Sexual Dimorphism of the Gut Microbiota in the Chinese Alligator and Its Convergence in the Wild Environment.

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiota forms a complex microecosystem in vertebrates and is affected by various factors. As a key intrinsic factor, sex has a persistent impact on the formation and development of gut microbiota. Few studies have analyzed sexual dimorphism of gut microbiota, particularly in wild animals. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze the gut microbiota of juvenile and adult Chinese alligators, and untargeted metabolomics to study serum metabolomes of adult alligators. We observed significant sexual differences in the community diversity in juvenile, but not adult, alligators. In terms of taxonomic composition, the phylum Fusobacteriota and genus Cetobacterium were highly abundant in adult alligators, similar to those present in carnivorous fishes, whereas the gut microbiota

SUBMITTER: Hu MY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9603114 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature