Metagenomics Reveals Seasonal Functional Adaptation of the Gut Microbiome to Host Feeding and Fasting in the Chinese Alligator.

ABSTRACT: As a natural hibernator, the Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) is an ideal and intriguing model to investigate changes in microbial community structure and function caused by hibernation. In this study, we used 16S rRNA profiling and metagenomic analysis to compare the composition, diversity, and functional capacity in the gut microbiome of hibernating vs. active Chinese alligators. Our results show that gut microbial communities undergo seasonal restructuring in response to seasonal cycles of feeding and fasting in the Chinese alligator, but this animal harbors a core gut microbial community primarily dominated by Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes across the gut regions. During hibernation, there is an increase in the abundance of bacterial taxa (e.g.

SUBMITTER: Tang KY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6824212 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature