Phytic acid promotes high glucose-mediated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells osteogenesis via modulating circEIF4B that sponges miR-186-5p and complexes with IGF2BP3.

Diabetes-related hyperglycemia inhibits bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) function, thereby disrupting osteoblast capacity and bone regeneration. Dietary supplementation with phytic acid (PA), a natural inositol phosphate, has shown promise in preventing osteoporosis and diabetes-related complications. Emerging evidence has suggested that circular (circ)RNAs implicate in the regulation of bone diseases, but their specific regulatory roles in BMSC osteogenesis in hyperglycemic environments remain elucidated. In this study, in virto experiments demonstrated that PA treatment effectively improved the osteogenic capability of high glucose-mediated BMSCs. Differentially expressed circRNAs in PA-induced BMSCs were identified using circRNA microarray analysis. Here, our findings highlight an upregulation of circEIF4B expression in BMSCs stimulated with PA under a high-glucose microenvironment. Further investigations demonstrated that circEIF4B overexpression promoted high glucose-mediated BMSC osteogenesis. In contrast, circEIF4B knockdown exerted the opposite effect. Mechanistically, circEIF4B sequestered microRNA miR-186-5p and triggered osteogenesis enhancement in BMSCs by targeting FOXO1 directly. Furthermore, circEIF4B inhibited the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of IGF2BP3, thereby stabilizing ITGA5 mRNA and promoting BMSC osteogenic differentiation. In vivo experiments, circEIF4B inhibition attenuated the effectiveness of PA treatment in diabetic rats with cranial defects. Collectively, our study identifies PA as a novel positive regulator of BMSC osteogenic differentiation through the circEIF4B/miR-186-5p/FOXO1 and circEIF4B/IGF2BP3/ITGA5 axes, which offers a new strategy for treating high glucose-mediatedBMSCosteogenic dysfunction and delayed bone regeneration in diabetes.

Endofungal bacteria and ectomycorrhizal fungi synergistically promote the absorption of organic phosphorus in Pinus massoniana.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECMFs) that are involved in phosphorus mobilisation and turnover have limited ability to mineralise phytate alone. The endofungal bacteria in the ectomycorrhizal fruiting body may contribute to achieving this ecological function of ECMFs. We investigated the synergistic effect and mechanisms of endofungal bacteria and ECMF Suillus grevillea on phytate mineralisation. The results showed that soluble phosphorus content in the combined system of endofungal bacterium Cedecea lapagei and S. grevillea was 1.8 times higher than the sum of C. lapagei and S. grevillea alone treatment under the phytate mineralisation experiment. The S. grevillea could first chemotactically assist C. lapagei in adhering to the surface of S. grevillea. Then, the mineralisation of phytate was synergistically promoted by increasing the biomass of C. lapagei and the phosphatase and phytase activities of S. grevillea. The expression of genes related to chemotaxis, colonisation, and proliferation of C. lapagei and genes related to phosphatase and phytase activity of S. grevillea was also significantly upregulated. Furthermore, in the pot experiment, we verified that there might exist a ternary symbiotic system in the natural forest in which endofungal bacteria and ECMFs could synergistically promote phytate uptake in the plant Pinus massoniana via the ectomycorrhizal system.

Impaired glycosylation of GmPAP15a, a root-associated purple acid phosphatase, inhibits extracellular phytate-P utilization in soybean.

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient, but easily fixed in soils. Therefore, most of soil P exists in the form of inaccessible organic phosphorus (Po), particularly phytate-P. Root-associated purple acid phosphatases (PAPs) are considered to play a crucial role in phosphate (Pi) scavenging in soils. However, evidence for regulating root-associated PAPs in utilization of extracellular phytate-P remain largely unknown in plants at both transcriptional and posttranslational levels. In this study, a Pi-starvation responsive GmPAP15a was identified in soybean (Glycine max). Overexpressing GmPAP15a led to significant increases in root-associated phytase activities, as well as total P content when phytate-P was supplied as the sole P resource in soybean hairy roots. Meanwhile, mass spectrometry (MS) analysis showed GmPAP15a was glycosylated at Asn144 and Asn502 , and its glycan structures of N-linked oligosaccharide chains exhibited microheterogeneity. Moreover, two homologues of AtPHR1, GmPHR9 and GmPHR32 were found to activate GmPAP15a transcription through luciferase activity analysis. Taken together, it is strongly suggested that GmPAP15a plays a vital role in phytate-P utilization in soybean, which might be regulated at both transcriptional and glycosylation modification levels. Our results highlight the GmPHR9/GmPHR32-GmPAP15a signalling pathway might present, and control phytate-P utilization in soybean.

