Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal methyl-donor micronutrient supplementation during gestation on gut microbiota and the fecal metabolic profile in offspring piglets. Forty-three Duroc × Erhualian gilts were assigned to two dietary groups during gestation: control diet (CON) and CON diet supplemented with MET (folic acid, methionine, choline, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12). The body weights of offspring piglets were recorded at birth and weaning. Besides this, fresh fecal samples of offspring piglets were collected at 7, 14, and 21 days. The gut microbiota composition, metabolic profile, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profiles in the fecal samples were determined using 16S rDNA sequencing, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomics, and gas chromatography methods, respectively. The results showed that maternal methyl-donor micronutrient supplementation increased the microbiota diversity and uniformity in feces of offspring piglets as indicated by increased Shannon and Simpson indices at 7 days, and greater Simpson, ACE, Chao1 and observed species indices at 21 days. Specifically, at the phylum level, the relative abundance of Firmicutes and the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio were elevated by maternal treatment. At the genus level, the relative abundance of SCFA-producing Dialister, Megasphaera, and Turicibacter, and lactate-producing Sharpea as well as Akkermansia, Weissella, and Pediococcus were increased in the MET group. The metabolic analyses show that maternal methyl-donor micronutrient addition increased the concentrations of individual and total SCFAs of 21-day piglets and increased metabolism mainly involving amino acids, pyrimidine, and purine biosynthesis. Collectively, maternal methyl-donor micronutrient addition altered gut microbiota and the fecal metabolic profile, resulting in an improved weaning weight of offspring piglets.
Highlights
The gut microbiota and fecal metabolic profile of neonates are closely related to immunity, disease, growth, and development
The body weight at weaning was greater for piglets from sows fed the MET vs. control diet (CON) diet (P < 0.05) (Figure 1)
We subsequently analyzed the significantly metabolite differences in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database to pathways in offspring that may have been influenced by maternal MET during gestation. These findings revealed that the potential biomarkers contribute to various processes, including biosynthesis of amino acids, amino acid metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, purine metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, bile secretion, thiamine metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism, riboflavin metabolism, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, sulfur metabolism, and glutathione metabolism (Tables 4–6)
Summary
The gut microbiota and fecal metabolic profile of neonates are closely related to immunity, disease, growth, and development. The indigestible nutrients that are metabolized by bacteria in the neonatal intestines improve energy harvesting for growth but expose developing mammals to a variety of chemicals [3]. A dysbiosis in the gut microbial community results in higher disease risk, and causes short- and long-lasting adverse effects on neonates’ health. Diet is an important determinant of maternal offspring’s microbial communities and health outcomes. Maternal nutritional status has a great influence on fetal development, pregnancy outcome, and offspring disease development [4,5,6]. A specific diet plan for pregnant women may be a cost-effective intervention to promote intestinal microbiota colonization of offspring
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