Characterisation of the Turkey Microbiome Along the Gastrointestinal Tract of Growing Turkeys
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Characterisation of the turkey microbiome along the gastrointestinal tract of growing turkeys Wilkinson, T. J., Cowan, A. A., Vallin, H. E., Onime, L. A., Oyama, L. B., Cameron, S. J., ... Huws, S. (2017). Characterisation of the turkey microbiome along the gastrointestinal tract of growing turkeys. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8, [1089]. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01089 Published in: Frontiers in Microbiology Document Version: Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Queen's University Belfast - Research Portal: Link to publication record in Queen's University Belfast Research Portal Publisher rights Copyright 2017 the authors. This is an open access article published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the author and source are cited. General rights Copyright for the publications made accessible via the Queen's University Belfast Research Portal is retained by the author(s) and / or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing these publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy The Research Portal is Queen's institutional repository that provides access to Queen's research output. Every effort has been made to ensure that content in the Research Portal does not infringe any person's rights, or applicable UK laws. If you discover content in the Research Portal that you believe breaches copyright or violates any law, please contact [email protected]. Download date:06. Nov. 2017 ORIGINAL RESEARCH published: 22 June 2017 doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01089 Characterization of the Microbiome along the Gastrointestinal Tract of Growing Turkeys Toby J. Wilkinson 1 †, A. A. Cowan 1*†, H. E. Vallin 1, L. A. Onime 1, Linda B. Oyama 1, S. J. Cameron 1, 2, Charlotte Gonot 1, J. M. Moorby 1, K. Waddams 1, V. J. Theobald 1, D. Leemans 1, S. Bowra 3, C. Nixey 4 and Sharon A. Huws 1* 1 Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom, 2 Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom, 3 Phytatec (UK) Ltd.–Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom, 4 British Poultry Council, London, United Kingdom The turkey microbiome is largely understudied, despite its relationship with bird health and growth, and the prevalence of human pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. In Edited by: David Berry, this study we investigated the microbiome within the small intestine (SI), caeca (C), large University of Vienna, Austria intestine (LI), and cloaca (CL) of turkeys at 6, 10, and 16 weeks of age. Eight turkeys Reviewed by: were dissected within each age category and the contents of the SI, C, LI, and CL Timothy J. Johnson, were harvested. 16S rDNA based QPCR was performed on all samples and samples for University of Minnesota, United States Zhongtang Yu, the four locations within three birds/age group were sequenced using ion torrent-based The Ohio State University Columbus, sequencing of the 16S rDNA. Sequencing data showed on a genus level, an abundance United States of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Clostridium XI (38.2, 28.1, and 13.0% respectively) *Correspondence: A. A. Cowan irrespective of location and age. The caeca exhibited the greatest microbiome diversity [email protected] throughout the development of the turkey. PICRUSt data predicted an array of bacterial Sharon A. Huws function, with most differences being apparent in the caeca of the turkeys as they [email protected] matured. QPCR revealed that the caeca within 10 week old birds, contained the most †These authors have contributed equally to this work. Campylobacter spp. Understanding the microbial ecology of the turkey gastrointestinal tract is essential in terms of understanding production efficiency and in order to develop Specialty section: novel strategies for targeting Campylobacter spp. This article was submitted to Microbial Symbioses, Keywords: turkey, 16S rDNA, microbiome, Campylobacter, gastrointestinal tract, small intestine, caecum, large a section of the journal intestine Frontiers in Microbiology Received: 07 February 2017 Accepted: 30 May 2017 INTRODUCTION Published: 22 June 2017 Citation: Poultry meat represents the main source of protein for human nutrition with consumption per Wilkinson TJ, Cowan AA, Vallin HE, capita being nearly twice that of red meat (Foley et al., 2011). Globally the US consumes the Onime LA, Oyama LB, Cameron SJ, most poultry meat with the European Union following closely (average 22.2 Kg/capita in 2006 for Gonot C, Moorby JM, Waddams K, EU) (Magdelaine et al., 2008). Of this around 17% is attributable to turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) Theobald VJ, Leemans D, Bowra S, consumption, with chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) being the main poultry consumed. The Nixey C and Huws SA (2017) reason for poultry meat’s popularity is attributed to leanness and lower price compared to most Characterization of the Microbiome along the Gastrointestinal Tract of other meats. Growing Turkeys. The relationship between the gut microbiome of chickens, to bird health and efficient growth Front. Microbiol. 