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Lin S, Shen L, Gao H, Wu J, Lv Q, Zhou X, Li J, Meng X. The autumn activity patterns and time budgets of Forest musk deer ( Moschus berezovskii) in captivity. Vet Res Forum 2023; 14:589-594. [PMID: 38169479 PMCID: PMC10758006 DOI: 10.30466/vrf.2023.1978088.3703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Activity patterns and time budgets play a crucial role in the successful farming and management of animals. In this study, the behavior patterns of 53 forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) were analyzed from October 2nd to 16th, 2021, throughout the day and night. The results showed a distinct dawn-dusk activity rhythm in the captive forest musk deer with a peak activity observed at dawn (07:00 - 10:00) and dusk (16:00 - 19:00). Additionally, there were smaller activity peaks lasting less than an hour during the nighttime (00:00 - 04:00). Comparing behavior ratios between peak and off-peak periods, it was evident that all behaviors, except rumination (RU), showed significant differences. Furthermore, no significant differences were found in the behavior ratios of the forest musk deer between the daytime and night-time. During the daytime, the percentages of time spent performing locomotion (32.87 ± 3.38%), feeding (14.43 ± 1.81%), and RU (5.62 ± 1.46%) were slightly higher compared to the night-time. Based on these findings, it is important to match the management strategies for musk deer farming with the animals' activity patterns and behavioral rhythms. Doing so can enhance farming outputs and contribute to the welfare of captive forest musk deer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songwei Lin
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
- Command Center for Comprehensive Survey of Natural Resources, China Geological Survey Bureau, Beijing, China
- Institute of Ecology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liquan Shen
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Haoxiang Gao
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Jiayi Wu
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Qingxin Lv
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Junsheng Li
- Command Center for Comprehensive Survey of Natural Resources, China Geological Survey Bureau, Beijing, China
- Institute of Ecology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiuxiang Meng
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
- College of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa, China
- School of Animal Science, Xichang University, Xichang, China
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Feng H, Feng T, Mo Y, Sun S, Wang L, Lu C, Feng C, Xing K, Su Z. Integrated multi-omics analysis reveals insights into Chinese forest musk deer ( Moschus berezovskii) genome evolution and musk synthesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1156138. [PMID: 37228656 PMCID: PMC10203155 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1156138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the artiodactyls, male animals belonging to the Family Moschidae have a unique tissue, the musk gland, with the capability of musk synthesis. However, the genetic basis of musk gland formation and musk production are still poorly understood. Here, musk gland tissues from two juvenile and three adult Chinese forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) were utilized to analyze genomic evolution events, evaluate mRNA profiles and investigate cell compositions. By performing genome reannotation and comparison with 11 ruminant genomes, three expanded gene families were identified in the Moschus berezovskii genome. Transcriptional analysis further indicated that the musk gland displayed a prostate-like mRNA expression pattern. Single-cell sequencing revealed that the musk gland is composed of seven distinguishable cell types. Among them, sebaceous gland cells and luminal epithelial cells play important roles in musk synthesis, while endothelial cells master the regulation of cell-to-cell communication. In conclusion, our study provides insights into musk gland formation and the musk-synthesizing process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Feng
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tingyin Feng
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yidi Mo
- Department of Cell Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Suli Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chunbin Lu
- Department of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengli Feng
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ke Xing
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhijian Su
- Department of Cell Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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Gao Y, Duszynski DW, Yuan F, Hu D, Zhang D. Coccidian parasites in the endangered Forest Musk Deer ( Moschus berezovskii) in China, with the description of six new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:70. [PMID: 34665126 PMCID: PMC8525326 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2021067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We examined 674 fresh fecal samples from forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii Flerov) in Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces, China, for coccidian oocysts and 65% were infected with Eimeria spp. Previously, only four Eimeria species were known from Moschus spp. Here we describe six new Eimeria species. Eimeria aquae n. sp., in 38% deer, has ovoidal oocysts, 32.0 × 23.0 μm, micropyle (M) and scattered polar granules (PGs) of various sizes are present, sometimes oocyst residuum (OR) is present; ovoidal sporocysts, 14.1 × 7.5 μm, with Stieda body (SB) and sporocyst residuum (SR). Eimeria dolichocystis n. sp., in 11% deer; cylindroidal oocysts, 36.6 × 18.9, with a M, 1 PG and OR; ovoidal sporocysts, 13.9 × 7.7, with SB and SR. Eimeria fengxianensis n. sp., in 7% deer; ovoidal oocysts, 36.3 × 25.2, a M and PGs present but OR absent; ovoidal sporocysts, 13.9 × 7.3, with SB and SR. Eimeria helini n. sp. in 24% deer; subspheroidal oocysts, 27.0 × 24.1, OR and PGs often present, but M absent; ovoidal sporocysts, 13.5 × 7.7, with SB and SR. Eimeria kaii n. sp. in 26% deer; ovoidal oocysts, 33.2 × 20.7, M and PGs present, but OR absent; ovoidal sporocysts, 14.4 × 7.5, with SB and SR. Eimeria oocylindrica n. sp., in 17% deer; cylindroidal oocysts, 36.0 × 21.4, M and 1-2 PGs present but OR absent; ovoidal sporocysts, 13.8 × 7.7, with SB and SR. Eimeria dujiangyanensis n. nom. is proposed to replace E. moschus Sha, Zhang, Cai, Wang & Liu, 1994, a junior homonym of E. moschus Matschoulsky, 1947.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyun Gao
- Key Laboratory of Non-Invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 10083, PR China - Department of Zoology, School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 35 Qinghua East Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Donald W Duszynski
- Emeritus Professor of Biology, 76 Homesteads Rd., Placitas, NM 87043, USA
| | - Fulin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Non-Invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 10083, PR China - Department of Zoology, School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 35 Qinghua East Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Defu Hu
- Key Laboratory of Non-Invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 10083, PR China - Department of Zoology, School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 35 Qinghua East Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Non-Invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 10083, PR China - Department of Zoology, School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 35 Qinghua East Road, Beijing 100083, China
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Gao Y, Yan L, Qiu D, Huang Z, Hu D, Zhang D. First mitogenome of moniezia sichuanensis from forest musk deer with comparative analyses within cyclophyllidea. Vet Parasitol 2021; 299:109575. [PMID: 34521041 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We characterised, for the first time, the whole mitogenome of a unique tapeworm, Moniezia sichuanensis (Cyclophyllidea, Anoplocephalidae) of forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii). The total length of the circular mitogenome was 13,652 bp. It consisted of 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, and two ribosomal RNA genes, which are typical of the mitogenomes of Moniezia. By comparing the available mitogenomes of PCGs for Cyclophyllidea in GenBank, nad6 and cox1 showed the highest and lowest evolutionary rates, respectively, and cox2 could be used as a potential DNA barcoding marker. The phylogenetic analyses of Cyclophyllidea confirmed the monophyly of the genus Moniezia and the family Anoplocephalidae; they then formed a clade with species of Hymenolepididae. Moreover, two novel gene arrangements of Cyclophyllidea were observed.
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Yang J, Peng G, Shu F, Dong D, Zheng X, Zhu C, Li X, Ma J, Pan C, Yang F, Dong W. Characteristics of steroidogenesis-related factors in the musk gland of Chinese forest musk deer ( Moschus berezovskii). J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 212:105916. [PMID: 34010686 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.105916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Musk secreted by Chinese forest musk deer (FMD; Moschus berezovskii) is a highly valuable ingredient in the fields of perfumery and medicine, and the main factor affecting the production of musk is the androgen level of male FMD. To clarify whether the musk gland of FMD can synthesize androgen, we compared and analyzed the expression patterns of steroid hormone biosynthesis-related genes in the musk gland and testis of FMD by RNA-seq and RT-qPCR. We obtained 33,308 and 38,602 unigenes from the musk gland and testis, respectively, and 26,780 co-expressed unigenes. Analysis of co-expressed genes revealed that 12,647 genes were annotated to 11,484 Gene Ontology terms and 10,941 genes were annotated to 6120 pathways, including several pathways important in metabolic and synthetic activity. Next, 21 steroid hormone synthesis-related genes were screened from the transcriptome of the musk gland of 4-month-old FMD. The expression levels of three key genes of steroid hormone biosynthesis (CYP11A1, CYP17A1, and HSD3B) in the musk gland differed from their expression levels in the testis based on RT-qPCR. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry indicated that CYP11A1, CYP17A1, and HSD3B were localized in the glandular tubular columnar cells of the musk gland. These results suggested that the musk gland of male FMD has the potential to locally synthesize steroid hormone and thus plays a critically important role in musk secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinmeng Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Biology Research Centre of Qin Mountains Wildlife, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Guofan Peng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Biology Research Centre of Qin Mountains Wildlife, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Feng Shu
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Daqian Dong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Biology Research Centre of Qin Mountains Wildlife, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xueli Zheng
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Biology Research Centre of Qin Mountains Wildlife, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Chao Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Biology Research Centre of Qin Mountains Wildlife, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jian Ma
