Abstract
Given that recent advances in metagenomics have highlighted the importance of intestinal microbes for poultry health, there has been a corresponding search for early manipulation strategies of intestinal microbiota in order to advance immune system development and optimize functional properties of growth. In this study, we used the in ovo technique as an experimental model to address how early bacterial intestinal colonization could affect the development and establishment of the mature ileal microbiota. Inoculations containing one of the following: 0.2 mL of 0.9% sterile saline (S), approximately 102 cells of Citrobacter freundii (CF), Citrobacter species (C2) or lactic acid bacteria mixture (L) were administered via in ovo into the amnion. Results showed that Enterobacteriaceae abundance was negatively correlated with aging, although its high population at day of hatch affected the microbiota composition, delaying mature microbiota establishment. L treatment increased colonization of butyrate-producing bacteria by 3 and 10 days, and segmented filamentous bacteria in the lower ileum by 10 days. On the other hand, L-probiotic decreased the population of Enterococcaceae. In addition, L and C2 microbial communities were less diverse at 10 than 3 days of age in the upper ileum. Importantly, these findings provide a valuable resource for a potential study model for interactions between microbial colonization and associated immune responses. In conclusion, our analysis demonstrates that intestinal pioneer colonizers play a critical role in driving the course of microbial community composition and diversity over time, in which early life exposure to L-based probiotic supported selection alongside greater colonization of symbiotic populations in the ileum of young broilers.
Highlights
Resident gastrointestinal (GIT) microbiota, through its interactive metabolic dynamics and immune-inflammatory pathways, may influence both health status and disease susceptibility of the host (Lozupone et al, 2012; Antonissen et al, 2016)
Once eggs were confirmed fertile, at embryonic day 18, the air-cell end of each egg was treated with iodine (Povidone-Iodine 10% topical solution, Drug Mart, Medina, OH, United States) before a small hole was aseptically punched into the shell with an inoculation needle in ovo inoculations contained one of the following: 0.2 mL of 0.9% sterile saline (S), which served as the control group, or approximately 102 cells of Citrobacter freundii (CF), Citrobacter spp. (C2) or lactic acid bacteria (LAB) mixture (L) administered into the amnion
It occurred in the lower ileum (LI), L. salivarius showed a meaningful reduction (P < 0.05) relative to S, CF, and C2 treatments by 10 days of age (Figure 7B and Supplementary Table 1)
Summary
Resident gastrointestinal (GIT) microbiota, through its interactive metabolic dynamics and immune-inflammatory pathways, may influence both health status and disease susceptibility of the host (Lozupone et al, 2012; Antonissen et al, 2016). The mechanisms by how Enterobacteriaceae affect early microbiota are not yet clear, species from this family are typically GIT pioneer colonizers (Lu et al, 2003; Ballou et al, 2016; Wilson et al, 2019). Several studies have shown that the addition of probiotics in the feed represents an effective method for improving growth performance, enhancing humoral immunity and accelerating the maturation of intestinal microbiota (Liao et al, 2012; Berni Canani et al, 2016; Donaldson et al, 2017; Rubio, 2018). Many of the reports regarding broilers have focused on long-term probiotic supplementation, of which administration begins when chicks are placed on farms (Liao et al, 2012; Fathi et al, 2017; Gao et al, 2017)
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