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Al-Nijir M, Chuck CJ, Bedford MR, Henk DA. Metabolic modelling uncovers the complex interplay between fungal probiotics, poultry microbiomes, and diet. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:267. [PMID: 39707513 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01970-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 11/07/2024] [Indexed: 12/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The search for alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production has increased interest in probiotics. However, the complexity of the interactions between probiotics, gut microbiome, and the host hinders the development of effective probiotic interventions. This study explores metabolic modelling to examine the possibility of designing informed probiotic interventions within poultry production. RESULTS Genomic metabolic models of fungi were generated and simulated in the context of poultry gut microbial communities. The modelling approach correlated with short-chain fatty acid production, particularly in the caecum. Introducing fungi to poultry microbiomes resulted in strain-specific and diet-dependent effects on the gut microbiome. The impact of fungal probiotics on microbiome diversity and pathogen inhibition varied depending on the specific strain, resident microbiome composition, and host diet. This context-dependency highlights the need for tailored probiotic interventions that consider the unique characteristics of each poultry production environment. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the potential of metabolic modelling to elucidate the complex interactions between probiotics, the gut microbiome, and diet in poultry. While the effects of specific fungal strains were found to be context-dependent, the approach itself provides a valuable tool for designing targeted probiotic interventions. By considering the specific characteristics of the host microbiome and dietary factors, this methodology could guide the deployment of effective probiotics in poultry production. However, the current work relies on computational predictions, and further in vivo validation studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of the identified probiotic candidates. Nonetheless, this study represents a significant step in using metabolic models to inform probiotic interventions in the poultry industry. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montazar Al-Nijir
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | | | | | - Daniel A Henk
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
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Liu M, Huang J, Ma M, Huang G, Zhang Y, Ding Y, Qu Q, Lv W, Guo S. Effects of dietary Chinese herbal mixtures on productive performance, egg quality, immune status, caecal and offspring meconial microbiota of Wenchang breeder hens. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1320469. [PMID: 38162476 PMCID: PMC10755868 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1320469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Chinese herbal mixtures (CHMs) on productive performance, egg quality, immune status, anti-apoptosis ability, caecal microbiota, and offspring meconial microbiota in hens. A total of 168 thirty-week-old Wenchang breeder hens were randomly divided into two groups, with each group comprising six replicate pens of fourteen hens. The groups were fed a basal diet (CON group) and a basal diet with 1,000 mg/kg CHMs (CHMs group) for 10 weeks. Our results showed that dietary supplementation with CHMs increased the laying rate, average egg weight, hatch of fertile, and offspring chicks' weight while concurrently reducing the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and embryo mortality (p < 0.05). The addition of CHMs resulted in significant improvements in various egg quality parameters, including eggshell strength, albumen height, haugh unit, and the content of docosatetraenoic acid (C20:4n-6) in egg yolk (p < 0.05). The supplementation of CHMs had a greater concentration of IgA and IgG while decreasing the content of IL-6 in serum compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). Addition of CHMs to the diet increased the expression of Bcl-2 and IL-4 in liver and ovary, decreased the expression of IL-1β, Bax, and Caspase-8 in jejunum and ovary, and decreased the expression of NF-κB in liver, jejunum, and ovary (p < 0.05). Moreover, dietary CHMs reduced the abundance of Desulfovibrio in caecal microbiota as well as decreased the abundance of Staphylococcaceae_Staphylococcus and Pseudomonadaceae_Pseudomonas in the offspring meconial microbiota (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the CHMs could improve productive parameters by enhancing immune status, anti-apoptosis capacity, and modulating the caecal microbiota of Wenchang breeder hens, as well as maintaining the intestinal health of the offspring chicks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jieyi Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gengxiong Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingwen Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiqing Ding
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Qu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weijie Lv
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shining Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- International Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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