Swine cecal, ileal, and jejunal mucosal microbiome at 5 and 7 weeks of age

The close proximity between porcine intraepithelial T lymphocytes (T-IELs) and mucosal microbes likely result in intimate and integrated relationships. Therefore, T-IELs and the mucosal microbiota (16S rRNA gene sequencing) were investigated in parallel using identical statistical approaches to assess community compositions over time (5 and 7 weeks of age) and across tissues (cecum, jejunum, ileum). The results suggest different rates of community maturation and stabilization for T-IELs and the mucosal microbiota for proximal versus distal intestinal locations between 5 and 7 weeks of age in pigs. Collectively, the data emphasize the intestinal tract as a site of location- and age-specific T-IEL and microbiota communities that have important implications for understanding swine intestinal health.