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Bukhari SM, Andleeb S, Alghamdi HA, Rehman KU, Javid A, Ali W, Abbas Y, Nokhaiz K. Exploration of gut microbial diversity of pheasants through pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38966934 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Despite the diversity of microbiota in birds is similar to that of other animals, there is a lack of research on the gut microbial diversity of nondomesticated bird species. This study aims to address this gap in knowledge by analyzing the bacterial communities present in the gut of two important game bird species, the Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and the Green pheasant (Phasianus versicolor) to understand the gut microbial diversity of these species. The gut microbiome of 10 individual pheasants from two different species was studied using pooled fecal samples. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing on the Ion S5 XL System next-generation sequencing with Mothur and SILVA Database for taxonomic division. An average of 141 different operational taxonomic units were detected in the gut microbiome. Analysis of microbial classification revealed the presence of 191 genera belonging to 12 different phyla in both pheasants. Alpha diversity indices revealed that P. colchicus exhibited most prevalence firmicutes with bacillus species microbial community than P. versicolor. Alpha diversity indices indicated that P. colchicus had a more diverse community and P. versicolor had a greater diversity of evolutionary lineages, while both species had similar levels of species richness and sample inclusiveness. These findings may have implications for the health and well-being of pheasants, serving as a reference for their bacterial diversity. Additionally, they provide a baseline for future research and conservation efforts aimed at improving the health and well-being of these and possibly other avian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed M Bukhari
- Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shahla Andleeb
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, GC Women University, Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Huda A Alghamdi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalil Ur Rehman
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, GC Women University, Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Arshad Javid
- Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Waqas Ali
- Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Yassar Abbas
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Kashaf Nokhaiz
- Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
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Zhang Y, He X, Mo X, Wu H, Zhao D. Similarities and differences: species and diet impact gut microbiota of captive pheasants. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16979. [PMID: 38560462 PMCID: PMC10979745 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The fecal microbiota plays an important role in maintaining animal health and is closely related to host life activities. In recent years, there have been an increasing number of studies on the fecal microbiota from birds. An exploration of the effects of species and living environments on the composition of gut microbiota will provide better protection for wildlife. In this study, non-injury sampling and 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing were used to investigate the bacterial composition and diversity of the fecal microbiota in silver pheasants (Lophura nycthemera) and golden pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus) from Tianjin Zoo and Beijing Wildlife Park. The results showed that the abundance of Firmicutes was the highest in all fecal samples. At the genus level, Bacteroides was the common dominant bacteria, while there were some differences in other dominant bacteria genera. There were significant differences in fecal microbial composition between the golden pheasants from Tianjin Zoo and Beijing Wildlife Park. The metabolic analysis and functional prediction suggested that the gut microbiota composition and host metabolism were influenced by dietary interventions and living conditions. The results of this study provide the basis for further research of intestinal microbial of L. nycthemera and C. pictus, and valuable insights for conservation of related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushuo Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin He
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiuhong Mo
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hong Wu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Dapeng Zhao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
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Hattab J, Marruchella G, Sibra A, Tiscar PG, Todisco G. Canaries' Microbiota: The Gut Bacterial Communities along One Female Reproductive Cycle. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2289. [PMID: 37764133 PMCID: PMC10537324 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigations of bacterial communities are on the rise both in human and veterinary medicine. Their role in health maintenance and pathogenic mechanisms is in the limelight of infectious, metabolic, and cancer research. Among the most considered, gut bacterial communities take the cake. Their part in animals was assessed mainly to improve animal production, public health, and pet management. In this regard, canaries deserve attention, being a popular pet and source of economic income for bird-keepers, for whom breeding represents a pivotal point. Thus, the present work aimed to follow gut bacterial communities' evolution along on whole reproductive cycle of 12 healthy female canaries. Feces were collected during parental care, molting, and resting phase, and submitted for 16S rRNA sequencing. Data were analyzed and a substantial presence of Lactobacillus aviarius along all the phases, and a relevant shift of microbiota during molting and rest due to an abrupt decrease of the Vermiphilaceae family were detected. Although the meaning of such change is not clear, future research may highlight unforeseen scenarios. Moreover, Lactobacillus aviarius may be deemed for normal bacteria flora restoration in debilitated birds, perhaps improving their health and productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Hattab
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, SP18 Piano d’Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (J.H.); (G.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Marruchella
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, SP18 Piano d’Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (J.H.); (G.M.)
