Shift of Maternal Gut Microbiota of Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) During the Periparturition Period

Abstract

The maternal gut microbiome can influence and be affected by the substantial physiological changes taking place during the perinatal period. However, little information is known about the changes in the maternal gut microbiome during this period. Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) provide a unique system to address this issue because their summer migration cycle is synchronized with the perinatal period. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to generate gut microbiome profiles using fecal samples collected from female migratory Tibetan antelope. We then correlated microbiome diversity with fecal hormone metabolite concentrations of glucocorticoids (GCs) and triiodothyronine (T3) extracted from the same fecal samples. The maternal gut microbiome of Tibetan antelope was dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes.There was a clear separation in gut microbial composition by female reproductive states based on both hierarchical clustering and PCoA analyses. The shift in the maternal gut microbiome likely reflects the metabolic and immune system dynamics during the perinatal period. Overall, the microbiome diversity was higher in the late pregnancy compared to the postpartum period. The negative association between T3 and microbiome diversity may be moderated by the shift of reproductive states since the correlations disappeared when considering each reproductive state separately. Integrating the microbiome dimension, migration pattern and reproduction may have direct conservation implications as by establishing a baseline of the physiological changes during the migration/perinatal period, we can have a better understanding of the impacts of increasing human activities on the Tibetan Plateau on the reproductive health of Tibetan antelope.

Intestinal microbiota dysbiosis and liver metabolomic changes during brain death

“…Bacteroidaceae is the core microbe in the rat cecum, and is responsible for producing amino acids, neurotransmitters and SCFAs, as well as bile acid biotransformation (21). Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae are the core microbes in the rat colon; specifically, Lachnospiraceae_ND3007_group , which produces butyric acid (22), and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-007 , which was positively correlated with elevated concentrations of acetate, butyrate and total SCFAs (23). Papillibacter belongs to Clostridium leptum and is a butyrate-producing bacterium (24).…”

Rumen microbiota of indigenous and introduced ruminants and their adaptation to the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau

“… Shi et al (2021) examined changes in the gut microbiota of Tibetan Antelope during the peri-parturition period and reported Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes as predominant phyla. In addition, these taxa shift during the transition from late pregnancy to the postpartum period, and microbial diversity is correlated with glucocorticoid and triiodothyronine levels to further accommodate energy demands and immune system modulation.…”

“…Moreover, these taxa have been recently identified as biomarkers of a healthy mucus layer in the animal gut that may provide a competitive advantage during nutrient deprivation and are associated with longevity in humans (Belzer and de Vos, 2012;Biagi et al, 2016). Shi et al (2021) examined changes in the gut microbiota of Tibetan Antelope during the peri-parturition period and reported Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes as predominant phyla. In addition, these taxa shift during the transition from late pregnancy to the postpartum period, and microbial diversity is correlated with glucocorticoid and triiodothyronine levels to further accommodate energy demands and immune system modulation.…”

Developmental and environmental modulation of fecal thyroid hormone levels in wild Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis)

“…With advancements of noninvasive sampling methods (Wasser et al, 2010), thyroid hormone measurement has gained popularity, for example, through the measurement of immunoreactive total T3 levels in nonhuman primate urine (e.g., Behringer et al, 2014; Sadoughi et al, 2021; Touitou et al, 2021b) and feces (e.g., Cristóbal‐Azkarate et al, 2016; Schaebs et al, 2016; Thompson et al, 2017). These noninvasive methods have become particularly valuable for animal studies, specifically in wild animals (e.g., Lemos et al, 2020; Shi et al, 2021; Szott et al, 2020), as it allows for the repeated measurement of total T3 levels without the need for frequent blood draws or other invasive procedures.…”