Microbial Signatures of Leadership: Exploring Gut Microbiome Diversity in Greenlandic Sled Dogs
Background The gut microbiome plays a critical role not only in maintaining the health and fitness of its host but also in influencing neural development and behaviour through the gut-brain axis. This study explores the relationship between the oral microbiome (using saliva as a proxy), the gut microbiome (using faeces as a proxy), and the social structure within Greenlandic sled dog teams. These dogs provide a unique model for studying such associations due to their distinct team hierarchy, characterised by a lead dog and subordinate followers. Method The study group consisted of 75 dogs distributed over eight teams, with one lead dog in each team and the rest grouped as follower dogs. The DNA from saliva and faecal samples were extracted, and the V3-V4 variable region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced. The microbial composition of the sled dogs was assessed between the two groups. Results No significant difference was found when comparing the oral microbiome of lead and follower dogs. In contrast, the gut microbiome diversity of all lead dogs was nested at the low end of the diversity found in follower dogs in their respective teams and overall significantly lower than the average teams microbiome diversity. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed when comparing the gut bacterial phyla and top 30 family composition of lead and low-microbiome diversity follower dogs, suggesting low microbial gut diversity is a measure of potential, rather than actual, lead dog status. Conclusion Our observations indicate that low gut microbiome diversity may correlate with traits desirable for lead dogs, perhaps due to a yet-to-be-discovered link with behaviour. Furthermore, given that some of the follower dogs also had low diversity, these follower dogs may hold a future potential to be lead dogs. Finally, our observations indicate that there may be a link between the microbial diversity in the gut and leadership traits in sled dogs, suggesting that microbial profiling could be explored in the future as a means for identifying future lead dogs.