Patterns of Functional Redundancy and Anaerobic Metabolic Potential Characterise the Skin Microbiome of a Critically Endangered Sawfish.

Sawfish skin microbiome is host-associated, functionally distinct, and exhibits greater functional redundancy than surrounding water microbiomes, with 1.5 times faster gene accumulation per taxon.

• Why it matters: Understanding the microbiome's ecological role and resilience is crucial for conservation of the critically endangered sawfish, as microbial communities may influence host health and stress tolerance.
• What they did: Using shotgun metagenomics, the study characterized the taxonomic and functional profiles of sawfish skin and water samples, focusing on genes related to sporulation, dormancy, anaerobic metabolism, and peptide transport.
• The result: The findings suggest the sawfish skin microbiome is resilient and functionally robust, capable of persisting through host inactivity and environmental stress, offering insights for conservation strategies.