Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbial Symbioses
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1445223
This article is part of the Research Topic Harnessing Natural Plant Extracts and Probiotics to Enhance Host-Gut Microbiome Interactions View all 10 articles

Multi-omics analysis reveals the effects of host-rumen microbiota interactions on growth performance in a goat model

Provisionally accepted
Juncai Chen Juncai Chen 1*Xiaoli Zhang Xiaoli Zhang 1Xuan Chang Xuan Chang 1Bingni Wei Bingni Wei 1Yan Fang Yan Fang 1Shanshan Song Shanshan Song 1Daxiang Gong Daxiang Gong 2Deli Huang Deli Huang 2Yawang Sun Yawang Sun 1Xianwen Dong Xianwen Dong 3Yongju Zhao Yongju Zhao 1Zhongquan Zhao Zhongquan Zhao 1
  • 1 Southwest University, Chongqing, China
  • 2 Tengda Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
  • 3 Chongqing Academy of Animal Science, Chongqing, Chongqing, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The growth rate of young ruminants has been associated with production performance in later life, with recent studies highlighting the importance of rumen microbes in supporting the health and growth of ruminants. However, the specific role of rumen epithelium bacteria and microbiota-host interactions in influencing the early life growth rate of ruminants remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the rumen fermentation pattern, microbiota characteristics, and global gene expression profiles of the rumen epithelium in 6-month-old goats with varying growth rates. Our results showed that goats with high average daily gain (HADG) exhibited higher rumen propionate concentrations. Goats with low average daily gain (LADG) had the higher relative abundances of rumen epithelium bacteria genera U29-B03 and Quinella, while exhibiting a lower relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae UCG-009. In the rumen fluid, the relative abundances of bacteria genus Alloprevotella were lower and Desulfovibrio were higher in LADG goats compared to HADG goats. Additionally, the relative abundance of fungal genus Symmetrospora was lower in LADG goats compared to HADG goats. Transcriptome analysis showed that 415 genes were differentially expressed between LADG and HADG goats, which were enriched in functions related to cell junction and cell adhesion, etc. Correlation analysis revealed that rumen epithelium bacteria genera UCG-005 and Candidatus Saccharimonas were negatively associated, while Lachnospiraceae NK3A20 group and Oscillospiraceae NK4A214 group were positively associated with average daily gain (ADG) and genes related to barrier function. The rumen fluid bacteria genus Alloprevotella was positively correlated, while Desulfovibrio was negatively correlated with rumen propionate and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) concentrations, as well as genes related to barrier function and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) transport. In summary, our study reveals that the higher ruminal fermentation efficiency, improved rumen epithelial barrier functions, and enhanced SCFAs transport in HADG goats could be attributed to the rumen microbiota, particularly the rumen epithelium bacteria, such as Lachnospiraceae and Oscillospiraceae NK4A214 group.

    Keywords: Microbes, Rumen epithelium, Transcriptome, growth rate, Goat

    Received: 07 Jun 2024; Accepted: 30 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Chen, Zhang, Chang, Wei, Fang, Song, Gong, Huang, Sun, Dong, Zhao and Zhao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Juncai Chen, Southwest University, Chongqing, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.