- Shaanxi Reed Musk Deer Industry Co., Ltd., Meixian, Shaanxi, 722307, China
| | - Chuanying Pan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Fangxia Yang
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
| | - Wuzi Dong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Biology Research Centre of Qin Mountains Wildlife, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
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Yang C, Huang W, Sun Y, You L, Jin H, Sun Z. Effect of probiotics on diversity and function of gut microbiota in Moschus berezovskii. Arch Microbiol 2021; 203:3305-3315. [PMID: 33860850 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-021-02315-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The forest musk deer, Moschus berezovskii, is a nationally protected species of economic importance in China. However, in captive breeding programmes, they usually die as a result of diarrhoea. In this study, six M. berezovskii were randomly selected and divided into two groups: probiotics group (n = 3) and placebo (control) group (n = 3). The two groups were fed a basal diet that included 2 g probiotics (probiotic group) or 2 g whey powder (placebo group) for 30 days. Faecal samples were collected at day 0, 15 and 30 and evaluated for microbial diversity, species richness and metabolic function. Probiotic intervention significantly improved gut health in M. berezovskii by changing the overall community structure of the gut microbiota. Intake of probiotics reduced the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Citrobacter freundii in the intestinal flora and increased the relative abundance of beneficial Bifidobacterium species and other lactic acid bacteria. At the same time, gut microbiota in the probiotics group were involved in regulating degradation of phenylacetic acid and in dTDP-L-rhamnose synthesis; these processes have the potential to enhance immunity in M. berezovskii. This preliminary study revealed the beneficial effects of probiotics on the gut microbiota of M. berezovskii, which the potential to significantly improve the health, wellbeing and economic value of M. berezovskii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengcong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiqiang Huang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaru Sun
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijun You
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Jin
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhihong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, People's Republic of China.
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Zhou C, Zhang W, Wen Q, Bu P, Gao J, Wang G, Jin J, Song Y, Sun X, Zhang Y, Jiang X, Yu H, Peng C, Shen Y, Price M, Li J, Zhang X, Fan Z, Yue B. Comparative Genomics Reveals the Genetic Mechanisms of Musk Secretion and Adaptive Immunity in Chinese Forest Musk Deer. Genome Biol Evol 2019; 11:1019-1032. [PMID: 30903183 PMCID: PMC6450037 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Chinese forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii; FMD) is an artiodactyl mammal and is both economically valuable and highly endangered. To investigate the genetic mechanisms of musk secretion and adaptive immunity in FMD, we compared its genome to nine other artiodactyl genomes. Comparative genomics demonstrated that eight positively selected genes (PSGs) in FMD were annotated in three KEGG pathways that were related to metabolic and synthetic activity of musk, similar to previous transcriptome studies. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that many PSGs were involved in the regulation of immune system processes, implying important reorganization of the immune system in FMD. FMD-specific missense mutations were found in two PSGs (MHC class II antigen DRA and ADA) that were classified as deleterious by PolyPhen-2, possibly contributing to immune adaptation to infectious diseases. Functional assessment showed that the FMD-specific mutation enhanced the ADA activity, which was likely to strengthen the immune defense against pathogenic invasion. Single nucleotide polymorphism-based inference showed the recent demographic trajectory for FMD. Our data and findings provide valuable genomic resources not only for studying the genetic mechanisms of musk secretion and adaptive immunity, but also for facilitating more effective management of the captive breeding programs for this endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Qinchao Wen
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology on Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Ping Bu
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Jie Gao
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology on Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Guannan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Jiazheng Jin
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Medicinal Animals, Xichang, P.R. China
| | - Yinjie Song
- Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Yifan Zhang
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology on Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Xue Jiang
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Medicinal Animals, Xichang, P.R. China
| | - Haoran Yu
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Changjun Peng
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Yongmei Shen
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Medicinal Animals, Xichang, P.R. China
| | - Megan Price
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Xiuyue Zhang
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology on Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Zhenxin Fan
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Bisong Yue
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
