The Effect of Lactococcus lactis Expressing IFN-γ on the Growth Performance of White Feather Broilers (Gallus gallus domesticus)
PANG Kun1, QIN Kun1, SUN Pei-Wen1, PANG Yu-Jiao1, XIE Long-Xi1, LI Yu-Shan1, LIANG Xiao-Jun2, LIN Yong-Kang3, HUA Jin-Lian1,*, LI Na1,*
1 College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University/Shaanxi Stem Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Yangling 712100, China; 2 Institute of Animal Science, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 750000, China; 3 Qingdao Runchuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Qingdao 266000, China
Abstract：Lactic acid bacteria, as a type of probiotic, is widely used in livestock and poultry breeding, and has been proven to improve the growth performance, intestinal health and immune function of animals. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is an important immune regulatory factor with great potential in enhancing the body's immune response and disease resistance. In this study, recombinant Lactococcus lactis expressing IFN-γ (rL. lactis-IFN-γ) was constructed, and its effects on the growth performance, intestinal health and immune response of white-feathered broilers (Gallus gallus domesticus) were evaluated, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the application of engineered lactic acid bacteria in broiler breeding. To explore the effect of rL. lactis-IFN-γ on the growth performance of white-feathered broilers, twenty 'Avian' white-feathered broilers were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups in this study. The basal diet supplemented with rL. lactis-IFN-γ (rL. lactis-IFN-γ group) and PBS (control group) were fed to the broilers respectively for 35 consecutive days. The effects of rL. lactis-IFN-γ on the production performance of broilers were evaluated by measuring the changes of growth performance indexes including feed conversion ratio, gut microbiome indicators and immune function-related indexes. The results showed that compared with the Control group, the body weight gain of white-feathered broilers in the rL. lactis-IFN-γ group was significantly increased (P<0.05), the feed conversion ratio was significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the breast muscle index was significantly increased at the same time (P<0.05). The total intestinal length and villus height to crypt depth ratio of broilers in the rL. lactis-IFN-γ group were significantly increased (P<0.05), and the microbial abundance in the jejunum of the rL. lactis-IFN-γ group was significantly elevated (P<0.05). In addition, the levels of IgG and IgA in the serum of broilers in the rL. lactis-IFN-γ group were significantly increased (P<0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with rL. lactis-IFN-γ could improve intestinal health, promote nutrient absorption, and enhance the immune function of broilers, thereby improving the production performance of broilers. This study provides a theoretical basis for using recombinant engineered lactic acid bacteria as a new green feed additive in broiler chicken farming, and also offers new ideas for developing strategies to reduce antibiotic use in livestock and poultry farming.
庞坤, 秦坤, 孙培文, 庞羽娇, 谢龙喜, 李雨珊, 梁小军, 林永康, 华进联, 李娜. 表达IFN-γ的乳酸乳球菌对白羽肉鸡生长性能的影响[J]. 农业生物技术学报, 2026, 34(10): 2153-2164.
PANG Kun, QIN Kun, SUN Pei-Wen, PANG Yu-Jiao, XIE Long-Xi, LI Yu-Shan, LIANG Xiao-Jun, LIN Yong-Kang, HUA Jin-Lian, LI Na. The Effect of Lactococcus lactis Expressing IFN-γ on the Growth Performance of White Feather Broilers (Gallus gallus domesticus). 农业生物技术学报, 2026, 34(10): 2153-2164.
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