Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) as a novel model to study the microbial endocrinology-based neuroendocrine biogeography of the stressed gut and its influence on diversity of the microbiome

The bird gut contains several regions, including a part known as the cecum which plays several functional and nutritional roles important in determining the health of the bird. Also within the cecum are many bacteria, which can be collectively referred to as the cecal bacterial microbiota. These bacteria interact with the bird and help affect the function of the cecum, and ultimatley the nutritional status and health of the bird. Little is known about the Japanese quail cecal bacterial microbiota. As such we sought to profile and characterize the diversity of the cecal bacterial microbiota in Japanese quail and how this may be related to different functions in the gut that may be relevant to quail health.