Egg capsule microbial symbionts attenuate salamander tail tip regeneration

Summary: The amphibian egg capsule is unique in harbouring symbiotic prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiota. We have been exploring the diversity of this microbiota in Ambystoma maculatum through amplicon sequencing and culturing and testing the potential benefits of these microbes through selective co-culturing with sterilized embryonic hosts. By modifying a tail tip regeneration assay developed by the Voss lab at the University of Kentucky, we have found that none of the cultured bacteria affect rates of tail tip regeneration. However, the mutualistic algae Oophila amblystomatis does increase the rate of tail tip regeneration in controlled trials. We are exploring the mechanistic basis of this increase by modifying pO2 levels and a chemical fraction screen of Oophila-derived metabolites.

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