scholarly journals Disentangling the Possible Drivers of Indri indri Microbiome: A Threatened Lemur Species of Madagascar

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Correa ◽  
Valeria Torti ◽  
Caterina Spiezio ◽  
Alice Checcucci ◽  
Monica Modesto ◽  
...  

Research on the gut microbiome may help with increasing our understanding of primate health with species’ ecology, evolution, and behavior. In particular, microbiome-related information has the potential to clarify ecology issues, providing knowledge in support of wild primates conservation and their associated habitats. Indri (Indri indri) is the largest extant living lemur of Madagascar. This species is classified as “critically endangered” by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, representing one of the world’s 25 most endangered primates. Indris diet is mainly folivorous, but these primates frequently and voluntarily engage in geophagy. Indris have never been successfully bred under human care, suggesting that some behavioral and/or ecological factors are still not considered from the ex situ conservation protocols. Here, we explored gut microbiome composition of 18 indris belonging to 5 different family groups. The most represented phyla were Proteobacteria 40.1 ± 9.5%, Bacteroidetes 28.7 ± 2.8%, Synergistetes 16.7 ± 4.5%, and Firmicutes 11.1 ± 1.9%. Further, our results revealed that bacterial alpha and beta diversity were influenced by indri family group and sex. In addition, we investigated the chemical composition of geophagic soil to explore the possible ecological value of soil as a nutrient supply. The quite acidic pH and high levels of secondary oxide-hydroxides of the soils could play a role in the folivorous diet’s gut detoxification activity. In addition, the high contents of iron and manganese found the soils could act as micronutrients in the indris’ diet. Nevertheless, the concentration of a few elements (i.e., calcium, sulfur, boron, nickel, sodium, and chromium) was higher in non-geophagic than in geophagic soils. In conclusion, the data presented herein provide a baseline for outlining some possible drivers responsible for the gut microbiome diversity in indris, thus laying the foundations for developing further strategies involved in indris’ conservation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oksana Kutsyr ◽  
Lucía Maestre-Carballa ◽  
Mónica Lluesma-Gomez ◽  
Manuel Martinez-Garcia ◽  
Nicolás Cuenca ◽  
...  

AbstractThe gut microbiome is known to influence the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. However, there has been relatively little focus upon the implications of the gut microbiome in retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Here, we investigated changes in gut microbiome composition linked to RP, by assessing both retinal degeneration and gut microbiome in the rd10 mouse model of RP as compared to control C57BL/6J mice. In rd10 mice, retinal responsiveness to flashlight stimuli and visual acuity were deteriorated with respect to observed in age-matched control mice. This functional decline in dystrophic animals was accompanied by photoreceptor loss, morphologic anomalies in photoreceptor cells and retinal reactive gliosis. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data showed a microbial gut dysbiosis with differences in alpha and beta diversity at the genera, species and amplicon sequence variants (ASV) levels between dystrophic and control mice. Remarkably, four fairly common ASV in healthy gut microbiome belonging to Rikenella spp., Muribaculaceace spp., Prevotellaceae UCG-001 spp., and Bacilli spp. were absent in the gut microbiome of retinal disease mice, while Bacteroides caecimuris was significantly enriched in mice with RP. The results indicate that retinal degenerative changes in RP are linked to relevant gut microbiome changes. The findings suggest that microbiome shifting could be considered as potential biomarker and therapeutic target for retinal degenerative diseases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaro Salosensaari ◽  
Ville Laitinen ◽  
Aki S. Havulinna ◽  
Guillaume Meric ◽  
Susan Cheng ◽  
...  

