Molecular identification of abomasal bacteria associated with genetic resistance and susceptibility to Haemonchus contortus infection in sheep

Abstract

The widespread occurrence of anthelmintic-resistant gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs), particularly Haemonchus contortus, in sheep production systems has magnified the need to identify and develop alternative control strategies. Strategies include the selection of genetically GIN-resistant sheep and the implementation of biological parasite control to reduce dependence on anthelmintic drugs. In this study, we aimed to establish the molecular identity of bacterial communities present in the abomasum of sheep classified as resistant or susceptible to H. contortus, an abomasal parasite. Thirty-eight sheep were experimentally infected with L3 Haemonchus contortus and analyzed for fecal egg count (FEC) and hematocrit (Ht) to establish haemonchosis resistance or susceptibility. Four resistant sheep (RS) and four susceptible sheep (SS) were selected for microbial sampling and subsequent phylogenetic analysis. Molecular identification of the bacteria was based on amplification of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene, construction of a 16S rDNA clone library, and subsequent gene sequencing. Significant differences (p = 0.05) were observed in the occurrence of different phyla identified in RS and SS libraries: Firmicutes (61.4% and 37.2%, respectively), Proteobacteria (10.2% and 37.2%, respectively), Bacteroidetes (12.8% and 5.8%, respectively), and unclassified bacteria (12.8% and 17%, respectively). Differences between the proportions of bacterial communities present in the RS and SS pool samples were observed, contributing as a first step toward the assessment of the association between the gastrointestinal tract microbiota and nematode resistance in sheep.