Response of Gut Microbiota to Dietary Fiber and Metabolic Interaction With SCFAs in Piglets

Vitamin B5 supplementation enhances intestinal development and alters microbes in weaned piglets

This study explored the effects of different vitamin B5 (VB5) levels on intestinal growth and function of weaned piglets. Twenty-one piglets (7.20 ± 1.11 kg) were included in a 28-day feeding trial with three treatments, including 0 mg/kg (L-VB5), 10 mg/kg (Control) and 50 mg/kg (H-VB5) of VB5 supplement. The results showed that: Large intestine weight/body weight was the highest in H-VB5 group, Control and H-VB5 groups had significantly higher villus height and villus height/crypt depth than the L-VB5 in the ileum (p < .05). Goblet cells (ileal crypt) and endocrine cells (ileal villus) significantly increased in Control and H-VB5 (p < .05). The H-VB5 group exhibited significantly higher levels of ki67 and crypt depth in the cecum and colon, colonic goblet cells and endocrine cells were both rising considerably (p < .05). Isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid were significantly reduced in the H-VB5 group (p < .05), and there was a decreasing trend in butyric acid (p = .073). At the genus level, the relative abundance of harmful bacteria such as Clostridium_Sensu_Structo_1 Strecto_1, Terrisporbacter and Streptococcus decreased significantly and the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria Turicibacter increased significantly in H-VB5 group (p < .05). Overall, the addition of 50 mg/kg VB5 primarily enhanced the morphological structure, cell proliferation and differentiation of the ileum, cecum and colon. It also had a significant impact on the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids.

Different Physiochemical Properties of Novel Fibre Sources in the Diet of Weaned Pigs Influence Animal Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Caecal Fermentation

The effect of including micronised fibre sources (FS) differing in fermentability and hydration capacity (HC) on growth performance, faecal digestibility, and caecal fermentation was investigated in piglets. There were four dietary treatments: a control diet (CON) and three treatments differing in the HC and fermentability of FS added at 1.5% to prestarter (28-42 d) and starter (42-61 d) diets. These were: LHC (low-HC by-product-based insoluble fibre (IF) with a prebiotic fraction (PF) from chicory root); MHC (medium-HC by-product-based IF with a PF); and HHC (high-HC non-fermentable wood-based IF with no PF). There were eight replicates per treatment. Over the entire period, LHC and MHC piglets showed a 10% increase in daily growth and feed intake (p ≤ 0.019) and tended to have a reduced feed conversion ratio (p = 0.087) compared to HHC piglets. At 42 d, faecal protein digestibility increased by 5% in the LHC and MHC groups compared with the HHC group (p = 0.035) and did not differ from the CON group. Both LHC and MHC fibres were more fermented in vitro with caecal inocula from 61 d old piglets than HHC fibre (p ≤ 0.003). These results suggest that balanced soluble and insoluble fibre concentrates can improve piglet performance.

Dietary Fiber-Derived Butyrate Alleviates Piglet Weaning Stress by Modulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway

During weaning, piglets are susceptible to intestinal inflammation and impairment in barrier function. Dietary fiber (DF) plays an active role in alleviating weaning stress in piglets. However, the effects of different sources of dietary fiber on the performance of weaned piglets are inconsistent, and the mechanisms through which they affect intestinal health need to be explored. Therefore, in this study, sixty weaned piglets were randomly divided into three treatment groups: basal diet (control, CON), beet pulp (BP), and alfalfa meal (AM) according to the feed formulation for a 28-day trial. The results showed that both AM and BP groups significantly reduced diarrhea rate and serum inflammatory factors (IL-1β and TNF-α) and increased antioxidant markers (T-AOC and SOD), in addition to decreasing serum MDA and ROS concentrations in the AM group. At the same time, piglets in the AM group showed a significant reduction in serum intestinal permeability indices (LPS and DAO) and a substantial increase in serum immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, and IgM) and expression of intestinal barrier-associated genes (Claudin1, Occludin, ZO-1, and MUC1), which resulted in an improved growth performance. Interestingly, the effect of DF on intestinal inflammation and barrier function can be attributed to its modulation of gut microbes. Fiber-degrading bacteria enriched in the AM group (Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Pediococcus and Weissella) inhibited the production of TLR4- through the promotion of SCFAs (especially butyrate). MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway activation reduces intestinal inflammation and repairs intestinal barrier function. In conclusion, it may provide some theoretical support and rationale for AM to alleviate weaning stress and improve early intestinal dysfunction, which may have implications for human infants.

In vitro and in vivo fermentation models to study the function of dietary fiber in pig nutrition

The importance of dietary fiber (DF) in animal diets is increasing with the advancement of nutritional research. DF is fermented by gut microbiota to produce metabolites, which are important in improving intestinal health. This review is a systematic review of DF in pig nutrition using in vitro and in vivo models. The fermentation characteristics of DF and the metabolic mechanisms of its metabolites were summarized in an in vitro model, and it was pointed out that SCFAs and gases are the important metabolites connecting DF, gut microbiota, and intestinal health, and they play a key role in intestinal health. At the same time, some information about host-microbe interactions could have been improved through traditional animal in vivo models, and the most direct feedback on nutrients was generated, confirming the beneficial effects of DF on sow reproductive performance, piglet intestinal health, and growing pork quality. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of different fermentation models were compared. In future studies, it is necessary to flexibly combine in vivo and in vitro fermentation models to profoundly investigate the mechanism of DF on the organism in order to promote the development of precision nutrition tools and to provide a scientific basis for the in-depth and rational utilization of DF in animal husbandry. KEY POINTS: • The fermentation characteristics of dietary fiber in vitro models were reviewed. • Metabolic pathways of metabolites and their roles in the intestine were reviewed. • The role of dietary fiber in pigs at different stages was reviewed.

Whole-plant silage maize to improve fiber digestive characteristics and intestinal microbiota of Hezuo pigs

Introduction

Utilizing roughage resources is an effective approach to alleviate the shortage of corn-soybean feed and reducing the costs in the swine industry. Hezuo pig is one group of plateau type local Tibetan pig with strong tolerance to crude feeding. Nevertheless, current research on the roughage tolerance in Hezuo pigs and the microbiological mechanisms behind it is still minimally.This study explored the impact of various ratios of whole-plant silage (WPS) maize on the pH, cellulase activity, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and intestinal microbiota in Hezuo pigs.

Methods

Thirty-two Hezuo pigs were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8). The control group received a basal diet, while experimental groups I, II, and III were given diets with incremental additions of 5%, 10%, and 15% air-dried WPS maize, respectively, for 120 days.

Results

The findings revealed that compared with the control group, in Group II, the pH of cecum and colon were notably decreased (p < 0.05), while acid detergent fiberdigestibility, the concentration of propionic and isobutyric acid in the cecum, and the concentration of isobutyric acid in the colon were significantly increased (p < 0.05). Also, carboxymethyl cellulase activity in the cecum in group II of Hezuo pigs was significantly higher than that in the other three groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the cecum microbiota showed a higher diversity in the group II of Hezuo pigs than that in the control group, as shown by the Simpson and Shannon indices. Specifically, 15 and 24 bacterial species showed a significant difference in relative abundance at the family and genus levels, respectively. Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between bacterial genera and SCFAs concentrations in the cecum. The abundance of Bacteroides and NK4A214_group was positively correlated with amounts of valeric and isovaleric acid but negatively with propionic acid (p < 0.05). The abundance of UCG-010 was positively linked with acetic acid and negatively correlated with butyric acid (p < 0.05). Actinobacillus abundance was positively associated with butyric acid levels (p < 0.05).

Discussion

In conclusion, a 10% WPS maize diet improved crude fiber digestibility by lowering cecal and colonic chyme pH, enhancing intestinal cellulase activity, improving SCFA production, and increasing intestinal microbiota diversity.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) from gastrointestinal disorders, metabolism, epigenetics, central nervous system to cancer - A mini-review

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), generated through microbial fermentation of dietary fibers and proteins in the gut, play a pivotal role in maintaining intestinal integrity, cellular function, and the immune response. SCFAs, including butyrate, acetate, and propionate, are absorbed in the colon or excreted through feces, contributing to essential physiological processes. Butyrate, a primary energy source for colonocytes, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and regulates key pathways, such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inhibition. SCFAs' impact extends beyond the intestines, influencing the gut-brain axis, systemic circulation, and folate metabolism. A decline in colonic SCFAs has been linked to gastrointestinal diseases, emphasizing their clinical relevance, while their effects on immune checkpoints, such as ipilimumab, provide intriguing prospects for cancer therapy. This mini-review explores SCFAs' diverse roles, shedding light on their significance in health and potential implications for disease management. Understanding SCFAs' intricate mechanisms enhances our knowledge of their therapeutic potential and highlights their emerging importance in various physiological contexts.

Effects of ginseng on short-chain fatty acids and intestinal microbiota in rats with spleen-qi deficiency based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and 16s rRNA technology

RATIONALE

Spleen-qi deficiency syndrome, a common weakness syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine, results from insufficient spleen-qi levels. For centuries, ginseng has been relied upon as a traditional Chinese medicine to treat spleen-qi deficiency syndrome. Until now, the mechanism feature of ginseng in treating temper deficiency through intestinal bacteria and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) metabolites has not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

This study established a rat model of spleen-qi deficiency via multi-factor compound modeling that involved fatigue injury and a controlled diet. The content of SCFAs between different treatment groups was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. And the 16s rRNA sequencing technology was applied to reveal the effects of ginseng on the intestinal microecological environment of the rats.

RESULTS

It was found that the ginseng treatment group exhibited the most remarkable regulatory effect on propionic acid, surpassing all other administration groups. Ginseng increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria and decreased that of harmful bacteria at the genus level in rats with spleen-qi deficiency syndrome. And propionic acid is significantly positively correlated with Lactobacillus level and significantly negatively correlated with uncultured_bacterium_f_Muribaculaceae (p < 0.05). n-Butyric acid is negatively correlated with the Faecalibaculum level (p < 0.01). n-Valeric acid is significantly negatively correlated with the Romboutsia level (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The mechanism of ginseng treatment for spleen-qi deficiency is elucidated from the perspective of gut microbiota and its metabolite SCFAs. It provides a new way for further development and utilization of ginseng and a theoretical basis.

Maternal Supplementation of Vitamin E or Its Combination with Hydroxytyrosol Increases the Gut Health and Short Chain Fatty Acids of Piglets at Weaning

An adequate intestinal environment before weaning may contribute to diarrhea predisposition and piglet development. This study evaluates how the dietary supplementation of vitamin E (VE) (100 mg/kg), hydroxytyrosol (HXT) (1.5 mg/kg) or the combined administration (VE + HXT) given to Iberian sows from gestation affects the piglet's faecal characteristics, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), fatty acid profile or intestinal morphology as indicators of gut health; and quantify the contribution of the oxidative status and colostrum/milk composition to the piglet's SCFAs content and intestinal health. Dietary VE increased isobutyric acid (iC4), butyric acid (C4), isovaleric acid (iC5), and ∑SCFAs, whereas HXT increased iC4 and tended to decrease ∑SCFAs of faeces. Piglets from HXT-supplemented sows also tended to have higher faecal C20:4n-6/C20:2 ratio C22:6 proportion and showed lower occludin gene expression in the duodenum. The combination of both antioxidants had a positive effect on iC4 and iC5 levels. Correlation analyses and regression equations indicate that faecal SCFAs were related to oxidative status (mainly plasma VE) and colostrum and milk composition (mainly C20:2, C20:3, C20:4 n-6). This study would confirm the superiority of VE over HXT supplementation to improve intestinal homeostasis, gut health, and, consequently piglet growth.

Screening of Potential Probiotic Lactobacillaceae and Their Improvement of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Promoting PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway in db/db Mice

The study aimed to isolate Lactobacillaceae strains with in vitro hypoglycemic activity and probiotic properties and to determine their antidiabetic abilities in vivo. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 22, L. plantarum 25, Limosilactobacillus fermentum 11, and L. fermentum 305 with high in vitro hypoglycemic activity were screened from 23 strains of Lactobacillaceae isolated from human feces and identified by 16S rDNA sequencing. The fasting blood glucose (FBG) of the mice was recorded weekly. After 12 weeks, liver, kidney, and pancreas tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to observe histomorphology; the inflammatory factors were assayed by Quantitative Real-time PCR; PI3K and AKT were measured by Western blot; the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were determined by LC-MS/MS. Inhibitory activities of L. plantarum 22, L. plantarum 25, L. fermentum 11, and L. fermentum 305 against α-amylase were 62.29 ± 0.44%, 51.81 ± 3.65%, 58.40 ± 1.68%, and 57.48 ± 5.04%, respectively. Their inhibitory activities to α-glucosidase were 14.89 ± 0.38%, 15.32 ± 0.89%, 52.63 ± 3.07%, and 51.79 ± 1.13%, respectively. Their survival rate after simulated gastrointestinal test were 12.42 ± 2.84%, 9.10 ± 1.12%, 5.86 ± 0.52%, and 8.82 ± 2.50% and their adhesion rates to Caco-2 cell were 6.09 ± 0.39%, 6.37 ± 0.28%, 6.94 ± 0.27%, and 6.91 ± 0.11%, respectively. The orthogonal tests of bacterial powders of the four strains showed that the maximum inhibitory activities to α-amylase and α-glucosidase were 93.18 ± 1.19% and 75.33 ± 2.89%, respectively. The results showed that the mixture of Lactobacillaceae could lower FBG, reduce inflammation, and liver, kidney, and pancreas damage, promote PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and increase the content of SCFAs. The combination of L. plantarum 22, L. plantarum 25, L. fermentum 11, and L. fermentum 305 can potentially improve type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Effects of different starch structures on energy metabolism in pigs

BACKGROUND

Starch is a major component of carbohydrates and a major energy source for monogastric animals. Starch is composed of amylose and amylopectin and has different physiological functions due to its different structure. It has been shown that the energy supply efficiency of amylose is lower than that of amylopectin. However, there are few studies on the effect of starch structure on the available energy of pigs. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of different structures of starch in the diet on the net energy (NE) of pigs using a comparative slaughter method and to establish a prediction equation to estimate the NE of starch with different structures. Fifty-six barrows (initial BW 10.18 ± 0.11 kg) were used, and they were housed and fed individually. Pigs were divided into 7 treatments, with 8 replicates for each treatment and 1 pig for each replicate. One of the treatments was randomly selected as the initial slaughter group (ISG). Pigs in the remaining treatments were assigned to 6 diets, fed with basic diet and semi-pure diets with amylose/amylopectin ratio (AR) of 3.09, 1.47, 0.25, 0.15 and 0.12, respectively. The experiment lasted for 28 d.

RESULTS

Results showed that compared with the high amylose (AM) groups (AR 3.09 and 1.47), the high amylopectin (AP) group (AR 0.15) significantly increased the final BW, average daily weight gain and average daily feed intake of pigs (P < 0.05), but the F:G of the AM group was lower (P < 0.01). In addition, AR 0.15 and 0.12 groups have higher (P < 0.01) nutrient digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, gross energy and crude ash. Meanwhile, compared with other groups, AR 0.15 group has a higher (P < 0.05) NE intake and energy retention (RE). The regressive equation for predicting with starch structures was established as RE = 1,235.243 - 48.298AM/AP (R2 = 0.657, P = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, NE intake and RE of pigs augmented with the increase of dietary amylopectin content, indicating that diets high in amylopectin were more conducive to promoting the growth of pigs in the late conservation period.

Qishen granules regulate intestinal microecology to improve cardiac function in rats with heart failure

Introduction

Qishen Granule (QSG), a clinically approved traditional Chinese medicine, has been researched for treating heart failure (HF) for many years. However, the effect of QSG on intestinal microecology remains unconfirmed. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the possible mechanism of QSG regulating HF in rats based on intestinal microecological changes.

Methods

A rat model with HF induced by myocardial infarction was prepared by left coronary artery ligation. Cardiac functions were assessed by echocardiography, pathological changes in the heart and ileum by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson staining, mitochondrial ultrastructure by transmission electron microscope, and gut microbiota by 16S rRNA sequencing.

Results

QSG administration improved cardiac function, tightened cardiomyocytes alignment, decreased fibrous tissue and collagen deposition, and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration. Electron microscopic observation of mitochondria revealed that QSG could arrange mitochondria neatly, reduce swelling, and improve the structural integrity of the crest. Firmicutes were the dominant component in the model group, and QSG could significantly increase the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group. Furthermore, QSG significantly reduced plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS), improved intestinal structure, and recovered barrier protection function in rats with HF.

Conclusion

These results demonstrated that QSG was able to improve cardiac function by regulating intestinal microecology in rats with HF, suggesting promising therapeutic targets for HF.

LC/MS analysis of mushrooms provided new insights into dietary management of diabetes mellitus in rats

Mushrooms possess antihyperglycemic effect on diabetic individuals due to their nonfibrous and fibrous bioactive compounds. This study aimed to reveal the effect of different types of mushrooms on plasma glucose level and gut microbiota composition in diabetic individuals. The effects of five different mushroom species (Ganoderma lucidum, GLM; Pleurotus ostreatus, POM; Pleurotus citrinopileatus, PCM; Lentinus edodes, LEM; or Hypsizigus marmoreus, HMM) on alloxan-induced diabetic rats were investigated in this study. The results indicated that LEM and HMM treatments showed lower plasma glucose levels. For the microbiota composition, ACE, Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson were significantly affected by PCM and LEM treatments (p < .05), while ACE, Shannon, and Simpson indexes were affected by HMM treatment (p < .01). Simpson index was affected in positive control (C+) and POM groups. All these four indices were lower in GLM treatment (p < .05). Dietary supplementation of mushrooms reduced plasma glucose level directly through mushrooms' bioactive compounds (agmatine, sphingosine, pyridoxine, linolenic, and alanine) and indirectly through stachyose (oligosaccharide) and gut microbiota modulation. In conclusion, LEM and HMM can be used as food additives to improve plasma glucose level and gut microbiome composition in diabetic individuals.

The interaction between dietary fiber and gut microbiota, and its effect on pig intestinal health

Intestinal health is closely associated with overall animal health and performance and, consequently, influences the production efficiency and profit in feed and animal production systems. The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is the main site of the nutrient digestive process and the largest immune organ in the host, and the gut microbiota colonizing the GIT plays a key role in maintaining intestinal health. Dietary fiber (DF) is a key factor in maintaining normal intestinal function. The biological functioning of DF is mainly achieved by microbial fermentation, which occurs mainly in the distal small and large intestine. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), the main class of microbial fermentation metabolites, are the main energy supply for intestinal cells. SCFAs help to maintain normal intestinal function, induce immunomodulatory effects to prevent inflammation and microbial infection, and are vital for the maintenance of homeostasis. Moreover, because of its distinct characteristics (e.g. solubility), DF is able to alter the composition of the gut microbiota. Therefore, understanding the role that DF plays in modulating gut microbiota, and how it influences intestinal health, is essential. This review gives an overview of DF and its microbial fermentation process, and investigates the effect of DF on the alteration of gut microbiota composition in pigs. The effects of interaction between DF and the gut microbiota, particularly as they relate to SCFA production, on intestinal health are also illustrated.

Pasture intake protects against commercial diet-induced lipopolysaccharide production facilitated by gut microbiota through activating intestinal alkaline phosphatase enzyme in meat geese

Introduction

Diet strongly affects gut microbiota composition, and gut bacteria can influence the intestinal barrier functions and systemic inflammation through metabolic endotoxemia. In-house feeding system (IHF, a low dietary fiber source) may cause altered cecal microbiota composition and inflammatory responses in meat geese via increased endotoxemia (lipopolysaccharides) with reduced intestinal alkaline phosphatase (ALP) production. The effects of artificial pasture grazing system (AGF, a high dietary fiber source) on modulating gut microbiota architecture and gut barrier functions have not been investigated in meat geese. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether intestinal ALP could play a critical role in attenuating reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and ROS facilitating NF-κB pathway-induced systemic inflammation in meat geese.

Methods

The impacts of IHF and AGF systems on gut microbial composition via 16 sRNA sequencing were assessed in meat geese. The host markers analysis through protein expression of serum and cecal tissues, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, localization of NF-қB and Nrf2 by immunofluorescence analysis, western blotting analysis of ALP, and quantitative PCR of cecal tissues was evaluated.

Results and Discussion

In the gut microbiota analysis, meat geese supplemented with pasture showed a significant increase in commensal microbial richness and diversity compared to IHF meat geese demonstrating the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory ability of the AGF system. A significant increase in intestinal ALP-induced Nrf2 signaling pathway was confirmed representing LPS dephosphorylation mediated TLR4/MyD88 induced ROS reduction mechanisms in AGF meat geese. Further, the correlation analysis of top 44 host markers with gut microbiota showed that artificial pasture intake protected gut barrier functions via reducing ROS-mediated NF-κB pathway-induced gut permeability, systemic inflammation, and aging phenotypes. In conclusion, the intestinal ALP functions to regulate gut microbial homeostasis and barrier function appear to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines by reducing LPS-induced ROS production in AGF meat geese. The AGF system may represent a novel therapy to counteract the chronic inflammatory state leading to low dietary fiber-related diseases in animals.

Effects of dietary dihydromyricetin supplementation on intestinal barrier and humoral immunity in growing-finishing pigs

In this study, we investigated the effect of dietary dihydromyricetin (DHM) supplementation on intestinal barrier and humoral immunity in growing-finishing pigs. The data showed that dietary DHM supplementation improved jejunal barrier function by upregulating the protein expressions of Occludin and Claudin-1 and the mRNA levels of MUC1 and MUC2. Dietary DHM supplementation increased the amylase, lipase, sucrase and maltase activities and the mRNA expression of nutrient transporter (SGLT1, GLUT2, PepT1) in the jejunum mucosa. Dietary DHM supplementation significantly reduced the E. coli population in the cecum and colon and increased the Lactobacillus population in the cecum. In addition, dietary DHM supplementation increased the contents of butyric acid and valeric acid in cecum and colon. In serum, dietary DHM supplementation reduced interleukin-1β (IL-1β) content and increased interleukin-10 (IL-10), Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Immunoglobulin A (IgA) contents (p < 0.05). In addition, compared with the control group, dietary DHM supplementation improved secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) contents and down-regulated TNF-α protein expression in jejunum mucosa (p < 0.05). Together, this study demonstrated that dietary DHM supplementation improved intestinal barrier function, digestion and absorption capacity and immune function in growing-finishing pigs.

Influence of dietary fiber intake and soluble to insoluble fiber ratio on reproductive performance of sows during late gestation under hot climatic conditions

This study evaluated dietary fiber (DF) level and the ratio of soluble fiber (SF): insoluble fiber (ISF) impact on sows' reproductive performance under heat stress. Forty sows at day 90 of gestation were assigned to four treatments. HH diet had, 20% DF, 1:4, SF:ISF ratio; HL, 20% DF, 1:6, SF:ISF ratio; LH, 14% DF, 1:4, SF:ISF, LL, 14% DF, 1:6, SF:ISF. Results showed that; lactation back-fat loss was lower (P < 0.05) in HH . Feed intake was higher (P < 0.05) in HH and HL. Farrowing duration shorter (P < 0.05) in HH. Constipation index was higher (P < 0.05) in HH and LH. Weaning piglets' body weight was greater (P < 0.05) in HH than LH and LL. Hair cortisol was lower (P < 0.05) in HH than HL, and LL. Acetate, propionate, isovalerate, and butyrate was higher (P < 0.05) in HH and LH. Plasma zonulin, fecal lipocalin-2 were lower (P < 0.05) in HH, and HL. Superoxide dismutase tended to be higher (P = 0.056) and malondialdehyde tended to be lower (P = 0.069) in HH and HL. We opined that higher levels of dietary fiber and soluble fiber could ameliorate heat stress in gestating sows.

“King of the forage”—Alfalfa supplementation improves growth, reproductive performance, health condition and meat quality of pigs

As one kind of high-quality feed with rich nutrients, including high quality protein and amino acids, dietary fiber, enriched vitamins and mineral elements and bioactive molecules, alfalfa has been widely used in the production of ruminant livestock. As the understanding of alfalfa becomes more and more comprehensive, it is found that the high-quality nutrients in alfalfa could have positive effects on pigs. An increasing number of researches have shown that supplementing dietary alfalfa to the diet of gestating sows reduced constipation, alleviated abnormal behavior, improved satiety and reproductive performance; supplementing dietary alfalfa to the diet of piglets improved growth performance and intestinal barrier function, reduced intestinal inflammatory response and diarrhea; supplementing dietary alfalfa to the diet of growing-fattening pigs improved production performance and pork quality. Moreover, the mechanisms by which various nutrients of alfalfa exert their beneficial effects on pigs mainly including dietary fiber stimulating intestinal peristalsis, enhancing the activity of digestive enzymes, and promoting the colonization of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract through fermentation in the intestine, producing short-chain fatty acids and thus improving intestinal health; high quality protein and amino acids are beneficial to improve animal health condition; rich vitamins and mineral elements play an important role in various physiological functions and growth and development of the body; and bioactive molecules can improve the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory level. Therefore, alfalfa could be used as pig feed ingredient to alleviate various problems in the pig industry and to improve pig production performance. In this review, we detail the current application of alfalfa in pigs and discuss the potential mechanisms involved in how alfalfa improves growth and reproductive performance, pork quality, and intestinal health of the animals, thus laying the foundation for the increased application of high-quality forage in pig production.

Antitumor effects of polysaccharides from Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg via regulation of intestinal flora and enhancing immunomodulatory effects in vivo

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with high medicinal value, and antitumor, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory biological activities. However, while several studies have focused on flavonoids in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum tubers, there are few studies on the enhanced immune effect of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum polysaccharides (THP). In this study, we evaluated the antitumor effect of THP in a lung tumor model and explored the mechanism of antitumor activity through intestinal flora. In addition, a cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppression model was used to declare the immunomodulatory effect of THP in the immunosuppressive state induced by antitumor drugs. The results showed that THP increased the content of ileum secreted immunoglobulin A (SIgA) and cecum short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and improved microbial community diversity, regulating the relative abundance of dominant microbiota flora from the phylum level to the genus level, and recovering the intestinal microflora disorder caused by tumors. Additionally, THP can increase the organ indices and improve immune organ atrophy. THP can upregulate routine blood counts and stimulate the production of the serum cytokines. THP also promoted the macrophage phagocytic index, NK-cell activation, and complement and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) levels. The detection of Splenic lymphocyte proliferation and T lymphocyte subsets also sideways reflects that THP can restore CTX-induced immune inhibition in mice. In conclusion, this study suggests that THP can effectively achieve the enhanced antitumor effects, regulate gut microbiota and improve the immunosuppression induced by antitumor drugs. Therefore, THP can enhance the immune capacity and provide novel immunomodulatory and antineoplastic adjuvant agents.

Detection of Acquired Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Domestic Pig (Sus scrofa) and Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Intestinal Samples by Metagenomics Analyses in Hungary

The aim of this study was metagenomics analyses of acquired antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in the intestinal microbiome of two important food-animal species in Hungary from a One Health perspective. Intestinal content samples were collected from 12 domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) and from a common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of DNA purified from the intestinal samples was performed on the Illumina platform. The ResFinder database was applied for detecting acquired ARGs in the assembled metagenomic contigs. Altogether, 59 acquired ARG types were identified, 51 genes from domestic pig and 12 genes from the carp intestinal microbiome. ARG types belonged to the antibiotic classes aminoglycosides (27.1%), tetracyclines (25.4%), β-lactams (16.9%), and others. Of the identified ARGs, tet(E), a bla_OXA-_48-like β-lactamase gene, as well as cphA4, ampS, aadA2, qnrS2, and sul1, were identified only in carp but not in swine samples. Several of the detected acquired ARGs have not yet been described from food animals in Hungary. The tet(Q), tet(W), tet(O), and mef(A) genes detected in the intestinal microbiome of domestic pigs had also been identified from free-living wild boars in Hungary, suggesting a possible relationship between the occurrence of acquired ARGs in domestic and wild animal populations.

Effects of supplementation with lysophospholipids on performance, nutrient digestibility, and bacterial communities of beef cattle

An experiment was conducted to investigate the influences of supplemental lysophospholipids (LPL) on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and fecal bacterial profile, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) of beef cattle. Thirty-six Angus beef cattle [565 ± 10.25 kg body weight (BW)] were grouped by BW and age, and randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatment groups: (1) control (CON, basal diet); (2) LLPL [CON supplemented with 0.5 g/kg LPL, dry matter (DM) basis]; and (3) HLPL (CON supplemented with 0.75 g/kg, DM basis). The Angus cattle were fed a total mixed ration that consisted of 25% roughage and 75% concentrate (dry matter [DM] basis). The results reveal that LPL inclusion linearly increased the average daily gain (P = 0.02) and the feed efficiency (ADG/feed intake, P = 0.02), while quadratically increasing the final weight (P = 0.02) of the beef cattle. Compared with CON, the total tract digestibilities of DM (P < 0.01), ether extract (P = 0.04) and crude protein (P < 0.01) were increased with LPL supplementation. At the phylum-level, the relative abundance of Firmicutes (P = 0.05) and ratio of Firmicutes: Bacteroidetes (P = 0.04) were linearly increased, while the relative abundances of Bacteroidetes (P = 0.04) and Proteobacteria (P < 0.01) were linearly decreased with increasing LPL inclusion. At the genus-level, the relative abundances of Clostridium (P < 0.01) and Roseburia (P < 0.01) were quadratically increased, and the relative abundances of Ruminococcus was linearly increased (P < 0.01) with LPL supplementation. Additionally, increasing the dose of LPL in diets linearly increased the molar proportion of butyrate (P < 0.01) and total SCFAs (P = 0.01) concentrations. A conclusion was drawn that, as a promising feed additive, LPL promoted growth performance and nutrient digestibility, which may be associated with the change of fecal microbiome and SCFAs.

Effects of Clostridium butyricum on intestinal environment and gut microbiome under Salmonella infection

Salmonellosis causes massive economic losses globally every year. Especially in poultry, numerous drug-resistant bacteria have emerged; thus, it is imperative to find alternatives to antibiotics. As a probiotic, Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) provides the latest strategy for inhibiting the proliferation of Salmonella. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of C. butyricum on intestinal environment and gut microbiome under Salmonella infection. In this study, we modeled the infection of Salmonella using specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks and found that the use of C. butyricum directly reduced the number of Salmonella colonizations in the spleen and liver. It also alleviated the histopathological changes of the liver, spleen, and cecum caused by Salmonella Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis). In addition, S. Enteritidis increased the expression of pro-inflammatory IL-6 in the cecum on day 6 postinfection. Interestingly, we found that C. butyricum changed PPAR-γ transcript levels in the cecum on day 6 postinfection. Analysis of the chick gastrointestinal microbiome showed that Salmonella infection increased the relative abundance of Subdoligranulum variabile. Further analysis found that Salmonella challenge significantly reduced the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and C. butyricum increased the relative abundance of anaerobic bacteria in the gut on day 6 postinfection. Moreover, early supplementation of C. butyricum restored the epithelial hypoxia in S. Enteritidis infection in chicks. The results suggest that C. butyricum restores epithelial hypoxia caused by S. Enteritidis, improves the stability of intestinal flora, and inhibits the proliferation of Salmonella.

Increase Dietary Fiber Intake Ameliorates Cecal Morphology and Drives Cecal Species-Specific of Short-Chain Fatty Acids in White Pekin Ducks

The current study was to investigate the modulatory effects of total dietary fiber (TDF) levels on cecal morphology and the response of microbiota to maintain gut health for duck growth. A total of 192 14-day-old male white Pekin ducks were randomly allocated to three dietary groups and fed diets, containing 12.4, 14.7, and 16.2% TDF, respectively, until 35 days under the quantitative feed intake. Each dietary group consisted of eight replicate cages of eight birds. The results revealed that 14.7 and 16.2% TDF groups significantly promoted growth performance and improved villus height, the ratio of villus to crypt, muscle layer thickness, and goblet cells per villus of cecum in ducks. qPCR results showed that the transcriptional expression of Claudin-1, Muc2, IGF-1, and SLC16A1 was significantly upregulated in cecum in 14.7 and 16.2% TDF groups. Meanwhile, the concentration of IGF-1 in circulating was significantly increased in 14.7 and 16.2% TDF groups while that of DAO was significantly decreased in 16.2% TDF group. Furthermore, the concentrations of butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate, and isovalerate in cecum were conspicuously improved in 14.7 and 16.2% TDF groups while that of propionate was significantly decreased. In addition, the concentrations of butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate, and isovalerate in cecum presented negative correlations with the concentration of DAO in circulating. 16S rRNA gene sequencing results showed that the 14.7% TDF group importantly elevated the microbial richness. Simultaneously, butyrate-producing bacteria like the family Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospiraceae, and Erysipelatoclostridiaceae were enriched as biomarkers in the 16.2% TDF group. Correlation network analysis revealed that the associations between specific bacteria and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) induced by different TDF levels, and the correlations among bacteria were also witnessed. For example, the genus Monoglobus and CHKCI002 showed a positive correlation with butyrate, and there was a positively coexistent association between Monoglobus and CHKCI002. In summary, these data revealed that increasing the TDF level could enhance the cecal morphology and drive cecal species-specific of SCFAs in ducks.

Effects of Short-Chain Fatty Acid Modulation on Potentially Diarrhea-Causing Pathogens in Yaks Through Metagenomic Sequencing

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are principal nutrient substrates of intestinal epithelial cells that regulate the epithelial barrier in yaks. Until now, metagenomics sequencing has not been reported in diarrheal yaks. Scarce information is available regarding the levels of fecal SCFA and diarrhea in yaks. So, our study aims to identify the potential pathogens that cause the emerging diarrhea and explore the potential relationship of short-chain fatty acids in this issue. We estimated diarrhea rate in yaks after collecting an equal number of fecal samples from affected animals. Metagenomics sequencing and quantitative analysis of SCFA were performed, which revealed 15%–25% and 5%–10% prevalence of diarrhea in yak’s calves and adults, respectively. Violin box plot also showed a higher degree of dispersion in gene abundance distribution of diarrheal yaks, as compared to normal yaks. We found 366,163 significant differential abundance genes in diarrheal yaks, with 141,305 upregulated and 224,858 downregulated genes compared with normal yaks via DESeq analysis. Metagenomics binning analysis indicated the higher significance of bin 33 (Bacteroidales) (p < 0.05) in diarrheal animals, while bin 10 (p < 0.0001), bin 30 (Clostridiales) (p < 0.05), bin 51 (Lactobacillales) (p < 0.05), bin 8 (Lachnospiraceae) (p < 0.05), and bin 47 (Bacteria) (p < 0.05) were significantly higher in normal yaks. At different levels, a significant difference in phylum (n = 4), class (n = 8), oder (n = 8), family (n = 16), genus (n = 17), and species (n = 30) was noticed, respectively. Compared with healthy yaks, acetic acid (p < 0.01), propionic acid (p < 0.01), butyric acid (p < 0.01), isobutyric acid (p < 0.01), isovaleric acid (p < 0.05), and caproic acid (p < 0.01) were all observed significantly at a lower rate in diarrheal yaks. In conclusion, besides the increased Staphylococcus aureus, Babesia ovata, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bacteroides fluxus, viruses, Klebsiella pneumonia, and inflammation-related bacteria, the decrease of SCFA caused by the imbalance of intestinal microbiota was potentially observed in diarrheal yaks.

Resistant Potato Starch Alters the Cecal Microbiome and Gene Expression in Mice Fed a Western Diet Based on NHANES Data

Several studies indicate that the four major types of resistant starch (RS1-4) are fermented in the cecum and colon to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and can alter the microbiome and host physiology. However, nearly all these studies were conducted in rodents fed with a diet that does not approximate what is typically consumed by humans. To address this, mice were fed a Total Western Diet (TWD) based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data that mimics the macro and micronutrient composition of a typical American diet for 6 weeks and then supplemented with 0, 2, 5, or 10% of the RS2, resistant potato starch (RPS), for an additional 3 weeks. The cecal microbiome was analyzed by 16S sequencing. The alpha-diversity of the microbiome decreased with increasing consumption of RPS while a beta-diversity plot showed four discreet groupings based on the RPS level in the diet. The relative abundance of various genera was altered by feeding increasing levels of RPS. In particular, the genus Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group was markedly increased. Cecal, proximal, and distal colon tissue mRNA abundance was analyzed by RNASeq. The cecal mRNA abundance principal component analysis showed clear segregation of the four dietary groups whose separation decreased in the proximal and distal colon. Differential expression of the genes was highest in the cecum, but substantially decreased in the proximal colon (PC) and distal colon (DC). Most differentially expressed genes were unique to each tissue with little overlap in between. The pattern of the observed gene expression suggests that RPS, likely through metabolic changes secondary to differences in microbial composition, appears to prime the host to respond to a range of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites. In summary, consumption of dietary RPS led to significant changes to the microbiome and gene expression in the cecum and to a lesser extent in the proximal and distal colon.

Effects of Keemun and Dianhong Black Tea in Alleviating Excess Lipid Accumulation in the Liver of Obese Mice: A Comparative Study

Schematic diagram of the effects of two black teas in alleviating excess hepatic lipid accumulation.

The gut microbiome and antibiotic resistome of chronic diarrhea rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and its similarity to the human gut microbiome

BACKGROUND

Chronic diarrhea is a common disease causing morbidity and mortality of captive rhesus macaques (RMs, Macaca mulatta). Chronic diarrhea in RMs is typically characterized by long-term diarrhea and a weak response to antibiotic treatment. Diarrhea is also a common disease in humans and can cause death. However, the etiology of about half of diarrheal cases of humans is still unclear. Therefore, we performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterize the differences in the gut microbiome and resistome of chronic diarrhea RMs and asymptomatic individuals.

RESULTS

Our results showed Lactobacillus spp. (mainly L. johnsonii, L. reuteri and L. amylovorus) were significantly depleted in chronic diarrhea RM guts compared to asymptomatic individuals (5.2 vs 42.4%). Functional annotation of genes suggested these Lactobacillus spp. carried genes involved in the adhesion of intestinal epithelial cells and production of bacteriocin. Chronic diarrhea RM guts also had a significantly greater abundance of many other gut bacteria, including mucin-degrading bacteria and opportunistic pathogens. The metabolic pathways of chronic diarrhea RM gut microbiome were enriched in aerobactin biosynthesis, while the metabolic pathways of asymptomatic RM gut microbiome were enriched in the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Chronic diarrhea RM guts had a significantly greater abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), such as ermF, aph(3')-IIIa, ermB, and floR. The strains isolated from feces and tissue fluid of chronic diarrhea RMs had higher resistance rates to the majority of tested antibiotics, but not cephamycin and carbapenem antibiotics. Gut microbial composition comparisons showed that several captive nonhuman primate (NHP) guts were more similar to the guts of humans with a non-westernized diet than humans with a westernized diet. Chronic diarrhea RM gut microbiome was strikingly similar to rural-living humans with diarrhea and humans with a non-westernized diet than asymptomatic RMs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested chronic diarrhea significantly altered the composition and metabolic pathways of the RM gut microbiome. The frequent use of antibiotics caused antibiotic resistance in chronic diarrhea RM gut microbiome with serious consequences for individual treatment and survival. The findings of this study will help us to improve the effective prevention and treatment of diarrhea in RMs. Video Abstract.

A qRT-PCR Method Capable of Quantifying Specific Microorganisms Compared to NGS-Based Metagenome Profiling Data

Metagenome profiling research using next-generation sequencing (NGS), a technique widely used to analyze the diversity and composition of microorganisms living in the human body, especially the gastrointestinal tract, has been actively conducted, and there is a growing interest in the quantitative and diagnostic technology for specific microorganisms. According to recent trends, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is still a considerable technique in detecting and quantifying bacteria associated with the human oral and nasal cavities, due to the analytical cost and time burden of NGS technology. Here, based on NGS metagenome profiling data produced by utilizing 100 gut microbiota samples, we conducted a comparative analysis for the identification and quantification of five bacterial genera (Akkermansia, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Phascolarctobacterium, and Roseburia) within same metagenomic DNA samples through qRT-PCR assay in parallel. Genus-specific primers, targeting the particular gene of each genus for qRT-PCR assay, allowed a statistically consistent quantification pattern with the metagenome profiling data. Furthermore, results of bacterial identification through Sanger validation demonstrated the high genus-specificity of each primer set. Therefore, our study suggests that an approach to quantifying specific microorganisms by applying the qRT-PCR method can compensate for the concerns (potential issues) of NGS while also providing efficient benefits to various microbial industries.

Gastrointestinal Tract and Dietary Fiber Driven Alterations of Gut Microbiota and Metabolites in Durco × Bamei Crossbred Pigs

Gastrointestinal tract and dietary fiber (DF) are known to influence gut microbiome composition. However, the combined effect of gut segment and long-term intake of a high fiber diet on pig gut microbiota and metabolite profiles is unclear. Here, we applied 16S rRNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics to investigate the effect of broad bean silage on the composition and metabolites of the cecal and jejunal microbiome in Durco × Bamei crossbred pigs. Twenty-four pigs were allotted to four graded levels of DF chow, and the content of jejunum and cecum were collected. Our results demonstrated that cecum possessed higher α-diversity and abundance of Bacteroidetes, unidentified Ruminococcaceae compared to jejunum, while jejunum possessed higher abundance of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus. DF intake significantly altered diversity of the bacterial community. The abundance of Bacteroidetes and Turicibacter increased with the increase of DF in cecum and jejunum respectively. Higher concentrations of amino acids and conjugated bile acids were detected in the jejunum, whereas free bile acids and fatty acids were enriched in the cecum. The concentrations of fatty acids, carbohydrate metabolites, organic acids, 2-oxoadipic acid, and succinate in cecum were higher in the high DF groups. Overall, the results indicate that the composition of bacteria and the microbiota metabolites were distinct in different gut segments. DF had a significant influence on the bacterial composition and structure in the cecum and jejunum, and that the cecal metabolites may further affect host health, growth, and slaughter performance.

Dietary Fiber Influences Bacterial Community Assembly Processes in the Gut Microbiota of Durco × Bamei Crossbred Pig

Several studies have shown that dietary fiber can significantly alter the composition and structure of the gut bacterial community in humans and mammals. However, few researches have been conducted on the dynamics of the bacterial community assembly across different graded levels of dietary fiber in different gut regions. To address this, 24 Durco × Bamei crossbred pigs were randomly assigned to four experimental chows comprising graded levels of dietary fiber. Results showed that the α-and β-diversity of the bacterial community was significantly different between the cecum and the jejunum. Adding fiber to the chow significantly increased the α-diversity of the bacterial community in the jejunum and cecum, while the β-diversity decreased. The complexity of the bacterial network increased with the increase of dietary fiber in jejunal content samples, while it decreased in cecal content samples. Furthermore, we found that stochastic processes governed the bacterial community assembly of low and medium dietary fiber groups of jejunal content samples, while deterministic processes dominated the high fiber group. In addition, deterministic processes dominated all cecal content samples. Taken together, the variation of gut community composition and structure in response to dietary fiber was distinct in different gut regions, and the dynamics of bacterial community assembly across the graded levels of dietary fiber in different gut regions was also distinct. These findings enhanced our knowledge on the bacterial community assembly processes in gut ecosystems of livestock.

Effects of dietary Forsythia suspensa extract supplementation to lactating sows and nursery pigs on post-weaning performance, antioxidant capacity, nutrient digestibility, immunoglobulins, and intestinal health

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of dietary Forsythia suspensa extract (FSE) supplementation to lactating sows and nursery pigs on post-weaning performance, antioxidant capacity, immunoglobulins, and intestinal health. Based on backfat, body weight (BW), and parity, 24 gestating sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) with average parity of 3.38 ± 0.61 and BW of 234 ± 6.81 kg were allotted into two dietary treatments (control vs. 100 mg/kg FSE) with 12 sows per treatment from day 107 of gestation to day 21 of lactation. After weaning, based on the initial BW and source litter, 192 nursery pigs (Duroc × [Landrace × Yorkshire], average BW of 6.98 ± 0.32 kg, weaned at day 21) were allotted into four dietary treatments with eight replicate pens per treatment, six pigs per pen for a 4-wk study. The treatments included the following: 1) CC (sows and their piglets both fed control diet); 2) CF (sows fed control diet and their piglets fed FSE diet [containing 100 mg/kg FSE]); 3) FC (sows fed FSE diet and their piglets fed control diet); and 4) FF (sows and their piglets both fed FSE diet). The MIXED procedures of SAS for a split-plot arrangement with sow diet as the whole plot and nursery diet as split plot were used to analyze the data. After weaning, piglets from FSE-fed sows had improved (P < 0.05) average daily gain and feed efficiency, and lower (P < 0.05) diarrhea rate in overall (day 1 to 28) compared with those from sows fed control diet. Piglets from FSE-fed sows also had higher (P < 0.05) contents of immunoglobulin G (IgG), growth hormone, superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity in serum, villus height in ileum, and villus height to crypt depth ratio in jejunum, as well as lower (P < 0.05) content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and crypt depth in ileum compared with those from sows fed control diet. Piglets fed FSE during nursery had increased (P < 0.05) concentrations of IgG, SOD, and catalase, and decreased (P < 0.05) MDA and tumor nuclear factor-α levels in serum compared with those fed control diet during nursery. Piglets from FC group had increased (P < 0.05) protein expression of occludin in jejunal mucosa and relative abundance of Lactobacillus on genus level in colon compared with those from CC group. In conclusion, for the performance and intestinal health, diets supplemented with FSE during lactation phase seemed more efficient to alleviate weaning stress than the nursery phase. In terms of the antioxidant status and immunoglobulins, FSE supplemented in both phases were efficient for nursery pigs.

Galacto-oligosaccharides improve barrier function and relieve colonic inflammation via modulating mucosa-associated microbiota composition in lipopolysaccharides-challenged piglets

BACKGROUND

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) have been shown to modulate the intestinal microbiota of suckling piglets to exert beneficial effects on intestinal function. However, the modulation of intestinal microbiota and intestinal function by GOS in intestinal inflammation injury models has rarely been reported. In this study, we investigated the effects of GOS on the colonic mucosal microbiota composition, barrier function and inflammatory response of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-challenged suckling piglets.

METHODS

A total of 18 newborn suckling piglets were divided into three groups, the CON group, the LPS-CON group and the LPS-GOS group. Piglets in the LPS-GOS group were orally fed with 1 g/kg body weight of GOS solution every day. On the d 14, piglets in the LPS-CON and LPS-GOS group were challenged intraperitoneally with LPS solution. All piglets were slaughtered 2 h after intraperitoneal injection and sampled.

RESULTS

We found that the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged piglets was significantly injured and shedding, while the colonic mucosa of the LPS-GOS group piglets maintained its structure. Moreover, GOS significantly reduced the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets, and significantly increased the activity of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). GOS significantly increased the relative abundance of norank_f__Muribaculaceae and Romboutsia, and significantly decreased the relative abundance of Alloprevotella, Campylobacter and Helicobacter in the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged suckling piglets. In addition, GOS increased the concentrations of acetate, butyrate and total short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colonic digesta of LPS-challenged suckling piglets. GOS significantly reduced the concentrations of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14), and the relative mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets. In addition, GOS significantly reduced the relative mRNA expression of mucin2 (MUC2), and significantly increased the protein expression of Claudin-1 and zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) in LPS-challenged suckling piglets.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that GOS can modulate the colonic mucosa-associated microbiota composition and improve the intestinal function of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.

Resveratrol Attenuates Diquat-Induced Oxidative Stress by Regulating Gut Microbiota and Metabolome Characteristics in Piglets

Previous studies have shown that dietary resveratrol (RES) reduces diarrhea and attenuates oxidative stress in piglets challenged with diquat. However, the effect of dietary resveratrol on the gut microbiota of these piglets, as well as the potential relationships between intestinal microflora and metabolites, remain unclear. Here, 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing and metabolome analyses were performed to investigate the effect of RES on the gut microbiota and metabolome of diquat-challenged piglets. A total of 18 weaned piglets (aged 28 ± 2 days) were divided into the control group (basal diet), diquat group (basal diet + diquat challenge), and RES group (basal diet containing 90 mg/kg RES + diquat challenge). Compared with the control group, piglets in the diquat group showed enriched relative abundance of the phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, the genus Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, and members of the Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group. Noteworthy, RES supplementation significantly reduced the levels of these microorganisms. In contrast, the relative abundance of some beneficial bacterial species in the RES group, such as the genera Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Lachnospiraceae unclassified were significantly higher than in the diquat and control groups. Metabolomic analysis indicated that some metabolites, including indole-3-carbinol, 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid, and uridine, were significantly upregulated upon RES supplementation. In particular, the relative abundance of uridine, indole, and alpha- and beta-dihydroresveratrol was significantly higher in the RES group than in the control group. Moreover, most gut bacterial genera were found to be highly correlated with altered gut microbiota-related metabolites. These findings suggest that dietary supplementation with resveratrol may alter the composition and metabolites of colonic microbiota in diquat-challenged piglets, which provides important insights into the use of resveratrol as a feed additive for gut microbial regulation in piglets with inflammatory and oxidative stress-associated disorders.

In Vitro Fermentation Characteristics and Fiber-Degrading Enzyme Kinetics of Cellulose, Arabinoxylan, β-Glucan and Glucomannan by Pig Fecal Microbiota

Non-digestible polysaccharides are of great significance to human and animal intestinal health. Cellulose, arabinoxylan, β-glucan and glucomannan were selected in the present study to investigate the fermentation characteristics and fiber-degrading enzyme kinetics by inoculating pig fecal microbiota in vitro. Our results showed that fermentation of arabinoxylan and β-glucan produced the highest amount of acetate and lactate, respectively. The abundance of Prevotella_9 was the highest in β-glucan group and positively correlated with lactate and acetate. Glucomannan fermentation produced the highest amount of butyrate, and the abundance of Lachnospiraceae_XPB_1014_group and Bacteroides were the lowest. A significant negative correlation was found between Lachnospiraceae_XPB_1014_group, Bacteroides and butyrate. Exo-β-1,4-xylanase had the highest activity at 24 h during arabinoxylan fermentation. The activity of β-glucosidase and β-mannosidase at 36 h were higher than those at 15 h in the glucomannan group. The abundance of Prevotella_9 was positively correlated with β-glucosidase while Lachnospiraceae_XPB_1014_group and Bacteroides were negatively correlated with β-xylosidase. Our findings demonstrated the β-glucan and arabinoxylan promote proliferation of Prevotella_9, with the preference to secret β-glucosidase, β-mannosidase and the potential to produce lactate and acetate. Butyrate production can be improved by inhibiting the proliferation of Lachnospiraceae_XPB_1014_group and Bacteroides, which have the lack of potential to secret β-xylosidase.

Immunobiotic Feed Developed with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii TUA4408L and the Soymilk By-Product Okara Improves Health and Growth Performance in Pigs

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii TUA4408L is able to differentially modulate the innate immune response of porcine intestinal epithelial cells triggered by TLR4 activation. This strain also has a remarkable ability to grow on plant substrates. These two immunological and biotechnological characteristics prompted us to evaluate whether the soymilk by-product okara fermented with the TUA4408L strain can serve as an immunobiotic feed with the ability to beneficially modulate the intestinal immunity of piglets after weaning to improve their productivity. Our in vivo studies demonstrated that the administration of immunobiotic TUA4408L-fermented okara feed significantly increased piglet growth performance and meat quality. These positive effects were associated with the ability of the TUA4408L-fermented okara feed to beneficially modulate both intestinal microbiota and immunity in pigs. The immunobiotic feed improved the abundance of the beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus and Lactococcus in the gut of pigs, reduced blood markers of inflammation, and differentially regulated the expression of inflammatory and regulatory cytokines in the intestinal mucosa. These findings indicate that the immunobiotic TUA4408L-fermented okara feed could be an economical and environmentally friendly option to improve the growth performance and immune health of pigs.

Dietary fiber in poultry nutrition and their effects on nutrient utilization, performance, gut health, and on the environment: a review

Dietary fiber (DF) was considered an antinutritional factor due to its adverse effects on feed intake and nutrient digestibility. However, with increasing evidence, scientists have found that DF has enormous impacts on the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) development, digestive physiology, including nutrient digestion, fermentation, and absorption processes of poultry. It may help maintain the small and large intestine's integrity by strengthening mucosal structure and functions and increasing the population and diversity of commensal bacteria in the GIT. Increasing DF content benefits digestive physiology by stimulating GIT development and enzyme production. And the inclusion of fiber at a moderate level in diets also alters poultry growth performance. It improves gut health by modulating beneficial microbiota in the large intestine and enhancing immune functions. However, determining the source, type, form, and level of DF inclusion is of utmost importance to achieve the above-noted benefits. This paper critically reviews the available information on dietary fibers used in poultry and their effects on nutrient utilization, GIT development, gut health, and poultry performance. Understanding these functions will help develop nutrition programs using proper DF at an appropriate inclusion level that will ultimately lead to enhanced DF utilization, overall health, and improved poultry growth performance. Thus, this review will help researchers and industry identify the sources, type, form, and amount of DF to be used in poultry nutrition for healthy, cost-effective, and eco-friendly poultry production.

Dietary Fiber Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Intestinal Barrier Function Damage in Piglets by Modulation of Intestinal Microbiome

Weaning of piglets is accompanied by intestinal inflammation, impaired intestinal barrier function, and intestinal microflora disorder. Regulating intestinal microflora structure can directly or indirectly affect intestinal health and host growth and development. However, whether dietary fiber (DF) affects the inflammatory response and barrier function by affecting the intestinal microflora and its metabolites is unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of intestinal microflora in relieving immune stress and maintaining homeostasis using piglets with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal injury as a model. DF improved intestinal morphology and barrier function, inhibited the expression of inflammatory signal pathways (Toll-like receptor 2 [TLR2], TLR4, and NF-κB) and proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin 1β [IL-1β], IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]), and upregulated the expression of barrier-related genes (encoding claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1). The contents of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and the activity of diamine oxidase in plasma were decreased. Meanwhile, DF had a strong effect on the composition and function of intestinal microflora at different taxonomic levels, the relative abundances of cellulolytic bacteria and anti-inflammatory bacteria were increased, and the concentrations of propionate, butyrate, and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in intestinal contents were increased. In addition, the correlation analysis also revealed the potential relationship between metabolites and certain intestinal microflora, as well as the relationship between metabolites and intestinal morphology, intestinal gene expression, and plasma cytokine levels. These results indicate that DF improves intestinal barrier function, in part, by altering intestinal microbiota composition and increasing the synthesis of SCFAs, which subsequently alleviate local and systemic inflammation.IMPORTANCE Adding DF to the diet of LPS-challenged piglets alleviated intestinal and systemic inflammation, improved intestinal barrier function, and ultimately alleviated the growth retardation of piglets. In addition, the addition of DF significantly increased the relative abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria and the production of SCFAs. We believe that the improvement of growth performance of piglets with LPS-induced injury can be attributed to the beneficial effects of DF on intestinal microflora and SCFAs, which reduced the inflammatory response in piglets, improving intestinal barrier function and enhancing body health. These research results provide a theoretical basis and guidance for the use of specific fiber sources in the diet to improve intestinal health and growth performance of piglets and thus alleviate weaning stress. Our data also provide insights for studying the role of DF in regulating gastrointestinal function in human infants.

The Gut Microbiome of Dogs and Cats, and the Influence of Diet

The gut microbiome is a functional organ, and responds metabolically to the nutrient composition within the diet. Fiber, starch, and protein content have strong effects on the microbiome composition, and changes in these nutrient profiles can induce rapid shifts. Due to functional redundancy of bacteria within microbial communities, important metabolites for health can be produced by different bacteria. Microbiome alterations associated with disease are of greater magnitude than those seen in healthy dogs on different diets. Dietary changes, addition of prebiotics, and probiotics, can be beneficial to improve microbial diversity and to normalize metabolite production in diseased dogs.

Effect of dietary folate level on organ weight, digesta pH, short-chain fatty acid concentration, and intestinal microbiota of weaned piglets

Folate is increasingly thought to promote gastrointestinal health and regulate the diversity of gut microbiota to alleviate weaning stress in piglets. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of folate on organ weight, digesta pH, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration, and intestinal microbiota in weaned piglets. A total of 28 piglets (6.73 ± 0.62 kg) were allocated to four dietary treatments consisting of a control group, 3, 9, and 18 mg/kg of folate supplementation in a 14-d feeding trial. The results showed that piglets fed with 9 and 18 mg/kg of folate supplementation had greater (P < 0.05) average liver and spleen weight than the control group. Folate supplementation (9 and 18 mg/kg) can significantly increase (P < 0.05) the stomach pH and tend (P < 0.10) to decrease the cecum pH. Folate treatment (9 and 18 mg/kg) had a positive effect on the metabolism of SCFAs in piglets, in particular, compared with the control group, and the content of acetic acid (AA) and valeric acid was markedly increased (P < 0.05) in the cecum and colon, respectively. Moreover, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, and isovaleric acid were tended (P < 0.10) to increase in the colon. Cecum contents samples were used to determine bacterial community diversity by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. At the genus level, in the cecum, there was a higher (P < 0.05) relative abundance of Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus salivarius, and Lactobacillus mucosae in the 9 mg/kg folate supplementation group. The functional pathways analysis predicted that folate may modify nutrient metabolism by changing the gut microbiota function of weaned piglets. Furthermore, the data showed that Lactobacillus was positively correlated with AA in the cecum. Overall, these findings suggested that folate treatment could increase the organ weight and the stomach pH of weaned piglets and had beneficial effects on gut health, which might be attributed to the alteration in intestinal microbiota induced by folate and the interaction of the intestinal microbiota with SCFAs.

