Observational Cohort Study of Oral Mycobiome and InterKingdom Interactions over the Course of Induction Therapy for Leukemia

ABSTRACT Although the term “microbiome” refers to all microorganisms, the majority of microbiome studies focus on the bacteriome. Here, we characterize the oral mycobiome, including mycobiome-bacteriome interactions, in the setting of remission-induction chemotherapy (RIC) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Oral samples (n = 299) were prospectively collected twice weekly from 39 AML patients during RIC until neutrophil recovery. Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA gene (V4) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequencing were used to determine bacterial and fungal diversity and community composition. Intrakingdom and interkingdom network connectivity at baseline (T1) and at midpoint (T3) and a later time point (T6) were assessed via SPIEC-EASI (sparse inverse covariance estimation for ecological association inference). In this exploratory study, mycobiome α-diversity was not significantly associated with antibiotic or antifungal receipt. However, postchemotherapy mycobiome α-diversity was lower in subjects receiving high-intensity chemotherapy. Additionally, greater decreases in Malassezia levels were seen over time among patients on high-intensity RIC compared to low-intensity RIC (P = 0.003). A significantly higher relative abundance of Candida was found among patients who had infection (P = 0.008), while a significantly higher relative abundance of Fusarium was found among patients who did not get an infection (P = 0.03). Analyses of intrakingdom and interkingdom relationships at T1, T3, and T6 indicated that interkingdom connectivity increased over the course of IC as bacterial α-diversity diminished. In (to our knowledge) the first longitudinal mycobiome study performed during AML RIC, we found that mycobiome-bacteriome interactions are highly dynamic. Our study data suggest that inclusion of mycobiome analysis in the design of microbiome studies may be necessary to optimally understand the ecological and functional role of microbial communities in clinical outcomes. IMPORTANCE This report highlights the importance of longitudinal, parallel characterization of oral fungi and bacteria in order to better elucidate the dynamic changes in microbial community structure and interkingdom functional interactions during the injury of chemotherapy and antibiotic exposure as well as the clinical consequences of these interrelated alterations.

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Gut Microbiome in a Russian Cohort of Pre- and Post-Cholecystectomy Female Patients

Journal of Personalized Medicine ◽

10.3390/jpm11040294 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 294

Author(s):

Irina Grigor’eva ◽

Tatiana Romanova ◽

Natalia Naumova ◽

Tatiana Alikina ◽

Alexey Kuznetsov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Gallstone Disease ◽

Illumina Miseq ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Bacterial Phyla ◽

Female Patients ◽

Composition And Structure ◽

Before And After

The last decade saw extensive studies of the human gut microbiome and its relationship to specific diseases, including gallstone disease (GSD). The information about the gut microbiome in GSD-afflicted Russian patients is scarce, despite the increasing GSD incidence worldwide. Although the gut microbiota was described in some GSD cohorts, little is known regarding the gut microbiome before and after cholecystectomy (CCE). By using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, we inventoried the fecal bacteriobiome composition and structure in GSD-afflicted females, seeking to reveal associations with age, BMI and some blood biochemistry. Overall, 11 bacterial phyla were identified, containing 916 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The fecal bacteriobiome was dominated by Firmicutes (66% relative abundance), followed by Bacteroidetes (19%), Actinobacteria (8%) and Proteobacteria (4%) phyla. Most (97%) of the OTUs were minor or rare species with ≤1% relative abundance. Prevotella and Enterocossus were linked to blood bilirubin. Some taxa had differential pre- and post-CCE abundance, despite the very short time (1–3 days) elapsed after CCE. The detailed description of the bacteriobiome in pre-CCE female patients suggests bacterial foci for further research to elucidate the gut microbiota and GSD relationship and has potentially important biological and medical implications regarding gut bacteria involvement in the increased GSD incidence rate in females.

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Pilot trial of vitamin D3 and calcifediol in healthy vitamin D deficient adults: does it change the fecal microbiome?

