16S rRNA and Choloroplast trnL Sequencing of Wild Ruminant Rumen

Wild ruminant species, unlike domesticated ruminants (e.g. cattle, sheep) have very little characterization of their rumen microbiome and its interactions with their diets. To better understand the composition of Montana wild ruminant rumen microbiome, diets, and their interactions, rumen samples were collected from from seven wild ruminant species: bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), elk (Cervus canadensis), moose (Alces alces), mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), pronghorn antelope (Antoilocapra americana), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) over two years during the legal hunting seasons in Montana, USA. From these rumen samples, the rumen microbiome and diet were reconstructed using molecular approaches. For the rumen microbiome, 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified bacterial and archaeal species, leaving protozoal and fungal representatives unknown. For diet composition, sequencing of the chloroplast trnL gene identified plant species. From these data, we sought to assess more precisely the relationship between diet and the composition of the rumen microbiome, along with the potential influence of less explored variables, including the age, sex, and location at harvest of the animal on bacterial and archaeal composition.