Glycan processing in gut microbiomes

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Social convergence of gut microbiomes in vampire bats

The ‘social microbiome’ can fundamentally shape the costs and benefits of group-living, but understanding social transmission of microbes in free-living animals is challenging due to confounding effects of kinship and shared environments (e.g. highly associated individuals often share the same spaces, food and water). Here, we report evidence for convergence towards a social microbiome among introduced common vampire bats, Desmodus rotundus, a highly social species in which adults feed only on blood, and engage in both mouth-to-body allogrooming and mouth-to-mouth regurgitated food sharing. Shotgun sequencing of samples from six zoos in the USA, 15 wild-caught bats from a colony in Belize and 31 bats from three colonies in Panama showed that faecal microbiomes were more similar within colonies than between colonies. To assess microbial transmission, we created an experimentally merged group of the Panama bats from the three distant sites by housing these bats together for four months. In this merged colony, we found evidence that dyadic gut microbiome similarity increased with both clustering and oral contact, leading to microbiome convergence among introduced bats. Our findings demonstrate that social interactions shape microbiome similarity even when controlling for past social history, kinship, environment and diet.     

Adaptive evolution to a high purine and fat diet of carnivorans revealed by gut microbiomes and host genomes

Carnivorous members of the Carnivora reside at the apex of food chains and consume meat‐only diets, rich in purine, fats and protein. Here, we aimed to identify potential adaptive evolutionary signatures compatible with high purine and fat metabolism based on analysis of host genomes and symbiotic gut microbial metagenomes. We found that the gut microbiomes of carnivorous Carnivora (e.g., Felidae, Canidae) clustered in the same clade, and other clades comprised omnivorous and herbivorous Carnivora (e.g., badgers, bears and pandas). The relative proportions of genes encoding enzymes involved in uric acid degradation were higher in the gut microbiomes of meat‐eating carnivorans than plant‐eating species. Adaptive amino acid substitutions in two enzymes, carnitine O‐palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1A) and lipase F (LIPF), which play a role in fat digestion, were identified in Felidae‐Candidae species. Carnivorous carnivorans appear to endure diets high in purines and fats via gut microbiomic and genomic adaptations.     

From complex gut communities to minimal microbiomes via cultivation

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Punch in the gut: parasite tolerance of phytochemicals reflects host diet

Gut parasites of plant-eating insects are exposed to antimicrobial phytochemicals that can reduce infection. Trypanosomatid gut parasites infect insects of diverse nutritional ecologies as well as mammals and plants, raising the question of how host diet-associated phytochemicals shape parasite evolution and host specificity. To test the hypothesis that phytochemical tolerance of trypanosomatids reflects the chemical ecology of their hosts, we compared related parasites from honey bees and mosquitoes – hosts that differ in phytochemical consumption – and contrasted our results with previous studies on phylogenetically related, human-parasitic Leishmania. We identified one bacterial and 10 plant-derived substances with known antileishmanial activity that also inhibited honey bee parasites associated with colony collapse. Bee parasites exhibited greater tolerance of chrysin – a flavonoid found in nectar, pollen and plant resin-derived propolis. In contrast, mosquito parasites were more tolerant of cinnamic acid – a product of lignin decomposition present in woody debris-rich larval habitats. Parasites from both hosts tolerated many compounds that inhibit Leishmania, hinting at possible trade-offs between phytochemical tolerance and mammalian infection. Our results implicate the phytochemistry of host diets as a potential driver of insect–trypanosomatid associations and identify compounds that could be incorporated into colony diets or floral landscapes to ameliorate infection in bees.     

Diet drives convergent evolution of gut microbiomes in bamboo-eating species

Gut microbiota plays a critical role in host physiology and health. The coevolution between the host and its gut microbes facilitates animal adaptation to its specific ecological niche. Multiple factors such as host diet and phylogeny modulate the structure and function of gut microbiota. However, the relative contribution of each factor in shaping the structure of gut microbiota remains unclear. The giant(Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and red(Ailurus styani) pandas belong to different families of order Carnivora. They have evolved as obligate bamboo-feeders and can be used as a model system for studying the gut microbiome convergent evolution. Here, we compare the structure and function of gut microbiota of the two pandas with their carnivorous relatives using 16S rRNA and metagenome sequencing. We found that both panda species share more similarities in their gut microbiota structure with each other than each species shares with its carnivorous relatives. This indicates that the specialized herbivorous diet rather than host phylogeny is the dominant driver of gut microbiome convergence within Arctoidea.Metagenomic analysis revealed that the symbiotic gut microbiota of both pandas possesses a high level of starch and sucrose metabolism and vitamin B12 biosynthesis. These findings suggest a diet-driven convergence of gut microbiomes and provide new insight into host-microbiota coevolution of these endangered species.     

