Effect on Rendement Napole genotype on metabolic markers in Ossabaw pigs fed different levels of fat

We investigated effects of Rendement Napole (RN ) genotype on metabolic markers in Ossabaw pigs fed diets with different levels of dietary fat. Thirty‐two pigs, belonging to either the wild‐type (WT , rn⁺/rn⁺) or carrier (CAR , RN ^?/rn⁺) genotypes (n  = 16/genotype), were divided into two dietary groups, (high fat [HF ] or low fat [LF ]) diets, for 12 weeks (n  = 8 pigs/genotype/diet) after which pigs were killed for gene expression analysis by RT ‐PCR . Feeding HF diet caused increased daily gain (ADG , p  <  .05) and final body weight (BW ) (p  <  .05) in comparison with the LF diet (p  <  .05). Feed efficiency (gain:feed) was higher (p  <  .05) in pigs on the HF and was higher (p  <  .05) in CAR pigs compared to WT . There was genotype × diet interaction (p  =  .05) on final BW such that CAR animals on LF diet had the same final BW as animals of both genotypes on HF diet. Carrier pigs on LF diet had higher (p  <  .05) average daily gain and gain:feed than WT pigs. There was a trend (p  <  .08) for a higher feed consumption in pigs on the LF diet. Backfat thickness was higher (p  <  .01) in pigs on the HF diet. Serum triglyceride was higher (0.62 vs. 0.33 mg/dl, p  <  .01) in pigs on HF diet. Serum insulin was higher (p  <  .05) in CAR versus WT pigs (0.40 vs. 0.015 μg/ml). Pigs on the HF diet had a higher (p  <  .05) serum insulin compared to those on the LF diet (0.032 vs. 0.023 μg/ml). Carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1‐alpha was higher (p  <  .05) in the longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus muscles of pigs on HF diet. Acyl‐CoA oxidase I was elevated (p  <  .05) in the liver of pigs on HF diet. Fatty acid synthase was lower in the longissimus dorsi muscle, liver and mesenteric fat (p  <  .05) of carrier pigs. The RN gene regulates specific metabolic markers in the Ossabaw pigs.     

β‐hydroxy‐β‐methyl butyrate promotes leucine metabolism and improves muscle fibre composition in growing pigs

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of excess leucine (Leu) vs. its metabolites α‐ketoisocaproate (KIC) and β‐hydroxy‐β‐methyl butyrate (HMB) on Leu metabolism, muscle fibre composition and muscle growth in growing pigs. Thirty‐two pigs with a similar initial weight (9.55 ± 0.19 kg) were fed 1 of 4 diets for 45 days: basal diet, basal diet + 1.25% L‐Leu, basal diet + 1.25% KIC‐Ca, basal diet + 0.62% HMB‐Ca. Results indicated that relative to the basal diet and HMB groups, Leu and KIC groups exhibited increased Leu concentrations and decreased concentrations of isoleucine, valine and EAAs in selected muscle (p < 0.05) and had lower mRNA levels of MyHC I and higher expression of MyHC IIx/IIb (p < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between the basal and HMB‐supplemented groups. Moreover, the mRNA expression levels of AMPKα and UCP3 were higher but the myostatin mRNA levels were lower in the soleus muscle of the HMB group than those from other groups (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrated that doubling dietary Leu content exerted growth‐depressing effects in growing pigs; dietary KIC supplementation induced muscular branched‐chain amino acid imbalance and promoted muscle toward a more glycolytic phenotype; while dietary HMB supplementation promoted the generation of more oxidative muscle types and increased muscle growth specially in oxidative skeletal muscle, and these effects of HMB might be associated with the AMPKα‐Sirt1‐PGC‐1α axis and mitochondrial biogenesis.     

Increasing selenium supply during the close-up dry period improves nutrient metabolism and attenuates inflammatory response after calving in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate whether feeding selenium (Se)-replete cows a Se-yeast supplement in late pregnancy affects nutrient metabolism and inflammatory response during the periparturient period. Twenty cows were randomly assigned to two groups with 10 cows each. Cows in one group received Se-yeast at 0.3 mg Se/kg DM during the last 4 weeks before calving in addition to fed a TMR containing supplemented sodium selenite at 0.3 mg Se/kg DM (Se-yeast), while cows in another group were only fed a TMR containing supplemented sodium selenite at 0.3 mg Se/kg DM (Control). Blood samples were collected and analyzed for nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), glucose, insulin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), and albumin. In control cows, plasma NEFA, IL-1β, IL-6, SAA, and Hp levels increased after calving, but glucose, insulin, and albumin levels decreased after parturition. Se-yeast supplemental cows had lower postpartum concentrations of NEFA, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, SAA, and Hp, and higher postpartum levels of glucose, insulin, and albumin compared with control cows. The results indicate that feeding Se-replete cows a Se-yeast supplement in late pregnancy improves nutrient metabolism and attenuates the inflammatory response after calving.     

