The Gut Microbial Architecture of Efficiency Traits in the Domestic Poultry Model Species Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) Assessed by Mixed Linear Models

Abstract

<jats:p>It is well known that mammals and avian gut microbiota compositions are shaped by the host genomes and affect quantitative traits. The microbial architecture describes the impact of the microbiota composition on quantitative trait variation and the number and effect distribution of microbiota features. In the present study the gut microbial architecture of feed-related traits phosphorus and calcium utilization, daily gain, feed intake and feed per gain ratio in the domestic poultry model species Japanese quail were assessed by mixed linear models. The ileum microbiota composition was characterized by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing techniques of growing individuals. The microbiability of the traits was on a similar level as the narrow sense heritability and was highly significant except for calcium utilization. The animal microbial correlation of the traits was substantial. Microbiome-wide association analyses revealed several traits associated and highly significant microbiota features, both on the bacteria genera as well as on the operational taxonomic unit level. Most features were significant for more than one trait, which explained the high microbial correlations. It can be concluded that the traits are polymicrobial determined with some microbiota features with larger effects and many with small effects. The results are important for the development of hologenomic selection schemes for feed-related traits in avian breeding programs that are targeting the host genome and the metagenome simultaneously.</jats:p>

Mapping genes for phosphorus utilization and correlated traits using a 4k SNP linkage map in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

“…2020; Vollmar et al . 2020) and transcriptomic profiles (Oster et al . 2020) as well as miRNA–mRNA and gut microbiota (Ponsuksili et al .…”

“…2020; Vollmar et al . 2020). In addition, ileal transcriptome profiles, miRNA–mRNA and gut microbiome interactions of subsets of quails with divergent PU have been studied (Oster et al .…”

Modeling host-microbiome interactions for the prediction of meat quality and carcass composition traits in swine

“…Camarinha-Silva et al [19] reported similar findings for daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio in pigs, using a limited set of individuals, and suggested the term 'polymicrobial' for the overall contribution of the microbiome to phenotypic variation. Vollmar et al [54], in a study conducted on Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica), also concluded about the polymicrobial nature of some traits but showed that some OTU contributed more than others to the overall phenotypic variance.…”

Gut Microbial Composition and Predicted Functions Are Not Associated with Feather Pecking and Antagonistic Behavior in Laying Hens

“…Verschuren et al estimated high microbiabilities for the digestibility of several nutrients in fecal samples of pigs [ 24 ]. In a study on Japanese quails, medium microbiabilities for feed-related traits were identified [ 25 ]. Hence, the usefulness of microbiability to define the gut microbiome’s effect on feed-related traits in pigs and poultry could be revealed successfully.…”