Multi-omics association reveals the effects of intestinal microbiome-host interactions on fat deposition in broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content

The lean and fat broilers were derived from the 21st generation of the Northeast Agricultural University broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content (NEAUHLF). In brief, broilers in the two lines (lean line and fat line) of the NEAUHLF have the same Arbor Acres ancestry, but were divergently selected by the concentration of very low-density lipoprotein and abdominal fat percentage (AFP) at 7 weeks old. After 21 generations of selection, there is over a 10-fold difference in abdominal fat percentage between the two lines, representing a classical obese-lean-study model. At age of 7 weeks, ten male individuals of each line were selected randomly to investigate the interactions between gut microbiome, host gene expression and obesity. All broilers were raised in similar feeding surroundings and had free access to feed and water. At age of 7 weeks, ten male individuals of each line were selected randomly to investigate the interactions between gut microbiome, host gene expression and obesity.