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Veterinary World May 2024Poultry meat is an excellent animal protein source accessible to many low-income families in developing countries. It is also part of a balanced diet and contains...
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Poultry meat is an excellent animal protein source accessible to many low-income families in developing countries. It is also part of a balanced diet and contains valuable nutrients necessary for maintaining human health. The poultry sector implements improved processes to increase the quality and nutritional value of poultry meat. This study aimed to determine the influence of licorice root extract on the amino acid, fatty acid, vitamin, mineral composition, nutritional value, and productivity of quail meat.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Two groups were formed from Japanese quails: A control group and one experimental group, each consisting of 50 individuals. Quails from both the experimental and control groups received the same complete diet. Quails in the experimental group had licorice root extract added to their water at a dosage of 10 g/L, starting from the age of 3 days to 42 days of growth. At 42 days of age, 30 birds from each group were slaughtered to examine their meat productivity and chemical composition. The quail carcasses were analyzed for the following parameters: Live weight, carcass weight, nutritional value, mineral substances, vitamin content, fatty acid composition, amino acid composition, and amino acid score.
RESULTS
This study demonstrated that quails in the experimental group receiving water with licorice extract exhibited higher indicators than those in the control group. Calcium (21.05%), magnesium (20.83%), and phosphorus (23.53%) were the most elevated mineral substances in the meat of the experimental birds. Vitamins E (22.22%) and C (20.0%) showed the greatest increase in vitamin content. The fatty acid composition parameters 17:0 margaric acid (8.16%), 18:3 linolenic acid (6.25%), and 20:4 arachidonic acid (4.49%) showed the highest increase. There was a clear increase in the amino acids valine (4.61%), lysine (4.32%), threonine (5.99%), tryptophan (4.87%), phenylalanine (5.87%), and cysteine (14.17%). The application of licorice root extract also positively impacted the amino acid score of quail meat, except for leucine, which remained within the range compared with the control group. Quails in the experimental group weighed 7.96% more live weight before slaughter than the controls. Moreover, the carcass weight was in favor of the experimental group (8.59%).
CONCLUSION
The use of licorice root extract positively influences the quality and biological value of quail meat. Data on amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, trace elements, and other important components of quail meat will significantly expand our understanding of the biological value of licorice root extract. These findings can be used in the formulation of balanced diets for children and adults and highlight the importance of this issue.
PubMed: 38911091
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.1017-1025 -
Poultry Science May 2024The quality and flavor of chicken are affected by muscle metabolites and related regulatory genes, and the molecular regulation mechanism of meat quality is different...
The quality and flavor of chicken are affected by muscle metabolites and related regulatory genes, and the molecular regulation mechanism of meat quality is different among different breeds of chicken. In this study, 40 one-day-old Daweishan mini chicken (DM) and Cobb broiler (CB) were selected from each group, with 4 replicates and 10 chickens in each replicate. The chickens were reared until 90 d of age under the same management conditions. Then, metabolomics and transcriptomics data of 90-day-old DM (n = 4) and CB (n = 4) were integrated to analyze metabolites affecting breast muscle quality and flavor, and to explore the important genes regulating meat quality and flavor related metabolites. The results showed that a total of 38 significantly different metabolites (SDMs) and 420 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in the breast muscle of the 2 breeds. Amino acid and lipid metabolism may be the cause of meat quality and flavor difference between DM and CB chickens, involving metabolites such as L-methionine, betaine, N6, N6, N6-Trimethyl-L-lysine, L-anserine, glutathione, glutathione disulfide, L-threonine, N-Acetyl-L-aspartic acid, succinate, choline, DOPC, SOPC, alpha-linolenic acid, L-palmitoylcarnitine, etc. Important regulatory genes with high correlation with flavor amino acids (GATM, GSTO1) and lipids (PPARG, LPL, PLIN1, SCD, ANGPTL4, FABP7, GK, B4GALT6, UGT8, PLPP4) were identified by correlation analysis, and the gene-metabolite interaction network of breast muscle mass and flavor formation in DM chicken was constructed. This study showed that there were significant differences in breast metabolites between DM and CB chickens, mainly in amino acid and lipid metabolites. These 2 kinds of substances may be the main reasons for the difference in breast muscle quality and flavor between the 2 breeds. In general, this study could provide a theoretical basis for further research on the molecular regulatory mechanism of the formation of breast muscle quality and flavor differences between DM and CB chickens, and provide a reference for the development, utilization and genetic breeding of high-quality meat chicken breeds.
