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Finnegan PM, Garber PA, McKenney AC, Bicca-Marques JC, De la Fuente MF, Abreu F, Souto A, Schiel N, Amato KR, Mallott EK. Group membership, not diet, structures the composition and functional potential of the gut microbiome in a wild primate. mSphere 2024; 9:e0023324. [PMID: 38940510 PMCID: PMC11288025 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00233-24] [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: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome has the potential to buffer temporal variations in resource availability and consumption, which may play a key role in the ability of animals to adapt to a broad range of habitats. We investigated the temporal composition and function of the gut microbiomes of wild common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) exploiting a hot, dry environment-Caatinga-in northeastern Brazil. We collected fecal samples during two time periods (July-August and February-March) for 2 years from marmosets belonging to eight social groups. We used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, metagenomic sequencing, and butyrate RT-qPCR to assess changes in the composition and potential function of their gut microbiomes. Additionally, we identified the plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate components of the marmosets' diet via DNA metabarcoding. Invertebrate, but not plant or vertebrate, consumption varied across the year. However, gut microbiome composition and potential function did not markedly vary across study periods or as a function of diet composition. Instead, the gut microbiome differed markedly in both composition and potential function across marmosets residing in different social groups. We highlight the likely role of factors, such as behavior, residence, and environmental heterogeneity, in modulating the structure of the gut microbiome. IMPORTANCE In a highly socially cohesive and cooperative primate, group membership more strongly predicts gut microbiome composition and function than diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M. Finnegan
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Paul A. Garber
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
| | - Anna C. McKenney
- Department of Natural Sciences, Parkland College, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Júlio César Bicca-Marques
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católicado Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Filipa Abreu
- Comparative BioCognition, Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Antonio Souto
- Department of Zoology, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Nicola Schiel
- Laboratório de Etologia Teórica e Aplicada, Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Katherine R. Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Elizabeth K. Mallott
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Jose L, Lee W, Hanya G, Tuuga A, Goossens B, Tangah J, Matsuda I, Kumar VS. Gut microbial community in proboscis monkeys ( Nasalis larvatus): implications for effects of geographical and social factors. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231756. [PMID: 39050721 PMCID: PMC11265907 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Recent technological advances have enabled comprehensive analyses of the previously uncharacterized microbial community in the gastrointestinal tracts of numerous animal species; however, the gut microbiota of several species, such as the endangered proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) examined in this study, remains poorly understood. Our study sought to establish the first comprehensive data on the gut microbiota of free-ranging foregut-fermenting proboscis monkeys and to determine how their microbiota are affected locally by environmental factors, i.e. geographical distance, and social factors, i.e. the number of adult females within harem groups and the number of adults and subadults within non-harem groups, in a riverine forest in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of 264 faecal samples collected from free-ranging proboscis monkeys, we demonstrated the trend that their microbial community composition is not particularly distinctive compared with other foregut- and hindgut-fermenting primates. The microbial alpha diversity was higher in larger groups and individuals inhabiting diverse vegetation (i.e. presumed to have a diverse diet). For microbial beta diversity, some measures were significant, showing higher values with larger geographical distances between samples. These results suggest that social factors such as increased inter-individual interactions, which can occur with larger groups, as well as physical distances between individuals or differences in dietary patterns, may affect the gut microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Jose
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah88400, Malaysia
| | - Wanyi Lee
- National Taiwan University, Taipei10617, Taiwan
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Inuyama484-8506, Japan
| | - Goro Hanya
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Inuyama484-8506, Japan
| | - Augustine Tuuga
- Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah88100, Malaysia
| | - Benoit Goossens
- Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah88100, Malaysia
- Danau Girang Field Centre, Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah88100, Malaysia
- Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, UK
| | - Joseph Tangah
- Sabah Forestry Department, Forest Research Centre, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Ikki Matsuda
- Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto606-8203, Japan
- Chubu Institute for Advanced Studies, Chubu University, 1200, Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai-shi, Aichi487-8501, Japan
