Intestinal microbiota associated with differential feed conversion efficiency in chickens

Analysis of model systems, for example in mice, has shown that the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract can play an important role in the efficiency of energy extraction from diets. The study reported here aimed to determine whether there are correlations between gastrointestinal tract microbiota population structure and energy use in chickens. Efficiency in converting food into muscle mass has a significant impact on the intensive animal production industries, where feed represents the major portion of production costs. Despite extensive breeding and selection efforts, there are still large differences in the growth performance of animals fed identical diets and reared under the same conditions. Variability in growth performance presents management difficulties and causes economic loss. An understanding of possible microbiota drivers of these differences has potentially important benefits for industry. In this study, differences in cecal and jejunal microbiota between broiler chickens with extreme feed conversion capabilities were analysed in order to identify candidate bacteria that may influence growth performance. The jejunal microbiota was largely dominated by lactobacilli (over 99% of jejunal sequences) and showed no difference between the birds with high and low feed conversion ratios. The cecal microbial community displayed higher diversity, and 24 unclassified bacterial species were found to be significantly (<0.05) differentially abundant between high and low performing birds. Such differentially abundant bacteria represent target populations that could potentially be modified with prebiotics and probiotics in order to improve animal growth performance.     

Characterization of gut microbiota composition in HIV-infected patients with metabolic syndrome

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry - The presence of metabolic syndrome (MS) per se or its separated components in HIV-infected patients contributes to an accelerated aging and increased...     

Differences in the gut microbiota between Cercopithecinae and Colobinae in captivity

The gut microbiome of captive primates can provide a window into their health and disease status. The diversity and composition of gut microbiota are influenced by not only host phylogeny, but also host diet. Old World monkeys (Cercopithecidae) are divided into two subfamilies: Cercopithecinae and Colobinae. The diet and physiological digestive features differ between these two subfamilies. Accordingly, highthroughput sequencing was used to examine gut microbiota differences between these two subfamilies, using data from 29 Cercopithecinae individuals and 19 Colobinae individuals raised in captivity. Through a comparative analysis of operational taxonomic units (OTUs), significant differences in the diversity and composition of gut microbiota were observed between Cercopithecinae and Colobinae. In particular, the gut microbiota of captive Old World monkeys clustered strongly by the two subfamilies. The Colobinae microbial diversity was higher than that of Cercopithecinae. Additionally, Firmicutes, Lactobacillaceae, Veillonellaceae, and Prevotella abundance were higher in Cercopithecinae, while Bacteroidetes, Ruminococcaceae, Christensenellaceae, Bacteroidaceae, and Acidaminococcaceae abundance were higher in Colobinae. PICRUSt analysis revealed that the predicted metagenomes of metabolic pathways associated with proteins, carbohydrates, and amino acids were significantly higher in Colobinae. In the context of host phylogeny, these differences between Cercopithecinae and Colobinae could reflect adaptations associated with their respective diets. This well-organized dataset is a valuable resource for future related research on primates and gut microbiota. Moreover, this study may provide useful insight into animal management practices and primate conservation.

     

Human gut microbiota and bifidobacteria: from composition to functionality

The human gut is the home of an estimated 10(18) bacterial cells, many of which are uncharacterized or unculturable. Novel culture-independent approaches have revealed that the majority of the human gut microbiota consists of members of the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Nevertheless the role of bifidobacteria in gut ecology illustrates the importance of Actinomycetes and other Actinobacteria that may be underestimated. The human gut microbiota represents an extremely complex microbial community the collective genome of which, the microbiome, encodes functions that are believed to have a significant impact on human physiology. The microbiome is assumed to significantly enhance the metabolism of amino and glycan acids, the turnover of xenobiotics, methanogenesis and the biosynthesis of vitamins. Co-colonisation of the gut commensals Bifidobacterium longum and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in a murine model system revealed that the presence of bifidobacteria induced an expansion in the diversity of polysaccharides targeted for degradation by Bacteroides and also induced host genes involved in innate immunity. In addition, comparative analysis of individual human gut microbiomes has revealed various strategies that the microbiota use to adapt to the intestinal environment while also pointing to the existence of a distinct infant and adult-type microbiota.     

Plasma alpha-protease inhibitors in Norwegian Landrace and Czech Landrace pigs

The studies on alpha-protease inhibitors systems, controlled by four tightly linked loci, were performed within 159 families of Norwegian Landrace (NL) and 40 families of Czech Landrace (CL) pigs. Significant differences in allele and haplotype frequencies between the two breeds were shown. The SE-F and SSsS haplotypes (Pi1, Po1A, Po1B, Pi2 loci) appeared to be the most frequent haplotypes in NL and CL breeds respectively. This system of blood plasma proteins can be very useful for studying the relationship between breeds.     

