High night-time temperature during flowering and pod filling affects flower opening,yield and seed fatty acid composition in canola

Winter canola (Brassica napus L.) is highly sensitive to increasing temperatures during the reproductive and pod-filling stages. Although the impact of high day-time temperature stress on yield and quality has been documented in canola, similar information under high night-time temperature (HNT) stress is not available. Using six hybrids and four open-pollinated cultivars, we observed a marked shift in peak flowering towards earlier, cooler hours of the morning under HNT. Averaged across two independent experiments, the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II was significantly decreased (3%), with a significant increase in thylakoid membrane damage (13%) in the leaves of susceptible cultivars under HNT stress. Similarly, the susceptible cultivars also recorded significant reduction in biomass (34%), pod number (22%), pod weight (37%) and total seed weight (40%) per plant while the same set of agronomic traits were not affected among the tolerant cultivars. Quantitative impact of heat stress was confirmed with increased sensitivity to HNT exposure from gametogenesis until maturity resulting in a significantly higher yield loss compared to stress exposure from post-flowering till maturity. HNT significantly decreased oil concentration, but increased protein concentration and saturated fatty acid levels in seeds of the susceptible cultivars. However, HNT had no impact on the unsaturated fatty acids in both hybrids and the open-pollinated cultivars. Breeding targets based on fatty acid composition for enhancing canola seed quality may not be easily amenable due to the inconsistency documented with the compositional changes under heat stress. In summary, our findings conclude that canola hybrids are better suited to regions experiencing heat stress, compared to open-pollinated cultivars, indicating the possibility of a complete shift to hybrid canola cultivation under predicted hotter climates in the future.     

基于紫花苜蓿混播草地的全草型肉羊放牧育肥模式案例研究

本研究旨在探讨紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa L.）混播草地放牧利用的生产潜力和集成全草型集约化肉羊放牧育肥技术模式。2017-2018年，在位于河北省廊坊市的中国农业科学院国际农业高新技术产业园内开展了2年羔羊育肥的划区轮牧试验，研究了紫花苜蓿混播草地的地上生物量、育肥羊增重以及羊肉品质的变化规律。结果表明：混播草地地上生物量超过11.2 tDM·hm^-2，5月份紫花苜蓿混播草地的粗蛋白为20.92%，每公顷紫花苜蓿混播草地可满足51只育肥羊、放牧育肥150天，每只增重30 kg所需的干物质、代谢能和粗蛋白三个方面的全部需求。与此同时，紫花苜蓿混播草地还可以显著增加羊肉中欧米伽3型多不饱和脂肪酸的含量，n-6/n-3比例为2.72，羊肉健康品质显著提高。以紫花苜蓿混播草地为基础的全草型肉羊放牧育肥技术具有广阔的应用前景，对我国苜蓿产业以及草地畜牧业发展具有重要意义。     

Analysis of Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids in Selected Algae and Cyanobacteria by Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography and a Novel MAA from the Red Alga Catenella repens

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), a group of small secondary metabolites found in algae, cyanobacteria, lichens and fungi, have become ecologically and pharmacologically relevant because of their pronounced UV-absorbing and photo-protective potential. Their analytical characterization is generally achieved by reversed phase HPLC and the compounds are often quantified based on molar extinction coefficients. As an alternative approach, in our study a fully validated hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) method is presented. It enables the precise quantification of several analytes with adequate retention times in a single run, and can be coupled directly to MS. Excellent linear correlation coefficients (R² > 0.9991) were obtained, with limit of detection (LOD) values ranging from 0.16 to 0.43 µg/mL. Furthermore, the assay was found to be accurate (recovery rates from 89.8% to 104.1%) and precise (intra-day precision: 5.6%, inter-day precision ≤6.6%). Several algae were assayed for their content of known MAAs like porphyra-334, shinorine, and palythine. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data indicated a novel compound in some of them, which could be isolated from the marine species Catenella repens and structurally elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) as (E)-3-hydroxy-2-((5-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methoxy-3-((2-sulfoethyl)amino)cyclohex-2-en-1-ylidene)amino) propanoic acid, a novel MAA called catenelline.     

