Microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) plays an essential role in the health and well-being of the host. With the exception of chickens, this area has been poorly studied within birds. The ...avian GIT harbours unique microbial communities. Birds require rapid energy bursts to enable energy-intensive flying. The passage time of feed through the avian GIT is only 2–3.5 h, and thus requires the presence of microbiota that is extremely efficient in energy extraction. This investigation has used high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing to explore the GIT microbiota of the flighted bird, the Japanese quail (
Coturnix japonica
). We are reporting, for the first time, the diversity of bacterial phylotypes inhabiting all major sections of the quail GIT including mouth, esophagus, crop, proventriculus, gizzard, duodenum, ileum, cecum, large intestine and feces. Nine phyla of bacteria were found in the quail GIT; however, their distribution varied significantly between GIT sections. Cecal microbiota was the most highly differentiated from all the other communities and showed highest richness at an OTU level but lowest richness at all other taxonomic levels being comprised of only 15 of total 57 families in the quail GIT. Differences were observed in the presence and absence of specific phylotypes between sexes in most sections.
The microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract is a complex community of many different species of microorganisms, dominated by bacteria. This diverse population provides the host with an extensive ...array of enzymes and substrates which, together with the host's metabolic capabilities, provides an extensive metabolome available for nutrient and energy collection. We investigated broiler chickens to determine whether the abundance of certain members of the microbiota was correlated with the relative ability to extract energy from a typical wheat soybean diet. A number of mostly uncultured phylotypes were identified that significantly differed in abundance between birds with high apparent metabolizable energy (AME), measured as the difference between energy consumed and energy excreted, and those with low AME. Among the phylotypes that were more prevalent in birds with high energy efficiency, most were closely associated with isolates of bacterial groups that are commonly recognized as producing enzymes that degrade cellulose and/or resistant starch. Phylotypes that were negatively correlated with performance were all unknown and uncultured, a significant number belonging to an unknown class of Firmicutes. The identification of bacterial phylotypes correlated with the efficiency of energy use opens up the possibility of harnessing these bacteria for the manipulation of the host's ability to utilize energy. Increasing the ability to convert food to body weight is of interest to the agricultural industries, while the opposite is applicable in weight management and obesity control in humans.
This paper describes a simple and reproducible solution phase synthesis approach for selenium nanoparticles by reducing selenium tetrachloride in the presence of ascorbic acid. An optimization study ...with poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) produced stable and spherical narrowly size distributed nanoparticles (46 nm) which are considered highly monodisperse. The presence of selenium nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy for surface plasmon resonance (262 nm), elemental dispersive spectroscopy (11 KeV and 12.5 KeV) and size ranges characterized by dynamic light scattering (PDI = 0.04, size range of optimized nanoparticles = 35 nm to 75 nm), and visualized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy.
The removal of antibiotics from the feeds used in the livestock industry has resulted in the use of a wide range of alternative antimicrobial products that aim to deliver the productivity and health ...benefits that have traditionally been associated with antibiotics. Amongst the most popular alternatives are phytogenic product-based extracts from herbs and spices with known antimicrobial properties. Despite embracing such alternatives, the industry is still largely unaware of modes of action, their overall effects on animal health, and interactions with other feed additives such as probiotics. To address some of these issues, three phytogenic products were selected and their interactions with caecal microbiota of layers, grown under six different production systems, were investigated in vitro. Caecal microbiotas were grown with and without phytogenic products, and the changes in microbiota composition were monitored by sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Phytogenic products and production system both significantly influenced microbiota composition. The three phytogenic products all altered the relative abundance of species within the
Lactobacillus
genus, by promoting the growth of some and inhibiting other
Lactobacillus
species. There were also significant alterations in the
Bacillus
genus. This was further investigated by comparing the effects of the phytogenic products on the growth of a commercially used
Bacillus
-based probiotic. The phytogens affected the probiotic mix differently, with some promoting the growth of
Bacillus
sp. at lower phytogenic concentrations, and fully suppressing growth at higher concentrations, indicating the importance of finding an optimal concentration that can control pathogens while promoting beneficial bacteria.
Key points
•
After removal of antibiotics from animal feed, urgent solutions for pathogen control were needed.
•
Alternative products entered the market without much knowledge on their effects on animal health.
•
Probiotic products are used in combination with phytogens despite the possible incompatibility.
Psoriasis has long been associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, a causal link is yet to be established. Here, we demonstrate that imiquimod-induced psoriasis (IMQ-pso) in mice ...disrupts gut homeostasis, characterized by increased proportions of colonic CX3CR1hi macrophages, altered cytokine production, and bacterial dysbiosis. Gut microbiota from these mice produce higher levels of succinate, which induce de novo proliferation of CX3CR1hi macrophages ex vivo, while disrupted gut homeostasis primes IMQ-pso mice for more severe colitis with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) challenge. These results demonstrate that changes in the gut environment in psoriasis lead to greater susceptibility to IBD in mice, suggesting a two-hit requirement, that is, psoriasis-induced altered gut homeostasis and a secondary environmental challenge. This may explain the increased prevalence of IBD in patients with psoriasis.
