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DeCandia AL, Adeduro L, Thacher P, Crosier A, Marinari P, Bortner R, Garelle D, Livieri T, Santymire R, Comizzoli P, Maslanka M, Maldonado JE, Koepfli KP, Muletz-Wolz C, Bornbusch SL. Gut bacterial composition shows sex-specific shifts during breeding season in ex situ managed black-footed ferrets. J Hered 2024; 115:385-398. [PMID: 37886904 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esad065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome of mammals engages in a dynamic relationship with the body and contributes to numerous physiological processes integral to overall health. Understanding the factors shaping animal-associated bacterial communities is therefore paramount to the maintenance and management in ex situ wildlife populations. Here, we characterized the gut microbiome of 48 endangered black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) housed at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (Front Royal, Virginia, USA). We collected longitudinal fecal samples from males and females across two distinct reproductive seasons to consider the role of host sex and reproductive physiology in shaping bacterial communities, as measured using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Within each sex, gut microbial composition differed between breeding and non-breeding seasons, with five bacterial taxa emerging as differentially abundant. Between sexes, female and male microbiomes were similar during non-breeding season but significantly different during breeding season, which may result from sex-specific physiological changes associated with breeding. Finally, we found low overall diversity consistent with other mammalian carnivores alongside high relative abundances of potentially pathogenic microbes such as Clostridium, Escherichia, Paeniclostridium, and (to a lesser degree) Enterococcus-all of which have been associated with gastrointestinal or reproductive distress in mammalian hosts, including black-footed ferrets. We recommend further study of these microbes and possible therapeutic interventions to promote more balanced microbial communities. These results have important implications for ex situ management practices that can improve the gut microbial health and long-term viability of black-footed ferrets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L DeCandia
- Biology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Laura Adeduro
- Biology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Piper Thacher
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, George Mason University, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Adrienne Crosier
- Center for Animal Care Sciences, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Paul Marinari
- Center for Animal Care Sciences, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Robyn Bortner
- National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, Carr, CO, United States
| | - Della Garelle
- National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, Carr, CO, United States
| | - Travis Livieri
- Prairie Wildlife Research, Stevens Point, WI, United States
| | - Rachel Santymire
- Biology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Pierre Comizzoli
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Michael Maslanka
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Jesús E Maldonado
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Klaus-Peter Koepfli
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, George Mason University, Front Royal, VA, United States
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Carly Muletz-Wolz
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Sally L Bornbusch
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States
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2
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Yang S, Deng W, Li G, Jin L, Huang Y, He Y, Wu D, Li D, Zhang A, Liu C, Li C, Zhang H, Xu H, Penttinen P, Zhao K, Zou L. Reference gene catalog and metagenome-assembled genomes from the gut microbiome reveal the microbial composition, antibiotic resistome, and adaptability of a lignocellulose diet in the giant panda. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 245:118090. [PMID: 38163545 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.118090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The giant panda, a strict herbivore that feeds on bamboo, still retains a typical carnivorous digestive system. Reference catalogs of microbial genes and genomes are lacking, largely limiting the antibiotic resistome and functional exploration of the giant panda gut microbiome. Here, we integrated 177 fecal metagenomes of captive and wild giant pandas to construct a giant panda integrated gene catalog (GPIGC) comprised of approximately 4.5 million non-redundant genes and reconstruct 393 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). Taxonomic and functional characterization of genes revealed that the captivity of the giant panda significantly changed the core microbial composition and the distribution of microbial genes. Higher abundance and prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were detected in the guts of captive giant pandas, and ARG distribution was influenced by geography, for both captive and wild individuals. Escherichia, as the prevalent genus in the guts of captive giant pandas, was the main carrier of ARGs, meaning there is a high risk of ARG transmission by Escherichia. We also found that multiple mcr gene variants, conferring plasmid-mediated mobile colistin resistance, were widespread in the guts of captive and wild giant pandas. There were low proportions of carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) genes in GPIGC and MAGs compared with several omnivorous and herbivorous mammals. Many members of Clostridium MAGs were significantly enriched in the guts of adult, old and wild giant pandas. The genomes of isolates and MAGs of Clostridiaceae harbored key genes or enzymes in complete pathways for degrading lignocellulose and producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), indicating the potential of these bacteria to utilize the low-nutrient bamboo diet. Overall, our data presented an exhaustive reference gene catalog and MAGs in giant panda gut and provided a comprehensive understanding of the antibiotic resistome and microbial adaptability for a high-lignocellulose diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengzhi Yang
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenwen Deng
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA) on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan, China
| | - Guo Li
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA) on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan, China
| | - Lei Jin
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA) on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan, China
| | - Yongguo He
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA) on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan, China
| | - Daifu Wu
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA) on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan, China
| | - Desheng Li
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA) on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan, China
| | - Anyun Zhang
- College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, China
| | - Chengxi Liu
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Caiwu Li
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA) on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan, China
| | - Hemin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration (SFGA) on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan, China
| | - Huailiang Xu
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Petri Penttinen
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Ke Zhao
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.
| | - Likou Zou
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.
