Multi-omics analysis reveals associations between host gene expression, gut microbiota, and metabolites in chickens

Egg-laying is an important trait in chickens, and it is affected by many factors, such as hormones regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary axis and precursors synthesized by the liver. Recent studies showed that gut microbiota was associated with egg-laying, however, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. We comprehensively analyzed the host transcriptome, gut microbiota, and metabolome in broiler breeder hens during the pre-laying, peak-laying, and late-laying periods. The transcriptome analysis of the tissues related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-liver (HPL) axis revealed dynamic gene expression during egg-laying periods. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (i.e., PENK, NPY, AVP, PRL, RLN3, and FST) from the hypothalamus and pituitary gland were involved in female gonadal development, hormone secretion, response to endogenous stimulus, liver development, and amide metabolism. In liver, DEGs (i.e., FABP3, VTG1, LPL, APOA5, APOV1, and RBP5) were enriched in efferocytosis, sphingolipid metabolism, amide, and peptide biosynthesis. Alpha and beta diversity changed significantly in cecum microbiota during different laying periods. The abundance of Firmicutes was decreased and the abundance of Bacteroidota was increased during the peak-laying period. Functional analysis showed that the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, amino acids, purine, and steroid hormones was altered during laying. The metabolome analysis from cecal contents showed that amino acid metabolism and steroid hormone biosynthesis changed during laying. Integrated analysis of the cecal microbiota and metabolites showed the genus Megasphaera was involved in amino acid metabolism, which included 3-phenyllatic acid, quinic acid, caffeic acid, and folic acid, and the genus Hungatella participated in steroid hormone biosynthesis through its strong correlation with estradiol. These results explored the dynamic changes in tissues related to the HPL axis and cecal microbiota and provided new insights into the interaction between the host and microbiota during egg-laying in chickens.