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Zhu XM, Chen JQ, Du Y, Lin CX, Qu YF, Lin LH, Ji X. Microbial communities are thermally more sensitive in warm-climate lizards compared with their cold-climate counterparts. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1374209. [PMID: 38686106 PMCID: PMC11056556 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1374209] [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: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Environmental temperature affects the composition, structure, and function of the gut microbial communities in host animals. To elucidate the role of gut microbiota in thermal adaptation, we designed a 2 species × 3 temperatures experiment, whereby we acclimated adult males of two agamid lizard species (warm-climate Leiolepis reevesii and cold-climate Phrynocephalus przewalskii) to 20, 28, and 36°C for 2 weeks and then collected their fecal and small-intestinal samples to analyze and compare the microbiota using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing technology. The fecal microbiota displayed more pronounced interspecific differences in microbial community than the small-intestinal microbiota in the two species occurring in thermally different regions. The response of fecal and small-intestinal microbiota to temperature increase or decrease differed between the two species, with more bacterial taxa affected by acclimation temperature in L. reevesii than in P. przewalskii. Both species, the warm-climate species in particular, could cope with temperature change by adjusting the relative abundance of functional categories associated with metabolism and environmental information processing. Functional genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism were enhanced in P. przewalskii, suggesting the contribution of the fecal microbiota to cold-climate adaptation in P. przewalskii. Taken together, our results validate the two hypotheses tested, of which one suggests that the gut microbiota should help lizards adapt to thermal environments in which they live, and the other suggests that microbial communities should be thermally more sensitive in warm-climate lizards than in cold-climate lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia-Ming Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jun-Qiong Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Du
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Herpetological Research, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, China
| | - Chi-Xian Lin
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Herpetological Research, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, China
| | - Yan-Fu Qu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Long-Hui Lin
- Herpetological Research Center, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Ji
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
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2
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Arellano AA, Young EB, Coon KL. An inquiline mosquito modulates microbial diversity and function in an aquatic microecosystem. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17314. [PMID: 38441172 PMCID: PMC10989397 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17314] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Understanding microbial roles in ecosystem function requires integrating microscopic processes into food webs. The carnivorous pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea, offers a tractable study system where diverse food webs of macroinvertebrates and microbes facilitate digestion of captured insect prey, releasing nutrients supporting the food web and host plant. However, how interactions between these macroinvertebrate and microbial communities contribute to ecosystem functions remains unclear. We examined the role of the pitcher plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii, in top-down control of the composition and function of pitcher plant microbial communities. Mosquito larval abundance was enriched or depleted across a natural population of S. purpurea pitchers over a 74-day field experiment. Bacterial community composition and microbial community function were characterized by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and profiling of carbon substrate use, bulk metabolic rate, hydrolytic enzyme activity, and macronutrient pools. Bacterial communities changed from pitcher opening to maturation, but larvae exerted minor effects on high-level taxonomic composition. Higher larval abundance was associated with lower diversity communities with distinct functions and elevated nitrogen availability. Treatment-independent clustering also supported roles for larvae in curating pitcher microbial communities through shifts in community diversity and function. These results demonstrate top-down control of microbial functions in an aquatic microecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo A. Arellano
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - Erica B. Young
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI USA
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI USA
| | - Kerri L. Coon
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI USA
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3
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Yang Z, Guo Z, Gong C, Xia J, Hu Y, Zhong J, Yang X, Xie W, Wang S, Wu Q, Ye W, Liu B, Zhou X, Turlings TCJ, Zhang Y. Two horizontally acquired bacterial genes steer the exceptionally efficient and flexible nitrogenous waste cycling in whiteflies. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadi3105. [PMID: 38306427 PMCID: PMC10836729 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi3105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Nitrogen is an essential element for all life on earth. Nitrogen metabolism, including excretion, is essential for growth, development, and survival of plants and animals alike. Several nitrogen metabolic processes have been described, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. Here, we reveal a unique process of nitrogen metabolism in the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, a global pest. We show that it has acquired two bacterial uricolytic enzyme genes, B. tabaci urea carboxylase (BtUCA) and B. tabaci allophanate hydrolase (BtAtzF), through horizontal gene transfer. These genes operate in conjunction to not only coordinate an efficient way of metabolizing nitrogenous waste but also control B. tabaci's exceptionally flexible nitrogen recycling capacity. Its efficient nitrogen processing explains how this important pest can feed on a vast spectrum of plants. This finding provides insight into how the hijacking of microbial genes has allowed whiteflies to develop a highly economic and stable nitrogen metabolism network and offers clues for pest management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zezhong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- Institute of Plant Protection, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin 300381, China
| | - Zhaojiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Cheng Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jixing Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yuan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jie Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Wen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Shaoli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Qingjun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Wenfeng Ye
- Laboratory of Fundamental and Applied Research in Chemical Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Baiming Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin 300381, China
| | - Xuguo Zhou
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0091, USA
| | - Ted C J Turlings
- Laboratory of Fundamental and Applied Research in Chemical Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Youjun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
