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Pan H, Hou R, Zhang H, Li Y, Huang Z, Cui L, Xiao W. Surviving at the highest and coldest: Nutritional and chemical components of fallback foods for Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11219. [PMID: 38628920 PMCID: PMC11019302 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Fallback foods (FBF), categorized into staple and filler types, are suboptimal food sources chosen by animals in response to a scarcity of preferred food items during specific periods. Using lichens as FBF by Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) represents a distinctive ecological adaptation and evolutionary development within nonhuman primates. This study delves into the annual dietary choices of the species to address issues, elucidate the nutritional value, and understand the ecological significance of lichens for this primate species, which resides at the highest altitudes and experiences the coldest weather among global primates. The findings reveal that the lichens consumed by the monkeys serve as the staple FBF, with Bryoria spp. and Usnea longissima being the primary dietary species. The former is the preferred choice, providing higher digestible fiber (neutral detergent fiber) levels but lower tannin, fat, ADF, and energy levels. During the dry season, lichens dominate as the monkeys' primary food and nutritional resources. In the wet season, they act as a fundamental food selection rather than an ideal dietary choice, substituting nutrients from fruits, seeds, and leaves. Compared to other Asian colobine counterparts, this species exhibits the highest lichen consumption but the lowest proportions of leaves, flowers, and seeds. This study provides valuable evidence and information for developing or amending conservation strategies and guidelines for the dietary management of captive breeding of monkeys, one of the world's critically endangered primate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Pan
- Institute of Eastern‐Himalaya Biodiversity ResearchDali UniversityDaliYunnanChina
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life SciencesNorthwest UniversityXi'anChina
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primates ConservationDali UniversityDaliYunnanChina
| | - Rong Hou
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life SciencesNorthwest UniversityXi'anChina
| | - He Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life SciencesNorthwest UniversityXi'anChina
| | - Yanpeng Li
- Institute of Eastern‐Himalaya Biodiversity ResearchDali UniversityDaliYunnanChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of ChinaDaliYunnanChina
| | - Zhipang Huang
- Institute of Eastern‐Himalaya Biodiversity ResearchDali UniversityDaliYunnanChina
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primates ConservationDali UniversityDaliYunnanChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of ChinaDaliYunnanChina
- Key Laboratory for Conserving Wildlife with Small Populations in YunnanSouthwest Forestry UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Liangwei Cui
- Key Laboratory for Conserving Wildlife with Small Populations in YunnanSouthwest Forestry UniversityKunmingChina
- Yunling Black‐and‐White Snub‐Nosed Monkey Observation and Research Station of Yunnan ProvinceDaliYunnanChina
| | - Wen Xiao
- Institute of Eastern‐Himalaya Biodiversity ResearchDali UniversityDaliYunnanChina
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primates ConservationDali UniversityDaliYunnanChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of ChinaDaliYunnanChina
- Yunling Black‐and‐White Snub‐Nosed Monkey Observation and Research Station of Yunnan ProvinceDaliYunnanChina
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Li J, Fu N, Wang M, Gao C, Gao B, Ren L, Tao J, Luo Y. Functional and Compositional Changes in Sirex noctilio Gut Microbiome in Different Habitats: Unraveling the Complexity of Invasive Adaptation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2526. [PMID: 38473774 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The mutualistic symbiosis relationship between the gut microbiome and their insect hosts has attracted much scientific attention. The native woodwasp, Sirex nitobei, and the invasive European woodwasp, Sirex noctilio, are two pests that infest pines in northeastern China. Following its encounter with the native species, however, there is a lack of research on whether the gut microbiome of S. noctilio changed, what causes contributed to these alterations, and whether these changes were more conducive to invasive colonization. We used high-throughput and metatranscriptomic sequencing to investigate S. noctilio larval gut and frass from four sites where only S. noctilio and both two Sirex species and investigated the effects of environmental factors, biological interactions, and ecological processes on S. noctilio gut microbial community assembly. Amplicon sequencing of two Sirex species revealed differential patterns of bacterial and fungal composition and functional prediction. S. noctilio larval gut bacterial and fungal diversity was essentially higher in coexistence sites than in separate existence sites, and most of the larval gut bacterial and fungal community functional predictions were significantly different as well. Moreover, temperature and precipitation positively correlate with most of the highly abundant bacterial and fungal genera. Source-tracking analysis showed that S. noctilio larvae at coexistence sites remain dependent on adult gut transmission (vertical transmission) or recruitment to frass (horizontal transmission). Meanwhile, stochastic processes of drift and dispersal limitation also have important impacts on the assembly of S. noctilio larval gut microbiome, especially at coexistence sites. In summary, our results reveal the potential role of changes in S. noctilio larval gut microbiome in the successful colonization and better adaptation of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiale Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Sino-France Joint Laboratory for Invasive Forest Pests in Eurasia, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Ningning Fu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Department of Forest Protection, College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071033, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Chenglong Gao
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
| | - Bingtao Gao
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
| | - Lili Ren
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Sino-France Joint Laboratory for Invasive Forest Pests in Eurasia, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jing Tao
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Sino-France Joint Laboratory for Invasive Forest Pests in Eurasia, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Youqing Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Sino-France Joint Laboratory for Invasive Forest Pests in Eurasia, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
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Liu X, Yu J, Huan Z, Xu M, Song T, Yang R, Zhu W, Jiang J. Comparing the gut microbiota of Sichuan golden monkeys across multiple captive and wild settings: roles of anthropogenic activities and host factors. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:148. [PMID: 38321370 PMCID: PMC10848473 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10041-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Captivity and artificial food provision are common conservation strategies for the endangered golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana). Anthropogenic activities have been reported to impact the fitness of R. roxellana by altering their gut microbiota, a crucial indicator of animal health. Nevertheless, the degree of divergence in gut microbiota between different anthropogenically-disturbed (AD) R. roxellana and their counterparts in the wild has yet to be elucidated. Here, we conducted a comparative analysis of the gut microbiota across nine populations of R. roxellana spanning China, which included seven captive populations, one wild population, and another wild population subject to artificial food provision. RESULTS Both captivity and food provision significantly altered the gut microbiota. AD populations exhibited common variations, such as increased Bacteroidetes and decreased Firmicutes (e.g., Ruminococcus), Actinobacteria (e.g., Parvibacter), Verrucomicrobia (e.g., Akkermansia), and Tenericutes. Additionally, a reduced Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratiosuggested diminished capacity for complex carbohydrate degradation in captive individuals. The results of microbial functional prediction suggested that AD populations displayed heightened microbial genes linked to vitamin and amino acid metabolism, alongside decreased genes associated antibiotics biosynthesis (e.g., penicillin, cephalosporin, macrolides, and clavulanic acid) and secondary metabolite degradation (e.g., naphthalene and atrazine). These microbial alterations implied potential disparities in the health status between AD and wild individuals. AD populations exhibited varying degrees of microbial changes compared to the wild group, implying that the extent of these variations might serve as a metric for assessing the health status of AD populations. Furthermore, utilizing the individual information of captive individuals, we identified associations between variations in the gut microbiota of R. roxellana and host age, as well as pedigree. Older individuals exhibited higher microbial diversity, while a closer genetic relatedness reflected a more similar gut microbiota. CONCLUSIONS Our aim was to assess how anthropogenic activities and host factors influence the gut microbiota of R. roxellana. Anthropogenic activities led to consistent changes in gut microbial diversity and function, while host age and genetic relatedness contributed to interindividual variations in the gut microbiota. These findings may contribute to the establishment of health assessment standards and the optimization of breeding conditions for captive R. roxellana populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanzhen Liu
- Chengdu Zoo & Chengdu Research Institute of Wildlife, 610081, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianqiu Yu
- Chengdu Zoo & Chengdu Research Institute of Wildlife, 610081, Chengdu, China
| | - Zongjin Huan
- Chengdu Zoo & Chengdu Research Institute of Wildlife, 610081, Chengdu, China
| | - Mei Xu
- Chengdu Zoo & Chengdu Research Institute of Wildlife, 610081, Chengdu, China
| | - Ting Song
- Chengdu Zoo & Chengdu Research Institute of Wildlife, 610081, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruilin Yang
- Chengdu Zoo & Chengdu Research Institute of Wildlife, 610081, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 610041, Chengdu, China.