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Li Y, Zhang T, Qi L, Yang S, Xu S, Cha M, Zhang M, Huang Z, Yu J, Hu D, Liu S. Microbiota Changes in the Musk Gland of Male Forest Musk Deer During Musk Maturation. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:3048. [PMID: 30619139 PMCID: PMC6297183 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The musk gland in an adult male forest musk deer is an organ that synthesizes, stores, and secretes musk, a cream-colored liquid upon initial secretion that gradually transforms into a blackish-brown solid substance upon full maturation. In this study, four healthy adult male forest musk deer were selected and a total of 12 musk samples were collected for analysis. The samples were in three different states depending on the different seasonal collection dates, which were in June, August, and October. High-throughput 16S-rRNA gene sequencing technology was used to detect microbiota changes in the gland. The results indicate that microbial richness gradually declined during the musk maturation process. The microbiota composition between the initial liquid and final solid musk samples was varied significantly (P < 0.05). The dominant bacterial phyla were similar at all three stages included Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. However, the abundances were differences in terms of the dominant bacterial genera. PICRUSt analysis showed the highest represented category was “Amino acid transport and metabolism” (24.8%), followed by “Transcription” (22.04%), and “Carbohydrate transport and metabolism” (20.74%). Our findings indicate that the microbiota in the musk gland plays an important role in the maturation process of musk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimeng Li
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianxiang Zhang
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Qi
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Yang
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Shanghua Xu
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Muha Cha
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Meishan Zhang
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixin Huang
- Research Department, Zhangzhou Pien Tze Huang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Zhangzhou, China
| | - Juan Yu
- Research Department, Zhangzhou Pien Tze Huang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Zhangzhou, China
| | - Defu Hu
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuqiang Liu
- College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
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Hu X, Liu G, Li Y, Wei Y, Lin S, Liu S, Zheng Y, Hu D. High-Throughput Analysis Reveals Seasonal Variation of the Gut Microbiota Composition Within Forest Musk Deer ( Moschus berezovskii). Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1674. [PMID: 30093891 PMCID: PMC6070636 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota plays a key role in the nutritional ecology of ruminants, and host diet has a significant effect on these microbial communities. Longitudinal studies assessing variation of seasonal microbiota in animals can provide a comparative context for interpreting the adaptive significance of such changes. However, few studies have investigated the effects of seasonally-related dietary shifts on the gut microbial communities of endangered forest musk deer (FMD), and the national breeding programs need this information to promote the growth of captive populations. The present study applied bacterial 16S rRNA genes based on high-throughput sequencing to profile the fecal microbial communities of FMD across four seasons. Microbial diversity was higher in seasons with dry leaf diets (winter and spring) compared to seasons with fresh leaf diets (summer and autumn). The dominant microbial phyla were Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, and the core bacterial taxa also comprised mostly (94.40% of shared OTUs) Firmicutes (37 taxa) and Bacteroidetes (6 taxa), which were relatively stable across different seasons. The Firmicutes-Bacteroidetes ratio declined in seasons with fresh leaf diets relative to seasons with dry leaf diets, and the dominant genera among the four seasons showed no significant variation in abundance. This work explores the seasonal variation in the microbial communities of FMD for the first time, and reveals how gut microbial community dynamics vary seasonally in accordance with differences in dietary plants (fresh and dry leaf). These results indicate that the annual cyclic reconfiguration of FMD gut microbiota could be associated with shifts in dietary nutrients, which is important information to inform captive FMD management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Hu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Gang Liu
- Institute of Wetland Research, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Yimeng Li
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuting Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Shaobi Lin
- Zhangzhou Pien Tze Huang Pharmaceutical, Co., Ltd., Zhangzhou, China
| | - Shuqiang Liu
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunlin Zheng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Defu Hu
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
