The enrichment of intestinal environment - Development probiotics for endangered species in captivity

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18775
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Animal production science
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: Tsuchida Sayaka 京都府立大学, 生命環境科学研究科, 特任講師 (40734687)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 共生腸内細菌 / 乳酸菌 / プロバイオティクス / 採食エンリッチメント / 野生動物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to establish new feeding enrichment for captive gorillas using gorilla specific lactic acid bacteria as probiotics that efficiently degrade their native food.
We analyzed the biochemical characteristics and antimicrobial activities of gorilla-specific lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus gorillae, from captive and wild western lowland gorillas and wild mountain gorillas. The strains from wild mountain gorillas could degrade most various kind of carbohydrate including D-xylose and cellobiose constitute hemicelluloses and cellulose of the cell walls of plants. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activities of the strains from wild mountain gorillas and western lowland gorillas were significantly higher than those of the strains from captive western lowland gorillas. These results suggest the strains of L. gorillae from wild mountain gorillas are most beneficial strains for probiotics using on the field in captivity.

Free Research Field

腸内細菌学