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism ◽

10.1210/clinem/dgab573 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Albert Shieh ◽

S Melanie Lee ◽

Venu Lagishetty ◽

Carter Gottleib ◽

Jonathan P Jacobs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Vitamin D Deficiency ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Vitamin D3 ◽

Pilot Trial ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Small Sample ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Β Diversity ◽

Α Diversity

Abstract Purpose To determine whether correcting vitamin D deficiency with cholecalciferol (vitamin D3, D3) or calcifediol (25-hydroxyvitamin D3, 25(OH)D3) changes gut microbiome composition. Methods 18 adults with vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] <20 ng/ml) received 60 mcg/day of D3 or 20 mcg/day of 25(OH)D3 for 8 weeks. Changes in serum 25(OH)D, 1,25-diydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25(OH)2D) were assessed. We characterized composition of the fecal microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and examined changes in α-diversity (Chao 1, Faith’s Phylogenetic Diversity, Shannon Index), β-diversity (DEICODE), and genus-level abundances (DESeq2). Results Vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3 groups were similar. After 8 weeks of vitamin D3, mean 25(OH)D and 24,25(OH)2D increased significantly, but 1,25(OH)2D did not (25(OH)D: 17.8 to 30.1 ng/ml [p=0.002]; 24,25(OH)2D: 1.1 to 2.7 ng/ml [p=0.003]; 1,25(OH)2D: 49.5 to 53.0 pg/ml [p=0.9]). After 8 weeks of 25(OH)D3, mean 25(OH)D, 24,25(OH)2D, and 1,25(OH)2D increased significantly (25(OH)D: 16.7 to 50.6 ng/ml [p<0.0001]; 24,25(OH)2D: 1.3 to 6.2 ng/ml [p=0.0001]; 1,25(OH)2D: 56.5 to 74.2 pg/ml [p=0.05]). Fecal microbial α-diversity and β-diversity did not change with D3 or 25D3 supplementation. Mean relative abundance of Firmicutes increased and mean relative abundance of Bacterioidetes decreased from baseline to four weeks, but returned to baseline by study completion. DESeq2 analysis did not confirm any statistically significant taxonomic changes. Main conclusions In a small sample of healthy adults with vitamin D deficiency, restoration of vitamin D sufficiency with vitamin D3 or 25(OH)D3 did not lead to lasting changes in the fecal microbiota.

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Alterations of the Oral Microbiome and Cumulative Carbapenem Exposure Are Associated With Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Infection in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia Receiving Chemotherapy

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/ciaa778 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Samuel L Aitken ◽

Pranoti V Sahasrabhojane ◽

Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis ◽

Tor C Savidge ◽

Cesar A Arias ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia ◽

Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Oral Microbiome ◽

Remission Induction ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Acute Myeloid

Abstract Background Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is increasingly common in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Little is known about factors that drive S. maltophilia infection. We evaluated the microbiome and cumulative antibiotic use as predictors of S. maltophilia infection in AML patients receiving remission induction chemotherapy (RIC). Methods Subanalysis of a prospective, observational cohort of patients with AML receiving RIC between September 2013 and August 2015 was performed. Fecal and oral microbiome samples collected from initiation of RIC until neutrophil recovery were assessed for the relative abundance of Stenotrophomonas via 16S rRNA gene quantitation. The primary outcome, microbiologically proven S. maltophilia infection, was analyzed using a time-varying Cox proportional hazards model. Results Of 90 included patients, 8 (9%) developed S. maltophilia infection (pneumonia, n = 6; skin–soft tissue, n = 2); 4/8 (50%) patients were bacteremic; and 7/8 (88%) patients with S. maltophilia infection had detectable levels of Stenotrophomonas vs 22/82 (27%) without infection (P < .01). An oral Stenotrophomonas relative abundance of 36% predicted infection (sensitivity, 96%; specificity, 93%). No association of S. maltophilia infection with fecal relative abundance was found. Cumulative meropenem exposure was associated with increased infection risk (hazard ratio, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.35; P = .03). Conclusions Here, we identify the oral microbiome as a potential source for S. maltophilia infection and highlight cumulative carbapenem use as a risk factor for S. maltophilia in leukemia patients. These data suggest that real-time monitoring of the oral cavity might identify patients at risk for S. maltophilia infection.