Are dual-purpose and male layer chickens more resilient against a low-protein-low-soybean diet than slow-growing broilers?

ABSTRACT

1. Although fattening dual-purpose types or male layer hybrid chickens appears more ethical than the common practice of culling day-old male layer chicks, the lower feed efficiency of these birds raises concerns. Replacing feed ingredients that compete with food production by those of lower value for human nutrition would be beneficial.

2. Lohmann Dual (LD), a modern dual-purpose type, Lohmann Brown (LB), a male layer hybrid, and Hubbard JA 957 (HU), a slow-growing broiler type, were fattened for nine weeks on two diets (control or ?20% crude protein; n = 6 × 12 birds). Growth, carcass and meat quality were analysed.

3. Growth performance of HU exceeded that of LD and especially of LB. The growth depression caused by the low-protein diet fed to LD (?7%) was only half of that found in HU (?13%). The LD fed the control diet had the same feed efficiency as the HU fed the low-protein diet. Even the LB had a lower performance and feed efficiency with the low-protein diet in growth. There was a gradient in carcass properties (weight, dressing percentage, breast meat yield, breast proportion and breast angle) from HU to LD to LB, with some additional adverse effects of the low-protein diet especially in HU. There were some breed differences in fatty acid profile in the intramuscular fat.

4. In conclusion, the dual-purpose type used complied with regulations for Swiss organic poultry systems in terms of growth rate and was found to respond less when fed a low-protein diet than the slow-growing broiler type. The LB males were inferior in all growth and carcass quality traits. Future studies need to determine the exact protein and amino acid requirements of dual-purpose and layer hybrid chickens and the economic feasibility of the systems, especially for organic farming.     

猪lncRNA TCONS_00791383对骨骼肌卫星细胞增殖分化的影响

为了探究lncRNA TCONS_00791383对猪骨骼肌卫星细胞增殖和分化的影响。本研究利用qRT-PCR技术检测出生7 d内大白仔猪6种组织（心、脾、肺、肾、背肌和腿肌）以及猪骨骼肌卫星细胞增殖分化前后TCONS_00791383的表达水平；通过设计反义核苷酸（antisense oligonucleotides，ASO）片段在猪骨骼肌卫星细胞中对TCONS_00791383进行敲低，检测敲低TCONS_00791383之后增殖分化标志基因的表达量变化；通过trans （co-expression）对TCONS_00791383进行靶基因预测，使用DAVID对其进行GO富集和KEGG通路分析。结果显示，TCONS_00791383在猪心脏中表达量最高，在脾和肾组织中不表达。在骨骼肌卫星细胞从增殖到分化的过程中，TCONS_00791383的表达量逐渐上升，且在分化后30 h表达量达到最高。在使用ASO片段敲低TCONS_00791383之后，与对照组相比，在分化24 h，增殖标志基因Pax3、Pax7表达量显著或极显著降低（P<0.05，P<0.01），分化标志基因MyoG表达量极显著降低（P<0.01），在分化48 h，增殖标志基因Pax3表达量极显著降低（P<0.01），Pax7表达量显著降低（P<0.05），分化标志基因MyHC表达量显著降低（P<0.05）。预测得到的相关靶基因富集到AMPK、ATP等多个与骨骼肌卫星细胞增殖和分化过程相关的重要信号通路。本研究表明，lncRNA TCONS_00791383可能促进猪骨骼肌卫星细胞的增殖和分化。     

Independent and combined effects of Satureja khuzistanica essential oils and acetic acid on prevalence and intensity of fatty liver syndrome in broiler chickens

