Seasonal Variations in the Structure and Function of the Gut Flora in Adult Male Rhesus Macaques Reared in Outdoor Colonies
The seasonal variations that occur in the gut microbiota of healthy adult rhesus monkeys kept in outdoor groups under conventional rearing patterns and how these variations are affected by environmental variables are relatively poorly understood. In this study, we collected 120 fecal samples from 30...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Longbao Lv Feiyan Zhang Haimei Zhou Wenxian Xiao Yingzhou Hu Wenchao Wang Zhu Zhu Fangming Zhu Dongdong Qin Xintian Hu |
| author_facet | Longbao Lv Feiyan Zhang Haimei Zhou Wenxian Xiao Yingzhou Hu Wenchao Wang Zhu Zhu Fangming Zhu Dongdong Qin Xintian Hu |
| author_sort | Longbao Lv |
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| description | The seasonal variations that occur in the gut microbiota of healthy adult rhesus monkeys kept in outdoor groups under conventional rearing patterns and how these variations are affected by environmental variables are relatively poorly understood. In this study, we collected 120 fecal samples from 30 adult male rhesus monkeys kept in outdoor groups across four seasons and recorded the temperature and humidity of the housing facilities, as well as the proportions of fruit and vegetables in their diet. A 16S rRNA sequencing analysis showed that the alpha diversity of the gut microbiota of the rhesus monkeys was higher in winter and spring than in summer and autumn. A principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) further demonstrated notable seasonal variations in the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota in the rhesus monkeys. The phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and the genus <i>Prevotella 9</i> were the significantly dominant groups in all 120 fecal samples from the rhesus monkeys. A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) analysis (LDA > 4) indicated that at the phylum level, Firmicutes was significantly enriched in winter, Bacteroidetes was significantly enriched in summer, and Proteobacteria and Campylobacter were significantly enriched in spring. At the genus level, <i>Helicobacter</i> and <i>Ralstonia</i> were significantly enriched in spring; <i>Prevotella 9</i>, <i>Streptococcus</i>, and <i>Prevotella</i> were significantly enriched in summer; and UCG_005 was significantly enriched in autumn. The beneficial genera <i>Lactobacillus</i>, <i>Limosilactobacillus</i>, and <i>Ligilactobacillus</i> and the beneficial species <i>Lactobacillus johnsonii</i>, <i>Limosilactobacillus reuteri</i>, <i>Ligilactobacillus murinus</i>, and <i>Lactobacillus amylovorus</i> all showed the same seasonal trend; namely, their average relative abundance was markedly greater during the winter months compared to other seasons. Compared with other seasons, carbohydrate metabolic function was significantly upregulated in winter (<i>p</i> < 0.01), amino acid metabolic function was relatively increased in spring, and energy metabolic function and the metabolic function of cofactors and vitamins were significantly downregulated in winter and relatively upregulated in summer. A variance partitioning analysis (VPA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that the proportions of fruits and vegetables in the diet, but not climatic factors (temperature and humidity), significantly influenced the seasonal changes in the gut microbiota. These variations were related to changes in the proportions of fruits and vegetables. This research presents novel findings regarding the influence of external environmental factors on the gastrointestinal environment of rhesus monkeys. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-021c61fcac83403c819da2a37621a74d |
| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-021c61fcac83403c819da2a37621a74d2025-01-24T13:42:43ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-01-0113111710.3390/microorganisms13010117Seasonal Variations in the Structure and Function of the Gut Flora in Adult Male Rhesus Macaques Reared in Outdoor ColoniesLongbao Lv0Feiyan Zhang1Haimei Zhou2Wenxian Xiao3Yingzhou Hu4Wenchao Wang5Zhu Zhu6Fangming Zhu7Dongdong Qin8Xintian Hu9University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, ChinaNational Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, and National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology (Primate Facility), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650107, ChinaKey Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, ChinaNational Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, and National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology (Primate Facility), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650107, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, and KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming 650201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, and KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming 650201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, and KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming 650201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, and KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming 650201, ChinaKey Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, ChinaThe seasonal variations that occur in the gut microbiota of healthy adult rhesus monkeys kept in outdoor groups under conventional rearing patterns and how these variations are affected by environmental variables are relatively poorly understood. In this study, we collected 120 fecal samples from 30 adult male rhesus monkeys kept in outdoor groups across four seasons and recorded the temperature and humidity of the housing facilities, as well as the proportions of fruit and vegetables in their diet. A 16S rRNA sequencing analysis showed that the alpha diversity of the gut microbiota of the rhesus monkeys was higher in winter and spring than in summer and autumn. A principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) further demonstrated notable seasonal variations in the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota in the rhesus monkeys. The phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and the genus <i>Prevotella 9</i> were the significantly dominant groups in all 120 fecal samples from the rhesus monkeys. A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) analysis (LDA > 4) indicated that at the phylum level, Firmicutes was significantly enriched in winter, Bacteroidetes was significantly enriched in summer, and Proteobacteria and Campylobacter were significantly enriched in spring. At the genus level, <i>Helicobacter</i> and <i>Ralstonia</i> were significantly enriched in spring; <i>Prevotella 9</i>, <i>Streptococcus</i>, and <i>Prevotella</i> were significantly enriched in summer; and UCG_005 was significantly enriched in autumn. The beneficial genera <i>Lactobacillus</i>, <i>Limosilactobacillus</i>, and <i>Ligilactobacillus</i> and the beneficial species <i>Lactobacillus johnsonii</i>, <i>Limosilactobacillus reuteri</i>, <i>Ligilactobacillus murinus</i>, and <i>Lactobacillus amylovorus</i> all showed the same seasonal trend; namely, their average relative abundance was markedly greater during the winter months compared to other seasons. Compared with other seasons, carbohydrate metabolic function was significantly upregulated in winter (<i>p</i> < 0.01), amino acid metabolic function was relatively increased in spring, and energy metabolic function and the metabolic function of cofactors and vitamins were significantly downregulated in winter and relatively upregulated in summer. A variance partitioning analysis (VPA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that the proportions of fruits and vegetables in the diet, but not climatic factors (temperature and humidity), significantly influenced the seasonal changes in the gut microbiota. These variations were related to changes in the proportions of fruits and vegetables. This research presents novel findings regarding the influence of external environmental factors on the gastrointestinal environment of rhesus monkeys.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/1/117rhesus monkey16S rRNA sequencinggut microbiotaseasonal variation |
| spellingShingle | Longbao Lv Feiyan Zhang Haimei Zhou Wenxian Xiao Yingzhou Hu Wenchao Wang Zhu Zhu Fangming Zhu Dongdong Qin Xintian Hu Seasonal Variations in the Structure and Function of the Gut Flora in Adult Male Rhesus Macaques Reared in Outdoor Colonies Microorganisms rhesus monkey 16S rRNA sequencing gut microbiota seasonal variation |
| title | Seasonal Variations in the Structure and Function of the Gut Flora in Adult Male Rhesus Macaques Reared in Outdoor Colonies |
| title_full | Seasonal Variations in the Structure and Function of the Gut Flora in Adult Male Rhesus Macaques Reared in Outdoor Colonies |
| title_fullStr | Seasonal Variations in the Structure and Function of the Gut Flora in Adult Male Rhesus Macaques Reared in Outdoor Colonies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seasonal Variations in the Structure and Function of the Gut Flora in Adult Male Rhesus Macaques Reared in Outdoor Colonies |
| title_short | Seasonal Variations in the Structure and Function of the Gut Flora in Adult Male Rhesus Macaques Reared in Outdoor Colonies |
| title_sort | seasonal variations in the structure and function of the gut flora in adult male rhesus macaques reared in outdoor colonies |
| topic | rhesus monkey 16S rRNA sequencing gut microbiota seasonal variation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/1/117 |
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