The gut microbiome and metabolome of Himalayan Griffons(Gyps himalayensis):insights into the adaptation to carrion-feeding habits in avian scavengers

Background:Himalayan Griffons(Gyps himalayensis),large scavenging raptors widely distributed in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,have evolved a remarkable ability to feed on carcasses without suffering any adverse effects.The gut microbiome plays an important role in animal physiological and pathological processes,and has also been found to play a health protective role in the vulture adaptation to scavenging.However,the microbial taxonomic diversity(including nonculturable and culturable microbes),functions,and metabolites related to Himalayan Griffons have not been fully explored.Methods:In the present study,the 28 fecal samples of the Himalayan Griffons and 8 carrion samples were collected and sequenced using high-throughput 16 S rRNA gene sequencing methods to analyze the composition and functional structures of the microbiomes.Twelve fecal samples of the Himalayan Griffons were analyzed using untargeted Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy(LC-MS)to identify metabolites.We used different culture conditions to grow Himalayan Griffons gut microbes.Inhibitory effects of gut beneficial bacteria on 5 common pathogenic bacteria were also tested using the Oxford cup method.Results:According to the results of the culture-independent method,a high abundance of four major phyla in Himalayan Griffons were identified,including Fusobacteria,Firmicutes,Bacteroidetes,and Proteobacteria.The most abundant genera were Fusobacterium,followed by Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1,Cetobacterium,Epulopiscium,and Bacteroides.The predicted primary functional categories of the Himalayan Griffons'gut microbiome were associated with carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism,replication and repair,and membrane transport.LC-MS metabolomic analysis showed a total of 154 metabolites in all the fecal samples.Cultivation yielded 184 bacterial isolates with Escherichia coli,Enterococcus faecium,Enterococcus hirae,and Paeniclostridium sordellii as most common isolates.Moreover,7 potential beneficial gut bacteria isolated showed certain inhibition to 5 common pathogenic bacteria.Conclusions:Our findings broaden and deepen the understanding of Himalayan Griffons'gut microbiome,and highlighted the importance of gut microbiome-mediated adaptation to scavenging habits.In particular,our results highlighted the protective role of gut beneficial bacteria in the Himalayan Griffons against pathogenic bacteria that appear in rotten food resources.

The role of glycoproteins in nasopharyngeal carcinoma pathogenesis

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)is a malignant tumor arising from the nasopharyngeal epithelium.It consists of undifferentiated squamous cells in the nasopharynx.This type of epithelial cell neoplasm is globally distributed,with the highest prevalence observed in certain regions of the world.It has been known since ancient times.The incidence of NPC is steadily decreasing as data on the molecular factors involved in the pathogenesis of NPC accumulate.Glycoproteins are characterized by polymers of saccharides attached to the amino acid sequences of proteins during the process of glycosylation.They are present in all animal cells and are especially abundant on the surface of tumor cells.Alterations in expression of cellular glycoproteins have recently attracted attention as a key component of neoplastic progression.Tumor-associated glycoproteins may serve as a hallmark of cancer cells and thus represent novel diagnostic and even therapeutic targets.Interest in the role of glycoproteins in cancer in general and specifically in NPC pathology has steadily increased over the past fifty years,reaching over thousands and two hundred publications in the last five years,respectively.Here,data on a specific class of proteins,glycoproteins,involved in tumorigenesis of NPCs are summarized,with a focus on a few of the best-studied ones.Relevant studies performed mainly in the last five years were retrieved and collected through the PubMed system.

Ecology of avian influenza viruses in migratory birds wintering within the Yangtze River wetlands

Migratory birds are considered natural reservoirs of avian influenza A viruses(AIVs).To further our viral ecology knowledge and understand the subsequent risk posed by wild birds,we conducted a 4-year surveillance study of AIVs in the bird wintering wetlands of the Yangtze River,China.We collected over8000 samples and isolated 122 AIV strains.Analyses were then carried out with 108 novel sequenced genomes and data were deposited in GISAID and other public databases.The results showed that the Yangtze River wintering wetlands functioned as a mixing ground,where various subtypes of AIVs were detected harboring a high diversity of nucleotide sequences;moreover,a portion of AIV gene segments were persistent inter-seasonally.Phylogenetic incongruence presented complex reassortment events and distinct patterns among various subtypes.In addition,we observed that viral gene segments in wintering wetlands were closely related to known North American isolates,indicating that intercontinental gene flow occurred.Notably,highly pathogenic H5 and low pathogenic H9 viruses,which usually circulate in poultry,were found to have crossed the poultry/wild bird interface,with the viruses introduced to wintering birds.Overall,this study represented the largest AIV surveillance effort of wild birds within the Yangtze River wintering wetlands.Surveillance data highlighted the important role of wintering wild birds in the ecology of AIVs and may enable future early warnings of novel AIV emergence.

Characterization of Avian-like Influenza A (H4N6)Virus Isolated from Caspian Seal in 2012

Dear Editor Marine mammals are widely distributed and can be found almost in all coastal waters and coastlines around the world.The interface areas between marine and terrestrial environments provide natural habitats for aquatic and semiaquatic mammals as well as for reservoir species of avian influenza viruses (AIV)(Runstadler et al.2013).