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DeCandia AL, Adeduro L, Thacher P, Crosier A, Marinari P, Bortner R, Garelle D, Livieri T, Santymire R, Comizzoli P, Maslanka M, Maldonado JE, Koepfli KP, Muletz-Wolz C, Bornbusch SL. Gut bacterial composition shows sex-specific shifts during breeding season in ex situ managed black-footed ferrets. J Hered 2024; 115:385-398. [PMID: 37886904 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esad065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome of mammals engages in a dynamic relationship with the body and contributes to numerous physiological processes integral to overall health. Understanding the factors shaping animal-associated bacterial communities is therefore paramount to the maintenance and management in ex situ wildlife populations. Here, we characterized the gut microbiome of 48 endangered black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) housed at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (Front Royal, Virginia, USA). We collected longitudinal fecal samples from males and females across two distinct reproductive seasons to consider the role of host sex and reproductive physiology in shaping bacterial communities, as measured using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Within each sex, gut microbial composition differed between breeding and non-breeding seasons, with five bacterial taxa emerging as differentially abundant. Between sexes, female and male microbiomes were similar during non-breeding season but significantly different during breeding season, which may result from sex-specific physiological changes associated with breeding. Finally, we found low overall diversity consistent with other mammalian carnivores alongside high relative abundances of potentially pathogenic microbes such as Clostridium, Escherichia, Paeniclostridium, and (to a lesser degree) Enterococcus-all of which have been associated with gastrointestinal or reproductive distress in mammalian hosts, including black-footed ferrets. We recommend further study of these microbes and possible therapeutic interventions to promote more balanced microbial communities. These results have important implications for ex situ management practices that can improve the gut microbial health and long-term viability of black-footed ferrets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L DeCandia
- Biology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Laura Adeduro
- Biology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Piper Thacher
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, George Mason University, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Adrienne Crosier
- Center for Animal Care Sciences, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Paul Marinari
- Center for Animal Care Sciences, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Robyn Bortner
- National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, Carr, CO, United States
| | - Della Garelle
- National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, Carr, CO, United States
| | - Travis Livieri
- Prairie Wildlife Research, Stevens Point, WI, United States
| | - Rachel Santymire
- Biology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Pierre Comizzoli
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Michael Maslanka
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Jesús E Maldonado
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Klaus-Peter Koepfli
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, George Mason University, Front Royal, VA, United States
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Carly Muletz-Wolz
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Sally L Bornbusch
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
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Lapid R, Motro Y, Craddock H, Khalfin B, King R, Bar-Gal GK, Moran-Gilad J. Fecal microbiota of the synanthropic golden jackal (Canis aureus). Anim Microbiome 2023; 5:37. [PMID: 37542305 PMCID: PMC10403885 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-023-00259-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The golden jackal (Canis aureus), is a medium canid carnivore widespread throughout the Mediterranean region and expanding into Europe. This species thrives near human settlements and is implicated in zoonoses such as rabies. This study explores for the first time, the golden jackal fecal microbiota. We analyzed 111 fecal samples of wild golden jackals using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing the connection of the microbiome to animal characteristics, burden of pathogens and geographic and climate characteristics. We further compared the fecal microbiota of the golden jackal to the black-backed jackal and domestic dog. We found that the golden jackal fecal microbiota is dominated by the phyla Bacteroidota, Fusobacteriota and Firmicutes. The golden jackal fecal microbiota was associated with different variables, including geographic region, age-class, exposure to rabies oral vaccine, fecal parasites and toxoplasmosis. A remarkable variation in the relative abundance of different taxa was also found associated with different variables, such as age-class. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis found abundance of specific taxons in each region, Megasphaera genus in group 1, Megamonas genus in group 2 and Bacteroides coprocola species in group 3. We also found a different composition between the fecal microbiota of the golden jackal, blacked-backed jackal and the domestic dog. Furthermore, LEfSe analysis found abundance of Fusobacterium and Bacteroides genera in the golden jackal, Clostridia class in blacked-backed jackal and Megamonas genus in domestic dog. The golden jackal fecal microbiota is influenced by multiple factors including host traits and pathogen burden. The characterization of the microbiota of this thriving species may aid in mapping its spread and proximity to human settlements. Moreover, understanding the jackal microbiota could inform the study of potential animal and human health risks and inform control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roi Lapid
- The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yair Motro
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Hillary Craddock
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Boris Khalfin
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Roni King
- Science and Conservation Division, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, 3 Am Ve'Olamo St., 95463, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Gila Kahila Bar-Gal
- The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Jacob Moran-Gilad
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
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Neha SA, Salazar-Bravo J. Fine-scale spatial variation shape fecal microbiome diversity and composition in black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:51. [PMID: 36858951 PMCID: PMC9979494 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02778-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Host associated gut microbiota are important in understanding the coevolution of host-microbe, and how they may help wildlife populations to adapt to rapid environmental changes. Mammalian gut microbiota composition and diversity may be affected by a variety of factors including geographic variation, seasonal variation in diet, habitat disturbance, environmental conditions, age, and sex. However, there have been few studies that examined how ecological and environmental factors influence gut microbiota composition in animals' natural environments. In this study, we explore how host habitat, geographical location and environmental factors affect the fecal microbiota of Cynomys ludovicianus at a small spatial scale. We collected fecal samples from five geographically distinct locations in the Texas Panhandle classified as urban and rural areas and analyzed them using high throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. RESULTS The results showed that microbiota of these fecal samples was largely dominated by the phylum Bacteroidetes. Fecal microbiome diversity and composition differed significantly across sampling sites and habitats. Prairie dogs inhabiting urban areas showed reduced fecal diversity due to more homogenous environment and, likely, anthropogenic disturbance. Urban prairie dog colonies displayed greater phylogenetic variation among replicates than those in rural habitats. Differentially abundant analysis revealed that bacterial species pathogenic to humans and animals were highly abundant in urban areas which indicates that host health and fitness might be negatively affected. Random forest models identified Alistipes shahii as the important species driving the changes in fecal microbiome composition. Despite the effects of habitat and geographic location of host, we found a strong correlation with environmental factors and that- average maximum temperature was the best predictor of prairie dog fecal microbial diversity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that reduction in alpha diversity in conjunction with greater dispersion in beta diversity could be indicative of declining host health in urban areas; this information may, in turn, help determine future conservation efforts. Moreover, several bacterial species pathogenic to humans and other animals were enriched in prairie dog colonies near urban areas, which may in turn adversely affect host phenotype and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sufia Akter Neha
- International Center for Arid and Semi-Arid Land Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, 79409, USA.
| | - Jorge Salazar-Bravo
- International Center for Arid and Semi-Arid Land Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, 79409, USA
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