- Chubu University Academy of Emerging Sciences, 1200, Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai-shi, Aichi487-8501, Japan
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah88400, Malaysia
| | - Vijay Subbiah Kumar
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah88400, Malaysia
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Oliveros A, Terraube J, Levengood AL, Powell D, Frère CH. Influence of scat ageing on the gut microbiome: how old is too old? BMC Genomics 2023; 24:427. [PMID: 37525141 PMCID: PMC10388479 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09520-0] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study of the host-microbiome by the collection of non-invasive samples has the potential to become a powerful tool for conservation monitoring and surveillance of wildlife. However, multiple factors can bias the quality of data recovered from scats, particularly when field-collected samples are used given that the time of defecation is unknown. Previous studies using scats have shown that the impact of aerobic exposure on the microbial composition is species-specific, leading to different rates of change in microbial communities. However, the impact that this aging process has on the relationship between the bacterial and fungal composition has yet to be explored. In this study, we measured the effects of time post-defecation on bacterial and fungal compositions in a controlled experiment using scat samples from the endangered koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). RESULTS We found that the bacterial composition remained stable through the scat aging process, while the fungal composition did not. The absence of an increase in facultative anaerobes and the stable population of obligate anaerobic bacteria were likely due to our sampling from the inner portion of the scat. We report a cluster of fungal taxa that colonises scats after defecation which can dilute the genetic material from the autochthonous mycoflora and inhibit recovery. CONCLUSION We emphasize the need to preserve the integrity of scat samples collected in the wild and combat the effects of time and provide strategies for doing so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Oliveros
- The School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia.
| | - Julien Terraube
- Vulture Conservation Foundation, Wuhrstrasse 12, Zürich, CH-8003, Switzerland
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Alexis L Levengood
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Daniel Powell
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Céline H Frère
- The School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
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4
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Ribas MP, García-Ulloa M, Espunyes J, Cabezón O. Improving the assessment of ecosystem and wildlife health: microbiome as an early indicator. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 81:102923. [PMID: 36996728 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Human activities are causing dramatic declines in ecosystem health, compromising the functioning of the life-support system, economic activity, and animal and human health. In this context, monitoring the health of ecosystems and wildlife populations is crucial for determining ecological dynamics and assessing management interventions. A growing body of evidence indicates that microbiome provides a meaningful early indicator of ecosystem and wildlife health. Microbiome is ubiquitous and both environmental and host-associated microbiomes rapidly reflect anthropogenic disturbances. However, we still need to overcome current limitations such as nucleic acid degradation, sequencing depth, and the establishment of baseline data to maximize the potential of microbiome studies.
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Brown BRP, Goheen JR, Newsome SD, Pringle RM, Palmer TM, Khasoha LM, Kartzinel TR. Host phylogeny and functional traits differentiate gut microbiomes in a diverse natural community of small mammals. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:2320-2334. [PMID: 36740909 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Differences in the bacterial communities inhabiting mammalian gut microbiomes tend to reflect the phylogenetic relatedness of their hosts, a pattern dubbed phylosymbiosis. Although most research on this pattern has compared the gut microbiomes of host species across biomes, understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes that generate phylosymbiosis requires comparisons across phylogenetic scales and under similar ecological conditions. We analysed the gut microbiomes of 14 sympatric small mammal species in a semi-arid African savanna, hypothesizing that there would be a strong phylosymbiotic pattern associated with differences in their body sizes and diets. Consistent with phylosymbiosis, microbiome dissimilarity increased with phylogenetic distance among hosts, ranging from congeneric sets of mice and hares that did not differ significantly in microbiome composition to species from different taxonomic orders that had almost no gut bacteria in common. While phylosymbiosis was detected among just the 11 species of rodents, it was substantially weaker at this scale than in comparisons involving all 14 species together. In contrast, microbiome diversity and composition were generally more strongly correlated with body size, dietary breadth, and dietary overlap in comparisons restricted to rodents than in those including all lineages. The starkest divides in microbiome composition thus reflected the broad evolutionary divergence of hosts, regardless of body size or diet, while subtler microbiome differences reflected variation in ecologically important traits of closely related hosts. Strong phylosymbiotic patterns arose deep in the phylogeny, and ecological filters that promote functional differentiation of cooccurring host species may disrupt or obscure this pattern near the tips.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca R P Brown
