Preliminary Functional Analysis of the Gut Microbiome in Colic Horses.
- Journal Article
Summary
The study explores the differences in the gut microbiome between horses suffering from colic as compared to healthy ones, identifying reduced diversity in the gut microbiome and changes in abundance of certain bacterial groups in colic horses.
Objectives and Methodology
This research study had a main objective to investigate and understand the composition and functioning of the gut microbiome in colic horses. It aimed to further understand the condition of colic in horses, using gut microbiome as an essential indicator. A total of 28 horses were included in this study, 14 of which were suffering from colic and the rest were taken as control group.
- A stool sample was taken from each horse for DNA extraction and subsequent 16S rRNA metagenomic analysis.
- Next, the extracted DNA was analyzed using QIIME version 1.8.0 and DADA2 version 1.22 programs to determine the composition of the microbiome.
- Metabolic functions were predicted using PICRUSt2, a bioinformatics software application designed to predict the metabolic functional characteristics.
- Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test from the Python scipy v1 package. This statistical test is commonly employed for comparing differences between two independent groups.
Findings
The key findings of the study were as follows:
- The gut microbiome of both groups of horses was mainly made up of three types of bacterial phyla, indicating core commonalities in the microbiome structure among horses.
- The colic horses showed decreased microbiome diversity compared to the control group, implying a potential role of microbial imbalance in the disease.
- The microbial composition also differed between the colic and control horses in terms of the abundance of various bacteria.
- The research also found a negative correlation between the abundance of a certain bacteria and two others in the gut of colic horses. This correlation hints at a possible interaction between these bacteria, which could influence the horse’s susceptibility to colic.
- The gut microbiome of colic horses was noted to show potential enrichment in certain metabolic processes such as aerobic respiration pathways and fatty acid and amino acid degradation. This observation could potentially suggest the microbiome’s adaptation to inflammation or other stress conditions.
Conclusion
The study concludes that important differences exist in the gut microbiome between healthy horses and those suffering from colic. While the findings are preliminary and require further validation, they suggest possible linkage between gut microbiome imbalances and horse colic. This research makes significant contribution to understanding the role of gut microbes in equine health and its potential implications for diagnosis, treatment and prevention strategies for colic in horses.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Clínica y Microbioma, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 7550196, Chile.
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Bioprocesos, Facultad de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile.
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Bioprocesos, Facultad de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile.
- Unidad de Medicina y Cirugía Equina, Hospital Clínico Veterinario, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 7550196, Chile.
Grant Funding
- 11231174 / ANID. FONDECYT Iniciaciu00f3n
Conflict of Interest Statement
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