16S rDNA-based metagenomic analysis of gut microbial community associated with DUI species Unio crassus (Bivalvia: Unionidae)

This study is the first report on the gut microbiome profile of U. crassus that uses metagenomics analysis of the V3-V4 fragment of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. We focused on showing differences in the microbiome composition of hosts that would indicate niche selection by bacteria for which U. crassus represents a favorable environment (Lokmer & Wegner 2015). Based on the previous results of phylogeographical relationships among U. crassus populations from Polish rivers, that showed independent maternally (F-type) and paternally (M-type) inherited mitochondrial DNA lineages, we decided to analyze the microbiome profile of populations that originated from different habitats and represented different evolutionary lineages (see Mioduchowska et al. 2016).