Social environment and genetics underlie body site‐specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves (Canis lupus)
Abstract The host‐associated microbiome is an important player in the ecology and evolution of species. Despite growing interest in the medical, veterinary, and conservation communities, there remain numerous questions about the primary factors underlying microbiota, particularly in wildlife. We bri...
Published in: | Ecology and Evolution |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Wiley
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7767 https://doaj.org/article/92188c9367d74c26a4174d5512430a0b |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:92188c9367d74c26a4174d5512430a0b |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:92188c9367d74c26a4174d5512430a0b 2023-05-15T15:49:58+02:00 Social environment and genetics underlie body site‐specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves (Canis lupus) Alexandra L. DeCandia Kira A. Cassidy Daniel R. Stahler Erin A. Stahler Bridgett M. vonHoldt 2021-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7767 https://doaj.org/article/92188c9367d74c26a4174d5512430a0b EN eng Wiley https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7767 https://doaj.org/toc/2045-7758 2045-7758 doi:10.1002/ece3.7767 https://doaj.org/article/92188c9367d74c26a4174d5512430a0b Ecology and Evolution, Vol 11, Iss 14, Pp 9472-9488 (2021) genetics gray wolf host–microbe interactions mammal microbiome pedigree Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7767 2022-12-31T07:59:47Z Abstract The host‐associated microbiome is an important player in the ecology and evolution of species. Despite growing interest in the medical, veterinary, and conservation communities, there remain numerous questions about the primary factors underlying microbiota, particularly in wildlife. We bridged this knowledge gap by leveraging microbial, genetic, and observational data collected in a wild, pedigreed population of gray wolves (Canis lupus) inhabiting Yellowstone National Park. We characterized body site‐specific microbes across six haired and mucosal body sites (and two fecal samples) using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. At the phylum level, we found that the microbiome of gray wolves primarily consists of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, and Proteobacteria, consistent with previous studies within Mammalia and Canidae. At the genus level, we documented body site‐specific microbiota with functions relevant to microenvironment and local physiological processes. We additionally employed observational and RAD sequencing data to examine genetic, demographic, and environmental correlates of skin and gut microbiota. We surveyed individuals across several levels of pedigree relationships, generations, and social groups, and found that social environment (i.e., pack) and genetic relatedness were two primary factors associated with microbial community composition to differing degrees between body sites. We additionally reported body condition and coat color as secondary factors underlying gut and skin microbiomes, respectively. We concluded that gray wolf microbiota resemble similar host species, differ between body sites, and are shaped by numerous endogenous and exogenous factors. These results provide baseline information for this long‐term study population and yield important insights into the evolutionary history, ecology, and conservation of wild wolves and their associated microbes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus gray wolf Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Ecology and Evolution 11 14 9472 9488 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
genetics gray wolf host–microbe interactions mammal microbiome pedigree Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
genetics gray wolf host–microbe interactions mammal microbiome pedigree Ecology QH540-549.5 Alexandra L. DeCandia Kira A. Cassidy Daniel R. Stahler Erin A. Stahler Bridgett M. vonHoldt Social environment and genetics underlie body site‐specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves (Canis lupus) |
topic_facet |
genetics gray wolf host–microbe interactions mammal microbiome pedigree Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
Abstract The host‐associated microbiome is an important player in the ecology and evolution of species. Despite growing interest in the medical, veterinary, and conservation communities, there remain numerous questions about the primary factors underlying microbiota, particularly in wildlife. We bridged this knowledge gap by leveraging microbial, genetic, and observational data collected in a wild, pedigreed population of gray wolves (Canis lupus) inhabiting Yellowstone National Park. We characterized body site‐specific microbes across six haired and mucosal body sites (and two fecal samples) using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. At the phylum level, we found that the microbiome of gray wolves primarily consists of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, and Proteobacteria, consistent with previous studies within Mammalia and Canidae. At the genus level, we documented body site‐specific microbiota with functions relevant to microenvironment and local physiological processes. We additionally employed observational and RAD sequencing data to examine genetic, demographic, and environmental correlates of skin and gut microbiota. We surveyed individuals across several levels of pedigree relationships, generations, and social groups, and found that social environment (i.e., pack) and genetic relatedness were two primary factors associated with microbial community composition to differing degrees between body sites. We additionally reported body condition and coat color as secondary factors underlying gut and skin microbiomes, respectively. We concluded that gray wolf microbiota resemble similar host species, differ between body sites, and are shaped by numerous endogenous and exogenous factors. These results provide baseline information for this long‐term study population and yield important insights into the evolutionary history, ecology, and conservation of wild wolves and their associated microbes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Alexandra L. DeCandia Kira A. Cassidy Daniel R. Stahler Erin A. Stahler Bridgett M. vonHoldt |
author_facet |
Alexandra L. DeCandia Kira A. Cassidy Daniel R. Stahler Erin A. Stahler Bridgett M. vonHoldt |
author_sort |
Alexandra L. DeCandia |
title |
Social environment and genetics underlie body site‐specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves (Canis lupus) |
title_short |
Social environment and genetics underlie body site‐specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves (Canis lupus) |
title_full |
Social environment and genetics underlie body site‐specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves (Canis lupus) |
title_fullStr |
Social environment and genetics underlie body site‐specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves (Canis lupus) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Social environment and genetics underlie body site‐specific microbiomes of Yellowstone National Park gray wolves (Canis lupus) |
title_sort |
social environment and genetics underlie body site‐specific microbiomes of yellowstone national park gray wolves (canis lupus) |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7767 https://doaj.org/article/92188c9367d74c26a4174d5512430a0b |
genre |
Canis lupus gray wolf |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus gray wolf |
op_source |
Ecology and Evolution, Vol 11, Iss 14, Pp 9472-9488 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7767 https://doaj.org/toc/2045-7758 2045-7758 doi:10.1002/ece3.7767 https://doaj.org/article/92188c9367d74c26a4174d5512430a0b |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7767 |
container_title |
Ecology and Evolution |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
14 |
container_start_page |
9472 |
op_container_end_page |
9488 |
_version_ |
1766384979297697792 |