Comparative analysis of gut microbial composition and potential functions in captive forest and alpine musk deer

• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11775-8
• Publication Date: 2022-01-17T08:25:49Z
• Authors: Feng Jiang; Pengfei Song; Haijing Wang; Jingjie Zhang; Daoxin Liu; Zhenyuan Cai; Hongmei Gao; Xiangwen Chi; Tongzuo Zhang
• Keywords: Ruminococcus

Gut microbiota forms a unique microecosystem and performs various irreplaceable metabolic functions for ruminants. The gut is important host health provides new insight into endangered species conservation. Forest musk deer (FMD) alpine (AMD) are typical small ruminants, globally due to excessive hunting habitat loss. Although nearly 60 years of captive breeding has reduced the pressure in wild, fatal gastrointestinal diseases restrict growth populations. In this study, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing revealed differences between FMD AMD based on 166 fecal samples. alpha diversity was higher than AMD, probably helping adapt different wider habitats. ß-diversity adult juveniles winter late spring. phylum Firmicutes genera Christensenellaceae R7 group, Ruminococcus, Prevotellaceae UCG-004, Monoglobus were significantly abundance AMD. However, Bacteroidetes Bacteroides, UCG-005, Rikenellaceae RC9 Alistipes FMD. expression FMD, beneficial pattern maintain energy substance metabolism. Captive may be at risk intestinal with relative abundances most opportunistic pathogens disease-related functions. These results provide valuable data healthy assessing their adaptability wild. KEY POINTS: • Alpha that Expression