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The leaf bacterial microbiota of female and male kiwifruit plants in distinct seasons: assessing the impact of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae

Phytobiomes Journal ◽

10.1094/pbiomes-09-20-0070-r ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Aitana Ares ◽

Joana Pereira ◽

Eva Garcia ◽

Joana Costa ◽

Igor Tiago

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Community ◽

Pseudomonas Syringae ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Bacterial Communities ◽

Defense Mechanisms ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Illumina Miseq ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Sequencing Platform ◽

The Impact

The pandemic Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) has been compromising the production of the kiwifruit industry in major producing countries. Abiotic factors and plant gender are known to influence the disease outcome. To better understand their impact, we have determined the diversity of the leafs bacterial communities using the V5-V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene amplicon on the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. Healthy and diseased female and male kiwifruit plants were analyzed in two consecutive seasons: spring and autumn. This work describes whether the season, plant gender and the presence of Psa can affect the leaves bacterial community. Fifty bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified and assigned to five phyla distributed by 14 different families and 23 genera. The leaves of healthy female and male kiwi plants share most of the identified bacterial populations, that undergoes major seasonal changes. In both cases a substantial increase of the relative abundance of genus Methylobacterium is observed in autumn. The presence of Psa induced profound changes on leaves bacterial communities structure translated into a reduction in the relative abundance of previously dominant genera that had been found in healthy plants, namely Hymenobacter, Sphingomonas and Massilia. The impact of Psa was less pronounced in the bacterial community structure of male plants in both seasons. Some of the naturally occurring genera have the potential to act as an antagonist or as enhancers of the defense mechanisms paving the way for environmentally friendly and sustainable disease control.

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Fecal Microbiota Composition of a Mother-Infant Dyad in a Pig Model

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa054_087 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 1015-1015

Author(s):

Julie Jeon ◽

Xi Fang ◽

Jeferson Lourenco ◽

Srujana Rayalam ◽

Michael Rothrock ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiome ◽

Maternal Nutrition ◽

Early Stage ◽

Illumina Miseq ◽

Well Being ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Gut Health ◽

Β Diversity ◽

Α Diversity

Abstract Objectives Microbial programming in early life is associated with gut health and overall well-being in adulthood. The establishment of the nascent gut microbiome is substantially influenced by both maternal nutrition and the native maternal microbiome. Pig is recognized as a valuable model in gastrointestinal track research due to its remarkable similarity to humans in gastrointestinal anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, immunology, and pathology. This study examined the characteristics of the gut microflora in the sow-piglet dyad. Methods Fecal samples were collected from sows (n = 6) and piglets (n = 24) at weaning. Bacterial DNA was isolated from the feces and the V3-V4 region of 16 s rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced using the Illumina Miseq platform and analyzed by QIIME pipeline. Results Sows had a twice higher abundance of Firmicutes than piglets (84.28% vs 40.19%, P < 0.0001), although Firmicutes was the most abundant phyla in both sows and piglets. Instead, piglets had higher abundances of Bacteroidetes (36.41% vs 9.61%, P < 0.0001) and Proteobacteria (11.31% vs 0.87%, P = 0.005) than sows. Early colonization of Proteobacteria has been suggested to be important for development of neonatal immunity. Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio was higher in sows than in piglets (16.32 vs 1.36, P < 0.0001), which is consistent with previous reports in humans. The five most abundant families in sows were Clostridiaceae (30.43%), Turicibacteraceae (17.13%), Ruminococcaceae (11.29%), Lactobacillaceae (8.27%), and Lachnospiraceae (4.99%), while those in piglets were Bacteroidaceae (23.96%), Lachnospiraceae (9.13%), Clostridiaceae (7.52%), Ruminococcaceae (6.80%), and Enterobacteriaceae (6.63%). Observed OTUs in sows were higher (P = 0.02) than those in piglets, suggesting that piglets at early stage of life have lower fecal α-diversity. Moreover, β-diversity was very different between sows and piglets (P = 0.01). Conclusions Sows and piglets showed distinctive pattern of fecal microflora, and piglets had fewer species numbers at weaning compared to that of sows. This finding will provide a valuable information for future transgenerational studies on the gut microbiome and its consequences for health using a sow-piglet dyad. Funding Sources Georgia Experimental Agricultural Station, UGA Faculty research grant, and Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging at the PCOM.

