AUTHOR=Gallet Alison , Yao Eric Kouamé , Foucault Pierre , Bernard Cécile , Quiblier Catherine , Humbert Jean-François , Coulibaly Julien Kalpy , Troussellier Marc , Marie Benjamin , Duperron Sébastien 

TITLE=Fish gut-associated bacterial communities in a tropical lagoon (Aghien lagoon, Ivory Coast)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.963456

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.963456

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Aghien lagoon (Ivory Coast) is a eutrophic freshwater lagoon that harbors high biomasses of phytoplankton. Despite Increasing interest in fish gut microbiomes diversity and functions, little data is currently available regarding wild species from tropical west African lakes. Here, gut-associated bacterial communities are investigated in four fish species that are consumed by locale populations, namely the Cichlidae <italic>Hemichromis fasciatus</italic>, <italic>Tilapia guineensis</italic> and <italic>Sarotherodon melanotheron</italic>, and the Claroteidae <italic>Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus</italic>. Species-related differences are identified, that can be attributed to host phylogeny and diet. Important variations throughout the year are observed in <italic>T. guineensis</italic> and <italic>C. nigrodigitatus</italic>. This result emphasized the importance of time-series sampling and comparison with environmental variables even in tropical regions, that are not often conducted in wild populations. Effects of environmental factors (anthropogenic or not) on the microbiota and potential outcomes for fish health and populations sustainability need to be further explored. Interestingly, fish appear as major reservoirs of bacterial diversity, suggesting that they could contribute to the overall stability and resilience of bacterial communities present in the Aghien lagoon.</p>