Age Differences in Ileum Microbiota Density: VFAs and Their Transport-Related Gene Interactions in Tibetan Sheep
Fanxiong Wang,
Yuzhu Sha,
Yanyu He,
Xiu Liu,
Xiaowei Chen,
Wenxin Yang,
Qianling Chen,
Min Gao,
Wei Huang,
Jiqing Wang,
Zhiyun Hao,
Lei Wang
Affiliations
Fanxiong Wang
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Yuzhu Sha
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Yanyu He
School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
Xiu Liu
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Xiaowei Chen
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Wenxin Yang
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Qianling Chen
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Min Gao
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Wei Huang
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Jiqing Wang
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Zhiyun Hao
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Lei Wang
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Microbiota density plays an important role in maintaining host metabolism, immune function, and health, and age has a specific effect on the composition of intestinal microbiota. Therefore, the age-specific effects of age differences on the structure and function of the ileum microbiota in Tibetan sheep were investigated by determining the density of the ileum microbiota, the content of VFAs, and the expression levels of their transporter-related genes at different ages. The results showed that the contents of acetic acid and propionic acid in the ileum of Tibetan sheep in the 1.5-year-old group were significantly higher (p p Rf, Ra, and Fs were significantly higher in the 1.5-year-old group than in the other age groups (p AE2, MCT-4, and NHE1 had the highest expression in the 1.5-year-old group, and the expression of DRA was significantly lower in the 1.5-year-old group than in the 6-year-old group (p Cb, Sr, and Tb were significantly positively correlated with butyric acid concentration (p p > 0.05); MCT-1, MCT-4, and AE2 were significantly positively correlated (p NHE1, NHE2, and MCT-4 were highly significantly positively correlated (p Romboutsia and unclassified_Peptostreptococcaceae, while acetic acid was significantly positively correlated (p NK4A214_group; Romboutsia, and unclassified_Peptostreptococcaceae were significantly positively correlated (p < 0.05). Therefore, compared with other ages, the 1.5-year-old Tibetan sheep had a stronger fermentation and metabolic capacity in the ileum under traditional grazing conditions on the plateau, which could provide more energy for Tibetan sheep during plateau acclimatization.
