A FIRST INSIGHT INTO GASTROINTESTINAL MICROBIOTA OF THE SEYCHELLES GIANT TORTOISES

All animals possess a complex microbiome, defined as the collection of microorganisms colonizing the body, and their genetic material. Microbiome play a fundamental role in many physiological processes and in host health and diseases. Studies on gut microbiomes of different animals have provided a wealth of ecological and evolutionary information showing a strict link with health and disease conditions. However, very few studies have been devoted to herbivorous reptiles. The aim of the present work was the analysis of microbiota gastrointestinal community of Aldabrachelys gigantean, herbivorous giant tortoises both living at Seychelles and at Parco Natura Viva Zoological Park in Verona (Italy) to characterize a gut microbial biodiversity which could be utilized as marker of good health. Young and adult individual Giant tortoises (13 from Seychelles and 11 from Parco Natura) were enrolled. Faecal swabs were obtained from each individual. Different selective medium was utilized to show beneficial bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria presence. Moreover, a molecular analysis of faecal microbiota by means of Illumina platform is under progress. DNA were extracted from all samples by Qiagen faecal DNA kit. The amplification of the V3-V4region of 16S rRNA has been performed. Amplicons were obtained from all samples except 4 samples from Seychelles tortoises due to low amount of DNA. These amplicons are under sequencing. For what concerns isolation unfortunately even if six different specific selective media have been utilized no lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria isolates have been obtained. Otherwise the genus specific PCR for bifidobacteria showed that samples with DNA good quality are positive for the presence of this genus. Other study will be performed in order to obtain a selective medium appropriate for the isolation of bifidobacteria. The difficulty of cultivating bifidobacteria indicate that the role of bifidobacteria in Seychelles turtles could be underestimated.