Poultry Gastrointestinal Microbiome Changes During Ontogenesis

Abstract

A b s t r a c tMicroorganisms which inhabit gut play great role in providing with nutrients, antibiotics, hormones and vitamins necessary for poultry health and performance. Therefore study of gut microbiome changes during ontogenesis seems to be essential. The structure of gut microflora in poultry embryos is of particular interest and debated because of very few publications on the problem. Despite embryo intestine is commonly considered sterile there are several reports on gut colonization by microorganisms in embryos during ontogenesis. Using T-RFLP (Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) analysis to generate a fingerprint of a microbial community we compared gut flora in chick embryos on days 6 and 17 to those in 26-day, 150-day and 300-day old Hisex White layers. Unlike accepted view, a high biodiversity was seen in embryo gut with Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli mainly) predominated. Clostridia, Bacteroides, Negativicutes, Actinomycetales, Bifidocteriales were also found in contrast to earlier reports of their presence only in chicks at hatching and in adult poultry gut. Moreover, in the embryo gut we found the causal agents of dangerous animal disease, Burkholderia sp., Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella sp., Klebsiella sp. and Rickettsiales bacteria. Interestingly, the embryo gut biodiversity on day 6 was higher as compared to day 17 (75±2.75 phylotypes vs 30±1.20 phylotypes). In the layers aged 26, 150 and 300 days the diversity was much higher (over 175±8.12 phylotypes) as compared to embryos due to new members involved into gut bacterial community. Moreover, the poultry aged 300 days was lower both in the total diversity and in the percentage of unidentified microorganisms when compared to 26-day and 150-day old hens. In the adults, the predominating microbial taxa changed, in particular, Clostridia and Negativicutes became more abundant whereas Bacillales and Bifidobacteriales were depressed. Our findings indicate gut colonization by Lactobacilales and pathogenic Listeria sp., Pantoea sp., Enterobacter sp., Mycoplasma sp., Acinetobacter sp., Pasteurellaceae, Campylobacteraceae, Fusobacteria which occurred during ontogenesis. Thus the gut microbiome formation starts in embryo which is important for hatching and growing healthy poultry.

Examination of the Expression of Immunity Genes and Bacterial Profiles in the Caecum of Growing Chickens Infected with Salmonella Enteritidis and Fed a Phytobiotic

“…The examination of microbiocenosis in the caecum at 23 dpi revealed an additional colonisation of intestinal contents by Peptococcus and Staphylococcus representatives. Our data was consistent with the results obtained in other studies (e.g., Li et al [125]; Fisinin et al [126]; Lu et al [127]; Józefiak et al [128]; Singh et al [129]). For example, Li et al [125], based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing, showed that microbial communities of the chicken intestine were dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria (>90%), the former being represented by Peptostreptococcaceae , Lachnospiraceae , Ruminococcaceae , and the genus Enterococcus .…”

“…Our study demonstrated that the caecal microbiota in growing chickens tended to be more diverse by 23 dpi, especially in Subgroups II and IV. Similar observations of an elevation in bacterial diversity were also made by Fisinin et al [126] for healthy chick embryos and 26-day-old chicks when exploring changes in the bacterial community in the digestive tract in chicken ontogenesis.…”

Lactulose with synergists supplementation improving a health of chicks and reducing the environmental burden in poultry industry

“…For gut microbiota analysis from chickens at 17 wk of age, 8 samples of GI contents were taken from caecums in the intestine and then the composition was determined by Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism [ 17 ].…”

Intestinal digestion in poultry compared to other animal species with a diverse diet

“…The intestines of farm animals and poultry play an important role not only in the assimilation of nutrients from feed but also in maintaining the immune defense of the organism ( Grozina, 2014 ; Fisinin et al, 2016 ). The barrier function of intestinal villi (microvillus cylindrical epithelium) cannot completely protect the organism from the introduction of pathogenic bacteria and viruses without populating with a variety of beneficial microflora.…”