Gut microbiome contributions to altered metabolism in a pig model of undernutrition
Abstract
Significance Employing an intergenerational model of diet restriction (DR) that reduces weight gain, we identify differences in carbohydrate metabolic enzyme gene content of DR versus full-fed (FF) pig gut microbiomes as animals experienced a phased-feeding program administered to farm-raised pigs during their growth cycle. Gnotobiotic mice harboring DR or FF pig microbiomes and fed a corn/soy-dominated pig diet disclosed that the DR microbiome has reduced capacity to produce butyrate, a key diet-derived energy source, and alters hepatic energy metabolism. Combining studies of farm animal microbiome development with functional assays of their microbiomes in gnotobiotic mice should help generate husbandry recommendations for promoting healthy growth of animals during this time of increasing food insecurity and mandates to eliminate subtherapeutic antibiotics for growth-promotion. The concept that gut microbiome-expressed functions regulate ponderal growth has important implications for infant and child health, as well as animal health. Using an intergenerational pig model of diet restriction (DR) that produces reduced weight gain, we developed a feature-selection algorithm to identify representative characteristics distinguishing DR fecal microbiomes from those of full-fed (FF) pigs as both groups consumed a common sequence of diets during their growth cycle. Gnotobiotic mice were then colonized with DR and FF microbiomes and subjected to controlled feeding with a pig diet.…
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