Data from: Gut microbiome composition and metabolomic profiles of wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) reflect host ecology

The metabolic activities of gut microbes significantly influence host physiology; thus, characterizing the forces that modulate this micro-ecosystem is key to understanding mammalian biology and fitness. To investigate the gut microbiome of wild primates and determine how this microbial communities respond to the host's external environment, we characterized fecal bacterial communities and, for the first time, gut metabolomes of four wild lowland gorilla groups in the Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic. Results show that geographical range may be an important modulator of the gut microbiomes and metabolomes of these gorilla groups. Distinctions seemed to relate to feeding behavior; implying energy harvest thorough increased fruit consumption or fermentation of highly fibrous foods. These observations were supported by differential abundance of metabolites and bacterial taxa associated to the metabolism of cellulose, phenolics, organic acids, simple sugars, lipids and sterols between gorillas occupying different geographical ranges. Additionally, the gut microbiomes of a gorilla group under increased anthropogenic pressure could always be distinguished from that of all other groups. By characterizing the interplay between environment, behavior, diet and symbiotic gut microbes we present an alternative perspective on primate ecology and on the forces that shape the gut microbiomes of wild primates from an evolutionary context.

肠道微生物的代谢活动对宿主生理具有显著调控作用，因此解析调控这一微生态系统的关键因素，是理解哺乳动物生物学特性与进化适合度的核心所在。为探究野生灵长类动物的肠道微生物组（gut microbiome），并明确其微生物群落如何响应宿主所处的外部环境，本研究对中非共和国Dzanga Sangha保护区内的4个野生低地大猩猩种群的粪便细菌群落进行了表征，并首次解析了其肠道代谢组（gut metabolome）。研究结果显示，地理分布范围可能是调控这些大猩猩种群肠道微生物组与代谢组的重要因素。种群间的差异似乎与摄食行为相关，提示能量获取可通过增加果实摄入或对高纤维食物的发酵作用实现。上述结论得到了代谢物与细菌类群丰度差异的佐证：在不同地理分布范围的大猩猩种群间，与纤维素、酚类物质、有机酸、单糖、脂质及甾醇代谢相关的代谢物和细菌类群丰度存在显著差异。此外，受到人为干扰压力加剧的大猩猩种群，其肠道微生物组始终可与其他所有种群明显区分。本研究通过解析环境、行为、饮食与肠道共生微生物之间的相互作用，从进化视角为灵长类生态学以及塑造野生灵长类肠道微生物组的关键因素提供了全新的研究视角。