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Frontiers in Microbiology 2024Microbial inhibition by high ammonia concentrations is a recurring problem that significantly restricts methane formation from intermediate acids, i.e., propionate and...
Microbial inhibition by high ammonia concentrations is a recurring problem that significantly restricts methane formation from intermediate acids, i.e., propionate and acetate, during anaerobic digestion of protein-rich waste material. Studying the syntrophic communities that perform acid conversion is challenging, due to their relatively low abundance within the microbial communities typically found in biogas processes and disruption of their cooperative behavior in pure cultures. To overcome these limitations, this study examined growth parameters and microbial community dynamics of highly enriched mesophilic and ammonia-tolerant syntrophic propionate and acetate-oxidizing communities and analyzed their metabolic activity and cooperative behavior using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches. Cultivation in batch set-up demonstrated biphasic utilization of propionate, wherein acetate accumulated and underwent oxidation before complete degradation of propionate. Three key species for syntrophic acid degradation were inferred from genomic sequence information and gene expression: a syntrophic propionate-oxidizing bacterium (SPOB) " Syntrophopropionicum ammoniitolerans", a syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacterium (SAOB) and a novel hydrogenotrophic methanogen, for which we propose the provisional name " Methanoculleus ammoniitolerans". The results revealed consistent transcriptional profiles of the SAOB and the methanogen both during propionate and acetate oxidation, regardless of the presence of an active propionate oxidizer. Gene expression indicated versatile capabilities of the two syntrophic bacteria, utilizing both molecular hydrogen and formate as an outlet for reducing equivalents formed during acid oxidation, while conserving energy through build-up of sodium/proton motive force. The methanogen used hydrogen and formate as electron sources. Furthermore, results of the present study provided a framework for future research into ammonia tolerance, mobility, aggregate formation and interspecies cooperation.
PubMed: 38933034
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1389257 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024Commensal microbial-host interaction is crucial for host metabolism, growth, development, and immunity. However, research on microbial-host immunity in large animal...
Commensal microbial-host interaction is crucial for host metabolism, growth, development, and immunity. However, research on microbial-host immunity in large animal models has been limited. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the commensal microbiota on immune function in two model groups: germ-free (GF) and specific-pathogen-free (SPF) piglets. The weight and organ index of the spleen of the GF piglet were larger than those in the SPF piglet ( < 0.05). The histological structure of the red pulp area and mean area of germinal centers were larger in the SPF piglet than in the GF piglet ( < 0.05), whereas the areas of staining of B cells and T cells in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were lower in the GF piglet ( < 0.05). We identified immune-related genes in the spleen and MLNs using RNA sequencing, and used real-time quantitative PCR to analyze the expression of core genes identified in gene set enrichment analysis. The expression levels of genes in the transforming growth factor-β/SMAD3 signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor 2/MyD88/nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway, and pro-inflammatory factor genes and in the spleen and MLNs were higher in the SPF piglet and in splenic lymphocytes compared with those in the GF and control group, respectively, under treatment with acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or concanavalin A (ConA). The abundances of plasma cells, CD8 T cells, follicular helper T cells, and resting natural killer cells in the spleen and MLNs were significantly greater in the SPF piglet than in the GF piglet ( < 0.05). In conclusion, the commensal microbiota influenced the immune tissue structure, abundances of immune cells, and expression of immune-related pathways, indicating the importance of the commensal microbiota for spleen and MLNs development and function. In our study, GF piglet was used as the research model, eliminating the interference of microbiota in the experiment, and providing a suitable and efficient large animal research model for exploring the mechanism of "microbial-host" interactions.
PubMed: 38933022
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1398631 -
Nutrients Jun 2024Chronic kidney disease increases uremic toxins concentrations, which have been associated with intestinal dysbiosis. L. Moench has dietary fiber and bioactive... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
A Symbiotic Meal Containing Extruded Sorghum and Probiotic () Ameliorated Intestinal Health Markers in Individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Secondary Analysis of a Subsample from a Previous Randomized and Controlled Clinical Trial.
BACKGROUND
Chronic kidney disease increases uremic toxins concentrations, which have been associated with intestinal dysbiosis. L. Moench has dietary fiber and bioactive compounds, while can promote beneficial health effects.
