Dataset Information

Seasonal Changes in Gut Microbiota Diversity and Composition in the Greater Horseshoe Bat.

ABSTRACT: A large number of microorganisms colonize the intestines of animals. The gut microbiota plays an important role in nutrient metabolism and affects a number of physiological mechanisms in the host. Studies have shown that seasonal changes occur in the intestinal microbes of mammals that hibernate seasonally. However, these studies only focused on ground squirrels and bears. It remains unclear how hibernation might affect the intestinal microbes of bats. In this study, we measured microbial diversity and composition in the gut of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum in different periods (early spring, early summer, late summer, torpor, and interbout arousal) using 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing and PICRUSt to predict functional profiles. We found seasonal changes in the diversity and composition of the gut microbes in R. ferrumequinum. The diversity of gut microbiota was highest in the late summer and lowest in the early summer. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria was highest in the early summer and significantly lower in other periods. The relative abundance of Firmicutes was lowest in the early summer and significantly increased in the late summer, followed by a significant decrease in the early winter and early spring. The relative abundance of Tenericutes was significantly higher in the early spring compared with other periods. The results of functional prediction by PICRUSt showed seasonal variations in the relative abundance of metabolism-related pathways, including lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and energy metabolism. Functional categories for carbohydrate metabolism had significantly lower relative abundance in early winter-torpor compared with late summer, while those associated with lipid metabolism had significantly higher relative abundance in the early winter compared with late summer. Overall, our results show that seasonal physiological changes associated with hibernation alter the gut microbial community of R. ferrumequinum. Hibernation may also alter the metabolic function of intestinal microbes, possibly by converting the gut microflora from carbohydrate-related to lipid-related functional categories. This study deepens our understanding of the symbiosis between hibernating mammals and gut microbes.

SUBMITTER: Xiao G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6779692 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Seasonal Changes in Gut Microbiota Diversity and Composition in the Greater Horseshoe Bat.

Xiao Guohong G Liu Sen S Xiao Yanhong Y Zhu Yue Y Zhao Hanbo H Li Aoqiang A Li Zhongle Z Feng Jiang J

Frontiers in microbiology 20191001

A large number of microorganisms colonize the intestines of animals. The gut microbiota plays an important role in nutrient metabolism and affects a number of physiological mechanisms in the host. Studies have shown that seasonal changes occur in the intestinal microbes of mammals that hibernate seasonally. However, these studies only focused on ground squirrels and bears. It remains unclear how hibernation might affect the intestinal microbes of bats. In this study, we measured microbial divers ...[more]

PMID: 31632369

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Project description:BackgroundChronic constipation is one of the most prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorders, yet its etiology is multifactorial, and the pathophysiological mechanism is still unclear. Previous studies have shown that the gut microbiota of constipated patients differs from healthy controls; however, many discrepancies exist in the findings, and no clear link has been confirmed between chronic constipation and changes in the gut microbiota. Growing evidence indicates that age, gender, and hormone levels can affect the composition of gut microbiota. The aim of this study is to examine the overall changes in gut microbiota within a specific sub-population of patients, namely, constipated women of reproductive age.MethodsWe carried out a cross-sectional study comparing the fecal microbial composition of 30 healthy women and 29 constipated women using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Only women of reproductive age were recruited to reduce the effects of age, gender, and hormone levels on the microbiome, and to prevent conflating the impact of these factors with the effects of constipation.ResultsThere were obvious differences in the gut microbiota in constipated women of reproductive age compared with the healthy controls, manifesting mainly as a significant increase in the abundance of Bacteroides (p < 0.05) and a significant decrease in the abundance of Proteobacteria (p < 0.01). The overall composition of the gut microbiota in each group was different, which was reflected in the ratios of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B), which was 1.52 in the constipated group vs. 2.21 in the healthy group. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in butyrate-producing bacteria, like Roseburia and Fusicatenibacter (p < 0.01).ConclusionThe overall composition of the gut microbiota changed in constipated women of reproductive age, characterized by a loss in Proteobacteria and an increase in Bacteroidetes. Furthermore, the abundance of some butyrate-producing bacteria also reduced. These changes may reflect the unique interactions between host and some bacteria, or some bacterial metabolic products, which may be important targets for future studies to explore the pathogenesis of constipation.

Dataset Information

Seasonal Changes in Gut Microbiota Diversity and Composition in the Greater Horseshoe Bat.

Publications

Seasonal Changes in Gut Microbiota Diversity and Composition in the Greater Horseshoe Bat.

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