Gut Microbiome Characteristics in feral and domesticated horses from different geographic locations

ANG L.; VINDEROLA, G.; ENDO, A.; KARTANEN, J.; JINGFENG, C; BINETTI, A.; BURNS, P.; QINGMIAO, S.; SUYING, D; ZUJIANG, Y.; RÍOS COVIÁN, D.; MANTZIARI, A.; BEASLEY, S. ; GÓMEZ GALLEGO, C; GUEIMONDE, M.; SALMINEN, S.

Communications biology

Springer Nature

Año: 2022 vol. 5 p. 1 - 10

Domesticated horses live under different conditions compared with their extinct wildancestors. While housed, medicated and kept on a restricted source of feed, the microbiota ofdomesticated horses is hypothesized to be altered. We assessed the fecal microbiome of 57domestic and feral horses from different locations on three continents, observing geographical differences. A higher abundance of eukaryota (p < 0.05) and viruses (p < 0.05) andlower of archaea (p < 0.05) were found in feral animals when compared with domestic ones.The abundance of genes coding for microbe-produced enzymes involved in the metabolismof carbohydrates was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in feral animals regardless of the geographic origin. Differences in the fecal resistomes between both groups of animals were alsonoted. The domestic/captive horse microbiomes were enriched in genes conferring resistance to tetracycline, likely reflecting the use of this antibiotic in the management of theseanimals. Our data showed an impoverishment of the fecal microbiome in domestic horseswith diet, antibiotic exposure and hygiene being likely drivers. The results offer a view of theintestinal microbiome of horses and the impact of domestication or captivity, which mayuncover novel targets for modulating the microbiome of horses to enhance animal health andwell-being.