Abstract
This work was aimed at characterizing the
microbial community in the digestive tracts of the
hagfish, Eptatretus okinoseanus. The methods applied
were conventional culture-dependent as well as
nonviable molecular techniques. Culture-dependent
techniques revealed the following related bacterial
species: Shewanella baltica, Seratia proteamaculans,
Pychromonas arctica, Vibrio speredidas, Bacillus subtilis,
Acinetobacter septicus, and Bacillus megaterium
identified by 16S rRNA gene sequences. These bacteria
are likely protease producers based on previous reports
of similar organisms, which agreed well with the
observation that hagfishes feed on dead or moribund
fishes and invertebrates whose digestion depends upon
protease activity. These bacteria are also found in the
digestive tract of other fishes. Culture independent
microbial community analysis suggested the presence of
the following bacteria: Serratia proteamaculans,
Shewanella baltica and Ureaplasma related clones as the
major flora. These bacterial communities were unique
compared with the flora in the digestive tracts of other
marine fishes such as salmon.
