Effect of Dietary Tetramethylpyrazine on Egg Production, Nutrient Retention and Cecal Bacterial Diversity in Aged Laying Hens

This study aimed to investigate the effect of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) supplementation on egg production, nutrient retention and cecal microbiota diversity using 288 commercial Hy-Line brown hens as of wk 75 to 86. Four treatments consisted of TMP addition at 0 (control, basal diet), 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg of diet. The results showed that diets supplemented with TMP addition improved egg-laying rate as of wk 77 compared to the control, which led to an increase (p<0.001) of egg mass by 97-225 g/hen throughout the whole trial, and a linear increase (p=0.003) of egg mass to the incremental TMP doses was found. At wk 86, the apparent digestibilities of dry matter and crude protein were enhanced (p<0.05), exhibiting consistent linear increases (p≤0.033) with the TMP doses. However, TMP did not cause alpha and beta diversity of cecal microbiota. The results suggest that TMP can be an additive to improve egg production and nutrient digestibility of aged laying hens.(AU)

Comparative Analysis on the Duodenal Microbiota Community in Geese Fed with the All-grass or Basal Diet

Geese (Anser cygnoides) possess stronger ability of roughage digestion and utilization than other poultries, hence, it has become the focus of attention of scientists. Duodenal, jejunum and ileum were mainly participated in food digestion and nutrient absorption, while the cecum was responsible for biological fermentation. Effects on the geese's cecal microbiota community by feeding with the all-grass diet have been investigated, however, whether it had an influence on the geese's duodenal microbiota community remains unexplored. To address this problem, geese feeding with the basal diet for 28 days (G1), the basal diet for 28 days and the all-grass diet for the following 14 days (G2), the basal diet for 42 days (G3) were selected, respectively. The duodenal segments of geese were collected and the hypervariable V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was sequencing. A total of 4 main phyla and 16 main genera were identified. Moreover, we also successfully identified that two taxa including the Helcococcus and Clostridium could be used as distinguishing biomarkers specific to G2. The functional profiles of the duodenum microbiota were mainly involved in the membrane transport (e.g. ABC transporters), amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, and cellular processes and signaling pathways in geese feeding with the all-grass diet. In conclusion, the all-grass diet could impact the composition of duodenal microbiota. However, to resolve the underlying mechanism of the fiber digesting and utilization in geese's gut microbiota, the whole intestinal system needs to be assessed by further studies.(AU)

Dietary Lactic Acid Bacteria Modulate Yolk Components and Cholesterol Metabolism by Hmgr Pathway in Laying Hens

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on egg production, yolk components, cholesterol metabolism, and enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in hens. Four treatment diets included a control and LAB added at 3 × 105 (low), 3 × 107 (medium), or 3 × 109 (high) cfu/kg. The treatment LAB contained equal amounts of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Enterococcus faecium. Results showed that high LAB increased (p 0.05) laying rate, egg mass, and yolk phospholipid, but decreased (p 0.05) yolk triglyceride and phosvitin. Diets with LAB decreased (p 0.05) yolk and serum cholesterol content, and serum bile acid by 9.3 to 39.9%. In liver, high LAB downregulated (p 0.05) mRNA expression of serine/threonine kinase 11 (STK11), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR), AMP-activated protein kinase catalytic subunit (PRKAA1, 2), and protein phosphatase catalytic subunits (PPP2CA, PPP2CB and PPP3CA) by 49.5 to 175.4%. In mucosa, high LAB downregulated (p 0.05) PRKAA1 and HMGR by 68.2 and 69.6%, respectively; but upregulated (p 0.05) PPP2CA and PPP2CB by 51.2 and 45%, respectively. Linear decreasing (p0.035) responses to LAB doses were found on cholesterol, phosvitin, bile acid, and hepatic gene expressions, and quadratic (p0.006) effects on yolk cholesterol and hepatic STK11. It is concluded that probiotic LAB can improve yolk components and decrease hepatic cholesterol synthesis by regulating HMGR pathway in hens.(AU)

Dietary Lactic Acid Bacteria Modulate Yolk Components and Cholesterol Metabolism by Hmgr Pathway in Laying Hens

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on egg production, yolk components, cholesterol metabolism, and enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in hens. Four treatment diets included a control and LAB added at 3 × 105 (low), 3 × 107 (medium), or 3 × 109 (high) cfu/kg. The treatment LAB contained equal amounts of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Enterococcus faecium. Results showed that high LAB increased (p 0.05) laying rate, egg mass, and yolk phospholipid, but decreased (p 0.05) yolk triglyceride and phosvitin. Diets with LAB decreased (p 0.05) yolk and serum cholesterol content, and serum bile acid by 9.3 to 39.9%. In liver, high LAB downregulated (p 0.05) mRNA expression of serine/threonine kinase 11 (STK11), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR), AMP-activated protein kinase catalytic subunit (PRKAA1, 2), and protein phosphatase catalytic subunits (PPP2CA, PPP2CB and PPP3CA) by 49.5 to 175.4%. In mucosa, high LAB downregulated (p 0.05) PRKAA1 and HMGR by 68.2 and 69.6%, respectively; but upregulated (p 0.05) PPP2CA and PPP2CB by 51.2 and 45%, respectively. Linear decreasing (p0.035) responses to LAB doses were found on cholesterol, phosvitin, bile acid, and hepatic gene expressions, and quadratic (p0.006) effects on yolk cholesterol and hepatic STK11. It is concluded that probiotic LAB can improve yolk components and decrease hepatic cholesterol synthesis by regulating HMGR pathway in hens.

