Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
National Wildlife Forensic Laboratory (NWFL), Ex-Situ Conservation Division, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), KM 10 Jalan Cheras, 56100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2024 Feb 28;40(4):111. doi: 10.1007/s11274-023-03868-x.
The gut microbiome refers to the microorganism community living within the digestive tract. The environment plays a crucial role in shaping the gut microbiome composition of animals. The gut microbiome influences the health and behavior of animals, including the critically endangered Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni). However, the gut microbiome composition of Malayan tigers, especially those living in their natural habitats, remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we used next-generation sequencing DNA metabarcoding techniques to analyze the gut microbiome of wild Malayan tigers using fecal samples collected from their natural habitats and in captivity. Our aim was to determine the gut microbiota composition of the Malayan tiger, considering the different types of habitat environments. The results revealed a diverse microbial community within the gut microbiome of Malayan tigers. The prominent phyla that were observed included Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Fusobacteriota and Bacteroidota. Beta diversity analysis revealed significant differences in gut microbiome composition of Malayan tigers that inhabited oil palm plantations, in villages and protected areas. Diversity analysis also revealed significant difference in the gut microbiome between wild and captive Malayan tigers. However, the distinctions of gut microbiome between wild and captive alpha diversity did not yield significant differences. The differences in microbiome diversity resulted from the interplay of dietary intake and environmental factors. This information will facilitate the establishment of focused conservation approaches and enhance our understanding of the effect of microbiome composition on Malayan tiger health.
肠道微生物组是指生活在消化道内的微生物群落。环境在塑造动物肠道微生物组组成方面起着至关重要的作用。肠道微生物组影响动物的健康和行为，包括极度濒危的马来亚虎（ Panthera tigris jacksoni ）。然而，马来亚虎的肠道微生物组组成，尤其是那些生活在其自然栖息地的老虎，仍然知之甚少。为了解决这一知识空白，我们使用下一代测序 DNA 代谢组学技术，通过从其自然栖息地和圈养环境中收集的粪便样本，分析野生马来亚虎的肠道微生物组。我们的目的是确定马来亚虎的肠道微生物群落组成，同时考虑到不同类型的栖息地环境。研究结果表明，马来亚虎的肠道微生物组中存在着多样的微生物群落。观察到的突出门包括厚壁菌门、变形菌门、放线菌门、梭杆菌门和拟杆菌门。β多样性分析显示，栖息在油棕种植园、村庄和保护区的马来亚虎的肠道微生物组组成存在显著差异。多样性分析还显示，野生和圈养的马来亚虎的肠道微生物组存在显著差异。然而，野生和圈养的马来亚虎的肠道微生物组α多样性的差异并没有产生显著差异。微生物组多样性的差异是由于饮食摄入和环境因素的相互作用所致。这些信息将有助于建立有针对性的保护措施，并增进我们对微生物组组成对马来亚虎健康影响的理解。
