The Fibrolytic Enzyme Profiles and the Composition of Fungal Communities in Donkey Cecum-Colon Ecosystem

Abstract

The fibrolytic enzymes and the hindgut fungi in donkey cecum-colon ecosystem play an important role in dietary fiber digestion. A better understanding of the fibrolytic enzyme profiles and the fungal community along donkey caecum and colon is key for optimizing hindgut function. In the present study, the fibrolytic enzyme activities within donkey caecum and colon were firstly measured by spectrophotometry. Activities of carboxymethyl cellulase, avicelase, xylanase, and acetyl esterase were greater in donkey dorsal colon than in caecum, indicating that the colon microorganisms may be more efficient in producing fibrolytic enzymes compared to caecum microbes. The fungal community composition along donkey hindgut was determined by sequencing ITS region using Illumina MiSeq. Three fungal phyla were identified by sequence comparison: Ascomycota (66.8%–74.4%), Basidiomycota (21.6%–30.9%), and Neocallimastigomycota (0.9%–3.3%). The Aspergillus, Wallemia, Phanerochaete, Fusarium, and Penicillium were detected as the dominant genera, but their metabolic and functional significance in donkey cecum-colon ecosystem need further investigation. In terms of the anaerobic fungi Neocallimastigomycota, its abundance was greater in donkey colon than in caecum (p < 0.05), indicating that the donkey hindgut region was associated with differences in fungal community composition. Moreover, the relative abundance of enzymes related to plant cell wall degradation were predicted by PICRUSt, and they were also lower in caecum than in colon. The present study provided new information about fibrolytic enzyme profiles and fungal composition in donkey hindgut ecosystem.

Dynamic Distribution of Skin Microorganisms in Donkeys at Different Ages and Various Sites of the Body

“…At the phylum level, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the predominant fungi on donkey dorsal skin, which was consistent with the findings of a previous study on the donkey caecum and colon, which had the highest abundance of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota [24]. At the genus level, Wallemia, Alternaria, unclassified_f_Saccharomycetales_fam_Incertae_sedis, Issatchenkia, Sarocladium and unclassified_f__Microascaceae were the predominant genera on dorsal and abdominal skin in the current study.…”

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Slow-Twitch and Fast-Twitch Muscles in Dezhou Donkeys

“…Six healthy male donkeys with similar body weight (225 ± 6 kg; mean ± SEM) and aged 2.5 years were selected for this study. After a 12 h feed withdrawal, six donkeys were slaughtered for tissue collection, as was done in our previous publication [ 21 ]. After death, the neck muscle (NM), psoas major muscle (PM), longissimus doris muscle (LD) and biceps femoris muscle (BF) were sampled and washed with sterilized saline, and immediately placed in liquid nitrogen for histochemical analysis and RNA extraction.…”

Application of microbial agents in organic solid waste composting: a review

“…38 In 2018, researchers collected samples from paddy soil and understory and isolated and purified Penicillium donkii at 28 °C, Aspergillus fumigatus and Bacillus subsubspecies growing at 55-60 °C. [39][40][41] In 2020, Trichoderma longibrachiatum, which can grow at 16 °C and degrade lignin, can be screened and isolated from soil in low-temperature areas; in the same year, Penicillium oxalate can be isolated from rice fields; and Bacillus adipocens thermophilus, which can grow and produce enzymes at 75-80 °C in a hightemperature environment, can be screened and isolated from high-temperature compost fermentation. [42][43][44] In 2021-2023, the researchers found Serratia, which grows at 15 °C, and Bacillus ureae geodesi, which can grow at temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 °C.…”

“…In 2015, researchers screened several strains of Trichoderma harziensis in tobacco, and in the same year isolated Streptomyces violaceorubidus growing at 50 °C in soil 38 . In 2018, researchers collected samples from paddy soil and understory and isolated and purified Penicillium donkii at 28 °C, Aspergillus fumigatus and Bacillus subsubspecies growing at 55–60 °C 39‐41 . In 2020, Trichoderma longibrachiatum , which can grow at 16 °C and degrade lignin, can be screened and isolated from soil in low‐temperature areas; in the same year, Penicillium oxalate can be isolated from rice fields; and Bacillus adipocens thermophilus , which can grow and produce enzymes at 75–80 °C in a high‐temperature environment, can be screened and isolated from high‐temperature compost fermentation 42‐44 .…”