Promiscuity in mice is associated with increased vaginal bacterial diversity

MacManes, Matthew D.

doi:10.1007/s00114-011-0848-2

Cited by 21 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…We found that more promiscuous primate species showed greater microbial diversity, which is consistent with microbial analyses in mice (MacManes, 2011). Promiscuity is likely to be a driving factor leading to systemic differences in the primate immune system (Nunn et al, 2000), as well as the rate of molecular evolution of genes impacting immune function (Wlasiuk and Nachman, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Primate vaginal microbiomes exhibit species specificity without universal Lactobacillus dominance

et al. 2014

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Bacterial communities colonizing the reproductive tracts of primates (including humans) impact the health, survival and fitness of the host, and thereby the evolution of the host species. Despite their importance, we currently have a poor understanding of primate microbiomes. The composition and structure of microbial communities vary considerably depending on the host and environmental factors. We conducted comparative analyses of the primate vaginal microbiome using pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA genes of a phylogenetically broad range of primates to test for factors affecting the diversity of primate vaginal ecosystems. The nine primate species included: humans (Homo sapiens), yellow baboons (Papio cynocephalus), olive baboons (Papio anubis), lemurs (Propithecus diadema), howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra), red colobus (Piliocolobus rufomitratus), vervets (Chlorocebus aethiops), mangabeys (Cercocebus atys) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Our results indicated that all primates exhibited host-specific vaginal microbiota and that humans were distinct from other primates in both microbiome composition and diversity. In contrast to the gut microbiome, the vaginal microbiome showed limited congruence with host phylogeny, and neither captivity nor diet elicited substantial effects on the vaginal microbiomes of primates. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance and Wilcoxon tests revealed correlations among vaginal microbiota and host species-specific socioecological factors, particularly related to sexuality, including: female promiscuity, baculum length, gestation time, mating group size and neonatal birth weight. The proportion of unclassified taxa observed in nonhuman primate samples increased with phylogenetic distance from humans, indicative of the existence of previously unrecognized microbial taxa. These findings contribute to our understanding of host-microbe variation and coevolution, microbial biogeography, and disease risk, and have important implications for the use of animal models in studies of human sexual and reproductive diseases.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Primate vaginal microbiomes exhibit species specificity without universal Lactobacillus dominance

et al. 2014

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“…These factors may influence patterns of microbiota in species with pronounced sexual swellings such as chimpanzees and baboons. Paralleling established correlates of multimale mating, such as testes size and number of mates (Short, 1979;Harcourt et al, 1981;Kappeler and van Schaik, 1999;Nunn et al, 2000Nunn et al, , 2003Nunn et al, 2004), more promiscuous host species may show greater microbial diversity than less promiscuous species, consistent with recent analyses of mice (MacManes, 2011).…”

Section: Microbial Variation Among Nhpssupporting

confidence: 75%

The primate vaginal microbiome: Comparative context and implications for human health and disease

Stumpf

Wilson

Rivera

et al. 2013

American J Phys Anthropol

119

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The primate body hosts trillions of microbes. Interactions between primate hosts and these microbes profoundly affect primate physiology, reproduction, health, survival, and ultimately, evolution. It is increasingly clear that primate health cannot be understood fully without knowledge of host-microbial interactions. Our goals here are to review what is known about microbiomes of the female reproductive tract and to explore several factors that influence variation within individuals, as well as within and between primate species. Much of our knowledge of microbial variation derives from studies of humans, and from microbes located in nonreproductive regions (e.g., the gut). We review work suggesting that the vaginal microbiota affects female health, fecundity, and pregnancy outcomes, demonstrating the selective potential for these agents. We explore the factors that correlate with microbial variation within species. Initial colonization by microbes depends on the manner of birth; most microbial variation is structured by estrogen levels that change with age (i.e., at puberty and menopause) and through the menstrual cycle. Microbial communities vary by location within the vagina and can depend on the sampling methods used (e.g., swab, lavage, or pap smear). Interindividual differences also exist, and while this variation is not completely understood, evidence points more to differences in estrogen levels, rather than differences in external physical environment. When comparing across species, reproductive-age humans show distinct microbial communities, generally dominated by Lactobacillus, unlike other primates. We develop evolutionary hypotheses to explain the marked differences in microbial communities. While much remains to be done to test these hypotheses, we argue that the ample variation in primate mating and reproductive behavior offers excellent opportunities to evaluate host-microbe coevolution and adaptation. Am J Phys Anthropol 57:119-134,

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“…STI prevalence among human populations is associated with higher levels of promiscuity [8], confirming the expected association between sexual behavior and infection rates. Promiscuity also impacts the overall community composition of the vaginal microbiome, increasing diversity in polygamous lizards [9], primates [10], and mice [11]. Mating multiply thus appears to lead to a greater sampling of the available microbial diversity within populations.…”

Section: Beneficial Stis and Sexual Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%