High-throughput sequencing analysis of the regulation of intestinal flora in giant pandas with indigestion using a probiotic agent LyPB

This study aimed to investigate the effect of LyPB on the intestinal microflora of giant pandas with indigestion, using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology. The species distribution and microfloral density and diversity before and after administration of the LyPB probiotic agent were analyzed. LyPB evidently has the ability to adjust the floral imbalance in the panda's intestine. To test the effects of LyPB on the microflora of the panda gut, fecal samples were taken from a healthy giant panda (Anan) without administration of LyPB and from a dyspeptic giant panda Yangyang before and after LyPB administration. Compared with the sample obtained from healthy Anan (anan-c) and that obtained from dyspeptic Yangyang before LyPB administration (yangyang1), the sample taken from Yangyang (yangyang2) after LyPB administration displayed a significant increase in the operational taxonomic unit index. An increase in the Chao index indicated an increase in the microfloral richness, while an increase in the Shannon index indicated an increase in microfloral diversity. At phylum and genus levels, a significant increase was observed in the density of probiotic bacteria of phylum firmicutes, genusStreptococcus, while a drastic reduction in the density ofEscherichia coli/Escherichia coli Shigella/bacteria of genusShigellawas observed. Data obtained in this study shows that LyPB preparations successfully improve the microbial structure within the panda's intestinal canal by significantly increasing the effective microbial community and decreasing the number of pathogenic microbes.