Seasonal dynamics of diet\u2013gut microbiota interaction in adaptation of yaks to life at high altitude

Na Guo,Ruijun Long,Qunfu Wu,Zhanhuan Shang,Fuyu Shi,A Allan Degen,Luming Ding,Jiahuan Niu,Qiangen Fang,Tao Zhang,Zhigang Zhang

doi:10.1038/s41522-021-00207-6

Abstract

Dietary selection and intake affect the survival and health of mammals under extreme environmental conditions. It has been suggested that dietary composition is a key driver of gut microbiota variation; however, how gut microbiota respond to seasonal dietary changes under extreme natural conditions remains poorly understood. Sequencing plant trnL (UAA) region and 16S rRNA gene analysis were employed to determine dietary composition and gut microbiota in freely grazing yaks on the Tibetan plateau. Dietary composition was more diverse in winter than in summer, while Gramineae and Rosaceae were consumed frequently all year. Turnover of seasonal diet and gut microbiota composition occurred consistently. Yaks shifted enterotypes in response to dietary change between warm and cold seasons to best utilize nitrogen and energy, in particular in the harsh cold season. Our findings provide insights into understanding seasonal changes of diet–microbiota linkages in the adaptation of mammals to high altitudes.

Highlights

The Tibetan plateau, called ‘the third pole’, forms the largest and highest year-round grazing area in the world
Diet diversity and composition across seasons plant species, Polygonaceae was identified in spring, Scrophular-The diet data included 30,534,414 high-quality sequences, 81,530 iaceae and Compositae in winter in both TH and open-continuous grazing (OCG) regimes, unique sequences after removal of singletons and 2010 opera- Polygonaceae in TH and Rosaceae in OCG in summer and tional taxonomic units (OTUs) (Supplementary Table 3)
Based on the report that enterotypes exhibit functional differences[18], we examined whether yak gut microbiota partitioned into clusters that differ in functional properties according to seasonal dietary intake

Summary

Introduction

The Tibetan plateau, called ‘the third pole’, forms the largest and highest year-round grazing area in the world. Gut microbiota are complex and dynamic[5], being sensitive to perturbations, such as dietary changes, environmental factors[6] and enteric pathogens. They play an integral role in nutrient intake, behavior, metabolism, immune function, and development of the host[7,8]. Recent reports on gut microbiota composition from large herbivores in the semiarid East African savanna revealed a greater seasonal turnover and diet–microbiota association in domesticated than in wild species[15]. These studies provide a better understanding of intraspecific and inter-specific diet–microbiota associations in wild and domesticated species. Studies on seasonal diet and microbiota relations are lacking in high-altitude mammals

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Results

Conclusion