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Gani M, Mohd-Ridwan AR, Sitam FT, Kamarudin Z, Selamat SS, Awang NMZ, Karuppannan KV, Md-Zain BM. Habitat shapes the gut microbiome diversity of Malayan tigers (Panthera tigris jacksoni) as revealed through metabarcoding 16S rRNA profiling. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:111. [PMID: 38416247 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03868-x] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The gut microbiome refers to the microorganism community living within the digestive tract. The environment plays a crucial role in shaping the gut microbiome composition of animals. The gut microbiome influences the health and behavior of animals, including the critically endangered Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni). However, the gut microbiome composition of Malayan tigers, especially those living in their natural habitats, remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we used next-generation sequencing DNA metabarcoding techniques to analyze the gut microbiome of wild Malayan tigers using fecal samples collected from their natural habitats and in captivity. Our aim was to determine the gut microbiota composition of the Malayan tiger, considering the different types of habitat environments. The results revealed a diverse microbial community within the gut microbiome of Malayan tigers. The prominent phyla that were observed included Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Fusobacteriota and Bacteroidota. Beta diversity analysis revealed significant differences in gut microbiome composition of Malayan tigers that inhabited oil palm plantations, in villages and protected areas. Diversity analysis also revealed significant difference in the gut microbiome between wild and captive Malayan tigers. However, the distinctions of gut microbiome between wild and captive alpha diversity did not yield significant differences. The differences in microbiome diversity resulted from the interplay of dietary intake and environmental factors. This information will facilitate the establishment of focused conservation approaches and enhance our understanding of the effect of microbiome composition on Malayan tiger health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Millawati Gani
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
- National Wildlife Forensic Laboratory (NWFL), Ex-Situ Conservation Division, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), KM 10 Jalan Cheras, 56100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Abd Rahman Mohd-Ridwan
- Centre for Pre-University Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Frankie Thomas Sitam
- National Wildlife Forensic Laboratory (NWFL), Ex-Situ Conservation Division, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), KM 10 Jalan Cheras, 56100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Zubaidah Kamarudin
- National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC), Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), 35600, Sungkai, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Siti Suzana Selamat
- National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC), Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), 35600, Sungkai, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Nik Mohd Zamani Awang
- National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC), Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), 35600, Sungkai, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Kayal Vizi Karuppannan
- National Wildlife Forensic Laboratory (NWFL), Ex-Situ Conservation Division, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), KM 10 Jalan Cheras, 56100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Badrul Munir Md-Zain
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
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4
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Yang J, Yu Q, Su W, Wang S, Wang X, Han Q, Li H. Metagenomics reveals that temperature predicts a small proportion of antibiotic resistomes and mobile genetic elements in polluted water. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 317:120793. [PMID: 36462677 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Climate warming multiplies the threat of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to public health, but whether temperature may predict antibiotic resistomes in water environment remain unknown. Here, by metagenomic sequencing, we investigated the changes of resistome at five different temperature gradients (23, 26, 29, 32, and 35 °C) in polluted water by animal cadaver. Thirty ARG types including 668 subtypes were observed in our samples. Temperature significantly influenced ARG profiles and showed a negative correlation with ARG diversity. The ARG assembly process was dominated by a deterministic process (63.32%-95.08%) but showed a peak pattern with temperature. Notably, temperature may predict approximately 21% of ARGs and 36% of mobile genetic elements (MGEs), while most other ARGs or MGEs were insensitive to temperature. Three types (carbapenem, dicyclomycin, and diaminopyrimidine antibiotic) and 63 subtypes of ARGs that positively correlated with temperature were identified in the polluted water. Notably, we screened 21 subtypes of high-risk ARGs (bacA, mdtA, tetM, etc.) and 22 opportunistic pathogens (Aeromonas, Clostridium, Bacteroides, etc.) and found their positive co-occurrence with temperature, implying these potential biological or genetic pollutants may probably go up under global warming. Our study reveals the predictability of temperature on antibiotic resistance genes, providing a suitable approach to track the fate and spread of ARGs in water environment under climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Yang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qiaoling Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Wanghong Su
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Sijie Wang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiaochen Wang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qian Han
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Huan Li
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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5