Core gut microbiota in Jinhua pigs and its correlation with strain,farm and weaning age

Gut microbial diversity and the core microbiota of the Jinhua pig, which is a traditional, slow-growing Chinese breed with a high body-fat content, were examined from a total of 105 fecal samples collected from 6 groups of pigs at 3 weaning ages that originated from 2 strains and were raised on 3 different pig farms. The bacterial community was analyzed following high-throughput pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes, and the fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured by gas chromatograph. Our results showed that Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla, and Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Clostridium, SMB53, and Bifidobacterium were the most abundant genera. Fifteen predominant genera present in every Jinhua pig sample constituted a phylogenetic core microbiota and included the probiotics Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and the SCFA-producing bacteria Clostridium, Prevotella, Bacteroides, Coprococcus, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, Blautia, and Butyricicoccus. Comparisons of the microbiota compositions and SCFA concentrations across the 6 groups of pigs demonstrated that genetic background and weaning age affected the structure of the gut microbiota more significantly than the farm. The relative abundance of the core genera in the pigs, including Lactobacillus, Clostridium, Prevotella, Bacteroides, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, Blautia, and Butyricicoccus varied dramatically in pigs among the 2 origins and 3 weaning ages, while Oscillospira, Megasphaera, Parabacteroides, and Corynebacterium differed among pigs from different farms. Interestingly, there was a more significant influence of strain and weaning age than of rearing farm on the SCFA concentrations. Therefore, strain and weaning age appear to be the more important factors shaping the intestinal microbiome of pigs.     

Selenium nanoparticles in poultry feed modify gut microbiota and increase abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology - The poultry industry aims to improve productivity while maintaining the health and welfare of flocks. Pathogen control has been achieved through...     

Influence of antimicrobial feed additives on broiler commensal posthatch gut microbiota development and performance

The effects of avilamycin, zinc bacitracin, and flavophospholipol on broiler gut microbial community colonization and bird performance in the first 17 days posthatch were investigated. Significant differences in gut microbiota associated with gut section, dietary treatment, and age were identified by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), although no performance-related differences between dietary treatments were detected. Similar age-related shifts in the gut microbiota were identified regardless of diet but varied between the ilea and ceca. Interbird variabilities in ileal bacterial communities were reduced (3 to 7 days posthatch) in chicks fed with feed containing antimicrobial agents. Avilamycin and flavophospholipol had the most consistent effect on gut microbial communities. Operational taxonomic units (OTU) linked to changes in gut microbiota in birds on antimicrobial-supplemented diets were characterized and identified. Some OTUs could be identified to the species level; however, the majority could be only tentatively classified to the genus, family, order, or domain level. OTUs 140 to 146 (Lachnospiraceae), OTU 186/188 (Lactobacillus johnsonii), OTU 220 (Lachnospiraceae), OTUs 284 to 288 (unclassified bacterial spp. or Ruminococcaceae), OTU 296/298 (unclassified bacterium or Clostridiales), and OTU 480/482 (Oxalobacteraceae) were less prevalent in the guts of chicks fed antimicrobial-supplemented diets. OTU 178/180 (Lactobacillus crispatus), OTU 152 (Lactobacillus reuteri or unclassified Clostridiales), OTU 198/200 (Subdoligranulum spp.), and OTU 490/492 (unclassified bacterium or Enterobacteriaceae) were less prevalent in the gut of chicks raised on the antimicrobial-free diet. The identification of key bacterial species influenced by antimicrobial-supplemented feed immediately posthatch may assist in the formulation of diets that facilitate beneficial gut microbial colonization and, hence, the development of alternatives to current antimicrobial agents in feed for sustainable poultry production.     

Real-time PCR quantification of the predominant bacterial divisions in the distal gut of Meishan and Landrace pigs

Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes are closely related to body fat in humans and mice, which are the two dominant bacterial divisions of gut microbiota in mammals. Here real-time PCR analysis indicated that Meishan pigs had a 34% reduction in percentage Bacteroidetes (P=0.008) and a significantly lower proportion of Bacteroides (P=0.013) than Landrace pigs. The percentage of Bacteroidetes or Bacteroides had a negative correlation with body fat (R(2) was 0.63 for Bacteroidetes and 0.57 for Bacteroides, P<0.05). There was a trend that the percentage of Firmicutes in Meishan pigs was higher in numerical value than in Landrace pigs, although this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.290) between the two breeds. These suggested that body fat correlated with the percentage of Bacteroidetes division of the gut microbiota in the common pig breeds, and the differences of gut microbial ecology in obese versus lean animals may be analogous.     

