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Publications

Journal Article Epublish

PubMed: 40598440 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-025-01229-2

Co-cultivation of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis mediates the gut-muscle axis affecting pork quality and flavor.

J Anim Sci Biotechnol 16(1):93

Authors: Zhixin Lin, Xinchen Zhou, Tingting Lu, Wendong An, Shenghao Chen, Suchen Li, Hui Miao, Xinyan Han

Affiliations

  • Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in East China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
  • Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572025, China.
  • Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in East China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China. Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572025, China.
  • Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in East China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China. Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572025, China.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Pork quality and flavor are critical determinants of consumer preference, yet the role of gut microbiota in shaping meat characteristics remains underexplored. In this study, we investigated how a probiotic consortium (FAM: Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis) modulates the gut-muscle axis to enhance pork flavor.

RESULTS

In finishing pigs, FAM supplementation significantly increased flavor-associated nucleotides and umami-enhancing amino acids in longissimus dorsi muscle. Metagenomic analysis revealed FAM-driven enrichment of glycan-degrading Prevotella and short-chain fatty acid-producing Phascolarctobacterium, accompanied by reduced antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors. Spearman correlation linked Prevotella copri abundance with elevated muscle amino acids, suggesting microbial-encoded CAZymes as key mediators.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides the first evidence that probiotic-induced gut microbiota remodeling enhances pork flavor through metabolic cross-talk along the gut-muscle axis. The findings suggest a novel strategy for improving pork quality via dietary interventions targeting gut microbiota.

MeSH

Muscles, Amino Acids, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bacillus Subtilis, Bacillus, Probiotics, Lactobacillus, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Microbiota