Characterization of the equine hindgut microflora and metabolites using an in-vitro model.

The equine gastrointestinal tract is a large tubular structure that houses complex microbial ecosystems within multiple compartments along its length. The hindgut compartment (cecum and colon) comprises the larger portion of the tract and it is here where complex sugars are fermented by the resident microbes, providing between 60-70% of the daily energy requirements of the horse.

Microbial disturbances may affect the health of the host leading to potentially life threatening disorders in horses, such as colitis and laminitis.

The composition and function of the equine hindgut microflora is currently a topic undergoing intense research and much knowledge has been generated. However, a better understanding of the microbial ecosystem, in particular how disturbances in microbiota homeostasis change its function and the consequences of these changes to host health, is needed. In order to understand the effects of gut microbiota disturbances, it is imperative to know the status of the microbial ecosystem under healthy conditions. Culture of whole gut microbial communities in vitro, under physiologically relevant conditions, can be achieved by using continuous culture (chemostat) systems. The aim of this proposal is to develop an in vitro system that mimics the nutritional and environmental conditions of the hindgut of the horse, which (when seeded with GI samples obtained from horses) will allow analysis of the microbial population composition, abundance, and distribution as well as their metabolic products.

Funded by: