The resurgence of cultivation in studying microorganisms has complemented insights from metagenomic studies by providing material to test metabolic hypotheses that were previously only partially described and quantified. Cultivation of intestinal bacteria provides material to sustain future research on microbial-host interactions, facilitate targeted colonization studies, and improve molecular interaction studies1,2,3. The knowledge gained about gastrointestinal microorganisms has improved animal nutrition and welfare by influencing diet formulations and enhancing nutrient availability4. This understanding has contributed to performance improvements in utilizing prebiotic and probiotic interaction. However, in-depth research is required to gain a complete understanding of how biochemical and physicochemical conditions interact and impact the microbial profile and its structure. To achieve this objective, cultivation remains imperative, serving as a crucial tool to delve into the intricate dynamics of microbial communities within the gastrointestinal environment.
In contrast to the extensive research on microbes associated with the human gut and clinical cultivation studies5, reports on microorganisms from livestock have predominantly utilized a limited range of media for isolation, potentially constraining the diversity of isolates2,3. Furthermore, improvements in the formulation of media and studies on the interaction of phosphate and salts with agar, as elucidated by Tanaka et al. and Kawasaki et al., have not yet been implemented for gut-microbiome studies6,7,8,9.
Considered a semi-essential substance, myo-inositol (MI) has been reported to play a pivotal role in diverse metabolic, physiological, and regulatory processes10,11. These include involvement in bone mineralization, breast muscle development, cellular signaling, promotion of ovulation and fertility, modulation of neuronal signaling, and acting as a regulator of glucose homeostasis and insulin regulation in poultry10,11. MI plays a role as a precursor through its interconversion within pivotal biochemical processes, including the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis process, the citric acid cycle, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Additionally, it also serves as a precursor of phosphatidylinositol (PI), which is further involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism12. Few investigations have reported that the metabolization of MI leads to alterations in bone stability and animal performance. This includes enhancements in feed conversion rate and body weight gain, demonstrating its impact after absorption and utilization within the animal13,14. However, the pathway for MI metabolization and its impact on poultry metabolism remains elusive15. Furthermore, few studies propose a potential role of bacteria in MI utilization, particularly in regions of high metabolic activity such as the ileum16,17,18,19.
Efforts on cultivating bacteria from the GIT of animals aim to enhance genomic databases and expand research, verify genome-based hypothesis, and understand the ecological importance of these resources20. The objective of this work is to improve strategies for bacterial cultivation from the GIT of chicken to enhance the isolation diversity and the targeted isolation of an ecological group of interest that assimilate and metabolize myo-inositol.