- Department of Ecology, Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Jacob R Goheen
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Seth D Newsome
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Robert M Pringle
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Todd M Palmer
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Leo M Khasoha
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Tyler R Kartzinel
- Department of Ecology, Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
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6
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Lee SK, Woo C, Lee EJ, Yamamoto N. Using high-throughput sequencing to investigate the dietary composition of the Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus): a spatiotemporal comparison. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22271. [PMID: 36564425 PMCID: PMC9789119 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26862-z] [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: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus) is considered a vermin in Korea because it damages crops, but also listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN's red list. Therefore, it is indispensable to manage them appropriately by understanding the ecology such as food habits. Here, we aimed to apply high-throughput sequencing (HTS), a sensitive and objective method, to investigate the dietary composition of the Korean water deer inhabiting the lowland and forest areas in summer and winter. We targeted the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region for plant identification. From a total of 40 fecal samples analyzed, 63 plant genera were identified, with Morus being the most abundant, and some of the plant taxa identified by HTS were detected for the first time as the diets of Korean water deer. By type, woody plants (68.6%) were the most predominant, followed by forbs (7.0%) and graminoids (0.7%). We found that the deer in the forest area ate more woody plants (84.6%) than those in the lowland area (52.7%). It was also found that the type of woody plants that the deer ate changed by season. Overall, our results indicate that the Korean water deer is a browser that is seasonally adaptable and feeds on a wide variety of woody plants. We expect that the results and genetics methods reported here, by parallelly investigating their habitat range and reproductive behavior in the future, will help the management and conservation of the Korean water deer, which is in contradictory situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Kyung Lee
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Cheolwoon Woo
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea
| | - Eun Ju Lee
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Naomichi Yamamoto
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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7
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Specialised digestive adaptations within the hindgut of a colobine monkey. Innovation (N Y) 2022; 3:100207. [PMID: 35243466 PMCID: PMC8857510 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2022.100207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammal herbivores, fiber digestion usually occurs predominantly in either the foregut or the hindgut. Reports of mechanisms showing synergistic function in both gut regions for the digestion of fiber and other nutrients in wild mammals are rare because it requires integrative study of anatomy, physiology, and gut microbiome. Colobine monkeys (Colobinae) are folivorous, with high-fiber foods fermented primarily in their foreguts. A few colobine species live in temperate regions, so obtaining energy from fiber during the winter is essential. However, the mechanisms enabling this remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that such species possess specialized mechanisms to enhance fiber digestion in the hindgut and studied microbial and morphological digestive adaptations of golden snub-nosed monkeys (GSMs), Rhinopithecus roxellana. which is a temperate forest colobine from central China that experiences high-thermal-energy demands while restricted to a fibrous, low-energy winter diet. We tested for synergistic foregut and hindgut fiber digestion using comparisons of morphology, microbiome composition and function, and digestive efficiency. We found that the GSM colon has a significantly greater volume than that of other foregut-fermenting colobines. The microbiomes of the foregut and hindgut differed significantly in composition and abundance. However, while digestive efficiency and the expression of microbial gene functions for fiber digestion were higher in the foregut than in the hindgut, both gut regions were dominated by microbial taxa producing enzymes to enable active digestion of complex carbohydrates. Our data suggest that both the GSM foregut and hindgut facilitate fiber digestion and that an enlarged colon is likely an adaptation to accommodate high throughput of fiber-rich food during winter. How folivores extract adequate nutrition from their ultra-high-fiber diets remains unclear We studied the morphology, microbiome and digestive efficiency of gut for R. roxellana (GSM) Both fore- and hind-gut regions of GSM play important function of digesting complex carbohydrates An enlarged colon of GSM likely accommodates a high throughput of fiber-rich food during winter
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8