AbstractThe collection of fecal material and developments in sequencing technologies have enabled standardised and non-invasive gut microbiome profiling. Microbiome composition from several large cohorts have been cross-sectionally linked to various lifestyle factors and diseases. In spite of these advances, prospective associations between microbiome composition and health have remained uncharacterised due to the lack of sufficiently large and representative population cohorts with comprehensive follow-up data. Here, we analyse the long-term association between gut microbiome variation and mortality in a well-phenotyped and representative population cohort from Finland (n = 7211). We report robust taxonomic and functional microbiome signatures related to the Enterobacteriaceae family that are associated with mortality risk during a 15-year follow-up. Our results extend previous cross-sectional studies, and help to establish the basis for examining long-term associations between human gut microbiome composition, incident outcomes, and general health status.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Verhaar ◽  
D Collard ◽  
A Prodan ◽  
J.H.M Levels ◽  
A.H Zwinderman ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Gut microbiome composition is shaped by a combination of host genetic make-up and dietary habits. In addition, large ethnic differences exist in microbiome composition. Several studies in humans and animals have shown that differences in gut microbiota and its metabolites, including short chain fatty acids (SCFA), are associated with blood pressure (BP). We hypothesized that gut microbiome composition and its metabolites may be differently associated with BP across ethnic groups. Purpose To investigate associations of gut microbiome composition and fecal SCFA levels with BP across different ethnic groups. Methods We assessed the association between gut microbiome composition and office BP among 4672 subjects (mean age 49.8±11.7 years, 52%F) of 6 different ethnic groups participating in the HELIUS study. Gut microbiome composition was determined using 16S rRNA sequencing. Associations between microbiome composition and blood pressure were assessed using machine learning prediction models. The resulting best predictors were correlated with BP using Spearman's rank correlations. Fecal SCFA levels were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography in an age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched subgroup of 200 participants with either extreme low or high systolic BP. Differences in abundances of best predictors and fecal SCFA levels between high and low BP groups were assessed with Mann-Whitney U tests. Results Gut microbiome composition explained 4.4% of systolic BP variance. Best predictors for systolic BP included Roseburia spp. (ρ −0.15, p<0.001), Clostridium spp. (ρ −0.14, p<0.001), Romboutsia spp. (ρ −0.10, p<0.001), and Ruminococceae spp. (ρ −0.15, p<0.001) (Figure 1). Explained variance of the microbiome composition was highest in Dutch subjects (4.8%), but very low in African Surinamese, Ghanaian, and Turkish ethnic groups (ranging from 0–0.77%) Hence, we selected only participants with Dutch ethnicity for the matched subgroup. Participants with high BP had lower abundance of Roseburia hominis (p<0.01) and Roseburia spp. (p<0.05) compared to participants with low BP. However, fecal acetate (p<0.05) and propionate (p<0.01) levels were higher in participants with high BP. Conclusions In this cross-sectional study, gut microbiome composition was moderately associated with BP. Associations were strongly divergent between ethnic groups, with strongest associations in Dutch participants. Intriguingly, while Dutch participants with high BP had lower abundances of several SCFA-producing microbes, they had higher fecal SCFA levels. Intervention studies with SCFAs could provide more insight in the effects of these metabolites on BP. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): The Academic Medical Center (AMC) of Amsterdam and the Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD Amsterdam) provided core financial support for HELIUS. The HELIUS study is also funded by research grants of the Dutch Heart Foundation (Hartstichting; grant no. 2010T084), the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw; grant no. 200500003), the European Integration Fund (EIF; grant no. 2013EIF013) and the European Union (Seventh Framework Programme, FP-7; grant no. 278901).


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander L. Carlson ◽  
Kai Xia ◽  
M. Andrea Azcarate-Peril ◽  
Samuel P. Rosin ◽  
Jason P. Fine ◽  
...  

AbstractExperimental manipulation of gut microbes in animal models alters fear behavior and relevant neurocircuitry. In humans, the first year of life is a key period for brain development, the emergence of fearfulness, and the establishment of the gut microbiome. Variation in the infant gut microbiome has previously been linked to cognitive development, but its relationship with fear behavior and neurocircuitry is unknown. In this pilot study of 34 infants, we find that 1-year gut microbiome composition (Weighted Unifrac; lower abundance of Bacteroides, increased abundance of Veillonella, Dialister, and Clostridiales) is significantly associated with increased fear behavior during a non-social fear paradigm. Infants with increased richness and reduced evenness of the 1-month microbiome also display increased non-social fear. This study indicates associations of the human infant gut microbiome with fear behavior and possible relationships with fear-related brain structures on the basis of a small cohort. As such, it represents an important step in understanding the role of the gut microbiome in the development of human fear behaviors, but requires further validation with a larger number of participants.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 726
Author(s):  
Ronald Biemann ◽  
Enrico Buß ◽  
Dirk Benndorf ◽  
Theresa Lehmann ◽  
Kay Schallert ◽  
...  