8:1089. is well-known (Brisbin et al., 2008; Scupham et al., 2008; Yeoman et al., 2012; Danzeisen et al., doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01089 2013; Wei et al., 2013). Scupham et al. (2008) also showed that high density turkey production Frontiers in Microbiology | www.frontiersin.org 1 June 2017 | Volume 8 | Article 1089 Wilkinson et al. The Turkey Microbiome has altered the caecal microbiome of the turkey as compared with Act 1986 and with the approval of the Aberystwyth University their wild counterparts. Recent next generation sequence-based Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body. Turkeys were data also shows that the gastrointestinal tract (GI) microbiome of humanely euthanized using captive bolt by a registered license turkeys is reasonably distinct to that found in chickens, with only holder. Twenty-four female turkeys were obtained from a 16–19% similarity at a species level (Wei et al., 2013, 2016). It is commercial producer at 5 weeks of age. The turkeys were also known that the turkey GI tract microbiome changes during subsequently reared in a broiler unit until 8 were slaughtered at the turkey growth phase (up to 7 weeks) but few studies expand each time point (6, 10, and 16 weeks of age). Birds were fed a further into maturity (Scupham, 2009; Danzeisen et al., 2015). turkey grower mash (Table 1) (GLW Feeds Ltd, Loughborough, The prevalence of the food-poisoning bacterium UK). All birds had constant access to fresh water. After slaughter Campylobacter spp. in poultry products is also a cause of the gastrointestinal tract of the turkeys were dissected and the major concern in terms of economic impact to the industry and contents from the whole small (SI) and large (LI) intestines were human health (Silva et al., 2011). Campylobacter is the main taken, whilst sub-samples of caeca (C), and cloacal (CL) material cause of food-poisoning in developed countries, with 70,298 were taken and stored at −20◦C for assessment of the bacterial cases reported in the UK in 2011 (DEFRA, 2011). Nonetheless, diversity and abundance as detailed below. this estimate is conservative as many cases are not reported (Tam et al., 2012). Campylobacter spp. and their effect on bird DNA Extraction health is disputed, with many researchers believing that this Genomic DNA was extracted from the turkey intestinal samples genus causes minimal detrimental effect on the health of poultry. (10mg fresh weight) using the BIO101 FastDNAR SPIN Kit Nonetheless, once ingested by humans Campylobacter spp. cause for Soil (Qbiogene, Cambridge, UK) in conjunction with a diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea which last between 5 and FastPrepR cell disrupter instrument (Bio101, ThermoSavant, 7 days, with 10% of cases ending in hospitalization and 0.2% Qbiogene) according to the manufacturer’s instructions with the in death (MacRitchie et al., 2014; Thibodeau et al., 2015). It is exception that the samples were processed for 3 × 30 s at speed also known that the infective dose required to cause illness in 6.0 in the FastPrep instrument. DNA was quantified and quality- humans is only around 500 colony-forming units (Waag et al., assured using the Epoch microplate spectrophotometer (Biotek, 1999). Campylobacteriois in humans is normally associated with Bedfordshire, UK). GI tract contamination of the poultry carcass during slaughter (Oakley et al., 2013; MacRitchie et al., 2014), and recent studies 16S rDNA Ion Torrent PGM Sequencing illustrate that up to 76% of carcasses in supermarkets have 16S rDNA ion torrent sequencing was completed for all GI Campylobacter contamination at levels capable of causing illness tract locations for 3 birds within each of the age categories (6, (Skarp et al., 2016). Due to the predominant consumption of 10, and 16 weeks), resulting in 36 samples being sequenced chicken, emphasis on understanding the chicken microbiome in total. Only 36 sequences were sampled as this was the and specifically developing novel strategies to combat food maximum that could be sequenced on the ion torrent chip, poisoning linked to Campylobacter has focused on these birds, whilst providing the sequencing depth required. Amplicons of with much less emphasis on turkeys. However, Campylobacter spp. also inhabit the GI tract of other birds used for human consumption, including