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Christensen SM, Srinivas SN, McFrederick QS, Danforth BN, Buchmann SL, Vannette RL. Symbiotic bacteria and fungi proliferate in diapause and may enhance overwintering survival in a solitary bee. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae089. [PMID: 38767866 PMCID: PMC11177884 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Host-microbe interactions underlie the development and fitness of many macroorganisms, including bees. Whereas many social bees benefit from vertically transmitted gut bacteria, current data suggests that solitary bees, which comprise the vast majority of species diversity within bees, lack a highly specialized gut microbiome. Here, we examine the composition and abundance of bacteria and fungi throughout the complete life cycle of the ground-nesting solitary bee Anthophora bomboides standfordiana. In contrast to expectations, immature bee stages maintain a distinct core microbiome consisting of Actinobacterial genera (Streptomyces, Nocardiodes) and the fungus Moniliella spathulata. Dormant (diapausing) larval bees hosted the most abundant and distinctive bacteria and fungi, attaining 33 and 52 times their initial copy number, respectively. We tested two adaptive hypotheses regarding microbial functions for diapausing bees. First, using isolated bacteria and fungi, we found that Streptomyces from brood cells inhibited the growth of multiple pathogenic filamentous fungi, suggesting a role in pathogen protection during overwintering, when bees face high pathogen pressure. Second, sugar alcohol composition changed in tandem with major changes in fungal abundance, suggesting links with bee cold tolerance or overwintering biology. We find that A. bomboides hosts a conserved core microbiome that may provide key fitness advantages through larval development and diapause, which raises the question of how this microbiome is maintained and faithfully transmitted between generations. Our results suggest that focus on microbiomes of mature or active insect developmental stages may overlook stage-specific symbionts and microbial fitness contributions during host dormancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn M Christensen
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Sriram N Srinivas
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Quinn S McFrederick
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, United States
| | - Bryan N Danforth
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Stephen L Buchmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, United States
| | - Rachel L Vannette
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
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Shankar A, Deal CK, McCahon S, Callegari K, Seitz T, Yan L, Drown DM, Williams CT. SAD rats: Effects of short photoperiod and carbohydrate consumption on sleep, liver steatosis, and the gut microbiome in diurnal grass rats. Chronobiol Int 2024; 41:93-104. [PMID: 38047486 PMCID: PMC10843721 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2023.2288223] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a recurrent depression triggered by exposure to short photoperiods, with a subset of patients reporting hypersomnia, increased appetite, and carbohydrate craving. Dysfunction of the microbiota - gut - brain axis is frequently associated with depressive disorders, but its role in SAD is unknown. Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus) are potentially useful for exploring the pathophysiology of SAD, as they are diurnal and have been found to exhibit anhedonia and affective-like behavior in response to short photoperiods. Further, given grass rats have been found to spontaneously develop metabolic syndrome, they may be particularly susceptible to environmental triggers of metabolic dysbiosis. We conducted a 2 × 2 factorial design experiment to test the effects of short photoperiod (4 h:20 h Light:Dark (LD) vs. neutral 12:12 LD), access to a high concentration (8%) sucrose solution, and the interaction between the two, on activity, sleep, liver steatosis, and the gut microbiome of grass rats. We found that animals on short photoperiods maintained robust diel rhythms and similar subjective day lengths as controls in neutral photoperiods but showed disrupted activity and sleep patterns (i.e. a return to sleep after an initial bout of activity that occurs ~ 13 h before lights off). We found no evidence that photoperiod influenced sucrose consumption. By the end of the experiment, some grass rats were overweight and exhibited signs of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with micro- and macro-steatosis. However, neither photoperiod nor access to sucrose solution significantly affected the degree of liver steatosis. The gut microbiome of grass rats varied substantially among individuals, but most variation was attributable to parental effects and the microbiome was unaffected by photoperiod or access to sucrose. Our study indicates short photoperiod leads to disrupted activity and sleep in grass rats but does not impact sucrose consumption or exacerbate metabolic dysbiosis and NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusha Shankar
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK 99775, USA
- Current: Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Cole K. Deal
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Shelby McCahon
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK 99775, USA
| | - Kyle Callegari
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK 99775, USA
| | - Taylor Seitz
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK 99775, USA
| | - Lily Yan
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Devin M. Drown
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK 99775, USA
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK 99775, USA
| | - Cory T. Williams
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
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Stothart MR, Spina HA, Hotchkiss MZ, Ko W, Newman AEM. Seasonal dynamics in the mammalian microbiome between disparate environments. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10692. [PMID: 38111921 PMCID: PMC10726273 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-associated bacterial microbiomes can facilitate host acclimation to seasonal environmental change and are hypothesized to help hosts cope with recent anthropogenic environmental perturbations (e.g., landscape modification). However, it is unclear how recurrent and recent forms of environmental change interact to shape variation in the microbiome. The majority of wildlife microbiome research occurs within a single seasonal context. Meanwhile, the few studies of seasonal variation in the microbiome often restrict focus to a single environmental context. By sampling urban and exurban eastern grey squirrel populations in the spring, summer, autumn, and winter, we explored whether seasonal rhythms in the grey squirrel gut microbiome differed across environments using a 16S amplicon sequencing approach. Differences in the microbiome between urban and exurban squirrels persisted across most of the year, which we hypothesize is linked to anthropogenic food consumption, but we also observed similarities in the urban and exurban grey squirrel microbiome during the autumn, which we attribute to engrained seed caching instincts in preparation for the winter. Host behaviour and diet selection may therefore be capable of maintaining similarities in microbiome structure between disparate environments. However, the depletion of an obligate host mucin glycan specialist (Akkermansia) during the winter in both urban and exurban squirrels was among the strongest differential abundance patterns we observed. In summary, urban grey squirrels showed different seasonal patterns in their microbiome than squirrels from exurban forests; however, in some instances, host behaviour and physiological responses might be capable of maintaining similar microbiome responses across seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason R. Stothart
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of GuelphGuelphOntarioCanada
- Faculty of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Hayley A. Spina
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of GuelphGuelphOntarioCanada
| | | | - Winnie Ko
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of GuelphGuelphOntarioCanada
| | - Amy E. M. Newman
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of GuelphGuelphOntarioCanada
