Changes in feeding habits promoted the differentiation of the composition and function of gut microbiotas between domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and gray wolves (Canis lupus)

Abstract

Wolves (Canis lupus) and their domesticated and close relatives, dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), have great differences in their diets and living environments. To the best of our knowledge, the fundamental question of how the abundance and function of the gut microbiota of domestic dogs evolved to adapt to the changes in host feeding habits has yet to be addressed. In this study, our comparative analyses of gut metagenomes showed that the abundance of gut microbiota between the two species have some significant differences. Furthermore, a number of taxa observed in higher numbers in domestic dogs are related to carbohydrate metabolism, which may be because that there were more complicated polysaccharides in dogs diets than that in wolves diets. A significant difference in the abundance of genes encoding glycosyltransferase family 34 (GT34), carbohydrate-binding module family 25 (CBM25), and glycoside hydrolase family 13 (GH13) between the gut microbiota metagenomes of domestic dogs and gray wolves also supported this observation. Furthermore, the domestic dog gut microbiota has greater valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism. This result showed that compared with wolves, the domestic dog diet contains a smaller amount of animal protein, which is consistent with the dietary composition of wolves and dogs. Our results indicate that the function and abundance of gut microbiota of domestic dogs has been adapted to domestication, which is of great significance for the ability of domestic dogs to adapt to changes in food composition.

The Australian dingo: untamed or feral?

“…Wu et al [176] found 15 bacterial species that differed in abundance between captive wolves and dogs. Furthermore, a metagenomic analysis of wolf and dog gut microbiotas revealed differences in microbial species and genes related to starch and cellulose digestion [177]. Lyu et al [177] suggested that the gut flora of dogs reflects adaptation to a diet of human food, most notably the presence of starch combined with a low intake of animal protein.…”

Comparison of the gut microbiome in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) by high-throughput sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene

“…3 show the separation observed between the gut bacteria composition of group ML and group TL. Lyu 32 yielded differences in the ability to adapt to a captive environment. The difference in the ability to adapt to a captive environment may result from the different gut bacterial composition of red deer and fallow deer.…”

The Role of the Canine Gut Microbiome and Metabolome in Health and Gastrointestinal Disease

“…Another bacterium known to produce butyrate from protein sources is Fusobacterium varium (31), which was more abundant in a group of dogs fed meat-based raw diets for at least 1 year, suggesting an adaptation of the microbiome to the long-term diet (24). In addition, members of the Fusobacteriaceae family have been found to be more abundant in other carnivore species [cats: (18,32), wolves: (33,34), other carnivora: (17,35)], and dogs fed raw diets (19,23,36).…”