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Fouhse, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Fouhse, J..

2 recordsLinked to original sources
bioRxiv2024

The impact of wild-boar derived microbiota transplantation on piglet microbiota, metabolite profile and gut proinflammatory cytokine production differs from sow-derived microbiota

Colonization of co-evolved, species-specific microbes in early life plays a crucial role in gastrointestinal development and immune function. This study hypothesized modern pig production practices have resulted in the loss of co-evolved species and critical symbiotic host- microbe interactions. To test this, we reintroduced microbes from wild boars (WB) into conventional piglets to explore their colonization dynamics and effects on gut microbial communities, metabolite profiles, and immune responses. At postnatal day (PND) 21, 48 piglets were assigned to four treatment groups: 1) WB-derived mixed microbial community (MMC), 2) sow-derived MMC, 3) a combination of WB and sow MMC (Mix), or 4) Control (PBS). Post- transplantation analyses at PND 48 revealed distinct microbial communities in WB-inoculated piglets compared to Controls, with trends toward differentiation from Sow but not Mix groups. WB-derived microbes were more successful in colonizing piglets, particularly in the Mix group, where they competed with sow-derived microbes. WB group cecal digesta enriched with Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus mucosae, and Lactobacillus pontis. Cecal metabolite analysis showed that WB piglets were enriched in histamine, acetyl-ornithine, ornithine, citrulline, and other metabolites, with higher histamine levels linked to Lactobacillus abundance. WB piglets exhibited lower cecal IL-1{beta} and IL-6 levels compared to Controls and Sow groups, while the Mix group showed reduced IFN-{gamma}, IL-2, and IL-6 compared to the Sow group. No differences in weight gain, fecal scores, or plasma cytokines were observed, indicating no adverse effects. These findings support that missing WB microbes effectively colonize domestic piglets and may positively impact metabolite production and immune responses. ImportanceThis study addresses the growing concern over losing co-evolved, species-specific microbes in modern agricultural practices, particularly in pig production. The implementation of strict biosecurity measures and widespread antibiotic use in conventional farming systems may disrupt crucial host-microbe interactions that are essential for gastrointestinal development and immune function. Our research demonstrates that by reintroducing wild boar-derived microbes into domestic piglets, these co-evolved microbes can successfully colonize the gut, influence microbial community composition, and alter metabolite profiles and immune responses without causing adverse effects. These findings also suggest that these co-evolved microbes can fill an intestinal niche, positively impacting immune activation. This research lays the groundwork for future strategies to enhance livestock health and performance by restoring natural microbial populations that produce immune-modulating metabolites. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=156 SRC="FIGDIR/small/623678v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (43K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@6ec5c2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@79804corg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d63016org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ef0010_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

microbiology↗
bioRxiv2024

A comparison of wild boar and domestic pig microbiota does not reveal a loss of microbial species but an increase in alpha diversity and opportunistic genera in domestic pigs

The microbiome of wild animals is believed to be co-evolved with host species, which may play an important role in host physiology. It has been hypothesized that the rigorous hygienic practice in combination with antibiotics and diets with simplified formulas used in the modern swine industry may negatively affect the establishment and development of the gut microbiome. In this study, we evaluated the fecal microbiome of 90 domestic pigs sampled from 9 farms in Canada and 39 wild pigs sampled from three different locations on two continents (North America and Europe) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Surprisingly, the gut microbiome in domestic pigs exhibited higher alpha-diversity indices than wild pigs (P<0.0001). The wild pig microbiome showed a lower Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio and a higher presence of bacterial phyla Elusimicrobiota, Verrucomicrobiota, Cyanobacteria, and Fibrobacterota compared to their domestic counterparts. At the genus level, wild pig microbiome had enriched genera that were known for fibre degradation and short-chained fatty acids production. Interestingly, the phylum Fusobacteriota was only observed in domestic pigs. We identified 31 ASVs that were commonly found in the pig gut microbiome regardless of host sources, which could be recognized as members of the core gut microbiome. Interestingly, we found a few ASVs missing in domestic pigs that were prevalent in wild ones, whereas domestic pigs harbored 59 ASVs that were completely absent in wild pigs. The present study sheds light on the impact of domestication on the pig gut microbiome, including the gain of new genera. ImportanceThe microbiome of pigs plays a crucial role in shaping host physiology and health. This study looked to identify if domestication and current rearing practices have resulted in a loss of co-evolved bacterial species by comparing the microbiome of wild boar and conventionally raised pigs. It represents a comparison of domestic and wild pigs with the largest sample sizes, and is the first to examine wild boars from multiple sites and continents. We were able to identify core microbiome members that were shared between wild and domestic populations, and counter to expectation, few microbes were identified to be lost from wild boar. Nevertheless, the microbiome of wild boars was distinct from domestic pigs, with notably lower abundance of important pathogenic genera. The differences in microbial composition may identify an opportunity to shift the microbial community of domestic pigs towards that of wild boar with the intent to reduce pathogen load.

microbiology↗