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Baeza JA. Mitochondrial genomes assembled from non-invasive eDNA metagenomic scat samples in the endangered Amur tiger Panthera tigris altaica. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14428. [PMID: 36523460 PMCID: PMC9745948 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14428] [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: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Amur or Siberian tiger Panthera tigris altaica (Temminck, 1844) is currently restricted to a small region of its original geographical range in northwestern Asia and is considered 'endangered' by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This solitary, territorial, and large top predator is in major need of genomic resources to inform conservation management strategies. This study formally tested if complete mitochondrial genomes of P. tigris altaica can be assembled from non-enriched metagenomic libraries generated from scat eDNA samples using the Illumina sequencing platform and open-access bioinformatics pipelines. The mitogenome of P. tigris altaica was assembled and circularized using the pipeline GetOrganelle with a coverage ranging from 322.7x to 17.6x in four different scat eDNA samples. A nearly complete mitochondrial genome (101x) was retrieved from a fifth scat eDNA sample. The complete or nearly complete mitochondrial genomes of P. tigris altaica were AT-rich and composed of 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a putative control region. Synteny observed in all assembled mitogenomes was identical to that reported before for P. tigris altaica and other felids. A phylogenomic analysis based on all PCGs demonstrated that the mitochondrial genomes assembled from scat eDNA reliably identify the sequenced samples as belonging to P. tigris and distinguished the same samples from closely and distantly related congeneric species. This study demonstrates that it is viable to retrieve accurate whole and nearly complete mitochondrial genomes of P. tigris altaica (and probably other felids) from scat eDNA samples without library enrichment protocols and using open-access bioinformatics workflows. This new genomic resource represents a new tool to support conservation strategies (bio-prospecting and bio-monitoring) in this iconic cat.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Antonio Baeza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States,Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States,Departamento de Biologia Marina, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Coquimbo, IV Region, Chile
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6
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Zhang X, Liao Y, Qin T, Ma J, Liu J, Zou J, Huang H, Zhong X, Yang M. Developmental stage variation in the gut microbiome of South China tigers. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:962614. [PMID: 36439793 PMCID: PMC9682017 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.962614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
South China tigers (Panthera tigris amoyensis, SC) are the most threatened tiger subspecies in the world. All the living SCs are captive in zoos or reserves and depend on artificial feeding. The composition of the gut microbiome plays an important role in sustaining the health of the host. A comprehensive understanding of the composition and development of the microbial community of SC is helpful to improve the feeding of captive SC. In this study, we collected 47 fecal samples, 37 of which were from SC of three developmental stages, 5 from adult Amur tigers (Am), and 5 from adult Bengal tigers (Bg), which were all housed in the same zoo. We investigated the diversity, richness, and composition of the bacterial microbiomes and we found that the gut microbiome of SC is strongly affected by host aging. The composition of the gut microbiome of juvenile SC experienced dramatic changes from 5 months old to 1 year old, and it showed much less difference when compared to the samples of 1 year old and the subadult. No significant differences were observed between the samples of subadult and the adult groups. The predominant phylum of 5-month-old SC is Fusobacteriota (33.99%) when the juvenile tigers were older than 5 months, and Firmicutes, but not Fusobacteriota, became the predominant phylum of bacteria in their gut. The gut microbiome of SC, Am, and Bg is possibly affected by their genetic variation; however, the core microbiome of these three subspecies is the same. Our data suggest that the gut microbiome of SC undergoes a developmental progression: a developmental phase (cub), a transitional phase (subadult), and a stable phase (adult). These results expand our understanding of the role of age in the development of the gut microbiome of SC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianfu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection and Internet Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanxin Liao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection and Internet Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tao Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Xiaojun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection and Internet Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Menghua Yang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green-Eco-Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection and Internet Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
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7
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Chen L, Xu D, Sun M, Li Y, Wang S, Gao Y, Gao Z, Shi Y. The effect of environment on intestinal microbial diversity of Panthera animals may exceed genetic relationship. