Eating speed is a key eating behavior trait that influences energy intake and fat deposition, yet its regulation by host genetics and gut microbiota remains poorly understood in birds.
We systematically investigated the interplay among host genetics, gut microbiota, eating speed, and fat deposition in chickens. Phenotypic analyses revealed a positive association between eating speed and abdominal fat, and Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis identified a bidirectional feedback loop in which fat deposition promotes faster eating, which in turn exacerbates fat accumulation. Microbiome and MR analyses highlighted the ileal genus Bradyrhizobium as a causal regulator of both eating speed and fat deposition, with higher abundance reducing abdominal fat, triglyceride levels, and inflammatory markers. Microbiome genome-wide association studies (mGWAS) further identified host genetic variants and candidate genes, including convergent signals at RECK, influencing Bradyrhizobium abundance. Mediation analyses indicated that Bradyrhizobium modulates eating speed partially through its effects on abdominal fat, emphasizing a host-microbe-behavior feedback axis.
Our findings reveal a complex interplay among host genetics, gut microbes, and eating behavior, providing mechanistic insights and potential targets for precision interventions to optimize growth and metabolic health in poultry.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |