Short-beaked echidna pouch microbiome sequencing

Monotreme and marsupial early development is characterised by a short gestation, the birth of the young at an early stage of development, and a long lactation in the pouch or pseudo-pouch. The lack of a functional adaptive immune system in these altricial young raises questions about how they survive in a microbe-rich world. Previous studies on marsupial pouches have revealed changes to pouch microbe composition during lactation but no information is available in monotremes. Swab samples were obtained from wild and captive echidna pouches outside of breeding season, during courtship and breeding, and during lactation. 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding was performed on these samples in order to determine whether reproductive cycle and/or captivity affects the diversity and composition of the pouch microbiome. We also sequenced echidna oral, cloacal, and habitat swab samples in order to determine their impact on the pouch microbiome.