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:938900. [PMID: 35966667 PMCID: PMC9366613 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.938900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Intestinal microbes are important symbiotes in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals, which are affected by food, environment, climate, genetics, and other factors. The gut microbiota of felines has been partially studied, but a comprehensive comparison of the gut microbiota of Panthera species was less reported. In this study, we compared the gut microbial composition and diversity of five species of Panthera (Panthera tigris, Panthera leo, Panthera onca, Panthera pardus, and Panthera uncia) by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) amplicon sequencing. The results showed that Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum among all the Panthera species, followed by Actinobacteria, Fusobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Gemmatimonadetes, and Euryarchaeota. There were significant differences in observed species of fecal microbiota among different Panthera animals (P < 0.05), indicating that there is species specificity among Panthera fecal microbiota. When the samples were further grouped according to sampling locations, the comparison of the alpha diversity index between groups and beta diversity analysis showed that there were significant differences in the fecal microflora of animals from different sampling locations. Cluster analysis showed that fecal microbes of animals from the same sampling location were clustered, while gut microbes of animals of the same species, but from different sampling locations, were separated. These results indicate that environment may have more influence on mammals’ fecal microbial diversity than genetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
- *Correspondence: Lei Chen,
| | - Di Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
| | - Mengyao Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
| | - Ying Li
- Jinan Wildlife Park, Jinan, China
| | - Shen Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Jinan Wildlife Park, Jinan, China
| | - Zenghao Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
| | - Yuying Shi
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
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8
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Li F, Yang S, Zhang L, Qiao L, Wang L, He S, Li J, Yang N, Yue B, Zhou C. Comparative metagenomics analysis reveals how the diet shapes the gut microbiota in several small mammals. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8470. [PMID: 35136548 PMCID: PMC8809447 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8470] [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: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiomes of the host are large and complex communities, which helps to maintain homeostasis, improves digestive efficiency, and promotes the development of the immune system. The small mammals distributed in Sichuan Province are the most popular species for biodiversity research in Southwest China. However, the effects of different diets on the structure and function of the gut microbial community of these small mammals are poorly understood. In this study, whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing has been used to analyze the composition and functional structures of the gut microbiota of seven small mammals in Laojunshan National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, China. Taxonomic classification revealed that the most abundant phyla in the gut of seven small mammals were Bacteroides, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes. Moreover, Hafnia, Lactobacillus, and Yersinia were the most abundant genus in the gut microbiomes of these seven species. At the functional level, we annotated a series of KEGG functional pathways, six Cazy categories, and 46,163 AROs in the gut microbiomes of the seven species. Comparative analysis found that the difference in the gut microbiomes between the Soricidea and Muridae concentrated on the increase in the F/B (Firmicutes/Bacteroides) ratio in the Soricidea group, probably driven by the high-fat and -calorie digestive requirements due to their insectivorous diet. The comparative functional profiling revealed that functions related to metabolism and carbohydrates were significantly more abundant in Muridae group, which may be attributed to their high carbohydrate digestion requirements caused by their herbivorous diet. These data suggested that different diets in the host may play an important role in shaping the gut microbiota, and lay the foundation for teasing apart the influences of heritable and environmental factors on the evolution of gut microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjun Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education)College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Shengzhi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education)College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Linwan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education)College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Lu Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education)College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education)College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Song He
- Laojunshan National Nature ReserveSichuan ProvincePingshanChina
| | - Jian Li
- Laojunshan National Nature ReserveSichuan ProvincePingshanChina
| | - Nan Yang
- Institute of Qinghai‐Tibetan PlateauSouthwest Minzu UniversityChengduChina
| | - Bisong Yue
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education)College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Chuang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education)College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
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9
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Zoelzer F, Burger AL, Dierkes PW. Unraveling differences in fecal microbiota stability in mammals: from high variable carnivores and consistently stable herbivores. Anim Microbiome 2021; 3:77. [PMID: 34736528 PMCID: PMC8567652 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00141-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Through the rapid development in DNA sequencing methods and tools, microbiome studies on a various number of species were performed during the last decade. This advance makes it possible to analyze hundreds of samples from different species at the same time in order to obtain a general overview of the microbiota. However, there is still uncertainty on the variability of the microbiota of different animal orders and on whether certain bacteria within a species are subject to greater fluctuations than others. This is largely due to the fact that the analysis in most extensive comparative studies is based on only a few samples per species or per study site. In our study, we aim to close this knowledge gap by analyzing multiple individual samples per species including two carnivore suborders Canoidea and Feloidea as well as the orders of herbivore Perissodactyla and Artiodactyla held in different zoos. To assess microbial diversity, 621 fecal samples from 31 species were characterized by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene using Illumina MiSeq. RESULTS We found significant differences in the consistency of microbiota composition and in fecal microbial diversity between carnivore and herbivore species. Whereas the microbiota of Carnivora is highly variable and inconsistent within and between species, Perissodactyla and Ruminantia show fewer differences across species boundaries. Furthermore, low-abundance bacterial families show higher fluctuations in the fecal microbiota than high-abundance ones. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that microbial diversity is significantly higher in herbivores than in carnivores, whereas the microbiota in carnivores, unlike in herbivores, varies widely even within species. This high variability has methodological implications and underlines the need to analyze a minimum amount of about 10 samples per species. In our study, we found considerable differences in the occurrence of different bacterial families when looking at just three and six samples. However, from a sample number of 10 onwards, these within-species fluctuations balanced out in most cases and led to constant and more reliable results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Zoelzer
- Bioscience Education and Zoo Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Anna Lena Burger
- Bioscience Education and Zoo Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Paul Wilhelm Dierkes
- Bioscience Education and Zoo Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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10
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Sun Y, Yao J, Zhang M, Chen T, Xu W, Fu W, Wu Q, Li Y, Chen X, Zhu Y, Zhang X, Liu L, Chen D, Wang Z, You Z, Zhang X, Liu Y, Lin K, Lin W. Colonization and Development of the Fecal Microflora of South China Tiger Cubs (Panthera tigris amoyensis) by Sequencing of the 16S rRNA Gene. Microb Physiol 2021; 32:18-29. [PMID: 34535588 DOI: 10.1159/000518395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Postnatal colonization and development of the gut microbiota is linked to health and growth. A comprehensive understanding of the postnatal compositional changes and development of the microbial community is helpful to understand the gut health and improve the survival rate of South China tiger cubs (Panthera tigris amoyensis). Fecal samples from three tiger cubs were collected on the day of birth in 2018 (June 17-21 [G0], July 18 [G1], July 31 [G2], and August 7 [G3]). The 16S rRNA genes of the fecal microflora were sequenced. Results showed that 38 phyla, 58 classes, 134 orders, 272 families, and 636 genera of bacteria from 3,059 operational taxonomic units were identified from 12 fecal samples. The diversity and abundance of species of group G0 were significantly higher (p < 0.05 or 0.01) than those of groups G2 and G3. The predominant phylum was Proteobacteria in groups G0 and G1 (38.85% and 48%, respectively) and Firmicutes in groups G2 and G3 (71.42% and 75.29%, respectively). At the phylum level, the abundance of Deinococcus-Thermus was significantly decreased in groups G1, G2, and G3 as compared to group G0 (p < 0.05), while that of Firmicutes was significantly increased in groups G2 and G3 (p < 0.05). At the genus level, the abundance of Faecalibacterium, Ralstonia, and unidentified Rickettsiales was significantly decreased in groups G1, G2, and G3 as compared with group G0 (p < 0.05), while that of Pseudomonas was significantly decreased in groups G2 and G3 (p < 0.05). The composition and structure of fecal microbiota of South China tiger cubs changed after birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfa Sun
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China, .,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Longyan, China, .,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology (Longyan University), Longyan, China,
| | - Jie Yao
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China
| | - Min Zhang
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Longyan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology (Longyan University), Longyan, China
| | - Tengteng Chen
- Fujian Meihuashan South China Tiger Breeding Institute, Longyan, China
| | - Weihua Xu
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Longyan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology (Longyan University), Longyan, China
| | - Wenyuan Fu
- Fujian Meihuashan South China Tiger Breeding Institute, Longyan, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Longyan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology (Longyan University), Longyan, China
| | - Yan Li
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Longyan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology (Longyan University), Longyan, China
| | - Xingxing Chen
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Longyan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology (Longyan University), Longyan, China
| | - Yuting Zhu
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China
| | - Lingyu Liu
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China
| | - Donghong Chen
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China
| | - Zhenyuan Wang
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China
| | - Zhangjing You
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China
| | - Xuebing Zhang
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China
| | - Yi Liu
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China
| | - Kaixiong Lin
- Fujian Meihuashan South China Tiger Breeding Institute, Longyan, China
| | - Weiming Lin
- College of Life Science, Longyan University, Longyan, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Longyan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology (Longyan University), Longyan, China
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11