The Impact of Various Organic Phosphorus Carriers on the Uptake and Use Efficiency in Barley.

Organic phosphorus (OP) is an essential component of the soil P cycle, which contributes to barley nutrition after its mineralization into inorganic phosphorus (Pi). However, the dynamics of OP utilization in the barley rhizosphere remain unclear. In this study, phytin was screened out from six OP carriers, which could reflect the difference in OP utilization between a P-inefficient genotype Baudin and a P-efficient genotype CN4027. The phosphorus utilization efficiency (PUE), root morphological traits, and expression of genes associated with P utilization were assessed under P deficiency or phytin treatments. P deficiency resulted in a greater root surface area and thicker roots. In barley fed with phytin as a P carrier, the APase activities of CN4027 were 2-3-fold lower than those of Baudin, while the phytase activities of CN4027 were 2-3-fold higher than those of Baudin. The PUE in CN4027 was mainly enhanced by activating phytase to improve the root absorption and utilization of Pi resulting from OP mineralization, while the PUE in Baudin was mainly enhanced by activating APase to improve the shoot reuse capacity. A phosphate transporter gene HvPHT1;8 regulated P transport from the roots to the shoots, while a purple acid phosphatase (PAP) family gene HvPAPhy_b contributed to the reuse of P in barley.

Production of fungal phytases in solid state fermentation and potential biotechnological applications.

Phytases are important enzymes used for eliminating the anti-nutritional properties of phytic acid in food and feed ingredients. Phytic acid is major form of organic phosphorus stored during seed setting. Monogastric animals cannot utilize this phytate-phosphorus due to lack of necessary enzymes. Therefore, phytic acid excretion is responsible for mineral deficiency and phosphorus pollution. Phytases have been reported from diverse microorganisms, however, fungal phytases are preferred due to their unique properties. Aspergillus species are the predominant producers of phytases and have been explored widely as compared to other fungi. Solid-state fermentation has been studied as an economical process for the production of phytases to utilize various agro-industrial residues. Mixed substrate fermentation has also been reported for the production of phytases. Physical and chemical parameters including pH, temperature, and concentrations of media components have significantly affected the production of phytases in solid state fermentation. Fungi produced high levels of phytases in solid state fermentation utilizing economical substrates. Optimization of culture conditions using different approaches has significantly improved the production of phytases. Fungal phytases are histidine acid phosphatases exhibiting broad substrate specificity, are relatively thermostable and protease-resistant. These phytases have been found effective in dephytinization of food and feed samples with concomitant liberation of minerals, sugars and soluble proteins. Additionally, they have improved the growth of plants by increasing the availability of phosphorus and other minerals. Furthermore, phytases from fungi have played an important roles in bread making, semi-synthesis of peroxidase, biofuel production, production of myo-inositol phosphates and management of environmental pollution. This review article describes the production of fungal phytases in solid state fermentation and their biotechnological applications.

Effect of dietary zinc source, zinc concentration, and exogenous phytase on intestinal phytate degradation products, bone mineralization, and zinc status of broiler chickens.

This study aimed to determine the effect of Zn source and dietary level on intestinal myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6) disappearance, intestinal accumulation of lower InsP and myo-inositol (MI), prececal mineral digestibility, bone mineralization, and Zn status of broilers without and with exogenous phytase in the feed. Male Ross 308 broilers were allocated in groups of 10 to 8 treatments with 8 pens each. Experimental diets were fed from d 7 to d 28 and contained 33 mg/kg dry matter plant-intrinsic Zn. Experimental factors were phytase supplementation (0 or 750 FTU/kg) and Zn source (none [0 mg/kg Zn], Zn-sulfate [30 mg/kg Zn], Zn-oxide [30 mg/kg Zn]). Additional treatments with 90 mg/kg Zn as Zn-sulfate or Zn-oxide and phytase were included to test the effect of Zn level. No Zn source or Zn level effects were observed for ADG, feed conversion ratio, prececal P digestibility, intestinal InsP6 disappearance, and bone ash concentration. However, those measurements were increased by exogenous phytase (P < 0.001), except the feed conversion ratio, which was decreased (P < 0.001). Ileal MI concentrations were affected by phytase × Zn source interaction (P < 0.030). Birds receiving exogenous phytase and Zn supplementation had the highest MI concentrations regardless of exogenous Zn source, whereas MI concentrations were intermediate for birds receiving exogenous phytase only. Exogenous phytase and exogenous Zn source increased the Zn concentration in bone and blood of broilers (P < 0.001). In conclusion, measures of exogenous phytase efficacy were not affected by phytase × Zn source interaction. Further studies are needed to rule out an effect from Zn sources other than those tested in this study and to investigate the effect of Zn supplementation on endogenous phosphatases. The missing effect of increasing Zn supplementation from 30 to 90 mg/kg in phytase-supplemented diets gives reason to reconsider the Zn supplementation level used by the industry.

