title: The musk chemical composition and microbiota of Chinese forest musk deer males.
abstract: Male musk deer secrete musk from the musk gland located between their naval and genitals. Unmated male forest musk deer generate a greater amount of musk than mated males, potentially allowing them to attract a greater number of females. In this study, we used gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to explore musk chemical composition of the musk pods of captive mated and unmated sexually mature Chinese forest musk deer and used next-generation sequencing to intensively survey the bacterial communities within them. Analysis of the chemical composition of the musk showed that unmated males have more muscone and cholesterol. Features of the musk16S rRNA gene showed that mated Chinese forest musk deer have both a greater Shannon diversity (p < 0.01) and a greater number of estimated operational taxonomic units than unmated ones; many bacterial genera were overrepresented in unmated Chinese forest musk deer males. Members of these genera might be involved in musk odor fermentation. PICRUSt analysis revealed that metabolic pathways such as aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption, metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, and isoflavonoid biosynthesis were enriched in the musk of unmated Chinese forest musk deer males.
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Diyan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Binlong
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Uma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gaur
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Tianyuan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medicinal Animal, Chongqing Institute of Medicinal Plant Cultivation, Nanchuan, Chongqing, P.R. China, 408435.
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jie
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medicinal Animal, Chongqing Institute of Medicinal Plant Cultivation, Nanchuan, Chongqing, P.R. China, 408435.
authors.forename: Guijun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Zhongxian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Huailiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Yongfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Xiaolan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Deying
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Mingyao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R. China, 61130.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Satkoski Trask
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003516:Cycloparaffins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003670:Deer / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D065928:Forests; D008297:Male; D064307:Microbiota / Q000502:physiology*; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D061065:Polyketides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D013559:Symbiosis; D013729:Terpenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003516:Cycloparaffins; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005419:Flavonoids; D061065:Polyketides; D013729:Terpenes; C008563:musk; D000450:Aldosterone; D002784:Cholesterol; C031021:muscone