Comparative Analysis of Intestinal Microbiota in Wild, Domesticated, and Cultured Gymnocypris potanini firmispinatus

The impact of the living environments on the intestinal microbiota of <i>Gymnocypris potanini firmispinatus</i> was studied by analyzing intestinal microbiota diversity, composition, and potential function among wild, domesticated, and cultured groups. The results showed that the fish living in the wild environment exhibited the highest alpha diversity of intestinal microbiota. Intestinal microbial communities in the three groups clustered by living environment, with domesticated and cultured groups showing higher similarity. The dominant phylum in the wild group was Proteobacteria, whereas Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria were the predominate bacteria in the domesticated and cultured groups. RsaHF231, Actinobacteria, Fusobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Firmicutes were the five key bacteria differentially expressed among the groups. Functional prediction revealed significant variation in the L-cysteine degradation III pathway (PWY-5329) between wild and domesticated groups, and in the vitamin E biosynthesis pathway (PWY-1422) between wild and cultured groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05). These findings highlight the differences in microbiota communities between wild and farmed fish, which are essential for enhancing the cultivation of <i>G. p. firmispinatus</i> and for the formulation of specific probiotics and functional feeds.