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Poultry Science Dec 2020The aim of present study was to determine the influence of the feed form (FF) on standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of nitrogen (N) and amino acids (AA) in 3 protein...
The aim of present study was to determine the influence of the feed form (FF) on standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of nitrogen (N) and amino acids (AA) in 3 protein sources (PS) for broiler chickens. Six diets were tested in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments involving 3 PS (meat and bone meal [MBM], soybean meal [SBM], and canola meal [CM]) in mash and pelleted forms. The basal endogenous N and AA losses were determined by offering a N-free diet in the mash form. From day 1 to 18, the birds were offered a broiler starter diet. The diets and the N-free diet were randomly assigned to 6 replicate cages (8 birds per cage) and fed from day 19 to 23. The ileal digesta were collected on day 23. The SID of N was higher (P < 0.05) in SBM followed by MBM and CM. The average SID of AA in SBM and MBM were similar (P > 0.05), and greater (P < 0.05) than that in CM. The FF had no influence (P > 0.05) on the SID of indispensable AA, the only exception being His, which was reduced (P < 0.05) by pelleting. Pelleting, however, resulted in reduction (P < 0.001) in the SID of all dispensable AA and average of AA. The AA most affected by pelleting was Cys, with a 15.4% decrease in the SID. The standardized ileal digestible contents of protein and the average of indispensable AA and dispensable AA were higher in MBM than in SBM, with CM being the lowest. Pelleting decreased (P < 0.05) the digestible protein and total digestible AA contents. These findings reveal that the FF has a substantial impact on AA digestibility estimates of feed ingredients and it must be considered in AA digestibility assays of ingredients with high protein and AA contents.
Topics: Amino Acids; Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Chickens; Diet; Dietary Proteins; Digestion; Ileum; Random Allocation; Glycine max
PubMed: 33248608
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2020.09.040 -
High throughput techniques to reveal the molecular physiology and evolution of digestion in spiders.BMC Genomics Sep 2016Spiders are known for their predatory efficiency and for their high capacity of digesting relatively large prey. They do this by combining both extracorporeal and...
BACKGROUND
Spiders are known for their predatory efficiency and for their high capacity of digesting relatively large prey. They do this by combining both extracorporeal and intracellular digestion. Whereas many high throughput ("-omics") techniques focus on biomolecules in spider venom, so far this approach has not yet been applied to investigate the protein composition of spider midgut diverticula (MD) and digestive fluid (DF).
RESULTS
We here report on our investigations of both MD and DF of the spider Nephilingis (Nephilengys) cruentata through the use of next generation sequencing and shotgun proteomics. This shows that the DF is composed of a variety of hydrolases including peptidases, carbohydrases, lipases and nuclease, as well as of toxins and regulatory proteins. We detect 25 astacins in the DF. Phylogenetic analysis of the corresponding transcript(s) in Arachnida suggests that astacins have acquired an unprecedented role for extracorporeal digestion in Araneae, with different orthologs used by each family. The results of a comparative study of spiders in distinct physiological conditions allow us to propose some digestion mechanisms in this interesting animal taxon.
CONCLUSION
All the high throughput data allowed the demonstration that DF is a secretion originating from the MD. We identified enzymes involved in the extracellular and intracellular phases of digestion. Besides that, data analyses show a large gene duplication event in Araneae digestive process evolution, mainly of astacin genes. We were also able to identify proteins expressed and translated in the digestive system, which until now had been exclusively associated to venom glands.
Topics: Animals; Arthropod Proteins; Digestion; Digestive System; Evolution, Molecular; Gene Duplication; Gene Expression Regulation; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Metalloendopeptidases; Phylogeny; Proteomics; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Spiders
PubMed: 27604083
DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3048-9 -
Poultry Science Mar 2021Intestinal integrity, digestive enzyme activity, nutrient utilization, and egg quality of laying hens at different ages were evaluated and compared in this study. A... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Intestinal integrity, digestive enzyme activity, nutrient utilization, and egg quality of laying hens at different ages were evaluated and compared in this study. A total of 192 Hy-line Brown laying hens at 195-d-old (D195 group), 340-d-old (D340 group), and 525-d-old (D525 group) were allocated into one of 3 groups in accordance with their ages. Each group had 8 replicates of 8 birds each, and all birds were fed a maize-soybean meal basal diet for a 2-wk experiment. Compared with the D195 group, intestinal villus height and ratio of villus height to crypt depth, as well as serum D-lactate content increased in the D525 group (P < 0.05). The sucrase and maltase activities in the jejunal mucosa, amylase activity in the pancreas, and trypsin activity in the jejunal chyme of 525-d-old hens were lower than their 195-d-old counterparts (P < 0.05). In addition, there was a decline of trypsin and lipase activities in the ileal chyme of hens from D525 group in comparison with D195 or D340 group (P < 0.05). Apparent retention of dry matter and crude protein of birds in D340 and D525 group decreased when compared with the D195 group (P < 0.05). Moreover, birds in the D525 group exhibited a lower level of ether extract retention, and higher contents of several excreted amino acids than those in the D195 group (P < 0.05). Compared with the D195 group, eggs harvested from D525 group exhibited lower albumen height, eggshell strength and thickness, and a higher egg weight (P < 0.05). In conclusion, increased intestinal permeability (higher serum D-lactate content), compromised digestive function (lower digestive enzyme activities and apparent nutrient retention, and higher concentrations of excreted amino acids), and poor egg quality (lower albumen height, eggshell strength, and thickness) were observed with increasing age in the laying hens.
Topics: Age Factors; Animal Feed; Animals; Chickens; Diet; Digestion; Eggs; Female; Intestines
PubMed: 33652523
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2020.12.046 -
Poultry Science Aug 2021Essential oils (EO) are concentrated hydrophobic liquids containing volatile aromatic compounds obtained from plants, which have properties as withdrawn antibiotic...
Essential oils (EO) are concentrated hydrophobic liquids containing volatile aromatic compounds obtained from plants, which have properties as withdrawn antibiotic growth promoters. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of EO on growth performance, digestibility, immunity and intestinal health in broilers. A total of 500 1-day-old Arbor Acre broilers were randomly put into five groups with 10 replicate cages containing 10 birds each. Birds in the 5 groups were fed a basal diet (CON), and basal diet with 50, 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg EO (EO0.5, EO1, EO2 and EO4) for 42 d respectively. Birds were euthanized at 21d and 42 d, blood and tissue samples were collected. In the study, the digestibility of DM, GE and EE in groups with EO supplementation were significantly increased compared with CON group (P < 0.05). However, only EO2 and EO4 significantly increased the digestibility of CP compared with CON group (P < 0.05). In contrast to CON group, EO0.5 and EO1 in jejunum at 21 d, and EO1 in jejunum at 42 d markedly increased the activity of sucrase (P < 0.05). In addition, the level of SOD of EO2 and EO4 in serum at 21 d was significantly increased compared with CON group (P < 0.05). What's more, the concentration of intestinal mucosa SIgA in jejunum and ileum at 21 d of groups with EO supplementation was significantly increased compared with CON group (P < 0.05). Moreover, V/C in jejunum at 21 d of groups with EO supplementation, CD in jejunum at 42 d was also significantly increased to compare with CON group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the expression levels of critical genes associated with nutrient transportation (i.e., GLUT2, SGLT1, SLC38A, SLC79A and SLC27A4) and barrier function (TJP1) were quadratically and linearly up-regulated in jejunum and ileum with EO supplementation (P < 0.05). These results suggest that EO has a positive impact on growth, immunity and intestinal health in broilers, and 200 mg/kg of EO was recommended in broiler diet.
Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Chickens; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Digestion; Intestines; Oils, Volatile
PubMed: 34174571
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101242 -
Journal of Dairy Science Jan 2013In vitro gastric digestion of heat-induced aggregates of β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) in simulated gastric fluid was investigated using sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE (under...
