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Microbial Diversity and Host-specific Sequences of Canadian Goose Feces
Citation:
LU, J., J. W. SANTO-DOMINGO, T. Edge, AND S. Hill. Microbial Diversity and Host-specific Sequences of Canadian Goose Feces. APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC, 75(18):5919-5926, (2009).
Impact/Purpose:
To share information
Description:
Methods to assess the impact of goose fecal contamination are needed as the result of the increasing number of Canada goose (Branta canadensis) nearby North American inland waters. However, there is little information on goose fecal microbial communities, which is important for the development of host specific source tracking methods. To address this, 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were analyzed for Canada goose fecal samples from Ontario (Canada) and Ohio (USA). Analyses of Ontario (447) and Ohio (302) fecal clones showed that goose fecal communities are dominated by Clostridia (33.7%), Bacilli (38.1%), and Bacteroidetes (10.1%) classes. Sequences not previously found in other avian fecal communities were used to develop host-specific assays. Fecal DNA extracts from sewage plants (n =9), and different bird (n =11) and mammal (n =18) species were used to test for host specificity. Of all assays tested, one assay showed specificity to Canada goose fecal DNA. The PCR assay was positive to Canada goose fecal DNA extracts collected from the three locations in North America (Ohio, Oregon and Ontario, Canada). Additionally, out of 48 DNA extracts from Lake Ontario waters presumed to be impacted with waterfowl feces, 18 tested positive by the assay, although nine were positive after a nested PCR approach was used. Due to the level of host specificity and the presence of signals in environmental waters, the assay is proposed as a part of the toolbox to detect Canada goose contamination in waterfowl contaminated waters.