| | - Alessandra Sibra
- APHA—Animal & Plant Health Agency, Building 1, Sevington Inland Border Facility, Ashford TN25 6GE, UK;
| | - Pietro Giorgio Tiscar
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, SP18 Piano d’Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (J.H.); (G.M.)
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Tang K, Tao L, Wang Y, Wang Q, Fu C, Chen B, Zhang Z, Fu Y. Temporal Variations in the Gut Microbiota of the Globally Endangered Sichuan Partridge (Arborophila rufipectus): Implications for Adaptation to Seasonal Dietary Change and Conservation. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0074723. [PMID: 37272815 PMCID: PMC10305732 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00747-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-associated microbiotas are known to influence host health by aiding digestion, metabolism, nutrition, physiology, immune function, and pathogen resistance. Although an increasing number of studies have investigated the avian microbiome, there is a lack of research on the gut microbiotas of wild birds, especially endangered pheasants. Owing to the difficulty of characterizing the dynamics of dietary composition, especially in omnivores, how the gut microbiotas of birds respond to seasonal dietary changes remains poorly understood. The Sichuan partridge (Arborophila rufipectus) is an endangered pheasant species with a small population endemic to the mountains of southwest China. Here, 16S rRNA sequencing and Tax4Fun were used to characterize and compare community structure and functions of the gut microbiota in the Sichuan partridges across three critical periods of their annual life cycle (breeding, postbreeding wandering, and overwintering). We found that the microbial communities were dominated by Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Cyanobacteria throughout the year. Diversity of the gut microbiotas was highest during postbreeding wandering and lowest during the overwintering periods. Seasonal dietary changes and reassembly of the gut microbial community occurred consistently. Composition, diversity, and functions of the gut microbiota exhibited diet-associated variations, which might facilitate host adaptation to diverse diets in response to environmental shifts. Moreover, 28 potential pathogenic genera were detected, and their composition differed significantly between the three periods. Investigation of the wild bird gut microbiota dynamics has enhanced our understanding of diet-microbiota associations over the annual life cycle of birds, aiding in the integrative conservation of this endangered bird. IMPORTANCE Characterizing the gut microbiotas of wild birds across seasons will shed light on their annual life cycle. Due to sampling difficulties and the lack of detailed dietary information, studies on how the gut microbiota adapts to seasonal dietary changes of wild birds are scarce. Based on more detailed dietary composition, we found a seasonal reshaping pattern of the gut microbiota of Sichuan partridges corresponding to their seasonal dietary changes. The variation in diet and gut microbiota potentially facilitated the diversity of dietary niches of this endangered pheasant, revealing a seasonal diet-microbiota association across the three periods of the annual cycle. In addition, identifying a variety of potentially pathogenic bacterial genera aids in managing the health and improving survival of Sichuan partridges. Incorporation of microbiome research in the conservation of endangered species contributes to our comprehensive understanding the diet-host-microbiota relationship in wild birds and refinement of conservation practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyi Tang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Land Resources Evaluation and Monitoring in Southwest, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Tao
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Land Resources Evaluation and Monitoring in Southwest, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Changkun Fu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Land Resources Evaluation and Monitoring in Southwest, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Benping Chen
- Laojunshan National Nature Reserve Administration, Pingshan, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhengwang Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqiang Fu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Land Resources Evaluation and Monitoring in Southwest, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
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