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Sadowska J, Carlson KM, Buck CL, Lee TN, Duddleston KN. Microbial urea-nitrogen recycling in arctic ground squirrels: the effect of ambient temperature of hibernation. J Comp Physiol B 2024:10.1007/s00360-024-01579-9. [PMID: 39237834 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-024-01579-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Energy conservation associated with hibernation is maximized at the intersection of low body temperature (Tb), long torpor bouts, and few interbout arousals. In the arctic ground squirrel (Urocitellus parryii), energy conservation during hibernation is best achieved at ambient temperatures (Ta) around 0 °C; however, they spend the majority of hibernation at considerably lower Ta. Because arctic ground squirrels switch to mixed fuel metabolism, including protein catabolism, at extreme low Ta of hibernation, we sought to investigate how microbial urea-nitrogen recycling is used under different thermal conditions. Injecting squirrels with isotopically labeled urea (13C/15N) during hibernation at Ta's of - 16 °C and 2 °C and while active and euthermic allowed us to assess the ureolytic activity of gut microbes and the amount of liberated nitrogen incorporated into tissues. We found greater incorporation of microbially-liberated nitrogen into tissues of hibernating squirrels. Although ureolytic activity appears higher in euthermic squirrels, liberated nitrogen likely makes up a smaller percentage of the available nitrogen pool in active, fed animals. Because non-lipid fuel is a limiting factor for torpor at lower Ta in this species, we hypothesized there would be greater incorporation of liberated nitrogen in animals hibernating at - 16 °C. However, we found higher microbial-ureolytic activity and incorporation of microbially-liberated nitrogen, particularly in the liver, in squirrels hibernating at 2 °C. Likely this is because squirrels hibernating at 2 °C had higher Tb and longer interbout arousals, a combination of factors creating more favorable conditions for gut microbes to thrive and maintain greater activity while giving the host more time to absorb microbial metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julita Sadowska
- Department of Evolutionary and Physiological Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Karen M Carlson
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, USA
| | - Trixie N Lee
- Department of Biology, Harding University, Searcy, AR, USA
| | - Khrystyne N Duddleston
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, USA.
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Hotchkiss MZ, Forrest JRK, Poulain AJ. Changes in bumblebee queen gut microbiotas during and after overwintering diapause. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39175129 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Bumblebees are key pollinators with gut microbiotas that support host health. After bumblebee queens undergo winter diapause, which occurs before spring colony establishment, their gut microbiotas are disturbed, but little is known about community dynamics during diapause itself. Queen gut microbiotas also help seed worker microbiotas, so it is important that they recover post-diapause to a typical community structure, a process that may be impeded by pesticide exposure. We examined how bumblebee queen gut microbiota community structure and metabolic potential shift during and after winter diapause, and whether post-diapause recovery is affected by pesticide exposure. To do so, we placed commercial Bombus impatiens queens into diapause, euthanizing them at 0, 2 and 4 months of diapause. Additionally, we allowed some queens to recover from diapause for 1 week before euthanasia, exposing half to the common herbicide glyphosate. Using whole-community, shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we found that core bee gut phylotypes dominated queen gut microbiotas before, during and after diapause, but that two phylotypes, Schmidhempelia and Snodgrassella, ceased to be detected during late diapause and recovery. Despite fluctuations in taxonomic community structure, metabolic potential remained constant through diapause and recovery. Also, glyphosate exposure did not affect post-diapause microbiota recovery. However, metagenomic assembly quality and our ability to detect microbial taxa and metabolic pathways declined alongside microbial abundance, which was substantially reduced during diapause. Our study offers new insights into how bumblebee queen gut microbiotas change taxonomically and functionally during a key life stage and provides guidance for future microbiota studies in diapausing bumblebees.
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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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4
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Liu J, Jiang G, Zhang H, Zhang H, Jia X, Gan Z, Yu H. Effects of Hibernation on Colonic Epithelial Tissue and Gut Microbiota in Wild Chipmunks ( Tamias sibiricus). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1498. [PMID: 38791715 PMCID: PMC11117362 DOI: 10.3390/ani14101498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the host's metabolic processes. Many studies have shown significant changes in the gut microbiota of mammals during hibernation to adapt to the changes in the external environment, but there is limited research on the colonic epithelial tissue and gut microbiota of the wild chipmunks during hibernation. This study analyzed the diversity, composition, and function of the gut microbiota of the wild chipmunk during hibernation using 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing technology, and further conducted histological analysis of the colon. Histological analysis of the colon showed an increase in goblet cells in the hibernation group, which was an adaptive change to long-term fasting during hibernation. The dominant gut microbial phyla were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria, and the relative abundance of them changed significantly. The analysis of gut microbiota structural differences indicated that the relative abundance of Helicobacter typhlonius and Mucispirillum schaedleri increased significantly, while unclassified Prevotella-9, unclassified Prevotellaceae-UCG-001, unclassified Prevotellaceae-UCG-003 and other species of Prevotella decreased significantly at the species level. Alpha diversity analysis showed that hibernation increased the diversity and richness of the gut microbiota. Beta diversity analysis revealed significant differences in gut microbiota diversity between the hibernation group and the control group. PICRUSt2 functional prediction analysis of the gut microbiota showed that 15 pathways, such as lipid metabolism, xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, amino acid metabolism, environmental adaptation, and neurodegenerative diseases, were significantly enriched in the hibernation group, while 12 pathways, including carbohydrate metabolism, replication and repair, translation, and transcription, were significantly enriched in the control group. It can be seen that during hibernation, the gut microbiota of the wild chipmunk changes towards taxa that are beneficial for reducing carbohydrate consumption, increasing fat consumption, and adapting more strongly to environmental changes in order to better provide energy for the body and ensure normal life activities during hibernation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntao Liu
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.Z.); (H.Z.); (X.J.)
- School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China;
| | - Guangyu Jiang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.Z.); (H.Z.); (X.J.)
- School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China;
| | - Hongrui Zhang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.Z.); (H.Z.); (X.J.)
- School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China;
| | - Haiying Zhang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.Z.); (H.Z.); (X.J.)
| | - Xiaoyan Jia
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.Z.); (H.Z.); (X.J.)
| | - Zhenwei Gan
- School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China;
| | - Huimei Yu
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.Z.); (H.Z.); (X.J.)
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Zhao L, Xiao R, Zhang S, Zhang C, Zhang F. Environmental specificity of karst cave habitats evidenced by diverse symbiotic bacteria in Opiliones. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:58. [PMID: 38720266 PMCID: PMC11080181 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02248-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Karst caves serve as natural laboratories, providing organisms with extreme and constant conditions that promote isolation, resulting in a genetic relationship and living environment that is significantly different from those outside the cave. However, research on cave creatures, especially Opiliones, remains scarce, with most studies focused on water, soil, and cave sediments. RESULTS The structure of symbiotic bacteria in different caves were compared, revealing significant differences. Based on the alpha and beta diversity, symbiotic bacteria abundance and diversity in the cave were similar, but the structure of symbiotic bacteria differed inside and outside the cave. Microorganisms in the cave play an important role in material cycling and energy flow, particularly in the nitrogen cycle. Although microbial diversity varies inside and outside the cave, Opiliones in Beijing caves and Hainan Island exhibited a strong similarity, indicating that the two environments share commonalities. CONCLUSIONS The karst cave environment possesses high microbial diversity and there are noticeable differences among different caves. Different habitats lead to significant differences in the symbiotic bacteria in Opiliones inside and outside the cave, and cave microorganisms have made efforts to adapt to extreme environments. The similarity in symbiotic bacteria community structure suggests a potential similarity in host environments, providing an explanation for the appearance of Sinonychia martensi in caves in the north.
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Affiliation(s)
- Likun Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, P.R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity Research and Application of Hebei Province, Baoding, 071002, P. R. China
| | - Ruoyi Xiao
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, P.R. China
| | - Shanfeng Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, P.R. China
| | - Chao Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, P.R. China.
- The Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Application of Hebei Province, Baoding, 071002, P. R. China.
| | - Feng Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, P.R. China.
- The Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Application of Hebei Province, Baoding, 071002, P. R. China.
