Exploring the possible link between the gut microbiome and fat deposition in pigs

Lipid accumulation and high oxidative stress has become a serious health and economic problem in pig production. Fatness traits are very important in pig production since they are closely related to meat quality. Gut microbiome is generally recognized as a factor in fat deposition. However, the linkage of gut microbiota with fat accumulation in pigs remains elusive. To investigate the association among gut microbiome, lipogenic characteristics, and oxidative stress in Jinhua pigs, we selected 5 high-fat pigs and 5 low-fat pigs from 60 250-day-old Jinhua pigs in the present study and collected colon contents for metagenomic analysis, serum samples for the oxidative stress assay, and liver and abdominal fat tissues for RT-qPCR analysis.Collectively, this study would give a deep insight into how gut microbiome influence fat deposition in Jinhua pigs and would give a hint for improving growth performance and fatness traits by manipulating gut microbiome.