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•Imiquimod-induced psoriasis (IMQ-pso) induces gut microbiota dysbiosis•Gut microbiota in IMQ-pso secretes high levels of succinate•High succinate in IMQ-pso induces proliferation of colonic CX3CR1hi macrophages•Impaired gut homeostasis in IMQ-pso aggravates DSS-induced colitis in mice
Patients with psoriasis often develop inflammatory bowel disease. Pinget et al. show that psoriasis disrupts the gut microbiota, increasing microbial production of succinate and pro-inflammatory ligands, inducing the proliferation and activation of colonic CX3CR1hi macrophages. The authors propose a model linking psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Herbs and spices have been used throughout human history for their medicinal qualities. The advent of cheap and readily available medicines have lessened the need for herbs and spices as traditional ...medicines, however, they are rapidly regaining popularity with rising interest of the general population in health, natural products and nutrition. The need for alternative medicines with antimicrobial properties, such as herbs and spices, has also come to the forefront in light of the recent bans of antibiotic use in the livestock industry, including the poultry industry. This large scale use presents an opportunity to observe nutrigenomic effects of prolonged use of herbs on a substantial number of birds fed high concentrations of these products throughout the production cycle. In this manuscript, we investigated the transcriptional effect of continual prolonged oregano supplementation on chicken ileum gene expression. Based on ileum transcriptomics, we report that continual supplementation with 2% oregano altered microbiota-gut-brain axis signalling, rearranged cancer susceptibility towards reduced steroid hormone-related cancers and altered expression of genes targeted by many registered drugs, thus likely affecting their efficiency and side effects. Transcriptional toxicology analysis indicated significant activation of Ventricular Septal Defect and Congenital Heart Disease categories. Our results, counter the notion that natural products such as oregano have the potential for little to no side-effects as they are "natural". The nutrigenomic approach of understanding benefits and side effects of the food we eat, can revolutionize disease management and therapy and have special significance in designing the diets for individuals or livestock with known disease predispositions.
Herbs and spices have been used throughout human history for their medicinal qualities. Our nutrigenomic study shows major benefits and consequences of prolonged oregano use in chicken model.
In the dynamic world of animal production, many challenges arise in disease control, animal welfare and the need to meet antibiotic-free demands. Emerging diseases have a significant impact on the ...poultry industry. Managing gut microbiota is an important determinant of poultry health and performance. Introducing precision glycans as feed additives adds another dimension to this complex environment. The glycans play pivotal roles in supporting gut health and immunological processes and are likely to limit antibiotic usage while enhancing intestinal well-being and overall poultry performance. This study explores precision glycan product as a feed additive supplemented at a continuous dose of 900 g per tonne of feed, in a free-range production system on a large commercial farm. Forty thousand 17-week-old pullets were randomly allocated to one of two separated sections of the production shed, with individual silos and egg-collecting belts. The flock performance, gut microbiota and its functionality were analysed throughout the laying cycle until 72 weeks of age. The results demonstrated that introducing precision glycans improved a range of performance indicators, including reduced cumulative mortality, especially during a major smothering event, where the birds pile up until they suffocate. There was also significantly increased hen-housed egg production, reduced gut dysbiosis score and undigested feed, increased number of goblet cells and improved feed conversion ratio. Additionally, microbiota analysis revealed significant changes in the composition of the gizzard, ileum content, ileum mucosa, and caecal and cloacal regions. Overall, the findings suggest that precision glycans have the potential to enhance poultry egg production in challenging farming environments.
The Australian saltwater crocodile (
Crocodylus porosus
) industry began commercially in the 1980s, producing skins for export and crocodile meat as a by-product. Industry research has thus far ...focused on strategies to improve production efficiency. In the current study, we utilised 16S rRNA sequencing to characterise the intestinal microbiome of Australian saltwater crocodiles. Samples were collected from 13 commercially farmed crocodiles from six sample sites along the length of the intestinal tract. The results indicate a similar microbiome composition to that found in the freshwater alligator, with the dominate phyla represented by
Firmicutes
, primarily
Clostridia
, and
Fusobacteria
, which appears to be distinct from mammalian, fish, and other reptile phyla which are generally dominated by
Firmicutes
and
Bacteroidetes
. The high abundance of ‘pathogenic’ bacteria, with no apparent consequence to the host’s health, is of great interest and warrants further additional investigation. This will enable expansion of the current understanding of host immune function and how it is modified by host and intestinal microbiome interactions.
•Pre-existing gut microbiota did not influence necrotic enteritis development.•Challenge with C. perfringens reduced the carriage of other commensal clostridia.•The microbiota of challenged birds ...resembled that of birds with poor productivity.•Microbiota disruption (dysbiosis) is a major consequence of necrotic enteritis.
Problem addressed: Clostridium perfringens is the etiological agent of necrotic enteritis in chickens. As necrotic enteritis is a gastrointestinal disease, the interactions of pathogenic C. perfringens strains with the complex microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract may influence disease development and severity of disease.
Objective: In this study the interactions of a pathogenic strain of C. perfringens, WER-NE36, with the microbiota of broilers was investigated to determine whether the pre-existing microbiota could influence disease outcomes in the necrotic enteritis challenge model.
Methods and approach: Faecal microbiota compositions were measured before and after C. perfringens challenge and caecal microbiota was also characterised at necropsy. The microbiota profiles from individual birds were related back to the degree of necrotic enteritis that each bird developed.
Results: Under the experimental conditions used the pre-existing microbiota did not have an effect on disease outcomes. However, C. perfringens challenge was shown to have a significant effect on the microbiota of broilers, regardless of disease status, by displacement of commensal clostridia.
Conclusions: The microbiota signature after challenge resembled that of lower productivity birds, supporting the finding that physically obvious disease (necrotic lesions), as well as dysbiosis, are associated with shifts in gut microbiota and affect broiler performance, increasing costs to the poultry industry.
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