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DeCandia AL, Cassidy KA, Stahler DR, Stahler EA, vonHoldt BM. Social environment and genetics underlie body site-specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves ( Canis lupus). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9472-9488. [PMID: 34306636 PMCID: PMC8293786 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The host-associated microbiome is an important player in the ecology and evolution of species. Despite growing interest in the medical, veterinary, and conservation communities, there remain numerous questions about the primary factors underlying microbiota, particularly in wildlife. We bridged this knowledge gap by leveraging microbial, genetic, and observational data collected in a wild, pedigreed population of gray wolves (Canis lupus) inhabiting Yellowstone National Park. We characterized body site-specific microbes across six haired and mucosal body sites (and two fecal samples) using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. At the phylum level, we found that the microbiome of gray wolves primarily consists of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, and Proteobacteria, consistent with previous studies within Mammalia and Canidae. At the genus level, we documented body site-specific microbiota with functions relevant to microenvironment and local physiological processes. We additionally employed observational and RAD sequencing data to examine genetic, demographic, and environmental correlates of skin and gut microbiota. We surveyed individuals across several levels of pedigree relationships, generations, and social groups, and found that social environment (i.e., pack) and genetic relatedness were two primary factors associated with microbial community composition to differing degrees between body sites. We additionally reported body condition and coat color as secondary factors underlying gut and skin microbiomes, respectively. We concluded that gray wolf microbiota resemble similar host species, differ between body sites, and are shaped by numerous endogenous and exogenous factors. These results provide baseline information for this long-term study population and yield important insights into the evolutionary history, ecology, and conservation of wild wolves and their associated microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. DeCandia
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Kira A. Cassidy
- Yellowstone Center for ResourcesNational Park ServiceYellowstone National ParkWYUSA
| | - Daniel R. Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for ResourcesNational Park ServiceYellowstone National ParkWYUSA
| | - Erin A. Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for ResourcesNational Park ServiceYellowstone National ParkWYUSA
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12
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Adaptation of the Gut Microbiota of Amur Tigers to a Special Diet. Curr Microbiol 2021; 78:1628-1635. [PMID: 33686506 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02399-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract play important roles in many host physiological processes, including the absorption and metabolism of nutrients and immune function. The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a threatened species. Efforts are underway to breed Amur tigers under artificial settings to preserve this rare species. To maximize the imitation of the diet that this species consumes in the wild, the diet in the present study was composed of a variety of raw meats and was administered with regular fasting. In view of the important roles that the microbiota play in the host, in the present study, the microbiota of Amur tigers at three different ages were investigated. The results showed that the microbial diversity and richness decreased with age. Principal coordinate analysis showed significant differences among the three age groups. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of effect size (LEfSe) demonstrated the enrichment of the genus unclassified_f__Ruminococcaceae, genus Coprococcus_1, genus Ruminococcus__gauvreauii_group, family unclassified_o__Clostridiales and genus unclassified_o__Clostridiales in the JB group (1- year old) and the enrichment of the genus Catenisphaera in the AB group (over 4-year old). The results of the present study demonstrated the adaptation of the microbiota in captive Amur tigers to a diet similar to the one they consume in the wild. Furthermore, these results may reflect the microbiota of wild Amur tigers to a certain extent.
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13
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Hua Y, Cao H, Wang J, He F, Jiang G. Gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in captive and wild North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis) by comparsion using 16 s rRNA gene sequencing and LC/MS-based metabolomics. BMC Vet Res 2020; 16:363. [PMID: 32993639 PMCID: PMC7526248 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02583-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gut microbes significantly contribute to nutrient digestion and absorption, intestinal health and immunity, and are essential for the survival and environmental adaptation of wild animals. However, there are few studies on the gut microbiota of captive and wild North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis). Results A total of 10 mainly bacterial phyla were identified in the fecal microbiota of North China leopard, Lachnoclostridium (p = 0.003), Peptoclostridium (p = 0.005), Bacteroides (p = 0.008), Fusobacterium (p = 0.017) and Collinsella (p = 0.019) were significantly higher than those of wild North China leopard. Distinct differences in the fecal metabolic phenotypes of captive and wild North China leopard were found, such as content of l-methionine, n-acetyl-l-tyrosine, pentadecanoic acid and oleic acid. Differentially abundant gut microbes were associated with fecal metabolites, especially the bacteria in Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, involved in the metabolism of N-acetyl-L-alanine and D-quinovose. Conclusion This study reports for the first time the differences in gut microbiota abundance between captive and wild North China leopard, as well as significant differences in fecal metabolic phenotypes between two groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Hua
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 150040, Harbin, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, 510520, Guangzhou, China
| | - Heqin Cao
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 150040, Harbin, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, 510520, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fengping He
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, 650201, Kunming, China
| | - Guangshun Jiang
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 150040, Harbin, China.