METHODS
It is a controlled, randomized, and single-blind clinical trial. Thirty-nine subjects were randomly separated into two groups: symbiotic group (SG), which received 100 mL of unfermented probiotic milk with strain and 40 g of extruded sorghum flakes; and the control group (CG), which received 100 mL of pasteurized milk and 40 g of extruded corn flakes for seven weeks.
RESULTS
The uremic toxins decreased, and gastrointestinal symptoms improved intragroup in the SG group. The acetic, propionic, and butyric acid production increased intragroup in the SG group. Regarding α-diversity, the Chao1 index was enhanced in the SG intragroup. The KEGG analysis revealed that symbiotic meal increased the intragroup energy and amino sugar metabolism, in addition to enabling essential amino acid production and metabolism, sucrose degradation, and the biosynthesis of ribonucleotide metabolic pathways.
CONCLUSIONS
The consumption of symbiotic meal reduced BMI, improved short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) synthesis and gastrointestinal symptoms, increased diversity according to the Chao1 index, and reduced uremic toxins in chronic kidney disease patients.
Topics: Humans; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic; Probiotics; Sorghum; Male; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Middle Aged; Single-Blind Method; Bifidobacterium longum; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Biomarkers; Aged; Dysbiosis; Adult; Intestines
PubMed: 38931207
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121852 -
The Grafting of Hydroxyaromatic Organics within Layered Perovskites via a Microwave-Assisted Method.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024A new series of inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite materials were prepared by microwave-assisted grafting reactions. Simple carboxylic acids, acetic acid, and propionic...
A new series of inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite materials were prepared by microwave-assisted grafting reactions. Simple carboxylic acids, acetic acid, and propionic acid, as well as hydroxyaromatic carboxylic acids, 3,5-dihydroxy benzoic acid (DBA), 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid (HPA), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), and 4-hydroxy-4-biphenyl carboxylic acid (HBCA), were reacted with the Dion-Jacobson double-layered perovskite, HLaNbO and its alcoxy derivatives. Grafting was found to not occur with simple carboxylic acids, while those molecules with hydroxyls were all attached to the perovskite interlayers. Reactivity of the hydroxyaromatic carboxylic acids varied with the different layered perovskite hosts where reactions with HLaNbO did not occur, and those with n-propoxy-LaNbO were limited; the greatest extent of reactivity was seen with n-decoxy-LaNbO. This is attributed to the larger interlayer spacing available for the insertion of the various hydroxyaromatic carboxylic acid compounds. The loading exhibited by the grafting species was less than that seen with well-known long-chain alkoxy grafting groups. It is expected that the width of the molecules contributes to this where, due to the benzyl groups, the interlayer volume of the grafted moieties occupies a larger horizontal fraction, therefore minimizing the loading to the below half. X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies found that grafting of the n-decoxy-LaNbO intermediates with the series of hydroxyaromatics resulted in a reduction in crystallinity along with a disruption of the layer structure. Raman data on the series show little variation in local structure except for HBCA, where there appears to be a lengthening of the Nb-O apical linkage and a possible reduction in the distortion of inner-layer NbO octahedra. The optical properties of the hydroxyaromatic carboxylic acid grafted perovskites were also investigated using diffuse-reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy. The band gaps of DBA, HPA, and HBA were found to be similar to the parent (E ≈ 3.4 eV), while the HBCA was significantly less by ca. 0.6 eV. This difference is attributed to electron withdrawal from the perovskite block to the HBCA ligand, leading to a lower band gap for the HBCA compound. The methods described herein allow for the formation of a new series of inorganic-organic hybrid materials where the products are of interest as precursors to more complex architectures as well as models for band gap modification of metal oxide photocatalysts.
PubMed: 38930953
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122888 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The extract of , a traditional Chinese medicinal and food homologous plant belonging to the family Orchidaceae, was previously reported to have hypoglycemic and...
