Assessing the impact of broiler genotype on cecal and tracheal microbiome composition using full-length 16S rRNA sequencingOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
Researchers compared tracheal and cecal microbiome composition across three broiler chicken genotypes: heritage New Hampshire x Columbian cross (NHC) and modern Ross x Ross 308 (R308) and Ross YP x Ross 708 (R708) birds.
How was it studied?
At 56 days of age, cecal and tracheal samples from 8 birds per genotype (24 total) underwent full-length 16S rRNA PCR amplification and MinION sequencing, yielding 1.8 million tracheal and 1.2 million cecal reads.
What did they find?
Alpha diversity was similar across genotypes, but beta diversity differed significantly, especially between NHC and the two Ross lines. Bacillota dominated all samples; NHC and R708 tracheas favored Enterococcus cecorum while R308 favored Jeotgalicoccus meleagridis. In ceca, NHC birds carried more potential pathogens like Shigella boydii and Escherichia fergusonii, while R308 birds harbored more Lactobacillus acidophilus and Limosilactobacillus vaginalis than R708.
Why it matters
Host genetics shapes microbial community structure even when overall richness stays constant, suggesting genotype-specific microbiota differences could influence poultry health and performance.