Digesta viscosity, nutrient digestibility and organ weights in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed diets supplemented with different levels of a soluble non-starch polysaccharide

The objective of the present study was to investigate if dietary soluble non‐starch polysaccharides (NSP) increase digesta viscosity, reduce nutrient digestibility and increase organ weights in African catfish. The fish (mean weight 80 g) were fed diets supplemented with the soluble NSP guar gum at three levels, 0 g kg^?1 (GG0), 40 g kg^?1 (GG4) and 80 g kg^?1 (GG8). Guar gum inclusion significantly increased digesta viscosity in the proximal (GG0: 1.7 centipoise or cP; GG4: 84.9 cP; GG8: 98.3 cP) and distal (GG0: 1.9 cP; GG4: 109.8 cP; GG8: 66.4 cP) intestine. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) were significantly lower for the GG8 diet than the GG0 diet (dry matter: 52% versus 69%; protein: 77% versus 90%; ash: 41% versus 54%; energy: 60% versus 77%). The ADC of dry matter and energy were significantly lower for the GG4 diet than the GG0 diet. The relative growth rate of metabolic weight (14.5–15.4 g kg^?0.8 day^?1) and feed conversion ratio (0.8) did not differ between diets. Fish fed the GG8 diet had a significantly higher somatic stomach index than GG0 fish (0.71% versus 0.65% body weight). The intestinal somatic index tended to increase with increasing guar gum supplementation (GG0: 1.08%; GG4: 1.23%; GG8: 1.59%). In conclusion, high digesta viscosities in the guar gum fed fish may explain the observed reduced nutrient digestibilities and increases in digestive organ weights.     

Characterization of culture supernatant proteins from Brucella abortus and its protection effects against murine brucellosis

In this study, we characterized the secreted proteins of Brucella abortus into the enriched media under the bacterial laboratory growth condition and investigated the pathogenic importance of culture supernatant (CS) proteins to B. abortus infection. CS proteins from stationary phase were concentrated and analyzed using 2D electrophoresis. In MALDI TOF/TOF analysis, more than 27 proteins including CuZn SOD, Dps, Tat, OMPs, Adh, LivF, Tuf, SucC, GroEL and DnaK were identified. Cytotoxic effects of CS proteins were found to increase in a dose-dependent manner in RAW 264.7 cells. Upon B. abortus challenge into phagocytes, however, CS proteins pre-treated cells exhibited lower bacterial uptake and intracellular replication compared to untreated cells. Immunization with CS proteins induced a strong humoral and cell mediated immune responses and exhibited significant higher degree of protection against virulence of B. abortus infection compared to mice immunized with Brucella broth protein (BBP). Taken together, these results indicate that B. abortus secreted a number of soluble immunogenic proteins under laboratory culture condition, which can promote antibody production resulted in enhancing host defense against to subsequently bacterial infection. Moreover, further analysis of CS proteins may help to understand the pathogenic mechanism of B. abortus infection and host–pathogen interaction.     

Induction of immune tolerance to caseins and whey proteins by oral intubation in mouse allergy model

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of oral tolerance of caseins (CSN) and whey proteins (WP) in alleviating the allergic response to cow's milk proteins in Swiss albino mice raised on a milk protein–free diet. Oral tolerance was induced by feeding mice with 20 mg of CSN or WP once in a day for 4 days consecutively before immunization with respective protein by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections (20 μg 200 per μl of PBS) using 2% of alum Al(OH)₃ as adjuvant. Three weeks later, oral tolerance induction was analysed in humoral and cellular compartments of CSN‐ and WP‐fed versus saline‐fed control mice groups by measuring seric and intestinal antibody responses, mRNA abundance in splenic tissue and cytokine secretion patterns. The specific serum immunoglobulin‐E (IgE) levels were significantly suppressed (p < 0.05), while sIgA was enhanced in these groups when compared with their respective saline‐fed mice. Moreover, the mRNA levels of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) in both CSN‐ and WP‐tolerized mice were found to be significantly decreased, while the abundance of interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) and transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) was increased significantly, as compared to respective control groups. Finally, cytokine profiles indicated a reciprocal decrease in IL‐4 and IFN‐γ versus an increase in IL‐10 secretions in supernatants of cultured splenocytes of tolerized mice. Taken together, these results clearly showed that oral administration of cows' milk caseins and whey proteins can induce significant hyposensitization in mice, with the participation of suppressor cytokines.     

Lipid energy reserves influence life-history decision of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (S. trutta) in fresh water

Abstract –  Lipid density appears to influence life-history decisions in salmonid fishes. This study shows that parr and smolts of anadromous Atlantic salmon from a south Norwegian river have on average between 30 and 40% higher energy level than corresponding brown trout in spring and summer, which may explain differences in life-history traits between the two species. The higher energy density of young salmon was chiefly due to a 1.8 times higher lipid density in parr and 2.4 times higher lipid density in smolts. The difference was smaller among immature parr in the autumn, with only 1.4 times higher lipid density in salmon than trout. The reason for the decreased difference was probably that the more energy rich salmon parr had attained maturity at the time. Among mature male parr, the somatic energy density was approximately 10% higher in trout than salmon. However, the gonadal energy content was more than twice as high in salmon than in trout. The higher somatic energy allocation in parr of Atlantic salmon probably influences protein growth of the two species in fresh water, and increases the ability of salmon relative to trout to undertake long distance feeding migrations and make large investments in reproduction.     

Saliva chromogranin A in growing pigs: A study of circadian patterns during daytime and stability under different storage conditions

Salivary chromogranin A (CgA) is considered to be a biomarker of activation of the sympatho-adrenomedullary system, and has recently been proposed as a useful indicator of the acute stress response in pigs. The aim of the present study was to determinate whether salivary CgA concentrations in healthy growing pigs exhibits any circadian pattern during the daytime, and to evaluate its stability under different storage conditions. A total of 80 pigs (40 in spring and another 40 in autumn) of two different ages and genders were used. To establish the circadian pattern, saliva samples were collected at 07.00, 11.00, 15.00 and 19.00 h on two consecutive days. Pooled samples were used for the stability study and were measured on the day of sampling and periodically for up to 360 days later. Samples were stored at 4 °C, ?20 °C or ?80 °C and the effect of repeated freezing and thawing was also evaluated.No circadian pattern was detected for salivary CgA in either season and there were no significant effects of gender or age. However, mean salivary CgA concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in the pigs sampled in autumn, compared to those sampled in the spring. Short term storage at 4 °C is recommended for up to 2 days, whereas frozen samples can be stored for 1 year at ?20 °C or ?80 °C, without substantial reduction in CgA values. In addition, samples can be frozen and thawed up to seven times without significant loss of the biomarker.     

Characterization of Amaranthus cruentus L. seed proteins by 2-DE and LC/MS–MS: Identification and cloning of a novel late embryogenesis-abundant protein

Amaranth is taking great attention as an important cereal crop that could fulfill food requirements for the growing population, especially in developing countries. However, the protein composition of these seeds is not well known yet. We have used the proteomics tools to characterize amaranth seed proteome. About 400 proteins spots were resolved on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and protein spots were analyzed by LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry). Identified proteins were related to stress and defense responses, metabolic, respiratory, and oxide-reduction processes. One abundant spot was identified as a Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) protein and the gene was cloned and characterized. The AcLEA cDNA contains a 418 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polypeptide of 139 amino acids. Bioinformatics analysis showed that AcLEA belongs to LEAs Group 5. Proteomics is a powerful technique that could be used even in non-sequenced organisms such as amaranth. The obtained information reveals that amaranth seed, beyond the classical seed storage proteins, contains proteins related to protection against stress. The identification of these proteins opens the door to the application of new strategies to improve the quality of amaranth production.     

Quantitative proteomic analysis of wheat grain proteins reveals differential effects of silencing of omega-5 gliadin genes in transgenic lines

Novel wheat lines with altered flour compositions can be used to decipher the roles of specific gluten proteins in flour quality. Grain proteins from transgenic wheat lines in which genes encoding the omega-5 gliadins were silenced by RNA interference (RNAi) were analyzed by quantitative 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). The precise effects of the genetic modifications on the proteome were assessed in four homozygous lines generated with the same RNAi construct. Two of the lines showed >80% decreases in omega-5 gliadins with only small changes in the levels of other gluten proteins. In the other two lines, omega-5 gliadins were not detectable by 2-DE. However, there were notable reductions in all omega-1,2 gliadins. Small decreases in several other gluten proteins were also detected in one of the lines. The other line showed notable decreases in three HMW-GS and an s-type LMW-GS, increases in two m-type LMW-GS and several alpha gliadins, as well as increases in both serpins and triticin. The study demonstrates that the same RNAi construct can have differential effects on the wheat grain proteome and highlights the importance of detailed proteomic analyses of transgenic grain prior to selecting lines for further assessment of flour quality and allergenic potential.     

高温逆境对黄金葛叶片中渗透调节物质积累的影响

以3~5个叶片的黄金葛扦插苗为试材,采用单因素随机区组设计,设4个温度处理,3次重复,测定不同温度、不同时间处理下黄金葛叶片内渗透调节物质含量的变化。结果表明,在同一时间高温胁迫下,随温度的不断升高,黄金葛叶片的可溶性蛋白含量整体呈下降趋势,可溶性糖含量呈上升趋势;同一温度处理下,在35℃,不同时间处理可溶性蛋白含量和可溶性糖含量变化不大,在45℃处理40 h,可溶性蛋白含量比胁迫初期降低了35.02%,而可溶性糖含量比胁迫初期增加了97.06%。     

梅花鹿茸可溶性蛋白提取工艺及免疫活性

以梅花鹿茸为原料,采用超声波辅助法提取可溶性蛋白。以鹿茸可溶性蛋白得率为评价指标,通过单因素试验研究提取溶剂浓度、超声提取时间、超声提取功率和液料比对鹿茸可溶性蛋白得率的影响,在单因素试验的基础上进行正交试验,优化提取工艺条件。结果表明：鹿茸可溶性蛋白的最优提取工艺条件为,以pH＝10．00、0．05 mol· L-1的碳酸盐缓冲溶液为提取溶剂,液料比10∶1,超声提取功率200 W,超声提取时间20 min。在此条件下,鹿茸可溶性蛋白得率为36．849 mg· g-1。体内免疫活性试验表明,鹿茸蛋白提取物能够提高免疫功能低下小鼠的单核巨噬细胞吞噬指数、血清溶菌酶质量浓度、血清及肝组织中酸性磷酸酶活力,具有良好的免疫活性。