Microbiome analysis reveals the adverse effects of diarrhea on the gut microbiota of yaks

Abstract

Diarrhea exhibits a extremely high prevalence among yak calves, significantly affecting the development of the yak industry and resulting in substantial economic losses. Gut microbiota has been demonstrated to be closely related to various diseases, particularly gastrointestinal disorders. However, to date, no studies have specifically explored the relationship between diarrhea in yak calves and gut microbiota. Therefore, this study aims to characterize the alterations of gut microbiota in yak calves during diarrhea. Results indicated that the diversity and abundance of the gut bacterial community in diarrheic yak calves were significantly reduced. In contrast, the gut fungal community remains relatively stable during diarrhea, with no significant changes observed in its diversity and abundance. Although diarrhea does not affect the composition of the dominant phyla of intestinal bacteria and fungi, the abundance of some microbial taxa has experienced significant changes. Specifically, diarrhea resulted in a marked increase in 2 phyla and 14 genera, while a significant decrease was observed in 5 phyla and 137 genera in gut bacterial community. Additionally, 30 genera in the gut fungal community exhibited significant increases, whereas 12 genera demonstrated significant decreases during diarrhea. Notably, we also identified significant alterations in intestinal function during diarrhea, including cytoskeleton and carbohydrate transport, etc. Taken together, this research indicated that diarrhea significantly affects the gut microbiota in yak calves, with more pronounced changes observed in the gut bacterial community. Furthermore, this research also represents a crucial exploration of the composition and alterations of gut microbiota in diarrheic yak calves, which will help prevent and control diarrhea in yaks inhabiting high-altitude regions and promote the development of the yak industry.