The Impact of Host Genotype, Intestinal Sites and Probiotics Supplementation on the Gut Microbiota Composition and Diversity in Sheep

Three sampling strategies with a 16s rRNA high-throughput sequencing and gene expression assay (by RT-PCR) were designed, to better understand the host and probiotics effect on gut microbiota in sheep. Sampling: (1) colon contents and back-fat tissues from small-tailed Han sheep (SHS), big-tailed Hulun Buir sheep (BHBS), and short-tailed Steppe sheep (SHBS) (n = 12, 14, 12); (2) jejunum, cecum and colon contents, and feces from Tan sheep (TS, n...