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McManus N, Holmes SM, Louis EE, Johnson SE, Baden AL, Amato KR. The gut microbiome as an indicator of habitat disturbance in a Critically Endangered lemur. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:222. [PMID: 34915861 PMCID: PMC8680155 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01945-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Habitat disturbance affects the biology and health of animals globally. Understanding the factors that contribute to the differential responses of animals to habitat disturbance is critical for conservation. The gut microbiota represents a potential pathway through which host responses to habitat disturbance might be mediated. However, a lack of quantitative environmental data in many gut microbiome (GM) studies of wild animals limits our ability to pinpoint mechanisms through which habitat disturbance affects the GM. Here, we examine the impact of anthropogenic habitat disturbance on the diet and GM of the Critically Endangered black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata editorum). We collected fecal samples and behavioral data from Varecia occupying habitats qualitatively categorized as primary forest, moderately disturbed forest, and heavily disturbed forest. RESULTS Varecia diet and GM composition differed substantially across sites. Dietary richness predicted GM richness across sites, and overall GM composition was strongly correlated to diet composition. Additionally, the consumption of three specific food items positively correlated to the relative abundances of five microbial strains and one microbial genus across sites. However, diet did not explain all of the GM variation in our dataset, and differences in the GM were detected that were not correlated with diet, as measured. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that diet is an important influence on the Varecia GM across habitats and thus could be leveraged in novel conservation efforts in the future. However, other factors such as contact with humans should also be accounted for. Overall, we demonstrate that quantitative data describing host habitats must be paired with GM data to better target the specific mechanisms through which environmental change affects the GM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolette McManus
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Sheila M Holmes
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Edward E Louis
- Grewcock Center for Conservation and Research, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, NE, 68107, USA
| | - Steig E Johnson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Andrea L Baden
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
- The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, USA.
| | - Katherine R Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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9
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Linking gut microbiome with the feeding behavior of the Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala). Sci Rep 2021; 11:21926. [PMID: 34754005 PMCID: PMC8578487 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01316-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Exploring the gut microbiome is an emerging tool for monitoring wildlife health and physiological conditions which often sustained under the variety of stresses and challenges. We analyzed gut microbiome of Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala) of two disjunct populations from Arunachal Pradesh, India, to validate whether the geography or the feeding habits plays a principal role in shaping the gut microbiome in natural populations. We observed geography has a mere effect but feeding habits (i.e. feeding upon the leftover food and crop-raiding) significantly influenced the gut microbiome composition. The phylum Proteobacteria found to be enriched in leftover feeding group while phylum Bacteroidetes was differentially abundant in crop-raiding group. We observed predominant phyla Firmicutes followed by Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes with the dominant classes represented by the Clostridia. Interestingly, one individual with known diarrheal/metabolic disorder exhibited complete dominance of the order Bacillales and showed 100% sequence similarity with genus Solibacillus. We raise concern that shift in diet of macaques may compel them to expose for various human diseases as two macaques feeding upon the leftover food exhibited dysbiotic gut microbiome. The present study provides the pragmatic evidences of how the alteration of food resources can harm the physiological condition of the macaques in wild and raises alarm to the forest officials/managers in strategise planting of natural food resources and monitor anthropogenic activities in the distribution of Arunachal macaques.
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Guevara EE, Greene LK, Blanco MB, Farmer C, Ranaivonasy J, Ratsirarson J, Mahefarisoa KL, Rajaonarivelo T, Rakotondrainibe HH, Junge RE, Williams CV, Rambeloson E, Rasoanaivo HA, Rahalinarivo V, Andrianandrianina LH, Clayton JB, Rothman RS, Lawler RR, Bradley BJ, Yoder AD. Molecular Adaptation to Folivory and the Conservation Implications for Madagascar’s Lemurs. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.736741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The lemurs of Madagascar include numerous species characterized by folivory across several families. Many extant lemuriform folivores exist in sympatry in Madagascar’s remaining forests. These species avoid feeding competition by adopting different dietary strategies within folivory, reflected in behavioral, morphological, and microbiota diversity across species. These conditions make lemurs an ideal study system for understanding adaptation to leaf-eating. Most folivorous lemurs are also highly endangered. The significance of folivory for conservation outlook is complex. Though generalist folivores may be relatively well equipped to survive habitat disturbance, specialist folivores occupying narrow dietary niches may be less resilient. Characterizing the genetic bases of adaptation to