Conversion of Phytochemicals by Lactobacilli: (Phospho)-β-glucosidases Are Specific for Glucosylated Phytochemicals Rather than Disaccharides.

Food-fermenting lactobacilli convert glycosylated phytochemicals to glycosyl hydrolases and thereby alter their biological activity. This study aimed to investigate the microbial transformation of β-glucosides of phytochemicals in comparison with utilization of cellobiose. Four homofermentative and four heterofermentative lactobacilli were selected to represent the metabolic diversity of .

Multi-omics reveal mechanisms of high enteral starch diet mediated colonic dysbiosis via microbiome-host interactions in young ruminant.

Background: Although rumen development is crucial, hindgut undertakes a significant role in young ruminants' physiological development. High-starch diet is usually used to accelerate rumen development for young ruminants, but always leading to the enteral starch overload and hindgut dysbiosis. However, the mechanism behind remains unclear.

Could natural phytochemicals be used to reduce nitrogen excretion and excreta-derived NO emissions from ruminants?

Ruminants play a critical role in our food system by converting plant biomass that humans cannot or choose not to consume into edible high-quality food. However, ruminant excreta is a significant source of nitrous oxide (NO), a potent greenhouse gas with a long-term global warming potential 298 times that of carbon dioxide. Natural phytochemicals or forages containing phytochemicals have shown the potential to improve the efficiency of nitrogen (N) utilization and decrease NO emissions from the excreta of ruminants.

Translocation of gut microbes to epididymal white adipose tissue drives lipid metabolism disorder under heat stress.

Heat stress induces multi-organ damage and serious physiological dysfunction in mammals, and gut bacteria may translocate to extra-intestinal tissues under heat stress pathology. However, whether gut bacteria translocate to the key metabolic organs and impair function as a result of heat stress remains unknown. Using a heat stress-induced mouse model, heat stress inhibited epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) expansion and induced lipid metabolic disorder but did not damage other organs, such as the heart, liver, spleen, or muscle.

Colonic innate immune defenses and microbiota alterations in acute swine dysentery.

Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, an etiologic agent of swine dysentery (SD), is known for causing colitis. Although some aspects of colonic defenses during infection have been described previously, a more comprehensive picture of the host and microbiota interaction in clinically affected animals is required. This study aimed to characterize multiple aspects of colonic innate defenses and microbiome factors in B.

The Effects of Breed and Residual Feed Intake Divergence on the Abundance and Active Population of Rumen Microbiota in Beef Cattle.

To assess the effects of residual feed intake (RFI) and breed on rumen microbiota, the abundance (DNA) and active population (RNA) of the total bacteria, archaea, protozoa, and fungi in the rumen of 96 beef steers from three different breeds (Angus (AN), Charolais (CH), and Kinsella Composite (KC)), and divergent RFIs (High vs Low), were estimated by measuring their respective maker gene copies using qRT-PCR. All experimental animals were kept under the same feedlot condition and fed with the same high-energy finishing diet. Rumen content samples were collected at slaughter and used for the extraction of genetic material (DNA and RNA) and further analysis.

The potential for mitigation of methane emissions in ruminants through the application of metagenomics, metabolomics, and other -OMICS technologies.

Ruminant supply chains contribute 5.7 gigatons of CO2-eq per annum, which represents approximately 80% of the livestock sector emissions. One of the largest sources of emission in the ruminant sector is methane (CH4), accounting for approximately 40% of the sectors total emissions.

TL Downregulates the Ileal Expression of Genes Involved in Immune Responses in Broiler Chickens to Improve Growth Performance.

TL promotes broiler chicken performance by improving nutrient absorption and utilization and reducing intestinal inflammation. In this study, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq)-based transcriptomes of ileal tissues collected from probiotic-fed and control broiler chickens were analyzed to elucidate the effects of the probiotic TL, as a feed additive, on the gut immune function. In total, 475 genes were significantly differentially expressed between the ileum of probiotic-fed and control birds.

Comparative Microbiome Analysis Reveals the Ecological Relationships Between Rumen Methanogens, Acetogens, and Their Hosts.

