From composition to function: Translating porcine gut microbiota research into strategies for improving intestinal...

The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in regulating host physiology, metabolism, and overall health. The diverse geographical landscape of China has contributed to the development of rich indigenous pig genetic resources, which exhibit stronger disease resistance than commercial breeds, largely attributed to the composition of their gut microbiota. Given the substantial anatomical and physiological similarities between pigs and humans concerning intestinal structure, and the fact that human-derived microorganisms can effectively colonize the porcine gut, pigs serve as excellent models for intestinal diseases. This review summarizes the geographical and spatial ecological niches of gut microbiota in Chinese indigenous pig breeds, the influences of age and environment on microbial composition, and the beneficial roles of certain microbial taxa from these local breeds in preventing intestinal disorders, including diarrhea associated with impaired intestinal barrier function, pathogen-induced diarrhea, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus infection, intestinal inflammation models, human rotavirus infection, and necrotizing enterocolitis. Their gut microbiota is characterized by the enrichment of Akkermansia, Lactobacillus, Prevotella, Bacillus, Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, and Bacteroides, which have been implicated in maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and reducing inflammatory cytokine levels during pathogen-induced intestinal inflammation. In the context of gastrointestinal disease prevention and treatment, strategies have largely centered on fecal microbiota transplantation, fecal suspension transplantation, or supplementation with single bacterial strains. However, research on multi-strain combinatorial therapeutics remains limited. Future studies should expand to underexplored indigenous breeds and prioritize the development of composite microbial consortia informed by existing findings.