Microbiome analysis reveals the positive effects of exercise on the gut microbiota in horse.

Microbiome analysis shows that exercise positively influences the gut bacteria and fungi in horses, potentially benefiting their overall health.

Introduction

• The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the overall health of the host organism, affecting immunity, metabolism, and digestion.
• Exercise is known to influence gut microbiota in various animals, but its specific effects on horses’ gut microbiota were previously unclear.
• This study aimed to investigate how exercise affects the gut bacterial and fungal communities in horses using genetic sequencing techniques.

Methods

• Samples were collected from horses undergoing exercise regimens.
• Gut bacterial and fungal populations were analyzed using 16S rDNA and ITS gene amplicon sequencing.
• Diversity indices—ACE, Chao1, and Shannon—were used to measure microbial diversity and richness.
• Statistical analyses were performed to identify significant changes in the microbiota composition pre- and post-exercise.

Key Findings

• Bacterial Community Changes:
  • Exercise significantly increased bacterial diversity as measured by ACE, Chao1, and Shannon indices.
  • There were significant shifts in the primary bacterial community components after exercise.
  • The dominant bacterial phyla and genera remained stable, but some less abundant taxa showed considerable changes.
  • Specifically, exercise increased the relative abundance of 8 bacterial phyla and 187 genera.
  • The relative abundance decreased for 3 phyla and 197 genera post-exercise.
• Fungal Community Changes:
  • Diversity and abundance of gut fungal communities did not change significantly with exercise.
  • Nonetheless, the relative abundance of five fungal phyla and 105 genera increased significantly with exercise.
  • Conversely, two fungal phyla and 82 genera showed decreased relative abundance following exercise.

Conclusions and Implications

• Exercise can influence the composition and structural diversity of the gut microbiota in horses, particularly affecting bacterial populations more than fungal ones.
• These modifications in the gut microbiome may contribute to the health benefits of exercise via enhanced immune and metabolic functions.
• The study highlights the importance of considering physical activity as a management tool to positively modulate gut microbial communities in horses.
• Further research is recommended to explore how different types and intensities of exercise impact the gut microbiota, potentially optimizing training programs and health strategies for equine welfare.