Huang Jianzhi, Sheng Yueyun, Jia Xiaowei, Qian Wenxi, Li Zhipeng
College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China.
Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, Alar 843300, China.
Microorganisms. 2025 May 12;13(5):1111. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13051111.
Under long-term ecological stress, the Tarim wapiti () has evolved unique adaptations in digestive physiology and energy metabolism. A multi-omics comparison of three Tarim wapiti and five Karakul sheep was used to examine the synergistic mechanism between rumen bacteria, short-chain fatty acids, and host epithelial regulation in order to clarify the mechanism of high roughage digestion efficiency in Tarim wapiti. Metagenomic sequencing (Illumina NovaSeq 6000) and gas chromatography revealed that Tarim wapiti exhibited significantly higher acetate and total VFA (TVFA) concentrations compared to Karakul sheep ( < 0.01), accompanied by lower ruminal pH and propionate levels. Core microbiota analysis identified (relative abundance: 52.3% vs. 48.1%), (22.7% vs. 19.4%), and (18.9% vs. 15.6%) as dominant taxa in both species, with significant enrichment of in wapiti ( < 0.01). Functional annotation (PICRUSt2) demonstrated enhanced glycan biosynthesis (KEGG ko00511), DNA replication/repair (ko03430), and glycoside hydrolases (, , , ) in wapiti (FDR < 0.05). Transcriptomic profiling (RNA-Seq) of rumen epithelium showed upregulated expression of SCFA transporters (: 2.1-fold, : 1.8-fold, : 2.3-fold; < 0.01) and pH regulators (: 1.7-fold; < 0.05) in wapiti. Integrated analysis revealed coordinated microbial-host interactions through three key modules: (1) -driven polysaccharide degradation, (2) -mediated fiber fermentation, and (3) epithelial transporters facilitating short-chain fatty acids absorption. These evolutionary adaptations, particularly the Bacteroidetes-short-chain fatty acids-transporter axis, likely underpin the wapiti's superior roughage utilization efficiency, providing molecular insights for improving ruminant feeding strategies in an arid environment.
在长期的生态压力下，塔里木马鹿（）在消化生理和能量代谢方面进化出了独特的适应性。通过对三只塔里木马鹿和五只卡拉库尔羊进行多组学比较，研究瘤胃细菌、短链脂肪酸和宿主上皮调节之间的协同机制，以阐明塔里木马鹿高粗饲料消化效率的机制。宏基因组测序（Illumina NovaSeq 6000）和气相色谱分析表明，与卡拉库尔羊相比，塔里木马鹿的乙酸盐和总挥发性脂肪酸（TVFA）浓度显著更高（<0.01），同时瘤胃pH值和丙酸盐水平较低。核心微生物群分析确定（相对丰度：52.3%对48.1%）、（22.7%对19.4%）和（18.9%对15.6%）为两个物种中的优势类群，马鹿中显著富集（<0.01）。功能注释（PICRUSt2）表明，马鹿中聚糖生物合成（KEGG ko00511）、DNA复制/修复（ko03430）和糖苷水解酶（、、、）增强（FDR<0.05）。瘤胃上皮的转录组分析（RNA-Seq）显示，马鹿中短链脂肪酸转运蛋白（：2.1倍，：1.8倍，：2.3倍；<0.01）和pH调节剂（：1.7倍；<0.05）的表达上调。综合分析揭示了通过三个关键模块的微生物-宿主协同相互作用：（1）驱动的多糖降解，（2）介导的纤维发酵，以及（3）促进短链脂肪酸吸收的上皮转运蛋白。这些进化适应，特别是拟杆菌-短链脂肪酸-转运蛋白轴，可能是马鹿粗饲料利用效率高的基础，为改善干旱环境中反刍动物的饲养策略提供了分子见解。