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14
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Ning Y, Qi J, Dobbins MT, Liang X, Wang J, Chen S, Ma J, Jiang G. Comparative Analysis of Microbial Community Structure and Function in the Gut of Wild and Captive Amur Tiger. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1665. [PMID: 32793154 PMCID: PMC7393233 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been well acknowledged that the gut microbiome is important for host health, composition changes in these microbial communities might increase susceptibility to infections and reduce adaptability to environment. Reintroduction, as an effective strategy for wild population recovery and genetic diversity maintenance for endangered populations, usually takes captive populations as rewilding resource. While, little is known about the compositional and functional differences of gut microbiota between captive and wild populations, especially for large carnivores, like Amur tiger. In this study, high throughput sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene (amplicon sequencing) and metagenomics were used to analyze the composition and function variations of gut microbiota communities between captive and wild Amur tiger populations based on total 35 fecal samples (13 from captive tigers and 22 from wild tigers). Our results showed that captive Amur tigers have higher alpha diversity in gut microbiota, but that the average unweighted UniFrac distance of bacterial taxa among wild Amur tigers was much larger. The function differences involve most aspects of the body functions, especially for metabolism, environmental information processing, cellular processes, and organismal systems. It was indicated that the diet habit and environment difference between captive and wild populations lead to composition differences of gut microbiota and then resulted in significant differences in functions. These contrasts of functional and compositional variations in gut microbiota between wild and captive Amur tigers are essential insights for guiding conservation management and policy decision-making, and call for more attention on the influence of gut microbiota on the ability of captive animals to survive in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Ning
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jinzhe Qi
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.,Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Michael T Dobbins
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Xin Liang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jingxuan Wang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Shiyu Chen
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jianzhang Ma
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Guangshun Jiang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
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15
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Mittal P, Saxena R, Gupta A, Mahajan S, Sharma VK. The Gene Catalog and Comparative Analysis of Gut Microbiome of Big Cats Provide New Insights on Panthera Species. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1012. [PMID: 32582053 PMCID: PMC7287027 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Majority of metagenomic studies in the last decade have focused on revealing the gut microbiomes of humans, rodents, and ruminants; however, the gut microbiome and genic information (gene catalog) of large felids such as Panthera species are largely unknown to date. In this study, the gut bacterial, fungal, and viral metagenomic composition was assessed from three Panthera species (lion, leopard, and tiger) of Indian origin, which were consuming the same diet and belonged to the same geographical location. A non-redundant bacterial gene catalog of the Panthera gut consisting of 1,507,035 putative genes was constructed from 27 Panthera individuals, which revealed a higher abundance of purine metabolism genes correlating with their purine-rich dietary intake. Analysis with Carbohydrate Active enZyme (CAZy) and MEROPS databases identified enrichment of glycoside hydrolases (GHs), glycoside-transferases, and collagenases in the gut, which are important for nutrient acquisition from animal biomass. The bacterial, fungal, and viral community analysis provided the first comprehensive insights into the Panthera-specific microbial community. The Panthera gene catalog and the largest comparative study of the gut bacterial composition of 68 individuals of Carnivora species from different geographical locations and diet underscore the role of diet and geography in shaping the Panthera gut microbiome, which is significant for the health and conservation management of these highly endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Mittal
- Metagenomics and Systems Biology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, India
| | - Rituja Saxena
- Metagenomics and Systems Biology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, India
| | | | - Shruti Mahajan
- Metagenomics and Systems Biology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, India
| | - Vineet K Sharma
- Metagenomics and Systems Biology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, India
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16
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Metagenomic insights into microbial characterizations in explaining the distinction of biofilter performance during start-up. Biodegradation 2020; 31:183-199. [PMID: 32462278 DOI: 10.1007/s10532-020-09902-1] [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: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
As an effective alternative for dissolved nitrogen removal, biofilter closely associates its treatment performance to structural and/or operational conditions. In this study, a set of four different biofilters including MAVF (mature aerated vertical flow), NAVF (new aerated vertical flow), NVF (new non-aerated vertical flow), and BHF (baffled non-aerated horizontal flow) were employed to purify low C/N ratio (3.8) domestic wastewater. All the filters were packed with round ceramsite operated under varying hydraulic loading rates (HLRs) of 0.024-0.18 m/day. During the start-up, both the physicochemical and microbial characterizations were investigated. It was found that, carbon and nitrogen could achieve ideal removal in MAVF once added with further sedimentation, while phosphorus displayed an unsatisfactory sequestration in any of the four filters probably due to the high inflow load and/or lack of alternate anaerobic/aerobic conditions. Filter clustering based on percent removal and removal rate constant displayed a consistent pattern, which was similar to that based on taxa of phylum from 16S rRNA sequencing, or phylum/genus/species from shotgun metagenomic sequencing although there were obvious distinctions in taxa compositions among direct comparison. Meanwhile, gene function annotation revealed that filter clustering based on metabolic pathways was consistent with that based on purification performance. These consistencies might imply that the treatment performance was mainly determined by microbial degradation. The enrichment of specific functional microbes responsible for the degradation of certain pollutants, such as carbohydrates, matched well with the defined purification performance.
