Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
Production of Germ-Free Fast-Growing Broilers from a Commercial Line for Microbiota Studies
Published on: June 18, 2020
Spatiotemporal screening and functional analysis of gut microbiota associated with abdominal fat deposition in
Yu Zhang1, Xiuping Wang2, Yurong Tai3
1Sanya Institute, China Agricultural University, Sanya 572025, China; State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Abstract:
This study explored the regulatory mechanisms of gut microbiota on abdominal fat deposition in breeder broiler hens. Using Wenchang chickens as models, abdominal fat thickness (AFT) was measured via ultrasound at early (22 weeks) and late (45 weeks) laying periods, and hens were divided into high (Group H) and low (Group L) fat deposition groups. Following 24 h of fasting, serum samples were analyzed for lipid metabolism indicators, and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was performed on ileal/cecal digesta. Serum tests showed significantly higher triglycerides (TG) and cholesterol (TC) levels in Group H than in Group L at both stages (all P < 0.01). 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that microbiota structural variations were mainly driven by temporal (4.64%, P = 0.001) and spatial (43.64%, P = 0.001) factors, far exceeding those related to fat deposition phenotypes (0.96%, P = 0.035). Unlike stable ileal microbiota, cecal microbiota showed obvious temporal dynamics and a higher proportion of fat deposition-related differential KEGG orthologs (KOs), suggesting a more prominent regulatory role in host fat deposition. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that Group L's cecal microbiota network matured functionally and structurally from early to late laying periods, while Group H showed distinct network degradation, indicating that early laying cecal microbiota structure affects its late-stage evolution. Differential analysis identified Butyricicoccus as significantly enriched in the cecum of Group L (P < 0.01), and this genus showed a negative correlation with the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway (r = -0.445, P < 0.05). In contrast, the abundance of Peptococcus was significantly increased in Group H (P < 0.05), and this genus exhibited a positive correlation with the aforementioned pathway (r = 0.6342, P < 0.001). Collectively, these findings indicate that the cecal microbiota at the early laying period plays an important role in regulating abdominal fat deposition in broiler breeder hens. Notably, Butyricicoccus and Peptococcus were identified as key genera that modulate host lipid metabolism via the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway, providing novel insights into the microbial regulatory mechanism and potential targets for controlling abdominal fat deposition.
