Mississippi State University Scholars Junction Theses and Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2011 The Effect of Dietary Changes on Microbial Populations within the Gastrointestinal Tract of the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca) Candace Lareine Williams Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td Recommended Citation Williams, Candace Lareine, "The Effect of Dietary Changes on Microbial Populations within the Gastrointestinal Tract of the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca)" (2011). Theses and Dissertations. 4338. https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/4338 This Graduate Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Scholars Junction. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholars Junction. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Template Created By: James Nail 2010 THE EFFECT OF DIETARY CHANGES ON MICROBIAL POPULATIONS WITHIN THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT OF THE GIANT PANDA (AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA) By Candace Lareine Williams A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Mississippi State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Agricultural Life Sciences (Biochemistry) in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology Mississippi State, Mississippi August 2011 Template Created By: James Nail 2010 Copyright 2011 By Candace Lareine Williams Template Created By: James Nail 2010 THE EFFECT OF DIETARY CHANGES ON MICROBIAL POPULATIONS WITHIN THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT OF THE GIANT PANDA (AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA) By Candace Lareine Williams Approved: _________________________________ _________________________________ Ashli Brown Scott Willard Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Professor and Head of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology Plant Pathology Major Professor Committee Member _________________________________ _________________________________ Andrew Kouba Din-Pow Ma Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry, Professor of Biochemistry, Molecular Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology Plant Pathology Committee Member Graduate Coordinator _________________________________ George Hopper Interim Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Template Created By: James Nail 2010 Name: Candace Lareine Williams Date of Degree: August 6, 2011 Institution: Mississippi State University Major Field: Agricultural Life Sciences (Biochemistry) Major Professor: Ashli Brown Title of Study: THE EFFECT OF DIETARY CHANGES ON MICROBIAL POPULATIONS WITHIN THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT OF THE GIANT PANDA ( AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA) Pages in Study: 161 Candidate for Degree of Master of Science Both in -situ and ex-situ giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), display shifts in bamboo species and part preference throughout the year. The effects of this shifting preference on gastrointestinal (GIT) microbiota were observed using traditional culturing methods to characterize normal GIT microflora from fecal samples and behavioral feeding data of adult male and female pandas over a fourteen-month period. Linear and quadratic fits were used to determine any significant relationships between the time of year and part preference on the GIT microflora (P<0.05). Significant values for time of year were observed with the linear fit in total aerobes (P-value=0.0368), streptococci (P- value=0.0120), and lactobacilli (P-value=0.0166) and quadratic fits in streptococci (P- value=0.0382) and Bacteroides spp. (P-value=0.0134) at α=0.05. Significant linear relationships were observed with part preference and lactobacilli and Bacteroides spp., P- values of 0.0028 and 0.0030, respectively, indicating that part preference and time of year may affect the flux of panda GIT microflora. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many people that I am greatly indebted to for their continuous assistance and support through the research and thesis writing process. First I would like to thank my major professor, Dr. Ashli Brown. Her role often spanned more than an advisor; in some cases it often resembled more of a therapist and friend. I owe her the greatest gratitude for her constant support and guidance. To my other committee members, Dr. Scott Willard and Dr. Andrew Kouba, I thank you both for your support and patience through this process and for the many opportunities to which you both have given me. Another group of people who were possibly the most instrumental in this process would be the China Keepers at the Memphis Zoo. Kim Sopchak, Kathy Fay, Suzie Zaledzieski, Emily Macklin, Kendra Bell, and Scott Lincoln were always so helpful to me in sample collections and would answer all my questions. Your assistance was crucial, and I owe you so many thanks. Other members of the Memphis Zoo research department also deserve thanks. Thank you so much Fields Falcone and Jen Germano for your help and friendship. To my lab and office mates, Whitney Crow Smith, Erik Mylroie, Katherine McGinley, Chandler Pace, Miriam Revellame and Andrew McDaniel, I owe you many, many thanks for the support and help you have all given me. To Dr. Natalie Calatyud, Cecilia Langhorne and Tricia Rowlison, I also thank you; it‟s been great working with ii the “A team.” I consider you all dear friends, and I am so grateful to have such a great group of people to work with. I would also like to thank my family. My parents have always encouraged me to do my best and continue asking why. I think their guidance over the course of my life has led me to where I am today, and I am very grateful. I would also like to thank my sisters, Carron Williams Bryant, Cristen Williams Dembrun and Cary Williams and my brother Leigh Williams. I thank you all for always being there and reminding me that I can always find my feet with my family regardless of the situation. Finally I must thank the giant pandas of the Memphis Zoo. Without their cooperation none of this would be possible; thank you YaYa and LeLe for making this experience nothing short of interesting. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER ...........................................................................................................................1 I. LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................1 The Giant Panda .................................................................................................1 Threats to Giant Panda Survival ........................................................................2 Habitat loss...................................................................................................3 Gastrointestinal disease ................................................................................6 Bamboo Diet ......................................................................................................8 Feeding strategy .........................................................................................11 Dietary Fiber ....................................................................................................16 Adaptations ......................................................................................................18 Digestive System .............................................................................................21 Digestion of Structural Carbohydrates .............................................................22 Microflora ........................................................................................................24 The Role of Microflora in Digestion ...............................................................26 Microbial digestion: use of structural carbohydrates .................................27 Synergistic sequence of microbial digestion ..............................................29 Microbial Digestive Enzyme Systems .............................................................30 Non-aggreagate systems ............................................................................31 Aggregate systems .....................................................................................31 Cellulolytic Organisms ....................................................................................32 Clostridium species ....................................................................................33 Bacteroides species ....................................................................................35 Dietary Influences on Microflora .....................................................................36 Influence on fibrolytic organisms ..............................................................36 Influence on beneficial organisms .............................................................38 Microflora and Health Status ...........................................................................39 Relationship between Microorganisms ............................................................39 Health Enhancement through Fiber Fermentation ...........................................40