Comparison of Bacterial and Fungal Community Structure and Potential Function Analysis of Yak Feces before and after Weaning

Abstract

Weaning is one of the most stressful periods in yak growth. However, the impact of weaning on microbial diversity, structure, and potential function of yak feces is not clear. In this study, 12 Xinjiang yaks aged 3, 4, 5, and 6 months old were selected to collect fresh feces before and after weaning. Through 16S rRNA and ITS high-throughput sequencing, the dynamic distribution and potential function of yak fecal, bacterial, and fungal communities in each month were revealed. The study found that the richness of fungi had a significant impact on weaning. At the phylum level, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota, and at the genus level, 5-7N15, Oscillospira, Roseburia, Dorea, Preussia, Neoascochyta, Naganishia, and Sporormiella were enriched in yak feces of different months old. The abundance and proportion of bacteria Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, 5-7N15, and fungi Mucoromyceta changed significantly before and after weaning. With the increase of months, Verrucomicrobia and Akkermansia have shown a downward trend. Through the prediction and analysis of fecal microbial function, it was found that at the level of primary pathways, weaning has a significant impact on cellular processes, environmental information processing, genetic information processing, metabolism, and organismal systems. At the level of secondary metabolic pathways, weaning has a significant impact on cell motility, signal transduction, folding, sorting and degradation, translation, amino acid metabolism, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides, and xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism. In addition, by analyzing the differences in functional pathways and microbial composition between sample groups of different months, it was found that the differences in functional pathways were related to the abundance differences of some microorganisms. In general, the changes in the composition and structure of yak fecal microflora may reflect the adaptability of the intestinal microbiota.

Interplay between the (Poly)phenol Metabolome, Gut Microbiome, and Cardiovascular Health in Women: A Cross-Sectional Study from the TwinsUK Cohort

“…Bacteroidaceae, the family of 5-7N15, seems to be involved in nearly all types of human bacterial functional genes in the active gut microbiota. To date, 5-7N15-related research has been limited to animal models and related to the degradation of cellulose and hemicellulose [59,60], and further analysis of 5-7N15 in the human gut is required. Cellulose, an important part of the wall of plant cells, is a fibre commonly found in plant-based foods, for instance, fruits and vegetables.…”

“…The genera showing significant associations with urinary (poly)phenol metabolites (in Figure 4) were selected to test the associations with cardiovascular risk scores. The genera with significant negative associations after adjusting for family relatedness, age, BMI, and fibre intake are shown in Table 2, including (i) 5-7N15, which has the potential ability of the cellulose and hemicellulose [59,60] and (ii) Scardovia, one of the seven genera in the Bifidobacteriaceae family with high acidogenic and aciduric potential [61]. No significant negative associations were found between the genera in Figure 4 and HeartScore.…”

Comparative analysis of endophytic fungal communities in bamboo species Phyllostachys edulis, Bambusa rigida, and Pleioblastus amarus

“…4 ), our findings are consistent with the diversity of endophytic fungi in the leaves of five different species of Podocarpus 47 . Highly heterologous community composition, diversity, and richness of endophytic fungi were observed in Pleioblastus amarus due to monopodial structure due to the sympodial structure of Phyllostachys edulis , and mixed Bambusa rigida 48 , 49 .…”

Yaks Are Dependent on Gut Microbiota for Survival in the Environment of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau

“…With the stress at weaning in yak calves, the relative abundances of bacteria such as Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and 5-7N15 change in the feces [60]. In addition, environmental factors influence disease resistance in yaks.…”