Gut microbiome of hibernating bears

I hypothesize that the colon microbiome of the hibernating black bears is a unique assemblage of bacteria that performs functions vital for hibernation, giving bears the unique ability to survive for months without eating or urinating. The first step in studying this phenomenon is to identify the bacteria that comprise this microbiome using 16S amplicon data. My colleagues and I have collected samples from the colons of 17 hibernating American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Minnesota, USA. We used three methods of collection that sampled from 10.5cm to 40cm proximal to the anus, for a total of 49 samples. DNA has been extracted, using EMP standard protocols, at the Biofrontiers Institute, Knight lab, in Boulder, Colorado.