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Wang H, Xu R, Li Q, Su Y, Zhu W. Daily fluctuation of colonic microbiome in response to nutrient substrates in a pig model. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:85. [PMID: 37938228 PMCID: PMC10632506 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00453-w] [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: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies on rodents indicate the daily oscillations of the gut microbiota have biological implications for host. However, the responses of fluctuating gut microbes to the dynamic nutrient substrates are not fully clear. In the study, we found that the feed intake, nutrient substrates, microbiota and metabolites in the colon underwent asynchronous oscillation within a day. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate peaked during T24 ~ T27 (Timepoint 24, 12:00 pm, T27, 03:00 am) whereas branched SCFAs isobutyrate and isovalerate peaked during T09 ~ T12. Further extended local similarity analysis (eLSA) revealed that the fluctuation of feed intake dynamically correlated with the colonic carbon substrates which further influenced the oscillation of sugar metabolites and acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate with a certain time shift. The relative abundance of primary degrader Ruminococcaceae taxa was highly related to the dynamics of the carbon substrates whereas the fluctuations of secondary degraders Lactobacillaceae and Streptococcaceae taxa were highly correlated with the sugar metabolites. Meanwhile, colonic nitrogen substrates were correlated with branched amino acids and the branched SCFAs. Furthermore, we validated the evolution of gut microbes under different carbohydrate and protein combinations by using an in vitro fermentation experiment. The study pictured the dynamics of the micro-ecological environment within a day which highlights the implications of the temporal dimension in studies related to the gut microbiota. Feed intake, more precisely substrate intake, is highly correlated with microbial evolution, which makes it possible to develop chronotherapies targeting the gut microbiota through nutrition intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Wang
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Rongying Xu
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Qiuke Li
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yong Su
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Weiyun Zhu
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Animal Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
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Grond K, Buck CL, Duddleston KN. Microbial gene expression during hibernation in arctic ground squirrels: greater differences across gut sections than in response to pre-hibernation dietary protein content. Front Genet 2023; 14:1210143. [PMID: 37636260 PMCID: PMC10450147 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1210143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Obligate seasonal hibernators fast for 5-9 months depending on species yet resist muscle atrophy and emerge with little lean mass loss. The role of the gut microbiome in host nitrogen metabolism during hibernation is therefore of considerable interest, and recent studies support a role for urea nitrogen salvage (UNS) in host-protein conservation. We were interested in the effect of pre-hibernation diet on UNS and the microbial provision of essential amino acids (EAAs) during hibernation; therefore, we conducted a study whereby we fed arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii) pre-hibernation diets containing 9% vs. 18% protein and compared the expression of gut bacterial urease and amino acid (AA) metabolism genes in 4 gut sections (cecum mucosa, cecum lumen, small intestine [SI] mucosa, and SI lumen) during hibernation. We found that pre-hibernation dietary protein content did not affect expression of complete bacterial AA pathway genes during hibernation; however, several individual genes within EAA pathways were differentially expressed in squirrels fed 18% pre-hibernation dietary protein. Expression of genes associated with AA pathways was highest in the SI and lowest in the cecum mucosa. Additionally, the SI was the dominant expression site of AA and urease genes and was distinct from other sections in its overall microbial functional and taxonomic composition. Urease expression in the gut microbiome of hibernating squirrels significantly differed by gut section, but not by pre-hibernation dietary protein content. We identified two individual genes that are part of the urea cycle and involved in arginine biosynthesis, which were significantly more highly expressed in the cecum lumen and SI mucosa of squirrels fed a pre-hibernation diet containing 18% protein. Six bacterial genera were responsible for 99% of urease gene expression: Cupriavidus, Burkholderia, Laribacter, Bradhyrizobium, Helicobacter, and Yersinia. Although we did not find a strong effect of pre-hibernation dietary protein content on urease or AA metabolism gene expression during hibernation, our data do suggest the potential for pre-hibernation diet to modulate gut microbiota function during hibernation, and further investigations are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Grond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - C. Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Khrystyne N. Duddleston
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, United States
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Bao Z, Guo C, Chen Y, Li C, Lei T, Zhou S, Qi D, Xiang Z. Fatty acid metabolization and insulin regulation prevent liver injury from lipid accumulation in Himalayan marmots. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112718. [PMID: 37384524 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112718] [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: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Fat storage and weight gain are dominant traits for hibernating mammals. However, excessive fat accumulation may cause liver damage. Here, we explore the lipid accumulation and metabolic processes of the Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana), a hibernating rodent species. We find that the unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content in food was consistent with a large increase in the body mass of Himalayan marmots. Metagenomic analysis shows that Firmicutes Bacterium CAG:110 plays a synergistic role by synthesizing UFAs, which is demonstrated by fecal transplantation experiments, indicating that the gut microbiome promotes fat storage in Himalayan marmots for hibernation. Microscopic examination results indicate that the risk of fatty liver appears at maximum weight; however, liver function is not affected. Upregulations of UFA catabolism and insulin-like growth factor binding protein genes provide an entry point for avoiding liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqiang Bao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China; Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Biology, Central South University of Forestry & Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Cheng Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China; Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Biology, Central South University of Forestry & Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Yi Chen
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Biology, Central South University of Forestry & Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China; College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Cheng Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China; Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610081, China
| | - Tao Lei
- College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Shuailing Zhou
- College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Dunwu Qi
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610081, China
| | - Zuofu Xiang
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Biology, Central South University of Forestry & Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China; College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China; Yuelushan Laboratory, Carbon Sinks Forests Variety Innovation Center, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China.