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17
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Rojas CA, Holekamp KE, Winters AD, Theis KR. Body site-specific microbiota reflect sex and age-class among wild spotted hyenas. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5700710. [PMID: 31926016 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-associated microbial communities, henceforth 'microbiota', can affect the physiology and behavior of their hosts. In mammals, host ecological, social and environmental variables are associated with variation in microbial communities. Within individuals in a given mammalian species, the microbiota also partitions by body site. Here, we build on this work and sequence the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to profile the microbiota at six distinct body sites (ear, nasal and oral cavities, prepuce, rectum and anal scent gland) in a population of wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), which are highly social, large African carnivores. We inquired whether microbiota at these body sites vary with host sex or social rank among juvenile hyenas, and whether they differ between juvenile females and adult females. We found that the scent gland microbiota differed between juvenile males and juvenile females, whereas the prepuce and rectal microbiota differed between adult females and juvenile females. Social rank, however, was not a significant predictor of microbiota profiles. Additionally, the microbiota varied considerably among the six sampled body sites and exhibited strong specificity among individual hyenas. Thus, our findings suggest that site-specific niche selection is a primary driver of microbiota structure in mammals, but endogenous host factors may also be influential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie A Rojas
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, 293 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Kay E Holekamp
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, 293 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Andrew D Winters
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 540 E Canfield St, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Kevin R Theis
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 540 E Canfield St, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
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18
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Li W, Ni J, Cai S, Liu Y, Shen C, Yang H, Chen Y, Tao J, Yu Y, Liu Q. Variations in microbial community structure and functional gene expression in bio-treatment processes with odorous pollutants. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17870. [PMID: 31780738 PMCID: PMC6883040 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54281-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineered microbial ecosystems in biofilters have been widely applied to treat odorous gases from industrial emissions. Variations in microbial community structure and function associated with the removal of odorous gases by biofilters are largely unknown. This study performed a metagenomic analysis to discover shifts in microbial community structures in a commercial scale biofilter after treating odorous gas. Our study identified 175,675 functional genes assigned into 43 functional KEGG pathways. Based on the unigene sequences, there were significant changes in microbial community structures in the biofilter after treating odorous gas. The dominant genera were Thiobacillus and Oceanicaulis before the treatment, and were Acidithiobacillus and Ferroplasma after the treatment. A clustering analysis showed that the number of down-regulated microbes exceeded the number of up-regulated microbes, suggesting that odorous gas treatment reduced in microbial community structures. A differential expression analysis identified 29,975 up- and 452,599 down-regulated genes. An enrichment analysis showed 17 classic types of xenobiotic biodegradation pathways. The results identified 16 and 15 genes involved in ammonia and sulfite metabolism, respectively; an analysis of their relative abundance identified several up-regulated genes, which may be efficient genes involved in removing odorous gases. The data provided in this study demonstrate the changes in microbial communities and help identify the dominant microflora and genes that play key roles in treating odorous gases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weidong Li
- College of Qianjiang, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianguo Ni
- Hangzhou Ecological Environment Bureau of Xiaoshan Branch, Hangzhou, 311201, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaoqin Cai
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.,College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenjia Shen
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Huayun Yang
- College of Qianjiang, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuquan Chen
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Tao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunfeng Yu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Liu
- College of Qianjiang, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China. .,College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
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