Aims: An ecological study was conducted to investigate the diversity pattern of the lactic acid bacteria in the
gastrointestinal tract of Cemani chicken, a native Indonesian chicken, using a molecular approach based on 16S rRNA
genes.
Methodology and results: Digesta samples of seven chickens were collected for terminal restriction fragment length
polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis. The molecular diversity of lactic acid bacteria in crop, ventriculus, ileum and cecum
were determined. The results showed that microbial composition of lactic acid bacteria in cecum was relatively different
with other upper gastrointestinal tract. Lactic acid bacteria phylotypes and diversity in ileum were higher than those in
the crop, ventriculus, and cecum.
Conclusion, significance and impact of study: We confirmed that cecum of native chicken has a different
environment as compared to other gastrointestinal regions showing the lowest value of the Sorensen’s index. This first
report of LAB diversity pattern in Cemani chicken contributes a more comprehensive understanding of the microbial
ecology in the chicken.
Gastrointestinal Tract