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes and Lipid Metabolism Signaling Pathways between Muscle and Fat Tissues in Broiler Chickens

In this study, signaling pathways and key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in lipid metabolism in muscle and fat tissues were investigated. Muscle and abdominal fat tissues were obtained from 35-day-old female broilers for RNA sequencing. DEGs between muscle and fat tissues were identified. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed. A total of 6130 DEGs were identified to be significantly enriched in 365 GO terms, most of which were involved in biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions in muscle and fat tissues. Three important lipid signaling pathways (pyruvate metabolism, the insulin signaling pathway, and the adipocytokine signaling pathway) were identified among the fat and muscle tissues of broilers. The key common DEGs in these pathways included phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 2 (PCK2), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 alpha and beta (ACACA and ACACB), and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (AMPK) gene family. Hence, our findings revealed the pathways and key genes and gene families involved in the regulation of fat deposition in the muscle and fat tissues of broilers.     

Effects of dietary lipid-to-carbohydrate ratio on growth and carbohydrate metabolism in juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum)

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary lipid-to-carbohydrate ratio on growth and carbohydrate metabolism in juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum). Six isonitrogenous diets were prepared to vary in lipid-to-carbohydrate ratio (g/g) as follows: D1, 2.26; D2, 1.31; D3, 0.78; D4, 0.47; D5, 0.34; and D6, 0.23. Cobias were fed to satiety for 8 weeks. The weight gain and protein efficiency ratio in D1 group were significantly lower than those in other groups (P < 0.05), accompanied by a lower level of feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). Protein retention efficiency in D4 and D6 and whole body protein in D4 and D5 were significantly higher than those in D1 group (P < 0.05). Survival rate in D4 group was the highest among all groups and was significantly higher than that in D1, D2 and D5 (P < 0.05). In terms of serum triglyceride, D1 and D2 were significantly higher than D6 (P < 0.05). Hepatosomatic index in D3 and D4 was significantly lower than that in D1 (P < 0.05). Fructose-1,6-diphosphatase in D4 was significantly higher than that in D1 and D3 (P < 0.05). Phosphofructokinase in D3 and D4 and malic enzyme in D4 and D5 were significantly higher than those in other groups (P < 0.05). Results indicate that cobia utilizes carbohydrates as energy source more efficiently than it utilizes lipids. The optimal lipid-to-carbohydrate ratio in juvenile cobia diets is 0.47.     

Energy metabolism and apoptotic effect of microwave radiation on rat myocardial cells

AIM: To investigate the effect of microwave radiation at different intensities on the rat myocardium and its possible mechanism.METHODS: The rats were radiated by the intensity of 500, 1 000, 1 500 and 2 000 W/m² with 2 450 MHz microwave for 6 min. The heart tissue was collected 6 h after microwave radiation. ATP and mitochondria complex Ⅳ and Ⅴ were measured. The changes of the tissue structures were observed under transmission electron microscope. The apoptosis of the myocardial cells was detected by a cell analyzer. The protein level of cleaved caspase-3 was determined by Western blotting.RESULTS: The concentration of ATP and activity of mitochondria complex Ⅳand Ⅴ signi-ficantly decreased compared with control group in the cardiac tissues. The decreased number, morphological abnormalities such as dissolved cavitation, matrix and obvious tumefaction of mitochondria were observed under transmission electron microscope. The microwave radiation induced the apoptosis of myocardial cells in the rats. The cell apoptotic rate and the protein level of cleaved caspase-3 increased with increasing intensity of microwave radiation(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Microwave radiation has obvious injury effect on the rat heart, which can cause cardiac energy metabolism dysregulation and cardiac myocyte apoptosis.     

Effect of Lysine Supplement on the Digestion and Metabolism of the Rumen in Small-tail Han Sheep

5 male Small-tail Han sheep with the body weight of 45 kg at 1.5 years old,fitted with permanent rumen fistula,to study of the effect of the supplement of the untreated commercial lysine on the rumen microbiocoenosis,rumen metabolism and whole body metabolism by 5×5 Latin square design (5 groups:control,control with low urea (equal nitrogen),low lysine,control with high urea (equal nitrogen),high lysine).The amounts of lysine-HCl supplement were 0,4.0 and 8.0 g/kg diet (as DM basis) in each group respectively,with two urea supplement control groups of equal amount of nitrogen.The results showed that by supplement of 4.0 and 8.0 g/kg of lysine-HCl diet (as DM basis) respectively,the voluntary intake of dry matter of sheep were increased by 5.5%(P>0.05) and 11.8%(P<0.05) respectively.The total amount of rumen bacteria were increased by 18.9%(P<0.01) and 23.9%(P<0.01) respectively,as the amount of rumen Coccus was increased by 21.2%(P<0.01) and 30.1%(P<0.01) respectively.The amount of rumen big Bacillus was decreased by 16.7%(P<0.05) and 33.3%(P<0.01) respectively.The total VFA of was increased by 9.6%(P<0.05) and 12.2%(P<0.01) respectively,as the butyric acid was increased by 12.8%(P>0.05) and 20.2%(P<0.01) respectively.The apparent digestibility of organic matter was increased by 6.4%(P>0.05) and 10.0%(P<0.05) respectively,the apparent digestibility of crude protein was increased by 7.0%(P>0.05) and 18.3%(P<0.01) respectively;And nitrogen retention was increased by 46.4%(P>0.05) and 110.7%(P<0.01) respectively.However,there was no effect of lysine supplement on the amounts of the rumen protozoa and fungi,and the concentration of rumen ammonia nitrogen.It was concluded that the supplement of untreated commercial lysine to adult sheep would increase the voluntary intake,digestibility,nitrogen retention the rumen microbiocoenosis and the total amount of rumen bacteria,especially the rumen Coccus of adult sheep.The effect of lysine supplement could not be replaced by urea supplement completely.     

Characterization of Nitrate-Reducing and Amino Acid–Using Bacteria Prominent in Nitrotoxin-Enriched Equine Cecal Populations

Horses can be at risk for nitropoisoning by consuming plants containing 3-nitro-1-propionic acid or 3-nitro-1-propanol and to a lesser extent by plants containing nitrate. Populations of equine cecal microbes enriched for enhanced rates of 3-nitro-1-propionic acid (NPA) or nitrate metabolism were cultured for NPA- or nitrate-metabolizing bacteria on basal enrichment medium or tryptose soy agar supplemented with either 5-mM NPA or nitrate and under H₂:CO₂ (20:80) as the energy source. After 72 hours, separated colonies picked from plates, or roll tubes were cultured in fresh broth medium for 72 hours and then identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Isolates from the NPA-enriched populations were identified as Streptococcus lutetiensis (five strains), Escherichia coli (two strains), and Sporanaerobacter acetigens (one strain). Strains isolated from nitrate-enriched populations were identified as Escherichia coli (one strain) and Wolinella succinogenes (three strains). None of these strains degraded NPA. Enriched populations of equine cecal microbes, the isolated pure strains and the type strain of Denitrobacterium detoxificans, a competent NPA-metabolizing microbe, were examined using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The DGGE analysis indicated that none of the strains in the enriched population of equine cecal microbes were similar to D. detoxificans. However, we report for the first time the isolation of the anaerobic amino acid–using Sporanaerobacter acetigenes from the equine cecum.     

2株可培养细菌氮代谢特性的研究

研究旨在分析土壤中可培养细菌菌株的氮代谢特征,并进一步探讨微生物在土壤氮素转化中的可能作用机制。以2株分离自苹果园土壤的细菌菌株SY5-4和SY11-10为试材,采用传统培养方法结合分子检测技术,分别测定菌株生长特性及其氮素转化能力。研究结果表明,异养条件下,菌株SY5-4和SY11-10的世代时间分别为243.5 min和202.7 min。菌株生长过程中,培养液中铵态氮浓度始终维持在较高水平,铵态氮、亚硝态氮和硝态氮浓度均表现出先升后降的趋势。硝化（amoA和hao）和反硝化（nosZ、norB、nirK和nap）基因检测结果表明,菌株SY11-10具有多种氮素转化潜能。综上,供试菌株培养过程中,培养液中氮素发生变化,并在菌体中检测到不同氮转化基因,表明菌株参与多种氮代谢途径。