海洋哺乳动物微生物组研究进展

Advances in marine mammal microbiomes

摘要:

海洋哺乳动物主要包括生活在水里的鲸类、基本生活在水里的海牛类以及水陆两栖的鳍足类，均为珍稀的国家二级及以上保护动物。微生物在哺乳动物体内起到营养吸收、辅助消化过程以及增强免疫功能的作用，是宿主体内不可或缺的一部分，而作为适应海洋环境的特殊哺乳动物类群，海洋哺乳动物的生存环境和食性的特殊性导致其体内微生物群落与陆生哺乳动物有显著差异。正是这种差异性导致我们对研究较多的陆地哺乳动物微生物的很多认识无法简单地套入海洋哺乳动物中。因此，深入了解海洋哺乳动物的微生物群落结构和功能对于了解海洋哺乳动物与环境的互作关系以及提高其保育工作的水平至关重要。本文对近年来海洋哺乳动物微生物组研究的进展进行了总结，并探讨了相关技术方法以及未来研究中值得关注的科学问题。

Abstract:

Marine mammals mainly include Cetacea living in the water, Sirenia primarily inhabiting water, and Pinnipedia which are amphibious. All these animals are rare and included in the list of national second-class or higher protected animals. Microorganisms play crucial roles in nutrient absorption, assisting the digestive process, and enhancing immune function of mammals, being an indispensable component of the host. The unique living conditions and diets of marine mammals result in significant differences in their microbiomes compared with terrestrial mammals. As a result, our knowledge about the microbiomes derived from terrestrial mammals is not applicable to marine mammals. Therefore, understanding the structures and functions of marine mammal microbiomes is essential for comprehending the interactions between marine mammals and their living environment and enhancing conservation efforts. This paper summarizes the recent advances in research on the microbiomes of marine mammals, discusses relevant technical methods, and highlights worthy scientific issues in future research.