Molecular analyses of the intestinal microbiota of chimpanzees in the wild and in captivity

The 16S rRNA-based analyses are applied to the intestinal microbiota of chimpanzees in the wild and in captivity in order to estimate their similarities and differences in individual chimpanzees in both locations. Several bacteria such as the Clostridium leptum subgroup bacteria, Lactobacillus gasseri-like bacterium and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum- or B. catenulatum-like bacteria are found to be common for both wild and captive chimpanzees.