Engineered <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> WB600/ZD reduces post-weaning diarrhea in piglets by modulating gut microbiota and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signaling.

ABSTRACT: Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) causes significant economic losses to the pig industry. A previous study demonstrated that engineered Bacillus subtilis WB600 expressing Zophobas atratus defensin (ZD), termed WB600/ZD, alleviates intestinal inflammation, modulates gut microbiota, and maintains redox homeostasis in Salmonella-challenged mice; however, the precise mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, a total of 50 weaned Landrace × Large White piglets at 21 d of age were assigned to four groups: healthy piglets fed standard diet (H group; 6.60 ± 0.48 kg, n = 15) or 2 × 10⁹ CFU/mL WB600/ZD (H + WB600/ZD group; 6.00 ± 0.68 kg, n = 15), and diarrheic piglets fed standard diet (PWD group; 6.51 ± 1.16 kg, n = 10) or 2 × 10⁹ CFU/mL WB

SUBMITTER: Li W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12828522 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature