Fecal metabolic profiling and its correlation with the gut
microbiota
Metabolite clusters were obtained by hierarchical cluster analysis
(HCA). Pearson correlation analysis of significantly different
metabolites and significantly different OTUs (microbes) was performed to
determine the relationships between metabolites and microbes (Figure
11). The results showed that Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia,
Lentisphaerae, Elusimicrobia, Tenericutes, and other phyla had the
closest relationship with the metabolites, and the dominant
microorganisms showed different positive or negative correlations with
different metabolite clusters. This confirms the results of the LEfSe
analysis; that is, bacterial phyla with significant seasonal differences
correspond to some differential metabolites, suggesting that they are
closely related and may be the key factors affecting gut microbes.