Metagenomics@MetaBioSys

The gut bacterial, fungal, and viral metagenomic composition was assessed from three Panthera species (P. pardus, P. tigris, P. leo) of Indian origin.A non-redundant bacterial gene catalog of the Panthera gut consisting of 1,507,035 putative genes was constructed from 27 Panthera individuals, revealing a higher abundance of purine metabolism genes correlating with their purine-rich dietary intake. Enrichment of glycoside hydrolases (GHs), glycoside-transferases, and collagenases in the gut for nutrient acquisition from animal biomass was found. The study revealed the Panthera gene catalog and was the largest comparative study of the gut bacterial composition using 68 individuals of Carnivora species from different geographical locations and diets.