Unveiling the Kadaknath Gut Microbiome: Early Growth Phase Spatiotemporal Diversity

The early growth phase is a critical period for the development of the chicken gut microbiome. In this study, the spatiotemporal diversity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, shifts in taxonomic composition, and relative abundances of the main bacterial taxa were characterized in Kadaknath, a high-v...

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Main Authors: Amruta Nair, Swapnil Prakash Doijad, Mangesh Vasant Suryavanshi, Anwesha Dey, Satya Veer Singh Malik, Bas E. Dutilh, Sukhadeo Baliram Barbuddhe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Microbiology Research
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7481/16/3/54
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author Amruta Nair
Swapnil Prakash Doijad
Mangesh Vasant Suryavanshi
Anwesha Dey
Satya Veer Singh Malik
Bas E. Dutilh
Sukhadeo Baliram Barbuddhe
author_facet Amruta Nair
Swapnil Prakash Doijad
Mangesh Vasant Suryavanshi
Anwesha Dey
Satya Veer Singh Malik
Bas E. Dutilh
Sukhadeo Baliram Barbuddhe
author_sort Amruta Nair
collection DOAJ
description The early growth phase is a critical period for the development of the chicken gut microbiome. In this study, the spatiotemporal diversity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, shifts in taxonomic composition, and relative abundances of the main bacterial taxa were characterized in Kadaknath, a high-value indigenous Indian chicken breed, using sequencing of the V3–V4 region 16S rRNA gene. To assess microbiome composition and bacterial abundance shifts, three chickens per growth phase (3, 28, and 35 days) were sampled, with microbiota analyzed from three gut regions (crop, small intestine, and ceca) per bird. The results revealed <i>Firmicutes</i> as the most abundant phylum and <i>Lactobacillus</i> as the dominant genus across all stages. <i>Lactobacillus</i> was particularly abundant in the crop at early stages (3 and 28 days), while the ceca exhibited a transition towards the dominance of genus <i>Phocaeicola</i> by day 35. Microbial richness and evenness increased with age, reflecting microbiome maturation, and the analyses of the microbial community composition revealed distinct spatiotemporal differences, with the ceca on day 35 showing the highest differentiation. Pathogen analysis highlighted a peak in poultry-associated taxa <i>Campylobacter</i>, <i>Staphylococcus</i>, and <i>Clostridium paraputrificum</i> in 3-day-old Kadaknath, particularly in the small intestine, underscoring the vulnerability of early growth stages. These findings provide critical insights into age-specific microbiome development and early life-stage susceptibility to pathogens, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to optimize poultry health management and growth performance.
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spelling doaj-art-7b0393408b5046d88bbff2cb913f80d02025-08-20T03:43:31ZengMDPI AGMicrobiology Research2036-74812025-02-011635410.3390/microbiolres16030054Unveiling the Kadaknath Gut Microbiome: Early Growth Phase Spatiotemporal DiversityAmruta Nair0Swapnil Prakash Doijad1Mangesh Vasant Suryavanshi2Anwesha Dey3Satya Veer Singh Malik4Bas E. Dutilh5Sukhadeo Baliram Barbuddhe6ICAR-National Meat Research Institute, Hyderabad 500092, IndiaInstitute of Biodiversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, GermanyDepartment of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Cleveland Clinic—Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, OH 44106, USADepartment of Forest, West Bengal Zoo Authority, Kolkata 700106, IndiaDivision of Veterinary Public Health, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly 243122, IndiaInstitute of Biodiversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, GermanyICAR-National Meat Research Institute, Hyderabad 500092, IndiaThe early growth phase is a critical period for the development of the chicken gut microbiome. In this study, the spatiotemporal diversity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, shifts in taxonomic composition, and relative abundances of the main bacterial taxa were characterized in Kadaknath, a high-value indigenous Indian chicken breed, using sequencing of the V3–V4 region 16S rRNA gene. To assess microbiome composition and bacterial abundance shifts, three chickens per growth phase (3, 28, and 35 days) were sampled, with microbiota analyzed from three gut regions (crop, small intestine, and ceca) per bird. The results revealed <i>Firmicutes</i> as the most abundant phylum and <i>Lactobacillus</i> as the dominant genus across all stages. <i>Lactobacillus</i> was particularly abundant in the crop at early stages (3 and 28 days), while the ceca exhibited a transition towards the dominance of genus <i>Phocaeicola</i> by day 35. Microbial richness and evenness increased with age, reflecting microbiome maturation, and the analyses of the microbial community composition revealed distinct spatiotemporal differences, with the ceca on day 35 showing the highest differentiation. Pathogen analysis highlighted a peak in poultry-associated taxa <i>Campylobacter</i>, <i>Staphylococcus</i>, and <i>Clostridium paraputrificum</i> in 3-day-old Kadaknath, particularly in the small intestine, underscoring the vulnerability of early growth stages. These findings provide critical insights into age-specific microbiome development and early life-stage susceptibility to pathogens, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to optimize poultry health management and growth performance.https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7481/16/3/54gut microbiomeKadaknath<i>Lactobacillus</i>spatiotemporal variation
spellingShingle Amruta Nair
Swapnil Prakash Doijad
Mangesh Vasant Suryavanshi
Anwesha Dey
Satya Veer Singh Malik
Bas E. Dutilh
Sukhadeo Baliram Barbuddhe
Unveiling the Kadaknath Gut Microbiome: Early Growth Phase Spatiotemporal Diversity
Microbiology Research
gut microbiome
Kadaknath
<i>Lactobacillus</i>
spatiotemporal variation
title Unveiling the Kadaknath Gut Microbiome: Early Growth Phase Spatiotemporal Diversity
title_full Unveiling the Kadaknath Gut Microbiome: Early Growth Phase Spatiotemporal Diversity
title_fullStr Unveiling the Kadaknath Gut Microbiome: Early Growth Phase Spatiotemporal Diversity
title_full_unstemmed Unveiling the Kadaknath Gut Microbiome: Early Growth Phase Spatiotemporal Diversity
title_short Unveiling the Kadaknath Gut Microbiome: Early Growth Phase Spatiotemporal Diversity
title_sort unveiling the kadaknath gut microbiome early growth phase spatiotemporal diversity
topic gut microbiome
Kadaknath
<i>Lactobacillus</i>
spatiotemporal variation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7481/16/3/54
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