Metagenomics reveals seasonal changes of intestinal microbes in Eospalax rothschildi.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Seasonal behavioral divergence in zokors, driven primarily by their reproductive cycle, results in distinct ecological strategies between breeding and non-breeding periods. To elucidate how intestinal microbes adapt to these behavioral shifts, we used metagenomics to characterize the seasonal variations in the intestinal microbes of Eospalax rothschildi, a subterranean zokor endemic to China.

Results

Metagenomics revealed that summer samples showed an increased proportion of carbohydrate-degrading bacteria. Moreover, a significant difference in taxonomic composition was observed between the samples collected in the two seasons. Functional analysis based on the KEGG and CAZy databases revealed stronger carbohydrate degradation capacities in summer samples, notably

SUBMITTER: Zou Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12570625 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature