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Postnatal development of the rabbit caecal microbiota composition and activity
Sylvie Combes1, Rory Julien Michelland, Valérie Monteils
1INRA, UMR 1289, Tissus Animaux, Nutrition, Digestion, Ecosystème et Métabolisme (TANDEM), Castanet-Tolosan, France. sylvie.combes@toulouse.inra.fr
FEMS Microbiology Ecology
|June 11, 2011
Summary
The rabbit caecum microbiota develops from a simple to a complex community by day 70. Microbial activity shifts, indicated by a decreasing propionate/butyrate ratio, signifying a mature gut ecosystem.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Animal Science
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- The rabbit caecum harbors a complex microbial community crucial for host physiology.
- Understanding the developmental dynamics of this microbiota is essential for rabbit health and nutrition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the development of the caecal microbiota and its metabolic functions in rabbits from neonatal to subadult stages.
- To investigate the temporal changes in bacterial and archaeal populations and their community structure.
Main Methods:
- 16S rRNA gene-based analysis using capillary electrophoresis single-stranded conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).
- Monitoring microbial population levels (total bacteria, Bacteroides-Prevotella, Firmicutes, Archaea) over time.
- Assessing microbial community stability and metabolic activity via propionate/butyrate ratio analysis.
Main Results:
- Significant increases in total bacteria, Bacteroides-Prevotella, and Firmicutes populations were observed, reaching maximum levels between days 14 and 21.
- Archaeal populations emerged by day 7 and peaked at day 35.
- Microbiota transitioned from an unstable neonatal community to a stable, complex adult community, with the propionate/butyrate ratio decreasing to <1.
Conclusions:
- The rabbit caecum microbiota undergoes progressive development, establishing a complex and stable community structure by the subadult period.
- Microbial metabolic activity, reflected in the propionate/butyrate ratio, matures alongside the microbiota, indicating adaptation to host physiology.
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