Metagenomic analysis reveals linkages between cecal microbiota and feed efficiency in Xiayan chickens

Abstract

The cecal microbiota plays a critical role in energy harvest and nutrient digestion, influencing intestinal health and the performance of chickens. Feed efficiency ( FE ) is essential for improving economic efficiency and saving social resources in chicken production and may be affected by the cecal microbiota. Therefore, to investigate the composition and functional capacity of cecum microbes related to FE in Xiayan chicken, an indigenous breed in Guangxi province, metagenome sequencing was performed on chicken cecal contents. 173 male and 167 female chickens were divided into high and low FE groups according to the residual feed intake. The cecal microbial genome was extracted and sequenced. The results showed that the genera Bacteroides , Prevotella , and Alistipes were the 3 most abundant in each cecal microbiome. The linear discriminant analysis effect size revealed 6 potential biomarkers in male and 14 in female chickens. Notably, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the high FE group was higher than that of the low FE group both in the male and female chickens, and the species Limosilactobacillus oris has a higher score in the high FE group of male chickens. In contrast, some potentially pathogenic microorganisms such as Campylobacter avium in females and Helicobacter pullorum in males were enriched in the low FE group. Predictive functional analysis showed that the high FE group in male chickens had a greater ability of xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism and signaling molecules and interaction. In addition, the host sex was found to exert effects on the cecal microbial composition and function associated with FE. These results increased our understanding of the cecal microbial composition and identified many potential biomarkers related to FE, which may be used to improve the FE of the chickens.

Microbial Composition in the Duodenum and Ileum of Yellow Broilers With High and Low Feed Efficiency

“…In earlier studies, Lactobacillus was reported to be related to FCR in chickens (Torok et al, 2011;Stanley et al, 2016). Our experimental results also showed that the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was higher in the LFE group than in the HFE group, although the difference was not significant, which was also approved by Du et al (2020). Research on the structure and variation of the intestinal microbiota in poultry can provide a theoretical basis for improving FE, growth performance, and the development of microbial biomass resources and preparations, which are essential for enhancing industrial efficiency.…”

Transcriptome Analysis Identifies Candidate Genes and Signaling Pathways Associated With Feed Efficiency in Xiayan Chicken

“…The probability value was P < 0.05, indicating statistical significance. Detailed methods were described in our previous studies ( Du et al, 2020 ).…”

Whole-genome sequencing revealed genetic diversity and selection of Guangxi indigenous chickens

“…Previously studies on Guangxi chickens focus on growth performance, meat quality, and feed efficiency [ 2 , 4 , 5 ], or their genetic diversity using low-density markers. Liao et al assessed the genetic diversity of Guangxi chicken breeds with 18 microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial DNA D-loop region [ 6 ].…”