A new study has provided a major boost to our understanding of the canine microbiome, researchers say.
The paper, published in Microbiome, details an investigation by scientists into the canine microbiome through meta-genomic sequencing.
Quoted from the Vet times article:
“A new study has provided a major boost to our understanding of the canine microbiome, researchers say.
The paper, published in Microbiome, details an investigation by scientists from the Waltham Petcare Science Institute into the canine microbiome through meta-genomic sequencing.
Researchers used a combination of long-read and short-read sequencing on 501 faecal samples from 107 healthy dogs from across the UK, US and France.
Genome strains
The scholars were able to reconstruct the genomes, which the authors described as “an unprecedented discovery of novel taxa in the companion animal space”. They found 240 species overall, representing the core canine gut microbiome.
The species are said to account for approximately 83% of the canine gut microbiome, compared with traditional mapping rates around 25%, representing “a dramatic increase in previous knowledge of the canine microbiome” and highlighting the previous knowledge gaps in this space.
‘Evolved’
Between the newly discovered species and the absence ofsome, the authors said: “Collectively, this suggests that despite some similarities across mammals, the canine microbiome is distinct, presumably having evolved to its host, diet and environment over several millennia.”
The findings also offered such an interesting insight into species of bacteria previously not known to be present in the canine gut, such as carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), which break down complex dietary fibres.”
These findings are particularly significant as a further reminder as to why dogs cope so well with a pure complete plant-based diet, as they have adapted genetically to digesting starches having lived with man for thousands of years.
