• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.763-774
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• 2016

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is one of the most frequently reported diseases in thoroughbred racehorses. Although several risk factors for the development of gastric ulcers have been widely studied, investigation of microbiological factors has been limited. In this study, the presence of Helicobacter spp. and the gastric microbial communities of thoroughbred racehorses having mild to severe gastric ulcers were investigated. Although Helicobacter spp. were not detected using culture and PCR techniques from 52 gastric biopsies and 52 fecal samples, the genomic sequences of H. pylori and H. ganmani were detected using nextgeneration sequencing techniques from 2 out of 10 representative gastric samples. The gastric microbiota of horses was mainly composed of Firmicutes (50.0%), Proteobacteria (18.7%), Bacteroidetes (14.4%), and Actinobacteria (9.7%), but the proportion of each phylum varied among samples. There was no major difference in microbial composition among samples having mild to severe gastric ulcers. Using phylogenetic analysis, three distinct clusters were observed, and one cluster differed from the other two clusters in the frequency of feeding, amount of water consumption, and type of bedding. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the gastric microbiota of thoroughbred racehorses having gastric ulcer and to evaluate the microbial diversity in relation to the severity of gastric ulcer and management factors. This study is important for further exploration of the gastric microbiota in racehorses and is ultimately applicable to improving animal and human health.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2014

In India, disposal of vegetable market waste along with municipal solid waste in landfills or dumpsites is creating much nuisance in terms of odor nuisance, leachate production, and greenhouse gas emission into the atmosphere. Therefore, vegetable waste with high biodegradable and nutrient content is composted in a 550-L batch scale rotary drum composter to study the degradation process and its compost properties for its potential reuse as high quality compost. A total 150 kg of working volume was fixed for composting studies with two different ratios, trial A (6:3:1) of C/N 24 and trial B (8:1:1) of C/N 30, respectively. A maximum of $63.5^{\circ}C$ and $61.2^{\circ}C$ was observed in trials A and B; an average of $55^{\circ}C$ for more than 5 days, which helped in the degradation of organic matter and reduction of total and fecal coliform. The temperature dropped suddenly after the thermophilic stage in trial B, and leachate was observed due to insufficient amount of bulking agent. Mesophilic bacteria dominated during the initial stages of composting, and reduced considerably during the thermophilic stage. During the thermophilic stage, the rise in spore-forming organisms, including spore-forming bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and streptomycetes, increased and these were predominant until the end of the composting process. By examination, it was observed that moisture and leachate production had adverse effects on the compost parameters with higher loss of micronutrients and heavy metals.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1727-1737
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• 2023

Objective: The poultry industry is a primary source of animal protein worldwide. The gut microbiota of poultry birds, such as chickens and ducks, is critical in maintaining their health, growth, and productivity. This study aimed to identify longitudinal changes in the gut microbiota of laying hens from birth to the pre-laying stage. Methods: From a total of 80 Hy-Line Brown laying hens, birds were selected based on weight at equal intervals to collect feces (n = 20 per growth) and ileal contents (n = 10 per growth) for each growth stage (days 10, 21, 58, and 101). The V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified after extracting DNA from feces and ileal contents. Amplicon sequencing was performed using Illumina, followed by analysis. Results: Microbial diversity increased with growth stages, regardless of sampling sites. Microbial community analysis indicated that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla in the feces and ileal. The abundance of Lactobacillus was highest on day 10, and that of Escherichia-shigella was higher on day 21 than those at the other stages at the genus level (for the feces and ileal contents; p<0.05). Furthermore, Turicibacter was the most abundant genus after changing feed (for the feces and ileal contents; p<0.05). The fecal Ruminococcus torques and ileal Lysinibacillus were negatively correlated with the body weights of chickens (p<0.05). Conclusion: The gut microbiota of laying hens changes during the four growth stages, and interactions between microbiota and feed may be present. Our findings provide valuable data for understanding the gut microbiota of laying hens at various growth stages and future applied studies.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.841-860
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• 2023

