Despite a well-documented effect of high dietary zinc oxide on the pig intestinal microbiota composition less is it yet known about changes in microbial functional properties or the effect of organic zinc sources. Forty weaning piglets in four groups were fed diets supplemented with 40 or 110 ppm zinc as zinc oxide, 110 ppm as Zn-Lysinate, or 2500 ppm as zinc oxide. Host zinc homeostasis, intestinal zinc fractions, and ileal nutrient digestibility were determined as main nutritional and physiological factors putatively driving colon microbial ecology. Metagenomic sequencing of colon microbiota revealed only clear differences at genus level for the group receiving 2500 ppm zinc oxide. However, a clear group differentiation according to dietary zinc concentration and source was observed at species level. Functional analysis revealed significant differences in genes related to stress response, mineral, and carbohydrate metabolism. Taxonomic and functional gene differences were accompanied with clear effects in microbial metabolite concentration. Finally, a selection of certain antibiotic resistance genes by dietary zinc was observed. This study sheds further light onto the consequences of concentration and chemical form of dietary zinc on microbial ecology measures and the resistome in the porcine colon.

尽管高膳食氧化锌对猪肠道菌群组成的影响有充分的文献记载，但关于微生物功能特性的变化或有机锌源的影响知之甚少。在四组断奶仔猪中饲喂40只断奶仔猪，补充40或110 ppm的氧化锌，110 ppm的赖氨酸锌或2500 ppm的氧化锌。确定宿主锌的体内稳态，肠道锌含量和回肠养分消化率是推定结肠微生物生态学的主要营养和生理因素。结肠微生物群的元基因组测序显示，对于接受2500 ppm氧化锌的组，其属水平仅存在明显差异。然而，在物种水平上观察到根据饮食锌浓度和来源的明显的群体分化。功能分析显示与应激反应，矿物质和碳水化合物代谢有关的基因存在显着差异。分类学和功能基因的差异伴随着微生物代谢产物浓度的明显影响。最后，观察到饮食锌对某些抗生素抗性基因的选择。这项研究进一步揭示了膳食锌的浓度和化学形式对微生物生态学措施和猪结肠抵抗系统的影响。