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10
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Heinis FI, Alvarez S, Andrews MT. Mass spectrometry of the white adipose metabolome in a hibernating mammal reveals seasonal changes in alternate fuels and carnitine derivatives. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1214087. [PMID: 37449012 PMCID: PMC10337995 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1214087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian hibernators undergo substantial changes in metabolic function throughout the seasonal hibernation cycle. We report here the polar metabolomic profile of white adipose tissue isolated from active and hibernating thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). Polar compounds in white adipose tissue were extracted from five groups representing different timepoints throughout the seasonal activity-torpor cycle and analyzed using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in both the positive and negative ion modes. A total of 224 compounds out of 660 features detected after curation were annotated. Unsupervised clustering using principal component analysis revealed discrete clusters representing the different seasonal timepoints throughout hibernation. One-way analysis of variance and feature intensity heatmaps revealed metabolites that varied in abundance between active and torpid timepoints. Pathway analysis compared against the KEGG database demonstrated enrichment of amino acid metabolism, purine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and coenzyme A biosynthetic pathways among our identified compounds. Numerous carnitine derivatives and a ketone that serves as an alternate fuel source, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), were among molecules found to be elevated during torpor. Elevated levels of the BHB-carnitine conjugate during torpor suggests the synthesis of beta-hydroxybutyrate in white adipose mitochondria, which may contribute directly to elevated levels of circulating BHB during hibernation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frazer I. Heinis
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Sophie Alvarez
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, Nebraska Center for Biotechnology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Matthew T. Andrews
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
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Tong Q, Dong WJ, Xu MD, Hu ZF, Guo P, Han XY, Cui LY. Characteristics and a comparison of the gut microbiota in two frog species at the beginning and end of hibernation. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1057398. [PMID: 37206336 PMCID: PMC10191234 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1057398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Season has been suggested to contribute to variation in the gut microbiota of animals. The complicated relationships between amphibians and their gut microbiota and how they change throughout the year require more research. Short-term and long-term hypothermic fasting of amphibians may affect gut microbiota differently; however, these changes have not been explored. In this study, the composition and characteristics of the gut microbiota of Rana amurensis and Rana dybowskii during summer, autumn (short-term fasting) and winter (long-term fasting) were studied by high-throughput Illumina sequencing. Both frog species had higher gut microbiota alpha diversity in summer than autumn and winter, but no significant variations between autumn and spring. The summer, autumn, and spring gut microbiotas of both species differed, as did the autumn and winter microbiomes. In summer, autumn and winter, the dominant phyla in the gut microbiota of both species were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. All animals have 10 OTUs (>90% of all 52 frogs). Both species had 23 OTUs (>90% of all 28 frogs) in winter, accounting for 47.49 ± 3.84% and 63.17 ± 3.69% of their relative abundance, respectively. PICRUSt2 analysis showed that the predominant functions of the gut microbiota in these two Rana were focused on carbohydrate metabolism, Global and overview maps, Glycan biosynthesis metabolism, membrane transport, and replication and repair, translation. The BugBase analysis estimated that among the seasons in the R. amurensis group, Facultatively_Anaerobic, Forms_Biofilms, Gram_Negative, Gram_Positive, Potentially_Pathogenic were significantly different. However, there was no difference for R. dybowskii. The research will reveal how the gut microbiota of amphibians adapts to environmental changes during hibernation, aid in the conservation of endangered amphibians, particularly those that hibernate, and advance microbiota research by elucidating the role of microbiota under various physiological states and environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Tong
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Hejiang Forestry Research Institute of Heilongjiang Province, Jiamusi, China
| | - Wen-jing Dong
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
| | - Ming-da Xu
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
| | - Zong-fu Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Peng Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiao-yun Han
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
| | - Li-yong Cui
- Hejiang Forestry Research Institute of Heilongjiang Province, Jiamusi, China
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12
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Bernstock JD, Willis CM, Garcia-Segura ME, Gaude E, Anni D, Lee YJ, Thomas LW, Casey A, Vicario N, Leonardi T, Nicaise AM, Gessler FA, Izzy S, Buffelli MR, Seidlitz J, Srinivasan S, Murphy MP, Ashcroft M, Cambiaghi M, Hallenbeck JM, Peruzzotti-Jametti L. Integrative transcriptomic and metabolic analyses of the mammalian hibernating brain identifies a key role for succinate dehydrogenase in ischemic tolerance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.29.534718. [PMID: 37205496 PMCID: PMC10187245 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.29.534718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke results in a loss of tissue homeostasis and integrity, the underlying pathobiology of which stems primarily from the depletion of cellular energy stores and perturbation of available metabolites 1 . Hibernation in thirteen-lined ground squirrels (TLGS), Ictidomys tridecemlineatus , provides a natural model of ischemic tolerance as these mammals undergo prolonged periods of critically low cerebral blood flow without evidence of central nervous system (CNS) damage 2 . Studying the complex interplay of genes and metabolites that unfolds during hibernation may provide novel insights into key regulators of cellular homeostasis during brain ischemia. Herein, we interrogated the molecular profiles of TLGS brains at different time points within the hibernation cycle via RNA sequencing coupled with untargeted metabolomics. We demonstrate that hibernation in TLGS leads to major changes in the expression of genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation and this is correlated with an accumulation of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates citrate, cis-aconitate, and α-ketoglutarate-αKG. Integration of the gene expression and metabolomics datasets led to the identification of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) as the critical enzyme during hibernation, uncovering a break in the TCA cycle at that level. Accordingly, the SDH inhibitor dimethyl malonate (DMM) was able to rescue the effects of hypoxia on human neuronal cells in vitro and in mice subjected to permanent ischemic stroke in vivo . Our findings indicate that studying the regulation of the controlled metabolic depression that occurs in hibernating mammals may lead to novel therapeutic approaches capable of increasing ischemic tolerance in the CNS.