Phosphorus nutrition strategies in a Symbiodiniacean species: Implications in coral-alga symbiosis facing increasing phosphorus deficiency in future warmer oceans.

Coral reefs thrive in the oligotrophic ocean and rely on symbiotic algae to acquire nutrients. Global warming is projected to intensify surface ocean nutrient deficiency and anthropogenic discharge of wastes with high nitrogen (N): phosphorus (P) ratios can exacerbate P nutrient limitation. However, our understanding on how symbiotic algae cope with P deficiency is limited. Here, we investigated the responses of a coral symbiotic species of Symbiodiniaceae, Cladocopium goreaui, to P-limitation by examining its physiological performance and transcriptomic profile. Under P stress, C. goreaui exhibited decreases in algal growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and cellular P content but enhancement in carbon fixation, N assimilation, N:P ratio, and energy metabolism, with downregulated expression of carbohydrate exporter genes. Besides, C. goreaui showed flexible mechanisms of utilizing different dissolved organic phosphorus to relieve P deficiency. When provided glycerol phosphate, C. goreaui hydrolyzed it extracellularly to produce phosphate for uptake. When grown on phytate, in contrast, C. goreaui upregulated the endocytosis pathway while no dissolved inorganic phosphorus was released into the medium, suggesting that phytate was transported into the cell, potentially via the endocytosis pathway. This study sheds light on the survival strategies of C. goreaui and potential weakening of its role as an organic carbon supplier in P-limited environments, underscoring the importance of more systematic investigation on future projections of such effects.

Effect of dietary calcium concentration and exogenous phytase on inositol phosphate degradation, mineral digestibility, and gut microbiota in growing pigs.

Variations in the dietary Ca concentration may affect inositol phosphate (InsP) degradation, and thereby, P digestibility in pigs. This study assessed the effects of dietary Ca concentration and exogenous phytase on InsP degradation, nutrient digestion and retention, blood metabolites, and microbiota composition in growing pigs with ileal cannulation. In a completely randomized row-column design with four periods, eight ileal-cannulated barrows (initial body weight 27 kg) were fed four corn-soybean- and rapeseed meal-based diets containing 5.5 or 8.5 g Ca/kg dry matter (DM), with or without 1,500 FTU of an exogenous hybrid-6-phytase/kg diet. No mineral P was added and the P concentration in the feed was 4.8 g P/kg DM. Prececal InsP6 disappearance in pigs fed diets containing exogenous phytase was lower (P = 0.022) with additional Ca than without. Concentrations of InsP2-4 isomers and myo-inositol in the distal ileal digesta and prececal P digestibility were greater (P < 0.001) with exogenous phytase than without exogenous phytase. In feces, InsP6 disappearance was lower (P < 0.002) and concentration of InsP5 and InsP4 isomers was higher (P ≤ 0.031) with additional Ca compared to without additional Ca. The prececal amino acid digestibility, energy digestibility, and hindgut disappearance of energy did not differ. The Shannon diversity index of the microbiota in the distal ileal digesta and feces was similar among the diets but was lower in the distal ileal digesta than in the feces (P < 0.001). Permutation analysis of variance revealed no dietary differences between the bacterial groups within the ileal digesta and fecal samples (P > 0.05). In conclusion, additional Ca reduced the effect of exogenous phytase on prececal InsP6 degradation. Endogenous InsP degradation was impaired by additional Ca only in the hindgut but the abundance of bacterial genera in feces was not affected.