The bacterial chemical repertoire mediates metabolic exchange within gut microbiomes

Microbial communities in the gut have been hypothesized to play key roles in the health of the host organism. Exploring the relationship between these populations and disease states has been a focus of the human microbiome project. However, the biological roles of the compounds produced by the gut bacteria are largely unknown. We hypothesize that these compounds act as metabolic exchange factors-mediating inter-species and intra-species interactions in the microbiome. This view is supported through this review of known bacterial metabolic exchange factors and evidence for uncharacterized metabolic exchange factors in the gut. The impact of model systems and technological developments in exploring this hypothesis are also discussed. Together, these investigations are revolutionizing our understanding of the gut microbiome-presenting the possibility of identifying new strategies for treating disease in the host.     

Root-targeted biotechnology to mediate hormonal signalling and improve crop stress tolerance

Since plant root systems capture both water and nutrients essential for the formation of crop yield, there has been renewed biotechnological focus on root system improvement. Although water and nutrient uptake can be facilitated by membrane proteins known as aquaporins and nutrient transporters, respectively, there is a little evidence that root-localised overexpression of these proteins improves plant growth or stress tolerance. Recent work suggests that the major classes of phytohormones are involved not only in regulating aquaporin and nutrient transporter expression and activity, but also in sculpting root system architecture. Root-specific expression of plant and bacterial phytohormone-related genes, using either root-specific or root-inducible promoters or grafting non-transformed plants onto constitutive hormone producing rootstocks, has examined the role of root hormone production in mediating crop stress tolerance. Root-specific traits such as root system architecture, sensing of edaphic stress and root-to-shoot communication can be exploited to improve resource (water and nutrients) capture and plant development under resource-limited conditions. Thus, root system engineering provides new opportunities to maintain sustainable crop production under changing environmental conditions.     

A comparative study of gut microbiomes in captive nocturnal strepsirrhines

Feeding strategy and diet are increasingly recognized for their roles in governing primate gut microbiome (GMB) composition. Whereas feeding strategy reflects evolutionary adaptations to a host's environment, diet is a more proximate measure of food intake. Host phylogeny, which is intertwined with feeding strategy, is an additional, and often confounding factor that shapes GMBs across host lineages. Nocturnal strepsirrhines are an intriguing and underutilized group in which to examine the links between these three factors and GMB composition. Here, we compare GMB composition in four species of captive, nocturnal strepsirrhines with varying feeding strategies and phylogenetic relationships, but nearly identical diets. We use 16S rRNA sequences to determine gut bacterial composition. Despite similar husbandry conditions, including diet, we find that GMB composition varies significantly across host species and is linked to host feeding strategy and phylogeny. The GMBs of the omnivorous and the frugivorous species were significantly more diverse than were those of the insectivorous and exudativorous species. Across all hosts, GMBs were enriched for bacterial taxa associated with the macronutrient resources linked to the host's respective feeding strategy. Ultimately, the reported variation in microbiome composition suggests that the impacts of captivity and concurrent diet do not overshadow patterns of feeding strategy and phylogeny. As our understanding of primate GMBs progresses, populations of captive primates can provide insight into the evolution of host‐microbe relationships, as well as inform future captive management protocols that enhance primate health and conservation.     

Comparative metagenomics revealed commonly enriched gene sets in human gut microbiomes.

