Effects of Dietary Alteration on the Gut Microbiome and Metabolome of the Rescued Bengal Slow Loris

Qingyong Ni; Chen Zhang; Diyan Li; Huailiang Xu; Yongfang Yao; Mingwang Zhang; Xiaolan Fan; Bo Zeng; Deying Yang; Meng Xie

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.650991

Effects of Dietary Alteration on the Gut Microbiome and Metabolome of the Rescued Bengal Slow Loris

Front Microbiol. 2021 Mar 24:12:650991. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.650991. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Qingyong Ni^{1

2}, Chen Zhang^{1

2}, Diyan Li^{1

2}, Huailiang Xu³, Yongfang Yao³, Mingwang Zhang^{1

2}, Xiaolan Fan^{1

2}, Bo Zeng^{1

2}, Deying Yang^{1

2}, Meng Xie³

Affiliations

¹ Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.
² College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.
³ College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Yaan, China.

Abstract

Bengal slow lorises (Nycticebus bengalensis) are threatened by illegal trade. Subsequently, numerous wild-born individuals are rescued and transferred to rescue centers. Metabonomic analysis of intestinal microbiomes has increasingly played a vital role in evaluating the effects of dietary alteration on the captive status of endangered non-human primates. A synthetic analysis was done to test the differences in gut microbes and fecal metabolites between two dietary groups of Bengal slow lorises across 8 weeks. Dietary interventions led to intra-group convergence and inter-group variation in the composition of intestinal flora, metabolites, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The control diet, consisting of gums and honey, significantly increased the abundance of some potential probiotics, such as Bifidobacterium and Roseburia, and the concentration of some anti-disease related metabolites. The decrease in some amino acid metabolites in the original group fed without gums was attributed to poor body condition. Some distinct SCFAs found in the control group indicated the dietary alteration herein was fat-restricted but fiber deficient. Cognizant of this, plant exudates and fiber-enriched food supplies should be considered an optimal approach for dietary improvement of the confiscated and captive Bengal slow lorises.

Keywords: Bengal slow lorises; dietary alteration; metabolomics; microbiome; short-chain fatty acids.