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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Animal Nutrition and Metabolism
Volume 12 - 2025 |
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1513571
Metabolomic Profiling of Rectal Microorganisms in Tibetan Sheep Across Cold and Warm Seasons
Provisionally accepted
Qi-Tala An 1
Zhipeng Zhao 1* Yaxiong Ren 1* Xia Liu 1*
Liangwei Yao 2 Siyuan Chen 2* Zhikuan Yuan 2* Peijian Feng 2* Wenhao Li 1* Xiaohua Du 1*- 1 Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- 2 Qinghai Animal Husbandry and Veterinary College, Xining, Qinghai Province, China
The intestinal metabolites of Tibetan sheep play a vital role in the integrated regulation of the host and the microbe-gut-brain axis. The current study sought to investigate the characteristics of alterations in rectal metabolites and their functional implications during the cold and warm seasons in Tibetan sheep. A cohort of 12 ewes, approximately one week ± one month in age, exhibiting good body condition and a similar genetic background, was selected for metabolomic analysis of rectal contents collected during the warm season (August) and the cold season (December). The findings revealed significant differences in the rectal microbial metabolites of Tibetan sheep between the two seasons(P＜0.05), with a total of 476 differential metabolites identified in the positive ion mode (148 up-regulated and 328 down-regulated) and 383 differential metabolites in the negative ion mode (135 up-regulated and 248 down-regulated). These differential metabolites were mapped to 12 KEGG metabolic pathways(P＜0.05), including fatty acid biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, secondary bile acid biosynthesis, propionic acid metabolism, lysine degradation, and arginine and proline metabolism, which are linked to lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, respectively. The content of deoxycholic acid in the intestinal tract of Tibetan sheep was significantly higher during the cold season compared to the warm season(P＜ 0.05), while propionic acid was significantly lower(P＜0.05). These metabolites are involved in secondary bile acid biosynthesis and propanoate metabolism pathways. These results indicate significant seasonal variations in rectal microbial metabolites in Tibetan sheep. The identified metabolites may play a crucial role in regulating energy metabolism, inflammatory responses, and immune functions, thereby enhancing the adaptability of Tibetan sheep to the challenges posed by cold-season conditions.
Keywords: Tibetan sheep, Metabolomics, Season, Nutrition metabolism, rectal microbiology
Received: 18 Oct 2024; Accepted: 10 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 An, Zhao, Ren, Liu, Yao, Chen, Yuan, Feng, Li and Du. 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:
Zhipeng Zhao, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
Yaxiong Ren, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
Xia Liu, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
Siyuan Chen, Qinghai Animal Husbandry and Veterinary College, Xining, 812100, Qinghai Province, China
Zhikuan Yuan, Qinghai Animal Husbandry and Veterinary College, Xining, 812100, Qinghai Province, China
Peijian Feng, Qinghai Animal Husbandry and Veterinary College, Xining, 812100, Qinghai Province, China
Wenhao Li, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
Xiaohua Du, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
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