The pelvic flexure separates distinct microbial communities in the equine hindgut.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research investigates the presence of distinct microbial communities in different parts of a horse’s gut, focusing specifically on the role of the pelvic flexure in separating these communities.
Research Motivation and Methodology
The research was motivated by the critical role microbiota play in the digestion process in horses, particularly in their cecum and large intestines. The team wanted to understand if any signs of the fecal microbiota could give information about the microbial communities in these segments of the horse’s hindgut.
Data was gathered by collecting samples from diverse regions of the gut, including the cecum, ventral colon, dorsal colon, and feces, from 6 yearling miniature horses. A molecular biology technique was employed, isolating microbial DNA and profiling the V4 region of the 16S rRNA to characterize the microbiota in each sample.
Findings
Analysing the beta diversity results, the team found significant similarities between the microbial populations in the cecal and ventral colon and between those in the dorsal colon and fecal samples. However, there was little overlap between the microbiota at the proximal (or earlier) and distal (or later) ends of the hindgut.
Interestingly, these different community populations align with the location of the pelvic flexure—an anatomical structure in the horse’s intestine. It separates the intestinal compartments, each of which has unique roles in digestive physiology.
Indicator Species Analysis and Conclusions
An indicator species analysis reaffirmed these population differences. Certain microbial families were found characteristic of the compartments situated upstream (or before) the pelvic flexure, with these families not evident in those located after it.
This led to two main conclusions:
- The fecal microbiota cannot provide information about the microbiota in the proximal hindgut. However, it can offer insight into the microbial communities in the distal compartments.
- The pelvic flexure appears to be a significant anatomical landmark related to the microbial communities in a horse’s large intestine.
This lays valuable groundwork for a more detailed understanding of the symbiotic relationship between horses and their internal microbial communities, which could have implications for the treatment of equine digestive diseases.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA.
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA.
- Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA.
- M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA.
- M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA.
- Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA.
- Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, 28203, USA.
- Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA.
- Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA. stephen.coleman@colostate.edu.
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA. stephen.coleman@colostate.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biodiversity
- Gastrointestinal Microbiome
- Horses
- Intestine, Large
- Metagenome
- Metagenomics / methods
- Pelvis / anatomy & histology
Conflict of Interest Statement
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Citations
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