A seasonal comparison of the gut microbiome of the Southern Lesser Galago Galago moholi (A.Smith 1836)

Abstract

Increased anthropogenic activities such as urbanisation and the bushmeat trade increase the degree of contact humans have with non-human primates. Zoonotic pathogens have increased the risk of disease emergence significantly. Non-human primates are major reservoirs of zoonotic diseases. The close relatedness of primates, including humans, increases chances of sharing harmful pathogens. The gut microbiome has been shown to contribute substantially to the health of its host. The composition of gut microbes is strongly affected by the diet of the host. The diet of the Southern Lesser Galago (Galago moholi) shows vast changes throughout the seasons. With the seasonal changes affecting diet and the continuous growth of human activities within their natural habitats, there is a great risk for transmission of zoonotic pathogens to occur between G. moholi and humans. This study investigated the effects that changes in season had on the gut microbiome of the Southern Lesser Galago (G. moholi) in isolated populations. In order to assess the gut microbiome, a next generation sequencing approach was taken. Ion Torrent technology was used to sequence the 16S rRNA gene regions in order to quantify the diversity and abundance of the bacterial taxa. The hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were assessed in terms of the abundance and diversity of bacteria present. The four major phyla present were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. The results showed only slight significances in variation in the taxonomic bacteria between seasons. However, the dominance of bacterial species from phylum Proteobacteria in summer and phylum Firmicutes in winter were indicative of shifting diets. Of the bacteria present, several potentially pathogenic genera were identified. The hypervariable region V3 proved to be the most consistent after an assessment of the 16S sequencing data from each individual. Conversely, hypervariable regions V2 and V9 proved to be the least informative. The results indicate the diversity and composition of the microbial community during seasonal changes. These findings form a basis for future studies to assess gut health in primate species.