{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T14:19:17Z","timestamp":1783606757156,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783555200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100009620","name":"Science and Technology Department of Gansu Province","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100009620","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100018554","name":"Science and Technology Program of Gansu Province","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100018554","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100007932","name":"Gansu Agricultural University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100007932","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Microbiol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    The gastrointestinal tract of grazing ruminants contains segment-specific microbial niches that contribute to fermentation metabolism and intestinal function. However, the intestinal bacterial communities and their relationships with fermentation products and mucosal morphology remain insufficiently characterized in alpine sheep breeds. In this study, Tianhua mutton sheep and Gansu Alpine fine-wool sheep maintained under the same grazing conditions were compared using the techniques of hematoxylin and eosin (H&amp;amp;E) staining, gas chromatography, and full-length 16S rRNA sequencing. Histological analysis showed that Tianhua mutton sheep had lower crypt depth and higher villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratios in the duodenum and ileum, while muscular layer thickness differed between breeds in a segment-dependent manner. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) analysis revealed breed-related differences in specific intestinal segments, with Tianhua mutton sheep showing higher levels of several major SCFAs components and total SCFA in the duodenum, jejunum, cecum, and colon. Full-length 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated distinct bacterial community structures between the two breeds and clear spatial variation along the intestinal tract. Tianhua mutton sheep exhibited higher bacterial richness in several segments and enrichment of Firmicutes and\n                    <jats:italic>Christensenellaceae_R_7_group<\/jats:italic>\n                    , whereas Gansu Alpine fine-wool sheep showed higher abundances of Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, and\n                    <jats:italic>Akkermansia<\/jats:italic>\n                    in specific segments. Functional prediction indicated that KEGG level 3 differences were mainly concentrated in the cecum and colon, involving pathways related to microbial metabolism, carbon metabolism, ABC transporters, and two-component systems. Spearman correlation analysis further linked selected genera with SCFA traits, whereas fewer associations were observed with small-intestinal histomorphological indices. These findings suggest that Tianhua mutton sheep and Gansu Alpine fine-wool sheep differ in intestinal morphology, fermentation characteristics, and microbial structure and function, providing new information for understanding breed-specific host\u2013microbiota interactions in alpine grazing sheep.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2026.1873761","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T13:42:32Z","timestamp":1783604552000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Segment-specific intestinal bacterial community structure is associated with short-chain fatty acid profiles and mucosal morphology in two high-altitude sheep breeds"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Youji","family":"Ma","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University","place":["Lanzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dengpan","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University","place":["Lanzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhanjing","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University","place":["Lanzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xujie","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University","place":["Lanzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1038\/nrmicro.2016.142","article-title":"Emerging pathogenic links between microbiota and the gut-lung axis","volume":"15","author":"Budden","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Microbiol."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"625","DOI":"10.1038\/s41575-022-00631-9","article-title":"Akkermansia muciniphila: paradigm for next-generation beneficial microorganisms. Nature reviews","volume":"19","author":"Cani","year":"2022","journal-title":"Gastroenterol. Hepatol."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"skz3z","DOI":"10.1093\/jas\/skz372","article-title":"Inclusion of the direct-fed microbial Clostridium butyricum in diets for weanling pigs increases growth performance and tends to increase villus height and crypt depth, but does not change intestinal microbial abundance","volume":"98","author":"Casas","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.1186\/s12917-020-02477-2","article-title":"The gut bacterial diversity of sheep associated with different breeds in Qinghai province","volume":"16","author":"Chang","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Vet. Res."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1072","DOI":"10.1039\/D2FO01481E","article-title":"Maternal propionate supplsupplementation ameliorates glucose and lipid metabolic disturbance in hypoxia-induced fetal growth restriction","volume":"13","author":"Chen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Food Funct."