The dietary calcium concentration can influence the release of phosphorus from phytate in growing pigs. This study assessed the effects of dietary calcium and exogenous phytase on inositol phosphate (InsP) degradation and nutrient digestibility in ileal-cannulated, growing pigs. The phosphorus, calcium, and myo-inositol concentrations in the blood, microbiota composition in the ileal digesta and feces, and volatile fatty acid concentrations in the feces were also evaluated. Additional dietary calcium decreased prececal inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6) disappearance, but only with exogenous phytase. Concentrations of InsP2-4 isomers and myo-inositol in the ileal digesta and prececal phosphorus digestibility were greater with exogenous phytase, but not affected by dietary calcium concentration. In contrast, fecal InsP6 disappearance was lower and the concentration of InsP4-5 isomers in feces was greater with additional dietary calcium. Regarding microbiota, the Shannon diversity index was lower in ileal digesta than in feces but was unaffected by dietary calcium concentration or exogenous phytase. In conclusion, dietary calcium concentration is relevant for phytate disappearance in feces, but not in the ileal digesta. However, when exogenous phytase is used, the dietary calcium concentration is important because prececal phytate degradation is changed.

Interactions of zinc with phytate and phytase in the digestive tract of poultry and pigs: a review.

Phytase supplementation is gaining importance in animal nutrition because of its effect on phosphorus (P) digestibility and the increasing relevance of P for sustainable production. The potential inhibitors of phytase efficacy and phytate degradation, such as calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn), have been a subject of intense research. This review focuses on the interactions of Zn with phytate and phytase in the digestive tract of poultry and pigs, with an emphasis on the effects of Zn supplementation on phytase efficacy and P digestibility. In vitro studies have shown the inhibitory effect of Zn on phytase efficacy. However, relevant in vivo studies are scarce and do not show consistent results for poultry and pigs. The results could be influenced by different factors, such as diet composition, amount of Zn supplement, mineral concentrations, and phytase supplementation, which limit the comparability of studies. The chosen response criteria to measure phytase efficacy, which is mainly tibia ash, could also influence the results. Compared to poultry, the literature findings are somewhat more conclusive in pigs, where pharmacological Zn doses (≥ 1000 mg kg-1 Zn) appear to reduce P digestibility. To appropriately evaluate the effects of non-pharmacological Zn doses, further studies are needed that provide comprehensive information on their experimental setup and include measurements of gastrointestinal phytate degradation to better understand the mechanisms associated with Zn and phytase supplements. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Accentuating the positive and eliminating the negative: Efficacy of TiO2 as digestibility index marker for poultry nutrition studies.

Inert digestibility index markers such as titanium dioxide are universally accepted to provide simple measurement of digestive tract retention and relative digestibility in poultry feeding trials. Their use underpins industry practice: specifically dosing regimens for adjunct enzymes added to animal feed. Among these, phytases, enzymes that degrade dietary phytate, inositol hexakisphosphate, represent a billion-dollar sector in an industry that raises ca. 70 billion chickens/annum. Unbeknown to the feed enzyme sector, is the growth in cell biology of use of titanium dioxide for enrichment of inositol phosphates from extracts of cells and tissues. The adoption of titanium dioxide in cell biology arises from its affinity under acid conditions for phosphates, suggesting that in feeding trial contexts that target phytate degradation this marker may not be as inert as assumed. We show that feed grade titanium dioxide enriches a mixed population of higher and lower inositol phosphates from acid solutions. Additionally, we compared the extractable inositol phosphates in gizzard and ileal digesta of 21day old male Ross 308 broilers fed three phytase doses (0, 500 and 6000 FTU/kg feed) and one inositol dose (2g/kg feed). This experiment was performed with or without titanium dioxide added as a digestibility index marker at a level of 0.5%, with all diets fed for 21 days. Analysis yielded no significant difference in effect of phytase inclusion in the presence or absence of titanium dioxide. Thus, despite the utility of titanium dioxide for recovery of inositol phosphates from biological samples, it seems that its use as an inert marker in digestibility trials is justified-as its inclusion in mash diets does not interfere with the recovery of inositol phosphates from digesta samples.

Unraveling the potential of bacterial phytases for sustainable management of phosphorous.

