Dynamic Changes in Intestinal Gene Expression and Microbiota across Chicken Egg-Laying Stages

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Microbiology
• Genomics

Background:

• Egg production is crucial for poultry farming, with hen performance peaking and then declining.
• Gut microbiota composition changes during egg-laying, with some microbes enhancing performance.
• The interplay between gut microbes and host gene expression in egg-laying hens remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate dynamic alterations in intestinal microbiota and host gene expression throughout different egg-laying stages.
• To understand the interaction between gut microbes and host gene expression in relation to egg production.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of microbial community and metagenomic function across the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum during pre-, peak-, and late-laying periods.
• Transcriptome analysis to identify host gene expression changes.
• Correlation analysis between specific microbial abundances and host gene expression.

Main Results:

• Significant shifts in intestinal microbial communities were observed across egg-laying stages.
• Metagenomic analysis revealed decreased biosynthesis pathways and increased hormone-related pathways in aging hens' intestinal microbiota.
• Transcriptome analysis showed upregulated transport genes, downregulated intestinal development genes, and stress-response genes correlating with laying rates.
• Specific bacteria, including Lactobacillus, Muricomes, and Campylobacter, showed correlations with host gene expression in different intestinal segments.

Conclusions:

• Intestinal microbiota composition and host gene expression undergo significant dynamic changes during the egg-laying cycle.
• These microbial and host genetic alterations are linked to physiological changes and laying performance.
• The findings suggest a joint influence of intestinal microbiota and host gene expression on chicken egg production, offering potential targets for improvement.