Metatranscriptomics provides insight into the physiologies of the digestive tract symbionts within the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana

Here, we report the use of Illumina RNA-Seq for investigating the physiology of the digestive-tract microbiome within the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana. About 12 million cDNA reads were mapped against the genomes of the two dominant members of this simple microbiome. Results suggested that the most abundant, yet uncultured Rikenella-like bacterium forages host mucin glycans and ferments the carbohydrates to acetate that is secreted into the environment. The second dominant symbiont, Aeromonas veronii, appears to utilize the acetate secreted by Rikenella as a carbon and energy source, possibly linking the physiologies of the dominant symbionts. This study demonstrates how RNA-seq can be used to reveal the physiology of a naturally occurring microbiome. Examination of the physiology of the leech gut microbiome 42 hrs after ingestion of a blood meal

本研究采用Illumina RNA测序（Illumina RNA-Seq）技术，探究威氏医蛭（Hirudo verbana）消化道微生物组的生理特性。研究中共获取约1200万条cDNA读段，并将其比对至该简单微生物组中两种优势类群的基因组。分析结果显示，丰度最高但尚未培养的类理研菌属细菌可利用宿主黏蛋白聚糖作为营养底物，并将糖类发酵为乙酸盐分泌至环境中。第二种优势共生菌——维氏气单胞菌（Aeromonas veronii）——则可利用类理研菌属细菌分泌的乙酸盐作为碳源与能源，或可实现两种优势共生菌生理活动的关联。本研究阐明了RNA测序可用于揭示自然状态下微生物组的生理特性。本研究针对进食血液42小时后的医蛭肠道微生物组的生理特性展开检测分析。