ena-STUDY-WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE-21-05-2020-19:02:59:635-27
Microbiota (16S rDNA sequencing) and microbiome (shotgun sequencing) data of a pig model of undernutrition.
The concept that gut microbiome-expressed functions are key regulators of ponderal growth has implications for child health and could provide new approaches for rearing farm animals that are key sources of high-quality protein in our food systems. We developed a feature-reduction algorithm to identify characteristics distinguishing the microbiomes of pigs that experienced diet restriction (DR) in utero and as they consumed a sequence of commonly administered postnatal diets, from the microbiomes of full-fed (FF) animals. The reduced growth of DR pigs is accompanied by reduced representation of microbial genes involved in degrading dominant components of their 'finisher-phase' diets, reduced levels of butyrate, a key host-accessible energy source produced by microbial fermentation of dietary polysaccharides, and significant increases in plasma triglycerides, glucogenic amino acids and urea cycle precursors and reductions in IGF-1. Gnotobiotic mice colonized with DR and FF fecal microbiomes and subjected to controlled feeding with the pig finisher diet revealed a causal relationship between the DR microbiome, reduced butyrate generation, and reduced liver fatty acid oxidation - effects that would contribute to impaired ponderal growth in pigs. The approaches described could help develop guidelines for stewardship of animal microbiomes in ways that support their healthy growth.
The concept that gut microbiome-expressed functions are key regulators of ponderal growth has implications for child health and could provide new approaches for rearing farm animals that are key sources of high-quality protein in our food systems. We developed a feature-reduction algorithm to identify characteristics distinguishing the microbiomes of pigs that experienced diet restriction (DR) in utero and as they consumed a sequence of commonly administered postnatal diets, from the microbiomes of full-fed (FF) animals. The reduced growth of DR pigs is accompanied by reduced representation of microbial genes involved in degrading dominant components of their 'finisher-phase' diets, reduced levels of butyrate, a key host-accessible energy source produced by microbial fermentation of dietary polysaccharides, and significant increases in plasma triglycerides, glucogenic amino acids and urea cycle precursors and reductions in IGF-1. Gnotobiotic mice colonized with DR and FF fecal microbiomes and subjected to controlled feeding with the pig finisher diet revealed a causal relationship between the DR microbiome, reduced butyrate generation, and reduced liver fatty acid oxidation - effects that would contribute to impaired ponderal growth in pigs. The approaches described could help develop guidelines for stewardship of animal microbiomes in ways that support their healthy growth.