Abstract

In order to develop complementary health management strategies for marine mammals, we used culture-based and culture-independent approaches to identify gastrointestinal lactobacilli of the common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus.We screened 307 bacterial isolates from oral and rectal swabs, milk, and gastric fluid, collected from 38 dolphins in the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, for potentially beneficial features. We focused our search on lactobacilli and evaluated their ability to modulate TNF secretion by host cells and inhibit growth of pathogens. We recovered Lactobacillus salivarius strains which secreted factors that stimulated TNF production by human monocytoid cells. These L. salivarius isolates inhibited growth of selected marine mammal and human bacterial pathogens. In addition, we identified a novel Lactobacillus species by culture and direct sequencing with 96.3% 16S rDNA sequence similarity to Lactobacillus ceti.Dolphin-derived L. salivarius isolates possess features making them candidate probiotics for clinical studies in marine mammals.This is the first study to isolate lactobacilli from dolphins, including a new strain of L. salivarius, with potential for veterinary probiotic applications. The isolation and identification of novel Lactobacillus spp. and other indigenous microbes from bottlenose dolphins will enable the study of the biology of symbiotic members of the dolphin microbiota and facilitate the understanding of the microbiomes of these unique animals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

View details for DOI 10.1111/jam.12305

View details for Web of Science ID 000325012200013

View details for PubMedID 23855505