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A Metagenomic Analysis of the Equine Gut Microbiome with and Without Probiotic Supplementation (P09-006-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz033.p09-006-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Olivia Konen ◽

Kristin Peters ◽

Petra Tsuji

Keyword(s):

Relative Abundance ◽

Illumina Miseq ◽

Experimental Manipulation ◽

Intestinal Microbiome ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Probiotic Supplementation ◽

Fecal Matter ◽

Microbiome Composition ◽

Bacterial Phyla ◽

And Mathematics

Abstract Objectives The goal of this study is to compare the microbiome of domesticated horses with and without probiotic supplementation. Methods Our University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee has granted an exemption, as the horses were not housed on campus and there was no experimental manipulation to the horses’ feeding implemented. Fecal matter from six privately owned horses maintained on their standard grazing diet were collected. Three of the six horses received a probiotic supplement, SmartDigest, for several years prior to beginning the project. Supplementation ceased for one month, and samples were again obtained. The other three horses never received probiotics. Bacterial DNA was isolated from all fecal samples, the 16S rRNA gene amplified, tagged with index primers, and subsequently sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq. Results Dominant groups from non-supplemented horses residing on the same property included the phyla bacteriodetes, firmicutes, proteobacteria, and verrucomicrobia. Interestingly, Sphingobacterium bambusae was identified in all three horses, even though this species has previously been isolated from the soil of bamboo plantations. Currently, samples from horses with probiotics are being analyzed. We are also employing qPCR analysis to validate the NextGen data, and to further investigate relative abundance of specific bacterial groups relevant to equine intestinal health. Conclusions Preliminary NextGen sequence analysis of the relative abundance of bacterial phyla suggests that, as expected, the horses residing on the same property and thus receiving the same diet possess a similar intestinal microbiome composition. Similarities between horses persist down to the genus level, and are now being compared to samples from horses on a probiotic-supplemented diet. Funding Sources Financial support was provided by Towson University's Fisher College of Science and Mathematics, and Jess and Mildred Fisher Endowed Chair funds to P. Tsuji.

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Production of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): effect of inulin on microbial composition and CLA concentration in a human intestinal model

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665120005777 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽

Author(s):

Ilaria Carafa ◽

Domenico Masuero ◽

Urska Vrhovsek ◽

Giovanni Bittante ◽

Elena Franciosi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Linoleic Acid ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Illumina Miseq ◽

Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Human Gut ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Human Gut Microbiota

AbstractConjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) show a number of putative health-promoting activities including anti-carcinogenic, anti-adipogenic, anti-diabetogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. CLAs are naturally produced by ruminal bacteria and several studies demonstrate that various lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are also able to produce CLAs in vitro from linoleic acid (LA). However, the ability of the human gut microbiota to produce CLA is less extensively studied. Our hypothesis is that the human gut microbiota is able to convert LA to CLA, and that the readily fermentable fiber inulin would positively modulate the growth of CLA-producing bacteria and, consequently increase the CLA content in the intestine.The capability of the faecal microbiota from five healthy donors to produce CLA was tested in anaerobic batch cultures for 48 hours at pH 5.5 and 6.5. Test treatments were linoleic acid (LA; 1 mg/mL) + bovine serum albumin (BSA; 0.2 mg/mL), and LA (1 mg/mL) + BSA (0.2 mg/mL) + inulin (1%, w/v) compared to a control BSA (0.2 mg/mL) fermentation. The microbial composition was analyzed 0, 24 and 48 hours after starting the fermentation by 16S rRNA gene Illumina MiSeq sequencing (V3-V4 region). CLAs were quantified by Ultra performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS) and bi-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC).The inclusion of LA + BSA + inulin at pH 5.5 significantly increased the relative abundance of Collinsella aerofaciens (p < 0.05), and tended to increase the relative abundance of bifidobacteria. LA + BSA + inulin at both pH 5.5 and 6.5 reduced the relative abundance of Parabacteroides, Bilophila, Clostridia and Enterobacteriaceae (p < 0.05). The concentration of CLA, in particular the isomer cis9,trans11 C18:2, was significantly higher in the LA + BSA + inulin group at pH 5.5 after 24 and 48 hours fermentation.The data show that the treatment LA + BSA + inulin at pH 5.5 induce substantial changes in microbiota composition, including bifidogenesis and CLA production in a human intestinal microbiota model. The changes of relative abundance detected are consistent with changes in gut bacteria previously linked to human health. Collinsella aerofaciens has been reported for reducing bloating, in particular in subjects suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, while Clostridia, Bilophila and Enterobacteriaceae causes human infections. In addition, the increase of bifidobacteria and LAB, which have previously been shown in vitro to produce CLA, may also be involved in CLA production under simulated cecal microbiome. These preclinical observations warrant confirmation in suitably designed animal and human mechanistic studies.

