Avian gastrointestinal and reproductive microbiota are composed of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protists and characterized by commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic relationships with the host. Microbial populations identified in the avian microbiome play important roles in modulating host growth and reproductive performance, including nutrient digestion, absorption, and utilization, metabolic and reproductive efficiency, pathogen exclusion, endocrine activity, and immune system development. In chickens, the symbiotic relationships between the host and the microbiota have been characterized by nutrient exchange, modulation of the immune system, pathogen exclusion, and gastrointestinal and reproductive tract physiology. Microbiota composition and function can be affected by many factors, including age, host genotype and sex, diet composition and form, feed additives such as antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, phytobiotics and bacteriophages, stress, and location in the gastrointestinal tract.
Most microbiome research in avian species has been focused on the intestinal tract of domestic poultry such as broilers, laying hens, and, to some extent, turkeys. The reproductive microbiota in domestic poultry, as well as both the intestinal and reproductive microbiota of wild birds, remain largely unknown. Moreover, most current microbiome research primarily focuses on compositional studies using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), but sequencing and functional studies remain elusive. The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a comprehensive overview of the avian microbiome that includes studies addressing intestinal and reproductive microbiomes in both domestic and wild birds, including compositional and functional studies.
The Research Topic will focus on the following areas:
1) comprehensive characteristics of avian intestinal and reproductive microbiota including wild and domestic species from embryonic development to adulthood
2) characterization of gastrointestinal and reproductive microbiota function in avian species using predictive methods as well as metatranscriptomic approaches
3) metabolomic studies of the avian gastrointestinal and reproductive microbiota
4) proteomic studies of the avian gastrointestinal and reproductive microbiota
Manuscripts focusing on fungal and viral populations in avian gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts and microbiome analysis methodology in avian species are also welcome. Original research and review manuscripts, among other article types, are acceptable for this research topic.
Please note, papers investigating gastrointestinal or reproductive tract immunology, antibiotic resistance within the microbiome, or are focused on characterizing alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters, are beyond the scope of this project.
Avian gastrointestinal and reproductive microbiota are composed of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protists and characterized by commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic relationships with the host. Microbial populations identified in the avian microbiome play important roles in modulating host growth and reproductive performance, including nutrient digestion, absorption, and utilization, metabolic and reproductive efficiency, pathogen exclusion, endocrine activity, and immune system development. In chickens, the symbiotic relationships between the host and the microbiota have been characterized by nutrient exchange, modulation of the immune system, pathogen exclusion, and gastrointestinal and reproductive tract physiology. Microbiota composition and function can be affected by many factors, including age, host genotype and sex, diet composition and form, feed additives such as antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, phytobiotics and bacteriophages, stress, and location in the gastrointestinal tract.
Most microbiome research in avian species has been focused on the intestinal tract of domestic poultry such as broilers, laying hens, and, to some extent, turkeys. The reproductive microbiota in domestic poultry, as well as both the intestinal and reproductive microbiota of wild birds, remain largely unknown. Moreover, most current microbiome research primarily focuses on compositional studies using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), but sequencing and functional studies remain elusive. The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a comprehensive overview of the avian microbiome that includes studies addressing intestinal and reproductive microbiomes in both domestic and wild birds, including compositional and functional studies.
The Research Topic will focus on the following areas:
1) comprehensive characteristics of avian intestinal and reproductive microbiota including wild and domestic species from embryonic development to adulthood
2) characterization of gastrointestinal and reproductive microbiota function in avian species using predictive methods as well as metatranscriptomic approaches
3) metabolomic studies of the avian gastrointestinal and reproductive microbiota
4) proteomic studies of the avian gastrointestinal and reproductive microbiota
Manuscripts focusing on fungal and viral populations in avian gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts and microbiome analysis methodology in avian species are also welcome. Original research and review manuscripts, among other article types, are acceptable for this research topic.
Please note, papers investigating gastrointestinal or reproductive tract immunology, antibiotic resistance within the microbiome, or are focused on characterizing alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters, are beyond the scope of this project.