Effects of supplementing sow diets during late gestation with Pennisetum purpureum on antioxidant indices, immune parameters and faecal microbiota

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of adding Pennisetum purpureum (P. purpureum, also known as Napier grass or elephant grass) to the diets of late gestation on the antioxidant indexes, immune indexes and faecal microbiota of sows. At the 90 days of gestation, 300 healthy sows were randomly divided into three groups, and they received the basic commercial diet or added 5% P. purpureum and 10% P. purpureum, respectively. The experiment started from 90 days of gestation to parturition. The results showed that the total antioxidant capacity, immunoglobulins and serum equol concentrations of sows on 100 days of gestation and at parturition increased linearly (p < .05) with the increase of the content of P. purpureum in the gestation diet. The 5% P. purpureum increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (p = .027) and Actinobacteria (p < .001) at phylum level, Coriobacteriaceae (p < .001) at family level and Prevotellaceae_UCG_001 (p = .004) at genus level, and decreased the relative abundance of Escherichia_Shigella (p < .001) at genus level. In summary, this study shows that the additive of P. purpureum can increase the concentration of serum equol, improve the antioxidant capacity and immune function of sow in late gestation. In addition, the additive of 5% P. purpureum in the diet might change the composition of intestinal microbiota of sows, particularly the relative abundance of Coriobacteriaceae (p < .001) increased.

Consumption of Dietary Fiber from Different Sources during Pregnancy Alters Sow Gut Microbiota and Improves Performance and Reduces Inflammation in Sows and Piglets

Although the direct effects of dietary fiber on gut microbiota composition have been studied extensively, systematic evaluation of different fiber sources on gut health and inflammatory responses of sows and their offspring has rarely been conducted. Excessive reactive oxygen species produced by overactive metabolic processes during late pregnancy and lactation of sows leads to increased endotoxin levels, disordered gut microbiota, decreased SCFA production, and secretion of proinflammatory factors, which in turn causes local inflammation of the gut, potential damage of the gut microbial barrier, increased gut permeability, increased blood endotoxin levels (resulting in systemic inflammation), and ultimately decreased sow and piglet performance.

In pregnant and lactating sows, metabolism and immunity undergo drastic changes, which can lead to constipation, abortion, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and reduce production performance. Dietary fiber can regulate animal gut microbiota, alleviate inflammatory responses, and improve performance. Here, 48 sows (Large × Landrace) were randomly allocated to groups including, control, and with alfalfa meal (AM), beet pulp, and soybean skin dietary supplementation for 60 days of gestation. The AM diet decreased IUGR, increased food intake during lactation, and promoted the reproductive performance and physical condition of sows. Further, the AM diet significantly reduced markers of intestinal permeability (reactive oxygen species and endotoxin) in sow serum, and of systemic inflammation (interleukin-6 [IL-6] and tumor necrosis factor alpha) in sow feces and serum, as well as piglet serum, while it increased the anti-inflammatory marker, IL-10, in sow serum and feces. The AM diet also significantly affected gut microbiota by increasing the relative abundance of proinflammatory bacteria, while decreasing anti-inflammatory bacteria. Moreover, the total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content was higher in feces from sows fed an AM diet, with butyric acid content significantly higher during lactation, than in controls. Sow performance was correlated with intestinal permeability, inflammation, and gut microbiota, which were also vertically transmitted to piglets. Our results are significant for guiding feed management in the pig breeding industry. Further, the “sows to piglets” model provides a reference for the effect of dietary fiber on the gastrointestinal function of human mothers and infants.

IMPORTANCE Although the direct effects of dietary fiber on gut microbiota composition have been studied extensively, systematic evaluation of different fiber sources on gut health and inflammatory responses of sows and their offspring has rarely been conducted. Excessive reactive oxygen species produced by overactive metabolic processes during late pregnancy and lactation of sows leads to increased endotoxin levels, disordered gut microbiota, decreased SCFA production, and secretion of proinflammatory factors, which in turn causes local inflammation of the gut, potential damage of the gut microbial barrier, increased gut permeability, increased blood endotoxin levels (resulting in systemic inflammation), and ultimately decreased sow and piglet performance. Our results showed that supplementation of the diet with alfalfa meal in mid and late pregnancy can reverse this process. Our findings lay a foundation for improving the gut health of sows and piglets and provide insights into the study of the gastrointestinal tract function in human mothers and infants.

Dietary Phytase- and Lactic Acid-Treated Cereals Caused Greater Taxonomic Adaptations than Functional Adaptations in the Cecal Metagenome of Growing Pigs

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for the gut bacteria and the host. Nevertheless, little information exists that indicates to what extent an improved level of P availability in the small intestine leads to functional adaptations in bacterial metabolic pathways in the large intestine. Therefore, we investigated the changes in the taxonomic and functional bacterial metagenome in cecal digesta of growing pigs fed diets containing phytase and/or cereals treated with 2.5% lactic acid (LA) for 19 days (n = 8/diet) using shotgun metagenome sequencing. The phytase supplementation resulted in strikingly distinct bacterial communities, affecting almost all major bacterial families, whereas functional changes were less dramatic among the feeding groups. While phytase treatment decreased predominant Prevotellaceae levels, it seemed that Clostridiaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae filled the opening metabolic niches (P < 0.05). The LA-treated cereals mediated reduced levels of Bacteroidaceae and increased levels of Veillonellaceae, but those results were mainly seen when the cereals were fed as a single treatment (P < 0.05). In association with the taxonomic alterations, phytase caused changes within the major functional pathways corresponding to amino acid metabolism; translation; membrane transport; folding, sorting, and degradation; and energy metabolism, whereas the LA treatment of cereals resulted in decreased enzymatic capacities within the carbohydrate metabolism and energy metabolism pathways (P < 0.05). Metabolic dependencies corresponding to the starch and sucrose metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and citrate cycle pathways were indicated by diet-associated changes in enzymatic capacities related to short-chain fatty acid, methane, vitamin, and bacterial antigen synthesis. Accordingly, the present results support the idea of the importance of the availability of intestinal P for bacterial metabolism. However, the functional profiles were less different than the taxonomic profiles among the dietary treatment results, indicating a certain degree of metabolic plasticity within the cecal metagenome.IMPORTANCE Dietary strategies (e.g., phytase supplementation and lactic acid [LA] treatment of cereals) used to improve the availability of phytate-phosphorus (P) from pig feed reduce the amount of P flowing into the large intestine, whereas LA treatment-induced changes in nutrient fractions alter the substrate being available to the microbiota. In ruminants, lower intestinal P availability compromises the fibrolytic activity of the microbiome. Here, we report that the functional capacities were less dramatically affected than the taxonomic composition by phytase-supplemented and LA-treated cereals. The bacterial community appeared to be partly capable of functionally compensating for the altered flow of P by replacing taxa with higher P needs by those with lower P needs. Therefore, by acting as mucosal immune stimulants, alterations in microbiota-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) due to the taxonomic shifts may play a greater role for host physiology and health than functional differences caused by differing intestinal P availabilities, which merits further research.

Assessing the Effects of Ginger Extract on Polyphenol Profiles and the Subsequent Impact on the Fecal Microbiota by Simulating Digestion and Fermentation In Vitro

The beneficial effects of ginger polyphenols have been extensively reported. However, their metabolic characteristics and health effects on gut microbiota are poor understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the digestion stability of ginger polyphenols and their prebiotic effects on gut microbiota by simulating digestion and fermentation in vitro. Following simulated digestion in vitro, 85% of the polyphenols were still detectable, and the main polyphenol constituents identified in ginger extract are 6-, 8-, and 10-gingerols and 6-shogaol in the digestive fluids. After batch fermentation, the changes in microbial populations were measured by 16S rRNA gene Illumina MiSeq sequencing. In mixed-culture fermentation with fecal inoculate, digested ginger extract (GE) significantly modulated the fecal microbiota structure and promoted the growth of some beneficial bacterial populations, such as Bifidobacterium and Enterococcus. Furthermore, incubation with GE could elevate the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) accompanied by a decrease in the pH value. Additionally, the quantitative PCR results showed that 6-gingerol (6G), as the main polyphenol in GE, increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium significantly. Therefore, 6G is expected to be a potential prebiotic that improves human health by promoting gut health.

The in vitro Effects of the Probiotic Strain, Lactobacillus casei ZX633 on Gut Microbiota Composition in Infants With Diarrhea

We investigated the in vitro effects of Lactobacillus casei ZX633 on gut microorganism composition in infants with diarrhea. For this purpose, 103 feces samples from healthy infants (healthy group) and 300 diarrhea samples from infants (diarrhea group) were collected, and diarrhea feces were treated with L. casei ZX633, which was previously isolated from healthy infant feces (treatment group). We used microbial dilution plate methods, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high-throughput sequencing approaches to analyze viable main microorganism counts, short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations, and intestinal microbiota composition in feces, respectively. Our data showed that L. casei ZX633 supplementation increased the numbers of Escherichia coli, yeasts, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and aerobic-bacteria, raised propionic acid levels but reduced four other SCFAs, which are close to the healthy group. Alpha diversity results indicated that microbial diversity and richness decreased in treatment group. Bacterial community analyses revealed that microbial structures of the treatment group tended toward the healthy group; i.e., Escherichia-Shigella and Clostridioides abundance increased, and there was a reduction in the abundance of Streptococcus, Bacteroides, Enterococcus and Veillonella. In conclusion, L. casei ZX633 isolated from healthy infant feces, may be effective in improving infant diarrhea microbiota, potentially providing a new probiotic strain to reduce the incidence of diarrhea associated with bacterial disease in infants.

