Microbial Diversity and Organic Acid Production of Guinea Pig Faecal Samples

Abstract

The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) or cavy is a grass-eating rodent. Its main diet consists of grass or hay, which comprises cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and their derivatives. Here, the microbial diversity of faecal samples of two guinea pigs and microbial enrichments made with substrates, including starch waste and dried grass, were investigated along with organic acid production profiles. The microbial communities of the faecal samples were dominated by the phyla Bacteroidetes (40%) and Firmicutes (36%). Bacteroidales S24-7 (11% in Cavy 1 and 21% in Cavy 2) was the most abundant order. At genus level, many microorganisms remained unclassified. Different carbon sources were used for organic acid production in faecal enrichments. The dominant bacterial groups in the secondary enrichments with dried grass, starch waste and xylose were closely related to Prevotella and Blautia. Acetate was the predominant organic acid from all enrichments. The organic acid production profiles corresponded to a mixed acid fermentation but differed depending on the substrate. Eight phylogenetically different isolates were obtained, including a novel Streptococcus species, strain Cavy grass 6. This strain had a low abundance (1%) in one of the faecal samples but was enriched in the dried grass enrichment (3%). Cavy grass 6, a fast-growing heterolactic bacterium, ferments cellobiose to lactate, acetate, formate and ethanol. Our results show that cavy faecal samples can be applied as microbial source for organic acid production from complex organic substrates. The cavy gut contains many as-yet-uncultivated bacteria which may be appropriate targets for future studies.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00284-019-01630-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Probiotic capacity of commensal lactic acid bacteria from the intestine of Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

“…Studies conducted by Killer et al [ 5 ] and Sechovcová et al [ 6 ] showcase the isolation of Lactobacillus caviae and Alloscardovia venturai, both belonging to the lactobacillus and bifidobacterium species respectively. Furthermore, Palakawong Na Ayudthaya [ 7 ] identified a Streptococcus species from guinea pig fecal samples. The exploration of probiotic bacteria derived from the host itself has gained momentum in recent decades as a natural resource to optimize animal production and prevent infections [ 8 , 9 ].…”

“…These live organisms contribute to the improvement of intestinal microbial balance and exhibit efficacy against various disorders, including inflammatory diseases and bacterial infections [ 10 , 11 ]. Notably, studies indicate that strains display enhanced probiotic capacity when applied to the same source from which they are isolated [ 7 , 8 , [12] , [13] , [14] ]. Therefore, leveraging strains with probiotic potential from guinea pig intestines for inclusion in their diets becomes a promising strategy.…”

Genomic characterization and probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from feces of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)

“…In tandem with nutritional considerations, scrutiny has been directed toward the intricate microbial communities inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of diverse animal species, given their profound influence on host physiological processes ( Esser et al , 2019 ; Frias et al , 2023 ). Within the intestinal milieu of guinea pigs, the discerned microbial diversity is principally constituted by phyla encompassing Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fibrobacteres, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Tenericutes ( Crowley et al , 2017 ; Palakawong Na Ayudthaya et al , 2019 ). The nuanced distribution of these phyla is contingent upon the specific intestinal segment under examination ( Tang et al , 2022 ).…”

Comparative analysis of fasting effects on the cecum microbiome in three guinea pig breeds: Andina, Inti, and Peru

“…Therefore, the study of GIT microbiome can generate information and knowledge that allows the improvement of meat. This is one of the reasons for the increasing number of studies about GIT microbiome of production animals, including different guinea pig breeds (Hildebrand et al, 2012 ; Phillips Campbell et al, 2016 ; Al et al, 2017 ; Crowley et al, 2017 ; Lucking et al, 2018 ; Palakawong Na Ayudthaya et al, 2019 ; Shin et al, 2021 ; Tang et al, 2022 ; Wada et al, 2022 ; Frias et al, 2023 ).…”