PubMed: 38909504
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103920 -
Journal of Dairy Science Jun 2024Our objective was to compare abomasal infusions of linoleic (18:2n-6) and α-linolenic (18:3n-3) acids on the enrichment of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (FA) into the plasma...
Our objective was to compare abomasal infusions of linoleic (18:2n-6) and α-linolenic (18:3n-3) acids on the enrichment of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (FA) into the plasma lipid fractions of lactating dairy cows and evaluate their potential carryover effects in plasma lipid fractions post-infusion. Six rumen-cannulated multiparous Holstein cows (252 ± 33 d in milk) were fed the same diet and assigned to 1 of 2 treatments in a completely randomized design with repeated measures. Treatments were abomasal infusions (67 g/d total FA) of 1) n-6 FA blend (N6) to provide approximately 43 g/d 18:2n-6 and 8 g/d of 18:3n-3; or 2) n-3 FA blend (N3) providing 43 g/d 18:3n-3 and 8 g/d 18:2n-6. Treatments were dissolved in ethanol, and the daily dose for each treatment was divided into 4 equal infusions, occurring every 6 h. The treatment period lasted from d 1 to 20, and the carryover period lasted from d 21 to 40. Results are presented as FA contents within each of the 4 main plasma lipid fractions: cholesterol esters (CE), phospholipids (PL); triglycerides (TG), and plasma nonesterified fatty acids. Concentrations of individual lipid fractions in plasma were not quantified. Plasma CE and PL had the highest content of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) during both the treatment and carryover periods. In plasma PL, N3 increased the contents of total n-3 FA (134%), 18:3n-3 (267%), and eicosapentaenoic acid (96.3%, 20:5n-3), and decreased total n-6 FA (8.14%) and 18:2n-6 (8.16%) from d 4 to 20 compared with N6. In plasma CE, N3 increased the contents of total n-3 FA (191%) from d 4 to 20, 18:3n-3 from d 2 to 20 (178%), and 20:5n-3 from d 6 to 20 (59.9%), while N3 decreased total n-6 FA from d 4 to 20 (11.2%) and 18:2n-6 from d 2 to 20 (10.5%) compared with N6. In addition, compared with N6, N3 decreased arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) at d 2 (45%) and from d 10 to 20 (14.7%) in PL and tended to decrease 20:4n-6 without interacting with time for CE. Phospholipids were the only lipid fraction with detectable levels of docosahexaenoic acid (22:3n-6) in all samples, but we did not observe differences between treatments. In plasma TG, N3 increased the contents of total n-3 FA (135%) and 18:3n-3 (146%) from d 4 to 20, increased 20:5n-3 from d 12 to 20 (89%), decreased or tended to decrease total n-6 FA content from d 6 and 8 (26.9%), and tended to decrease 18:2n-6 at d 8 compared with N6. A similar pattern was observed for plasma nonesterified fatty acids. We observed positive carryover effects for both N3 and N6 at different degrees in all lipid fractions, with N3 promoting more consistent outcomes and increasing total n-3 FA throughout the carryover period (from d 22 to 40) in both PL (52.8%) and CE (68.6%) compared with N6. It is important to emphasize that the higher magnitude responses observed for n-3 FA are also influenced by the content of n-3 FA being much lower than those of n-6 FA in all lipid fractions. While these data provide important and robust information, future research quantifying changes in concentrations of individual lipid fractions in plasma and the entry and exit rates of specific FA will further enhance our understanding. In conclusion, abomasally infusing N3 and N6 increased the contents of n-3 and n-6 FA, respectively, in all plasma lipid fractions. These responses were more evident in PL and CE. We also observed positive carryover effects in all lipid fractions, where N3 had more consistent outcomes than N6. Our results indicate that dairy cows have a robust mechanism to conserve essential FA, with a pronounced preference for n-3 FA.
