Wu Zifang, Li Long, Chen Shaoxian, Gong Ye, Liu Yuyan, Jin Tianqi, Wang Yang, Tang Jie, Dong Qian, Yang Bangzhu, Yang Fangxia, Dong Wuzi
College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China.
ISME J. 2025 Jan 2;19(1). doi: 10.1093/ismejo/wraf036.
Seasonal breeding is an important adaptive strategy for animals. Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of the gut microbiota in reproductive health. However, the relationship between the gut microbiota and reproduction in seasonal breeders remains unclear. In this study, we selected a unique single food source animal, the flying squirrel (Trogopterus xanthipes), as a model organism for studying seasonal breeding. By integrating transcriptomic, metabolomic, and microbiome data, we comprehensively investigated the regulation of the gut-metabolism-testis axis in seasonal breeding. Here, we demonstrated a significant spermatogenic phenotype and highly active spermatogenic transcriptional characteristics in the testes of flying squirrels during the breeding season, which were associated with increased polyamine metabolism, primarily involving spermine and γ-amino butyric acid. Moreover, an enrichment of Ruminococcus was observed in the large intestine during the breeding season and may contribute to enhanced methionine biosynthesis in the gut. Similar changes in Ruminococcus abundance were also observed in several other seasonal breeders. These findings innovatively revealed that reshaping the gut microbiota regulates spermatogenesis in seasonal breeders through polyamine metabolism, highlighting the great potential of the gut-testis axis in livestock animal breeding and human health management.
季节性繁殖是动物的一种重要适应性策略。最近的研究强调了肠道微生物群在生殖健康中的潜在作用。然而，季节性繁殖动物的肠道微生物群与繁殖之间的关系仍不清楚。在本研究中，我们选择了一种独特的单一食物来源动物——鼯鼠（复齿鼯鼠）作为研究季节性繁殖的模式生物。通过整合转录组学、代谢组学和微生物组数据，我们全面研究了季节性繁殖中肠道-代谢-睾丸轴的调控。在此，我们证明了繁殖季节鼯鼠睾丸中显著的生精表型和高活性的生精转录特征，这与多胺代谢增加有关，主要涉及精胺和γ-氨基丁酸。此外，在繁殖季节，大肠中观察到瘤胃球菌富集，可能有助于增强肠道中甲硫氨酸的生物合成。在其他几种季节性繁殖动物中也观察到瘤胃球菌丰度的类似变化。这些发现创新性地揭示了重塑肠道微生物群通过多胺代谢调节季节性繁殖动物的精子发生，突出了肠道-睾丸轴在畜牧养殖和人类健康管理中的巨大潜力。
