in ovo microbial communities. gut metagenome

Vertebrate gut microbiota mediate critical physiological processes known to affect host fitness, but the mechanisms that expose wildlife to pioneer members of this important microbial community are not well understood. Oviparous vertebrates are thought to acquire gut microbiota through physical contact with the external environment after hatching, but recent evidence from placental mammals suggests that the vertebrate reproductive tract harbors microbiota that may inoculate offspring in utero. These findings suggest that oviparous vertebrates may be capable of acquiring pioneer microbiota in ovo, but this phenomenon remains unexplored. We used culture-independent inventories to determine if eggs harbor in ovo microbial communities.