Theoretical effects of feed composition, feed conversion and feed spillage on waste discharge in fish culture

Based on feed composition, fish composition and feed conversion, some theoretical effects of feeding on waste discharge are calculated to illustrate the appropriateness of farm effluent monitoring. The effects of feed conversion and feed spillage and feed composition on waste discharge (suspended and dissolved N, P & COD) are demonstrated. Slight variations in feed conversion at the moment of sampling, especially those evoked by feed spillage, have tremendous consequences for discharge values. It appears crucial to determine whether observed conversions are explained by inherent efficiencies of fish growth, or whether higher growth efficiencies are combined with feed spillage. Therefore, thorough knowledge of relationships between nutrient intake and growth should be applied to effluent assessment. A calculation is presented to serve as a preliminary assessment of the impacts of these variables on water quality monitoring. The concept is illustrated using measurements from a recirculation pilot eel culture system.     

Impact of supplementation with a food-derived microbial community on obesity-associated inflammation and gut microbiota composition

Background

Obesity is a complex pathology associated with dysbiosis, metabolic alterations, and low-grade chronic inflammation promoted by immune cells, infiltrating and populating the adipose tissue. Probiotic supplementation was suggested to be capable of counteracting obesity-associated immune and microbial alterations, based on its proven immunomodulatory activity and positive effect on gut microbial balance. Traditional fermented foods represent a natural source of live microbes, including environmental strains with probiotic features, which could transiently colonise the gut. The aim of our work was to evaluate the impact of supplementation with a complex foodborne bacterial consortium on obesity-associated inflammation and gut microbiota composition in a mouse model.

Methods

C57BL/6J mice fed a 45% high fat diet (HFD) for 90 days were supplemented with a mixture of foodborne lactic acid bacteria derived from the traditional fermented dairy product “Mozzarella di Bufala Campana” (MBC) or with the commercial probiotic GG strain of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG). Inflammation was assessed in epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT) following HFD. Faecal microbiota composition was studied by next-generation sequencing.

Results

Significant reduction of epididymal WAT weight was observed in MBC-treated, as compared to LGG and control, animals. Serum metabolic profiling showed correspondingly reduced levels of triglycerides and higher levels of HDL cholesterol, as well as a trend toward reduction of LDL-cholesterol levels. Analysis of the principal leucocyte subpopulations in epididymal WAT revealed increased regulatory T cells and CD4⁺ cells in MBC microbiota-supplemented mice, as well as decreased macrophage and CD8⁺ cell numbers, suggesting anti-inflammatory effects. These results were associated with lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in WAT explants. Faecal bacterial profiling demonstrated increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in all mice groups following HFD.

Conclusions

Taken together, these results indicate a protective effect of MBC microbiota supplementation toward HFD-induced fat accumulation and triglyceride and cholesterol levels, as well as inflammation, suggesting a stronger effect of a mixed microbial consortium vs single-strain probiotic supplementation. The immunomodulatory activity exerted by the MBC microbiota could be due to synergistic interactions within the microbial consortium, highlighting the important role of dietary microbes with yet uncharacterised probiotic effect.

     

Plasma α-protease inhibitors in Norwegian Landrace and Czech Landrace pigs

Summary. The studies on α-protease inhibitors systems, controlled by four tightly linked loci, were performed within 159 families of Norwegian Landrace (NL) and 40 families of Czech Landrace (CL) pigs. Significant differences in allele and haplotype frequencies between the two breeds were shown. The SE-F and SSsS haplotypes ( Pil, PolA, PolB, Pi2 loci) appeared to be the most frequent haplotypes in NL and CL breeds respectively. This system of blood plasma proteins can be very useful for studying the relationship between breeds.     

肠道菌群与代谢研究进展

从出生伊始肠道菌群就依赖于宿主的基因组、营养和生活方式而变化的,与宿主共同进化发展.肠道菌群参与调控其宿主的多种代谢途径,包括宿主的免疫、营养,并且极大地影响宿主的物质能量代谢及与物质能量代谢相关疾病的发生与发展过程.同时又与多个器官共同作用,在宿主的代谢、信息传递,疾病的感染与防御方面起非常重要的作用.深入了解肠道菌群在其参与代谢的具体作用,对理解物质能量代谢相关疾病病因、优化治疗策略、调节肠道菌群、防治疾病和提高宿主健康水平具有重要作用.本研究对人类肠道菌群的形成、物质能量代谢、代谢相关疾病及其防治等方面的研究进展加以综述.     

