Jiang Rong, Zhang Xiaojia, Xie Lei, Zhang Yan, Zeng Changjun, Yao Yongfang, Xu Huailiang, Yang Caoyang, Wang Xiao, Ni Qingyong, Xie Meng, Li Chuanren
Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 610000, China.
Farm Animal Germplasm Resources and Biotech Breeding Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 610000, China.
Biology (Basel). 2025 Aug 21;14(8):1094. doi: 10.3390/biology14081094.
The endangered Bengal slow loris () relies heavily on captive/rescue populations for conservation. This study investigated the critical link between Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class II DRB1 exon 2 () genetic variation and gut microbiota in 46 captive individuals, aiming to improve ex situ management. Using standardized conditions across three enclosure types, we characterized polymorphism via targeted sequencing and analyzed fecal microbiota using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Results demonstrated that high polymorphism significantly reduced microbial community evenness. Specific genotypes showed distinct microbial associations: G9 strongly correlated with beneficial short-chain fatty acid producers like , and G2 positively correlated with spp., while G2, G3, and G4 correlated negatively with (a nutrient-provisioning symbiont). Genotypes and polymorphism collectively explained 9.77% of microbiota variation, exceeding the weaker (5.15%), though significant, influence of enclosure type on β-diversity. These findings reveal that host variation is a primary driver shaping gut microbiota structure and taxon abundance in captive slow lorises, providing evidence for MHC-mediated host-microbe co-adaptation. This offers a genetically informed framework for optimizing conservation strategies, such as tailoring diets or probiotics to specific genotypes, to enhance gut health and population viability.
濒危的孟加拉懒猴（）在保护方面严重依赖圈养/救助种群。本研究调查了46只圈养个体中主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）II类DRB1外显子2（）的基因变异与肠道微生物群之间的关键联系，旨在改善迁地管理。我们在三种不同类型的圈舍中采用标准化条件，通过靶向测序对多态性进行了表征，并使用16S rRNA基因扩增子测序分析了粪便微生物群。结果表明，高度的多态性显著降低了微生物群落的均匀度。特定基因型显示出不同的微生物关联：G9与有益的短链脂肪酸产生菌如等强烈相关，G2与 spp.呈正相关，而G2、G3和G4与（一种提供营养的共生菌）呈负相关。基因型和多态性共同解释了微生物群变异的9.77%，超过了圈舍类型对β多样性的较弱（5.15%）但显著的影响。这些发现表明，宿主变异是塑造圈养懒猴肠道微生物群结构和分类群丰度的主要驱动因素，为MHC介导的宿主-微生物共同适应提供了证据。这为优化保护策略提供了一个基于遗传学的框架，例如根据特定基因型定制饮食或益生菌，以增强肠道健康和种群生存能力。