Phosphorous actively participates in numerous metabolic and regulatory activities of almost all living organisms including animals and humans. Therefore, it is considered as an essential macronutrient required supporting their proper growth. On contrary, phytic acid (PA), an antinutritional substance, is widely known for its strong affinity to chelate essential mineral ions including PO4 3- , Ca2+ , Fe2+ , Mg2+ , and Zn2+ . Being one the major reservoir of PO4 3- ions, PA has great potential to bind PO4 3- ions in diverse range of foods. Once combined with P, PA transforms into an undigested and insoluble complex namely phytate. Produced phytate leads to a notable reduction in the bioavailability of P due to negligible activity of phytases in monogastric animals and humans. This highlights the importance and consequent need of enhancement of phytase level in these life forms. Interestingly, phytases, catalyzing the breakdown of phytate complex and recycling the phosphate into ecosystem to its available form, have naturally been reported in a variety of plants and microorganisms over past few decades. In pursuit of a reliable solution, the focus of this review is to explore the keynote potential of bacterial phytases for sustainable management of phosphorous via efficient utilization of soil phytate. The core of the review covers detailed discussion on bacterial phytases along with their widely reported applications viz. biofertilizers, phosphorus acquisition, and plant growth promotion. Moreover, meticulous description on fermentation-based strategies and future trends on bacterial phytases have also been included.

Research Note: Influence of monocalcium phosphate and phytase in the diet on phytate degradation in cecectomized laying hens.

This study investigated the effects of phytase and monocalcium phosphate supplementation on the dephosphorylation of phytic acid [myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis (dihydrogen phosphate); InsP6] in cecectomized laying hens using total excreta collection. Four corn-soybean meal-rapeseed meal-based diets were mixed with or without 6 g of monocalcium phosphate/kg, with or without supplementation of 1,500 FTU phytase/kg, and had the same calcium concentration at 39 g/kg of feed. Each diet was tested in 5 replicates using a row-column design with 10 cecectomized laying hens in 2 periods. The hens received 120 g/d of feed while being housed individually in metabolism units, and total excreta were collected for a period of 4 d. The monocalcium phosphate × phytase interaction was not significant for InsP6 degradation (P = 0.054). Phytase increased InsP6 disappearance from 13% to 83% (P < 0.001), whereas monocalcium phosphate had no effect. Concentrations of most of the lower inositol phosphate isomers in excreta were higher when monocalcium phosphate was added to the diets. The concentration of Ins(1,2,5,6)P4 in excreta was the highest among the studied partially dephosphorylated inositol phosphates with phytase supplementation and was higher than in diets without phytase supplementation (P < 0.001). Supplementation with phytase increased myo-inositol concentration in excreta (P = 0.002), whereas monocalcium phosphate had no effect. Phosphorus utilization ranged from 4% to 18% and was not significantly affected by the treatments. These results suggest that phytase supplementation markedly increased InsP6 degradation in laying hens. The cecectomized laying hen assay may be suitable for studying the effects of phytase supplementation on phytate dephosphorylation under dietary conditions when performance and phosphorus excretion are unlikely to be affected.

Effect of a biosynthetic bacterial 6-phytase on the digestibility of phosphorus and phytate in midlactating dairy cows.

The effect of a biosynthetic bacterial 6-phytase (PhyG) on the digestibility and excretion of crude protein (CP), phosphorus (P), and phytate-P (PP) in midlactating dairy cows was investigated. Thirty Holstein-Friesians were assigned to three treatments with 10 cows per treatment in a randomized block design. Cows were fed forage (grass and corn silage) provided ad libitum, and a concentrate (without added inorganic phosphate) administered separately in amounts individualized per cow according to milk production, supplemented with phytase according to treatment. The formulated forage-to-concentrate-ratio was ~65%:35%. Dietary treatments comprised the control diet (CON) and CON supplemented with 2,000 (PhyG2,000) or 5,000 (PhyG5,000) phytase units (FTU)/kg DM in the total diet. The experiment comprised an 18-d preperiod for the collection of data to facilitate the allocation of cows to the treatments, followed by a 19-d experimental period comprising a 14-d diet adaptation period and 5 d of twice daily feces collection. Fecal samples were analyzed for the determination of apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of chemical constituents in the diet. The ATTD of PP was 92.6% in CON suggesting a high but incomplete degradation of phytate by ruminal microbial phytases. Cows fed PhyG2,000 exhibited increased ATTD of CP and PP [68.4% (2.7% points above CON) and 95.1% (2.5% points above CON), respectively] whilst PhyG5,000 further increased ATTD PP and also increased ATTD P [54.1% (7.8% points above CON)]; ATTD of Ca tended to be increased in PhyG5,000 vs. CON. Linear dose-response relationships were observed for ATTD of DM, CP, P, Ca, and PP. In addition, fecal excretion of P, and PP linearly reduced and that of Ca and CP tended to linearly reduce with increasing PhyG dose level. No difference was observed for DM intake and milk composition was unaffected except for milk protein which tended to be higher in cows fed PhyG5,000 than CON. In summary, the addition of exogenous phytase at 2,000 FTU/kg or higher to diets of lactating dairy cows improved P, PP, Ca, and CP digestibility and reduced fecal excretion of P, PP, and CP in a dose-dependent manner.

