Dataset Information

Wild black bears harbor simple gut microbial communities with little difference between the jejunum and colon.

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiome (GMB), comprising the commensal microbial communities located in the gastrointestinal tract, has co-evolved in mammals to perform countless micro-ecosystem services to facilitate physiological functions. Because of the complex inter-relationship between mammals and their gut microbes, the number of studies addressing the role of the GMB on mammalian health is almost exclusively limited to human studies and model organisms. Furthermore, much of our knowledge of wildlife-GMB relationships is based on studies of colonic GMB communities derived from the feces of captive specimens, leaving our understanding of the GMB in wildlife limited. To better understand wildlife-GMB relationships, we engaged hunters as citizen scientists to collect biological samples from legally harvested black bears (Ursus americanus) and used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to characterize wild black bear GMB communities in the colon and jejunum, two functionally distinct regions of the gastrointestinal tract. We determined that the jejunum and colon of black bears do not harbor significantly different GMB communities: both gastrointestinal sites were dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. However, a number of bacteria were differentially enriched in each site, with the colon harboring twice as many enriched taxa, primarily from closely related lineages.

SUBMITTER: Gillman SJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7695734 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Wild black bears harbor simple gut microbial communities with little difference between the jejunum and colon.

Gillman Sierra J SJ McKenney Erin A EA Lafferty Diana J R DJR

Scientific reports 20201127 1

The gut microbiome (GMB), comprising the commensal microbial communities located in the gastrointestinal tract, has co-evolved in mammals to perform countless micro-ecosystem services to facilitate physiological functions. Because of the complex inter-relationship between mammals and their gut microbes, the number of studies addressing the role of the GMB on mammalian health is almost exclusively limited to human studies and model organisms. Furthermore, much of our knowledge of wildlife-GMB rel ...[more]

PMID: 33247155

Similar Datasets

Project description:When fed ad libitum, ursids can maximize mass gain by selecting mixed diets wherein protein provides 17 ± 4% of digestible energy, relative to carbohydrates or lipids. In the wild, this ability is likely constrained by seasonal food availability, limits of intake rate as body size increases, and competition. By visiting locations of 37 individuals during 274 bear-days, we documented foods consumed by grizzly (Ursus arctos) and black bears (Ursus americanus) in Grand Teton National Park during 2004-2006. Based on published nutritional data, we estimated foods and macronutrients as percentages of daily energy intake. Using principal components and cluster analyses, we identified 14 daily diet types. Only 4 diets, accounting for 21% of days, provided protein levels within the optimal range. Nine diets (75% of days) led to over-consumption of protein, and 1 diet (3% of days) led to under-consumption. Highest protein levels were associated with animal matter (i.e., insects, vertebrates), which accounted for 46-47% of daily energy for both species. As predicted: 1) daily diets dominated by high-energy vertebrates were positively associated with grizzly bears and mean percent protein intake was positively associated with body mass; 2) diets dominated by low-protein fruits were positively associated with smaller-bodied black bears; and 3) mean protein was highest during spring, when high-energy plant foods were scarce, however it was also higher than optimal during summer and fall. Contrary to our prediction: 4) allopatric black bears did not exhibit food selection for high-energy foods similar to grizzly bears. Although optimal gain of body mass was typically constrained, bears usually opted for the energetically superior trade-off of consuming high-energy, high-protein foods. Given protein digestion efficiency similar to obligate carnivores, this choice likely supported mass gain, consistent with studies showing monthly increases in percent body fat among bears in this region.

Dataset Information

Wild black bears harbor simple gut microbial communities with little difference between the jejunum and colon.

Publications

Wild black bears harbor simple gut microbial communities with little difference between the jejunum and colon.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets