Individual variations and effects of birth facilities on the fecal microbiome of laboratory-bred marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) assessed by a longitudinal study

Abstract

Laboratory animals are used for scientific research in various fields. In recent years, there has been a concern that the gut microbiota may differ among laboratory animals, which may yield different results in different laboratories where in-vivo experiments are performed. Our knowledge of the gut microbiota of laboratory-reared common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) is limited; thus, in this study, we analyzed the daily changes in fecal microbiome composition, individual variations, and effects of the birth facility in healthy female laboratory-reared marmosets, supplied by three vendors. We showed that the marmoset fecal microbiome varied among animals from the same vendor and among animals from different vendors (birth facility), with daily changes of approximately 37%. The fecal microbiome per vendor is characterized by alpha diversity and specific bacteria, with Bifidobacterium for vendor A, Phascolarctobacterium for vendor B, and Megamonas for vendor C. Furthermore, we found that plasma progesterone concentrations and estrous cycles were not correlated with daily fecal microbiome changes. In contrast, animals with an anovulatory cycle lacked Megamonas and Desulfovibrio bacteria compared to normal estrous females. This study suggests that the source of the animal, such as breeding and housing facilities, is important for in-vivo experiments on the marmoset gut microbiota.

Review of Environmental and Health Factors Impacting Captive Common Marmoset Welfare in the Biomedical Research Setting

“…Diet offerings should be kept as consistent as possible during periods of high stress, such as shipment and quarantine, and ideally few changes should be made to the diet in the immediate period post shipment. Since the specific vendor facility affects the composition of the marmoset gut microbiome, it is possible that animals originating from different facilities may respond differently to the same new diet [ 9 ]. Facilities should expect to prepare extensively for the arrival of a new marmoset colony, especially if the facility has never housed marmosets before.…”