Dataset Information

Dietary changes during weaning shape the gut microbiota of red pandas (Ailurus fulgens).

ABSTRACT: Mammalian herbivores have developed numerous adaptations to utilize their plant-based diets including a modified gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and symbiosis with a GIT microbiota that plays a major role in digestion and the maintenance of host health. The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a herbivorous carnivore that lacks the specialized GIT common to other herbivores but still relies on microorganisms for survival on its almost entirely bamboo diet. The GIT microbiota is of further importance in young red pandas, as high cub mortality is problematic and has been attributed to failure to meet nutritional requirements. To gain insight into the establishment of the GIT microbiota of red pandas, we examined microbial communities in two individuals following dietary changes associated with weaning using next-generation 16S rRNA Illumina MiSeq paired-end sequencing of faecal samples. Across all four stages (pre-weaning, during weaning, post-weaning and adult), the GIT microbial community displayed low diversity and was dominated by bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes with lesser contributions from the Proteobacteria. A core community was found consistently across all weaning stages and included species within the taxa Escherichia-Shigella, Streptococcus, Clostridium and an unclassified Clostridiaceae. Analysis of the overall community composition and structure showed that although the GIT microbiota is established early in red pandas, dietary changes during weaning further shape the community and are correlated with the presence of new bacterial species. This work is the first analysis of the GIT microbiota for red panda cubs during weaning and provides a framework for understanding how diet and host microbiota impact the development of these threatened animals.

SUBMITTER: Williams CL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5772406 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Dietary changes during weaning shape the gut microbiota of red pandas (<i>Ailurus fulgens</i>).

Williams Candace L CL Dill-McFarland Kimberly A KA Sparks Darrell L DL Kouba Andrew J AJ Willard Scott T ST Suen Garret G Brown Ashli E AE

Conservation physiology 20180106 1

Mammalian herbivores have developed numerous adaptations to utilize their plant-based diets including a modified gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and symbiosis with a GIT microbiota that plays a major role in digestion and the maintenance of host health. The red panda (<i>Ailurus fulgens</i>) is a herbivorous carnivore that lacks the specialized GIT common to other herbivores but still relies on microorganisms for survival on its almost entirely bamboo diet. The GIT microbiota is of further importan ...[more]

PMID: 29399361

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Project description:Simple Summary Microsporidia are obligatory intracellular fungi that cause infection in a broad variety of eukaryotes. However, there are few epidemiological studies on microsporidia in red pandas in China. Therefore, we conducted an epidemiological survey of microsporidia in red pandas from six zoos in Sichuan Province, China. In 198 fecal samples, Enterocytozoon bieneusi was detected in 24 samples (12.1%), while Encephalitozoon spp. was detected in 8 fecal samples (4.0%). Further analysis revealed the presence of genotypes of E. bieneusi with zoonotic concerns. Interestingly, we also observed that the infection rate of microsporidia was higher in semi-free red pandas with more frequent contact with other animals or humans. This is the first report on the occurrence and genotypes of E. bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp. in red pandas in Sichuan Province, China, contributing to our understanding of the worldwide distribution and genetic diversity of this pathogen. Abstract Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp. are microsporidian pathogens with zoonotic potential that pose significant public health concerns. To ascertain the occurrence and genotypes of E. bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp., we used nested PCR to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene and DNA sequencing to analyze 198 fecal samples from red pandas from 6 zoos in China. The total rate of microsporidial infection was 15.7% (31/198), with 12.1% (24/198), 1.0% (2/198), 2.0% (4/198) and 1.0% (2/198) for infection rate of E. bieneusi, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis and Encephalitozoon hellem, respectively. One red panda was detected positive for a mixed infection (E. bieneusi and E. intestinalis). Red pandas living in semi-free conditions are more likely to be infected with microsporidia (χ2 = 6.212, df = 1, p < 0.05). Three known (SC02, D, and PL2) and one novel (SCR1) genotypes of E. bieneusi were found. Three genotypes of E. bieneusi (SC02, D, SCR1) were grouped into group 1 with public health importance, while genotype PL2 formed a separate clade associated with group 2. These findings suggest that red pandas may serve as a host reservoir for zoonotic microsporidia, potentially allowing transmission from red pandas to humans and other animals.

