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Journal of Animal Science and... Jun 2024Weaning stress reduces growth performance and health of young pigs due in part to an abrupt change in diets from highly digestible milk to fibrous plant-based...
Prebiotic galactooligosaccharide improves piglet growth performance and intestinal health associated with alterations of the hindgut microbiota during the peri-weaning period.
BACKGROUND
Weaning stress reduces growth performance and health of young pigs due in part to an abrupt change in diets from highly digestible milk to fibrous plant-based feedstuffs. This study investigated whether dietary galactooligosaccharide (GOS), supplemented both pre- and post-weaning, could improve growth performance and intestinal health via alterations in the hindgut microbial community.
METHODS
Using a 3 × 2 factorial design, during farrowing 288 piglets from 24 litters received either no creep feed (FC), creep without GOS (FG-) or creep with 5% GOS (FG+) followed by a phase 1 nursery diet without (NG-) or with 3.8% GOS (NG+). Pigs were sampled pre- (D22) and post-weaning (D31) to assess intestinal measures.
RESULTS
Creep fed pigs grew 19% faster than controls (P < 0.01) prior to weaning, and by the end of the nursery phase (D58), pigs fed GOS pre-farrowing (FG+) were 1.85 kg heavier than controls (P < 0.05). Furthermore, pigs fed GOS in phase 1 of the nursery grew 34% faster (P < 0.04), with greater feed intake and efficiency. Cecal microbial communities clustered distinctly in pre- vs. post-weaned pigs, based on principal coordinate analysis (P < 0.01). No effects of GOS were detected pre-weaning, but gruel creep feeding increased Chao1 α-diversity and altered several genera in the cecal microbiota (P < 0.05). Post-weaning, GOS supplementation increased some genera such as Fusicatenibacter and Collinsella, whereas others decreased such as Campylobacter and Frisingicoccus (P < 0.05). Changes were accompanied by higher molar proportions of butyrate in the cecum of GOS-fed pigs (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Gruel creep feeding effectively improves suckling pig growth regardless of GOS treatment. When supplemented post-weaning, prebiotic GOS improves piglet growth performance associated with changes in hindgut microbial composition.
PubMed: 38867260
DOI: 10.1186/s40104-024-01047-y -
European Journal of Pharmaceutical... Jun 2024The separation and purification of plant-based Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) from extracts is a crucial part in pharmaceutical process development. For the...
The separation and purification of plant-based Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) from extracts is a crucial part in pharmaceutical process development. For the purification of the antimalarial drug component artemisinin (ARTE) from an Artemisia anna L. toluene extract, antisolvent crystallization is considered. Solubilities of ARTE in binary solvent mixtures of toluene and two potential antisolvents, n-heptane and ethanol, were determined at temperatures from 278.15 K to 313.15 K. The experimental work was supported by the application of various models, utilizing varying amounts of experimental input data. The goal was the identification of models that are able to predict solubilities in binary solvent mixtures sufficiently accurate and, thus, can help to reduce the experimental effort for future solvent screenings. In this study, we applied the PC-SAFT model both with and without fitting the binary interaction parameter k between ARTE and the respective solvent, as well as the empirical Jouyban-Acree model. From the experiments, n-heptane demonstrated to be a promising antisolvent, while ethanol acted more as a cosolvent. All models tested were capable of distinguishing between effective and ineffective antisolvents. The purely predictive PC-SAFT model applied with k = 0 exhibited the largest deviation from the experimental data. This was followed by the PC-SAFT model including fitted k values, based on at least four experimental data points. The Jouyban-Acree model fitted the data most accurately. Its parametrization required a minimum of ten experimental data points.
PubMed: 38866112
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2024.106826 -
Journal of the ASEAN Federation of... 2024A diabetes prevention program is being proposed in the rural agricultural town of San Juan, Batangas, Philippines. This study aims to determine the prevailing level of...
Prevailing Food Intake, Physical Activity and Health Beliefs in a Rural Agricultural Community in the Philippines: Factors to Consider Prior to a Diabetes Prevention Program.