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Chen H, Tong T, Lu SY, Ji L, Xuan B, Zhao G, Yan Y, Song L, Zhao L, Xie Y, Leng X, Zhang X, Cui Y, Chen X, Xiong H, Yu T, Li X, Sun T, Wang Z, Chen J, Chen YX, Hong J, Fang JY. Urea cycle activation triggered by host-microbiota maladaptation driving colorectal tumorigenesis. Cell Metab 2023; 35:651-666.e7. [PMID: 36963394 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Maladaptation of host-microbiota metabolic interplay plays a critical role in colorectal cancer initiation. Here, through a combination of single-cell transcriptomics, microbiome profiling, metabonomics, and clinical analysis on colorectal adenoma and carcinoma tissues, we demonstrate that host's urea cycle metabolism is significantly activated during colorectal tumorigenesis, accompanied by the absence of beneficial bacteria with ureolytic capacity, such as Bifidobacterium, and the overabundance of pathogenic bacteria lacking ureolytic function. Urea could enter into macrophages, inhibit the binding efficiency of p-STAT1 to SAT1 promotor region, and further skew macrophages toward a pro-tumoral phenotype characterized by the accumulation of polyamines. Treating a murine model using urea cycle inhibitors or Bifidobacterium-based supplements could mitigate urea-mediated tumorigenesis. Collectively, this study highlights the utility of urea cycle inhibitors or therapeutically manipulating microbial composition using probiotics to prevent colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China.
| | - Tianying Tong
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Shi-Yuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Linhua Ji
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Baoqin Xuan
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Gang Zhao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Yuqing Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Linhong Song
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Licong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Yile Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Xiaoxu Leng
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Yun Cui
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Hua Xiong
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - TaChung Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Xiaobo Li
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Tiantian Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Jinxian Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Ying-Xuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Jie Hong
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China.
| | - Jing-Yuan Fang
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai 200001, China.
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14
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Ducarmon QR, Grundler F, Le Maho Y, Wilhelmi de Toledo F, Zeller G, Habold C, Mesnage R. Remodelling of the intestinal ecosystem during caloric restriction and fasting. Trends Microbiol 2023:S0966-842X(23)00057-4. [PMID: 37031065 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023]
Abstract
Benefits of fasting and caloric restriction on host metabolic health are well established, but less is known about the effects on the gut microbiome and how this impacts renewal of the intestinal mucosa. What has been repeatedly shown during fasting, however, is that bacteria utilising host-derived substrates proliferate at the expense of those relying on dietary substrates. Considering the increased recognition of the gut microbiome's role in maintaining host (metabolic) health, disentangling host-microbe interactions and establishing their physiological relevance in the context of fasting and caloric restriction is crucial. Such insights could aid in moving away from associations of gut bacterial signatures with metabolic diseases consistently reported in observational studies to potentially establishing causality. Therefore, this review aims to summarise what is currently known or still controversial about the interplay between fasting and caloric restriction, the gut microbiome and intestinal tissue physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinten R Ducarmon
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Franziska Grundler
- Buchinger Wilhelmi Clinic, Wilhelmi-Beck-Straße 27, 88662 Überlingen, Germany
| | - Yvon Le Maho
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR, 7178, Strasbourg, France; Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
| | | | - Georg Zeller
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Caroline Habold
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR, 7178, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Robin Mesnage
- Buchinger Wilhelmi Clinic, Wilhelmi-Beck-Straße 27, 88662 Überlingen, Germany; King's College London, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, London, UK.
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15
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Hu Y, Wang X, Xu Y, Yang H, Tong Z, Tian R, Xu S, Yu L, Guo Y, Shi P, Huang S, Yang G, Shi S, Wei F. Molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution in wild animals and plants. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023; 66:453-495. [PMID: 36648611 PMCID: PMC9843154 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2233-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Wild animals and plants have developed a variety of adaptive traits driven by adaptive evolution, an important strategy for species survival and persistence. Uncovering the molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution is the key to understanding species diversification, phenotypic convergence, and inter-species interaction. As the genome sequences of more and more non-model organisms are becoming available, the focus of studies on molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution has shifted from the candidate gene method to genetic mapping based on genome-wide scanning. In this study, we reviewed the latest research advances in wild animals and plants, focusing on adaptive traits, convergent evolution, and coevolution. Firstly, we focused on the adaptive evolution of morphological, behavioral, and physiological traits. Secondly, we reviewed the phenotypic convergences of life history traits and responding to environmental pressures, and the underlying molecular convergence mechanisms. Thirdly, we summarized the advances of coevolution, including the four main types: mutualism, parasitism, predation and competition. Overall, these latest advances greatly increase our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms for diverse adaptive traits and species interaction, demonstrating that the development of evolutionary biology has been greatly accelerated by multi-omics technologies. Finally, we highlighted the emerging trends and future prospects around the above three aspects of adaptive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Hu
- CAS Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Yongchao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Hui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Zeyu Tong
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Ran Tian
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Shaohua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Lab of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China.
| | - Yalong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Peng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
| | - Shuangquan Huang
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Guang Yang
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Suhua Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Lab of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| | - Fuwen Wei
- CAS Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
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16
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Functional and Compositional Changes in the Fecal Microbiome of a Shorebird during Migratory Stopover. mSystems 2023; 8:e0112822. [PMID: 36786579 PMCID: PMC10134852 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01128-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Shorebirds migrate long distances twice annually, which requires intense physiological and morphological adaptations, including the ability to rapidly gain weight via fat deposition at stopover locations. The role of the microbiome in weight gain in avian hosts is unresolved, but there is substantial evidence to support the hypothesis that the microbiome is involved with host weight from mammalian microbiome literature. Here, we collected 100 fecal samples of Ruddy Turnstones to investigate microbiome composition and function during stopover weight gain in Delaware Bay, USA. Using 16S rRNA sequencing on 90 of these samples and metatranscriptomic sequencing on 22, we show that taxonomic composition of the microbiome shifts during weight gain, as do functional aspects of the metatranscriptome. We identified 10 genes that are associated with weight class, and polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in the microbiota is significantly increasing as birds gain weight. Our results support that the microbiome is a dynamic feature of host biology that interacts with both the host and the environment and may be involved in the rapid weight gain of shorebirds. IMPORTANCE Many animals migrate long distances annually, and these journeys require intense physiological and morphological adaptations. One such adaptation in shorebirds is the ability to rapidly gain weight at stopover locations in the middle of their migrations. The role of the microbiome in weight gain in birds is unresolved but is likely to play a role. Here, we collected 100 fecal samples from Ruddy Turnstones to investigate microbiome composition (who is there) and function (what they are doing) during stopover weight gain in Delaware Bay, USA. Using multiple molecular methods, we show that both taxonomic composition and function of the microbiome shifts during weight gain. We identified 10 genes that are associated with weight class, and polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in the microbiota is significantly increasing as birds gain weight. Our results support that the microbiome is a dynamic feature of host biology that interacts with both the host and the environment and may be involved in the rapid weight gain of shorebirds.
