Gene expression in the chicken caecum is dependent on microbiota composition

In this study, we performed an unbiased study of protein expression in the caecum of germ-free and colonised chickens. The major difference between these two groups was in the expression of immunoglobulins which were essentially absent in the germ-free chickens. Microbiota also caused a minor decrease in the expression of focal adhesion and extracellular matrix proteins and an increase in the expression of argininosuccinate synthase ASS1, redox potential sensing, fermentative metabolic processes and detoxification systems represented by sulfotransferases SULT1C3 or SULT1E1. Since we also analysed expression in the caecum ofE. coli Nissle andE. faecium DSM7134 mono-associated chickens, we concluded that at least immunoglobulin expression and expression of cystathionine synthase (CBS) was dependent on microbiota composition withE. coli Nissle stimulating more immunoglobulin and PIGR expression andE.faecium DSM7134 stimulating more CBS expression. Gut microbiota and its composition therefore affected protein expression in the chicken caecum though except for immunoglobulin production, the remaining differences were unexpectedly low.
Source: Veterinary Research - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research