Colonization and Development of the Fecal Microflora of South China Tiger Cubs (<b><i>Panthera tigris amoyensis</i></b>) by Sequencing of the 16S rRNA Gene

Abstract

Postnatal colonization and development of the gut microbiota is linked to health and growth. A comprehensive understanding of the postnatal compositional changes and development of the microbial community is helpful to understand the gut health and improve the survival rate of South China tiger cubs (&lt;i&gt;Panthera tigris amoyensis&lt;/i&gt;). Fecal samples from three tiger cubs were collected on the day of birth in 2018 (June 17–21 [G0], July 18 [G1], July 31 [G2], and August 7 [G3]). The 16S rRNA genes of the fecal microflora were sequenced. Results showed that 38 phyla, 58 classes, 134 orders, 272 families, and 636 genera of bacteria from 3,059 operational taxonomic units were identified from 12 fecal samples. The diversity and abundance of species of group G0 were significantly higher (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &amp;#x3c; 0.05 or 0.01) than those of groups G2 and G3. The predominant phylum was Proteobacteria in groups G0 and G1 (38.85% and 48%, respectively) and Firmicutes in groups G2 and G3 (71.42% and 75.29%, respectively). At the phylum level, the abundance of Deinococcus-Thermus was significantly decreased in groups G1, G2, and G3 as compared to group G0 (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &amp;#x3c; 0.05), while that of Firmicutes was significantly increased in groups G2 and G3 (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &amp;#x3c; 0.05). At the genus level, the abundance of &lt;i&gt;Faecalibacterium&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;Ralstonia&lt;/i&gt;, and unidentified &lt;i&gt;Rickettsiales&lt;/i&gt; was significantly decreased in groups G1, G2, and G3 as compared with group G0 (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &amp;#x3c; 0.05), while that of &lt;i&gt;Pseudomonas&lt;/i&gt; was significantly decreased in groups G2 and G3 (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &amp;#x3c; 0.05). The composition and structure of fecal microbiota of South China tiger cubs changed after birth.

High-throughput DNA metabarcoding for determining the gut microbiome of captive critically endangered Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) during fasting

“…Previous studies have reported similar bacterial genera associated with the gut microbiota of the genus Panthera , although some previously-reported genera were not isolated in the present study ( Hua et al 2020 , Mittal et al 2020 , Chen et al 2022 ). The findings of this study are consistent with earlier research on carnivores, particularly the genus Panthera ( Ning et al 2020 , Jiang et al 2020 , Sun et al 2021 ). From the 201 genera isolated from the faecal matter of the genus Panthera in Zoo Melaka, some contained non-pathogenic species.…”

Developmental stage variation in the gut microbiome of South China tigers

“…Actinobacteria also contributed to the gut microbiota of the tigers, which might play a role in maintaining host homeostasis, inhibition of Gram-negative pathogens, and lactic acid fermentation ( Colston and Jackson, 2016 ). The gut microbiome of SC within 2 months old ( Sun et al, 2022 ) was found to occupy the similar predominant phyla as we found in this study. However, the genus that was reported in the gut of those tigers was much different from what we found here, except for the genus of Collinsella and Campylobacter , which were found in both samples ( Supplementary Table 5 ; Sun et al, 2022 ).…”

“…The gut microbiome of SC within 2 months old (Sun et al, 2022) was found to occupy the similar predominant phyla as we found in this study. However, the genus that was reported in the gut of those tigers was much different from what we found here, except for the genus of Collinsella and Campylobacter, which were found in both samples (Supplementary Table 5; Sun et al, 2022). This might indicate that the structure of the gut microbiome of SC changed more dramatically in the early period after birth, and after 1 year old, it became more stable.…”

“…A study of humans from infancy to childhood found that the developing gut microbiome undergoes three distinct phases of microbiome progression ( Stewart et al, 2018 ). Another study of juvenile SC (within 2 months old) found that the diversity, abundance, and composition of the gut microbiome of SC undergoes significant changes within 50 days after birth ( Sun et al, 2022 ). Therefore, the data of this study might suggest that like the case in humans ( Stewart et al, 2018 ), the gut microbiome of SC might undergo similar developmental progression: a developmental phase (cub), a transitional phase (subadult), and a stable phase (adult).…”

“…The gut microbiome of SC was also occupied by Proteobacteria, which are facultative anaerobes and promote colonization of obligate anaerobes in the intestinal niche (Shin et al, 2015) and plays a key role in the degradation of lignin and the breakdown of complex compounds in forage 10.3389/fmicb.2022.962614 (Evans et al, 2011). Proteobacteria was also detected in other feline gut microbiota (Fang et al, 2012;Han et al, 2019;Jiang et al, 2020;Sun et al, 2022). Actinobacteria also contributed to the gut microbiota of the tigers, which might play a role in maintaining host homeostasis, inhibition of Gram-negative pathogens, and lactic acid fermentation (Colston and Jackson, 2016).…”