In vitro gastric digestion of heat-induced aggregates of β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) in simulated gastric fluid was investigated using sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE (under nonreducing and reducing conditions), native PAGE, 2-dimensional electrophoresis, and size exclusion chromatography. Heating at 90°C significantly increased the digestibility of β-LG, with a high initial digestion rate followed by a relatively constant rate of digestion at a high enzyme:substrate (E:S) ratio of 3:1. At a low E:S ratio (1:6), the rate of digestion of β-LG was slower, and intermediate- and low-molecular-weight species could be seen. The high-molecular-weight nonnative aggregates (e.g., pentamers, tetramers, and trimers) were digested relatively rapidly, whereas some of the nonnative dimers were resistant to digestion and others were digested rapidly. The intermediate-molecular-weight species (21 to 23 kDa) were digested slowly. The digestibility of nonnative β-LG aggregates varied significantly depending on the E:S ratio and the types of aggregate. Further investigation is necessary to identify and characterize slowly digested dimers and species of intermediate molecular weight.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Chromatography, Gel; Digestion; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Gastric Mucosa; Hot Temperature; In Vitro Techniques; Lactoglobulins; Molecular Weight; Proteolysis
PubMed: 23102958
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2012-5896 -
Journal of Animal Science Apr 2021Previous research indicated that phytase may release less phosphorus (P) from phytate when it is evaluated using diets with P levels above requirement as compared with...
Previous research indicated that phytase may release less phosphorus (P) from phytate when it is evaluated using diets with P levels above requirement as compared with diets below requirement. The objectives of this experiment were to further test the hypothesis that the P release values determined for phytase are higher when pigs are fed diets that are deficient (DE) in P compared with when they are fed diets that are adequate (AD) in P, and that phytase will increase the digestibility of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), nitrogen (N), and calcium (Ca) independent of dietary P status. Twenty-four barrows (body weight: 23.2 ± 1.8 kg) were randomly assigned to one of eight dietary treatments and housed in individual pens for 21 d and then moved to metabolism crates for 9 d, with the collection of urine and feces occurring on the final 5 d. A basal corn-soybean meal diet (P-AD) was formulated at 0.36% standardized total tract digestible (STTD) P and total calcium:STTD P (Ca:STTD P) of 2:1. A P-DE diet was also formulated to maintain a constant Ca:STTD P of 2:1 in both basal diets. Phytase was added to AD and DE diets at 350, 600, 1,000 phytase units (FYT)/kg. Pig was the experimental unit; diet (P-AD or P-DE), phytase level, and replicate were fixed effects. Orthogonal polynomial contrasts were used to test linear and quadratic effects of phytase within P-AD and P-DE diets. Phytase improved apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and STTD of P in both P-AD (linear P < 0.001) and P-DE diets (quadratic P < 0.001). Estimates for STTD P release were 0.07%, 0.09%, and 0.09% for 350, 600, and 1,000 phytase units (FYT)/kg in P-DE diets, and 0.02%, 0.03%, and 0.05% in P-AD diets, respectively. In P-DE diets, phytase improved absorption and retention of P and increased urinary excretion of P (quadratic P < 0.001). In P-AD diets, phytase improved absorption of P (linear P = 0.066), tended to improve retention (linear P = 0.066), and increased urinary excretion of P (quadratic P = 0.021). Phytase improved ATTD of Ca in P-DE diets (quadratic P = 0.002) but not in P-AD diets (P > 0.1). In conclusion, the release of P by phytase is lower in diets that are AD in P than those which are DE. Phytase increased the availability of Ca only in the diets DE in P. Finally, phytase increased the ATTD of DM and tended to increase the ATTD of energy, independent of dietary P status.
Topics: 6-Phytase; Animal Feed; Animals; Diet; Digestion; Gastrointestinal Tract; Phosphorus; Phosphorus, Dietary; Glycine max; Swine; Zea mays
PubMed: 33861853
DOI: 10.1093/jas/skab001 -
BMC Veterinary Research Nov 2022Compared with the stomach of ruminant cattle, the stomach of horse is small and mainly for chemical digestion, but the microorganisms in the stomach play an important...
BACKGROUND
Compared with the stomach of ruminant cattle, the stomach of horse is small and mainly for chemical digestion, but the microorganisms in the stomach play an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of the internal environment. Due to the complexity of the microbes in the stomach, little is known about the diversity and structure of bacteria in the equine stomach. Grains are the main energy source for plant-eating livestock and energy is derived through enzymatic hydrolysis of grains into glucose or their microbial fermentation into Volatile fatty acids (VFA). However, the mechanism through which these ingested grains are chemically digested as well as the effect of these grains on the stomach remains elusive. This study explored the effects of feeding different grains (corn, oats, and barley) on bacterial diversity, structure, and composition in the foal's stomach content. Furthermore, the effects of different grains on the vitality of starch digestion-related stomach enzymes were investigated.
RESULTS
No significant differences were observed (P > 0.05) in the bacterial rarefaction curves of Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and diversity of the stomach microbiota in all foals. This study also revealed the statistical differences for Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Fibrobacteres, Lactobacillaceae, Streptococcaceae, Unidentified_Clostridiales, Prevotellaceae, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Unidentified_Cyanobacteria, Unidentified_Clostridiales, Lactococcus, Sphingomonas, Lactobacillus_hayakitensis, Lactobacillus_equigenerosi, and Clostridium_perfringens. The linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis revealed 9 bacteria at each classification level. The functional analysis of species information by using FAPROTAX software was able to predict 35 functions, and the top 5 functions were chemoheterotrophy, fermentation, animal_parasites_or_symbionts, nitrate_reduction, and aerobic_chemoheterotrophy. The study also revealed statistical differences for pH, glucose concentration, β-amylase, maltase, and amylase.
CONCLUSIONS
The different grains had no significant effect on the microbial diversity of the stomach content of the foal. However, the relative bacterial abundances differed significantly in response to different diets. Particularly, oats fed to the foals significantly increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Lactobacillaceae, Lactobacillus, and Lactobacillus_hayakitensis. The grain had no significant effect on the pH of the stomach content, glucose concentration, and enzyme viability in the foal.
Topics: Animals; Bacteria; Digestion; Edible Grain; Glucose; Horses; Starch; Stomach; Animal Feed
PubMed: 36397114
DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03510-2 -
Proceedings. Biological Sciences Sep 2018What an animal consumes and what an animal digests and assimilates for energetic demands are not always synonymous. Sharks, uniformly accepted as carnivores, have guts...
What an animal consumes and what an animal digests and assimilates for energetic demands are not always synonymous. Sharks, uniformly accepted as carnivores, have guts that are presumed to be well suited for a high-protein diet. However, the bonnethead shark (), which is abundant in critical seagrass habitats, has been previously shown to consume copious amounts of seagrass (up to 62.1% of gut content mass), although it is unknown if they can digest and assimilate seagrass nutrients. To determine if bonnetheads digest seagrass nutrients, captive sharks were fed a C-labelled seagrass diet. Digestibility analyses, digestive enzyme assays and stable isotope analyses were used to determine the bonnethead shark's capacity for digesting and assimilating seagrass material. Compound-specific stable isotope analysis showed that sharks assimilated seagrass carbon (13.6 ± 6.77‰ C mean ± s.d. for all sharks and all amino acid types analysed) with 50 ± 2% digestibility of seagrass organic matter. Additionally, cellulose-component-degrading enzyme activities were detected in shark hindguts. We show that a coastal shark is digesting seagrass with at least moderate efficiency, which has ecological implications due to the stabilizing role of omnivory and nutrient transport within fragile seagrass ecosystems.
