Jin Longru, Zhang Pai, Sun Keping, Wang Haitao
Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.
Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.
Front Microbiol. 2025 May 30;16:1595357. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1595357. eCollection 2025.
Investigating the gut microbiome during host development is essential for understanding its influence on host health and fitness. While host body condition is a crucial fitness-related trait and a strong predictor of viability in numerous animal species, its relationship with gut bacteria remains underexplored, particularly in non-model organisms. This study examines the gut microbiome of the altricial wild bird species, yellow-rumped flycatchers (), by analyzing nestling feces through 16S rRNA sequencing at four developmental stages: Day 3, Day 6, Day 9 and Day 12 post-hatching. We explored the temporal dynamics of the gut microbiome and its correlation with body condition, a key indicator of fitness. Our results demonstrate signinficant shifts in microbial community composition and diversity throughout development. Notably, Day 3 nestlings displayed lower alpha diversity compared to later stages, while microbial diversity stabilized from Days 6 to 12. Both the age of the nestlings and the environmental conditions of the nest box significantly shaped the gut microbial community structure. A contemporaneous relationship was observed, where the scaled-mass index (SMI) at Day 6 positively correlating with microbial diversity at that time. Additionally, a time-lagged effect emerged, linking SMI at Day 9 to microbial diversity at Day 6. These findings highlight the vital role of the gut microbiome in the development of nestlings, particularly emphasizing Day 6 as a critical period due to its stable microbial diversity and association with SMI. This study underscores the influence of gut bacteria on host fitness in developing birds.
在宿主发育过程中研究肠道微生物群对于理解其对宿主健康和适应性的影响至关重要。虽然宿主身体状况是一个与适应性相关的关键特征，也是众多动物物种生存能力的有力预测指标，但其与肠道细菌的关系仍未得到充分探索，尤其是在非模式生物中。本研究通过在孵化后第3天、第6天、第9天和第12天这四个发育阶段对雏鸟粪便进行16S rRNA测序，研究了晚成雏野生鸟类黄腰柳莺的肠道微生物群。我们探讨了肠道微生物群的时间动态及其与身体状况（适应性的关键指标）的相关性。我们的结果表明，在整个发育过程中，微生物群落组成和多样性发生了显著变化。值得注意的是，与后期阶段相比，第3天的雏鸟显示出较低的α多样性，而微生物多样性在第6天至第12天趋于稳定。雏鸟的年龄和巢箱的环境条件都显著塑造了肠道微生物群落结构。观察到一种同期关系，即第6天的体重指数（SMI）与当时的微生物多样性呈正相关。此外，还出现了一种时间滞后效应，将第9天的SMI与第6天的微生物多样性联系起来。这些发现突出了肠道微生物群在雏鸟发育中的重要作用，尤其强调第6天是一个关键时期，因为其微生物多样性稳定且与SMI有关。本研究强调了肠道细菌对发育中鸟类宿主适应性的影响。