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17
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Song X, Zhai Y, Song J, Zhang J, Li X. The structural discrepancy between the small and large gut microbiota of Asiatic toad (Bufo gargarizans) during hibernation. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2023:10.1007/s12223-023-01031-5. [PMID: 36637770 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-023-01031-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Hibernating amphibians are suitable for the research on the adaptation of gut microbiota to long-term fasting and cold stresses. However, the previous studies mainly focus on the large or whole gut microbiota but not the small gut microbiota. To test the structural discrepancy between the small and large gut microbiota during hibernation, we performed two independent batches of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to profile the small and large gut microbiota of hibernating Asiatic toad (Bufo gargarizans) from two wild populations. Both batches of data revealed that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were the three most dominant phyla in the small and large gut microbiota. Three core OTUs with 100% occurrence in all gut microbiotas were annotated as Pseudomonas. A significant structural discrepancy was detected between the small and large gut microbiota. For instance, Proteobacteria assembled in the small intestine with a higher proportion than it did in the large intestine, but Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes assembled in the large intestine with a higher proportion than they did in the small intestine. The large gut microbiota exhibited higher diversity than the small gut microbiota. Nevertheless, a severe batch effect existed in the structural analysis of the gut microbiotas. The large gut microbiota showed a better resistance to the batch effect than the small gut microbiota did. This study provides preliminary evidence that microbes assemble in the small and large intestines of amphibians with discrepant patterns during hibernation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Song
- College of Software Engineering, Chengdu University of Information and Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. .,College of Life Sciences, Institute for Conservation and Utilization of Agro-Bioresources in Dabie Mountains, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan, China. .,CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Zhai
- College of Life Sciences, Institute for Conservation and Utilization of Agro-Bioresources in Dabie Mountains, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan, China
| | - Jinghan Song
- College of Life Sciences, Institute for Conservation and Utilization of Agro-Bioresources in Dabie Mountains, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan, China
| | - Jingwei Zhang
- Hospital of Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang Normal University, Henan, Xinyang, China
| | - Xiangzhen Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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18
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Fontaine SS, Kohl KD. The microbiome buffers tadpole hosts from heat stress: a hologenomic approach to understand host-microbe interactions under warming. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:286161. [PMID: 36546449 PMCID: PMC10086385 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245191] [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: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity is an important strategy that animals employ to respond and adjust to changes in their environment. Plasticity may occur via changes in host gene expression or through functional changes in their microbiomes, which contribute substantially to host physiology. Specifically, the presence and function of host-associated microbes can impact how animals respond to heat stress. We previously demonstrated that 'depleted' tadpoles, with artificially disrupted microbiomes, are less tolerant to heat than 'colonized' tadpoles, with more natural microbiomes. However, the mechanisms behind these effects are unclear. Here, we compared gene expression profiles of the tadpole gut transcriptome, and tadpole gut microbial metagenome, between colonized and depleted tadpoles under cool or warm conditions. Our goal was to identify differences in host and microbial responses to heat between colonized and depleted tadpoles that might explain their observed differences in heat tolerance. We found that depleted tadpoles exhibited a much stronger degree of host gene expression plasticity in response to heat, while the microbiome of colonized tadpoles was significantly more heat sensitive. These patterns indicate that functional changes in the microbiome in response to heat may allow for a dampened host response, ultimately buffering hosts from the deleterious effects of heat stress. We also identified several specific host and microbial pathways that could be contributing to increased thermal tolerance in colonized tadpoles including amino acid metabolism, vitamin biosynthesis and ROS scavenging pathways. Our results demonstrate that the microbiome influences host plasticity and the response of hosts to environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha S Fontaine
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Kevin D Kohl
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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19
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Reshuffling of the Coral Microbiome during Dormancy. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0139122. [PMID: 36383004 PMCID: PMC9746315 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01391-22] [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] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Quiescence, or dormancy, is a response to stressful conditions in which an organism slows or halts physiological functioning. Although most species that undergo dormancy maintain complex microbiomes, there is little known about how dormancy influences and is influenced by the host's microbiome, including in the temperate coral Astrangia poculata. Northern populations of A. poculata undergo winter quiescence. Here, we characterized wild A. poculata microbiomes in a high-resolution sampling time series before, during, and after quiescence using 16S rRNA gene sequencing on active (RNA) and present (DNA) microbiomes. We observed a restructuring of the coral microbiome during quiescence that persisted after reemergence. Upon entering quiescence, corals shed copiotrophic microbes, including putative pathogens, suggesting a removal of these taxa as corals cease normal functioning. During and after quiescence, bacteria and archaea associated with nitrification were enriched, suggesting that the quiescent microbiome may replace essential functions through supplying nitrate to corals and/or microbes. Overall, this study demonstrates that key microbial groups related to quiescence in A. poculata may play a role in the onset or emergence from dormancy and long-term regulation of the microbiome composition. The predictability of dormancy in A. poculata provides an ideal natural manipulation system to further identify factors that regulate host-microbial associations. IMPORTANCE Using a high-resolution sampling time series, this study is the first to demonstrate a persistent microbial community shift with quiescence (dormancy) in a marine organism, the temperate coral Astrangia poculata. Furthermore, during this period of community turnover, there is a shedding of putative pathogens and copiotrophs and an enhancement of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (Nitrosococcales) and archaea ("Candidatus Nitrosopumilus"). Our results suggest that quiescence represents an important period during which the coral microbiome can reset, shedding opportunistic microbes and enriching for the reestablishment of beneficial associates, including those that may contribute nitrate while the coral animal is not actively feeding. We suggest that this work provides foundational understanding of the interplay of microbes and the host's dormancy response in marine organisms.