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Yang C, Tang J, Bian K, Suo LJ, Yuan H, Wang Y, Huang Y. Next generation sequencing yields the complete mitogenome of captive forest musk deer, Moschus berezovskii (Ruminantia: Moschidae). Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 2018; 3:472-473. [PMID: 33474208 PMCID: PMC7800556 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2018.1462670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Moschus berezovskii is an endangered species, but its captive populations are valuable on musk secretions in traditional Chinese medicine and perfume manufacture. The mitogenome of M. berezovskii was 16,353 bp in size. Stop codons in 13 PCGs were all typical types except incomplete stop codon T for COX3, ND2 and ND4, and TA for ND3. No tandem repeat was found in control region. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Moschidae has the closest relationship with Bovidae. We supported that M. berezovskii should be categorized into two subspecies, and suggested that the status of M. chrysogaster JQ608470 should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yang
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an, China
- School of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jie Tang
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an, China
| | - Kun Bian
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an, China
| | | | - Hao Yuan
- School of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an, China
| | - Yuan Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
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Hu XL, Liu G, Wei YT, Wang YH, Zhang TX, Yang S, Hu DF, Liu SQ. Regional and seasonal effects on the gastrointestinal parasitism of captive forest musk deer. Acta Trop 2018; 177:1-8. [PMID: 28963064 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Parasite infections can cause adverse effects on health, survival and welfare of forest musk deer. However, few studies have quantified the parasite infection status and evaluated the parasite temporal dynamics and differences between breeding centers for captive forest musk deer. The purpose of this study was to assess seasonal and regional effects on the parasite prevalence, shedding capacity, diversity, aggregation and infracommunity to establish baseline data on captive forest musk deer. The McMaster technique was applied to count parasite eggs or oocysts in 990 fecal samples collected at three breeding centers located in Qinling Mountains and Tibetan Plateau during spring, summer, and winter. Five gastrointestinal parasite groups were found in musk deer, and Eimeria spp. were dominant (mean oocysts per gram=1273.7±256.3). A positive correlation between Eimeria spp. and Strongyloides spp. (r=0.336, p<0.001) based on shedding capacity data was found, as well as a negative correlation between Eimeria spp. and Moniezia spp. (r=-0.375, p=0.003). Both seasonal and regional differences in diversity, prevalence, shedding capacity, aggregation and infracommunity were observed for five parasite groups. The low level of aggregation and high shedding capacity of Eimeria spp. and Strongyloides spp. might reflect the contaminated environment, and indicate that host-parasite relationships are unstable. The high degree of aggregation of Trichuris spp., Ascaris spp., and Moniezia spp. also suggests that some individual hosts had less ability to resist pathogens and greater transmission potential than others. These conclusions suggest that a focus on disease control strategies could improve the health of forest musk deer in captivity.
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Hu X, Liu G, Shafer ABA, Wei Y, Zhou J, Lin S, Wu H, Zhou M, Hu D, Liu S. Comparative Analysis of the Gut Microbial Communities in Forest and Alpine Musk Deer Using High-Throughput Sequencing. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:572. [PMID: 28421061 PMCID: PMC5376572 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut ecosystem is characterized by dynamic and reciprocal interactions between the host and bacteria. Although characterizing microbiota for herbivores has become recognized as important tool for gauging species health, no study to date has investigated the bacterial communities and evaluated the age-related bacterial dynamics of musk deer. Moreover, gastrointestinal diseases have been hypothesized to be a limiting factor of population growth in captive musk deer. Here, high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was used to profile the fecal bacterial communities in juvenile and adult alpine and forest musk deer. The two musk deer species harbored similar bacterial communities at the phylum level, whereas the key genera for the two species were distinct. The bacterial communities were dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, with the bacterial diversity being higher in forest musk deer. The Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio also increased from juvenile to adult, while the bacterial diversity, within-group and between-group similarity, all increased with age. This work serves as the first sequence-based analysis of variation in bacterial communities within and between musk deer species, and demonstrates how the gut microbial community dynamics vary among closely related species and shift with age. As gastrointestinal diseases have been observed in captive populations, this study provides valuable data that might benefit captive management and future reintroduction programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Hu
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Gang Liu
- Institute of Wetland Research - Chinese Academy of ForestryBeijing, China
| | - Aaron B A Shafer
- Forensic Science and Environmental & Life Sciences, Trent University, PeterboroughON, Canada
| | - Yuting Wei
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Juntong Zhou
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Shaobi Lin
- Zhangzhou Pien Tze Huang Pharmaceutical Co., LtdZhangzhou, China
| | - Haibin Wu
- Zhangzhou Pien Tze Huang Pharmaceutical Co., LtdZhangzhou, China
| | - Mi Zhou
- Breeding Centre of Alpine Musk Deer in FengchunLanzhou, China
| | - Defu Hu
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Shuqiang Liu
- Laboratory of Non-invasive Research Technology for Endangered Species, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
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