Project description:BackgroundThe red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a riddle of morphology, making it hard to tell whether it is an ursid, a procyonid, a mustelid, or a member of its own family. Previous genetic studies have given quite contradictory results as to its phylogenetic placement.ResultsA recently developed whole genome-based algorithm, the Whole Genome K-mer Signature algorithm was used to analyze the genomes of 28 species of Carnivora, including A. fulgens and several felid, ursid, mustelid, one mephitid species. This algorithm has the advantage of holistically using all the information in the genomes of these species. Being a genomics-based algorithm, it also reduces stochastic error to a minimum. Besides the whole genome, the mitochondrial DNA from 52 mustelids, mephitids, ursids, procyonids and A. fulgens were aligned to draw further phylogenetic inferences. The results from the whole genome study suggested that A. fulgens is a member of the mustelid clade (p = 9·10- 97). A. fulgens also separates from the mephitid Spilogala gracilis. The giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca also clusters away from A. fulgens, together with other ursids (p = 1.2·10- 62). This could be due to the geographic isolation of A. fulgens from other mustelid species. However, results from the mitochondrial study as well as neighbor-joining methods based on the sequence identity matrix suggests that A. fulgens forms a monophyletic group. A Maximum Likelihood tree suggests that A. fulgens and Ursidae form a monophyletic group, although the bootstrap value is weak.ConclusionsThe main conclusion that we can draw from this study is that on a whole genome level A. fulgens possibly belongs to the mustelid clade, and not an ursid or a mephitid. This despite the fact that previously some researchers classified A. fulgens and A. melanoleuca as relatives. Since the genotype determines the phenotype, molecular-based classification takes precedence over morphological classifications. This affirms the results of some previous studies, which studied smaller portions of the genome. However, mitochondrial analyses based on neighbor-joining and maximum likelihood methods suggest otherwise.

Project description:In the light of recent molecular studies, there are two phylogenetic species of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens): Ailurus fulgens fulgens and Ailurus fulgens styani. The red panda belongs to the endangered species living in the wild only in Asia and is included in the CITES list. Although the biology and diet of this species has been extensively described, the histological structure of the tongue and lingual glands has not yet been characterized in detail in relation to the lifestyle of this mammal under specific conditions and as a basis for comparative anatomical studies of the biodiversity of endemic species. Study samples were collected from two adult males of Ailurus fulgens f. held in Wrocław Zoological Garden. Both tongues were examined macroscopically; moreover, samples with lingual papillae for light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were collected from the apex, body and root of the tongue. Both tongues of the Ailurus fulgens f. males were approximately 9 cm long. The dorsal lingual surface was covered with mechanical and gustatory lingual papillae. Filiform papillae were observed on the apex and the body of the tongue, while small conical papillae were observed on the root of the tongue. An elongated, 1-1.5 cm long cylinder-shaped lyssa was observed in the ventral part of the apex. Moreover, most numerous and largest round in shape fungiform papillae were observed on the apex and on the border of the body and root of the tongue, located directly rostrally to 12-13 round and oval in shape vallate papillae. The SEM study showed that filiform papillae on the apex had several long secondary processes, while filiform papillae on the body of the tongue were taller and their secondary papillae were shorter than the equivalent structures on the apex of the tongue. The SEM study showed numerous taste pores on the surface of the fungiform papilla, while irregular surface of the vallate papillae, however some of them had smoother surface. Mixed glands (comprised of mucous acini and serous acini) were present within the vallum (within the connective tissue core) of the vallate papilla. Beneath the papillae more serous glands were observed, while the posterior lingual glands in the caudal part of the root of the tongue were mucoserous (mucous units were prevalent). A characteristic feature of the tongue of Ailurus fulgens f. was the presence of lyssa, which is comparable to other representatives of Carnivora, but the number of vallate papillae was individually variable. The lack of strongly developed mechanical conical papillae probably may be related to the type of plant food that is particularly dominant in red panda. Further differences between Ailurus fulgens f. and Ailurus fulgens s. cannot be excluded. The results of these studies may be useful especially for veterinarians specializing in working with exotic animals and people dealing with wildlife conservation.

Dataset Information

Dietary changes during weaning shape the gut microbiota of red pandas (Ailurus fulgens).

Publications

Dietary changes during weaning shape the gut microbiota of red pandas (<i>Ailurus fulgens</i>).

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