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary mangosteen peel extract (MPE) on growth performance, serum biochemistry, jejunum morphology, and cytokine levels in growing pigs raised at a high stocking density. A total of 120 male growing pigs (43.68 ± 0.48 kg) were randomly arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design with stocking density (high; HD, 0.55 m²/pig and normal; ND, 0.82 m²/pig) and dietary MPE (0 or 5 g/kg) as factors. Each treatment had six replicates with four or six pigs per treatment. Feed and water were provided ad libitum for 6 weeks. The HD group exhibited lower final body weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed than the ND group (p < 0.05). None of the factors affected villus height to crypt depth ratio. Dietary MPE, but not stocking density, increased IL-10 levels in the serum com-pared to the non-supplemented control diet (p < 0.05). In the microbiome analysis, alpha diversity analysis showed significant reductions in the MPE-treated group only under normal density conditions. High density stress induced gut microbiome changes and these response was differ between normal and MPE diet fed pigs. Overall, each group exhibited different major microbial composition in the gut. In conclusion, there were significant changes in the major microbial composition in response to high-density stress, and this variation was influenced by dietary treatment.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.242-248
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Feeding in infancy is the most significant determinant of the intestinal microbiota in early life. The aim of this study was to determine the gut microbiota of Korean infants and compare the microbiota obtained between breast-fed and formula-fed Korean infants. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We analyzed the microbial communities in fecal samples collected from twenty 4-week old Korean (ten samples in each breast-fed or formula-fed) infants using pyrosequencing. RESULTS: The fecal microbiota of the 4-week-old Korean infants consisted of the three phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. In addition, five species, including Bifidocbacterium longum, Streptococcus salivarius, Strepotococcus lactarius, Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae, and Lactobacillus gasseri were common commensal intestinal microbiota in all infants. The predominant intestinal microbiota in the breast-fed infants (BFI) included the phylum Actinobacteria (average 70.55%), family Bifidobacteriacea (70.12%), genus Bifidobacterium (70.03%) and species Bifidobacterium longum (69.96%). In the microbiota from the formula-fed infants (FFI), the proportion of the phylum Actinobacteria (40.68%) was less, whereas the proportions of Firmicutes (45.38%) and Proteobacteria (13.85%) as well as the diversity of each taxonomic level were greater, compared to those of the BFI. The probiotic species found in the 4-week-old Korean infants were Bifidobacterium longum, Streptococcus salivarius, and Lactobacillus gasseri. These probiotic species accounted for 93.81% of the microbiota from the BFI, while only 63.80% of the microbiota from the FFI. In particular, B. longum was more abundant in BFI (69.96%) than in FFI (34.17%). CONCLUSIONS: Breast milk supports the growth of B. longum and inhibits others. To the best of our knowledge, this study was the first attempt to analyze the gut microbiota of healthy Korean infants according to the feeding type using pyrosequencing. Our data can be used as a basis for further studies to investigate the development of intestinal microbiota with aging and disease status.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.266-274
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• 2013

The effect of different phytogenic feed additives on reducing odorous compounds in swine was investigated using in vitro fermentation and analyzed their microbial communities. Soybean meal (1%) added with 0.1% different phytogenic feed additives (FA) were in vitro fermented using swine fecal slurries and anaerobically incubated for 12 and 24 h. The phytogenic FAs used were red ginseng barn powder (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, FA1), persimmon leaf powder (Diospyros virginiana L., FA2), ginkgo leaf powder (Ginkgo biloba L., FA3), and oregano lippia seed oil extract (Lippia graveolens Kunth, OL, FA4). Total gas production, pH, ammonianitrogen ($NH_3$-N), hydrogen sulfide ($H_2S$), nitrite-nitrogen ($NO_2{^-}$-N), nitrate-nitrogen ($NO_3{^-}$-N), sulfate (${SO_4}^{--}$), volatile fatty acids (VFA) and other metabolites concentration were determined. Microbial communities were also analyzed using 16S rRNA DGGE. Results showed that the pH values on all treatments increased as incubation time became longer except for FA4 where it decreased. Moreover, FA4 incubated for 12 and 24 h was not detected in $NH_3$-N and $H_2S$. Addition of FAs decreased (p<0.05) propionate production but increased (p<0.05) the total VFA production. Ten 16S rRNA DGGE bands were identified which ranged from 96 to 100% identity which were mostly isolated from the intestine. Similarity index showed three clearly different clusters: I (FA2 and FA3), II (Con and FA1), and III (FA4). Dominant bands which were identified closest to Eubacterium limosum (ATCC 8486T), Uncultured bacterium clone PF6641 and Streptococcus lutetiensis (CIP 106849T) were present only in the FA4 treatment group and were not found in other groups. FA4 had a different bacterial diversity compared to control and other treatments and thus explains having lowest odorous compounds. Addition of FA4 to an enriched protein feed source for growing swine may effectively reduce odorous compounds which are typically associated with swine production.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.345-353
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• 2005

The complex ecosystem of intestinal micro flora is estimated to harbor approximately 400 different microbial species, mostly bacteria. However, studies on bacterial colonization have mostly been based on culturing methods, which only detect a small fraction of the whole microbiotic ecosystem of the gut. To clarify the initial acquisition and subsequent colonization of bacteria in an infant within the few days after birth, phylogenetic analysis was performed using 16S rDNA sequences from the DNA iso-lated from feces on the 1st, 3rd, and 6th day. 16S rDNA libraries were constructed with the amplicons of PCR conditions at 30 cycles and $50^{\circ}C$ annealing temperature. Nine independent libraries were produced by the application of three sets of primers (set A, set B, and set C) combined with three fecal samples for day 1, day 3, and day 6 of life. Approximately 220 clones ($76.7\%$) of all 325 isolated clones were characterized as known species, while other 105 clones ($32.3\%$) were characterized as unknown species. The library clone with set A universal primers amplifying 350 bp displayed increased diversity by days. Thus, set A primers were better suited for this type of molecular ecological analysis. On the first day of the life of the infant, Enterobacter, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc citreum, and Streptococcus mitis were present. The largest taxonomic group was L. lactis. On the third day of the life of the infant, Enterobacter, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, S. mitis, and Streptococcus salivarius were present. On the sixth day of the life of the infant, Citrobacter, Clostridium difficile, Enterobacter sp., Enterobacter cloacae, and E. coli were present. The largest taxonomic group was E. coli. These results showed that microbiotic diversity changes very rapidly in the few days after birth, and the acquisition of unculturable bacteria expanded rapidly after the third day.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.690-700
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• 2012

The experiment was conducted by in vitro fermentation and bacterial community analysis to investigate the reduction of odorous compounds in response to the use of feed additives (FA) during carbohydrate overload in growing pigs. Soluble starch at 1% (control) and various FA at 0.1% Ginseng meal (FA1); Persimmon leaf (FA2); Gingko nut (FA3) and Oregano lippia (FA4) were added to fecal slurry and incubated anaerobically for 12 and 24 h. In vitro parameters and microbial diversity of the dominant bacteria following fermentation were analyzed using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE), band cloning and sequencing of the V3 region. Results showed that total gas production increased with the advancement of incubation (p<0.05). pH values of FAs and control groups were decreased except the FA4 group which increased somewhat from 12 to 24 h (p<0.05). Ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) and $H_2S$ gas concentrations were comparatively lower in both stages in FA4 treatment than in the other groups (p<0.05). Hence, $NH_3$-N concentrations in liquid phases were increased (p<0.05) from 12 to 24 h, but the trend was lowest in FA4 than in the other groups at both stages. The total VFA production was comparatively lower and butyrate levels were moderate in FA4 group than in the the other groups during both stages (p<0.05). Indirect odor-reducing compounds such as $NO_2$, $NO_3$ and $SO_4$ concentrations were higher in the FA4 and FA3 than in the other groups at 24 h (p<0.05). After fermentation, ten dominant bands appeared, six of which appeared in all samples and four in only the FA4 treated group. The total number of DGGE bands and diversity was higher in the FA4-group compared to other groups. Additionally, similarity indices were lowest (71%) in the FA4, which represented a different bacterial community compared with the other groups. These findings indicate that $NH_3$-N, $H_2S$ and VFA production was minimal, and pH was also better in the FA4 group than in the other groups. Furthermore, the conversion of odor-reducing indirect compounds or their intermediates was higher in the FA4 group in compared to the other groups. FA4 group generated less odorous products and more indirect products by in vitro fermentation at 24 h, and their microbial pattern appeared to differ from that of the other groups. These findings suggest that this particular FA could change the microbial population, which may have a beneficial effect on odor reduction. It is recommended that the oregano lippia may be supplied to growing pigs as FA along with excess carbohydrate sources to reduce the production of odorous compounds.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 2022

This study aimed to determine the effects of dietary microalgae (Tetradesmus sp. (TO)) on intestinal immunity and microbiota of pre-starter broilers. One hundred and twenty 1-day-old birds (Ross 308) were allocated to two dietary treatment groups with six blocks in a randomized complete block design. The two experimental diets consisted of a corn-soybean meal-based basal diet and a diet with 0.5% TO powder instead of cornstarch in the basal diet. After feeding the experimental diets for ten days, all birds' body weight and feed intake were measured, and representative eight birds were selected from each treatment group. Small intestinal lamina propria cells were isolated using flow cytometry to examine the frequency of immune cells. Cecal feces were harvested for 16s rRNA gut microbiota analysis and fecal IgA levels. Here, we found that 0.5% TO supplementation increased CD3⁺CD4⁺ T cells in the small intestine, but decreased CD3⁺CD8⁺ T cells in the small intestine. Gut microbial analysis showed that TO supplementation significantly increased the alpha diversity of the gut microbiome. Taxonomic analysis showed that TO treatment increased the abundance of Firmicutes and decreased that of Bacteroidetes at the phylum level. The distribution of Enterobacteriaceae containing many harmful bacteria at the family level, was lower in the TO group. In the LEfSe analysis, the TO group had a significantly enriched abundance of Agathobaculum at the genus level. Overall, results show that Tetradesmus sp. supplementation influences intestinal T-cell immunity and induces the expansion of beneficial gut microbes in pre-starter broiler chickens.