Comparative analyses of the gut microbiome of two sympatric rodent species, Myodes rufocanus and Apodemus peninsulae, in northeast China based on metagenome sequencing
The gut microbiota is integral to an animal’s physiology, influencing nutritional metabolism, immune function, and environmental adaptation. Despite the significance of gut microbiota in wild rodents, the Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae) and the gray red-backed vole (Myodes rufocanus) remain...
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2025-04-01
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| author | Jing Cao Shengze Wang Ruobing Ding Yijia Liu Baodong Yuan |
| author_facet | Jing Cao Shengze Wang Ruobing Ding Yijia Liu Baodong Yuan |
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| description | The gut microbiota is integral to an animal’s physiology, influencing nutritional metabolism, immune function, and environmental adaptation. Despite the significance of gut microbiota in wild rodents, the Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae) and the gray red-backed vole (Myodes rufocanus) remain understudied. To address this, a metagenomic sequencing analysis of the gut microbiome of these sympatric rodents in northeast China’s temperate forests was conducted. Intestinal contents were collected from A. peninsulae and M. rufocanus within the Mudanfeng National Nature Reserve. High-throughput sequencing elucidated the gut microbiome’s composition, diversity, and functional pathways. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria were identified as the dominant phyla, with M. rufocanus showing greater microbiome diversity. Key findings indicated distinct gut bacterial communities between the species, with M. rufocanus having a higher abundance of Proteobacteria. The gut microbiota of A. peninsulae and M. rufocanus differed marginally in functional profiles, specifically in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, which might reflect their distinct food preferences albeit both being herbivores with a substantial dietary overlap. The investigation further elucidated gut microbiota’s contributions to energy metabolism and environmental adaptation mechanisms. This study aligns with information on rodent gut microbiota in literature and highlights the two understudied rodent species, providing comparative data for future studies investigating the role of gut microbiota in wildlife health and ecosystem functioning. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-d760f50e0eda48d8b46eff87391aceb72025-08-20T03:08:43ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592025-04-0113e1926010.7717/peerj.19260Comparative analyses of the gut microbiome of two sympatric rodent species, Myodes rufocanus and Apodemus peninsulae, in northeast China based on metagenome sequencingJing Cao0Shengze Wang1Ruobing Ding2Yijia Liu3Baodong Yuan4College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, Henan, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, ChinaCollege of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, Henan, ChinaCollege of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, Henan, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, ChinaThe gut microbiota is integral to an animal’s physiology, influencing nutritional metabolism, immune function, and environmental adaptation. Despite the significance of gut microbiota in wild rodents, the Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae) and the gray red-backed vole (Myodes rufocanus) remain understudied. To address this, a metagenomic sequencing analysis of the gut microbiome of these sympatric rodents in northeast China’s temperate forests was conducted. Intestinal contents were collected from A. peninsulae and M. rufocanus within the Mudanfeng National Nature Reserve. High-throughput sequencing elucidated the gut microbiome’s composition, diversity, and functional pathways. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria were identified as the dominant phyla, with M. rufocanus showing greater microbiome diversity. Key findings indicated distinct gut bacterial communities between the species, with M. rufocanus having a higher abundance of Proteobacteria. The gut microbiota of A. peninsulae and M. rufocanus differed marginally in functional profiles, specifically in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, which might reflect their distinct food preferences albeit both being herbivores with a substantial dietary overlap. The investigation further elucidated gut microbiota’s contributions to energy metabolism and environmental adaptation mechanisms. This study aligns with information on rodent gut microbiota in literature and highlights the two understudied rodent species, providing comparative data for future studies investigating the role of gut microbiota in wildlife health and ecosystem functioning.https://peerj.com/articles/19260.pdfGut microbiomeMyodes rufocanusApodemus peninsulaeMetagenome sequencing |
| spellingShingle | Jing Cao Shengze Wang Ruobing Ding Yijia Liu Baodong Yuan Comparative analyses of the gut microbiome of two sympatric rodent species, Myodes rufocanus and Apodemus peninsulae, in northeast China based on metagenome sequencing PeerJ Gut microbiome Myodes rufocanus Apodemus peninsulae Metagenome sequencing |
| title | Comparative analyses of the gut microbiome of two sympatric rodent species, Myodes rufocanus and Apodemus peninsulae, in northeast China based on metagenome sequencing |
| title_full | Comparative analyses of the gut microbiome of two sympatric rodent species, Myodes rufocanus and Apodemus peninsulae, in northeast China based on metagenome sequencing |
| title_fullStr | Comparative analyses of the gut microbiome of two sympatric rodent species, Myodes rufocanus and Apodemus peninsulae, in northeast China based on metagenome sequencing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparative analyses of the gut microbiome of two sympatric rodent species, Myodes rufocanus and Apodemus peninsulae, in northeast China based on metagenome sequencing |
| title_short | Comparative analyses of the gut microbiome of two sympatric rodent species, Myodes rufocanus and Apodemus peninsulae, in northeast China based on metagenome sequencing |
| title_sort | comparative analyses of the gut microbiome of two sympatric rodent species myodes rufocanus and apodemus peninsulae in northeast china based on metagenome sequencing |
| topic | Gut microbiome Myodes rufocanus Apodemus peninsulae Metagenome sequencing |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/19260.pdf |
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