The extract of , a traditional Chinese medicinal and food homologous plant belonging to the family Orchidaceae, was previously reported to have hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects. In this study, the direct effects of polysaccharide (DHP) and non-polysaccharide (NDHP) components of , as well as its water extract (DHWE) were compared with that of metformin (an antidiabetic drug) on the gut microbiota (collected from fecal flora) of rats with streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes (T1D) using an in vitro fermentation method. The results showed that DHWE, DHP, and NDHP reduced pH and increased bacterial proliferation and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in fermentation broth. DHWE, DHP, NDHP and metformin promoted the production of acetic and propionic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, and propionic acid, respectively. DHWE, DHP, and NDHP reduced the abundance of (subdominant pathogenic bacteria) and increased the abundance of (dominant beneficial gut bacteria). NDHP also reduced the abundance of (beneficial and conditional pathogenic). Metformin increased the abundance of and reduced the abundance of and . At the genus level, NDHP promoted the proliferation of and and decreased harmful bacteria (e.g., ), and DHP increased the abundance of (opportunistic and usually harmless). By contrast, metformin increased the abundance of harmful bacteria (e.g., ) and reduced the abundance of beneficial bacteria (e.g., ). Our study indicates that DHWE, DHP, and NDHP are potentially more beneficial than metformin on the gut microbiota of T1D rats in vitro.
Topics: Animals; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Metformin; Dendrobium; Polysaccharides; Rats; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Hypoglycemic Agents; Plant Extracts; Male; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental
PubMed: 38930856
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122791 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024In this study, a beverage made from a combination of sap (AS) and prickly pear juice (PPJ) was analyzed for its nutrients and bioactive and potentially health-promoting...
In this study, a beverage made from a combination of sap (AS) and prickly pear juice (PPJ) was analyzed for its nutrients and bioactive and potentially health-promoting compounds. The beverage was evaluated for its ability to act as an antioxidant, regulate glycemic properties, and undergo gut bacterial fermentation in vitro. The major mono- and oligosaccharides present in the beverage were galacturonic acid (217.74 ± 13.46 mg/100 mL), rhamnose (227.00 ± 1.58 mg/100 mL), and fructose (158.16 ± 8.86 mg/mL). The main phenolic compounds identified were protocatechuic acid (440.31 ± 3.06 mg/100 mL) and catechin (359.72 ± 7.56 mg/100 mL). It was observed that the beverage had a low glycemic index (<40) and could inhibit digestive carbohydrases. The combination of ingredients also helped to reduce gas production during AS fermentation from 56.77 cm to 15.67 cm. The major SCFAs produced during fermentation were butyrate, acetate, and propionate, with valerate being produced only during the late fermentation of the AS. This beverage is rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and dietary fiber, which will bring health benefits when consumed.
Topics: Agave; Fruit and Vegetable Juices; Antioxidants; Fermentation; Hydroxybenzoates; Polyphenols; Pyrus; Phenols; Rhamnose; Catechin; Hexuronic Acids
PubMed: 38930808
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122742 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024Chronic inflammatory enteropathies (CIEs) are classified based on treatment trials, and new methods are being sought for earlier differentiation and characterization....
Chronic inflammatory enteropathies (CIEs) are classified based on treatment trials, and new methods are being sought for earlier differentiation and characterization. infection (GIA) is one of the first differential diagnoses and may be present in CIE-affected dogs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the faecal characteristics and faecal fatty acid profile (short, medium, long, and branched-chain fatty acids) in dogs with food-responsive enteropathy (FRE), immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy (IRE), and dogs infected with compared to healthy control (HC) animals as a potential non-invasive indicator of intestinal health that helps in the differentiation of CIEs. The C16:1n-7 percentage ( = 0.0001) and C16:1n-7/C16:0 ratio ( = 0.0001) served to differentiate between HC, FRE, and IRE. IRE dogs presented lower levels of short-chain fatty acids (∑SCFAs) ( = 0.0008) and acetic acid (C2) ( = 0.0007) compared to the other three groups and lower propionic acid (C3) ( = 0.0022) compared to HCs. IRE and GIA presented higher faecal fat content ( = 0.0080) and ratio of iso/anteiso branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) compared to HC and FRE. Correlations between some fatty acids and desaturation indices with the canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index and faecal characteristics were observed, suggesting that these compounds could play an important role in the pathogenesis of these diseases.
PubMed: 38929444
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121825 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 20243-nitropropionic acid (3NPA) has been proposed as an useful modifier to mitigate ruminal enteric methane emissions. However, few studies investigated the effects of 3NPA...
