Microbial diversity on amphibian skin. skin metagenome

Symbiotic bacteria on the skin may play an important role in the resistance of amphibians to the pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Microbial communities resident on hosts’ skin show topographical and temporal diversity mapping to physical and biotic features of the skin ecosystem but studies have mainly focussed on the human microbiome. We examined skin microbiomes of fire-bellied toads (Bombina orientalis) to determine whether microbial community varies between the dorsal and the ventral skin region, more prone to Bd infection. We also assessed whether topographical variations were more pronounced in captive than in wild populations.