Traditionally, it has been believed that dairy cows are able to fully utilize the phosphorus (P) in feed, including that from plant-derived phytate, because of phytase activity of bacteria in the rumen. However, recent data have shown otherwise. This study investigated the effect of a biosynthetic bacterial 6-phytase supplemented to the diets of midlactating dairy cows on the digestibility and excretion of phosphorus and other key nutrients, over a 19-d experimental period. The experimental diets were commercially relevant in composition and low in phosphorus. At either or both of two tested dose levels (2,000 and 5,000 phytase units (FTU) per kilogram DM in the total diet), the exogenous phytase increased the digestibility and reduced fecal excretion of crude protein (CP), total P, and phytate-P compared with a comparable unsupplemented diet. The increases in CP, PP, and P digestibility were phytase-dose dependent. In addition, at the highest dose level, the phytase tended to increase the protein content of milk. The findings indicate that the use of exogenous phytase can improve P and protein utilization in dairy cows and offers an important approach to optimizing nutrient balance and reducing environmental P and nitrogen (N) pollution from dairy farms.

Comparison of mucosal phosphatase activity, phytate degradation, and nutrient digestibility in 3-week-old turkeys and broilers at different dietary levels of phosphorus and phytase.

A comparison between 3-wk-old female turkeys (B.U.T. 6) and broilers (Ross 308) was performed to study the effects of species, dietary P, Ca, and phytase levels on gut mucosal phosphatase activity, myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6) degradation along the digestive tract, digestibility of P, Ca, and amino acids, and concentrations of myo-inositol in the digesta and blood. The experimental diets were corn-soybean meal-based and identical for both species. Two dietary P and Ca concentrations (CaP-: 4.1 g P/kg, 5.5 g Ca/kg and CaP+: 9.0 g P/kg, 12.0 g Ca/kg) and 2 levels of phytase supplementation (0 and 1,500 FTU/kg) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design and fed to the animals for 7 d in their third week of age. Each diet was randomly assigned to 6 broiler and 6 turkey pens, with 10 birds each. After slaughter, blood, digesta from the crop, gizzard, duodenum, lower ileum, and mucosa from the jejunum were collected. When fed CaP- without phytase supplementation, there were no differences between species in gut mucosal phosphatase activity, prececal InsP6 disappearance, and P and Ca digestibility, indicating a similar intrinsic capacity for phytate degradation in both species. When fed CaP+ without phytase supplementation, turkeys showed higher prececal InsP6 disappearance than broilers. Phytase supplementation increased prececal InsP6 disappearance and digestibility of P and Ca in both species. However, the phytase-induced increase in prececal InsP6 disappearance was more pronounced in broilers than in turkeys, possibly due to more adequate conditions for phytase activity in the broiler crop. In broilers, phytase supplementation increased amino acid digestibility overall, whereas, in turkeys, it increased with CaP+ and decreased with CaP-. In addition, the relationship between myo-inositol concentration in the ileum and blood differed between species, indicating differences in myo-inositol metabolism. It was concluded that 3-week-old turkeys and broilers differ in nutrient digestibility and InsP degradation in some segments of the digestive tract but have similar endogenous InsP6 degradation when fed low P and Ca diets.

Impact of Lactobacillus apis on the antioxidant activity, phytic acid degradation, nutraceutical value and flavor properties of fermented wheat bran, compared to Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum.