Numerous microbes inhabit the human intestine, many of which are uncharacterized or uncultivable. They form a complex microbial community that deeply affects human physiology. To identify the genomic features common to all human gut microbiomes as well as those variable among them, we performed a large-scale comparative metagenomic analysis of fecal samples from 13 healthy individuals of various ages, including unweaned infants. We found that, while the gut microbiota from unweaned infants were simple and showed a high inter-individual variation in taxonomic and gene composition, those from adults and weaned children were more complex but showed a high functional uniformity regardless of age or sex. In searching for the genes over-represented in gut microbiomes, we identified 237 gene families commonly enriched in adult-type and 136 families in infant-type microbiomes, with a small overlap. An analysis of their predicted functions revealed various strategies employed by each type of microbiota to adapt to its intestinal environment, suggesting that these gene sets encode the core functions of adult and infant-type gut microbiota. By analysing the orphan genes, 647 new gene families were identified to be exclusively present in human intestinal microbiomes. In addition, we discovered a conjugative transposon family explosively amplified in human gut microbiomes, which strongly suggests that the intestine is a 'hot spot' for horizontal gene transfer between microbes.     

Evolutionary signal in the gut microbiomes of 74 bird species from Equatorial Guinea

How the microbiome interacts with hosts across evolutionary time is poorly understood. Data sets including many host species are required to conduct comparative analyses. Here, we analyzed 142 intestinal microbiome samples from 92 birds belonging to 74 species from Equatorial Guinea, using the 16S rRNA gene. Using four definitions for microbial taxonomic units (97%OTU, 99%OTU, 99%OTU with singletons removed, ASV), we conducted alpha and beta diversity analyses. We found that raw abundances and diversity varied between the data sets but relative patterns were largely consistent across data sets. Host taxonomy, diet and locality were significantly associated with microbiomes, at generally similar levels using three distance metrics. Phylogenetic comparative methods assessed the evolutionary relationship between the microbiome as a trait of a host species and the underlying bird phylogeny. Using multiple ways of defining “microbiome traits”, we found that a neutral Brownian motion model did not explain variation in microbiomes. Instead, we found a White Noise model (indicating little phylogenetic signal), was most likely. There was some support for the Ornstein‐Uhlenbeck model (that invokes selection), but the level of support was similar to that of a White Noise simulation, further supporting the White Noise model as the best explanation for the evolution of the microbiome as a trait of avian hosts. Our study demonstrated that both environment and evolution play a role in the gut microbiome and the relationship does not follow a neutral model; these biological results are qualitatively robust to analytical choices.     

Wolbachia mediate variation of host immunocompetence

Background

After decades during which endosymbionts were considered as silent in their hosts, in particular concerning the immune system, recent studies have revealed the contrary. In the present paper, we addressed the effect of Wolbachia, the most prevalent endosymbiont in arthropods, on host immunocompetence. To this end, we chose the A. vulgare-Wolbachia symbiosis as a model system because it leads to compare consequences of two Wolbachia strains (wVulC and wVulM) on hosts from the same population. Moreover, A. vulgare is the only host-species in which Wolbachia have been directly observed within haemocytes which are responsible for both humoral and cellular immune responses.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We sampled gravid females from the same population that were either asymbiotic, infected with wVulC, or infected with wVulM. The offspring from these females were tested and it was revealed that individuals harbouring wVulC exhibited: (i) lower haemocyte densities, (ii) more intense septicaemia in their haemolymph and (iii) a reduced lifespan as compared to individuals habouring wVulM or asymbiotic ones. Therefore, individuals in this population of A. vulgare appeared to suffer more from wVulC than from wVulM. Symbiotic titer and location in the haemocytes did not differ for the two Wolbachia strains showing that these two parameters were not responsible for differences observed in their extended phenotypes in A. vulgare.

Conclusion/Significance

The two Wolbachia strains infecting A. vulgare in the same population induced variation in immunocompetence and survival of their hosts. Such variation should highly influence the dynamics of this host-symbiont system. We propose in accordance with previous population genetic works, that wVulM is a local strain that has attenuated its virulence through a long term adaptation process towards local A. vulgare genotypes whereas wVulC, which is a widespread and invasive strain, is not locally adapted.     