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2262539","DOI":"10.1080\/10495398.2023.2262539","article-title":"Effect of alfalfa supplsupplementary change dietary non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC) to neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ratio on rumen fermentation and microbial function in Gansu alpine fine wool sheep (Ovis aries)","volume":"35","author":"Chen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Anim. Biotechnol."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jas\/skac261","article-title":"Relationship between rumen microbial differences and traits among Hu sheep, Tan sheep, and Dorper sheep","author":"Cheng","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.1186\/s40168-025-02096-9","article-title":"Enhanced propionate and butyrate metabolism in cecal microbiota contributes to cold-stress adaptation in sheep","volume":"13","author":"Cheng","year":"2025","journal-title":"Microbiome"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chom.2023.03.016","article-title":"Cross-feeding in the gut microbiome: ecology and mechanisms","volume":"31","author":"Culp","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cell Host Microbe"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"461","DOI":"10.1038\/s41575-019-0157-3","article-title":"The role of short-chain fatty acids in microbiota-gut-brain communication","volume":"16","author":"Dalile","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsi.2021.07.007","article-title":"The functionality of probiotics in aquaculture: an overview","volume":"117","author":"El-Saadony","year":"2021","journal-title":"Fish Shellfish Immunol."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"847","DOI":"10.1016\/j.immuni.2022.04.006","article-title":"The gut microbiota prime systemic antiviral immunity via the cGAS-STING-IFN-I axis","volume":"55","author":"Erttmann","year":"2022","journal-title":"Immunity"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7343","DOI":"10.1039\/D1FO00410G","article-title":"Microbiota-related effects of prebiotic fibres in lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemic mice: short chain fatty acid production and gut commensal translocation","volume":"12","author":"Fan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Food Funct."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1348729","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2024.1348729","article-title":"Effects of dietary D-lactate levels on rumen fermentation, microflora and metabolomics of beef cattle","volume":"15","author":"Gao","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Microbiol."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.2323\/jgam.2016.08.003","article-title":"Bacterial community in the rumen of Tibetan sheep and Gansu alpine fine-wool sheep grazing on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China","volume":"63","author":"Huang","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"151771","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2021.151771","article-title":"Grazing influences biomass production and protein content of alpine meadows","volume":"818","author":"Jarque-Bascu\u00f1ana","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101447","DOI":"10.1016\/j.animal.2025.101447","article-title":"Effects of dietary energy levels on production and absorption of hindgut short-chain fatty acids in two sheep breeds","volume":"19","author":"Jing","year":"2025","journal-title":"Animal"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1186\/s40168-019-0637-2","article-title":"Sequence and cultivation study of Muribaculaceae reveals novel species, host preference, and functional potential of this yet undescribed family","volume":"7","author":"Lagkouvardos","year":"2019","journal-title":"Microbiome"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1259","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14091259","article-title":"rumen development of Tianhua Mutton Sheep was better than that of Gansu Alpine fine wool sheep under grazing conditions","volume":"14","author":"Li","year":"2024","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1273714","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2023.1273714","article-title":"Prickly Ash seeds improve immunity of Hu sheep by changing the diversity and structure of gut microbiota","volume":"14","author":"Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Microbiol."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1590400","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2025.1590400","article-title":"Metagenomic insights into the effects of Chive seed flavonoid on intestinal fermentation, morphology, and microbiota composition in sheep","volume":"16","author":"Li","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front. Microbiol."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"949002","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2022.949002","article-title":"The gut microbiota determines the high-altitude adaptability of tibetan wild Asses (Equus kiang) in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau","volume":"13","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Microbiol."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"916","DOI":"10.1111\/1749-4877.12830","article-title":"Multi-omics reveal the gut microbiota-mediated severe foraging environment adaption of small wild ruminants in the Three-River-Source National Park, China","volume":"20","author":"Liu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Integr. zool"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105693","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fbio.2024.105693","article-title":"Insights into the differences in meat quality among different sheep breeds in the Qilian Mountains from the perspective of metabolomics and transcriptomics","volume":"63","author":"Ma","year":"2025","journal-title":"Food Biosci."