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Microbiomic Comparison of the Intestine of the Earthworm Eisenia fetida Fed Ergovaline

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Abstract

Tall fescue toxicosis and ergot alkaloids cost U.S. livestock producers approximately one billion dollars in annual livestock production loss annually. Ergovaline (EV) is the tall fescue alkaloid primarily responsible for clinical disease in livestock. Since native ruminal microorganisms have not been attributed to the detoxification of EV, finding detoxifying microbes from other environments is desirable. One possible source for potential microorganisms that can degrade EV is the anaerobic gut of the earthworm, Eisenia fetida. This study describes a comparative microbial analysis of earthworm digestive tracts receiving 10,000 ppb EV (E+ treatment) when compared with a control treatment with no detectable amounts of EV (E− treatment). An HPLC assay determined a 25% loss of EV from the E+ treatment was microbial in nature. A community microbiomic approach of constructing 16S-rRNA gene clone libraries was used to compare the microbes affected by the two treatments. RDPII tools such as Classifier and Libcompare were used in the analysis of 16S sequences. DOTUR analysis was used to examine the richness and diversity of the two microbial populations in these experiments. The results indicate there are few significant differences in the microbial community structure between the two microbiomes.

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Acknowledgments

This material is based upon research supported jointly funded by the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station project ORE00871 and by the USDA, under Cooperative Agreement nos. 58-6227-8-044 and 58-1265-6-076. Any opinions, findings, conclusion, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The authors wish to thank Mr. Nevin Derstine for setting up the vermicomposters and Ms. Zelda Zimmerman for editorial assistance.

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Author notes

  1. Rogan M. Rattray

    Present address: Department of Pathology, Oregon Health Sciences University, SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 139 Oak Creek Building, 97331, Corvallis, OR, USA

    Rogan M. Rattray

  2. Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, 139 Oak Creek Building, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Sudeep Perumbakkam

  3. Department of Pharmacal Sciences, Auburn University, 3306 Walker Building, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    Forrest Smith

  4. College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, 100 Magruder Hall, 97331, Corvallis, OR, USA

    A. Morrie Craig

Authors
  1. Rogan M. Rattray
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  2. Sudeep Perumbakkam
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  3. Forrest Smith
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  4. A. Morrie Craig
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Correspondence to A. Morrie Craig.

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Rattray, R.M., Perumbakkam, S., Smith, F. et al. Microbiomic Comparison of the Intestine of the Earthworm Eisenia fetida Fed Ergovaline. Curr Microbiol 60, 229–235 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-009-9530-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-009-9530-8

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