3-nitropropionic acid (3NPA) has been proposed as an useful modifier to mitigate ruminal enteric methane emissions. However, few studies investigated the effects of 3NPA on ruminal fermentation characteristics of grazing ruminants in vitro. Rumen fluid from grazing yak and cattle were collected and incubated with additions of 0, 8, and 16 mM 3NPA. The total gas production, CH production, and dry matter digestibility significantly decreased with increasing 3NPA doses in both ruminant species ( < 0.05) and methane production decreased to almost 100% in cattle at 8 mM NPA but not yak, while H accumulation showed an opposite trend. The total fatty acid (TVFA) production, acetate concentration, and propionate concentration in cattle decreased as 3NPA doses increased at 12 and 24 h incubation. For yak, the H accumulation reached its apex at 8 mM NPA ( < 0.05). The TVFA in yak decreased significantly with increasing 3NPA doses at 12 and 72 h incubation. Moreover, the acetate concentration and propionate concentration in yak decreased as 3NPA doses increased at 12 and 24 h incubation. Overall, these findings demonstrated that 3NPA could be used as a strategy to mitigate methane emissions; although, it negatively affected the dry matter degradability in vitro.
PubMed: 38929423
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121804 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024This study investigated the effects of the dietary protein level and rumen-protected methionine and lysine (RPML) on the growth performance, rumen fermentation, and...
This study investigated the effects of the dietary protein level and rumen-protected methionine and lysine (RPML) on the growth performance, rumen fermentation, and serum indexes of yaks. Thirty-six male yaks were randomly assigned to a two by three factorial experiment with two protein levels, 15.05% and 16.51%, and three RPML levels: 0% RPML; 0.05% RPMet and 0.15% RPLys; and 0.1% RPMet and 0.3% RPLys. The trial lasted for sixty days. The results showed that the low-protein diet increased the DMI and feed conversion ratio of yaks. The diet supplemented with RPML increased the activities of IGF1 and INS and nutrient digestibility. The high-protein diet decreased the rumen butyrate concentration and increased the rumen isovalerate concentration. The low-protein diet supplemented with RPML increased the rumen pH and the concentrations of total volatile fatty acids, butyrate and NH-N; the high-protein diet supplemented with a high level of RPML decreased the rumen pH and the concentrations of isobutyrate, isovalerate, propionate and NH-N. The low-protein diet supplemented with RPML increased the total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase activity, along with the concentrations of malondialdehyde and amino acids such as aspartic acid, lysine, cysteine, etc. In conclusion, a low-protein diet supplemented with RPML is beneficial for rumen and body health, physiological response, and metabolic status in yaks.
PubMed: 38929369
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121751 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2024The potentials of ABO replacer of ENZ and DFM on growth performance, AID, colonic VFAs, gut morphology, fecal score and diarrhea incidence were evaluated. We randomly...
The potentials of ABO replacer of ENZ and DFM on growth performance, AID, colonic VFAs, gut morphology, fecal score and diarrhea incidence were evaluated. We randomly assigned 120 piglets to four experimental diets that included: (1) control diet (CON), fed the basal ration; (2) ABO was added at 250 ppm of in-feed ABO; (3) ENZ was added at a rate of 3 kg/ton feed; (4) DFM was added with 50 × 10 cfu/g of and 2 × 10 cfu/g of spp. at a rate of 1.2 kg/ton feed. A complete randomized design used six pens per treatment with five pigs per pen. Pigs had ad libitum access to feed and water throughout the 6-week trial. Feed intake and BW were recorded on weeks 0, 2, 4 and 6, as well as fecal scores and diarrhea incidences (visually recorded and calculated). At weeks 2 and 4, a sub-sample of pigs ( = 6) was sacrificed for intestinal morphology, enzyme activity and VFAs. The results of the study demonstrated that DFM piglets showed increased final BW (3 kg) ( < 0.001) vs. CON. Likewise, ADG was positively affected by the incorporation of ABO, ENZ and DFM in the diets, with an average increase of 8 to 17% on ADG compared with CON ( < 0.001). The AID of gross energy, organic matter, CP and EAAs in piglets fed ENZ and DFM were significantly higher ( < 0.05) than those of CON and ABO at weeks 2 and 4. Inclusion of DFM increased intestinal morphology, enzymatic activities and propionic and butyric acid more than in pigs fed CON, ABO and ENZ ( < 0.05). The fecal score and diarrhea incidence generally decreased over time in pigs fed DFM ( < 0.05). These findings indicate that dietary supplementation with DFM has better effects at any period on growth performance, CP and AA digestibility and beneficially altered the intestinal health in weanling piglets.
PubMed: 38929368
DOI: 10.3390/ani14121749