PRJNA802074
Individual variations and effects of birth facilities on the fecal microbiome of laboratory-bred marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) assessed by a longitudinal study
Laboratory animals are used for scientific research in various fields. In recent years, there has been concern that the gut microbiota may differ among laboratory animals, because of which, in-vivo experiments may yield different results in different laboratories. However, our knowledge of the gut microbiota of laboratory-reared common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) is limited. In this study, we analyzed the daily changes in fecal microbiome composition, individual variations, and effects of the birth facility in healthy female laboratory-reared marmosets supplied by three vendors. We showed that the marmoset fecal microbiome varied among animals from the same vendor and among animals from different vendors (birth facility), with daily changes of approximately 37%. The fecal microbiota per vendor is characterized by alpha diversity and specific bacteria, with Bifidobacterium for vendor A, Phascolarctobacterium for vendor B, and Megamonas for vendor C. Furthermore, we found that plasma progesterone concentrations and estrous cycles were not correlated with daily fecal microbiota changes. In contrast, anovulatory animals lacked Megamonas and Desulfovibrio compared to normal estrous females. This study suggests that the source of the animal, such as breeding and housing facilities, is important for in-vivo experiments on the marmoset gut microbiota.