Zhijuan Yan, Yiting Yang, Xinghong Yu, Ziling Hao, Yong Du, Yan Wang, Yuanyuan Wu, Ye Zhao, Lili Niu, Xiaofeng Zhou, Linyuan Shen, Mailin Gan, Li Zhu
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: As an indigenous Chinese breed, Wuhuang pigs are valued for their stress resistance, tolerance to coarse feed, and high lean meat yield, while Berkshire pigs serve as ideal sires due to superior meat quality and early maturity. To explore the microbial basis of hybrid vigor in these breeds, we compared the gut microbiota of purebred Wuhuang pigs and Wuhuang-Berkshire hybrids.
Methods: Microbial composition was assessed via 16S rDNA sequencing, and predictive functional profiling was performed using PICRUSt2 analysis.
Results: Hybrids exhibited significantly increased microbial α-diversity and altered β-diversity. Notably, hybrid ceca were enriched with probiotic genera involved in fiber degradation and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production-such as Prevotella, Ruminococcus, Lachnospiraceae, and Roseburia-accompanied by a higher Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio and strengthened microbial network connectivity. Predictive functional profiling further revealed significantly elevated activity in hybrid pigs for key metabolic pathways including tryptophan synthesis, pyridoxal salvage, and galacturonic acid metabolism (FDR < 0.05).
Discussion: These results imply that hybrid animals leverage enriched probiotic consortia to augment nutrient metabolism and immune function, thereby supporting improved stress resilience and feed efficiency. This study provides potential microbial targets for the future genetic improvement of indigenous pig breeds.
期刊介绍:
Frontiers in Veterinary Science is a global, peer-reviewed, Open Access journal that bridges animal and human health, brings a comparative approach to medical and surgical challenges, and advances innovative biotechnology and therapy.
Veterinary research today is interdisciplinary, collaborative, and socially relevant, transforming how we understand and investigate animal health and disease. Fundamental research in emerging infectious diseases, predictive genomics, stem cell therapy, and translational modelling is grounded within the integrative social context of public and environmental health, wildlife conservation, novel biomarkers, societal well-being, and cutting-edge clinical practice and specialization. Frontiers in Veterinary Science brings a 21st-century approach—networked, collaborative, and Open Access—to communicate this progress and innovation to both the specialist and to the wider audience of readers in the field.
Frontiers in Veterinary Science publishes articles on outstanding discoveries across a wide spectrum of translational, foundational, and clinical research. The journal''s mission is to bring all relevant veterinary sciences together on a single platform with the goal of improving animal and human health.