This study aimed to use a novel Lactobacillus strain (L. apis) isolated from the bee gut to develop a wheat bran (WB) deep-processing technology. Compared to the most popular strains (S. cerevisiae and L. plantarum), we found that L. apis had a greater ability to enhance the fermented WB antioxidant activity through hydroxyl radical scavenging, metal chelating ability, reducing power, and ferric reducing antioxidant power. While L. apis and L. plantarum had similar effects on DPPH• and ABTS•+ scavenging activities. This improvement in antioxidant activity has been associated with some metabolic compounds, such as sinapic acid, hydroferulic acid, pyruvic acid, neocostose, oxalic acid, salicylic acid, and schaftoside. Furthermore, L. apis degraded 48.33% of the phytic acid in WB, higher than S. cerevisiae (26.73%) and L. plantarum (35.89%). All strains improved the volatile profile of WB, and the fermented WB by each strain displayed a unique volatile composition. L. apis increased the level of conditional amino acids and branched-chain amino acids significantly. S. cerevisiae increased γ-aminobutyric acid the most, from 230.8 mg/L in unfermented samples to 609.8 mg/L in the fermented WB. While L. apis and L. plantarum also increased the level of γ-aminobutyric acid to 384.5 mg/L and 295.04 mg/L, respectively. Finally, we found that L. apis remarkably increased the content of organic acids and water-soluble vitamins in wheat bran.

Mucosal phosphatase activity, phytate degradation, and mineral digestibility in 6-week-old turkeys and broilers at different dietary levels of phosphorus and phytase and comparison with 3-week-old animals.

Female turkeys (B.U.T. 6) and broilers (Ross 308) were compared at 6 wk of age to evaluate the effects of species, dietary P, Ca, and phytase levels on myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6) degradation along the digestive tract, gut mucosal phosphatase activity, P and Ca digestibility, and myo-inositol concentrations in the digesta and blood. The environmental conditions and experimental corn-soybean meal-based diets were the same for both species. Four diets with either combination of 2 levels of P and Ca (CaP-: 4.0 g P/kg, 5.4 g Ca/kg and CaP+: 6.0 g P/kg, 8.0 g Ca/kg) and 2 levels of phytase supplementation (0 and 1,500 FTU/kg) were fed to the animals for 7 d at their sixth wk of age. Each diet was randomly assigned to 6 pens per species, with 10 birds each. After slaughter, blood, digesta from the crop, gizzard, duodenum, lower ileum, and jejunal mucosa were collected. Endogenous mucosal phosphatase activity in the jejunum was higher in turkeys than in broilers. Prececal InsP6 disappearance was also higher in turkeys than in broilers when phytase was not supplemented. Phytase supplementation led to a higher prececal InsP6 disappearance in broilers than in turkeys, likely due to different crop conditions such as moisture content. However, prececal P digestibility was higher in turkeys than broilers. Different relationships between myo-inositol concentration in the ileum digesta and blood were found, depending on the species. A comparison of the results with those obtained in 3-wk-old birds of a companion study showed that in diets with low Ca and P levels, prececal InsP6 disappearance increased with age in turkeys, but not in broilers. This coincided with changes in the conditions of the digestive tract, such as the water content in the crop, gizzard pH, and mucosal phosphatase activity. In conclusion, occurrence of differences in phytate degradation between turkeys and broilers, fed the same feed, depended on age and can be explained by different physiological development of the digestive tract.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance plant phosphorus uptake through stimulating hyphosphere soil microbiome functional profiles for phosphorus turnover.

The extraradical hyphae of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are colonized by different bacteria in natural and agricultural systems, but the mechanisms by which AM fungi interact with the hyphosphere soil microbiome and influence soil organic phosphorus (P) mobilization remain unclear. We grew Medicago in two-compartment microcosms, inoculated with Rhizophagus irregularis, or not, in the root compartment and set up P treatments (without P, with P addition as KH2 PO4 or nonsoluble phytate) in the hyphal compartment. We studied the processes of soil P turnover and characterized the microbiome functional profiles for P turnover in the hyphosphere soil by metagenomic sequencing. Compared with the bulk soil, the hyphosphere soil of R. irregularis was inhabited by a specific bacterial community and their functional profiles for P turnover was stimulated. At the species level, the shift in hyphosphere soil microbiome was characterized by the recruitment of the genome bin2.39 harbouring both gcd and phoD genes and genome bin2.97 harbouring the phoD gene, which synergistically drove nonsoluble phytate mobilization in the hyphosphere soil. Our results suggest that AM fungi recruits a specific hyphosphere soil microbiome and stimulated their functional profiles for P turnover to enhance utilization of phytate.

