LC-MS/MS Metabolomics Reveals Gut Microbiome and Metabolite Differences in Captive Asian Elephants

The bacteria living in the digestive system, often called the gut microbiome, play a huge role in overall health. These bacteria and the chemical byproducts they leave behind are especially important for a mother's health and her baby's development during pregnancy. As there has not been a previous study exploring the specific differences in gut bacteria between pregnant and non-pregnant elephants living in captivity, scientists compared the gut bacteria and waste chemicals of three groups of captive Asian elephants: pregnant females, adult females that had never been pregnant, and younger females that were not yet fully grown. They used advanced genetic and chemical testing methods to uncover exactly what was happening inside their digestive systems—specifically, metagenomic sequencing and untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) metabolomics. A paper based on this study was published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.¹

The bacteria in an animal's digestive system start forming as soon as they are born. The specific types of bacteria they develop and how those bacteria function are mostly shaped by their environment, their diet, and their genetics.^2,3 The bacteria a baby acquires at birth grow and change alongside them, remaining stable and diverse throughout their entire adult life in a balanced state until they die.^4,5

The largest terrestrial mammal in Asia, the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with captive breeding being one of the strategies employed to prevent its extinction.^6-8Captive Asian elephants struggle to maintain their population numbers because they don't reproduce as easily as elephants in the wild. This issue might be linked to their overall health and their controlled diets. Unlike captive elephants, wild elephants can freely roam and choose the specific plants that provide the exact nutrients their bodies need.^9,10

The researchers report that they found significant differences in the gut microbiota among the pregnant female (G1), adult females that were never pregnant (G2), and immature females (G3) groups. The bacteria phylum Bacteroidetes showed notable differences between G1 and G2. The analysis of fecal metabolomics revealed significant differences in 49 metabolites between G1 and G2, of which 25 were upregulated and 24 were downregulated. These results suggested significant differences in the composition of gut microbiota and fecal metabolites during reproductive stages, while gut microbial diversity remained stable.¹

The authors of the paper state that the research presented “provides baseline information on the gut microbiota communities of three pregnant, three never gotten pregnant after reaching sexual maturity, and three subadult captive Asian elephants. The further research results using multi-omics methods can provide information for more appropriate food management, which can promote the production of more beneficial bacteria in each elephant at the different physiological stages.”¹

The researchers believe that it is necessary for future research to focus on “the differences in food management and actual nutritional components in order to promote the most effective management and nutrition for the healthy gut of captive elephants.”¹

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References

1. Zeng, F.; Zhu, T.; Chen, X. et al. Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Status During Pregnancy in Captive Asian Elephants. Front Vet Sci. 2026, 13, 1749490. DOI: DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1749490
2. Odamaki, T.; Kato, K.; Sugahara, H. et al. Age-Related Changes in Gut Microbiota Composition from Newborn to Centenarian: A Cross-Sectional Study. BMC Microbiol. 2016, 16, 90. DOI: 10.1186/s12866-016-0708-5
3. Hills, R. D. Jr; Pontefract, B. A.; Mishcon, H. R. et al. Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease. Nutrients 2019, 11 (7), 1613. DOI: 10.3390/nu11071613
4. Adak, A.; Khan, M. R. An Insight into Gut Microbiota and its Functionalities. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2019, 76 (3), 473-493. DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2943-4
5. Putignani, L.; Del Chierico, F.; Petrucca, A. et al. The Human Gut Microbiota: A Dynamic Interplay with the Host from Birth to Senescence Settled During Childhood. Pediatr Res. 2014, 76 (1), 2-10. DOI: 10.1038/pr.2014.4
6. Santiapillai, C.; Jackson, P. The Asian Elephant: An Action Plan for its Conservation. Gland: IUCN; 1990.
7. Hoffmann, M.; Hilton-Taylor, C.; Angulo, A. et al. The Impact of Conservation on the Status of the World's Vertebrates. Science 2010, 330 (6010), 1503-9. DOI: 10.1126/science.1194442
8. Conde, D. A.; Flesness, N.; Colchero, F. et al. Conservation. An Emerging Role of Zoos to Conserve Biodiversity. Science 2011, 331 (6023), 1390-1391. DOI: 10.1126/science.1200674
9. Chusyd, D. E.; Nagy, T. R.; Golzarri-Arroyo, L. et al. Adiposity, Reproductive and Metabolic Health, and Activity Levels in Zoo Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). J Exp Biol. 2021, 224 (Pt 2), jeb219543. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.219543
10. Koirala, R. K.; Ji, W.; Paudel, P. et al. The Effects of Age, Sex and Season on the Macronutrient Composition of the Diet of the Domestic Asian elephant. J Appl Anim Res. 2019, 47, 5–16. DOI: 10.1080/09712119.2018.1552589