Taxonomic composition and functional potentials of gastrointestinal microbiota in 12 wild-stranded cetaceans.

ABSTRACT: Cetaceans play a crucial role in marine ecosystems; however, research on their gastrointestinal microbiota remains limited due to sampling constraints. In this study, we collected hindgut samples from 12 stranded cetaceans and performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to investigate microbial composition and functional potentials. Analysis of ZOTUs profiles revealed that the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes dominated all hindgut samples. However, unique microbial profiles were observed among different cetacean species, with significant separation of gut microbiota communities according to biological evolutionary lineages. Different genera that contain pathogens were observed distinguishing delphinids from physeteroids/ziphiids. Delphinid samples exhibited higher abunda

SUBMITTER: Fan J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11390675 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature