Abstract
Bifidobacteria are considered as one of the key genera in intestinal tracts of animals, and their species composition vary depending on the host. The aim of this study was to identify faecal bifidobacteria from Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), housed in Zoological gardens (Ostrava, Czech Republic). Using culturing, bifidobacteria were found in counts 7.60 ± 0.56 log CFU/g. Twenty-six pure strains were isolated from faeces of Asian elephant. The isolates were clustered into two groups according to fingerprinting profiles and fermentation characteristic. Bacteria were identified by a combination of MALDI-TOF MS, PCR methods and sequencing as B. boum (12 isolates) and B. adolescentis (14 isolates). Elephant strains showed different fingerprinting profiles than type and collection strains. Since these two species are frequently isolated from gastrointestinal tract of herbivores, they seem to be typical of animals fed plant diets.
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The study was supported by grant 523/08/1091 of the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic.
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Corresponding editor: ANAND KUMAR BACHHAWAT
MS received 19 October 2012; accepted 28 March 2013
Corresponding editor: Anand Kumar Bachhawat
[Bunesova V, Vlkova E, Rada V, Killer J and Kmet V 2013 Identification of bifidobacteria isolated from Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). J. Biosci. 38 1–5] DOI 10.1007/s12038-013-9322-y
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Bunesova, V., Vlkova, E., Rada, V. et al. Identification of bifidobacteria isolated from Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). J Biosci 38, 239–243 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-013-9322-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-013-9322-y