Study on Changes in Gut Microbiota and Microbiability in Rabbits at Different Developmental Stages

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Animal Science
• Genetics

Background:

• Gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host health and development.
• Understanding rabbit gut microbiome dynamics is essential for optimizing growth and health management.
• Early life microbial colonization is influenced by maternal factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze gut microbiota composition and changes in rabbits across different developmental stages (0, 10, and 60 days old).
• To investigate the correlation between gut microbiota and body weight in 60-day-old rabbits.
• To determine the contribution of maternal gut microbiota to offspring colonization.

Main Methods:

• Fecal sample collection from offspring rabbits (0, 10, 60 days) and adult female rabbits.
• 16S rRNA sequencing for gut microbiota profiling.
• Fast Expected Maximum Microbial Source Tracing (FEAST) analysis and mixed linear models.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in bacterial abundance were observed between suckling (10-day-old) and weaned (60-day-old) rabbits, with higher Clostridium tertium and Clostridium paraputrificum, and lower Gram-negative bacterium cTPY13 in suckling rabbits.
• Maternal gut microbiota significantly contributes to offspring gut colonization, with a higher contribution observed in younger offspring (0-day-old).
• Six ASVs (Amplicon Sequence Variants) significantly correlated with body weight in 60-day-old rabbits were identified.

Conclusions:

• Maternal influence is a key factor in establishing the early gut microbiome in rabbits.
• Age-related shifts in gut microbiota composition occur during rabbit development, impacting host physiology.
• Identifying specific microbial taxa linked to body weight can inform targeted nutritional and health strategies for rabbits.