The Gut Microbiome of Tibetan Macaques: Composition, Influencing Factors and Function in Feeding Ecology

Abstract

Among all the organs of the mammalian body, the gut is the most complex and diverse ecological system, colonized by bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses, which can influence the nutritional status, immune homeostasis and metabolic activity of the host. Despite our existing knowledge showing that the complex relationship between hosts and their microbiome can present a unique opportunity for understanding mammalian adaptation and evolution, the host-microbe relationship in wild nonhuman primates still remains understudied, particularly in the context of social living. In this chapter, we summarize our research work on bacterial/fungal community composition and microbial diversity in Tibetan macaques, and analyze the factors influencing variation of the gut microbiome across age, sex and season in this species. Finally, we use the information to discuss the role of the gut microbiome in the adaptive evolution relating to the feeding ecology of Tibetan macaques.