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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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Baquero F, Beis K, Craik DJ, Li Y, Link AJ, Rebuffat S, Salomón R, Severinov K, Zirah S, Hegemann JD. The pearl jubilee of microcin J25: thirty years of research on an exceptional lasso peptide. Nat Prod Rep 2024; 41:469-511. [PMID: 38164764 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00046j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Covering: 1992 up to 2023Since their discovery, lasso peptides went from peculiarities to be recognized as a major family of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) natural products that were shown to be spread throughout the bacterial kingdom. Microcin J25 was first described in 1992, making it one of the earliest known lasso peptides. No other lasso peptide has since then been studied to such an extent as microcin J25, yet, previous review articles merely skimmed over all the research done on this exceptional lasso peptide. Therefore, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of its first report, we give a comprehensive overview of all literature related to microcin J25. This review article spans the early work towards the discovery of microcin J25, its biosynthetic gene cluster, and the elucidation of its three-dimensional, threaded lasso structure. Furthermore, the current knowledge about the biosynthesis of microcin J25 and lasso peptides in general is summarized and a detailed overview is given on the biological activities associated with microcin J25, including means of self-immunity, uptake into target bacteria, inhibition of the Gram-negative RNA polymerase, and the effects of microcin J25 on mitochondria. The in vitro and in vivo models used to study the potential utility of microcin J25 in a (veterinary) medicine context are discussed and the efforts that went into employing the microcin J25 scaffold in bioengineering contexts are summed up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Baquero
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital and Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
- Network Center for Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER-ESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Konstantinos Beis
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Research Complex at Harwell, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0FA, UK
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, 4072 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Yanyan Li
- Laboratoire Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM), UMR 7245, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France
| | - A James Link
- Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Sylvie Rebuffat
- Laboratoire Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM), UMR 7245, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France
| | - Raúl Salomón
- Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Konstantin Severinov
- Waksman Institute for Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Séverine Zirah
- Laboratoire Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM), UMR 7245, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France
| | - Julian D Hegemann
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University Campus, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
- Department of Pharmacy, Campus E8 1, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
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Wu Y, Xiong Y, Ji Y, Cheng Y, Zhu Q, Jiao X, Chang Y, Zhao N, Yang J, Lei F, Song G. Metabolic and microbial changes in light-vented bulbul during recent northward range expansion. Curr Zool 2024; 70:24-33. [PMID: 38476130 PMCID: PMC10926257 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Endotherms recently expanding to cold environments generally exhibit strong physiological acclimation to sustain high body temperature. During this process, gut microbes likely play a considerable role in host physiological functions, including digestion and thermogenesis. The light-vented bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis represents one such species. It used to be restricted to the Oriental realm but expanded its distribution range north to the Palearctic areas during the past few decades. Here, we explored the seasonal dynamics of the resting metabolic rate (RMR) and microbiota for local and newly colonized populations of the species. Our results showed that the mass-adjusted RMR and body mass were positively correlated with latitude variations in both seasons. Consistently, the gut microbiota showed a corresponding variation to the northern cold environments. In the two northern populations, the alpha diversity decreased compared with those of the two southern populations. Significant differences were detected in dominant phyla, such as Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Desulfobacterota in both seasons. The core microbiota showed geographic differences in the winter, including the elevated relative abundance of 5 species in northern populations. Finally, to explore the link between microbial communities and host metabolic thermogenesis, we conducted a correlation analysis between microbiota and mass-adjusted RMR. We found that more genera were significantly correlated with mass-adjusted RMR in the wintering season compared to the breeding season (71 vs. 23). These results suggest that microbiota of the lighted-vented bulbul linked with thermogenesis in diversity and abundance under northward expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ying Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Zoology, College of Life science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an 625099, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanzhu Ji
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yalin Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qianghui Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaolu Jiao
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yongbin Chang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Henan Engineering Research Center of Bird-Related Outage, Zhengzhou Normal University, Zhengzhou 450044, China
| | - Na Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, Anhui, China
| | - Jing Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xian 710021, China
| | - Fumin Lei
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Gang Song
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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9
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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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10
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Ye D, Ding X, Pang S, Gan Y, Li Z, Gan Q, Fang S. Seasonal Variations in Production Performance, Health Status, and Gut Microbiota of Meat Rabbit Reared in Semi-Confined Conditions. Animals (Basel) 2023; 14:113. [PMID: 38200844 PMCID: PMC10778228 DOI: 10.3390/ani14010113] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the variations in production performance, health status, and gut microbiota of meat rabbits raised in the semi-confined barn during summer and winter. Compared to summer, rabbits reared in winter possessed significantly higher slaughter weight and carcass weight. Rabbits fed in the summer were more vulnerable to different stressors, which led to increased protein levels of HSP90, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, and concentrations of MDA, but declined GSH and SOD activities. Additionally, significant differences in gut microbial communities were observed. Compared to the winter, rabbits fed in the summer had significantly lower and higher alpha and beta diversity. Both Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobiota were the dominant phyla, and they accounted for greater proportions in the winter than in the summer. At lower microbial taxa levels, several seasonal differentially enriched microbes were identified, such as Akkermansia muciniphila, the Oscillospiraceae NK4A214 group, the Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Alistipes, and Muribaculaceae. Functional capacities linked to microbial proliferation, nutrient metabolism, and environmental adaptive responses exhibited significantly different abundances between summer and winter. Moreover, strong interactions among different indicators were presented. Based on our findings, we not only proposed several potential strategies to ameliorate the undesirable effects of seasonal changes on the productivity and health of meat rabbits but also underscored the directions for future mechanistic studies of adaptation physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingcheng Ye
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Fujian Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350013, China;
| | - Xiaoning Ding
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.D.); (S.P.); (Y.G.); (Z.L.)
| | - Shuo Pang
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.D.); (S.P.); (Y.G.); (Z.L.)
| | - Yating Gan
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.D.); (S.P.); (Y.G.); (Z.L.)
| | - Zhechen Li
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.D.); (S.P.); (Y.G.); (Z.L.)
| | - Qianfu Gan
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.D.); (S.P.); (Y.G.); (Z.L.)
| | - Shaoming Fang
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.D.); (S.P.); (Y.G.); (Z.L.)
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11
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Guerrini M, Tanini D, Vannini C, Barbanera F. Wild Avian Gut Microbiome at a Small Spatial Scale: A Study from a Mediterranean Island Population of Alectoris rufa. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3341. [PMID: 37958097 PMCID: PMC10648672 DOI: 10.3390/ani13213341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This research is one of the few comparative descriptions at an intraspecific level of wild non-passerine microbiomes. We investigated for the first time the gut microbiome of red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) using fecal pellets in order to provide a more informed management. We focused on a small Italian population consisting of two demes (WEST, EAST) separated by about 20 km on the opposite sides of Elba Island. Given the small spatial scale, we set up a sampling protocol to minimize contamination from environmental bacteria, as well as differences due to variations in-among others-habitat, season, and age of feces, that could possibly affect the investigation of the three Elban sites. We found a significant divergence between the WEST and EAST Elban subpopulations in terms of microbial composition and alpha diversity. Although most represented bacterial phyla were the same in all the sites (Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes), microbiomes displayed a much higher diversity in western than in eastern partridges. This result might be related to locally diverging individual physiological needs and/or to different intensities in past releases of captive-bred birds between the two sides of Elba. We suggest that the two subpopulations should be treated as distinct management units.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Claudia Vannini
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 4, 56126 Pisa, Italy (F.B.)
