Dysbiotic gut microbiome: A key element of Crohn's disease

Since the first publication on “regional ileitis”, the relevance of this chronic inflammatory disease condition termed finally as Crohn's disease is continuously increasing. Although we are beginning to comprehend certain aspects of its pathogenesis, many facets remain unexplored. Host's gut microbiota is involved in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes including immune system development, and pathogen regulation. Further, the microbiome is thought to play a key role in Crohn's disease. The presence of Crohn's-associated variants of NOD2 and ATG16L genes appears to be associated not only with alterations of mucosal barrier functions, and bacterial killing, but the gut microbiota, as well, reflecting a potential relationship between the host's genotype and intestinal dysbiosis, involved in disease etiology. This review aims to characterize some exciting new aspect of Crohn's disease pathology, focusing mainly on the role of intestinal microbes, and their interplay with the immune system of the host.     

Effect of hay type on cecal and fecal microbiome and fermentation parameters in horses

The effect of hay type on the microbiome of the equine gastrointestinal tract is relatively unexplored. Our objective was to characterize the cecal and fecal microbiome of mature horses consuming alfalfa or Smooth Bromegrass (brome) hay. Six cecally cannulated horses were used in a split-plot design run as a crossover in two periods. The whole plot treatment was ad libitum access to brome or alfalfa hay fed over two 21-d acclimation periods with subplots of sampling location (cecum and rectum) and sampling hour. Each acclimation period was followed by a 24-h collection period where cecal and fecal samples were collected every 3 h for analysis of pH and volatile fatty acids (VFA). Fecal and cecal samples were pooled and sent to a commercial lab (MR DNA, Shallowater, TX) for the amplification of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and sequenced using Illumina HiSeq. The main effects of hay on VFA, pH, and taxonomic abundances were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4 with fixed effects of hay, hour, location, period, and all possible interactions and random effect of horse. Alpha and beta diversities were analyzed using the R Dame package. Horses fed alfalfa had greater fecal than cecal pH (P ≤ 0.05), whereas horses fed brome had greater cecal than fecal pH (P ≤ 0.05). Regardless of hay type, total VFA concentrations were greater (P ≤ 0.05) in the cecum than in feces, and alfalfa resulted in greater (P ≤ 0.05) VFA concentrations than brome in both sampling locations. Alpha diversity was greater (P ≤ 0.05) in fecal compared with cecal samples. Microbial community structure within each sampling location and hay type differed from one another (P ≤ 0.05). Bacteroidetes were greater (P ≤ 0.05) in the cecum compared with the rectum, regardless of hay type. Firmicutes and Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes were greater (P ≤ 0.05) in the feces compared with cecal samples of alfalfa-fed horses. In all, fermentation parameters and bacterial abundances were impacted by hay type and sampling location in the hindgut.     

Ecological and Industrial Implications of Dynamic Seaweed-Associated Microbiota Interactions

Seaweeds are broadly distributed and represent an important source of secondary metabolites (e.g., halogenated compounds, polyphenols) eliciting various pharmacological activities and playing a relevant ecological role in the anti-epibiosis. Importantly, host (as known as basibiont such as algae)–microbe (as known as epibiont such as bacteria) interaction (as known as halobiont) is a driving force for coevolution in the marine environment. Nevertheless, halobionts may be fundamental (harmless) or detrimental (harmful) to the functioning of the host. In addition to biotic factors, abiotic factors (e.g., pH, salinity, temperature, nutrients) regulate halobionts. Spatiotemporal and functional exploration of such dynamic interactions appear crucial. Indeed, environmental stress in a constantly changing ocean may disturb complex mutualistic relations, through mechanisms involving host chemical defense strategies (e.g., secretion of secondary metabolites and antifouling chemicals by quorum sensing). It is worth mentioning that many of bioactive compounds, such as terpenoids, previously attributed to macroalgae are in fact produced or metabolized by their associated microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites). Eventually, recent metagenomics analyses suggest that microbes may have acquired seaweed associated genes because of increased seaweed in diets. This article retrospectively reviews pertinent studies on the spatiotemporal and functional seaweed-associated microbiota interactions which can lead to the production of bioactive compounds with high antifouling, theranostic, and biotechnological potential.     

