Metagenomic characterization of the gut, ruminal, and respiratory microbiota of dairy cattle in a heavy metal contaminated environment

• Grant number: 19/06932-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: August 10, 2019
• End date: November 10, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Lilian Gregory
• Grantee: Natália Carrillo Gaeta
• Supervisor: Erika Korzune Ganda
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Pennsylvania State University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/23204-9 - Clinical evaluation of bovines exposed to high concentration of heavy metals and its relationship with intestinal, ruminal and respiratory microbiota change and the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, BP.DR

Abstract

Heavy metals have great importance in the economic and social development of populations. However, their manipulation creates accumulation of toxic waste in the environment. Mariana City was severely affected by iron mining waste deposition after the Fundão dam rupture. It released approximately 60 million cubic meters of mining waste in the environment. Increased heavy metal concentration may lead to antimicrobial resistance and microbiota changes. The present research aims to characterize the gut, rumen and respiratory microbiome of dairy cattle in a heavy metal contaminated environment (Rio Doce basin, Minas Gerais) using shotgun metagenomics. Sixteen cows from a dairy farm affected by the mining waste were already selected. The farm is located in Paracatú de Baixo, sub-district of Mariana City, Minas Gerais. As a control group, 15 dairy cows from Caldas city, Minas Gerais were selected. Physical examination was performed in all animals. Ruminal fluid, deep nasopharyngeal swab and fecal swab samples were collected. The microbiome (taxonomic and metabolic profile) will be characterized using shotgun metagenomics (Illumina plataform). Data will be inserted in the Metagenome Rapid Annotation using Subsystem Technology (MG-RAST), to determine the relative abundance of phylum, genus and species and the metabolic profile prediction. Normalized abundances will be removed from MG-RAST platform and analyzed. The present research will be conducted at the Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA, from August 2019 to November 2019, mentored by DVM PhD Erika Korzune Ganda. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GAETA, NATALIA CARRILLO; BEAN, EMILY; MILES, ASHA MARIE; CARVALHO, DANIEL UBRIACO OLIVEIRA GONCALVES DE; ALEMAN, MARIO AUGUSTO REYES; CARVALHO, JEFERSON SILVA; GREGORY, LILIAN; GANDA, ERIKA. A Cross-Sectional Study of Dairy Cattle Metagenomes Reveals Increased Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals Farmed in a Heavy Metal Contaminated Environment. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 11, NOV 16 2020. (16/23204-9, 19/06932-9)