Ding Zixu, Xu Yixue, Wang Yan, Liu Miaoer, Zhu Peng, Cui Kuiqing, Yang Chunyan, Xu Changlong, Feng Tong, Liu Qingyou
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Front Microbiol. 2025 Jun 25;16:1617388. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1617388. eCollection 2025.
Rumen microbiota and host metabolites play a key role in regulating ruminant production performance and physiological adaptation. However, the interplay between host physiological status and rumen microbial-metabolite dynamics across lactation stages in buffaloes remains unclear.
This study employed a multi-omics approach, integrating metagenomic and serum metabolomic analyses, to investigate microbial remodeling and metabolic adaptations in buffaloes during lactation and dry periods.
Metagenomic analysis revealed increased abundances of , , and during lactation, associated with lipid hydrolysis, propionate production, and methanogenesis, respectively. Glycoside hydrolase families GH2, GH3, GH5, and GH13 were enriched, indicating elevated carbohydrate degradation potential. In contrast, , , and were predominant during the dry period, contributing to fiber degradation and butyrate synthesis. Functional pathways related to niacin metabolism, bicarbonate reabsorption, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction were significantly upregulated during lactation. Metabolomic profiling identified lactation-enriched metabolites such as indole-3-methylacetate, D-maltose, and gluconic acid, correlating with immune and metabolic indicators (e.g., IgA, glucose, LDL). Conversely, dry period metabolites such as 1-methylhistidine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid indicated physiological shifts toward tissue repair and stress mitigation.
The integrative analysis revealed that host physiological demands during lactation coordinate rumen microbial restructuring to enhance triglyceride degradation, fatty acid biosynthesis, and energy mobilization, thereby supporting milk production. These findings provide novel insights into the host-driven microbiome-metabolite axis underlying lactation in buffaloes.
瘤胃微生物群和宿主代谢产物在调节反刍动物生产性能和生理适应方面发挥着关键作用。然而，水牛不同泌乳阶段宿主生理状态与瘤胃微生物代谢物动态之间的相互作用仍不清楚。
本研究采用多组学方法，整合宏基因组学和血清代谢组学分析，以研究水牛泌乳期和干奶期的微生物重塑和代谢适应。
宏基因组分析显示，泌乳期间 、 和 的丰度增加，分别与脂质水解、丙酸生成和甲烷生成有关。糖苷水解酶家族GH2、GH3、GH5和GH13富集，表明碳水化合物降解潜力提高。相比之下， 、 和 在干奶期占主导地位，有助于纤维降解和丁酸合成。与烟酸代谢、碳酸氢盐重吸收和神经活性配体-受体相互作用相关的功能通路在泌乳期间显著上调。代谢组分析确定了泌乳期富集的代谢产物，如吲哚-3-甲基乙酸、D-麦芽糖和葡萄糖酸，它们与免疫和代谢指标（如IgA、葡萄糖、低密度脂蛋白）相关。相反，干奶期的代谢产物如1-甲基组氨酸和5-羟基吲哚乙酸表明生理状态向组织修复和应激缓解转变。
综合分析表明，泌乳期间宿主的生理需求协调瘤胃微生物重组，以增强甘油三酯降解、脂肪酸生物合成和能量动员，从而支持产奶。这些发现为水牛泌乳期宿主驱动的微生物群-代谢物轴提供了新的见解。