牛骨胶原蛋白肽的表征及其对Balb/c小鼠的抗疲劳作用

为了开发牛骨胶原蛋白肽(BBP)的抗疲劳功能,对BBP的氨基酸组成和肽段序列进行表征;选取16只7周龄、SPF级的Balb/c小鼠并随机分为2组,包括对照组(生理盐水)和肽干预组(w(BBP)=200 mg/kg)),每日定时灌胃。BBP干预4周后,测定小鼠的负重游泳时间和运动后血清代谢积累物含量。BBP干预18周后,测定血清氧化因子、炎症因子含量和肠道菌群组成。结果表明：1)BBP疏水性氨基酸比例为61.37%,大部分肽段来源于蛋白P02453(I型胶原蛋白的α1链)。2)BBP干预后小鼠负重游泳时间显著提高,且运动后血氨浓度显著降低、谷胱甘肽浓度显著升高(P<0.05),表明了BBP潜在的抗疲劳能力。3)BBP干预后,在非运动状态下小鼠血清SOD和GSH-Px显著升高,MDA浓度显著降低(P<0.05),表明了BBP潜在的抗氧化能力;在免疫方面,BBP干预后小鼠血清抗炎因子IL-10和促炎因子IL-6、TNF-α浓度均显著下降(P<0.05),主要的免疫器官胸腺指数显著下降(P<0.01),脾指数显著上升(P<0.05);在粪便中,潜在的有益菌Akke...     

连作与轮作下木薯产量及土壤微生物特征比较

本研究以木薯品种新选048为材料,利用高通量测序技术比较研究木薯连作与轮作的土壤微生物丰度、多样性、群落组成,并结合土壤三相比和木薯产量综合分析,探讨木薯连作障碍与土壤微生物的关系。结果表明：木薯连作土壤的细菌丰度、多样性高于轮作,连作细菌的OTU数目比轮作高23.05%,Chao1指数比轮作高463.2,香农指数比轮作高0.41;而连作真菌丰度、多样性低于轮作,轮作真菌的OTU数目比连作高19.57%,Chao1指数比连作高217.5,香农指数比连作高0.76;连作土壤容重比轮作高0.24 g/cm ³;土壤三相比,木薯连作的土壤固相比率比轮作高6.69%,液相比轮作高3.03%,而气相比率比轮作减少9.72%,差异显著（P<0.05）;轮作木薯产量比连作增产11.99 t/hm ²,差异显著（P<0.05）。由此可见,土壤微生物组和土壤三相比的变化与木薯连作障碍有密切关系,采取栽培管理措施调节土壤微物组成和土壤三相比,是克服木薯连作障碍的有效途径。     

苦参碱对昆明小鼠粪便及血浆代谢物的影响

基于非靶向代谢组学技术,分析腹腔注射苦参碱前后昆明小鼠粪便和血浆代谢物的差异,并通过与此前16S rDNA测序结果联合分析探究苦参碱发挥药理作用的可能机理。将20只昆明小鼠随机分为2组,分别是苦参碱处理组(MT)和生理盐水处理组(NC)。苦参碱处理组每天腹腔注射40 mg·kg^-1的苦参碱,连续给药5 d,每天给药2次。生理盐水处理组按照同样方式和体积腹腔注射生理盐水。给药第6天,分别收集各组小鼠的粪便和血浆,进行非靶向代谢组学检测,并与苦参碱处理组肠道菌群的16S rDNA测序结果进行联合分析。苦参碱处理组的粪便及血浆中均存在显著差异代谢物,粪便中共鉴定出97种,血浆中有44种。聚类分析显示,粪便中苦参碱组有35种代谢物上调,104种代谢物下调;血浆中苦参碱组有20种代谢物上调,35种代谢物下调。KEGG通路分析显示粪便及血浆差异代谢物被映射到Protein digestion and absorption等代谢途径。与16S rDNA测序分析得到的显著差异菌种嗜酸乳杆菌关联分析,结果表明粪便及血浆代谢物与嗜酸乳杆菌存在相关性。苦参碱可调节昆明小鼠的体内代谢,在粪便和血浆中均存在显著差异代谢物。这些差异代谢物及与菌群之间的互作可能是其发挥药理作用的关键。     

干法厌氧发酵装备同步升温发酵及微生态网络研究

干法厌氧发酵是提高农业农村废弃物处理效率及资源高效循环的重要技术之一。先前围绕该技术产甲烷效率低、传质传热不均匀等问题,提出了微好氧同步预升温干发酵技术,设计了配套装备,开展了小试和中试试验,产甲烷效率得到改善。为进一步提高放大装备的实际应用质量,在对发酵装置密封、进出料、喷淋循环系统等关键部件优化的基础上,探明了最优曝气量及实际应用中微好氧预升温阶段物质转化特性,揭示了微生物生态网络关系,评价了实际运行效果。结果表明：对关键部件的优化显著提升装备运行稳定性,微好氧同步预升温阶段最优曝气量为10 L/min,容积产气率达到1.20 m³/(m³·d)。物料在第40小时升温至42℃,曝气组各层物料温度较未曝气组均提高45.54%、32.46%和52.06%。同步预升温促进了物料各层纤维素和半纤维素的降解,提高了酸化效率,有机酸质量浓度分别提高59.83%、50.69%和20.85%,物料产气潜力提高34.9%。探明了微生物网络关系以及与发酵环境因子变化的相关性,发现微好氧预升温阶段具有协同作用的功能微生物SBR1031、Synergistale...