fish preys in eels' diet, PCB101, γHCH (lindane), transnonachlor and arsenic. Furthermore, we identified a series of indicator taxa with differential abundance between the three sites. Changes in the microbial communities in the gut caused by environmental pollutants were previously undocumented in European eels. Our results indicate that microbiota might represent another route by which pollutants affect the health of these aquatic sentinel organisms. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: The gut microbial diversity of wild European eels differed amongst sites of catching. POPs and metals levels showed strong associations with gut microbiota composition. The relative abundance of fish in eels' diet also impacted gut microbiota. 323 microbial genera were differentially abundant between the catching sites.