The probiotic bacteria prevents dangerous skin diseases in frogs

James Madison University (JMU) practical research and practice carried out new perspectives on the probiotic defense effect of amphibian populations, including the endangered yellow-legged frog. , before life-threatening skin diseases.

The latest research, funded by the National Science Foundation, was presented on July 4 at the 108th American Society of Microbiology Association in Boston by bio-student Brianna Lam. Other co-authors of the presentation included Dr. Doug Woodhams and Reid Harris (James Madison University) together with Vance Vredenburg (San Francisco State University (SFSU)).

A year ago, JMU's research showed that Pedobacter cryoconitis - a natural bacterial species that lives on the skin of red-backed salamanders - is resistant to lethal chytridiomycosis . At the end of 2004, Australian researchers cited chytridiomycosis as one of the main factors that caused one third of the world's amphibian population to face a difficult situation.

Yellow-legged frog in the Sierra Nevada.(Photo: www.californiaherps.com )

Lam's study showed that putting pedobacter on the skin of mountain yellow-legged frogs can mitigate the effects of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) - extremely dangerous skin pathogens that threaten the remaining frog populations in the self-living environment. course in their Sierra Nevada.

First Lam performed petri dish experiments to prove that the bacteria on the skin could deal with deadly fungi. She then tested pedobacter on live infected frogs, bathing them in a pedobacter solution. These frogs lost less weight than those infected with fungi that were not tested with pedobacter.

In addition to laboratory research, scientists at JMU and SFSU also investigated the yellow-footed frog in their natural habitat. They found that some populations with deadly dermatological diseases were alive while others were extinct. Living populations have a significantly higher proportion of individuals carrying Bd-bacteria than other populations. The results demonstrate that the individual frequency threshold needed to carry Bd anti-pathogenic bacteria helps the population to resist Bd.

"The pooled studies show that an increase in the proportion of individuals carrying Bd-resistant pathogens in the population is threatened to prevent the spread of deadly pathogens," Lam said .