Microbiome diversity and zoonotic bacterial pathogen prevalence in Peromyscus mice from agricultural landscapes and synanthropic habitat

Rodents are key reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens and play an important role in disease transmission to humans. Importantly, anthropogenic land-use change has been found to increase the abundance of rodents that thrive in human-built environments (synanthropic rodents), particularly rodent reservoirs of zoonotic disease. Anthropogenic environments also affect the microbiome of synanthropic wildlife, influencing wildlife health and potentially introducing novel pathogens. Our objective was to examine the effect of agricultural development and synanthropic habitat on microbiome diversity and the prevalence of zoonotic bacterial pathogens in wild Peromyscus mice to better understand the role of these rodents in pathogen maintenance and transmission. We conducted 16S amplicon sequencing on fecal samples using long-read Nanopore sequencing technology to characterize the rodent microbiome. We compared microbiome diversity and composition between forest and synanthropic habitats in agricultural..., Peromyscus mice were live-trapped and fecal samples were collected for microbiome analysis. Data was collected during field data collection documenting the date and location of trapped animals, body measurements (body mass, body length), sex, reproductive status, and samples collected. Data was also recorded during the lab processing of the collected fecal samples for DNA extraction, library preparation, and Nanopore sequencing of barcoded libraries., , # Minnesota Peromyscus mouse microbiome

These data were collected in June-August 2019 during live trapping of small mammals in central and northern Minnesota. Trapping was conducted at two locations: Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in central MN and Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories and Itasca State Park in northern MN. Animals were trapped in forest habitat and around human habitation and buildings at both locations. Only mice of the genus Peromyscus were sampled (Peromyscus leucopus and Peromyscus maniculatus). Blood, feces, and a tissue sample were collected from each animal, sex and reproductive condition were assessed, and the mass and body length were recorded. Trapping was conducted at the same sites in June, July, and August at Cedar Creek. Trapping was only conducted in July at Itasca. Mice captured at Cedar Creek were identified with a uniquely numbered ear tag to identify individuals at subsequent recaptures.

## Description of the data and file structure

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