Two hundred fifty two male Ross 308 broiler chicks were raised to examine the effects of Satureja khuzistanica essential oils (SkEO; 0, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 mg/bird/day) administrated via oral gavage and dietary supplementation of acetic acid (AA; 0 or 20 g/kg) in a 6 × 2 factorial fashion using a complete randomized block design with seven replicates of three birds each. In Day 34 of age, liver fat percentage decreased by increasing SkEO levels in a quadratic trend (p < .05). Oral gavag of 200 and 300 mg of SkEO decreased AST activity by 16.67% and 16.94%, respectively, compared with the control birds (p < .05). In Day 38 of age, liver percentage was greater by 0.37% in the birds received 400 mg SkEO than those given 500 mg (p < .05). Liver fat percentage decreased in the birds fed the acidified diet and received 300 and 500 mg SkEO as well as in the birds offered 200 and 400 mg of SkEO and fed non-acidified diet than those received acidified diet with no SkEO administration (p < .05). Prevalence of score zero for hepatocytic vacuolations and necrosis was 80.00% and 42.42% in the birds receiving 600 mg SkEO respectively. Median for relative frequency of scores for hepatocytic vacuolations and hepatocytic necrosis was lesser in the birds received SkEO by oral gavage compared with that of control birds (p < .05). In conclusion, administration of SkEO via oral gavage reduced liver fat in broiler chicken but no consistent dosage could be verified as the effective dosage for all ages concerned. The acidified diet per se showed no evident effect on liver fat at all ages considered. The SkEO × AA interaction exhibited promising but unreliable effects on liver colour score in market age (42 days).     

脂肪酸组合对体外瘤胃微生物发酵挥发性脂肪酸的影响

为研究长链脂肪酸组合对体外培养瘤胃微生物发酵挥发性脂肪酸（VFA）的影响，并得出最优脂肪酸组合及添加水平，试验选取硬脂酸、油酸、亚油酸及α-亚麻酸4种脂肪酸因子，设置0.5%、1.0%、1.5%等3个水平进行L₉（3⁴）正交试验，其中Ⅰ~Ⅸ组为试验组、Ⅹ组为对照组，各处理均设3个重复。以3头瘤胃瘘管山羊为瘤胃液供体进行体外发酵试验，测定各组培养液VFA 24 h内的动态变化。结果显示，各组的总挥发性脂肪酸（TVFA）浓度总体上呈先上升后下降再上升的波动变化趋势。其中在6 h时Ⅶ组TVFA浓度最高。乙酸/丙酸比值总体呈下降趋势，6 h前下降较快，6 h后趋于平缓。丁酸摩尔百分比在7.97%~15.41%间变动。主成分与最优组合分析表明，TVFA浓度影响的主次顺序为亚油酸、油酸、硬脂酸、α-亚麻酸；以添加1.5%硬脂酸、0.5%油酸、1.5%亚油酸、0.5%α-亚麻酸时组合效应最好。     

表观遗传修饰在骨骼肌细胞增殖分化过程中的研究进展

骨骼肌是肌肉的主要构成部分，骨骼肌细胞发生增殖和分化的过程都是肌肉发育的基础，直接影响着家养动物的产肉性能。研究发现表观遗传修饰作用对骨骼肌细胞增殖分化具有重要的调控作用，表明该遗传修饰作用对家养动物肌肉发育具有重大的意义。作者从DNA甲基化对骨骼肌细胞增殖分化影响、组蛋白乙酰化所含因子调控基因选择表达作用、非编码RNA调控和染色体重塑作用所起的影响等方面分别介绍了表观遗传在骨骼肌细胞增殖分化过程中的研究进展，简述了不同修饰方式和不同作用因子对骨骼肌增殖和分化两个过程的影响。同时也回顾了前人在研究骨骼肌增殖分化过程所用到的方法和手段，进而分析了表观调控作用因子在骨骼肌生长过程中所起到的作用。旨在进一步阐述表观遗传修饰在骨骼肌增殖和分化过程中所起到的重要作用，增强对骨骼肌增殖分化调控过程的了解，为和动物生产实际相结合提供参考途径，同时也为骨骼肌生长发育等分子调控提供更多参考素材。