| | - Jianping Jiang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 610041, Chengdu, China
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Li D, Xia W, Cui X, Zhao M, Huang K, Wang X, Shen J, Chen H, Zhu L. The putatively high-altitude adaptation of macaque monkeys: Evidence from the fecal metabolome and gut microbiome. Evol Appl 2023; 16:1708-1720. [PMID: 38020871 PMCID: PMC10660799 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals living in high-altitude environments, such as the Tibetan Plateau, must face harsh environmental conditions (e.g., hypoxia, cold, and strong UV radiation). These animals' physiological adaptations (e.g., increased red cell production and turnover rate) might also be associated with the gut microbial response. Bilirubin is a component of red blood cell turnover or destruction and is excreted into the intestine and reduced to urobilinoids and/or urobilinogen by gut bacteria. Here, we found that the feces of macaques living in high-altitude regions look significantly browner (with a high concentration of stercobilin, a component from urobilinoids) than those living in low-altitude regions. We also found that gut microbes involved in urobilinogen reduction (e.g., beta-glucuronidase) were enriched in the high-altitude mammal population compared to the low-altitude population. Moreover, the spatial-temporal change in gut microbial function was more profound in the low-altitude macaques than in the high-altitude population, which might be attributed to profound changes in food resources in the low-altitude regions. Therefore, we conclude that a high-altitude environment's stress influences living animals and their symbiotic microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayong Li
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology of Rhinopithecus roxellana (Department of Education of Sichuan Province)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
| | - Wancai Xia
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology of Rhinopithecus roxellana (Department of Education of Sichuan Province)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
| | - Xinyuan Cui
- College of Life ScienceNanjing Normal UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Mei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology of Rhinopithecus roxellana (Department of Education of Sichuan Province)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
| | - Kai Huang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology of Rhinopithecus roxellana (Department of Education of Sichuan Province)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
| | - Xueyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology of Rhinopithecus roxellana (Department of Education of Sichuan Province)China West Normal UniversityNanchongChina
| | | | - Hua Chen
- Mingke BiotechnologyHangzhouChina
| | - Lifeng Zhu
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjingChina
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Xi L, Han J, Wen X, Zhao L, Qin X, Luo S, Lv D, Song S. Species variations in the gut microbiota of captive snub-nosed monkeys. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1250865. [PMID: 37780618 PMCID: PMC10534982 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1250865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Snub-nosed monkeys are species in danger of extinction due to habitat fragmentation and human activities. Captivity has been suggested as an Auxiliary Conservation Area (ASA) strategy. However, little is known about the adaptation of different species of snub-nosed monkeys to captive environments. Methods This study compared the gut microbiota between Rhinopithecus bieti, R. brelichi, and R. roxellana under identical captive conditions to provide insights for improving captive conservation strategies. Results The results showed that these three Rhinopithecus species shared 80.94% of their Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU), indicating high similarity in gut microbiota composition. The predominant phyla were Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes for all three Rhinopithecus species, but differences were observed in diversity, characteristic bacterial communities, and predicted function. Significant enrichment of cellulolytic families, including Ruminococcaceae, Clostridiales vadinBB60 group, Christensenellaceae, and Erysipelotrichaceae, and pathways involved in propionate and butyrate metabolism in the gut of R. bieti suggested that it may have a superior dietary fiber utilization capacity. In contrast, Bacteroidetes, Ruminoccaceae, and Trichospiraceae were more abundant in R. brelichi and R. roxellana, and were associated with saccharide and glycan metabolic pathways. Moreover, R. brelichi and R. roxellana also had higher similarity in microbiota composition and predicted function. Discussion In conclusion, the results demonstrate that host species are associated with the composition and function of the gut microbiota in snub-nosed monkeys. Thus, host species should be considered when formulating nutritional strategies and disease surveillance in captive snub-nosed monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Xi
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
- Henan Engineering Research Center of Development and Application of Green Feed Additives, College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Jincheng Han
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
- Henan Engineering Research Center of Development and Application of Green Feed Additives, College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Xiaohui Wen
- Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Longfei Zhao
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Xinxi Qin
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Shengjun Luo
- Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dianhong Lv
- Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuai Song
- Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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Xi L, Wen X, Jia T, Han J, Qin X, Zhang Y, Wang Z. Comparative study of the gut microbiota in three captive Rhinopithecus species. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:398. [PMID: 37452294 PMCID: PMC10349479 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09440-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Snub-nosed monkeys are highly endangered primates and their population continues to decline with the habitat fragmentation. Artificial feeding and breeding is an important auxiliary conservation strategy. Studies have shown that changes and imbalances in the gut microbiota often cause gastrointestinal problems in captive snub-nosed monkeys. Here, we compare the gut microbiota composition, diversity, and predicted metabolic function of three endangered species of snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti, R. brelichi, and R. roxellana) under the same captive conditions to further our understanding of the microbiota of these endangered primates and inform captive conservation strategies. 16 S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on fecal samples from 15 individuals (R. bieti N = 5, R. brelichi N = 5, R. roxellana N = 5). RESULTS The results showed that the three Rhinopithecus species shared 24.70% of their amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), indicating that the composition of the gut microbiota varied among the three Rhinopithecus species. The phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes represented 69.74% and 18.45% of the core microbiota. In particular, analysis of microbiota diversity and predicted metabolic function revealed a profound impact of host species on the gut microbiota. At the genus level, significant enrichment of cellulolytic genera including Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, Ruminococcus, Christensenellaceae R7 group, UCG 004 from Erysipelatoclostridiaceae, and UCG 002 and UCG 005 from Oscillospiraceae, and carbohydrate metabolism including propionate and butyrate metabolic pathways in the gut of R. bieti indicated that R. bieti potentially has a stronger ability to use plant fibers as energy substances. Bacteroides, unclassified Muribaculaceae, Treponema, and unclassified Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group were significantly enriched in R. brelichi. Prevotella 9, unclassified Lachnospiraceae, and unclassified UCG 010 from Oscillospirales UCG 010 were significantly enriched in R. roxellana. Among the predicted secondary metabolic pathways, the glycan biosynthesis and metabolism had significantly higher relative abundance in the gut of R. brelichi and R. roxellana than in the gut of R. bieti. The above results suggest that different Rhinopithecus species may have different strategies for carbohydrate metabolism. The Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and Unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clustering tree revealed fewer differences between the gut microbiota of R. brelichi and R. roxellana. Correspondingly, no differences were detected in the relative abundances of functional genes between the two Rhinopithecus species. CONCLUSION Taken together, the study highlights that host species have an effect on the composition and function of the gut microbiota of snub-nosed monkeys. Therefore, the host species should be considered when developing nutritional strategies and investigating the effects of niche on the gut microbiota of snub-nosed monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Xi
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
- Henan Engineering Research Center of Development and Application of Green Feed Additives, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Xiaohui Wen
- Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Jia
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Captive Wildlife Technologies, Beijing Zoo, Beijing, China.