Gut microbiota-mediated inflammation promotes obesity-associated low-grade inflammation, which represents a hallmark of metabolic syndrome. To investigate if lifestyle-induced weight loss (WL) may modulate the gut microbiome composition and its interaction with the host on a functional level, we analyzed the fecal metaproteome of 33 individuals with metabolic syndrome in a longitudinal study before and after lifestyle-induced WL in a well-defined cohort. The 6-month WL intervention resulted in reduced BMI (−13.7%), improved insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR, −46.1%), and reduced levels of circulating hsCRP (−39.9%), indicating metabolic syndrome reversal. The metaprotein spectra revealed a decrease of human proteins associated with gut inflammation. Taxonomic analysis revealed only minor changes in the bacterial composition with an increase of the families Desulfovibrionaceae, Leptospiraceae, Syntrophomonadaceae, Thermotogaceae and Verrucomicrobiaceae. Yet we detected an increased abundance of microbial metaprotein spectra that suggest an enhanced hydrolysis of complex carbohydrates. Hence, lifestyle-induced WL was associated with reduced gut inflammation and functional changes of human and microbial enzymes for carbohydrate hydrolysis while the taxonomic composition of the gut microbiome remained almost stable. The metaproteomics workflow has proven to be a suitable method for monitoring inflammatory changes in the fecal metaproteome.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Mogouong ◽  
Philippe Constant ◽  
Pierre Legendre ◽  
Claude Guertin

AbstractThe microbiome composition of living organisms is closely linked to essential functions determining the fitness of the host for thriving and adapting to a particular ecosystem. Although multiple factors, including the developmental stage, the diet, and host-microbe coevolution have been reported to drive compositional changes in the microbiome structures, very few attempts have been made to disentangle their various contributions in a global approach. Here, we focus on the emerald ash borer (EAB), an herbivorous pest and a real threat to North American ash tree species, to explore the responses of the adult EAB gut microbiome to ash leaf properties, and to identify potential predictors of EAB microbial variations. The relative contributions of specific host plant properties, namely bacterial and fungal communities on leaves, phytochemical composition, and the geographical coordinates of the sampling sites, to the EAB gut microbial community was examined by canonical analyses. The composition of the phyllosphere microbiome appeared to be a strong predictor of the microbial community structure in EAB guts, explaining 53 and 48% of the variation in fungi and bacteria, respectively. This study suggests a potential covariation of the microorganisms associated with food sources and the insect gut microbiome.


Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 463
Author(s):  
Mariusz Sikora ◽  
Albert Stec ◽  
Magdalena Chrabaszcz ◽  
Aleksandra Knot ◽  
Anna Waskiel-Burnat ◽  
...  

(1) Background: A growing body of evidence highlights that intestinal dysbiosis is associated with the development of psoriasis. The gut–skin axis is the novel concept of the interaction between skin diseases and microbiome through inflammatory mediators, metabolites and the intestinal barrier. The objective of this study was to synthesize current data on the gut microbial composition in psoriasis. (2) Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies investigating intestinal microbiome in psoriasis, using the PRISMA checklist. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases for relevant published articles (2000–2020). (3) Results: All of the 10 retrieved studies reported alterations in the gut microbiome in patients with psoriasis. Eight studies assessed alpha- and beta-diversity. Four of them reported a lack of change in alpha-diversity, but all confirmed significant changes in beta-diversity. At the phylum-level, at least two or more studies reported a lower relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, and higher Firmicutes in psoriasis patients versus healthy controls. (4) Conclusions: There is a significant association between alterations in gut microbial composition and psoriasis; however, there is high heterogeneity between studies. More unified methodological standards in large-scale studies are needed to understand microbiota’s contribution to psoriasis pathogenesis and its modulation as a potential therapeutic strategy.