PubMed: 38908699
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2024-24907 -
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN Aug 2024Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is often cycled nocturnally and is expected to result in glucose intolerance and sleep disruption partly due to circadian misalignment....
Plasma metabolomics changes comparing daytime to overnight infusions of home parenteral nutrition in adult patients with short bowel syndrome: Secondary analysis of a clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is often cycled nocturnally and is expected to result in glucose intolerance and sleep disruption partly due to circadian misalignment. This study aimed to define the metabolic response when HPN is cycled during the daytime compared to overnight.
METHODS
This secondary analysis leveraged samples from a clinical trial in adults with short bowel syndrome consuming HPN (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04743960). Enrolled patients received 1 week of HPN overnight followed by 1 week of HPN during the daytime. Fasting blood samples were collected following each study period and global metabolic profiles were examined from plasma samples. Differential metabolite abundance was determined from normalized and scaled data using adjusted Linear Models for MicroArray Data models followed by pathway enrichment analysis.
RESULTS
Nine patients (mean age, 52.6 years; 78% female; mean BMI 20.7 kg/m) provided samples. Among 622 identified metabolites, changes were observed in 36 metabolites at P < 0.05 with higher abundance of fatty acids, long-chain and polyunsaturated fatty acids (Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonate (20:4n6), docosahexaenoate (DHA; 22:6n3)) and glycerolipids with daytime infusions. Enrichment analysis identified changes in pathways related to the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, d-arginine, and d-ornithine metabolism, and linoleic acid metabolism (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Daytime infusions of HPN may result in changes in circulating lipids and amino acid composing metabolic pathways previously implicated in circadian rhythms. As this is the first untargeted metabolomics study of HPN, larger studies are needed.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Short Bowel Syndrome; Parenteral Nutrition, Home; Metabolomics; Adult; Circadian Rhythm
PubMed: 38901946
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2024.04.025 -
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry : PPB Jun 2024Coronatine, an analog of Jasmonic acid (JA), has been shown to enhance crop tolerance to abiotic stresses, including chilling stress. However, the underlying molecular...
Coronatine, an analog of Jasmonic acid (JA), has been shown to enhance crop tolerance to abiotic stresses, including chilling stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of Coronatine on cotton seedlings under low temperature using transcriptomic and metabolomics analysis. Twelve cDNA libraries from cotton seedlings were constructed, and pairwise comparisons revealed a total of 48,322 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis identified the involvement of these unigenes in various metabolic pathways, including Starch and sucrose metabolism, Sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis, Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism, ABC transporters, and Plant hormone signal transduction. Additionally, substantial accumulations of jasmonates (JAs), abscisic acid and major cell wall metabolites were observed. Transcriptome analysis revealed differential expression of regulatory genes, and qRT-PCR analysis confirmed the expression patterns of 9 selected genes. Co-expression analysis showed that the JA-responsive genes might form a network module with ABA biosynthesis genes or cell wall biosynthesis genes, suggesting the existence of a COR-JA-cellulose and COR-JA-ABA-cellulose regulatory pathway in cotton seedlings. Collectively, our findings uncover new insights into the molecular basis of coronatine--associated cold tolerance in cotton seedlings.
PubMed: 38896915
DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108832 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024This study investigates the chemical composition, nutritional, and biological properties of extracts obtained from berries using different extraction methods and...
