Dietary Tryptophan Levels Impact Growth Performance and Intestinal Microbial Ecology in Weaned Piglets via Tryptophan Metabolites and Intestinal Antimicrobial Peptides
Zebin Rao,
Jinlong Li,
Baoshi Shi,
Yan Zeng,
Yubo Liu,
Zhihong Sun,
Liuting Wu,
Weizhong Sun,
Zhiru Tang
Affiliations
Zebin Rao
Laboratory for Bio-Feed and Molecular Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Jinlong Li
Laboratory for Bio-Feed and Molecular Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Baoshi Shi
Laboratory for Bio-Feed and Molecular Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Yan Zeng
Hunan Institute of Microbiology, Changsha 410009, China
Yubo Liu
Hunan Institute of Microbiology, Changsha 410009, China
Zhihong Sun
Laboratory for Bio-Feed and Molecular Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Liuting Wu
Laboratory for Bio-Feed and Molecular Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Weizhong Sun
Laboratory for Bio-Feed and Molecular Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Zhiru Tang
Laboratory for Bio-Feed and Molecular Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Tryptophan (Trp) plays an important role in piglet growth. However, the effect of dietary Trp on microbial flora is still poorly understood. A total of 40 28-d weaned piglets were allocated to four groups with 10 barrows per group and one pig per replicate. Piglets were fed a corn and soybean meal-based diet with 0.14%, 0.21%, 0.28%, or 0.35% Trp for four weeks. Five piglets from each diet group were euthanized, and blood and tissue samples were collected. The average daily body weight gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, spleen index, pancreas index, longissimus dorsi muscle index, plasma insulin, 5-hydroxytryptamine, kynurenine, and Trp concentrations of weaned piglets increased in a dose-dependent manner (p Turicibacter, Prevotella, Mitsuokella, Anaerovibrio, Megasphaera, Succinivibrio, Sutterella, Desulfovibrio, and Methanobrevibacter (p Ruminococcaceae, Lactobacillus, and Muribaculaceae in the colon (p p p < 0.05). We noted that a corn and soybean meal-based diet with 0.35% Trp may be a nutritional strategy to improve growth performance, intestinal mucosal barrier integrity, and intestinal microbial ecology in weaned piglets.