Topics: Alismatales; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Carbon Isotopes; Digestion; Food Chain; Nutrients; Sharks
PubMed: 30185641
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1583 -
BMC Microbiology Sep 2023Anaerobic fungi are effective fibre-degrading microorganisms in the digestive tract of horses. However, our understanding of their diversity and community structure is...
BACKGROUND
Anaerobic fungi are effective fibre-degrading microorganisms in the digestive tract of horses. However, our understanding of their diversity and community structure is limited, especially in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract.
RESULTS
For the first time, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyse and predict fungal microbial diversity in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract of Mongolian horses. The results revealed that the richness and diversity of fungi in the hindgut of Mongolian horses were much higher than those in the foregut. The foregut was dominated by Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, whereas the hindgut was dominated by Neocallimastigomycota and Basidiomycota. At the genus level, the relative abundance of many pathogenic fungi (Cryptococcus, Cladosporium, Alternaria, and Sarocladium) in the foregut was significantly higher than that in the posterior gut, indicating that Mongolian horses have strong disease resistance. The prediction of fungal function also showed significant differences in the fungal flora between the foregut and the hindgut. The fungi in Mongolian horses' foreguts were mainly pathologically nutritive and contained many animal and plant pathogens, particularly in the small intestine (jejunum and ileum). This indicates that the foregut may be the most important immune site in the digestive system of Mongolian horses, which explains the high disease resistance of Mongolian horses. The number of unassigned functional groups in the posterior gut was significantly higher than that in the anterior gut, indicating that the functions of fungal groups in the posterior gut have not been fully explored, and further studies are required in the future.
CONCLUSIONS
Analysis of high-throughput sequencing results revealed that the fungal composition varied greatly among different gastrointestinal tract segments in Mongolian horses, whose hindgut contains many anaerobic fungi involved in plant cellulose degradation. This provides important basic data for studying fungal diversity in the digestive system of healthy horses, which can be used for the health assessment of horses and provides clues for further research on the disease resistance and digestive capacity of horses, as well as a reference for the early diagnosis of intestinal diseases and innovative treatment methods.
Topics: Horses; Animals; Mycobiome; Disease Resistance; Ileum; Jejunum; Digestion
PubMed: 37689675
DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-03001-w -
International Immunopharmacology Dec 2007My association with Tony Hugli, long-term editor of Immunopharmacology and International Immunopharmacology, came about by a specific and long-standing problem in... (Review)
Review
My association with Tony Hugli, long-term editor of Immunopharmacology and International Immunopharmacology, came about by a specific and long-standing problem in inflammation research. What is the trigger mechanism of inflammation in physiological shock? This is an important clinical problem due to the high mortality associated with physiological shock. We joined forces in the search of the answer to this question for more than a decade. Our journey eventually led to development of the hypothesis that shock may be associated with pancreatic enzymes, a set of powerful digestive enzymes that are an integral part of human digestion. The digestive enzymes need to be compartmentalized in the lumen of the intestine where they break down a broad spectrum of biological molecules into their building blocks, suitable for molecular transport across the mucosal epithelium into the circulation. The mucosal epithelial barrier is the key element for compartmentalization of the digestive enzymes. But under conditions when the mucosal barrier is compromised, the fully activated digestive enzymes in the lumen of the intestine are transported into the wall of the intestine, starting an auto-digestion process. In the process several classes of mediators are generated that by themselves have inflammatory activity and upon entry into the central circulation generate the hallmarks of inflammation and eventually cause multi-organ failure. Thus, our journey led to a new hypothesis, which is potentially of fundamental importance for death by multi-organ failure. The auto-digestion hypothesis is in line with the century old observation that the intestine plays a special role on shock - indeed it is the organ for digestion. Auto-digestion may be the prize to pay for life-long nutrition.
Topics: Animals; Digestion; Enzyme Inhibitors; Humans; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators; Intestinal Mucosa; Intestines; Multiple Organ Failure; Pancreas; Rats; Shock; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
PubMed: 18039521
DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2007.07.015