folivory across species and lineages can provide insights into their differential physiology and potential to resist habitat change. We recently reported accelerated genetic change in RNASE1, a gene encoding an enzyme (RNase 1) involved in molecular adaptation in mammalian folivores, including various monkeys and sifakas (genus Propithecus; family Indriidae). Here, we sought to assess whether other lemurs, including phylogenetically and ecologically diverse folivores, might show parallel adaptive change in RNASE1 that could underlie a capacity for efficient folivory. We characterized RNASE1 in 21 lemur species representing all five families and members of the three extant folivorous lineages: (1) bamboo lemurs (family Lemuridae), (2) sportive lemurs (family Lepilemuridae), and (3) indriids (family Indriidae). We found pervasive sequence change in RNASE1 across all indriids, a dN/dS value > 3 in this clade, and evidence for shared change in isoelectric point, indicating altered enzymatic function. Sportive and bamboo lemurs, in contrast, showed more modest sequence change. The greater change in indriids may reflect a shared strategy emphasizing complex gut morphology and microbiota to facilitate folivory. This case study illustrates how genetic analysis may reveal differences in functional traits that could influence species’ ecology and, in turn, their resilience to habitat change. Moreover, our results support the body of work demonstrating that not all primate folivores are built the same and reiterate the need to avoid generalizations about dietary guild in considering conservation outlook, particularly in lemurs where such diversity in folivory has probably led to extensive specialization via niche partitioning.
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11
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Correa F, Torti V, Spiezio C, Checcucci A, Modesto M, Borruso L, Cavani L, Mimmo T, Cesco S, Luise D, Randrianarison RM, Gamba M, Rarojoson NJ, Sanguinetti M, Di Vito M, Bugli F, Mattarelli P, Trevisi P, Giacoma C, Sandri C. Disentangling the Possible Drivers of Indri indri Microbiome: A Threatened Lemur Species of Madagascar. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:668274. [PMID: 34421838 PMCID: PMC8378179 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.668274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on the gut microbiome may help with increasing our understanding of primate health with species' ecology, evolution, and behavior. In particular, microbiome-related information has the potential to clarify ecology issues, providing knowledge in support of wild primates conservation and their associated habitats. Indri (Indri indri) is the largest extant living lemur of Madagascar. This species is classified as "critically endangered" by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, representing one of the world's 25 most endangered primates. Indris diet is mainly folivorous, but these primates frequently and voluntarily engage in geophagy. Indris have never been successfully bred under human care, suggesting that some behavioral and/or ecological factors are still not considered from the ex situ conservation protocols. Here, we explored gut microbiome composition of 18 indris belonging to 5 different family groups. The most represented phyla were Proteobacteria 40.1 ± 9.5%, Bacteroidetes 28.7 ± 2.8%, Synergistetes 16.7 ± 4.5%, and Firmicutes 11.1 ± 1.9%. Further, our results revealed that bacterial alpha and beta diversity were influenced by indri family group and sex. In addition, we investigated the chemical composition of geophagic soil to explore the possible ecological value of soil as a nutrient supply. The quite acidic pH and high levels of secondary oxide-hydroxides of the soils could play a role in the folivorous diet's gut detoxification activity. In addition, the high contents of iron and manganese found the soils could act as micronutrients in the indris' diet. Nevertheless, the concentration of a few elements (i.e., calcium, sulfur, boron, nickel, sodium, and chromium) was higher in non-geophagic than in geophagic soils. In conclusion, the data presented herein provide a baseline for outlining some possible drivers responsible for the gut microbiome diversity in indris, thus laying the foundations for developing further strategies involved in indris' conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Correa
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Torti
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Caterina Spiezio
- Department of Animal Health Care and Management, Parco Natura Viva – Garda Zoological Park, Verona, Italy
| | - Alice Checcucci
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Monica Modesto
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luigimaria Borruso
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Luciano Cavani
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Tanja Mimmo
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Stefano Cesco
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Diana Luise
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rose M. Randrianarison
- Groupe d’Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Mention d’Anthropobiologie et de Deìveloppement Durable, Université de Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Maurizio Sanguinetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maura Di Vito
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Bugli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Mattarelli
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Trevisi
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Giacoma
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Camillo Sandri
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Animal Health Care and Management, Parco Natura Viva – Garda Zoological Park, Verona, Italy
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