Functional potential of gut microbiota in Rhinolophus ferrumequinum revealed by 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics

Abstract

Introduction Insectivorous bats consume insects that are rich in proteins and chitin, which may impose specific requirements on microbial-mediated nutrient transformation. However, the composition and functional potential of their gut microbiota remain poorly understood. Methods In this study, the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), a Chiropteran species belonging to the family Rhinolophidae, was investigated to characterize fecal microbial communities and fecal metabolic profiles through the integration of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. Results The fecal microbiota of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum exhibited diverse bacterial communities, with Lactococcus, Fusobacterium, and Enterococcus as dominant genera, collectively accounting for approximately 45% of the total bacterial relative abundance. Functional prediction suggested enrichment of pathways involved in lipid and amino acid metabolism, particularly tryptophan and tyrosine metabolism. Correlation analysis further identified associations between several bacterial genera, including Acinetobacter, Serratia, Fusobacterium, and Mycoplasma, and lipid-related metabolites, particularly acylcarnitines and bile acid-associated metabolites. Discussion These findings characterize a distinct microbiota–metabolite profile in Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and suggest that gut microbial communities may contribute to metabolic adaptation in insectivorous bats.