Reports

HOPE Report  2004-09-13

Program No.13 (Joint research)

Bossou Research Report

BY Ushida Kazunari Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kyoto Prefectural University

Period of research: From July 24 2004 to August 24 2004

(1) Collection of fresh feces of wild chimpanzees for analyses on intestinal bacteria

In order to analyze the intestinal microflora by molecular means, I collected fresh feces from chimpanzees in Bossou. Feces were collected from following chimpanzees at indicated date and time: Yolo (7/31 9:20) Tua (7/31 10:40), Yo (7/31 11:00), Fotaiu (7/31 11:00), Pama (7/31 18:15), Peley (7/31 13:05), Fana (8/1 12:00), Fanle (8/1 12:40), Jire (8/1 14:30), Jeje (8/1 15:30), Peley (8/2 9:00), Foaf (8/3 14:00), Velu (8/8 13:10), Fokaye (8/9 9:00). Collected feces were sampled aseptically into 95% ethanol to preserve bacterial DNA. These samples will be subjected to DNA extraction and purification, PCR amplification and TGGE or ARDRA analyses in my laboratory in Kyoto.

(2) Collection of plant gum and on site estimation its fermentability in the large intestine

Plant gum was collected from a range of Mimosaceae trees, such as Albizia zygia, Albizia lebbeck, and Albizia ferruginea and also from various others such as Sterculia tragacantha and Parkia bicolor. Among them, A.zygia gum was only available for a preliminary in vitro fermentation study. A small portion of gum (0.1g Fresh weight) was introduced into a 2-ml plastic tube. Fresh feces were collected a female chimpanzee (Velu) of which gum ingestion was recorded on the day before at 11:40. A portion of feces (10g) was diluted by 5 times with phosphate buffer and squeezed. Filtrate was introduced into tubes and incubation was started at @ 37 C. Fermentation was stopped by introduction of sulfuric acid and freezing 0h, 6h, 12h, 18h and 24h after beginning of fermentation. Short chain fatty acid concentration will be measured by HPLC to determine the fermentability of Albizia gum. That chimpanzee (Velu) was chased to examine if its feces contained a residual gum. This chimpanzee defecated at 7:20 and 13:39, and a trace mount of gum was detected in both feces. Therefore, the retention time of Albizia gum was estimated to be 19 h to 26 h.

 HOPE Project<>