The distribution variation of pathogens and virulence factors in different geographical populations of giant pandas

Mengyu Zhao; Yuxia Li; Wei Wei; Zejun Zhang; Hong Zhou

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1264786

The distribution variation of pathogens and virulence factors in different geographical populations of giant pandas

Front Microbiol. 2023 Sep 14:14:1264786. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1264786. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Mengyu Zhao^{1

2}, Yuxia Li³, Wei Wei^{1

2}, Zejun Zhang^{1

2}, Hong Zhou^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ College of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan, China.
² Liziping Giant Panda's Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong, Sichuan, China.
³ Shimian Agricultural and Rural Bureau, Shimian, Sichuan, China.

Abstract

Intestinal diseases caused by opportunistic pathogens seriously threaten the health and survival of giant pandas. However, our understanding of gut pathogens in different populations of giant pandas, especially in the wild populations, is still limited. Here, we conducted a study based on 52 giant panda metagenomes to investigate the composition and distribution of gut pathogens and virulence factors (VFs) in five geographic populations (captive: GPCD and GPYA; wild: GPQIN, GPQIO, and GPXXL). The results of the beta-diversity analyzes revealed a close relationship and high similarity in pathogen and VF compositions within the two captive groups. Among all groups, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes emerged as the top three abundant phyla. By using the linear discriminant analysis effect size method, we identified pathogenic bacteria unique to different populations, such as Klebsiella in GPCD, Salmonella in GPYA, Hafnia in GPQIO, Pedobacter in GPXXL, and Lactococcus in GPQIN. In addition, we identified 12 VFs that play a role in the intestinal diseases of giant pandas, including flagella, CsrA, enterobactin, type IV pili, alginate, AcrAB, capsule, T6SS, urease, type 1 fimbriae, polar flagella, allantoin utilization, and ClpP. These VFs influence pathogen motility, adhesion, iron uptake, acid resistance, and protein regulation, thereby contributing to pathogen infection and pathogenicity. Notably, we also found a difference in virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa between GPQIN and non-GPQIN wild populations, in which the relative abundance of VFs (0.42%) of P. aeruginosa was the lowest in GPQIN and the highest in non-GPQIN wild populations (GPXXL: 23.55% and GPQIO: 10.47%). In addition to enhancing our understanding of gut pathogens and VFs in different geographic populations of giant pandas, the results of this study provide a specific theoretical basis and data support for the development of effective conservation measures for giant pandas.

Keywords: different geographic populations; giant panda; gut pathogens; metagenomes; virulence factors.