Taxonomic and gene-centric metagenomics of the fecal microbiome of low and high feed conversion ratio (FCR) broilers

Individual weight gain in broiler growers appears to vary, which may in part be due to variation in their gut microbiota. In this paper we analyse the fecal microbiota of low and high feed conversion ratio (FCR) broilers. After shotgun sequencing of the fecal microbiome, we used the SEED database to identify the microbial diversity and metabolic potential in low and high FCR birds. The domain-level breakdown of our samples was bacteria (>95 %), eukaryotes (>2 %), archaea (>0.2 %), and viruses (>0.2 %). At the phylum level, Proteobacteria (78.83 % in low and 52.04 % in high FCR), Firmicutes (11.97 % in low and 27.53 % in high FCR) and Bacteroidetes (7.10 % in low FCR and 17.53 % in high FCR) predominated in the fecal microbial community. Poultry fecal metagenomes revealed the sequences related to 33 genera in both low and high FCR with significantly different proportion. Functional analysis revealed that genes for the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids and derivatives and protein metabolism were most abundant in SEED subsystem in both samples. Genes associated with stress, virulence, cell wall and cell capsule were also abundant. Indeed, genes associated with sulphur assimilation, flagellum and flagellar motility were over represented in low FCR birds. This information could help in developing strategies to improve feed efficiency and feed formulation for broiler chickens.     

Metabolic characteristics and nutrient utilization in high-feed-efficiency pigs selected using different feed conversion ratio models

An understanding of the nutrient utilization characteristics of pigs with different feed efficiencies(FEs) will help us to develop new strategies to reduce the costs of pig production. In this study, we selected pigs with a range of FEs according to two feed conversion ratio models: the feed intake(FI) model, where pigs had the same average daily gains(ADGs) but different FIs, and the ADG model, where pigs had the same FIs but different ADGs. High-FE pigs had a higher abundance of short chain fatty acid(SCFA)-producing bacteria(Lachnospiraceae, Clostridiaceae_1, and Coriobacteriaceae) in their caecum in the FI model, and low-FE pigs had a higher abundance of two families(Bacteroidales_S24_7_group and Peptococcaceae) and two genera(Anaerotruncus and Candidatus_Soleaferrea) in both models. By contrast, high-FE pigs had more goblet cells and higher m RNA expression of insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) in the FI model, and higher mRNA expression of occludin but lower expressions of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)-α2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha(PGC1α) in the ADG model. These findings suggest that the presence of SCFA-producing bacteria in the caecum and increased muscular growth may contribute to the high FE of low-FI pigs, while improved intestinal functions and decreased mitochondrial activity in the skeletal muscle are related to the high FE of high-ADG pigs.     

高纯度饲用蛋氨酸和赖氨酸含量的快速测定法

本文介绍用日立835—50型氨基酸分析仪测定饲用蛋氨酸和赖氨酸的方法。本方法简单快速,重现性好,具有实际意义。     

Screening for lactobacilli with probiotic properties in the infant gut microbiota

Lactobacilli are believed to be beneficial for the human hosts and are currently being evaluated as potentially probiotic bacteria. In this study, Lactobacillus strains were isolated from infant faeces and were examined in vitro for potential probiotic properties. Faecal specimens from 63 healthy, full-term infants were collected at 4, 30 and 90 days after delivery. Seventy-four Lactobacillus strains were isolated and one or more different phenotypes from each infant (n = 44) were selected for further testing. The bacterial isolates were identified mainly as L. gasseri, L. crispatus, Lactobacillus paracasei, L. salivarius, L. fermentum after amplification and sequencing of 16s rRNA gene. The strains were examined for acid and bile tolerance, adhesion to Caco-2 cells, antibiotic susceptibility and antimicrobial activity against selected enteric pathogens. The great majority of the isolated lactobacilli were susceptible to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, tetracycline, erythromycin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol and rifampicin. Resistance to vancomycin or bacitracin was detected to 34% of the strains. Twenty strains out of forty-four exhibited significant tolerance to bile salts. Those strains were subsequently tested for resistance to low pH conditions (pH 2 and 3). Interestingly, 85% (17 strains) of the tested lactobacilli remained unaffected at pH 3 after 3 h of incubation, 6 strains were found resistant at pH 2 after 1.5 h and only 2 strains found resistant after 3 h of incubation. Two of the strains were able to adhere to Caco-2 cells. In conclusion, two isolates fulfilled the in vitro probiotic criteria and are good candidates for further in vivo evaluation.     

Diversity of gut microbiota increases with aging and starvation in the desert locust

Here we report the effects of starvation and insect age on the diversity of gut microbiota of adult desert locusts, Schistocerca gregaria, using denaturing gradient gel electrophoretic (DGGE) analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Sequencing of excised DGGE bands revealed the presence of only one potentially novel uncultured member of the Gammaproteobacteria in the guts of fed, starved, young or old locusts. Most of the 16S rRNA gene sequences were closely related to known cultured bacterial species. DGGE profiles suggested that bacterial diversity increased with insect age and did not provide evidence for a characteristic locust gut bacterial community. Starved insects are often more prone to disease, probably because they compromise on immune defence. However, the increased diversity of Gammaproteobacteria in starved locusts shown here may improve defence against enteric threats because of the role of gut bacteria in colonization resistance.