OBJECTIVE
A diabetes prevention program is being proposed in the rural agricultural town of San Juan, Batangas, Philippines. This study aims to determine the prevailing level of food intake, physical activity, and health beliefs prior to any intervention.
METHODOLOGY
Adults were recruited via random sampling with proportional allocation. Interviews were done to determine food intake and physical activity. Small group discussions were held to determine prevailing health beliefs.
RESULTS
The average energy intake (1,547 kcal/d) is only 72% of the recommended values for Filipinos. Only 12% of the respondents achieved the recommended energy intake. Carbohydrates comprise a large part (71%) of calorie intake. A majority (91%) already have moderate to high levels of physical activity. There are prevailing health beliefs that need to be considered when dietary modifications and physical activity interventions are to be done.
CONCLUSION
Internationally recommended diabetes prevention interventions such as reducing calorie intake and increasing physical activity may not be directly applicable here. We recommend that the features of a diabetes prevention program for this locale must include the following: 1) introduction of affordable plant sources of proteins; 2) decreasing the proportion of rice as a source of carbohydrates in the diet; 3) maintaining the level of physical activity; and 4) being sensitive to the prevailing health beliefs.
Topics: Humans; Philippines; Male; Female; Adult; Rural Population; Middle Aged; Exercise; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Diabetes Mellitus; Aged; Young Adult; Eating; Energy Intake; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Feeding Behavior; Diet
PubMed: 38863921
DOI: 10.15605/jafes.039.01.11 -
Translational Animal Science 2024Information about the full spectrum of metabolites present in porcine colostrum and factors that influence metabolite abundances is still incomplete. Parity number...
Information about the full spectrum of metabolites present in porcine colostrum and factors that influence metabolite abundances is still incomplete. Parity number appears to modulate the concentration of single metabolites in colostrum. This study aimed to 1) characterize the metabolome composition and 2) assess the effect of parity on metabolite profiles in porcine colostrum. Sows ( = 20) were divided into three parity groups: A) sows in parity 1 and 2 ( = 8), B) sows in parity 3 and 4 ( = 6), and C) sows in parity 5 and 6 ( = 6). Colostrum was collected within 12 h after parturition. A total of 125 metabolites were identified using targeted reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and anion-exchange chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. Gas chromatography additionally identified 19 fatty acids (FAs). Across parities, colostrum was rich in creatine and creatinine, 1,3-dioleyl-2-palmitatoylglycerol, 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol, and sialyllactose. Alterations in colostrum concentrations were found for eight metabolites among parity groups ( < 0.05) but the effects were not linear. For instance, colostrum from parity group C comprised 75.4% more valine but 15.7%, 34.1%, and 47.9% less citric, pyruvic, and pyroglutamic acid, respectively, compared to group A ( < 0.05). By contrast, colostrum from parity group B contained 39.5% more spermidine than from group A ( < 0.05). Of the FAs, C18:1, C16:0, and C18:2 n6 were the main FAs across parities. Parity affected four FAs (C18:3n3, C14:1, C17:0ai, and C17:1), including 43.1% less α-linolenic acid (C18:3n3) in colostrum from parity group C compared to groups A and B ( < 0.05). Signature feature ranking identified 1-stearoyl-2-hydroxy--glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine and the secondary bile acid hyodeoxycholic acid as the most discriminative metabolites, showing a higher variable importance in the projection score in colostrum from parity group A than from groups B and C. Overall, results provided a comprehensive overview about the metabolome composition of sow colostrum. The consequences of the changes in colostrum metabolites with increasing parity for the nutrient supply of the piglets should be investigated in the future. The knowledge gained in this study could be used to optimize feeding strategies for sows.
PubMed: 38863596
DOI: 10.1093/tas/txae062 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024Waterlogging stress (WS) negatively impacts crop growth and productivity, making it important to understand crop resistance processes and discover useful WS resistance...
Transcriptomic analysis reveals the regulatory mechanisms of messenger RNA (mRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in response to waterlogging stress in rye (Secale cereale L.).
