Scientists at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute are claiming a breakthrough in understanding of the canine gut microbiome.
Using metagenomic sequencing from over 500 samples across healthy dogs in the US and Europe, Waltham scientists have identified more than 1,000 distinct canine microbial strains, the vast majority of which were previously unknown. The findings confirm that the canine gut microbiome is truly unique and cannot be extrapolated from humans or other species, says the Mars-owned Institute.
The study also uncovers, for the first time, the significant role of fibre-degrading enzymes (CAZymes) in dogs, offering new insight into digestion, immune function and disease resilience, with clear implications for veterinary research and future personalised interventions, it adds.
The study, by Castillo-Fernandaz et al and published in Springer Nature’s Microbiome, provides a new perspective on the community of canine gut microorganisms, which are essential for dogs’ metabolism, immunity and defence against pathogens. The research uncovered 5,753 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), consolidated into 1,031 distinct strains. Of those 982 are novel, 89 are new species and 10 are new genera.
Findings from the study have been documented in a new publication, The Waltham Catalogue for the Canine Gut Microbiome, which includes detailed functional descriptions of the novel microbiome strains.
