Diversity analysis of hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) gut microbiota using culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches

Aims The bacterial communities associated with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are primarily involved in digestion, physiology, and the immune response against pathogenic bacteria for the overall development and health of the host. Hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha), a tropical anadromous fish, found predominantly in Bangladesh and India, has so far been poorly investigated for its gut bacterial communities. In this study, both culture-based and metagenomic approaches were used to detect intestinal isolates of hilsa, captured from both freshwater and seawater to investigate the community structure of intestinal microbiota.Methods and results Culture-dependent approach allowed to isolate a total of 23 distinct bacterial species comprising 16 Gram-negative, and 7 Gram-positive isolates, where Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were identified as the two most dominant phyla. While metagenomic approach explored a wide range of important GI bacteria, primarily dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes, with Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, being the most abundant in freshwater and seawater samples, respectively.Conclusions A combination of these approaches provided the differential GI-associated bacterial diversity in freshwater and seawater hilsa with the prediction of overall functional potential.Impact Statement The study explored the diversity of gut microbiota in hilsa, one of the most preferred nutritious dietary fish, captured from freshwater and seawater habitats, which may encourage to comprehend the composition of the gut microbiome in relation to the migratory behavior and polyunsaturated fatty acid profile of anadromous fish in general.