Dataset Information

The Spatial and Temporal Characterization of Gut Microbiota in Broilers.

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiota of chickens plays an important role in host physiology. However, the colonization and prevalence of gut microbiota have not been well-characterized. Here, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing on the duodenal, cecal and fecal microbiota of broilers at 1, 7, 21, and 35 days of age and characterized the dynamic succession of microbiota across the intestinal tract. Our results showed that Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum detected in each gut site at various ages, while the microbial diversity and composition varied among the duodenum, cecum, and feces at different ages. The microbial diversity and complexity of the cecal microbiota increased with age, gradually achieving stability at 21 days of age. As a specific genus in the cecum, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 accounted for 83.50% of the total abundance at 1 day of age, but its relative abundance diminished with age. Regarding the feces, the highest alpha diversity was observed at 1 day of age, significantly separated from the alpha diversity of other ages. In addition, no significant differences were observed in the alpha diversity of duodenal samples among 7, 21, and 35 days of age. The predominant bacterium, Lactobacillus, was relatively low (0.68-6.04%) in the intestinal tract of 1-day-old chicks, whereas its abundance increased substantially at 7 days of age and was higher in the duodenum and feces. Escherichia-Shigella, another predominant bacterium in the chicken intestinal tract, was also found to be highly abundant in fecal samples, and the age-associated dynamic trend coincided with that of Lactobacillus. In addition, several genera, including Blautia, Ruminiclostridium_5, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, and [Ruminococcus]_torques_group, which are related to the production of short-chain fatty acids, were identified as biomarker bacteria of the cecum after 21 days of age. These findings shed direct light on the temporal and spatial dynamics of intestinal microbiota and provide new opportunities for the improvement of poultry health and production.

SUBMITTER: Zhou Q

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8435590 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:Phytase supplementation in broiler diets is a common practice to improve phosphorus (P) availability and to reduce P loss by excretion. An enhanced P availability, and its concomitant supplementation with calcium (Ca), can affect the structure of the microbial community in the digestive tract of broiler chickens. Here, we aim to distinguish the effects of mineral P, Ca, and phytase on the composition of microbial communities present in the content and the mucosa layer of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of broiler chickens. Significant differences were observed between digesta and mucosa samples for the GIT sections studied (p = 0.001). The analyses of 56 individual birds showed a high microbial composition variability within the replicates of the same diet. The average similarity within replicates of digesta and mucosa samples across all diets ranged from 29 to 82% in crop, 19-49% in ileum, and 17-39% in caeca. Broilers fed with a diet only supplemented with Ca had the lowest body weight gain and feed conversion values while diets supplemented with P showed the best performance results. An effect of each diet on crop mucosa samples was observed, however, similar results were not obtained from digesta samples. Microbial communities colonizing the ileum mucosa samples were affected by P supplementation. Caeca-derived samples showed the highest microbial diversity when compared to the other GIT sections and the most prominent phylotypes were related to genus Faecalibacterium and Pseudoflavonifractor, known for their influence on gut health and as butyrate producers. Lower microbial diversity in crop digesta was linked to lower growth performance of birds fed with a diet only supplemented with Ca. Each diet affected microbial communities within individual sections, however, no diet showed a comprehensive effect across all GIT sections, which can primarily be attributed to the great variability among replicates. The substantial community differences between digesta and mucosa derived samples indicate that both habitats have to be considered when the influence of diet on the gut microbiota, broiler growth performance, and animal health is investigated.