Klebsiella pneumoniae induces host metabolic stress that promotes tolerance to pulmonary infection

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基于高通量测序的不同年龄恒河猴肠道菌群结构差异分析

目的观察不同年龄恒河猴肠道菌群结构和丰度的变化。方法 50只恒河猴,分为成年(5～10岁)、老年(10岁以上)2组,其中成年组33只,老年组17只。采集动物的新鲜直肠粪便,提取DNA后使用Illumina高通量测序平台对样本中细菌16S rDNA-V3区进行测序,定量分析肠道菌群的结构和丰度。结果老年组和成年组获得的优化序列数差异无显著性(P> 0.05)。α-多样性分析,老年组恒河猴肠道菌群的Chao1指数(P=0.0174)、Simpson指数(P=0.0258)、ACE指数(P=0.0121)与成年组比较降低,Shannon指数与成年组比较升高(P=0.0132)。老年组与成年组相比,在门水平,拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)相对丰度升高(P=0.0013),厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、螺旋体门(Spirochaetes)、疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia)、粘胶球形菌门(Lentisphaerae)相对丰度降低(P=0.0283,P=0.0002,P=0.0482,P=0.0242)。在科水平,Prevotellaceae相对丰度升高(P=0.0001),Ruminococcaceae、Clostridiales、Spirochaetaceae、Christensenellaceae相对丰度降低(P=0.0039,P=0.0080,P=0.0002,P=0.0021)。在属水平,老年组unidentified_Prevotellaceae相对丰度升高(P=0.0001),乳杆菌属(Lactobacillus)、八迭球菌(Sarcina)、unidentified_Spirochaetaceae相对丰度降低(P=0.0114,P=0.0227,P=0.0028)。β-多样性分析,老年组肠道菌群与成年组分布在不同区域,差异有显著性(P=0.003)。LEfSe分析,在成年组,链球菌属(Streptococcus)、布赫纳氏菌属(buchnera)、乳杆菌属(lactobacillus)是具有统计学意义的生物标记物。结论恒河猴肠道菌群的结构随年龄增长而改变。丰度降低,多样性增高。     

Locally adapted traits maintained in the face of high gene flow

Gene flow between phenotypically divergent populations can disrupt local adaptation or, alternatively, may stimulate adaptive evolution by increasing genetic variation. We capitalised on historical Trinidadian guppy transplant experiments to test the phenotypic effects of increased gene flow caused by replicated introductions of adaptively divergent guppies, which were translocated from high‐ to low‐predation environments. We sampled two native populations prior to the onset of gene flow, six historic introduction sites, introduction sources and multiple downstream points in each basin. Extensive gene flow from introductions occurred in all streams, yet adaptive phenotypic divergence across a gradient in predation level was maintained. Descendants of guppies from a high‐predation source site showed high phenotypic similarity with native low‐predation guppies in as few as ~12 generations after gene flow, likely through a combination of adaptive evolution and phenotypic plasticity. Our results demonstrate that locally adapted phenotypes can be maintained despite extensive gene flow from divergent populations.     

单核细胞增多性李斯特菌OpuCA蛋白介导抗氧化应激和宿主感染研究

【目的】本文旨在研究opuCA基因在单核细胞增多性李斯特菌(单增李斯特菌)生长过程及渗透胁迫下发挥的作用,探究opuCA基因参与细菌抗氧化应激和致病力的生物学功能,为阐明OpuCA蛋白介导细菌环境适应和宿主内感染的机制奠定基础。【方法】利用细菌同源重组方法获得opuCA缺失株及回补株后,通过分子生物学、感染生物学和激光共聚焦技术,研究野生株和突变株的生长能力、抗渗透应激能力、抗氧化应激能力、细胞粘附、侵袭以及胞内增殖能力。【结果】缺失opuCA基因后,李斯特菌体外生长能力并没有受到影响,但在渗透条件下生长能力减弱;opuCA缺失株在铜离子和镉离子中抗氧化应激能力降低,但在巯基特异性氧化剂肼应激中无明显变化;opuCA缺失株在细胞中的侵袭能力显著减弱,且缺失该基因导致细菌聚合actin能力下降,进而影响了细菌在胞间迁移。【结论】本研究首次证实了缺失opuCA基因能降低单增李斯特菌抗氧化应激能力和感染宿主能力,并且在渗透胁迫下细菌生长能力减弱,但具体的分子机制有待深入研究。本研究有助于深入理解单增李斯特菌OpuCA蛋白介导的细菌体外环境适应及宿主内感染的分子机制,为防控单增李斯特菌感染提供...