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Guo W, Mishra S, Zhao J, Tang J, Zeng B, Kong F, Ning R, Li M, Zhang H, Zeng Y, Tian Y, Zhong Y, Luo H, Liu Y, Yang J, Yang M, Zhang M, Li Y, Ni Q, Li C, Wang C, Li D, Zhang H, Zuo Z, Li Y. Metagenomic Study Suggests That the Gut Microbiota of the Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca) May Not Be Specialized for Fiber Fermentation. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:229. [PMID: 29503636 PMCID: PMC5820910 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bamboo-eating giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is an enigmatic species, which possesses a carnivore-like short and simple gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Despite the remarkable studies on giant panda, its diet adaptability status continues to be a matter of debate. To resolve this puzzle, we investigated the functional potential of the giant panda gut microbiome using shotgun metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples. We also compared our data with similar data from other animal species representing herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores from current and earlier studies. We found that the giant panda hosts a bear-like gut microbiota distinct from those of herbivores indicated by the metabolic potential of the microbiome in the gut of giant pandas and other mammals. Furthermore, the relative abundance of genes involved in cellulose- and hemicellulose-digestion, and enrichment of enzymes associated with pathways of amino acid degradation and biosynthetic reactions in giant pandas echoed a carnivore-like microbiome. Most significantly, the enzyme assay of the giant panda's feces indicated the lowest cellulase and xylanase activity among major herbivores, shown by an in-vitro experimental assay of enzyme activity for cellulose and hemicellulose-degradation. All of our results consistently indicate that the giant panda is not specialized to digest cellulose and hemicellulose from its bamboo diet, making the giant panda a good mammalian model to study the unusual link between the gut microbiome and diet. The increased food intake of the giant pandas might be a strategy to compensate for the gut microbiome functions, highlighting a strong need of conservation of the native bamboo forest both in high- and low-altitude ranges to meet the great demand of bamboo diet of giant pandas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Guo
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Sudhanshu Mishra
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiangchao Zhao
- Division of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Jingsi Tang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Zeng
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Fanli Kong
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruihong Ning
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Miao Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hengzhi Zhang
- Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yutian Zeng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China
| | - Yuanliangzi Tian
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China
| | - Yihang Zhong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China
| | - Hongdi Luo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China
| | - Yunhan Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China
| | - Jiandong Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China
| | - Mingyao Yang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingwang Zhang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qingyong Ni
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Caiwu Li
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Ya'an, China
| | - Chengdong Wang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Ya'an, China
| | - Desheng Li
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Ya'an, China
| | - Hemin Zhang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Ya'an, China
| | - Zhili Zuo
- Chengdu Zoo, Chengdu Institute of Wildlife, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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