Intra-individual Escherichia coli diversity in Australian pinniped pups

This file details the Escherichia coli phylotypes and corresponding B2 sub-types for E. coli isolates collected from free-ranging Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus), Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) and long-nosed fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri). Faecal samples were collected from ten pups from each species and subsequently cultured on selective media. Ten isolates of E. coli were sub-cultured from the original culture and analysed using quadruplex phylotyping and multiplex sub-typing PCRs to assign isolates to E. coli phylotypes and sub-types. The relationship between host factors (species, sex, body weight [kg] and standard length [cm]) was also investigated. This study found low intra-individual variation, suggesting that a single isolate of E. coli can provide an idea of the general abundance of E. coli phylotypes in free-ranging pinniped populations, and can be used as an efficient and cost-effective tool for monitoring the presence and abundance of human-associated phylotypes of E. coli.

本数据集详述了从自由栖息的澳大利亚海狗（Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus）、澳大利亚海狮（Neophoca cinerea）以及长鼻海狗（Arctocephalus forsteri）体内分离得到的大肠杆菌（Escherichia coli）的系统发育型（phylotypes）及其对应的B2亚型信息。研究人员从每个物种的10只幼崽身上采集粪便样本，随后将样本接种于选择性培养基进行培养。从原始培养物中传代培养得到10株大肠杆菌分离株，采用四重系统发育分型法与多重亚型聚合酶链式反应（PCR）开展分析，以明确各分离株所属的大肠杆菌系统发育型与亚型。本研究同时探究了宿主因素（物种、性别、体质量[kg]与标准体长[cm]）与上述分型结果间的关联。研究结果显示个体内的变异程度较低，这表明单株大肠杆菌分离株即可反映自由栖息鳍足类种群中大肠杆菌系统发育型的整体丰度分布，同时可作为一种高效经济的工具，用于监测与人类相关的大肠杆菌系统发育型的存在与丰度水平。