Journal
SYMBIOSIS
Volume 54, Issue 1, Pages 47-54Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s13199-011-0125-3
Keywords
16S rDNA; Detoxification; Intestinal microbes; Mammalian herbivore; Neotoma bryanti
Categories
Funding
- SICB
- Sigma Xi
- Southwest Association of Naturalists
- American Museum of Natural History
- NSF GRFP
- NSF IOS [0817527]
- Direct For Biological Sciences
- Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems [0817527] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Mammalian herbivores host diverse microbial communities to aid in fermentation and potentially detoxification of dietary compounds. However, the microbial ecology of herbivorous rodents, especially within the largest superfamily of mammals (Muroidea) has received little attention. We conducted a preliminary inventory of the intestinal microbial community of Bryant's woodrat (Neotoma bryanti), an herbivorous Muroidea rodent. We collected woodrat feces, generated 16S rDNA clone libraries, and obtained sequences from 171 clones. Our results demonstrate that the woodrat gut hosts a large number of novel microorganisms, with 96% of the total microbial sequences representing novel species. These include several microbial genera that have previously been implicated in the metabolism of plant toxins. Interestingly, a comparison of the community structure of the woodrat gut with that of other mammals revealed that woodrats have a microbial community more similar to foregut rather than hindgut fermenters. Moreover, their microbial community was different to that of previously studied herbivorous rodents. Therefore, the woodrat gut may represent a useful resource for the identification of novel microbial genes involved in cellulolytic or detoxification processes.
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