mSystems ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ce Yuan ◽  
Michael B. Burns ◽  
Subbaya Subramanian ◽  
Ran Blekhman

ABSTRACT Although variation in gut microbiome composition has been linked with colorectal cancer (CRC), the factors that mediate the interactions between CRC tumors and the microbiome are poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to regulate CRC progression and are associated with patient survival outcomes. In addition, recent studies suggested that host miRNAs can also regulate bacterial growth and influence the composition of the gut microbiome. Here, we investigated the association between miRNA expression and microbiome composition in human CRC tumor and normal tissues. We identified 76 miRNAs as differentially expressed (DE) in tissue from CRC tumors and normal tissue, including the known oncogenic miRNAs miR-182, miR-503, and mir-17~92 cluster. These DE miRNAs were correlated with the relative abundances of several bacterial taxa, including Firmicutes , Bacteroidetes , and Proteobacteria . Bacteria correlated with DE miRNAs were enriched with distinct predicted metabolic categories. Additionally, we found that miRNAs that correlated with CRC-associated bacteria are predicted to regulate targets that are relevant for host-microbiome interactions and highlight a possible role for miRNA-driven glycan production in the recruitment of pathogenic microbial taxa. Our work characterized a global relationship between microbial community composition and miRNA expression in human CRC tissues. IMPORTANCE Recent studies have found an association between colorectal cancer (CRC) and the gut microbiota. One potential mechanism by which the microbiota can influence host physiology is through affecting gene expression in host cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that can regulate gene expression and have important roles in cancer development. Here, we investigated the link between the gut microbiota and the expression of miRNA in CRC. We found that dozens of miRNAs are differentially regulated in CRC tumors and adjacent normal colon and that these miRNAs are correlated with the abundance of microbes in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, we found that microbes that have been previously associated with CRC are correlated with miRNAs that regulate genes related to interactions with microbes. Notably, these miRNAs likely regulate glycan production, which is important for the recruitment of pathogenic microbial taxa to the tumor. This work provides a first systems-level map of the association between microbes and host miRNAs in the context of CRC and provides targets for further experimental validation and potential interventions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanthi G. Parkar ◽  
Jovyn K. T. Frost ◽  
Doug Rosendale ◽  
Halina M. Stoklosinski ◽  
Carel M. H. Jobsis ◽  
...  

AbstractEight plant-based foods: oat flour and pureed apple, blackcurrant, carrot, gold- and green-fleshed kiwifruit, pumpkin, sweetcorn, were pre-digested and fermented with pooled inocula of weaning infants’ faecal bacteria in an in vitro hindgut model. Inulin and water were included as controls. The pre-digested foods were analysed for digestion-resistant fibre-derived sugar composition and standardised to the same total fibre concentration prior to fermentation. The food-microbiome interactions were then characterised by measuring microbial acid and gas metabolites, microbial glycosidase activity and determining microbiome structure. At the physiologically relevant time of 10 h of fermentation, the xyloglucan-rich apple and blackcurrant favoured a propiogenic metabolic and microbiome profile with no measurable gas production. Glucose-rich, xyloglucan-poor pumpkin caused the greatest increases in lactate and acetate (indicative of high fermentability) commensurate with increased bifidobacteria. Glucose-rich, xyloglucan-poor oats and sweetcorn, and arabinogalactan-rich carrot also increased lactate and acetate, and were more stimulatory of clostridial families, which are indicative of increased microbial diversity and gut and immune health. Inulin favoured a probiotic-driven consortium, while water supported a proteolytic microbiome. This study shows that the fibre-derived sugar composition of complementary foods may shape infant gut microbiome structure and metabolic activity, at least in vitro.


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