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12
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Sang X, Li S, Guo R, Yan Q, Liu C, Zhang Y, Lv Q, Wu L, Ma J, You W, Feng L, Sun W. Dynamics and ecological reassembly of the human gut microbiome and the host metabolome in response to prolonged fasting. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1265425. [PMID: 37854337 PMCID: PMC10579591 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1265425] [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: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Prolonged fasting is an intervention approach with potential benefits for individuals with obesity or metabolic disorders. Changes in gut microbiota during and after fasting may also have significant effects on the human body. Methods Here we conducted a 7-days medically supervised water-only fasting for 46 obese volunteers and characterized their gut microbiota based on whole-metagenome sequencing of feces at five timepoints. Results Substantial changes in the gut microbial diversity and composition were observed during fasting, with rapid restoration after fasting. The ecological pattern of the microbiota was also reassembled during fasting, reflecting the reduced metabolic capacity of diet-derived carbohydrates, while other metabolic abilities such as degradation of glycoproteins, amino acids, lipids, and organic acid metabolism, were enhanced. We identified a group of species that responded significantly to fasting, including 130 fasting-resistant (consisting of a variety of members of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Fusobacteria) and 140 fasting-sensitive bacteria (mainly consisting of Firmicutes members). Functional comparison of the fasting-responded bacteria untangled the associations of taxon-specific functions (e.g., pentose phosphate pathway modules, glycosaminoglycan degradation, and folate biosynthesis) with fasting. Furthermore, we found that the serum and urine metabolomes of individuals were also substantially changed across the fasting procedure, and particularly, these changes were largely affected by the fasting-responded bacteria in the gut microbiota. Discussion Overall, our findings delineated the patterns of gut microbiota alterations under prolonged fasting, which will boost future mechanistic and clinical intervention studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopu Sang
- School of Life Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Qiulong Yan
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Changxi Liu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Qingbo Lv
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Lili Wu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Health Cultivation of the Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Health Cultivation, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Ma
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Wei You
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Feng
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Wen Sun
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Health Cultivation of the Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Health Cultivation, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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13
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Volmer JG, McRae H, Morrison M. The evolving role of methanogenic archaea in mammalian microbiomes. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1268451. [PMID: 37727289 PMCID: PMC10506414 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1268451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Methanogenic archaea (methanogens) represent a diverse group of microorganisms that inhabit various environmental and host-associated microbiomes. These organisms play an essential role in global carbon cycling given their ability to produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as a by-product of their energy production. Recent advances in culture-independent and -dependent studies have highlighted an increased prevalence of methanogens in the host-associated microbiome of diverse animal species. Moreover, there is increasing evidence that methanogens, and/or the methane they produce, may play a substantial role in human health and disease. This review addresses the expanding host-range and the emerging view of host-specific adaptations in methanogen biology and ecology, and the implications for host health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G. Volmer
- Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Harley McRae
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland Frazer Institute, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark Morrison
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland Frazer Institute, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
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14
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Hopken MW, Gilfillan D, Gilbert AT, Piaggio AJ, Hilton MS, Pierce J, Kimball B, Abdo Z. Biodiversity indices and Random Forests reveal the potential for striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) fecal microbial communities to function as a biomarker for oral rabies vaccination. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285852. [PMID: 37607164 PMCID: PMC10443867 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Wildlife disease surveillance and monitoring poses unique challenges when assessing rates of population vaccination, immunity, or infection prevalence. Non-invasively detected biomarkers can help reduce risk to both animal and field personnel during wildlife disease management activities. In this study, we investigated the utility of fecal microbiome data collected from captive striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in predicting rabies virus vaccination and infection status. We sequenced the hypervariable region 4 (V4) of the bacterial 16S gene and estimated alpha and beta diversity across timepoints in three groups of skunks: vaccination then rabies virus infection, sham vaccination then rabies virus infection, and rabies virus infected without vaccination. Alpha diversity did not differ among treatment groups but beta diversity between treatments was statistically significant. The phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were dominant among all samples. Using Random Forests, we identified operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that greatly influenced classification of fecal samples into treatment groups. Each of these OTUs was correlated with fecal volatile organic compounds detected from the samples for companion treatment groups in another study. This research is the first to highlight striped skunk microbiome biodiversity as a vaccination biomarker which pushes the frontier on alternative methods for surveillance and monitoring of vaccination and disease in wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W. Hopken
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Darby Gilfillan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Amy T. Gilbert
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Antoinette J. Piaggio
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Mikaela Samsel Hilton
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - James Pierce
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Bruce Kimball
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Zaid Abdo
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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15
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Liu S, Xiao Y, Wang X, Guo D, Wang Y, Wang Y. Effects of Microhabitat Temperature Variations on the Gut Microbiotas of Free-Living Hibernating Animals. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0043323. [PMID: 37378560 PMCID: PMC10434193 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00433-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Variations in ambient temperature (Ta) may significantly influence the gut microbiotas of ectothermic and endothermic animals, affecting fitness. It remains unclear, however, whether temperature fluctuations affect the gut microbial communities of hibernating animals during torpor. To investigate temperature-induced changes in the gut microbiota during hibernation under entirely natural conditions, we took advantage of two adjacent but distinct populations of the least horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus pusillus), which inhabit sites with a similar summer Ta but a different winter Ta. Using 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, we estimated differences in gut microbial diversity and composition between the hibernating (winter) and active (summer) R. pusillus populations at both sites. During the active period, gut microbiotas did not differ significantly between the two populations, probably due to the similar Tas. However, during hibernation, a higher Ta was associated with decreased α-diversity in the gut microbiome. During hibernation, temperature variation did not significantly affect the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, the dominant phylum at both sites, but marked site-specific differences were detected in the relative abundances of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Tenericutes. In total, 74 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were significantly differentially abundant between the hibernating and active bat guts across the two sites; most of these ASVs were associated with the cooler site, and many belonged to pathogenic genera, suggesting that lower ambient temperatures during hibernation may increase the risk of pathogen proliferation in the host gut. Our findings help to clarify the mechanisms underlying the gut microbiota-driven adaptation of hibernating mammals to temperature changes. IMPORTANCE Temperature variations affect gut microbiome diversity and structure in both ectothermic and endothermic animals. Here, we aimed to characterize temperature-induced changes in the gut microbiotas of adjacent natural populations of the least horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus pusillus) which hibernate at different ambient temperatures. We found that the ambient temperature significantly affected the α-diversity, but not the β-diversity, of the gut microbiota. Bats hibernating at cooler temperatures experienced more drastic shifts in gut microbiome structure, with consequent effects on energy-related metabolic pathways. Our results provide novel insights into the effects of ambient temperature on the gut microbiotas of hibernating animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Yanhong Xiao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xufan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Dongge Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Yanmei Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
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16
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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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17
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Hyams Y, Rubin-Blum M, Rosner A, Brodsky L, Rinkevich Y, Rinkevich B. Physiological changes during torpor favor association with Endozoicomonas endosymbionts in the urochordate Botrylloides leachii. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1072053. [PMID: 37323901 PMCID: PMC10264598 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1072053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental perturbations evoke down-regulation of metabolism in some multicellular organisms, leading to dormancy, or torpor. Colonies of the urochordate Botrylloides leachii enter torpor in response to changes in seawater temperature and may survive for months as small vasculature remnants that lack feeding and reproductive organs but possess torpor-specific microbiota. Upon returning to milder conditions, the colonies rapidly restore their original morphology, cytology and functionality while harboring re-occurring microbiota, a phenomenon that has not been described in detail to date. Here we investigated the stability of B. leachii microbiome and its functionality in active and dormant colonies, using microscopy, qPCR, in situ hybridization, genomics and transcriptomics. A novel lineage of Endozoicomonas, proposed here as Candidatus Endozoicomonas endoleachii, was dominant in torpor animals (53-79% read abundance), and potentially occupied specific hemocytes found only in torpid animals. Functional analysis of the metagenome-assembled genome and genome-targeted transcriptomics revealed that Endozoicomonas can use various cellular substrates, like amino acids and sugars, potentially producing biotin and thiamine, but also expressing various features involved in autocatalytic symbiosis. Our study suggests that the microbiome can be linked to the metabolic and physiological states of the host, B. leachii, introducing a model organism for the study of symbioses during drastic physiological changes, such as torpor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosef Hyams
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Maxim Rubin-Blum
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel
| | - Amalia Rosner
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel
| | - Leonid Brodsky
- Tauber Bioinformatics Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yuval Rinkevich
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany
| | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel
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18