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Seasonal dynamics of the bacterioplankton community in a large, shallow, highly dynamic freshwater lake

Canadian Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1139/cjm-2018-0126 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 64 (11) ◽

pp. 786-797 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Zhaoyu Kong ◽

Wenbo Kou ◽

Yantian Ma ◽

Haotian Yu ◽

Gang Ge ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Level ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Poyang Lake ◽

Nutrient Status ◽

Diversity Indices ◽

Freshwater Lake ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Bacterioplankton Community ◽

Α Diversity ◽

Composition Structure

The spatiotemporal shifts of the bacterioplankton community can mirror their transition of functional traits in an aquatic ecosystem. However, the spatiotemporal variation of the bacterioplankton community composition structure (BCCS) within a large, shallow, highly dynamic freshwater lake is still poorly understood. Here, we examined the seasonal and spatial variability of the BCCs within Poyang Lake by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene amplicon to explore how hydrological changes affect the BCCs. Principal coordinate analysis showed that the BCCs varied significantly among four sampling seasons, but not spatially. The seasonal changes of the BCCs were mainly attributed to the differences between autumn and spring–winter. Higher α diversity indices were observed in autumn. Redundancy analysis indicated that the BCCs co-variated with water level, pH, temperature, total phosphorus, ammoniacal nitrogen, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, and turbidity. Among them, water level was the key determinant separating autumn BCCs from the BCCs in other seasons. A significantly lower relative abundance of Burkholderiales (betI and betVII) and a higher relative abundance of Actinomycetales (acI, acTH1, and acTH2) were found in autumn than in other seasons. Overall, our results suggest that water level changes associated with pH, temperature, and nutrient status shaped the seasonal patterns of the BCCs within Poyang Lake.

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Changes in the vaginal microbiota associated with primary ovarian failure

10.21203/rs.3.rs-15522/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Juan Wang ◽

Jieying Xu ◽

Qixin Han ◽

Weiwei Chu ◽

Gang Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ribosomal Rna ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Illumina Miseq ◽

Vaginal Flora ◽

Vaginal Microbiota ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Healthy Individuals ◽

Women Of Reproductive Age ◽

Menopausal Women

Abstract Background: Primary ovary failure (POF) is defined as follicular failure in women of reproductive age. Although many factors are speculated to contribute to the occurrence of POF, the exact aetiology is unclear. Alterations in the microbiome of women with POF are poorly studied; Methods: This study investigated the vaginal microbiota of 22 patients with POF and 29 healthy individuals. High-throughput Illumina Miseq sequencing targeting the V3-V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene was used to evaluate the relationships between vaginal flora and clinical characteristics of POF. Results: Different from before, we found that the diversity and richness of the vaginal flora of patients with POF was significantly different from that of healthy controls. Comparison of the flora of patients with POF with that of menopausal women revealed that the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was significantly reduced in the latter, and women with reduced relative abundance of Lactobacillus in microbiota community decreased the pregnancy success rate at term. The result suggests the present study enabled identification of microbiota associated with POF, further investigations of differences in the microbiota in the context of POF will improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease which involve modification of the vaginal microbiota. Conclusion: The present study identified the microbiota associated with POF. Further investigations on the differences in the microbiota in the context of POF will improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease which involves modification of the vaginal microbiota.

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Comparative Analysis of Gut Microbiota in Captive and Wild Oriental White Storks: Implications for Conservation Biology

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2021.649466 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Hong Wu ◽

Fang-Ting Wu ◽

Qi-Hai Zhou ◽

Da-Peng Zhao

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Comparative Analysis ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Species Composition ◽

Illumina Miseq ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Principal Coordinates Analysis ◽

Principal Coordinates ◽

Α Diversity ◽

White Storks

The oriental white stork (Ciconia boyciana) is considered an endangered species based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. This study presents the first evidence on comparative analysis of gut microbial diversity of C. boyciana from various breeding conditions. To determine the species composition and community structure of the gut microbiota, 24 fecal samples from Tianjin Zoo and Tianjin Qilihai Wetland were characterized by sequencing 16S rRNA gene amplicons using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Firmicutes was found to be the predominant phylum. Analysis of community structure revealed significant differences in the species diversity and richness between the populations of the two breeding conditions. The greatest α-diversity was found in wild C. boyciana, while artificial breeding storks from Tianjin Zoo had the least α-diversity. Principal coordinates analysis showed that the microbial communities were different between the two studied groups. In conclusion, this study reveals the species composition and structure of the gut microbiota of oriental white storks under two breeding conditions, and our findings could contribute to the integrative conservation of this endangered bird.

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