Prevotella stercorea increases fat deposition in Jinhua pigs fed alfalfa grass-based diets

作者：Qifan Zhang, Man Du, Yutian Shen, Xiaoxi Lu, Mingliang Jin, Yizhen Wang · 发表于：Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology/Journal of animal science and biotechnology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s40104-025-01217-6 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Gut microbiota and health、Meat and Animal Product Quality、Animal Nutrition and Physiology

BACKGROUND: Fat is a key component of body composition in both humans and animals, with intramuscular fat (IMF) being a critical determinant of pork quality. Higher IMF level enhances meat qualities such as flavor, tenderness, and juiciness, directly influencing consumer preference and market demand. Therefore, identifying microbial biomarkers associated with fat deposition is essential for improving meat quality in livestock and understanding how gut microbiota regulates host metabolism. RESULTS: In this study, we examined changes in meat quality, fat metabolism, and gut microbiota during the pig life cycle, from weaning to marketing. We found that Jinhua pig exhibited higher IMF content and marbling score, and higher α diversity of colonic microbial communities. Microbiome Multivariate Association with Linear Models was used to identify the core genera associated with age, breed, and feed, and Prevotella was found to respond to both age and breed factors. The correlation analysis of fat deposition indicators with microbial genera revealed that Prevotella was a potential biomarker in response to IMF. In addition, the P. stercorea DSM 18206 (P. stercorea) was identified in porcine sample and administered to pseudo sterile mouse to examine the effect on IMF deposition. We found that the gavage of P. stercorea with alfalfa-enriched diet led to a significant increase in triglyceride (TG) and IMF contents in muscle. Metabolomic analysis further confirmed P. stercorea may potentia...