Functional Insights Into the Effect of Feralisation on the Gut Microbiota of Cats Worldwide DOI Creative Commons
Ostaizka Aizpurua, Amanda Bolt Botnen, Raphael Eisenhofer

et al.

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 14, 2025

ABSTRACT Successfully adapting to a feral lifestyle with different access food, shelter and other resources requires rapid physiological behavioural changes, which could potentially be facilitated by gut microbiota plasticity. To investigate whether alterations in support this transition lifestyle, we analysed the microbiomes of domestic cats from six geographically diverse locations using genome‐resolved metagenomics. By reconstructing 229 non‐redundant metagenome‐assembled genomes 92 cats, identified typical carnivore microbiome structure, notable diversity taxonomic differences across regions. While overall metrics did not differ significantly between hierarchical modelling species communities, accounting for geographic sex covariates, revealed larger microbial functional capacities among cats. The increased capacity amino acid lipid degradation corresponds cats' dietary reliance on crude protein fat. A second analysis, phenotype as main predictor, unveiled positive association production short‐chain fatty acids, neurotransmitters vitamins cat aggressiveness, suggesting that microbes might contribute heightened aggression elusiveness observed Functional shifts may therefore play significant role development traits advantageous hypothesis warrants validation through manipulation experiments.

Language: Английский

Functional Insights Into the Effect of Feralisation on the Gut Microbiota of Cats Worldwide DOI Creative Commons
Ostaizka Aizpurua, Amanda Bolt Botnen, Raphael Eisenhofer

et al.

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 14, 2025

ABSTRACT Successfully adapting to a feral lifestyle with different access food, shelter and other resources requires rapid physiological behavioural changes, which could potentially be facilitated by gut microbiota plasticity. To investigate whether alterations in support this transition lifestyle, we analysed the microbiomes of domestic cats from six geographically diverse locations using genome‐resolved metagenomics. By reconstructing 229 non‐redundant metagenome‐assembled genomes 92 cats, identified typical carnivore microbiome structure, notable diversity taxonomic differences across regions. While overall metrics did not differ significantly between hierarchical modelling species communities, accounting for geographic sex covariates, revealed larger microbial functional capacities among cats. The increased capacity amino acid lipid degradation corresponds cats' dietary reliance on crude protein fat. A second analysis, phenotype as main predictor, unveiled positive association production short‐chain fatty acids, neurotransmitters vitamins cat aggressiveness, suggesting that microbes might contribute heightened aggression elusiveness observed Functional shifts may therefore play significant role development traits advantageous hypothesis warrants validation through manipulation experiments.

Language: Английский

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