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Horie et al. Microbiome Res Rep 2024;3:35 Microbiome Research
DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2024.08
Reports

Original Article Open Access

Associations between intestinal lactic acid bacteria
species and feeding habits of zoo animals

2
1,2
3
Masanori Horie 1 , Tomoki Ohno , Hitoshi Iwahashi , Maiko Umemura , Kazutoshi Murotomi 4
1
Health and Medical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Takamatsu
761-0395, Japan.
2
United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
3
Bioproduction Research Institute, Tsukuba 305-8566 Japan.
4
Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8566,
Japan.
Correspondence to: Dr. Masanori Horie, Health and Medical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST), 2217-14 Hayashi-cho, Takamatsu 761-0395, Japan. E-mail: masa-horie@aist.go.jp
How to cite this article: Horie M, Ohno T, Iwahashi H, Umemura M, Murotomi K. Associations between intestinal lactic acid
bacteria species and feeding habits of zoo animals. Microbiome Res Rep 2024;3:35. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/mrr.2024.08
Received: 31 Jan 2024 First Decision: 18 Mar 2024 Revised: 1 May 2024 Accepted: 28 May 2024 Published: 17 Jun 2024

Academic Editors: Marco Ventura, Bo Yang Copy Editor: Dong-Li Li Production Editor: Dong-Li Li

Abstract
Aim: Lactic acid bacteria are among the most important bacteria in the intestinal flora and often have beneficial
effects on the host. It is known that the bacteria that compose the intestinal flora are influenced by the feeding
habits of host animals, but there was a lack of knowledge about lactic acid bacteria. Therefore, also considering the
use of select strains as probiotics, this study investigated the relationship between the feeding habits of zoo
animals and intestinal Lactobacillaceae species.

Methods: Lactic acid bacteria belonging to the family Lactobacillaceae were isolated and identified from the feces
of 20 zoo animal species (5 carnivores, 4 herbivores, 7 piscivores, and 4 omnivores). Isolates were identified by the
homology of the 16S rRNA gene sequence. In addition, the fecal flora of host animals was evaluated by the 16S
rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.
Results: The types of Lactobacillaceae species were shown to vary depending on the feeding habits of host animals.
Ligilactobacillus salivarius (L. salivarius) and Ligilactobacillus saerimneri (L. saerimneri) were isolated from the feces of
carnivores. Whereas Ligilactobacillus equi (L. equi), Limosilactobacillus gorillae, Ligilactobacillus hayakitensis and
L. salivarius were isolated from the feces of herbivores. These Lactobacillaceae species were not found in the feces of
piscivores. Instead, Enterococcus were frequently found in piscivores. The fecal flora also differed according to the

© The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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