Dietary calcium and non-phytate phosphorus levels affect the performance, serum biochemical indices, and lipid metabolism in growing pullets.

This experiment aimed to study the effects of dietary calcium (Ca) and non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) levels on performance, serum biochemical indices, and lipid metabolism in Beijing You Chicken (BYC), a local chicken. A 3 × 3 factorial design was adopted, dietary Ca levels were 0.66, 0.71, and 0.76%, NPP levels were 0.25, 0.30, and 0.35%. A total of 648 ten-wk-old BYC growing pullets were randomly divided into 9 groups with 6 replicates per group, and 12 birds per replicate. Growth performance, serum biochemical indices, and lipid metabolism indicators from 10 to 16 wk were measured. The results showed as follows: 1) Dietary Ca and NPP alone did not affect growth performance, but the interaction of dietary Ca and NPP affected average feed intake (AFI) of growing pullets (P < 0.05). The AFI was the lowest for the group with 0.71% Ca and 0.25% NPP (3,550.0 g, P = 0.036). 2) Dietary Ca level significantly affected serum P content (P < 0.05); dietary NPP had an influence trend on serum Ca content (P= 0.054). Dietary NPP levels and the interaction of Ca and NPP significantly affected alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity. 3) Dietary Ca levels significantly affected TC content and HDL-C content (P < 0.05). Dietary NPP level significantly affected TG content (P < 0.05), the TG content in 0.25% and 0.30% NPP groups was significantly lower than that in 0.35% NPP group (P < 0.05). The interaction of dietary Ca and NPP significantly affected TG, TC and HDL-C contents (P < 0.05). TG, TC, and LDL-C levels were lower and HDL-C levels were the highest in the group with 0.66% Ca and 0.25% NPP. In summary, appropriate dietary Ca level can regulate serum TG, TC, and HDL-C content. Dietary Ca and NPP levels can be adjusted in pullet phase to avoid excessive obesity during the egg-laying period. This study recommended that dietary 0.66% Ca and 0.25% NPP benefit for the lipid metabolism of BYC growing pullets without affecting the performance.

Minimum phosphorus requirements for laying hen feed formulations.

The objective of this contribution was to summarize from scientific literature the optimal concentration of nonphytate phosphorus (NPP) in feed for laying hens. The considered studies were one meta-analysis from 2012 and original studies published since then. Dietary treatments in the studies included variation in supplementation with mineral P sources and phytase. The studies investigated different periods of production and varied in duration but data were insufficient to analyze such factors in a systematic way. No study showed a positive effect on performance and eggshell when the NPP concentration was increased above 2.2 g NPP/kg of feed without the use of phytase. At such level, no consistent impairment of various bone quality traits were found but only few studies on bone quality traits were published. Overall, the data suggested that not more than 2.2 g NPP/kg of feed is needed for laying hens in different stages of production. This value can be reduced when phytase is added to the feed. Such reduction may differ depending on factors such as phytate content of the feed and phytase dosage. However, data are insufficient for calculating precise values of reduction. While phytate degradation in laying hens was markedly increased by phytase supplementation in several studies, effects of phytase supplementation on performance and bone traits in laying hens were less conclusive probably because the hens were supplied more than their NPP requirement. Transition to a system based on digestible P for laying hens similar to broiler chickens may support more precise P nutrition and more sustainable egg production in the future.

Improve stability and application of rice oil bodies via surface modification with ferulic acid, (-)-epicatechin, and phytic acid.

Rice bran oil bodies (RBOBs) are one of the most exploited functional components from rice bran by-products and are predominantly based on oleosin stabilization. In this study, we explored the effects of different concentrations of added (-)-epicatechin, ferulic acid, and phytic acid on the RBOBs stability. The results revealed that the incorporation of all three natural phytoconstituents could reduce the RBOBs particle size and increase emulsifying properties, demonstrating increasing surface hydrophobicity (p < 0.05), and a good antioxidant effect, which was especially obvious with (-)-epicatechin incorporation. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy data demonstrated that these three small molecule substance classes can modify with oleosin on RBOBs surface by covalent and noncovalent effects. Raman spectroscopic analysis illustrated that the vibrational modes of disulphide bonds in oleosin were modified by these three plant natural ingredients. The interactions between the three phytoconstituents and the model protein were investigated by molecular docking experiments.