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Burnham CM, McKenney EA, van Heugten KA, Minter LJ, Trivedi S. Effects of age, seasonality, and reproductive status on the gut microbiome of Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) at the North Carolina zoo. Anim Microbiome 2023; 5:27. [PMID: 37147724 PMCID: PMC10163733 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-023-00249-5] [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: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Managed southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) serve as assurance populations for wild conspecifics threatened by poaching and other anthropocentric effects, though many managed populations experience subfertility and reproductive failure. Gut microbiome and host health are inextricably linked, and reproductive outcomes in managed southern white rhinoceros may be mediated in part by their diet and gut microbial diversity. Thus, understanding microbial dynamics within managed populations may help improve conservation efforts. We characterized the taxonomic composition of the gut microbiome in the managed population of female southern white rhinoceros (n = 8) at the North Carolina Zoo and investigated the effects of seasonality (summer vs. winter) and age classes (juveniles (n = 2; 0-2 years), subadults (n = 2; 3-7 years), and adults (n = 4; >7 years)) on microbial richness and community structure. Collection of a fecal sample was attempted for each individual once per month from July-September 2020 and January-March 2021 resulting in a total of 41 samples analyzed. Microbial DNA was extracted and sequenced using the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA bacterial gene. Total operational taxonomic units (OTUs), alpha diversity (species richness, Shannon diversity), and beta diversity (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity, linear discriminant analysis effect size) indices were examined, and differentially enriched taxa were identified. RESULTS There were differences (p < 0.05) in alpha and beta diversity indices across individuals, age groups, and sampling months. Subadult females had higher levels of Shannon diversity (Wilcoxon, p < 0.05) compared to adult females and harbored a community cluster distinct from both juveniles and adults. Samples collected during winter months (January-March 2021) possessed higher species richness and statistically distinct communities compared to summer months (July-September 2020) (PERMANOVA, p < 0.05). Reproductively active (n = 2) and currently nonreproductive adult females (n = 2) harbored differentially enriched taxa, with the gut microbiome of nonreproductive females significantly enriched (p = 0.001) in unclassified members of Mobiluncus, a genus which possesses species associated with poor reproductive outcomes in other animal species when identified in the cervicovaginal microbiome. CONCLUSION Together, our results increase the understanding of age and season related microbial variation in southern white rhinoceros at the North Carolina Zoo and have identified a potential microbial biomarker for reproductive concern within managed female southern white rhinoceros.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Burnham
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, 120 W Broughton Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA
| | - Erin A McKenney
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, 100 Brooks Ave, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA
| | - Kimberly Ange- van Heugten
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, 120 W Broughton Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA
| | - Larry J Minter
- North Carolina Zoo, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC, 27205, USA
| | - Shweta Trivedi
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, 120 W Broughton Dr, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
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19
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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: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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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Kissmann AK, Rosenau F, Herwig A, Diedrich V. Short Photoperiod-Dependent Enrichment of Akkermansia spec. as the Major Change in the Intestinal Microbiome of Djungarian Hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076605. [PMID: 37047584 PMCID: PMC10095574 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) is a prominent model organism for seasonal acclimatization, showing drastic whole-body physiological adjustments to an energetically challenging environment, which are considered to also involve the gut microbiome. Fecal samples of hamsters in long photoperiod and again after twelve weeks in short photoperiod were analyzed by 16S-rRNA sequencing to evaluate seasonal changes in the respective gut microbiomes. In both photoperiods, the overall composition was stable in the major superordinate phyla of the microbiota, with distinct and delicate changes of abundance in phyla representing each <1% of all. Elusimicrobia, Tenericutes, and Verrucomicrobia were exclusively present in short photoperiod hamsters. In contrast to Elusimicrobium and Aneroplasma as representatives of Elusimicrobia and Tenericutes, Akkermansia muciniphila is a prominent gut microbiome inhabitant well described as important in the health context of animals and humans, including neurodegenerative diseases and obesity. Since diet was not changed, Akkermansia enrichment appears to be a direct consequence of short photoperiod acclimation. Future research will investigate whether the Djungarian hamster intestinal microbiome is responsible for or responsive to seasonal acclimation, focusing on probiotic supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Kathrin Kissmann
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Frank Rosenau
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Annika Herwig
- Institute of Neurobiology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Victoria Diedrich
- Institute of Neurobiology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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21
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Zhang L, Yang Z, Yang F, Wang G, Zeng M, Zhang Z, Yang M, Wang Z, Li Z. Gut microbiota of two invasive fishes respond differently to temperature. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1087777. [PMID: 37056740 PMCID: PMC10088563 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1087777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Temperature variation structures the composition and diversity of gut microbiomes in ectothermic animals, key regulators of host physiology, with potential benefit to host or lead to converse results (i.e., negative). So, the significance of either effect may largely depend on the length of time exposed to extreme temperatures and how rapidly the gut microbiota can be altered by change in temperature. However, the temporal effects of temperature on gut microbiota have rarely been clarified. To understand this issue, we exposed two juvenile fishes (Cyprinus carpio and Micropterus salmoides), which both ranked among the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world, to increased environmental temperature and sampled of the gut microbiota at multiple time points after exposure so as to determine when differences in these communities become detectable. Further, how temperature affects the composition and function of microbiota was examined by comparing predicted metagenomic profiles of gut microbiota between treatment groups at the final time point of the experiment. The gut microbiota of C. carpio was more plastic than those of M. salmoides. Specifically, communities of C. carpio were greatly altered by increased temperature within 1 week, while communities of M. salmoides exhibit no significant changes. Further, we identified 10 predicted bacterial functional pathways in C. carpio that were temperature-dependent, while none functional pathways in M. salmoides was found to be temperature-dependent. Thus, the gut microbiota of C. carpio was more sensitive to temperature changes and their functional pathways were significantly changed after temperature treatment. These results showed the gut microbiota of the two invasive fishes differ in response to temperature change, which may indicate that they differ in colonization modes. Broadly, we have confirmed that the increased short-term fluctuations in temperatures are always expected to alter the gut microbiota of ectothermic vertebrates when facing global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixia Zhang
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
- Puyang Field Scientific Observation and Research Station for Yellow River Wetland Ecosystem and The Observation and Research Field Station of Taihang Mountain Forest Ecosystems of Henan Province, Xinxiang, China
- *Correspondence: Lixia Zhang,
| | - Zi Yang
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Gege Wang
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Ming Zeng
- Jigongshan National Nature Reserve, Xinyang, China
| | | | - Mengxiao Yang
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Zhanqi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Life Sciences, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
| | - Zhibing Li
- Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
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22
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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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23
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Neha SA, Salazar-Bravo J. Fine-scale spatial variation shape fecal microbiome diversity and composition in black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:51. [PMID: 36858951 PMCID: PMC9979494 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02778-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Host associated gut microbiota are important in understanding the coevolution of host-microbe, and how they may help wildlife populations to adapt to rapid environmental changes. Mammalian gut microbiota composition and diversity may be affected by a variety of factors including geographic variation, seasonal variation in diet, habitat disturbance, environmental conditions, age, and sex. However, there have been few studies that examined how ecological and environmental factors influence gut microbiota composition in animals' natural environments. In this study, we explore how host habitat, geographical location and environmental factors affect the fecal microbiota of Cynomys ludovicianus at a small spatial scale. We collected fecal samples from five geographically distinct locations in the Texas Panhandle classified as urban and rural areas and analyzed them using high throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. RESULTS The results showed that microbiota of these fecal samples was largely dominated by the phylum Bacteroidetes. Fecal microbiome diversity and composition differed significantly across sampling sites and habitats. Prairie dogs inhabiting urban areas showed reduced fecal diversity due to more homogenous environment and, likely, anthropogenic disturbance. Urban prairie dog colonies displayed greater phylogenetic variation among replicates than those in rural habitats. Differentially abundant analysis revealed that bacterial species pathogenic to humans and animals were highly abundant in urban areas which indicates that host health and fitness might be negatively affected. Random forest models identified Alistipes shahii as the important species driving the changes in fecal microbiome composition. Despite the effects of habitat and geographic location of host, we found a strong correlation with environmental factors and that- average maximum temperature was the best predictor of prairie dog fecal microbial diversity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that reduction in alpha diversity in conjunction with greater dispersion in beta diversity could be indicative of declining host health in urban areas; this information may, in turn, help determine future conservation efforts. Moreover, several bacterial species pathogenic to humans and other animals were enriched in prairie dog colonies near urban areas, which may in turn adversely affect host phenotype and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sufia Akter Neha
- International Center for Arid and Semi-Arid Land Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, 79409, USA.
| | - Jorge Salazar-Bravo
- International Center for Arid and Semi-Arid Land Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, 79409, USA
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24
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滕 威. The Intestinal Microbiota Composition of Chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus) in the Broad-Leaved and Korean Pine Mixed Forest in Summer. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.12677/ije.2023.121005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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25
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Holmes IA, Grundler MC. Phylogenetically under-dispersed gut microbiomes are not correlated with host genomic heterozygosity in a genetically diverse reptile community. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:258-274. [PMID: 36221927 PMCID: PMC9797449 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
While key elements of fitness in vertebrate animals are impacted by their microbiomes, the host genetic characteristics that factor into microbiome composition are not fully understood. Here, we correlate host genomic heterozygosity and gut microbiome phylogenetic diversity across a community of reptiles in southwestern New Mexico to test hypotheses about the behaviour of host genes that drive microbiome assembly. We find that microbiome communities are phylogenetically under-dispersed relative to random expectations, and that host heterozygosity is not correlated with microbiome diversity. Our analyses reinforce results from functional genomic work that identify conserved host immune and nonimmune genes as key players in microbiome assembly, rather than gene families that rely on heterozygosity for their function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris A. Holmes
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
- Cornell Institute of Host Microbe Interactions and Disease and Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | - Michael C. Grundler
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
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26
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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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27
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Wang C, Li X, Jin D, Gong P, Li Q, Zhang Y, Li X, Deng Y, Cernava T, Zhu X. Implications of environmentally shaped microbial communities for insecticide resistance in Sitobion miscanthi. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 215:114409. [PMID: 36152886 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Insect-associated bacteria play an important role in the resistance to pesticides, yet bacterial community compositions in wild insect host populations and the environmental factors that shape them are mostly elusive. In this study, Sitobion miscanthi (Takahashi) populations were collected from major wheat growing regions in China. Following high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments, association analyses were performed within the bacterial community associated with S. miscanthi, as well as with population resistance levels to four commonly used pesticides and different environmental factors. We found that bacterial community structures differed in various regions, and that the abundances of dominant bacteria such as Buchnera, Candidatus Regiella, Candidatus Hamiltonella showed high variations. The resistance of S. miscanthi to avermectin and bifenthrin was shown to decline with increasing bacterial diversity. Meanwhile, with the increase of bacterial network modularity, the resistance of S. miscanthi populations to imidacloprid, avermectin and bifenthrin also increased correspondingly. In addition, correlation analysis indicated that altitude and air pressure had the strongest impact on bacterial community diversity and relative abundance, followed by humidity, rainfall and temperature. Overall, insights into such complex interactions between bacteria and their insect hosts offer new directions for biological pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xinan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China; School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Decai Jin
- Key Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
| | - Peipan Gong
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qiuchi Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yunhui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiangrui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ye Deng
- Key Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Tomislav Cernava
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 12, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Xun Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
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28
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Aivelo T, Lemoine M, Tschirren B. Elevational Changes in Bacterial Microbiota Structure and Diversity in an Arthropod-Disease Vector. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 84:868-878. [PMID: 34599659 PMCID: PMC9622521 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01879-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Environmental conditions change rapidly along elevational gradients and have been found to affect community composition in macroscopic taxa, with lower diversity typically observed at higher elevations. In contrast, microbial community responses to elevation are still poorly understood. Specifically, the effects of elevation on vector-associated microbiota have not been studied to date, even though the within-vector microbial community is known to influence vector competence for a range of zoonotic pathogens. Here we characterize the structure and diversity of the bacterial microbiota in an important zoonotic disease vector, the sheep tick Ixodes ricinus, along replicated elevational gradient (630-1673 m) in the Swiss Alps. 16S rRNA sequencing of the whole within-tick bacterial microbiota of questing nymphs and adults revealed a decrease in Faith's phylogenetic microbial alpha diversity with increasing elevation, while beta diversity analyses revealed a lower variation in microbial community composition at higher elevations. We also found a higher microbial diversity later in the season and significant differences in microbial diversity among tick life stages and sexes, with lowest microbial alpha diversity observed in adult females. No associations between tick genetic diversity and bacterial diversity were observed. Our study demonstrates systematic changes in tick bacterial microbiota diversity along elevational gradients. The observed patterns mirror diversity changes along elevational gradients typically observed in macroscopic taxa, and they highlight the key role of environmental factors in shaping within-host microbial communities in ectotherms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuomas Aivelo
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1 (PL 56), 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Mélissa Lemoine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Tschirren
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
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29
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Recent findings in Akkermansia muciniphila-regulated metabolism and its role in intestinal diseases. Clin Nutr 2022; 41:2333-2344. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2022.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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30
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Miao W, Han Y, Yang Y, Hao Z, An N, Chen J, Zhang Z, Gao X, Storey KB, Chang H, Wang S. Dynamic Changes in Colonic Structure and Protein Expression Suggest Regulatory Mechanisms of Colonic Barrier Function in Torpor-Arousal Cycles of the Daurian Ground Squirrel. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169026. [PMID: 36012293 PMCID: PMC9409258 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Both pathological conditions and hibernation can affect the barrier function of small intestine mucosa. However, the effect of hibernation on the barrier function of colonic mucosa remains unclear. Methods: We investigated morphological changes in colonic mucosa, the concentrations of specific proteins and molecules, and the enzymatic activity of diamine oxidase (DAO), in serum and colonic tissue; the expression of tight junction proteins and mucin, and the changes in inflammatory, farnesoid X receptor (FXR)–small heterodimer partner (SHP), and apoptosis-related molecules that could play a role in gut permeability changes in Daurian ground squirrels in summer active (SA), late torpor (LT), and interbout arousal (IBA) periods. Results: The results show that hibernation reduced the thickness of the colonic mucosa and the depth of the crypt, decreased the number of goblet cells (GCs), and damaged the structure of some microvilli. The concentrations of proteins and molecules, and the enzymatic activity of DAO, were all increased in the serum and colon, and the localization of tight junction proteins and mucin in the colonic mucosa were altered (compensatory response). Although the ground squirrels ate during the interbout arousal period, the changes remained similar to the response to torpor. Inflammation, apoptosis–anti-apoptosis, and FXR–SHP signaling may be involved in the possible changes in intestinal gut permeability during the torpor–arousal cycle in Daurian ground squirrels. In addition, periodic interbout arousal may play an inflammation-correcting role during the long hibernation season of Daurian ground squirrels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weilan Miao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Yuting Han
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Yingyu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Ziwei Hao
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Ning An
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Jiayu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Ziwen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Xuli Gao
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
| | - Kenneth B. Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Hui Chang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
- Correspondence: (H.C.); (S.W.); Tel.: +86-29-88303935 (H.C.)
| | - Shiwei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (College of Life Sciences, Northwest University), Ministry of Education, 229# North Taibai Road, Xi’an 710069, China
- Correspondence: (H.C.); (S.W.); Tel.: +86-29-88303935 (H.C.)
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31
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Zhou J, Wang M, Yi X. Alteration of Gut Microbiota of a Food-Storing Hibernator, Siberian Chipmunk Tamias sibiricus. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 84:603-612. [PMID: 34562129 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01877-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Hibernation represents a state of fasting because hibernators cease eating in the torpid periods. Therefore, food deprivation during hibernation is expected to modify the gut microbiota of host. However, there are few reports of gut microbiota in food-storing hibernators that feed during the interbout arousals. Here we collected fecal samples of Siberian chipmunk T. sibiricus to character and examine changes in the gut microbiota at various stages relative to hibernation: pre-hibernation, early-hibernation, mid-hibernation, late-hibernation, and post-hibernation. Compared to the pre-hibernation state, alpha-diversity of gut microbiota was significantly increased during the interbout arousal periods. In addition, beta-diversity of the fecal communities from pre-hibernation and interbout arousal periods grouped together, and post-hibernation gut microbiota resembled the counterpart at late-hibernation. Hibernation significantly decreased the relative abundance of Firmicutes but increased Bacteroidetes, reflecting a shift of microbiota toward taxa in favor of host-derived substrates. The increased abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Lactobacillus, and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group in gut microbiota may help the chipmunks reduce intestinal inflammation and then maintain healthy bowel during hibernation. KEGG pathway indicated that hibernation altered the metabolic function of gut microflora of T. sibiricus. Our study provides evidence that the gut microbiota of food-storing hibernators, despite feeding during the interbout arousals, shows similar response to hibernation that has well documented in fat-storing counterparts, suggesting the potential for a core gut microbiota during hibernation of mammals. Importantly, these results will broaden our understanding of the effects of hibernation on gut microbiota of mammal hibernators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China
| | - Minghui Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China
| | - Xianfeng Yi
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China.
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32
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Greene LK, Andriambeloson JB, Rasoanaivo HA, Yoder AD, Blanco MB. Variation in gut microbiome structure across the annual hibernation cycle in a wild primate. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6604834. [PMID: 35679092 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome can mediate host metabolism, including facilitating energy-saving strategies like hibernation. The dwarf lemurs of Madagascar (Cheirogaleus spp.) are the only obligate hibernators among primates. They also hibernate in the subtropics, and unlike temperate hibernators, fatten by converting fruit sugars to lipid deposits, torpor at relatively warm temperatures, and forage for a generalized diet after emergence. Despite these ecological differences, we might expect hibernation to shape the gut microbiome in similar ways across mammals. We, therefore, compare gut microbiome profiles, determined by amplicon sequencing of rectal swabs, in wild furry-eared dwarf lemurs (C. crossleyi) during fattening, hibernation, and after emergence. The dwarf lemurs exhibited reduced gut microbial diversity during fattening, intermediate diversity and increased community homogenization during hibernation, and greatest diversity after emergence. The Mycoplasma genus was enriched during fattening, whereas the Aerococcaceae and Actinomycetaceae families, and not Akkermansia, bloomed during hibernation. As expected, the dwarf lemurs showed seasonal reconfigurations of the gut microbiome; however, the patterns of microbial diversity diverged from temperate hibernators, and better resembled the shifts associated with dietary fruits and sugars in primates and model organisms. Our results thus highlight the potential for dwarf lemurs to probe microbiome-mediated metabolism in primates under contrasting conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia K Greene
- The Duke Lemur Center, 3705 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27705, United States.,Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Jean-Basile Andriambeloson
- Department of Zoology and Animal Biodiversity, Faculty of Science, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Hoby A Rasoanaivo
- Department of Science and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Anne D Yoder
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Marina B Blanco
- The Duke Lemur Center, 3705 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27705, United States.,Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
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33