BACKGROUND
Waterlogging stress (WS) negatively impacts crop growth and productivity, making it important to understand crop resistance processes and discover useful WS resistance genes. In this study, rye cultivars and wild rye species were subjected to 12-day WS treatment, and the cultivar Secale cereale L. Imperil showed higher tolerance. Whole transcriptome sequencing was performed on this cultivar to identify differentially expressed (DE) messenger RNAs (DE-mRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (DE-lncRNAs) involved in WS response.
RESULTS
Among the 6 species, Secale cereale L. Imperil showed higher tolerance than wild rye species against WS. The cultivar effectively mitigated oxidative stress, and regulated hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion. A total of 728 DE-mRNAs and 60 DE-lncRNAs were discovered. Among these, 318 DE-mRNAs and 32 DE-lncRNAs were upregulated, and 410 DE-mRNAs and 28 DE-lncRNAs were downregulated. GO enrichment analysis discovered metabolic processes, cellular processes, and single-organism processes as enriched biological processes (BP). For cellular components (CC), the enriched terms were membrane, membrane part, cell, and cell part. Enriched molecular functions (MF) terms were catalytic activity, binding, and transporter activity. LncRNA and mRNA regulatory processes were mainly related to MAPK signaling pathway-plant, plant hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, anthocyanin biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, ABC transporter, Cytochrome b6/f complex, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and carotenoid biosynthesis pathways. The signalling of ethylene-related pathways was not mainly dependent on AP2/ERF and WRKY transcription factors (TF), but on other factors. Photosynthetic activity was active, and carotenoid levels increased in rye under WS. Sphingolipids, the cytochrome b6/f complex, and glutamate are involved in rye WS response. Sucrose transportation was not significantly inhibited, and sucrose breakdown occurs in rye under WS.
CONCLUSIONS
This study investigated the expression levels and regulatory functions of mRNAs and lncRNAs in 12-day waterlogged rye seedlings. The findings shed light on the genes that play a significant role in rye ability to withstand WS. The findings from this study will serve as a foundation for further investigations into the mRNA and lncRNA WS responses in rye.
Topics: RNA, Long Noncoding; RNA, Messenger; Secale; Gene Expression Profiling; Stress, Physiological; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; RNA, Plant; Transcriptome
PubMed: 38862913
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05234-x -
Microbiology Spectrum Jun 2024Gluten possesses unique properties that render it only partially digestible. Consequently, it exerts detrimental effects on a part of the worldwide population who are...
UNLABELLED
Gluten possesses unique properties that render it only partially digestible. Consequently, it exerts detrimental effects on a part of the worldwide population who are afflicted with celiac disease (1%) or related disorders (5%), particularly due to the potential for cross-contamination even when adhering to a gluten-free diet (GFD). Finding solutions to break down gluten during digestion has a high nutritional and social impact. Here, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled challenge investigated the gluten-degrading activity of a novel probiotic preparation comprising lactobacilli and their cytoplasmic extracts, sp., and bacterial protease. In our clinical trial, we collected feces from 70 healthy volunteers at specific time intervals. Probiotic/placebo administration lasted 32 days, followed by 10 days of wash-out. After preliminary GFD to eliminate residual gluten from feces, increasing amounts of gluten (50 mg-10 g) were administered, each one for 4 consecutive days. Compared to placebo, the feces of volunteers fed with probiotics showed much lower amounts of residual gluten, mainly with increased intakes. Probiotics also regulate the intestinal microbial communities, improving the abundance of genera pivotal to maintaining homeostasis. Quantitative PCR confirmed that all probiotics persisted during the intervention, some also during wash-out. Probiotics promoted a fecal metabolome with potential immunomodulating activity, mainly related to derivatives of branched-chain amino acids and short-chain fatty acids.
IMPORTANCE
The untapped potential of gluten-degrading bacteria and their application in addressing the recognized limitations of gluten-related disorder management and the ongoing risk of cross-contamination even when people follow a gluten-free diet (GFD) emphasizes the significance of the work. Because gluten, a common protein found in many cereals, must be strictly avoided to stop autoimmune reactions and related health problems, celiac disease and gluten sensitivity present difficult hurdles. However, because of the hidden presence of gluten in many food products and the constant danger of cross-contamination during food preparation and processing, total avoidance is frequently challenging. Our study presents a novel probiotic preparation suitable for people suffering from gluten-related disorders during GFD and for healthy individuals because it enhances gluten digestion and promotes gut microbiota functionality.
PubMed: 38860826
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03524-23 -
MBio Jun 2024Plant pathogenic fungi cause serious diseases, which result in the loss of crop yields and reduce the quality of crops worldwide. To counteract the escalating risks of...
Plant pathogenic fungi cause serious diseases, which result in the loss of crop yields and reduce the quality of crops worldwide. To counteract the escalating risks of chemical fungicides, interest in biological control agents to manage plant diseases has significantly increased. In this study, we comprehensively screened microbial culture filtrates using a yeast screening system to find microbes exhibiting respiratory inhibition activity. Consequently, we found a soil-borne microbe HK544 strain exhibiting a respiration inhibitory activity and identified edeine B (EB) from the culture filtrate of HK544 as the active compound of the respiration inhibition activity. Furthermore, against a plant pathogenic fungus , our results showed that EB has effects on multiple aspects of respiration with the downregulation of most of the mitochondrial-related genes based on transcriptome analysis, differential EB-sensitivity from targeted mutagenesis, and the synergistic effects of EB with electron transport chain complex inhibitors. With the promising plant disease control efficacy of HK544 producing EB, our results suggest that HK544 has potential as a biocontrol agent for Fusarium head blight.IMPORTANCEAs a necrotrophic fungus, is a highly destructive pathogen causing severe diseases in cereal crops and mycotoxin contamination in grains. Although chemical control is considered the primary approach to control plant disease caused by , fungicide-resistant strains have been detected in the field after long-term continuous application of fungicides. Moreover, applying chemical fungicides that trigger mycotoxin biosynthesis is a great concern for many researchers. Biocontrol of head blight (FHB) by biological control agents (BCAs) represents an alternative approach and could be used as part of the integrated management of FHB and mycotoxin production. The most extensive studies on bacterial BCAs-fungal communications in agroecosystems have focused on antibiosis. Although many BCAs in agricultural ecology have already been used for fungal disease control, the molecular mechanisms of antibiotics produced by BCAs remain to be elucidated. Here, we found a potential BCA ( HK544) with a strong antifungal activity based on the respiration inhibition activity with its active compound edeine B (EB). Furthermore, our results showed that EB secreted by HK544 suppresses the expression of the mitochondria-related genes of , subsequently suppressing fungal development and the virulence of . In addition, EB exhibited a synergism with complex I inhibitors such as rotenone and fenazaquin. Our work extends our understanding of how HK544 exhibits antifungal activity and suggests that the HK544 strain could be a valuable source for developing new crop protectants to control .
PubMed: 38860787
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01351-24 -
Plant Molecular Biology Jun 2024Mitochondria and plastids, originated as ancestral endosymbiotic bacteria, contain their own DNA sequences. These organelle DNAs (orgDNAs) are, despite the limited...
Mitochondria and plastids, originated as ancestral endosymbiotic bacteria, contain their own DNA sequences. These organelle DNAs (orgDNAs) are, despite the limited genetic information they contain, an indispensable part of the genetic systems but exist as multiple copies, making up a substantial amount of total cellular DNA. Given this abundance, orgDNA is known to undergo tissue-specific degradation in plants. Previous studies have shown that the exonuclease DPD1, conserved among seed plants, degrades orgDNAs during pollen maturation and leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. However, tissue-specific orgDNA degradation was shown to differ among species. To extend our knowledge, we characterized DPD1 in rice in this study. We created a genome-edited (GE) mutant in which OsDPD1 and OsDPD1-like were inactivated. Characterization of this GE plant demonstrated that DPD1 was involved in pollen orgDNA degradation, whereas it had no significant effect on orgDNA degradation during leaf senescence. Comparison of transcriptomes from wild-type and GE plants with different phosphate supply levels indicated that orgDNA had little impact on the phosphate starvation response, but instead had a global impact in plant growth. In fact, the GE plant showed lower fitness with reduced grain filling rate and grain weight in natural light conditions. Taken together, the presented data reinforce the important physiological roles of orgDNA degradation mediated by DPD1.
