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Deterministic processes structure bacterial genetic communities across an urban landscape

Deterministic processes structure bacterial genetic communities across an urban landscape
Deterministic processes structure bacterial genetic communities across an urban landscape

Land-use change is predicted to act as a driver of zoonotic disease emergence through human exposure to novel microbial diversity, but evidence for the effects of environmental change on microbial communities in vertebrates is lacking. We sample wild birds at 99 wildlife-livestock-human interfaces across Nairobi, Kenya, and use whole genome sequencing to characterise bacterial genes known to be carried on mobile genetic elements (MGEs) within avian-borne Escherichia coli (n = 241). By modelling the diversity of bacterial genes encoding virulence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) against ecological and anthropogenic forms of urban environmental change, we demonstrate that communities of avian-borne bacterial genes are shaped by the assemblage of co-existing avian, livestock and human communities, and the habitat within which they exist. In showing that non-random processes structure bacterial genetic communities in urban wildlife, these findings suggest that it should be possible to forecast the effects of urban land-use change on microbial diversity.

2041-1723
1-9
Hassell, J.M.
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Ward, M.J.
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Muloi, D.
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Bettridge, J.M.
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Phan, H.
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Robinson, T.P.
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Ogendo, A.
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Imboma, T.
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Kiiru, J.
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Kariuki, S.
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Begon, M.
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Kang’ethe, E.K.
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Woolhouse, M.E.J.
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Fèvre, E.M.
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Hassell, J.M.
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Ward, M.J.
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Muloi, D.
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Bettridge, J.M.
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Phan, H.
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Robinson, T.P.
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Ogendo, A.
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Imboma, T.
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Kiiru, J.
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Kariuki, S.
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Begon, M.
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Kang’ethe, E.K.
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Woolhouse, M.E.J.
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Fèvre, E.M.
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Hassell, J.M., Ward, M.J., Muloi, D., Bettridge, J.M., Phan, H., Robinson, T.P., Ogendo, A., Imboma, T., Kiiru, J., Kariuki, S., Begon, M., Kang’ethe, E.K., Woolhouse, M.E.J. and Fèvre, E.M. (2019) Deterministic processes structure bacterial genetic communities across an urban landscape. Nature Communications, 10 (1), 1-9, [2643]. (doi:10.1038/s41467-019-10595-1).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Land-use change is predicted to act as a driver of zoonotic disease emergence through human exposure to novel microbial diversity, but evidence for the effects of environmental change on microbial communities in vertebrates is lacking. We sample wild birds at 99 wildlife-livestock-human interfaces across Nairobi, Kenya, and use whole genome sequencing to characterise bacterial genes known to be carried on mobile genetic elements (MGEs) within avian-borne Escherichia coli (n = 241). By modelling the diversity of bacterial genes encoding virulence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) against ecological and anthropogenic forms of urban environmental change, we demonstrate that communities of avian-borne bacterial genes are shaped by the assemblage of co-existing avian, livestock and human communities, and the habitat within which they exist. In showing that non-random processes structure bacterial genetic communities in urban wildlife, these findings suggest that it should be possible to forecast the effects of urban land-use change on microbial diversity.

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Accepted/In Press date: 17 May 2019
Published date: 14 June 2019

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 432061
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/432061
ISSN: 2041-1723
PURE UUID: 4a649b66-e5da-45be-8094-e565c40d283e

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Date deposited: 28 Jun 2019 16:30
Last modified: 05 Jun 2024 19:03

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Contributors

Author: J.M. Hassell
Author: M.J. Ward
Author: D. Muloi
Author: J.M. Bettridge
Author: H. Phan
Author: T.P. Robinson
Author: A. Ogendo
Author: T. Imboma
Author: J. Kiiru
Author: S. Kariuki
Author: M. Begon
Author: E.K. Kang’ethe
Author: M.E.J. Woolhouse
Author: E.M. Fèvre

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