Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Diversity and Symbiosis: Examining the Taxonomic, Genetic, and Functional Diversity of Amphibian Skin Microbiota

在成年人中，共生微生物的数量是人体细胞的十倍。这些微生物群落的组成可以影响个体是瘦还是胖，以及病原体能够在体内成功建立自己的可能性。两栖动物还拥有多样化的共生微生物群，这些细菌共生体可能会限制病原体的感染，比如真菌水蛭壶菌（Batrachochytrium dendroatidis, Bd），这种真菌已经摧毁了许多天然两栖动物种群。本研究将研究栖息在两栖动物皮肤上的共生微生物群落的三个关键多样性组成部分之间的联系：分类多样性（物种的数量和相对丰度），遗传多样性（哪些基因被打开）和功能多样性（抗病能力）。通过重点实地调查和操纵实验，将实现三个目标：(1)建立巴拿马五种寄主两栖动物微生物群落的分类、遗传和功能多样性范围；(2)研究病原体（Bd）的存在如何影响多样性组成部分；(3)研究微生物多样性与疾病抗性之间的关系。由于所有动物都有共生微生物，因此这些结果将广泛适用于包括人类在内的其他系统。此外，将为这些复杂的数据集开发新的统计方法，这将迅速扩大将这些多样性组成部分集成到广泛系统中的能力。本科生将接受研究方面的训练。此外，在巴拿马，将与巴拿马两栖动物救援和保护项目（PARC）建立伙伴关系。一名帕洛阿尔托研究中心实习生将得到支持，与学校团体合作，强调保护、有益微生物和生物多样性的重要性。与帕洛阿尔托研究中心的伙伴关系将扩展到与他们合作开发基于抗真菌皮肤细菌的新型益生菌解决方案，这将使受威胁的青蛙能够成功重新引入，从而帮助恢复新热带地区的生物多样性。

In adult humans, symbiotic microbes outnumber human cells ten to one. The composition of these microbial communities can influence whether individuals are lean or obese and the likelihood that pathogens are able to successfully establish themselves in the body. Amphibians also possess a diverse symbiotic microbiota, and these bacterial symbionts may limit infection by pathogens, such as the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) that has decimated many natural amphibian populations. This research will examine links between three critical diversity components of the symbiotic microbial communities that reside on amphibian skin: taxonomic diversity (number and relative abundance of species), genetic diversity (which genes are turned on), and functional diversity (disease resistance). Using focused field surveys and manipulative experiments, three objectives will be addressed: (1) establish the range of taxonomic, genetic, and functional diversity within the microbial community on five species of host amphibians in Panama, (2) examine how the presence of a pathogen (Bd) impacts diversity components, and (3) examine the relationship between microbial diversity and resistance to disease. As all animals host symbiotic microbes, these results will have broad applicability to other systems, including humans. In addition, new statistical methods for these complex datasets will be developed, which will rapidly expand the ability to integrate these diversity components in a wide array of systems. Undergraduate students will be trained in research. In addition, in Panama, a partnership with the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project (PARC) will be established. A PARC intern will be supported to work with school groups to stress the importance of conservation, beneficial microbes and biodiversity. The partnership with PARC will extend to working with them on novel probiotic solutions, based on antifungal skin bacteria, that will allow successful reintroductions of threatened frogs, thereby helping to restore biodiversity to the Neotropics.