Metagenomic Profiling of Fecal Microbial Community in Carnivorous Leopards Panthera pardus and Omnivorous Sloth Bears Melursus ursinus

Abstract

Metagenomics is a rapidly growing area of the genome sciences that seeks to define the newlinefeatures of intact microbial communities in their native habitats. It investigates the microbes in newlinetheir natural environments, surpassing culturing difficulties, understanding the host interactions, newlinediscover DNA variation and genotyping, understanding about the structure and function of the newlinecell, metabolism. Further, metagenome-based approaches have led to the accumulation of an newlineincreasing number of DNA sequences, but until this time the sequences retrieved have been newlinethose of uncultured microbes. Using the metagenome sequences to fully understand how newlinecomplex microbial communities function and how microbes interact within these niches newlinerepresents a major challenge even in the field of wildlife conservation and captive wildlife newlinemanagement at the global level. In addition to metagenomic profiling, the importance of newlineunderstanding the vital physiological indicators like, mineral, hormonal blood profile would newlinemake these species to avoid getting into the brim of extinction and increase the conservation newlinesuccess. In an effort to conserve these valuable germplasms, efforts are needed to identify target newlinepoints to develop strategies to improve their well being and survival. The knowledge of the newlinevarious physiological parameters in comparison with the nutrition of wildlife is paramount newlineimportant to conserve each species both in the wild and in captivity. Using these advanced tools, newlineit is possible to identify intervention points to develop strategies to conserve these endangered newlinegermplasms. Therefore, the study was undertaken to use metagenomics tool to increase our newlineknowledge of microbial ecology and physiology of these microbes. Further, efforts have also newlinebeen made to assess the micronutrients composition in these species. Also, efforts were made in newlinethis study to establish the normal physiological functions in terms of understanding in depth the newlineblood biochemical and endocrine responses in both leopards and Sloth bears. newlineThe Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca ) is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on newlinethe Indian subcontinent. Currently, the leopards are listed by The International Union for the newlineConservation of Nature (IUCN) as an animal that is near threatened in its natural habitat because newlineif the populations are stable throughout much of its vast natural range. The major issues the newlineleopards facing include habitat loss and fragmentation, prey depletion, conflict with people, newlineunsustainable trophy hunting, poaching for body parts, and indiscriminate killing. The studies on newlinefood habits of leopard suggest that it has a more diverse diet ranging from small rodents and newlinebirds to medium-sized wild ungulates weighing less than 50 kg. newline newline2 newlineThe sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) is nocturnal insectivorous species of bears. They found newlineon the Indian subcontinent in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka. newlineTwo separate subspecies are recognized, the Sri Lankan sloth bear (Melursus ursinus newlineinornatus) and the Indian sloth bear (M. ursinus ursinus). Nutrition is a very newlinebroad discipline, encompassing various aspects of biochemistry, physiology, newlineendocrinology, immunology, microbiology, and pathology. Discussion of virtually any newlineaspect of nutrition draws upon some prior knowledge of these disciplines. newlineTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about the comparison newlineof gut profiling between wild and captive leopard species. In this study, we newlineattempted to characterize and compare the bacterial community profile in both wild newlineand captive leopards, from the freshly collected scat samples. We employed the 16s rRNA newlinegene amplicon sequencing approach to study and compare the overall gut bacterial community newlinein captive and wild leopard. The main goal of the current study is the comprehensive insight newlineinto the bacterial profile of this vulnerable Felidae species in captivity and wild habitats. newlineAny change in the gut microbiota composition in the wild and captive animals may newlineresult in invaluable inputs for the implementation of measures for the protection and newlinemaintenance of these species in natural habitat. newline