Factors influencing bacterial microbiome composition in a wild non-human primate community in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire

A groundbreaking study reveals that the gut microbiomes of nine sympatric non-human primate species in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire, are shaped by host species, social group dynamics, and parentage, rather than direct social relationships. Surprisingly, chimpanzees exhibited unique phylogenetic overdispersion patterns, contrasting with the expected clustering seen in other monkey species. This suggests distinct ecological or physiological factors influencing their microbiome composition. The research employed a comparative approach to analyze microbiome data across species, providing insights into the complex dispersal routes and evolutionary pressures shaping these microbial communities.

Gogarten, J. F., Davies, T. J., Benjamino, J., Gogarten, J. P., Graf, J., Mielke, A., Mundry, R., Nelson, M. C., Wittig, R. M., Leendertz, F. H., & Calvignac-Spencer, S. (2018). Factors influencing bacterial microbiome composition in a wild non-human primate community in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire. The ISME Journal, 12(10), 2559–2574. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-018-0166-1