Associations Between Nutrition, Gut Microbiome, and Health in A Novel Nonhuman Primate Model.

Red-shanked doucs (Pygathrix nemaeus) are endangered, foregut-fermenting colobine primates which are difficult to maintain in captivity. There are critical gaps in our understanding of their natural lifestyle, including dietary habits such as consumption of leaves, unripe fruit, flowers, seeds, and other plant parts. There is also a lack of understanding of enteric adaptations, including their unique microflora. To address these knowledge gaps, we used the douc as a model to study relationships between gastrointestinal microbial community structure and lifestyle. We analyzed published fecal samples as well as detailed dietary history from doucs with four distinct lifestyles (wild, semi-wild, semi-captive, and captive) and determined gastrointestinal bacterial microbiome composition using 16S rRNA sequencing. A clear gradient of microbiome composition was revealed along an axis of natural lifestyle disruption, including significant associations with diet, biodiversity, and microbial function. We also identified potential microbial biomarkers of douc dysbiosis, including Bacteroides and Prevotella, which may be related to health. Our results suggest a gradient-like shift in captivity causes an attendant shift to severe gut dysbiosis, thereby resulting in gastrointestinal issues

Identifying changes in gut microbial community structure associated with varying levels of fiber consumption in captive gorillas (gorilla gorilla)

The gut microbiome includes all the bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that live in the gut. The gut microbiome plays an important role in the overall health of an organism as it aids in digestion and immune system benefits. Fiber has been known to influence the composition of the gut microbiome, and this study aims to identify taxa that are associated with a change of fiber in the diet in a primate model using reproducible computational methods for microbiome analysis. In a partnership with the Philidelphia Zoo, we received 16s rRNA samples from 7 gorillas over an 8-month period for analysis. Samples were analyzed using a developed 16s rRNA pipeline to understand taxa differences in the gut microbiome due to a change in fiber amount over an 8-month period. For analysis, the samples of three gorillas who did not receive antibiotic treatment during the study were grouped based on browse levels, for a total of 5 comparisons. Results indicate subtle changes in the taxa in the microbiome of the gorillas during the study period at the individual gorilla level. These results may inform optimal fiber intake for primate diet, while also realizing how individual the gut microbiome is