This study investigates the chemical composition, nutritional, and biological properties of extracts obtained from berries using different extraction methods and solvents. Hydrodistillation and supercritical fluid extraction with CO allowed us to isolate fruit essential oil (HD) and fixed oil (SFE), respectively. A phenol-enriched extract was obtained using a mild ultrasound-assisted maceration with methanol (UAM). The HD most abundant component, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), was italicene epoxide (17.2%), followed by hexadecanoic acid (12.4%), khusinol (10.5%), limonene (9.7%), dodecanoic acid (9.7%), and (E)-anethole (6.1%). Linoleic (348.9 mg/g of extract, 70.5%), oleic (88.9 mg/g, 17.9%), and palmitic (40.8 mg/g, 8.2%) acids, followed by α-linolenic and stearic acids, were the main fatty acids in SFE determined using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector and an evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-DAD/ELSD). HPLC-DAD analyses of SFE identified β-carotene as the main carotenoid (1.7 mg/g), while HPLC with fluorescence detection (FLU) evidenced α-tocopherol (1.2 mg/g) as the most abundant tocopherol isoform in SFE. Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-MS (LC-ESI-MS) analysis of UAM showed the presence of quercetin-sulfate (15.6%, major component), malvidin 3--(6--p-coumaroyl) glucoside-4-vinylphenol adduct (pigment B) (9.3%), di-caffeoyl coumaroyl spermidine (7.6%), methyl-epigallocatechin (5.68%), and phloretin (4.1%), while flavonoids (70.5%) and phenolic acids (23.9%) emerged as the most abundant polyphenol classes. UAM exerted a complete inhibition of the cholesterol oxidative degradation at 140 °C from 75 μg of extract, showing 50% protection at 30.6 μg (IA). Furthermore, UAM significantly reduced viability (31-48%) in A375 melanoma cells in the range of 500-2000 μg/mL after 96 h of incubation (MTT assay), with a low toxic effect in normal HaCaT keratinocytes. The results of this research extend the knowledge of the nutritional and biological properties of berries, providing useful information on specific extracts for potential food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications.
Topics: Plant Extracts; Fruit; Photinia; Humans; Antioxidants; Fatty Acids; Oils, Volatile; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Phytochemicals
PubMed: 38893452
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112577 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024The stem base of alfalfa is a critical part for its overwintering, regeneration, and yield. To better understand the specificity and importance of the stem base, we...
The stem base of alfalfa is a critical part for its overwintering, regeneration, and yield. To better understand the specificity and importance of the stem base, we analyzed the structure, metabolic substances, and transcriptome of the stem base using anatomical techniques, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and compared it with stems and roots. The anatomical structure shows that the ratio of xylem to phloem changes at the base of the stem. A total of 801 compounds involved in 91 metabolic pathways were identified from the broadly targeted metabolome. Transcriptome analysis revealed 4974 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at the stem base compared to the stem, and 5503 DEGs compared to the root. Comprehensive analyses of differentially accumulated compounds (DACs) and DEGs, in the stem base vs. stem, identified 10 valuable pathways, including plant hormone signal transduction, zeatin biosynthesis, α-Linolenic acid metabolism, histidine metabolism, carbon metabolism, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, pentose phosphate pathway, galactose metabolism, and fructose and mannose metabolism. The pathways of plant hormone signal transduction and carbon metabolism were also identified by comparing the stem base with the roots. Taken together, the stem base of alfalfa is the transition region between the stem and root in morphology; in terms of material metabolism, its growth, development, and function are regulated through hormones and sugars.
Topics: Medicago sativa; Plant Stems; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Plant Roots; Transcriptome; Gene Expression Profiling; Metabolome; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Plant Growth Regulators
PubMed: 38892413
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116225 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024The use of secondary metabolites of rice to control pests has become a research hotspot, but little is known about the mechanism of rice self-resistance. In this study,...
The use of secondary metabolites of rice to control pests has become a research hotspot, but little is known about the mechanism of rice self-resistance. In this study, metabolomics analysis was performed on two groups of rice (T1, with insect pests; T2, without pests), indicating that fatty acids, alkaloids, and phenolic acids were significantly up-regulated in T1. The up-regulated metabolites (-value < 0.1) were enriched in linoleic acid metabolism, terpene, piperidine, and pyridine alkaloid biosynthesis, α-linolenic acid metabolism, and tryptophan metabolism. Six significantly up-regulated differential metabolites in T1 were screened out: --feruloyl-3-methoxytyramine (), --feruloyltyramine (), N---coumaroyltyramine (), --feruloyltyramine (), -phenylacetyl-L-glutamine (), and benzamide (). The insect growth inhibitory activities of these six different metabolites were determined, and the results show that compound had the highest activity, which significantly inhibited the growth of by 59.63%. Compounds - also showed a good inhibitory effect on the growth of , while the other compounds had no significant effect. RNA-seq analyses showed that larval exposure to compound up-regulated the genes that were significantly enriched in ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes, the cell cycle, ribosomes, and other pathways. The down-regulated genes were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways, oxidative phosphorylation, the citrate cycle (TCA cycle), and other pathways. Eighteen up-regulated genes and fifteen down-regulated genes from the above significantly enriched pathways were screened out and verified by real-time quantitative PCR. The activities of detoxification enzymes (glutathione S-transferase (GST); UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT); and carboxylesterase (CarE)) under larval exposure to compound were measured, which indicated that the activity of GST was significantly inhibited by compound , while the activities of the UGT and CarE enzymes did not significantly change. As determined by UPLC-MS, the contents of compound in the T1 and T2 groups were 8.55 ng/g and 0.53 ng/g, respectively, which indicated that pest insects significantly induced the synthesis of compound . Compound may enhance rice insect resistance by inhibiting the detoxification enzyme activity and metabolism of , as well as promoting cell proliferation to affect its normal growth and development process. The chemical-ecological mechanism of the insect resistance of rice is preliminarily clarified in this paper.
Topics: Oryza; Animals; Metabolomics; Alkaloids; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Metabolome; Herbivory; Coumaric Acids; Tyramine
PubMed: 38892132
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115946 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... May 2024Despite their inability to reproduce naturally, mules can host embryos and be surrogate dams. The aim of this investigation was to increase our knowledge of the...
Despite their inability to reproduce naturally, mules can host embryos and be surrogate dams. The aim of this investigation was to increase our knowledge of the qualitative composition of mule's milk and its variations throughout the whole lactation period-namely, from 6 h after foaling to 180 days in milk (DIM). Milk was obtained from a mule dam that had foaled after receiving a mule embryo transfer. For each sample, the gross, mineral, and fatty acid composition was evaluated. The average quality of the mule milk was as follows: protein 1.97 g 100 mL, fat 0.90 g 100 mL, and ash 0.39 g 100 mL. Saturated fatty acids made up, on average, 50.00 g 100 g of fat. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids made up half of the total fatty acid content (31.80 g 100 g and 18.2 g 100 g of fat, respectively). Linoleic acid and linolenic acid were the main polyunsaturated fatty acids in the milk. The milk composition changed throughout lactation. Dry matter, protein, fat, and ash decreased significantly from early lactation (6 h to 14 DIM). The n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased at the end of lactation. The changes in milk composition throughout lactation are probably due to adaptations to the growth requirements of the foal.
PubMed: 38891633
DOI: 10.3390/ani14111585 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The omega-3 fatty acid desaturase enzyme gene is responsible for converting linoleic acid to linolenic acid in plant fatty acid synthesis. Despite limited knowledge of...
The omega-3 fatty acid desaturase enzyme gene is responsible for converting linoleic acid to linolenic acid in plant fatty acid synthesis. Despite limited knowledge of its role in cotton growth, our study focused on , a gene within the family, which was found to promote fiber elongation and cell wall thickness in cotton. was predominantly expressed in elongating fibers, and its suppression led to shorter fibers with reduced cell wall thickness and phosphoinositide (PI) and inositol triphosphate (IP) levels. Transcriptome analysis of knock-out mutants revealed significant impacts on genes involved in the phosphoinositol signaling pathway. Experimental evidence demonstrated that positively regulated the expression of the and genes, influencing cotton fiber development through the inositol signaling pathway. The application of PI and IP externally increased fiber length in knock-out plants, while inhibiting PI led to a reduced fiber length in overexpressing plants. These findings suggest that plays a crucial role in enhancing fiber development by promoting PI and IP biosynthesis, offering the potential for breeding cotton varieties with superior fiber quality.
PubMed: 38891317
DOI: 10.3390/plants13111510