Are they different? Investigating the gut microbiome of Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla Beringei) Beringei

Abstract

The gastrointestinal microbiomes of different primate species can always be distinguished from one another, a pattern mainly driven by each species' unique diet and environment. A potential adaption in response to this unique environment that has been poorly explored in mountain gorillas is their gut microbiome – the community of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses residing in their gastrointestinal tract, which play important roles in health and nutrition. Mountain gorillas have evolved specific adaptations to fit an energetically restricted diet, mainly composed of leaves, pith, herbs bark, and unripe fruit. Mammals do not have specialized digestive enzymes to break down fibrous plants, their gut microbiome provides the only way to recover otherwise unavailable metabolic energy in these compounds through their breaking down, fermentation, and production of short-chain fatty acids.

Objective: Investigated if the gut microbiome of mountain gorillas reflects adaptations to specialized diets in extreme environments and living in social groups by characterizing their fecal bacterial communities.