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Ilyina TN, Baishnikova IV. Retinol and α-Tocopherol Content in the Liver and Skeletal Muscle of Bats (Chiroptera) during Hibernation and Summer Activity. J EVOL BIOCHEM PHYS+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0022093022060035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Community Dynamics in Structure and Function of Honey Bee Gut Bacteria in Response to Winter Dietary Shift. mBio 2022; 13:e0113122. [PMID: 36036626 PMCID: PMC9600256 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01131-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Temperate honey bees (Apis mellifera) are challenged by low temperatures and abrupt dietary shifts associated with behavioral changes during winter. Case studies have revealed drastic turnover in the gut microbiota of winter bees, highlighted by the seasonal dominance of a non-core bacterium Bartonella. However, neither biological consequence nor underlying mechanism of this microbial turnover is clear. In particular, we ask whether such changes in gut profile are related to winter dietary shift and possibly beneficial to host and associated gut microbiome? Here, we integrated evidences from genomics, metagenomics, and metabolomics in three honey bee subspecies maintained at the same locality of northern China to profile both diversity and functional variations in gut bacteria across seasons. Our results showed that winter dominance of Bartonella was shared in all tested honey bee lineages. This seasonal change was likely a consequence of winter dietary shifts characterized by greatly reduced pollen consumption and accumulation of metabolic waste due to restricted excretion. Bartonella showed expanded genomic capacity in utilizing more diverse energy substrates, such as converting metabolic wastes lactate and ethanol into pyruvate, an energy source for self-utilization and possibly also for host and other symbionts. Furthermore, Bartonella was the only bacterium capable of both producing and secreting tryptophan and phenylalanine, whose metabolic products were detected in bee guts, even though all gut bacteria lacked relevant digestion enzymes. These results thus suggested a possible mechanism where the gut bacteria might benefit the host by supplementing them with essential amino acids lacking in a protein shortage diet.
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22
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Liu L, Chen X, Liu L, Qin H. Clostridium butyricum Potentially Improves Immunity and Nutrition through Alteration of the Microbiota and Metabolism of Elderly People with Malnutrition in Long-Term Care. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14173546. [PMID: 36079806 PMCID: PMC9460359 DOI: 10.3390/nu14173546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research advances examining the gut microbiome and its association with human health have indicated that microbiota-targeted intervention is a promising means for health modulation. In this study, elderly people in long-term care (aged 83.2 ± 5.3 year) with malnutrition (MNA-SF score ≤ 7) were recruited in a community hospital for a 12-week randomized, single-blind clinical trial with Clostridium butyricum. Compared with the basal fluctuations of the control group, an altered gut microbiome was observed in the intervention group, with increased (p < 0.05) Coprobacillus species, Carnobacterium divergens, and Corynebacterium_massiliense, and the promoted growth of the beneficial organisms Akketmanse muciniphila and Alistipes putredinis. A concentrated profile of 14 increased Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) orthologs (KOs) that were enriched in cofactor/vitamin production and carbohydrate metabolism pathways were discovered; the genes were found to be correlated (p < 0.05) with an elevated abundance of plasma metabolites and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), unsaturated medium- to long-chain fatty acids (MFA, LFA), carnitines, and amino acids, thus suggesting a coordinated ameliorated metabolism. Proinflammatory factor interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels decreased (p < 0.05) throughout the intervention, while the gut barrier tight junction protein, occludin, rose in abundance (p = 0.059), and the sensitive nutrition biomarker prealbumin improved, in contrast to the opposite changes in control. Based on our results obtained during a relatively short intervention time, C. butyricum might have great potential for improving nutrition and immunity in elderly people in long-term care with malnutrition through the alteration of gut microbiota, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria and activating the metabolism in SCFA and cofactor/vitamin production, bile acid metabolism, along with efficient energy generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Liu
- Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (H.Q.)
| | - Xiang Chen
- Realbio Genomics Institute, Shanghai 200123, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Pengpu Community Medical Service Center, Shanghai 200436, China
| | - Huanlong Qin
- Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
- Correspondence: (L.L.); (H.Q.)