Dietary Energy Levels Affect Rumen Bacterial Populations that Influence the Intramuscular Fat Fatty Acids of Fattening Yaks (Bos grunniens)

Simple Summary

Yak, a bovid animal, is the predominant livestock on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Rumen is an important digestive organ for ruminants, such as cattle, yak, and sheep. Rumen bacteria play a crucial role in dietary energy digestion of yaks and in their adaptation to the plateau environment. Dietary energy levels affect rumen bacterial populations and lipid deposition in the meat of ruminants. The intramuscular fat fatty acid profile is important for meat quality and human health. This study was conducted to determine the rumen bacterial populations affected by dietary energy levels and understand their relationship with intramuscular fat fatty acids. The results found that increasing dietary energy significantly increased ruminal propionate concentration and reduced the ammonia concentration. High dietary energy increased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and mainly increased ruminal amylolytic and propionate-producing bacteria populations. Ruminal acetate and propionate were positively related to intramuscular saturated fatty acid content, and Prevotella was positively related to intramuscular polyunsaturated fatty acid content and negatively related to intramuscular saturated fatty acid content. This study gives insights into how the effects of dietary energy on rumen bacterial populations are related to intramuscular fat fatty acids of yaks.

Abstract

The yak rumen microflora has more efficient fiber-degrading and energy-harvesting abilities than that of low-altitude cattle; however, few studies have investigated the effects of dietary energy levels on the rumen bacterial populations and the relationship between rumen bacteria and the intramuscular fatty acid profile of fattening yaks. In this study, thirty yaks were randomly assigned to three groups. Each group received one of the three isonitrogenous diets with low (3.72 MJ/kg), medium (4.52 MJ/kg), and high (5.32 MJ/kg) levels of net energy for maintenance and fattening. After 120 days of feeding, results showed that increasing dietary energy significantly increased ruminal propionate fermentation and reduced ammonia concentration. The 16S rDNA sequencing results showed that increasing dietary energy significantly increased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and stimulated the relative abundance of Succiniclasticum, Saccharofermentans, Ruminococcus, and Blautia populations. The quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that high dietary energy increased the abundances of Streptococcus bovis, Prevotella ruminicola, and Ruminobacter amylophilus at the species level. Association analysis showed that ruminal acetate was positively related to some intramuscular saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents, and Prevotella was significantly positively related to intramuscular total polyunsaturated fatty acid content and negatively related to intramuscular total SFA content. This study showed that high dietary energy mainly increased ruminal amylolytic and propionate-producing bacteria populations, which gave insights into how the effects of dietary energy on rumen bacteria are related to intramuscular fat fatty acids of fattening yaks.

Effects of Gut Microbiome and Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) on Finishing Weight of Meat Rabbits

Understanding how the gut microbiome and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) affect finishing weight is beneficial to improve meat production in the meat rabbit industry. In this study, we identified 15 OTUs and 23 microbial species associated with finishing weight using 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic sequencing analysis, respectively. Among these, butyrate-producing bacteria of the family Ruminococcaceae were positively associated with finishing weight, whereas the microbial taxa related to intestinal damage and inflammation showed opposite effects. Furthermore, interactions of these microbial taxa were firstly found to be associated with finishing weight. Gut microbial functional capacity analysis revealed that CAZymes, such as galactosidase, xylanase, and glucosidase, could significantly affect finishing weight, given their roles in regulating nutrient digestibility. GOs related to the metabolism of several carbohydrates and amino acids also showed important effects on finishing weight. Additionally, both KOs and KEGG pathways related to the membrane transportation system and involved in aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and butanoate metabolism could act as key factors in modulating finishing weight. Importantly, gut microbiome explained nearly 11% of the variation in finishing weight, and our findings revealed that a subset of metagenomic species could act as predictors of finishing weight. SCFAs levels, especially butyrate level, had critical impacts on finishing weight, and several finishing weight-associated species were potentially contributed to the shift in butyrate level. Thus, our results should give deep insights into how gut microbiome and SCFAs influence finishing weight of meat rabbits and provide essential knowledge for improving finishing weight by manipulating gut microbiome.

Changes in Faecal Microbiota Profiles Associated With Performance and Birthweight of Piglets

The gastrointestinal tract microbiota interacts with the host to modulate metabolic phenotype. This interaction could provide insights into why some low birthweight pigs can exhibit compensatory growth whilst others remain stunted. This study aimed to identify microbiota markers associated with birthweight [low birthweight (n = 13) or normal birthweight pigs (n = 13)] and performance ["good" or "poor" average daily gain (ADG) class]. Furthermore, the study determined whether the taxonomic markers were longitudinal, or time point specific in their ability to identify low birthweight pigs who could exhibit compensatory growth. Faecal samples were collected and liveweight recorded at 10 different time points from birth to 56 days of age. No consistent associations between birthweight, performance and gut microbiota were found across all time points. However, there was a significant (P < 0.05) effect of birthweight on microbiota richness at 21, 27, 32 and 56 days of age. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in genera abundance according to birthweight and performance were also identified. Low birthweight pigs had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower abundance of Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, but a significantly (P < 0.05) higher abundance of Ruminococcaceae UCG-014 on days 21 and 32, respectively. Piglets classified as having a "good" ADG class had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher abundance of Lactobacillus, unclassified Prevotellaceae and Ruminococcaceae UCG-005 on days 4, 8 and 14, respectively. Furthermore, Ruminococcaceae UCG-005 was significantly more abundant at 14 days of age in normal birthweight pigs with a "good" ADG class compared to those classified as "poor." The results of this study indicate that there are time point-specific differences in the microbiota associated with birthweight and performance, corresponding to the period in which solid feed intake first occurs. Identifying early-life microbiota markers associated with performance emphasises the importance of the neonatal phase when considering intervention strategies aimed at promoting performance.

Early-Life Intake of an Isotonic Protein Drink Improves the Gut Microbial Profile of Piglets

Simple Summary

The gut microbiota plays a key role in maintaining the overall health and homeostasis of mammals. Developing blends of nutrients that contribute to a diverse and balanced gut microbiota community thus contributes to improve pig health, particularly at weaning when rapid dietary and environmental changes occur. As shown in the present study, Tonisity Px, an isotonic protein drink that provides key nutrients for nourishing the enterocytes, increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria and decreased that of potentially-pathogenic bacteria when provided to piglets aged 2 to 8 days. This isotonic protein drink also improved the overall gut environment, both pre-weaning and post-weaning, as revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and semiquantitative Escherichia coli culture.

Abstract

A healthy microbial community in the gut of piglets is critical to minimize the negative performance consequences associated with dietary and environmental changes that occur at weaning. Tonisity Px, an isotonic protein drink, is a potential alternative to balance the gut microbiota as it contains key ingredients for nourishing the small intestine. In the present study, 16 litters comprising 161 piglets were randomly allocated to a group to which Tonisity Px was provided from days 2 to 8 of age (TPX group) or to a control group, to which no Tonisity Px was provided. The TPX group also received Tonisity Px in the 3 days before and after weaning. At days 9, 17, and 30 of age, fecal and ileum samples were collected from piglets belonging to both groups and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, semiquantitative PCR of Rotavirus serogroups, and semiquantitative Escherichia coli culture. Overall, Tonisity Px increased the abundance of beneficial bacterial populations (Lactobacillus and Bacteroides species) and reduced potentially pathogenic bacterial populations (E. coli and Prevotellaceae), in both the pre-weaning and post-weaning periods.

Effect of Dietary Fiber Sources on In-Vitro Fermentation and Microbiota in Monogastrics

Feed fiber composition is usually considered as one of the factors that have an impact on digestive tract microbiota composition. The investigations on the level of fermentation and in-vitro digestibility of different fibers are not well understood. The aim of the current study is to determine the effect of different fiber sources on intestinal nutrient digestibility, hindgut fermentation, and microbial community composition under in vitro conditions using pigs' hindgut as a model. The experimental treatment diets contained alfalfa hay, cornstalk, and rice straw. Cornstalk treatment displayed higher digestibility compared to alfalfa hay and rice straw; similar results were observed with in-vitro digestibility using intestinal digesta. Firmicutes were the most abundant phyla (Firmicutes = 89.2%), and Lactobacillus were the prominent genera (75.2%) in response to alfalfa compared to rice straw and cornstalk treatments. In simulated in-vitro digestion, corn stalk fiber improved dry matter digestibility; rice straw fiber improved volatile fatty acid content and fermentation efficiency. Alfalfa fiber improved the thickness of deposited Firmicutes and Lactobacillus.

High-level expression of an acidic thermostable xylanase in Pichia pastoris and its application in weaned piglets

An acidic thermostable xylanase (AT-xynA) which was stable at low pH and high temperature was considered to have great potential in animal feed. For large-scale production, AT-xynA activity was enhanced about 1-fold in Pichia pastoris by constructing a double-copy expression strain in this study. Furthermore, impacts of different AT-xynA levels on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, short-chain fatty acids, and bacterial community in weaned piglets were determined. Compared with the control group, ADFI and ADG were higher for the pigs fed 4,000 or 6,000 U/kg AT-xynA (P < 0.05). AT-xynA supplementation also significantly increased the digestibility of OM, GE, and DM (P < 0.05). AT-xynA supplementation increased the concentrations of acetate in ileal (P < 0.01) and cecal digesta (P < 0.05). Isobutyrate (P < 0.05) and valerate (P < 0.05) concentrations in colonic digesta also significantly increased compared with the control group. AT-xynA supplementation increased the abundance of Lactobacillus in the ileal, cecal, and colonic digesta of weaned piglets (P < 0.05). AT-xynA alleviated anti-nutritional effects of nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP) by preventing the growth of Pateurella and Leptotrichia in the ileum (P < 0.05). AT-xynA increased the abundance of NSP-degrading bacteria, such as Ruminococcaceae, Prevotella in the cecum and colon (P < 0.05). In summary, AT-xynA addition could improve the growth performance of weaned piglets by altering gut microbiota.