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tem.2022.01.002","article-title":"Gut barrier disruption and chronic disease","volume":"33","author":"Martel","year":"2022","journal-title":"Trends Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102609","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2023.102609","article-title":"Effects of dietary yeast cell wall supplsupplementation on growth performance, intestinal Campylobacter jejuni colonization, innate immune response, villus height, crypt depth, and slaughter characteristics of broiler chickens inoculated with Campylobacter jejuni at d 21","volume":"102","author":"Munoz","year":"2023","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2232","DOI":"10.1136\/gutjnl-2020-322260","article-title":"Mucus barrier, mucins and gut microbiota: the expected slimy partners?","volume":"69","author":"Paone","year":"2020","journal-title":"Gut"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0e","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0230231","article-title":"Intestinal enteroids recapitulate the effects of short-chain fatty acids on the intestinal epithelium","volume":"15","author":"Pearce","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bpg.2016.03.007","article-title":"Mechanisms of intestinal adaptation. Best practice and research","volume":"30","author":"Rubin","year":"2016","journal-title":"Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol"},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1186\/s40168-022-01249-4","article-title":"Effects of caloric restriction on the gut microbiome are linked with immune senescence","volume":"10","author":"Sbierski-Kind","year":"2022","journal-title":"Microbiome"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1764","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2017.01764","article-title":"Microbiome-metabolome responses to a high-grain diet associated with the hind-gut health of goats","volume":"8","author":"Tao","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Microbiol."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1186\/s40168-023-01465-6","article-title":"Longitudinal study of the short- and long-term effects of hospitalisation and oral trimethoprim-sulfadiazine administration on the equine faecal microbiome and resistome","volume":"11","author":"Theelen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Microbiome"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1186\/s12915-019-0699-4","article-title":"The human gut bacteria Christensenellaceae are widespread, heritable, and associated with health","volume":"17","author":"Waters","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Biol."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"358","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-022-04769-z","article-title":"ABO genotype alters the gut microbiota by regulating GalNAc levels in pigs","volume":"606","author":"Yang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1186\/s40168-024-01749-5","article-title":"Gut microbiota contributes to bisphenol A-induced maternal intestinal and placental apoptosis, oxidative stress, and fetal growth restriction in pregnant ewe model by regulating gut-placental axis","volume":"12","author":"Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Microbiome"},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2731","DOI":"10.1007\/s10787-023-01307-9","article-title":"Anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective effect of gypenoside against isoproterenol-induced cardiac remodeling in rats via alteration of inflammation and gut microbiota","volume":"31","author":"Zhang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Inflammopharmacology"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1038\/s41522-023-00395-3","article-title":"Gut microbiome signatures of extreme environment adaption in Tibetan pig","volume":"9","author":"Zhao","year":"2023","journal-title":"npj Biofilms Microbiomes"},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12892","DOI":"10.1111\/jpi.12892","article-title":"Homeostatic crosstalk among gut microbiome, hypothalamic and hepatic circadian clock oscillations, immunity and metabolism in response to different light-dark cycles: a multiomics study","volume":"75","author":"Zhen","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Pineal Res."},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1080182","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2022.1080182","article-title":"Comparison of coated and uncoated trace elements on growth performance, apparent digestibility, intestinal development and microbial diversity in growing sheep","volume":"13","author":"Zhou","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Microbiol."},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"977","DOI":"10.1111\/jpn.13098","article-title":"Effect of dietary energy on digestibilities, rumen fermentation, urinary purine derivatives and serum metabolites in Tibetan and small-tailed Han sheep","volume":"103","author":"Zhou","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Microbiology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmicb.2026.1873761\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T13:42:33Z","timestamp":1783604553000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmicb.2026.1873761\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"references-count":40,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmicb.2026.1873761"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmicb.2026.1873761","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-302X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-302X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"article-number":"1873761"}}