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Mallott EK, Skovmand LH, Garber PA, Amato KR. The fecal metabolome of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) varies in response to seasonal dietary changes. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:4146-4161. [PMID: 35665560 PMCID: PMC9543302 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mammals rely on the metabolic functions of their gut microbiota to meet their energetic needs and digest potentially toxic components in their diet. The gut microbiome plastically responds to shifts in host diet and may buffer variation in energy and nutrient availability. However, it is unclear how seasonal differences in the gut microbiome influence microbial metabolism and nutrients available to hosts. In this study, we examine seasonal variation in the gut metabolome of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) to determine whether those variations are associated with differences in gut microbiome composition and nutrient intake, and if plasticity in the gut microbiome buffers shortfalls in energy or nutrient intake. We integrated data on the metabolome of 81 faecal samples from 16 individuals collected across three distinct seasons with gut microbiome, nutrient intake and plant metabolite consumption data from the same period. Faecal metabolite profiles differed significantly between seasons and were strongly associated with changes in plant metabolite consumption. However, microbial community composition and faecal metabolite composition were not strongly associated. Additionally, the connectivity and stability of faecal metabolome networks varied seasonally, with network connectivity being highest during the dry, fruit‐dominated season when black howler monkey diets were calorically and nutritionally constrained. Network stability was highest during the dry, leaf‐dominated season when most nutrients were being consumed at intermediate rates. Our results suggest that the gut microbiome buffers seasonal variation in dietary intake, and that the buffering effect is most limited when host diet becomes calorically or nutritionally restricted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K Mallott
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Microbiome Innovation Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Paul A Garber
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,International Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
| | - Katherine R Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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34
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Marsh KJ, Raulo AM, Brouard M, Troitsky T, English HM, Allen B, Raval R, Venkatesan S, Pedersen AB, Webster JP, Knowles SCL. Synchronous Seasonality in the Gut Microbiota of Wild Mouse Populations. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:809735. [PMID: 35547129 PMCID: PMC9083407 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.809735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome performs many important functions in mammalian hosts, with community composition shaping its functional role. However, the factors that drive individual microbiota variation in wild animals and to what extent these are predictable or idiosyncratic across populations remains poorly understood. Here, we use a multi-population dataset from a common rodent species (the wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus), to test whether a consistent “core” gut microbiota is identifiable in this species, and to what extent the predictors of microbiota variation are consistent across populations. Between 2014 and 2018 we used capture-mark-recapture and 16S rRNA profiling to intensively monitor two wild wood mouse populations and their gut microbiota, as well as characterising the microbiota from a laboratory-housed colony of the same species. Although the microbiota was broadly similar at high taxonomic levels, the two wild populations did not share a single bacterial amplicon sequence variant (ASV), despite being only 50km apart. Meanwhile, the laboratory-housed colony shared many ASVs with one of the wild populations from which it is thought to have been founded decades ago. Despite not sharing any ASVs, the two wild populations shared a phylogenetically more similar microbiota than either did with the colony, and the factors predicting compositional variation in each wild population were remarkably similar. We identified a strong and consistent pattern of seasonal microbiota restructuring that occurred at both sites, in all years, and within individual mice. While the microbiota was highly individualised, some seasonal convergence occurred in late winter/early spring. These findings reveal highly repeatable seasonal gut microbiota dynamics in multiple populations of this species, despite different taxa being involved. This provides a platform for future work to understand the drivers and functional implications of such predictable seasonal microbiome restructuring, including whether it might provide the host with adaptive seasonal phenotypic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty J Marsh
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, United Kingdom.,College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Aura M Raulo
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Marc Brouard
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tanya Troitsky
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Holly M English
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, United Kingdom.,Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Bryony Allen
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Rohan Raval
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Saudamini Venkatesan
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Amy B Pedersen
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Joanne P Webster
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah C L Knowles
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, United Kingdom.,Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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35
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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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36
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Jawahar J, McCumber AW, Lickwar CR, Amoroso CR, de la Torre Canny SG, Wong S, Morash M, Thierer JH, Farber SA, Bohannan BJM, Guillemin K, Rawls JF. Starvation causes changes in the intestinal transcriptome and microbiome that are reversed upon refeeding. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:225. [PMID: 35317738 PMCID: PMC8941736 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08447-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ability of animals and their microbiomes to adapt to starvation and then restore homeostasis after refeeding is fundamental to their continued survival and symbiosis. The intestine is the primary site of nutrient absorption and microbiome interaction, however our understanding of intestinal adaptations to starvation and refeeding remains limited. Here we used RNA sequencing and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to uncover changes in the intestinal transcriptome and microbiome of zebrafish subjected to long-term starvation and refeeding compared to continuously fed controls. RESULTS Starvation over 21 days led to increased diversity and altered composition in the intestinal microbiome compared to fed controls, including relative increases in Vibrio and reductions in Plesiomonas bacteria. Starvation also led to significant alterations in host gene expression in the intestine, with distinct pathways affected at early and late stages of starvation. This included increases in the expression of ribosome biogenesis genes early in starvation, followed by decreased expression of genes involved in antiviral immunity and lipid transport at later stages. These effects of starvation on the host transcriptome and microbiome were almost completely restored within 3 days after refeeding. Comparison with published datasets identified host genes responsive to starvation as well as high-fat feeding or microbiome colonization, and predicted host transcription factors that may be involved in starvation response. CONCLUSIONS Long-term starvation induces progressive changes in microbiome composition and host gene expression in the zebrafish intestine, and these changes are rapidly reversed after refeeding. Our identification of bacterial taxa, host genes and host pathways involved in this response provides a framework for future investigation of the physiological and ecological mechanisms underlying intestinal adaptations to food restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayanth Jawahar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Alexander W McCumber
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Colin R Lickwar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Caroline R Amoroso
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Sol Gomez de la Torre Canny
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Sandi Wong
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Margaret Morash
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - James H Thierer
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Steven A Farber
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Brendan J M Bohannan
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Karen Guillemin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - John F Rawls
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke Microbiome Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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37
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Hotchkiss MZ, Poulain AJ, Forrest JRK. Pesticide-induced disturbances of bee gut microbiotas. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:6517452. [PMID: 35107129 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social bee gut microbiotas play key roles in host health and performance. Worryingly, a growing body of literature shows that pesticide exposure can disturb these microbiotas. Most studies examine changes in taxonomic composition in Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) gut microbiotas caused by insecticide exposure. Core bee gut microbiota taxa shift in abundance after exposure but are rarely eliminated, with declines in Bifidobacteriales and Lactobacillus near melliventris abundance being the most common shifts. Pesticide concentration, exposure duration, season and concurrent stressors all influence whether and how bee gut microbiotas are disturbed. Also, the mechanism of disturbance-i.e. whether a pesticide directly affects microbial growth or indirectly affects the microbiota by altering host health-likely affects disturbance consistency. Despite growing interest in this topic, important questions remain unanswered. Specifically, metabolic shifts in bee gut microbiotas remain largely uninvestigated, as do effects of pesticide-disturbed gut microbiotas on bee host performance. Furthermore, few bee species have been studied other than A. mellifera, and few herbicides and fungicides have been examined. We call for these knowledge gaps to be addressed so that we may obtain a comprehensive picture of how pesticides alter bee gut microbiotas, and of the functional consequences of these changes.
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38
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Regan MD, Chiang E, Liu Y, Tonelli M, Verdoorn KM, Gugel SR, Suen G, Carey HV, Assadi-Porter FM. Nitrogen recycling via gut symbionts increases in ground squirrels over the hibernation season. Science 2022; 375:460-463. [PMID: 35084962 DOI: 10.1126/science.abh2950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hibernation is a mammalian strategy that uses metabolic plasticity to reduce energy demands and enable long-term fasting. Fasting mitigates winter food scarcity but eliminates dietary nitrogen, jeopardizing body protein balance. Here, we reveal gut microbiome-mediated urea nitrogen recycling in hibernating thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). Ureolytic gut microbes incorporate urea nitrogen into metabolites that are absorbed by the host, with the nitrogen reincorporated into the squirrel's protein pool. Urea nitrogen recycling is greatest after prolonged fasting in late winter, when urea transporter abundance in gut tissue and urease gene abundance in the microbiome are highest. These results reveal a functional role for the gut microbiome during hibernation and suggest mechanisms by which urea nitrogen recycling may contribute to protein balance in other monogastric animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Regan
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Edna Chiang
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.,Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Yunxi Liu
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Marco Tonelli
- National Magnetic Resonance Facility at Madison (NMRFAM), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Kristen M Verdoorn
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Sadie R Gugel
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Garret Suen
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Hannah V Carey
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Fariba M Assadi-Porter
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Fan C, Zhang L, Jia S, Tang X, Fu H, Li W, Liu C, Zhang H, Cheng Q, Zhang Y. Seasonal variations in the composition and functional profiles of gut microbiota reflect dietary changes in plateau pikas. Integr Zool 2022; 17:379-395. [PMID: 35051309 PMCID: PMC9305894 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Seasonal variations in gut microbiota of small mammals and how it is influenced by environmental variables is relatively poorly understood. We sampled 162 wild plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) in four seasons over two and a half years and recorded the air temperature, precipitation, and nutrient content in edible vegetation at the sampling site. After conducting 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we found that the highest alpha diversity, the relative abundance of Firmicutes, and the simplest co-occurrence network occurred in winter, whereas that the highest relative abundance of Proteobacteria and the most complex network structure was observed in spring. The highest relative abundance of Verrucomicrobiota and Spirochaetota were seen in summer and autumn, respectively. Air temperature, precipitation, and the contents of crude protein, crude fiber, and polysaccharide in vegetation had significant effects on the seasonal changes in gut microbiota. Diet contributed more to microbial variation than climatic factors. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the amino acid metabolism pathway and axillary activity enzymes were most abundant in summer, while abundance of carbohydrate-binding modules and carbohydrate esterases were highest in spring. These microbial variations were related to the changes in dietary nutrition, indicating that gut microbiota of plateau pika contribute to the efficient use of food resources. This study provides new evidence of how external environmental factors affect the intestinal environment of small mammals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Fan
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China.,College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Liangzhi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China.,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Shangang Jia
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xianjiang Tang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China.,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining, 810008, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Haibo Fu
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China.,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining, 810008, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wenjing Li
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China.,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Chuanfa Liu
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China.,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining, 810008, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - He Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China.,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining, 810008, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qi Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China.,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining, 810008, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yanming Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China.,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining, 810008, China
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Chiang E, Deblois CL, Carey HV, Suen G. Characterization of captive and wild 13-lined ground squirrel cecal microbiotas using Illumina-based sequencing. Anim Microbiome 2022; 4:1. [PMID: 34980290 PMCID: PMC8722175 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00154-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hibernating animals experience extreme changes in diet that make them useful systems for understanding host-microbial symbioses. However, most of our current knowledge about the hibernator gut microbiota is derived from studies using captive animals. Given that there are substantial differences between captive and wild environments, conclusions drawn from studies with captive hibernators may not reflect the gut microbiota's role in the physiology of wild animals. To address this, we used Illumina-based sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to compare the bacterial cecal microbiotas of captive and wild 13-lined ground squirrels (TLGS) in the summer. As the first study to use Illumina-based technology to compare the microbiotas of an obligate rodent hibernator across the year, we also reported changes in captive TLGS microbiotas in summer, winter, and spring. RESULTS Wild TLGS microbiotas had greater richness and phylogenetic diversity with less variation in beta diversity when compared to captive microbiotas. Taxa identified as core operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and found to significantly contribute to differences in beta diversity were primarily in the families Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae. Captive TLGS microbiotas shared phyla and core OTUs across the year, but active season (summer and spring) microbiotas had different alpha and beta diversities than winter season microbiotas. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to compare the microbiotas of captive and wild rodent hibernators. Our findings suggest that data from captive and wild ground squirrels should be interpreted separately due to their distinct microbiotas. Additionally, as the first study to compare seasonal microbiotas of obligate rodent hibernators using Illumina-based 16S rRNA sequencing, we reported changes in captive TLGS microbiotas that are consistent with previous work. Taken together, this study provides foundational information for improving the reproducibility and experimental design of future hibernation microbiota studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edna Chiang
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Courtney L. Deblois
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Hannah V. Carey
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Garret Suen
- Present Address: Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
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41
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Geerlings SY, Ouwerkerk JP, Koehorst JJ, Ritari J, Aalvink S, Stecher B, Schaap PJ, Paulin L, de Vos WM, Belzer C. Genomic convergence between Akkermansia muciniphila in different mammalian hosts. BMC Microbiol 2021; 21:298. [PMID: 34715771 PMCID: PMC8555344 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-021-02360-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Akkermansia muciniphila is a member of the human gut microbiota where it resides in the mucus layer and uses mucin as the sole carbon, nitrogen and energy source. A. muciniphila is the only representative of the Verrucomicrobia phylum in the human gut. However, A. muciniphila 16S rRNA gene sequences have also been found in the intestines of many vertebrates. Results We detected A. muciniphila-like bacteria in the intestines of animals belonging to 15 out of 16 mammalian orders. In addition, other species belonging to the Verrucomicrobia phylum were detected in fecal samples. We isolated 10 new A. muciniphila strains from the feces of chimpanzee, siamang, mouse, pig, reindeer, horse and elephant. The physiology and genome of these strains were highly similar in comparison to the type strain A. muciniphila MucT. Overall, the genomes of the new strains showed high average nucleotide identity (93.9 to 99.7%). In these genomes, we detected considerable conservation of at least 75 of the 78 mucin degradation genes that were previously detected in the genome of the type strain MucT. Conclusions The low genomic divergence observed in the new strains may indicate that A. muciniphila favors mucosal colonization independent of the differences in hosts. In addition, the conserved mucus degradation capability points towards a similar beneficial role of the new strains in regulating host metabolic health. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-021-02360-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Y Geerlings
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Janneke P Ouwerkerk
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jasper J Koehorst
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jarmo Ritari
- Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Steven Aalvink
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bärbel Stecher
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter J Schaap
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lars Paulin
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Willem M de Vos
- Human Microbiome Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Clara Belzer
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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42
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Seasonal Changes in the Distinct Taxonomy and Function of the Gut Microbiota in the Wild Ground Squirrel ( Spermophilus dauricus). Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11092685. [PMID: 34573650 PMCID: PMC8469230 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal breeding is a normal phenomenon in which animals adapt to natural selection and reproduce only in specific seasons. Large studies have reported that the gut microbiota is closely related to reproduction. The purpose of this study was to explore the distinct taxonomy and function of the gut microbiota in the breeding and non-breeding seasons of the wild ground squirrel (Spermophilus dauricus). The 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology was utilized to sequence the gut microbiota of the wild ground squirrel. PICRUSt analysis was also applied to predict the function of the gut microbiota. The results suggested that the main components of the gut microbiota in all samples were Firmicutes (61.8%), Bacteroidetes (32.4%), and Proteobacteria (3.7%). Microbial community composition analyses revealed significant differences between the breeding and non-breeding seasons. At the genus level, Alistipes, Mycoplasma, Anaerotruncus, and Odoribacter were more abundant in the non-breeding season, while Blautia and Streptococcus were more abundant in the breeding season. The results of a functional prediction suggested that the relative abundance of functional categories that were related to lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism increased in the breeding season. The relative abundance of energy metabolism, transcription, and signal transduction increased in the non-breeding season. Overall, this study found differences in the taxonomy and function of the gut microbiota of the wild ground squirrel between the breeding and non-breeding seasons, and laid the foundation for further studies on the relationship between the gut microbiota and seasonal breeding.
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Hu D, Yang J, Qi Y, Li B, Li K, Mok KM. Metagenomic Analysis of Fecal Archaea, Bacteria, Eukaryota, and Virus in Przewalski's Horses Following Anthelmintic Treatment. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:708512. [PMID: 34490397 PMCID: PMC8416479 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.708512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Intestinal microbiota is involved in immune response and metabolism of the host. The frequent use of anthelmintic compounds for parasite expulsion causes disturbance to the equine intestinal microbiota. However, most studies were on the effects of such treatment on the intestinal bacterial microbes; none is on the entire microbial community including archaea and eukaryotic and viral community in equine animals. This study is the first to explore the differences of the microbial community composition and structure in Przewalski's horses prior to and following anthelmintic treatment, and to determine the corresponding changes of their functional attributes based on metagenomic sequencing. Results showed that in archaea, the methanogen of Euryarchaeota was the dominant phylum. Under this phylum, anthelmintic treatment increased the Methanobrevibacter genus and decreased the Methanocorpusculum genus and two other dominant archaea species, Methanocorpusculum labreanum and Methanocorpusculum bavaricum. In bacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla. Anthelmintic treatment increased the genera of Clostridium and Eubacterium and decreased those of Bacteroides and Prevotella and dominant bacteria species. These altered genera were associated with immunity and digestion. In eukaryota, anthelmintic treatment also changed the genera related to digestion and substantially decreased the relative abundances of identified species. In virus, anthelmintic treatment increased the genus of unclassified_d__Viruses and decreased those of unclassified_f__Siphoviridae and unclassified_f__Myoviridae. Most of the identified viral species were classified into phage, which were more sensitive to anthelmintic treatment than other viruses. Furthermore, anthelmintic treatment was found to increase the number of pathogens related to some clinical diseases in horses. The COG and KEGG function analysis showed that the intestinal microbiota of Przewalski's horse mainly participated in the carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. The anthelmintic treatment did not change their overall function; however, it displaced the population of the functional microbes involved in each function or pathway. These results provide a complete view on the changes caused by anthelmintic treatment in the intestinal microbiota of the Przewalski's horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dini Hu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianming Yang
- Xinjiang Research Centre for Breeding Przewalski's Horse, Urumqi, China
| | - Yingjie Qi
- Xinjiang Kalamaili Ungulate Nature Reserve Management Center, Changji, China
| | - Boling Li
- China National Environment Monitoring Centre, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Li
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Meng Mok
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Macau, Macao, China
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Grond K, Kurtz CC, Hatton J, Sonsalla MM, Duddleston KN. Gut microbiome is affected by gut region but robust to host physiological changes in captive active-season ground squirrels. Anim Microbiome 2021; 3:56. [PMID: 34389044 PMCID: PMC8361659 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00117-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) are obligate hibernators and are only active 4–5 months annually. During this period, squirrels rapidly acquire fat for use during hibernation. We investigated how the gut microbiome changed over the active season in the mucosa and lumen of two gut sections: the cecum and ileum. We sequenced the 16S rRNA gene to assess diversity and composition of the squirrel gut microbiome and used differential abundance and network analyses to identify relationships among gut sections. Results Microbial composition significantly differed between the cecum and ileum, and within the ileum between the mucosa and lumen. Cecum mucosa and lumen samples did not differ in alpha diversity and composition, and clustered by individual squirrel. Ileum mucosa and lumen samples differed in community composition, which can likely be attributed to the transient nature of food-associated bacteria in the lumen. We did not detect a shift in microbiome diversity and overall composition over the duration of the active season, indicating that the squirrel microbiome may be relatively robust to changes in physiology. Conclusions Overall, we found that the 13-lined ground squirrel microbiome is shaped by microenvironment during the active season. Our results provide baseline data for new avenues of research, such as investigating potential differences in microbial function among these physiologically unique gut environments. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42523-021-00117-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Grond
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA.