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MacPherson J, Weinrauch AM, Anderson WG, Bucking C. The gut microbiome may influence post-prandial nitrogen handling in an elasmobranch, the Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus suckleyi). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 272:111269. [PMID: 35820643 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111269] [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: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Nitrogen recycling through the gut microbiome is an important mechanism used throughout vertebrates to reclaim valuable nitrogen trapped in urea. Evidence suggests it may be especially important in nitrogen limited animals, yet little is known about its role in marine elasmobranchs, which are said to be severely nitrogen limited. In the present study we used antibiotics to deplete the gut microbiome of Pacific spiny dogfish and assessed the role of the microbiome in nitrogen handling in both fed and fasted states. In fed animals, antibiotic treatment eliminated the activity of the microbial enzyme urease and reduced cellulase activity by 78%. This reduction in microbial enzyme activity resulted in significantly lower plasma urea levels which then trended upward as urea excretion rates decreased. Ammonia excretion rates were also significantly lower in antibiotic treated fish compared to the control fed. Finally, antibiotic treated fed individuals lost an average of 7.4% of their body mass while the fed controls lost only 1.8% of their body mass. Nitrogen handling in fasted animals was not significantly impacted by a reduction in microbial activity. These results suggest that compromising the gut microbiome significantly influences post-prandial nitrogen handling in spiny dogfish, and that the recycling of urea‑nitrogen may be vital to maintaining nitrogen balance in these fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jess MacPherson
- University of Manitoba, Department of Biological Sciences, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0, Canada.
| | - Alyssa M Weinrauch
- University of Manitoba, Department of Biological Sciences, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0, Canada.
| | - W Gary Anderson
- University of Manitoba, Department of Biological Sciences, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0, Canada.
| | - Carol Bucking
- Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0, Canada; York University, Department of Biology, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
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24
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Houtz JL, Taff CC, Vitousek MN. Gut Microbiome as a Mediator of Stress Resilience: A Reactive Scope Model Framework. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:41-57. [PMID: 35544275 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress resilience is defined as the ability to rebound to a homeostatic state after exposure to a perturbation. Organisms modulate various physiological mediators to respond to unpredictable changes in their environment. The gut microbiome is a key example of a physiological mediator that coordinates a myriad of host functions including counteracting stressors. Here, we highlight the gut microbiome as a mediator of host stress resilience in the framework of the reactive scope model. The reactive scope model integrates physiological mediators with unpredictable environmental changes to predict how animals respond to stressors. We provide examples of how the gut microbiome responds to stressors within the four ranges of the reactive scope model (i.e., predictive homeostasis, reactive homeostasis, homeostatic overload, and homeostatic failure). We identify measurable metrics of the gut microbiome that could be used to infer the degree to which the host is experiencing chronic stress, including microbial diversity, flexibility, and gene richness. The goal of this perspective piece is to highlight the underutilized potential of measuring the gut microbiome as a mediator of stress resilience in wild animal hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Houtz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Conor C Taff
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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25
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Trujillo SM, McKenney EA, Hilderbrand GV, Mangipane LS, Rogers MC, Joly K, Gustine DD, Erlenbach JA, Mangipane BA, Lafferty DJR. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence on an omnivore's gut microbiome. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266698. [PMID: 35395042 PMCID: PMC8993001 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiomes (GMBs), complex communities of microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tracts of their hosts, perform countless micro-ecosystem services such as facilitating energy uptake and modulating immune responses. While scientists increasingly recognize the role GMBs play in host health, the role of GMBs in wildlife ecology and conservation has yet to be realized fully. Here, we use brown bears (Ursus arctos) as an ecological model to (1) characterize GMB community composition associated with location, season, and reproductive condition of a large omnivore; (2) investigate how both extrinsic and intrinsic factors influence GMB community membership and structure; and (3) quantify differences in GMB communities among different locations, seasons, sex, and reproductive conditions. To achieve these aims, we subsampled brown bear fecal samples collected during United States National Park Service research activities at three National Parks and Preserves (Katmai, Lake Clark, and Gates of the Arctic) and extracted microbial DNA for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and microbial taxonomic classification. We analyzed GMB communities using alpha and beta diversity indices, subsequently using linear mixed models to examine relationships between alpha diversity and extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Katmai brown bears hosted the greatest alpha diversity, whereas Gates brown bears hosted the least alpha diversity. Our results indicate that location and diet drive GMB variation, with bears hosting less phylogenetic diversity as park distance inland increases. Monitoring brown bear GMBs could enable managers to quickly detect and assess the impact of environmental perturbations on brown bear health. By integrating macro and micro-ecological perspectives we aim to inform local and landscape-level management decisions to promote long-term brown bear conservation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Trujillo
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Science Lab, Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Erin A. McKenney
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Grant V. Hilderbrand
- Natural Resources Team, National Park Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Lindsey S. Mangipane
- Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Matthew C. Rogers
- National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Kyle Joly
- Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, National Park Service, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
| | - David D. Gustine
- Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Joy A. Erlenbach
- Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Buck A. Mangipane
- Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, National Park Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Diana J. R. Lafferty
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Science Lab, Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, United States of America
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26
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Tougeron K. Homeostasis theory: What can we learn from dormancy and symbiotic associations? Physiol Behav 2022; 249:113749. [PMID: 35202673 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
In this letter, I discuss the notion of dormancy that De Luca Jr. relies on to criticize the theory of homeostasis. In particular, I try to qualify the issues related to the fact that dormancy is not always a free behavior but is in most situations under the influence of environmental factors. To this end, I discuss diapause in arthropods, which can be obligatory (under the influence of endogenous commands) but which is in most cases facultative (under external command). I emphasize that the notion of stability of a dormant organism must be taken with caution. I briefly mention what the study of sleep in animals can contribute to the notion of homeostasis. Finally, I focus on the role of microbial symbionts and the notion of holobiont. Through this, I question the future of the notions of internal environment and homeostasis and I propose to revisit them in the context of the effects of species interactions on the physiology of organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Tougeron
- UMR CNRS 7058, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 33 rue St. Leu, Amiens, 80000, France.
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27
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Du Toit A. Busy symbionts during hibernation. Nat Rev Microbiol 2022; 20:190. [PMID: 35169288 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00705-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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28
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Sommer F, Bäckhed F. Staying strong during hibernation. Science 2022; 375:376-377. [PMID: 35084958 DOI: 10.1126/science.abn6187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Sommer
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Kiel, Rosalind-Franklin-Straße 12, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Fredrik Bäckhed
- The Wallenberg Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Bruna Stråket 16, 41345 Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Physiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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