Pyrosequencing of prey DNA in reptile faeces: analysis of earthworm consumption by slow worms
Pyrosequencing of prey DNA in reptile faeces: analysis of earthworm consumption by slow worms
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1755-0998.2011.03098.x
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发表时间：
2012-03-01
影响因子：
7.7
通讯作者：
Symondson, William O. C.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Brown, David S.;Jarman, Simon N.;Symondson, William O. C.
几乎没有定量的生态信息存在于大多数无脊椎动物的饮食喂养爬行动物，特别是夜间或难以捉摸的物种，很难观察。在英国和其他地方，法律要求爬行动物在土地开发之前必须搬迁，但如果不了解它们的饮食要求，就无法知道受体地点的适合性。在这里，我们测试了基于非侵入性DNA的分子诊断（454焦磷酸测序）分析爬行动物饮食的能力，具体目的是确定哪些爬行动物物种被缓慢的蠕虫（无腿蜥蜴Anguis fragilis）利用，以及它们是否以只在夜间浮出水面的更深的爬行动物物种为食。慢蠕虫粪便样品从四个不同的栖息地进行了分析，使用蚯蚓特异性PCR引物。我们发现，86%的慢蠕虫（N = 80）吃过蚯蚓。在低地石南和沼泽/酸性草原，蚯蚓，表面居住的epigeic种，主要是缓慢蠕虫的饮食。在其他两个栖息地，滨江牧场和含钙粗草地，饮食占主导地位的深生活anecic和endogeic物种。我们的结论是，所有种类的蠕虫都被这些爬行动物利用，缺乏专业化使得缓慢的蠕虫在各种各样的栖息地中茁壮成长。粪便中猎物DNA的焦磷酸测序显示出作为一种实用、快速和相对廉价的手段获得爬行动物饮食的详细和有价值的生态信息的希望。
Little quantitative ecological information exists on the diets of most invertebrate feeding reptiles, particularly nocturnal or elusive species that are difficult to observe. In the UK and elsewhere, reptiles are legally required to be relocated before land development can proceed, but without knowledge of their dietary requirements, the suitability of receptor sites cannot be known. Here, we tested the ability of non-invasive DNA-based molecular diagnostics (454 pyrosequencing) to analyse reptile diets, with the specific aims of determining which earthworm species are exploited by slow worms (the legless lizard Anguis fragilis) and whether they feed on the deeper-living earthworm species that only come to the surface at night. Slow worm faecal samples from four different habitats were analysed using earthworm-specific PCR primers. We found that 86% of slow worms (N = 80) had eaten earthworms. In lowland heath and marshy/acid grassland, Lumbricus rubellus, a surface-dwelling epigeic species, dominated slow worm diet. In two other habitats, riverside pasture and calciferous coarse grassland, diet was dominated by deeper-living anecic and endogeic species. We conclude that all species of earthworm are exploited by these reptiles and lack of specialization allows slow worms to thrive in a wide variety of habitats. Pyrosequencing of prey DNA in faeces showed promise as a practical, rapid and relatively inexpensive means of obtaining detailed and valuable ecological information on the diets of reptiles.