| | - Jincheng Han
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China.
- Henan Engineering Research Center of Development and Application of Green Feed Additives, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China.
| | - Xinxi Qin
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China.
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
| | - Yanzhen Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Captive Wildlife Technologies, Beijing Zoo, Beijing, China
| | - Zihan Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Captive Wildlife Technologies, Beijing Zoo, Beijing, China
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Song F, Ma S, Zhang Y, Yang X, Zhang H, Han Y, Liu Y, Gao F, Yuan Z. Seasonal Variation in Gut Microbiota of the Wild Daurian Ground Squirrel ( Spermophilus dauricus): Metagenomic Insights into Seasonal Breeding. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2235. [PMID: 37444034 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132235] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Spermophilus dauricus, the wild Daurian ground squirrel, is known to exhibit seasonal breeding behavior. Although the importance of gut microbiota in animal digestion, metabolism, and immunity is well-established, the correlation between gut microbiota and seasonal breeding in this species remains inadequately explored. In the present study, using metagenomic sequencing technology, the compositions and functions of the gut microbiota of wild Daurian ground squirrels in different breeding seasons were explored. The dominant gut microbial phyla were Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The Firmicutes were predominant in the breeding season, whereas Bacteroidetes were predominant in the non-breeding season. At the genus level, Lactobacillus accumulated during the breeding season, whereas Odoribacter and Alistipes increased during the non-breeding season. GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome) annotations indicated that genes in gut samples were highly associated with metabolic functions. The differential expression gene analysis showed that genes related to the phosphotransferase system, cysteine, and methionine metabolism were highly expressed during the breeding season, whereas the non-breeding season upregulated genes were enriched in starch and sucrose metabolism and bacterial chemotaxis pathways. In conclusion, this study could provide a reference for investigating gut microbiota in seasonal breeding animals and offer new insight into gut microbial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengcheng Song
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Shubao Ma
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yujiao Zhang
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiaoying Yang
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Haolin Zhang
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yingying Han
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yuning Liu
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Fuli Gao
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Zhengrong Yuan
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
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Kuang W, Zinner D, Li Y, Yao X, Roos C, Yu L. Recent Advances in Genetics and Genomics of Snub-Nosed Monkeys ( Rhinopithecus) and Their Implications for Phylogeny, Conservation, and Adaptation. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14050985. [PMID: 37239345 DOI: 10.3390/genes14050985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The snub-nosed monkey genus Rhinopithecus (Colobinae) comprises five species (Rhinopithecus roxellana, Rhinopithecus brelichi, Rhinopithecus bieti, Rhinopithecus strykeri, and Rhinopithecus avunculus). They are range-restricted species occurring only in small areas in China, Vietnam, and Myanmar. All extant species are listed as endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, all with decreasing populations. With the development of molecular genetics and the improvement and cost reduction in whole-genome sequencing, knowledge about evolutionary processes has improved largely in recent years. Here, we review recent major advances in snub-nosed monkey genetics and genomics and their impact on our understanding of the phylogeny, phylogeography, population genetic structure, landscape genetics, demographic history, and molecular mechanisms of adaptation to folivory and high altitudes in this primate genus. We further discuss future directions in this research field, in particular how genomic information can contribute to the conservation of snub-nosed monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weimin Kuang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz-Science Campus Primate Cognition, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Yuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xueqin Yao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
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