| | - Courtney C Kurtz
- Department of Biology, College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 800 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh, WI, 54901, USA
| | - Jasmine Hatton
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA
| | - Michelle M Sonsalla
- Department of Biology, College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 800 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh, WI, 54901, USA
| | - Khrystyne N Duddleston
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA
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Ávila-Román J, Soliz-Rueda JR, Bravo FI, Aragonès G, Suárez M, Arola-Arnal A, Mulero M, Salvadó MJ, Arola L, Torres-Fuentes C, Muguerza B. Phenolic compounds and biological rhythms: Who takes the lead? Trends Food Sci Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2021.04.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Cerri M, Hitrec T, Luppi M, Amici R. Be cool to be far: Exploiting hibernation for space exploration. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:218-232. [PMID: 34144115 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, torpor/hibernation is a state that is characterized by an active reduction in metabolic rate followed by a progressive decrease in body temperature. Torpor was successfully mimicked in non-hibernators by inhibiting the activity of neurons within the brainstem region of the Raphe Pallidus, or by activating the adenosine A1 receptors in the brain. This state, called synthetic torpor, may be exploited for many medical applications, and for space exploration, providing many benefits for biological adaptation to the space environment, among which an enhanced protection from cosmic rays. As regards the use of synthetic torpor in space, to fully evaluate the degree of physiological advantage provided by this state, it is strongly advisable to move from Earth-based experiments to 'in the field' tests, possibly on board the International Space Station.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Cerri
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S.Donato, 2 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Timna Hitrec
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S.Donato, 2 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Marco Luppi
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S.Donato, 2 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Roberto Amici
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S.Donato, 2 40126, Bologna, Italy.
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Macrobdella decora: Old World Leech Gut Microbial Community Structure Conserved in a New World Leech. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02082-20. [PMID: 33674439 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02082-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Leeches are found in terrestrial, aquatic, and marine habitats on all continents. Sanguivorous leeches have been used in medicine for millennia. Modern scientific uses include studies of neurons, anticoagulants, and gut microbial symbioses. Hirudo verbana, the European medicinal leech, maintains a gut community dominated by two bacterial symbionts, Aeromonas veronii and Mucinivorans hirudinis, which sometimes account for as much as 97% of the total crop microbiota. The highly simplified gut anatomy and microbiome of H. verbana make it an excellent model organism for studying gut microbial dynamics. The North American medicinal leech, Macrobdella decora, is a hirudinid leech native to Canada and the northern United States. In this study, we show that M. decora symbiont communities are very similar to those in H. verbana. We performed an extensive study using field-caught M. decora and purchased H. verbana from two suppliers. Deep sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene allowed us to determine that the core microbiome of M. decora consists of Bacteroides, Aeromonas, Proteocatella, and Butyricicoccus. The analysis revealed that the compositions of the gut microbiomes of the two leech species were significantly different at all taxonomic levels. The R 2 value was highest at the genus and amplicon sequence variant (ASV) levels and much lower at the phylum, class, and order levels. The gut and bladder microbial communities were distinct. We propose that M. decora is an alternative to H. verbana for studies of wild-caught animals and provide evidence for the conservation of digestive-tract and bladder symbionts in annelid models.IMPORTANCE Building evidence implicates the gut microbiome in critical animal functions such as regulating digestion, nutrition, immune regulation, and development. Simplified, phylogenetically diverse models for hypothesis testing are necessary because of the difficulty of assigning causative relationships in complex gut microbiomes. Previous research used Hirudo verbana as a tractable animal model of digestive-tract symbioses. Our data show that Macrobdella decora may work just as well without the drawback of being an endangered organism and with the added advantage of easy access to field-caught specimens. The similarity of the microbial community structures of species from two different continents reveals the highly conserved nature of the microbial symbionts in sanguivorous leeches.
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Dittmer J, Brucker RM. When your host shuts down: larval diapause impacts host-microbiome interactions in Nasonia vitripennis. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:85. [PMID: 33836829 PMCID: PMC8035746 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01037-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The life cycles of many insect species include an obligatory or facultative diapause stage with arrested development and low metabolic activity as an overwintering strategy. Diapause is characterised by profound physiological changes in endocrine activity, cell proliferation and nutrient metabolism. However, little is known regarding host-microbiome interactions during diapause, despite the importance of bacterial symbionts for host nutrition and development. In this work, we investigated (i) the role of the microbiome for host nutrient allocation during diapause and (ii) the impact of larval diapause on microbiome dynamics in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis, a model organism for host-microbiome interactions. RESULTS Our results demonstrate that the microbiome is essential for host nutrient allocation during diapause in N. vitripennis, as axenic diapausing larvae had consistently lower glucose and glycerol levels than conventional diapausing larvae, especially when exposed to cold temperature. In turn, microbiome composition was altered in diapausing larvae, potentially due to changes in the surrounding temperature, host nutrient levels and a downregulation of host immune genes. Importantly, prolonged larval diapause had a transstadial effect on the adult microbiome, with unknown consequences for host fitness. Notably, the most dominant microbiome member, Providencia sp., was drastically reduced in adults after more than 4 months of larval diapause, while potential bacterial pathogens increased in abundance. CONCLUSION This work investigates host-microbiome interactions during a crucial developmental stage, which challenges both the insect host and its microbial associates. The impact of diapause on the microbiome is likely due to several factors, including altered host regulatory mechanisms and changes in the host environment. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Dittmer
- The Rowland Institute at Harvard, Harvard University, 100 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Present Address: Dipartimento di Scienze agrarie e ambientali (DISAA), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133, Milano, Italy.
| | - Robert M Brucker
- The Rowland Institute at Harvard, Harvard University, 100 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
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Blanco MB, Greene LK, Schopler R, Williams CV, Lynch D, Browning J, Welser K, Simmons M, Klopfer PH, Ehmke EE. On the modulation and maintenance of hibernation in captive dwarf lemurs. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5740. [PMID: 33707506 PMCID: PMC7952597 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84727-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In nature, photoperiod signals environmental seasonality and is a strong selective "zeitgeber" that synchronizes biological rhythms. For animals facing seasonal environmental challenges and energetic bottlenecks, daily torpor and hibernation are two metabolic strategies that can save energy. In the wild, the dwarf lemurs of Madagascar are obligate hibernators, hibernating between 3 and 7 months a year. In captivity, however, dwarf lemurs generally express torpor for periods far shorter than the hibernation season in Madagascar. We investigated whether fat-tailed dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus medius) housed at the Duke Lemur Center (DLC) could hibernate, by subjecting 8 individuals to husbandry conditions more in accord with those in Madagascar, including alternating photoperiods, low ambient temperatures, and food restriction. All dwarf lemurs displayed daily and multiday torpor bouts, including bouts lasting ~ 11 days. Ambient temperature was the greatest predictor of torpor bout duration, and food ingestion and night length also played a role. Unlike their wild counterparts, who rarely leave their hibernacula and do not feed during hibernation, DLC dwarf lemurs sporadically moved and ate. While demonstrating that captive dwarf lemurs are physiologically capable of hibernation, we argue that facilitating their hibernation serves both husbandry and research goals: first, it enables lemurs to express the biphasic phenotypes (fattening and fat depletion) that are characteristic of their wild conspecifics; second, by "renaturalizing" dwarf lemurs in captivity, they will emerge a better model for understanding both metabolic extremes in primates generally and metabolic disorders in humans specifically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina B Blanco
- Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA. .,Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
| | - Lydia K Greene
- Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.,Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Kay Welser
- Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | | | - Peter H Klopfer
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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Kurtz CC, Otis JP, Regan MD, Carey HV. How the gut and liver hibernate. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2020; 253:110875. [PMID: 33348019 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.110875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
For hibernating mammals, the transition from summer active to winter hibernation seasons come with significant remodeling at cellular, organ and whole organism levels. This review summarizes and synthesizes what is known about hibernation-related remodeling in the gastrointestinal tract of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, including intestinal and hepatic physiology and the gut microbiota. Hibernation alters intestinal epithelial, immune and cell survival pathways in ways that point to a protective phenotype in the face of prolonged fasting and major fluctuations in nutrient and oxygen delivery during torpor-arousal cycles. The prolonged fasting associated with hibernation alters lipid metabolism and systemic cholesterol dynamics, with both the gut and liver participating in these changes. Fasting also affects the gut microbiota, altering the abundance, composition and diversity of gut microbes and impacting the metabolites they produce in ways that may influence hibernation-related traits in the host. Finally, interventional studies have demonstrated that the hibernation phenotype confers resistance to experimental ischemia-reperfusion injury in both gut and liver, suggesting potential therapeutic roadmaps. We propose that the plasticity inherent to hibernation biology may contribute to this stress tolerance, and in the spirit of August Krogh, makes hibernators particularly valuable for study to identify solutions to certain problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney C Kurtz
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI, United States of America
| | - Jessica P Otis
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Matthew D Regan
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Hannah V Carey
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America.
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