Effects of Dietary Energy Concentration on Reproductive Hormone Secretion and Gene Expression in the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Gonad Axis in Laying Geese

The objective of the study was to investigate the mechanism by which dietary energy concentration regulates laying performance in geese. Eighty 558-day-old female Sichuan White geese were randomly allotted to two dietary treatments, each treatment was fed 1 of 2 experimental diets containing 10.00 (deficient) or 11.80MJ/kg metabolizable energy (sufficient) for 30 days. Laying performance, hormone concentration and gene expressions in hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis were examined in geese. Birds fed the sufficient-energy diet had significantly higher average egg weight, daily laying rate, and lower feed to egg ratio than those fed the deficient-energy (p 0.05). The birds fed sufficient-energy diet had higher concentration of serum insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) than those in deficient-energy diet (p 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of GnRH in the hypothalamus, FSH in the pituitary and E2 in the ovary of birds fed sufficient-energy diet were higher than the corresponding counterpart in deficient-energy diet (p 0.05), respectively. In conclusion, the study implied that dietary energy modifies laying possibly through regulating reproductive hormone secretion and gene expression in hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis in laying geese.(AU)

Effects of Dietary Energy Concentration on Reproductive Hormone Secretion and Gene Expression in the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Gonad Axis in Laying Geese

The objective of the study was to investigate the mechanism by which dietary energy concentration regulates laying performance in geese. Eighty 558-day-old female Sichuan White geese were randomly allotted to two dietary treatments, each treatment was fed 1 of 2 experimental diets containing 10.00 (deficient) or 11.80MJ/kg metabolizable energy (sufficient) for 30 days. Laying performance, hormone concentration and gene expressions in hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis were examined in geese. Birds fed the sufficient-energy diet had significantly higher average egg weight, daily laying rate, and lower feed to egg ratio than those fed the deficient-energy (p 0.05). The birds fed sufficient-energy diet had higher concentration of serum insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) than those in deficient-energy diet (p 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of GnRH in the hypothalamus, FSH in the pituitary and E2 in the ovary of birds fed sufficient-energy diet were higher than the corresponding counterpart in deficient-energy diet (p 0.05), respectively. In conclusion, the study implied that dietary energy modifies laying possibly through regulating reproductive hormone secretion and gene expression in hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis in laying geese.

Physiological and transcriptomic analyses of leaves from Gardenia jasminoides Ellis under waterlogging stress / Análises fisiológicas e transcriptômicas de folhas de Gardenia jasminoides Ellis sob estresse hídrico

Gardenia jasminoides Ellis is a Chinese herbal medicine with medicinal and economic value, but its mechanism of response to waterlogging stress remains unclear. In this study, the "double pots method" was used to simulate the waterlogging stress of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis to explore its physiological and transcriptomic response mechanism. We found no significant damage to Gardenia jasminoides Ellis membrane lipid during stress. POD played a vital antioxidant role, KEGG enrichment showed that secondary metabolites such as flavonoids might also play an antioxidant role, and PRO played a significant osmotic adjustment. Endogenous hormones regulate the Gardenia jasminoides Ellis's growth and development and play a role in signal transduction. Among them, light waterlogging stress is delayed. At the same time, there were 19631, 23693, and 15045 differentially expressed genes on the 5th, 10d, and 15d of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis under waterlogging stress. These genes were closely associated with the proteasome, endopeptidase, ribosome, MAPK signal transduction, and endogenous hormone signal transduction, plant-pathogen interaction and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and other physiological and metabolic pathways, which regulate the turnover and transportation of protein, the reinforcement and adhesion of cell walls, the induction of stomatal closure, allergic reactions, defense reactions, leaf movements and others. It also can absorb ultraviolet rays to reduce the generation of oxygen free radicals, change the way of energy utilization and adjust the osmotic pressure of plant cells.

Gardenia jasminoides Ellis é um fitoterápico chinês com valor medicinal e econômico, mas seu mecanismo de resposta ao estresse hídrico permanece obscuro. Neste estudo, o "método de potes duplos" foi usado para simular o estresse hídrico de G. jasminoides Ellis e explorar seu mecanismo de resposta fisiológica e transcriptômica. Não encontramos danos significativos aos lipídios da membrana de G. jasminoides Ellis durante o estresse. POD desempenhou um papel antioxidante vital, o enriquecimento KEGG mostrou que metabólitos secundários, como flavonoides, também podem desempenhar um papel antioxidante e PRO desempenhou um ajuste osmótico significativo. Os hormônios endógenos regulam o crescimento e o desenvolvimento de G. jasminoides Ellis e desempenham um papel na transdução de sinal. Entre eles, o estresse hídrico leve é ​​retardado. Ao mesmo tempo, havia 19631, 23693 e 15045 genes diferencialmente expressos de G. jasminoides Ellis nos dias 5, 10 e 15 sob estresse hídrico. Esses genes foram intimamente associados ao proteassoma, endopeptidase, ribossomo, transdução de sinal MAPK e transdução de sinal de hormônio endógeno, interação planta-patógeno e biossíntese de fenilpropanoides e outras vias fisiológicas e metabólicas, que regulam o turnover e transporte de proteínas, o reforço e adesão das paredes celulares, a indução do fechamento estomático, reações alérgicas, reações de defesa, movimentos foliares, entre outros. Também podem absorver os raios ultravioleta para reduzir a geração de radicais livres de oxigênio, alterar a forma de utilização da energia e ajustar a pressão osmótica das células vegetais.