Adaptation of the Gut Microbiota of Amur Tigers to a Special Diet.

Abstract

The microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract play important roles in many host physiological processes, including the absorption and metabolism of nutrients and immune function. The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a threatened species. Efforts are underway to breed Amur tigers under artificial settings to preserve this rare species. To maximize the imitation of the diet that this species consumes in the wild, the diet in the present study was composed of a variety of raw meats and was administered with regular fasting. In view of the important roles that the microbiota play in the host, in the present study, the microbiota of Amur tigers at three different ages were investigated. The results showed that the microbial diversity and richness decreased with age. Principal coordinate analysis showed significant differences among the three age groups. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of effect size (LEfSe) demonstrated the enrichment of the genus unclassified_f__Ruminococcaceae, genus Coprococcus_1, genus Ruminococcus__gauvreauii_group, family unclassified_o__Clostridiales and genus unclassified_o__Clostridiales in the JB group (1- year old) and the enrichment of the genus Catenisphaera in the AB group (over 4-year old). The results of the present study demonstrated the adaptation of the microbiota in captive Amur tigers to a diet similar to the one they consume in the wild. Furthermore, these results may reflect the microbiota of wild Amur tigers to a certain extent.