A comparative analysis of gut microbiome variations between Pony horses and Mongolian horses utilizing 16S rDNA sequencing technology
The study aimed to investigate the differences in gut microbiome composition between Pony horses and Mongolian horses.Fecal samples from Pony and Mongolian horses were collected,and deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA)was extracted to study the differences in gut microbiota between the two using diversity analysis,taxonomic analysis,and differential analysis methods.The results showed that there were no significant differences in the gut microbiota of Pony horses and Mongolian horses at the phylum level(P>0.05),but at the genus level,the relative abundance of UCG-004 and Rummeliibacillus was significantly higher in the Mongolian horse than in the Pony horse(P<0.05).Functional prediction analysis revealed that the differential gut microbiota of Pony horses and Mongolian horses were enriched in pathways related to broad-specificity phosphatase PhoE,cold shock proteins,and 3-oxoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase.The mRNA expression levels of interferon-α(IFN-α),interferon-β(IFN-β),interferon-γ(IFN-γ),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and interleukin-6(IL-6)in the serum of Mongolian horses were all significantly or extremely higher than those in Pony horses(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The study indicates that there are significant differences in the composition of the gut microbiota between Pony horses and Mongolian horses,and Rummeliibacillus may affect the innate immune function of Pony and Mongolian horses by regulating the signal pathway related to specific phosphatase PhoE.This may result in Mongolian horses having a higher level of immunity than Pony horses.