Seasonal variation in nutrient utilization shapes gut microbiome structure and function in wild giant pandas.

ABSTRACT: Wild giant pandas use different parts of bamboo (shoots, leaves and stems) and different bamboo species at different times of the year. Their usage of bamboo can be classified temporally into a distinct leaf stage, shoot stage and transition stage. An association between this usage pattern and variation in the giant panda gut microbiome remains unknown. Here, we found associations using a gut metagenomic approach and nutritional analyses whereby diversity of the gut microbial community in the leaf and shoot stages was significantly different. Functional metagenomic analysis showed that in the leaf stage, bacteria species over-represented genes involved in raw fibre utilization and cell cycle control. Thus, raw fibre utilization by the gut microbiome was guaranteed during the nutrient-defic

SUBMITTER: Wu Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5597826 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature