Gut Fungal Community Modulates Fat Deposition in Ningxiang Pigs: Species-Specific Regulation via the Glucose–SCFAs Metabolic Axis
Despite limited understanding of gut fungal roles in fat deposition among indigenous pig breeds, a comparative study between high-fat-accumulating Ningxiang (NX) pigs and lean-type Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) pigs reveals a fungal-driven regulatory mechanism. NX pigs exhibited significantly h...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/13/1887 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Despite limited understanding of gut fungal roles in fat deposition among indigenous pig breeds, a comparative study between high-fat-accumulating Ningxiang (NX) pigs and lean-type Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) pigs reveals a fungal-driven regulatory mechanism. NX pigs exhibited significantly higher fat percentage, elevated serum glucose, and markedly reduced total colonic short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) compared to DLY pigs (all <i>p</i> < 0.001), with butyrate showing the most pronounced decrease. Beta-diversity confirmed distinct fungal communities (<i>p</i> = 0.002), where NX pigs were enriched with <i>Aspergillus</i> and <i>Penicillium</i>, while DLY pigs harbored dominant <i>Rhodotorula</i>. Strong correlations were observed: NX-enriched fungi positively correlated with glucose and negatively with SCFAs, whereas <i>Rhodotorula</i> strongly associated with SCFAs (<i>p</i> < 0.001). FUNGuild analysis linked <i>Aspergillus</i>/<i>Penicillium</i> to enhanced polysaccharide degradation and glucose bioavailability. The findings propose a gut fungal-mediated “Glucose–SCFAs axis”: NX-enriched fungi elevate glucose (promoting lipogenesis) and suppress SCFAs (reducing butyrate-mediated adipocyte inhibition), whereas <i>Rhodotorula</i> in DLY pigs enhances SCFAs-induced lipolysis. Crucially, we demonstrate that fungal modulation primarily drives fat deposition differences between breeds, offering novel probiotics/antifungal strategies for precision swine breeding. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2076-2615 |