Glucocorticoids coordinate changes in gut microbiome composition in wild North American red squirrels.

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiome impacts host health and fitness, in part through the diversification of gut metabolic function and pathogen protection. Elevations in glucocorticoids (GCs) appear to reduce gut microbiome diversity in experimental studies, suggesting that a loss of microbial diversity may be a negative consequence of increased GCs. However, given that ecological factors like food availability and population density may independently influence both GCs and microbial diversity, understanding how these factors structure the GC-microbiome relationship is crucial to interpreting its significance in wild populations. Here, we used an ecological framework to investigate the relationship between GCs and gut microbiome diversity in wild North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). As e

SUBMITTER: Petrullo L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8850573 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature