Популяционная структура микробных сообществ в рубце северных оленей Российской Арктики в зимний период по данным высокопроизводительного секвенирования

Abstract

The reindeer's rumen microbiota plays an important role in the digestion of feed with enzymes produced by rumen microsymbiotes. In this regard, the study of reindeer adaptations, the possibility of effective use plant feed resources of the Arctic are of wide interest. This study presents for the first time the results of the assessment of the population structure of the microbial communities of the Rangifer tarandus rumen in the winter period according to high-throughput sequencing data. A special feature of the reindeer ration in the winter-spring period is the high proportion of lichens in the diet (up to 70%) as compared with the summer-autumn (no more than 10-15%). Samples of the rumen content were collected in the winter-spring period in 2018 in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District from calves (6-8 months, n = 3), young (1-2 years, n = 3) and adults (3-6 years, n = 6) reindeer of the Nenets breed. The composition of the bacterial community of the reindeer rumen was analyzed in the laboratory of the company BIOTROF + by the method of NGS sequencing (next-generation sequencing). The results showed that representatives of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes occupied a dominant position in microbial communities like in other ruminants. The total content of this bacteria in animals of different age groups was not significantly different. The composition of the microbiota in calves was presented with a higher content of cellulolytic microorganisms of the genera Ruminococcus, Buturivibrio, Coprococcus compared with young and adults (p <0.05). The share of acid-utilizing bacteria of the genera Succiniclasticum and Selenomonas in calves was lower compared with young and adult individuals (p <0.05). The taxonomic analysis for the composition of microbial communities is confirmed by the results of biodiversity assessment using environmental indices. According to the results of assessment of α and β-diversity of the microbial communities of the rumen, the greatest uniqueness was found for the microbiomes of adults in comparison with calves and young. In general, the obtained results confirm the opinion of researchers that the microbial community can reflect the physiological state of animals.