Ruminant methane, which is generated by methanogens through the consumption of hydrogen and supports the normal function of the rumen ecosystem, is a major source of greenhouse gases. Reductive acetogenesis by acetogens is a possible alternative sink that can dispose of hydrogen for acetate production. However, the distribution of rumen methanogens and acetogens along with the relationships among methanogens, acetogens, and their host are poorly understood.

Transcriptional changes in the hypothalamus, pituitary, and mammary gland underlying decreased lactation performance in mice under heat stress.

Because of climate change, heat stress (HS) causes more and more impacts on dairy animals to decrease lactation performance. The neuroendocrine system is key in regulating systemic physiological processes and milk synthesis. However, the hypothalamic-pituitary axis response to HS is still unclear.

Days-in-Milk and Parity Affected Serum Biochemical Parameters and Hormone Profiles in Mid-Lactation Holstein Cows.

It is well known that serum biochemical parameters and hormones contribute greatly to the physiological and metabolic status of dairy cows. However, few studies have focused on the variation of these serum parameters in multiparous mid-lactation cows without the interference of diet and management. A total of 287 Holstein dairy cows fed the same diet and maintained under the same management regime were selected from a commercial dairy farm to evaluate the effects of days-in-milk (DIM) and parity on serum biochemical parameters and hormone profiles.

Addressing Global Ruminant Agricultural Challenges Through Understanding the Rumen Microbiome: Past, Present, and Future.

The rumen is a complex ecosystem composed of anaerobic bacteria, protozoa, fungi, methanogenic archaea and phages. These microbes interact closely to breakdown plant material that cannot be digested by humans, whilst providing metabolic energy to the host and, in the case of archaea, producing methane. Consequently, ruminants produce meat and milk, which are rich in high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals, and therefore contribute to food security.

The Development of Microbiota and Metabolome in Small Intestine of Sika Deer () from Birth to Weaning.

The dense and diverse community of microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of ruminant animals plays critical roles in the metabolism and absorption of nutrients, and gut associated immune function. Understanding microbial colonization in the small intestine of new born ruminants is a vital first step toward manipulating gut function through interventions during early life to produce long-term positive effects on host productivity and health. Yet the knowledge of microbiota colonization and its induced metabolites of small intestine during early life is still limited.

Effect of changing forage on the dynamic variation in rumen fermentation in sheep.

To better understand rumen adaptation during dietary transitions between high- and low-quality forages, 10 rumen-cannulated Hu sheep were randomly allocated to two dietary treatments (five sheep each) with the same concentrate-to-forage ratio and concentration mixture, but different forage sequences: (i) alfalfa hay (AH) to corn stover (CS) and back to AH; and (ii) CS to AH and back to CS. A significant decrease in the rumen microbial protein concentration was observed on day 6 after dietary transition whether the transition was from AH to CS or from CS to AH, and this was accompanied by an increase in the ammonia nitrogen concentration as well as a decrease in the total volatile fatty acids concentration and pH. However, after transitioning back to the original forage, the rumen fermentation parameters returned to their initial levels within 2 weeks.

Fish oil mitigates myosteatosis and improves chemotherapy efficacy in a preclinical model of colon cancer.

Background: This study aimed to assess whether feeding a diet containing fish oil was efficacious in reducing tumor- and subsequent chemotherapy-associated myosteatosis, and improving tumor response to treatment.

Methods: Female Fischer 344 rats were fed either a control diet for the entire study (control), or switched to a diet containing fish oil (2.0 g /100 g of diet) one week prior to tumor implantation (long term fish oil) or at the start of chemotherapy (adjuvant fish oil).

Effects of dietary physical or nutritional factors on morphology of rumen papillae and transcriptome changes in lactating dairy cows based on three different forage-based diets.

Background: Rumen epithelial tissue plays an important role in nutrient absorption and rumen health. However, whether forage quality and particle size impact the rumen epithelial morphology is unclear. The current study was conducted to elucidate the effects of forage quality and forage particle size on rumen epithelial morphology and to identify potential underlying molecular mechanisms by analyzing the transcriptome of the rumen epithelium (RE).

Influence of Oleic Acid on Rumen Fermentation and Fatty Acid Formation In Vitro.

A series of batch cultures were conducted to investigate the effects of oleic acid (OA) on in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability (IVDMD), gas production, methane (CH4) and hydrogen (H2) production, and proportion of fatty acids. Rumen fluid was collected from fistulated goats, diluted with incubation buffer, and then incubated with 500 mg Leymus chinensis meal supplemented with different amounts of OA (0, 20, 40, and 60 mg for the CON, OA20, OA40 and OA60 groups, respectively). Incubation was carried out anaerobically at 39°C for 48 h, and the samples were taken at 12, 24 and 48 h and subjected to laboratory analysis.

Bioinformatic analyses in early host response to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSV) reveals pathway differences between pigs with alternate genotypes for a major host response QTL.

Background: A region on Sus scrofa chromosome 4 (SSC4) surrounding single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker WUR10000125 (WUR) has been reported to be strongly associated with both weight gain and serum viremia in pigs after infection with PRRS virus (PRRSV). A proposed causal mutation in the guanylate binding protein 5 gene (GBP5) is predicted to truncate the encoded protein. To investigate transcriptional differences between WUR genotypes in early host response to PRRSV infection, an RNA-seq experiment was performed on globin depleted whole blood RNA collected on 0, 4, 7, 10 and 14 days post-infection (dpi) from eight littermate pairs with one AB (favorable) and one AA (unfavorable) WUR genotype animal per litter.

The Colonic Microbiome and Epithelial Transcriptome Are Altered in Rats Fed a High-Protein Diet Compared with a Normal-Protein Diet.

Background: A high-protein diet (HPD) can produce hazardous compounds and reduce butyrate-producing bacteria in feces, which may be detrimental to gut health. However, information on whether HPD affects intestinal function is limited.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of an HPD on the microbiota, microbial metabolites, and epithelial transcriptome in the colons of rats.

Rumen fermentation and acetogen population changes in response to an exogenous acetogen TWA4 strain and Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product.

The presence of yeast cells could stimulate hydrogen utilization of acetogens and enhance acetogenesis. To understand the roles of acetogens in rumen fermentation, an in vitro rumen fermentation experiment was conducted with addition of acetogen strain (TWA4) and/or Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (XP). A 2×2 factorial design with two levels of TWA4 (0 or 2×10(7) cells/ml) and XP (0 or 2 g/L) was performed.

Identification of a putative quantitative trait nucleotide in guanylate binding protein 5 for host response to PRRS virus infection.

Background: Previously, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for host response to Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection in high linkage disequilibrium (LD) with SNP rs80800372 on Sus scrofa chromosome 4 (SSC4).

Results: Within this QTL, guanylate binding protein 5 (GBP5) was differentially expressed (DE) (p < 0.05) in blood from AA versus AB rs80800372 genotyped pigs at 7,11, and 14 days post PRRSV infection.

Egg ovotransferrin-derived ACE inhibitory peptide IRW increases ACE2 but decreases proinflammatory genes expression in mesenteric artery of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Scope: Egg ovotransferrin-derived angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide IRW was previously shown to reduce blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats through reduced vascular inflammation and increased nitric oxide-mediated vasorelaxation. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of this peptide through transcriptome analysis by RNAseq technique.

Methods And Results: Total RNA was extracted from kidney and mesenteric arteries; the RNAseq libraries (from untreated and IRW-treated groups) were constructed and subjected to sequence using HiSeq 2000 system (Illumina) system.

Xylo-oligosaccharides and virginiamycin differentially modulate gut microbial composition in chickens.

Background: The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance in pathogens have led to a restriction on the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in animal feed in some countries. The potential negative after-effects of a ban on AGPs could be mitigated by improving animal intestinal health with prebiotic dietary fibers such as xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS). However, the mechanism(s) by which an antibiotic or prebiotic contributes to the health and growth of animals are not well understood.