<i>Bacillus pumilus</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Promote Early Maturation of Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens

Mature and stable intestinal microbiota in chickens is essential for health and production. Slow development of microbiota in young chickens prolongs the precarious period before reaching mature configuration. Whether probiotics can play a role in the early maturation of intestinal microbiota is unk...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Bilal, Caroline Achard, Florence Barbe, Eric Chevaux, Jennifer Ronholm, Xin Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:Microorganisms
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/9/1899
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author Muhammad Bilal
Caroline Achard
Florence Barbe
Eric Chevaux
Jennifer Ronholm
Xin Zhao
author_facet Muhammad Bilal
Caroline Achard
Florence Barbe
Eric Chevaux
Jennifer Ronholm
Xin Zhao
author_sort Muhammad Bilal
collection DOAJ
description Mature and stable intestinal microbiota in chickens is essential for health and production. Slow development of microbiota in young chickens prolongs the precarious period before reaching mature configuration. Whether probiotics can play a role in the early maturation of intestinal microbiota is unknown. To address this, day-old chicks were assigned into six groups: NC (basal diet), PC (virginiamycin), low (BPL) and high-dose (BPH) of <i>Bacillus pumilus,</i> and low (BSL) and high-dose (BSH) of <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>. Cecal contents at days 7, 14, 28 and 42 were used to analyze the treatment and time effects on the diversity and composition of microbiota. Overall, the alpha diversity was significantly decreased in the NC group between days 7 and 14, while this decline was prevented in the <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> probiotic (BSL and BSH) and even reversed in the BPH group. The beta-diversity showed significant responses of microbial communities to probiotics in first two weeks of life. Analyses of the abundance of microbiota reflected that members of the family Ruminococcaceae (<i>Ruminnococcus</i>, <i>Oscillospira</i>, <i>Faecalibacterium</i>, <i>Butyricicoccus,</i> and <i>Subdoligranulum</i>), which were dominant in mature microbiota, were significantly higher in abundance at day 14 in the probiotic groups. Conversely, the abundance of genera within the family Lachnospiraceae (<i>Ruminococcus</i>, <i>Blautia,</i> and <i>Coprococcus</i>) was dominant in early dynamic microbiota but was significantly lower in the probiotic groups at day 14. The <i>Lactobacillus</i> and <i>Bifidobacterium</i> abundance was higher, while the Enterobacteriaceae abundance was lower in the probiotic groups. In summary, the probiotics efficiently helped the cecal microbiota reach mature configuration earlier in life. These results could be used for the future manipulation of microbiota from the perspective of improving poultry performance.
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spelling doaj.art-17cccc88bdfc411ebb7a4b58e9b7ccf22023-11-22T14:18:47ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072021-09-0199189910.3390/microorganisms9091899<i>Bacillus pumilus</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Promote Early Maturation of Cecal Microbiota in Broiler ChickensMuhammad Bilal0Caroline Achard1Florence Barbe2Eric Chevaux3Jennifer Ronholm4Xin Zhao5Department of Animal Science, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, CanadaLallemand Animal Nutrition, 31702 Blagnac, FranceLallemand Animal Nutrition, 31702 Blagnac, FranceLallemand Animal Nutrition, 31702 Blagnac, FranceDepartment of Animal Science, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, CanadaDepartment of Animal Science, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, CanadaMature and stable intestinal microbiota in chickens is essential for health and production. Slow development of microbiota in young chickens prolongs the precarious period before reaching mature configuration. Whether probiotics can play a role in the early maturation of intestinal microbiota is unknown. To address this, day-old chicks were assigned into six groups: NC (basal diet), PC (virginiamycin), low (BPL) and high-dose (BPH) of <i>Bacillus pumilus,</i> and low (BSL) and high-dose (BSH) of <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>. Cecal contents at days 7, 14, 28 and 42 were used to analyze the treatment and time effects on the diversity and composition of microbiota. Overall, the alpha diversity was significantly decreased in the NC group between days 7 and 14, while this decline was prevented in the <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> probiotic (BSL and BSH) and even reversed in the BPH group. The beta-diversity showed significant responses of microbial communities to probiotics in first two weeks of life. Analyses of the abundance of microbiota reflected that members of the family Ruminococcaceae (<i>Ruminnococcus</i>, <i>Oscillospira</i>, <i>Faecalibacterium</i>, <i>Butyricicoccus,</i> and <i>Subdoligranulum</i>), which were dominant in mature microbiota, were significantly higher in abundance at day 14 in the probiotic groups. Conversely, the abundance of genera within the family Lachnospiraceae (<i>Ruminococcus</i>, <i>Blautia,</i> and <i>Coprococcus</i>) was dominant in early dynamic microbiota but was significantly lower in the probiotic groups at day 14. The <i>Lactobacillus</i> and <i>Bifidobacterium</i> abundance was higher, while the Enterobacteriaceae abundance was lower in the probiotic groups. In summary, the probiotics efficiently helped the cecal microbiota reach mature configuration earlier in life. These results could be used for the future manipulation of microbiota from the perspective of improving poultry performance.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/9/1899probioticsmicrobiomematurity<i>Bacillus subtilis</i><i>Bacillus pumilus</i>gut microbiota
spellingShingle Muhammad Bilal
Caroline Achard
Florence Barbe
Eric Chevaux
Jennifer Ronholm
Xin Zhao
<i>Bacillus pumilus</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Promote Early Maturation of Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens
Microorganisms
probiotics
microbiome
maturity
<i>Bacillus subtilis</i>
<i>Bacillus pumilus</i>
gut microbiota
title <i>Bacillus pumilus</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Promote Early Maturation of Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens
title_full <i>Bacillus pumilus</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Promote Early Maturation of Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens
title_fullStr <i>Bacillus pumilus</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Promote Early Maturation of Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens
title_full_unstemmed <i>Bacillus pumilus</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Promote Early Maturation of Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens
title_short <i>Bacillus pumilus</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Promote Early Maturation of Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens
title_sort i bacillus pumilus i and i bacillus subtilis i promote early maturation of cecal microbiota in broiler chickens
topic probiotics
microbiome
maturity
<i>Bacillus subtilis</i>
<i>Bacillus pumilus</i>
gut microbiota
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/9/1899
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