Project description:Gut inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) links to animal medicinal feed and antibiotic-resistance are fueling major economic impacts in the agricultural livestock industry. New animal feeds that promote livestock gut health and control of IBDs without antibiotics are needed. This study investigates the effects of mesobiliverdin IX? (MBV)-enriched microalgae spirulina extracts on the growth performance, blood parameters, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota of broilers. A total of 288 1-day-old broiler chicks (Arbor Acres) were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments (4 pens/treatment and 12 birds/pen). The dietary treatments comprised a basal diet as control (CON), basal diet plus 0.05 and 0.1% microalgae extract as low and high dose, respectively (SP1 and SP2), basal diet plus 0.05 and 0.1% MBV-enriched microalgae extract as low and high dose, respectively (MBV-SP1 and MBV-SP2), and basal diet plus 0.1% amoxicillin (AMX). All treated animals showed no significant differences in live weight, average daily gain, and feed efficiency compared to control animals. Histological examination showed that AMX treatment decreased the villi lengths of the duodenum and ileum below control villi length (P < 0.05) while MBV-SP1 and particularly MBV-SP2 increased villi lengths in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum above AMX -treatment lengths (P < 0.05). The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio increased in the cecum of broilers fed AMX (P < 0.05) while SP2, MBV-SP1, and MBV-SP2-fed animals showed (in order) increasing ratios up to the AMX level. The abundance of bacterial species of the genus Lactobacillus increased in MBV-SP1 and MBV-SP2-fed groups including a striking increase in Lactobacillus salivarius abundance with MBV-SP2 (P < 0.05). Feeding MBV-SP1 and MBV-SP2 decreased the level of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 in plasma of broilers to a greater extent than SP1 and SP2. These results reveal that MBV-enriched microalgae extracts improve the intestinal health and beneficial microflora composition of broilers.

Project description:This study was designed to study the effect of diet supplementation with an organic acids-based formulation (OABF) on luminal- and mucosa-associated bacteria, concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA), microbial glycolytic enzyme activity and expression of mucin 2 (MUC2), immunoglobulin A (IgA) and tight junction protein, i.e., zonula occludens-1 (ZO1), zonula occludens-2 (ZO2), claudin-1 (CLDN1), claudin-5 (CLDN5) and occludin (OCLN), genes at the ileal and cecal level. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used having OABF inclusion and avilamycin as main factors. Subsequently, 544 day-old male Cobb broilers were allocated in the following 4 treatments, each with 8 replicates: no additions (CON), 1 g OABF/kg diet (OA), 2.5 mg avilamycin/kg diet (AV) and combination of OA and AV (OAAV). The trial lasted for 42 days. In the ileum, OAAV resulted in lower mucosa-associated total bacteria levels (P O × A = 0.028) compared with AV. In addition, ileal digesta levels of Clostridium perfringens subgroup were decreased by avilamycin (P A = 0.045). Inclusion of OABF stimulated the activity of microbial glycolytic enzymes, whereas avilamycin resulted in lower acetate (P A = 0.021) and higher butyrate (P A = 0.010) molar ratios. Expression of ZO1 and CLDN5 was down-regulated by both OABF (P O = 0.016 and P O = 0.003, respectively) and avilamycin (P A = 0.016 and P A = 0.001, respectively). In addition, CLDN1 was down-regulated in AV compared with CON (P O × A = 0.012). Furthermore, OABF down-regulated MUC2 (P O = 0.027), whereas avilamycin down-regulated nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1 (NFKB1) (P A = 0.024), toll-like receptor 2 family member B (TLR2B) (P A = 0.011) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) (P A = 0.014) expression. In the ceca, OABF inclusion increased digesta levels of Clostridium coccoides (P O = 0.018) and Clostridium leptum (P O = 0.040) subgroups, while it up-regulated MUC2 expression (P O = 0.014). Avilamycin (P A = 0.044) and interaction (P O × A < 0.001) effects for IgA expression were noted, with CON having higher IgA expression compared with AV. In conclusion, new findings regarding OABF inclusion effects on an array of relevant biomarkers for broiler gut ecology have been reported and discussed in parallel with avilamycin effects used as a positive control. This new knowledge is expected to provide a response baseline for follow up trials under various stress and challenge conditions.

Dataset Information

The Spatial and Temporal Characterization of Gut Microbiota in Broilers.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets