Gut fungal community composition analysis of myostatin mutant cattle prepared by CRISPR/Cas9

Abstract

Myostatin (MSTN) regulates muscle development and body metabolism through a variety of pathways and is a core target gene for gene editing in livestock. Gut fungi constitute a small part of the gut microbiome and are important to host health and metabolism. The influence of MSTN mutations on bovine gut fungi remains unknown. In this study, Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) high-throughput sequencing was conducted to explore the composition of gut fungi in the MSTN mutant (MT) and wild-type (WT) cattle, and 5,861 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected and classified into 16 phyla and 802 genera. The results of the alpha diversity analysis indicated that no notable divergence was displayed between the WT and MT cattle; however, significant differences were noticed in the composition of fungal communities. Eight phyla and 18 genera were detected. According to the prediction of fungal function, saprotroph fungi were significantly more abundant in the MT group. The correlation analysis between gut fungal and bacterial communities revealed that MSTN mutations directly changed the gut fungal composition and, at the same time, influenced some fungi and bacteria by indirectly regulating the interaction between microorganisms, which affected the host metabolism further. This study analyzed the role of MSTN mutations in regulating the host metabolism of intestinal fungi and provided a theoretical basis for the relationship between MSTN and gut fungi.

Age-Dependent Changes in Protist and Fungal Microbiota in a Peruvian Cattle Genetic Nucleus

“…The three age groups share similar dominant fungal phyla, including Ascomycota, Mucoromycota, Basidiomycota, and Neocallimastigomycota. These findings are consistent with previous studies on cattle and other ruminants, such as bovines [16,48] goats [49], and alpacas [47]. Similarly, in the analysis of protists, the dominant phyla were Incerta Sedis, Apicomplexa, and Ciliophora, which have also been reported in humans [46,50] and primates [51].…”

“…These fungal phyla play crucial roles in various gut functions [14]. Additionally, prominent protist phyla include Ciliophora and Apicomplexa, which are integral to nutrient metabolism and overall gut health [15,16].…”