Captivity humanizes the primate microbiome

The primate gastrointestinal tract is home to trillions of bacteria, whose composition is associated with numerous metabolic, autoimmune, and infectious human diseases. Although there is increasing evidence that modern and Westernized societies are associated with dramatic loss of natural human gut microbiome diversity, the causes and consequences of such loss are challenging to study. Here we use nonhuman primates (NHPs) as a model system for studying the effects of emigration and lifestyle disruption on the human gut microbiome. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing in two model NHP species, we show that although different primate species have distinctive signature microbiota in the wild, in captivity they lose…

• MA
  Morris Animal Foundation
• MM
  Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation
• UO
  University of Minnesota
• MB
  Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: T32 DA007097, DA007097, DA007097-32
• NI
  National Institute on Drug Abuse

  Award: T32 DA007097-32