Topics: Oryza; Plant Proteins; Exonucleases; Gene Editing; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; DNA, Plant; Pollen; Plant Leaves; Genome, Plant; Mutation
PubMed: 38856917
DOI: 10.1007/s11103-024-01452-x -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2024Clonal plants are widely distributed in the riparian zone and play a very important role in the maintenance of wetland ecosystem function. Flooding is an environmental...
Clonal plants are widely distributed in the riparian zone and play a very important role in the maintenance of wetland ecosystem function. Flooding is an environmental stress for plants in the riparian zone, and the response of plants varies according to the depth and duration of flooding. However, there is a lack of research on the growth response of clonal plants during flooding, and the endogenous hormone response mechanism of clonal plants is still unclear. In the present study, , a clonal plant in the riparian zone, was used to investigate the time-dependent stem elongation, the elongation of different part of the immature internodes, and the relationship between growth elongation and the phytohormone gibberellin (GA) under a series of submergence depths (0 m, 2 m, 5 m, and 9 m). The results showed that stem elongation occurred under all treatments, however, compared to 0 m (control), plants grew more under 2 m and 5 m submergence depth, while grew less under 9 m water depth. Additionally, basal part elongation of the immature internode was the predominant factor contributing to the stem growth of under different submergence depths. The phytohormone contents in basal part of the mature and immature internodes showed that GA induced the differential elongation of internode. Plant submerged at depth of 2 m had the highest GA accumulation, but plant submerged at depth of 9 m had the lowest GA concentration. These data suggested that GA biosynthesis are essential for stem elongation in the basal part of the immature internode was the main position of the GA biosynthesis. This study provided new information about the rapid growth and invasion of the clonal plant around the world, further clarified the effects of submergence depth and duration on the elongation of the stem, and deepened our understanding of the growth response of terrestrial plants in deeply flooded environments.
PubMed: 38855466
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1348080 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Jul 2024Isoprenoid metabolism and its derivatives took part in photosynthesis, growth regulation, signal transduction, and plant defense to biotic and abiotic stresses. However,...
Isoprenoid metabolism and its derivatives took part in photosynthesis, growth regulation, signal transduction, and plant defense to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, how aluminum (Al) stress affects the isoprenoid metabolism and whether isoprenoid metabolism plays a vital role in the Citrus plants in coping with Al stress remain unclear. In this study, we reported that Al-treatment-induced alternation in the volatilization rate of monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, α-terpinene, γ-terpinene and 3-carene) and isoprene were different between Citrus sinensis (Al-tolerant) and C. grandis (Al-sensitive) leaves. The Al-induced decrease of CO assimilation, maximum quantum yield of primary PSII photochemistry (F/F), the lower contents of glucose and starch, and the lowered activities of enzymes involved in the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway and 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway might account for the different volatilization rate of isoprenoids. Furthermore, the altered transcript levels of genes related to isoprenoid precursors and/or derivatives metabolism, such as geranyl diphosphate (GPP) synthase (GPPS) in GPP biosynthesis, geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPPS), chlorophyll synthase (CHS) and GGPP reductase (GGPPR) in chlorophyll biosynthesis, limonene synthase (LS) and α-pinene synthase (APS) in limonene and α-pinene synthesis, respectively, might be responsible for the different contents of corresponding products in C. grandis and C. sinensis. Our data suggested that isoprenoid metabolism was involved in Al tolerance response in Citrus, and the alternation of some branches of isoprenoid metabolism could confer different Al-tolerance to Citrus species.
Topics: Aluminum; Terpenes; Citrus; Limonene; Photosynthesis; Bicyclic Monoterpenes; Plant Leaves; Stress, Physiological; Monoterpenes; Hemiterpenes; Cyclohexenes; Sugar Phosphates; Butadienes; Erythritol; Mevalonic Acid; Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; Citrus sinensis; Chlorophyll; Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; Volatilization
PubMed: 38850709
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116545