Detection of QTL controlling feed efficiency and excretion in chickens fed a wheat-based diet.

BACKGROUND: Improving feed efficiency is a major goal in poultry production in order to reduce production costs, increase the possibility of using alternative feedstuffs and decrease the volume of manure. However, in spite of their economic and environmental impact, very few quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been reported on these traits. Thus, we undertook the detection of QTL on 820 meat-type chickens from a F2 cross between D- and D+ lines that were divergently selected on low or high digestive efficiency at 3 weeks of age. Birds were measured for growth between 0 and 23 days, feed intake and feed conversion ratio between 9 and 23 days, breast and abdominal fat yields at 23 days, and the anatomy of their digestive tract (density, relative weight and length of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and ratio of proventriculus to gizzard weight) was examined. To evaluate excretion traits, fresh and dry weight, water content, pH, nitrogen to phosphorus ratio from 0 to 23 days, and pH of gizzard and jejunum contents at 23 days were measured. A set of 3379 single nucleotide polymorphisms distributed on 28 Gallus gallus (GGA) autosomes, the Z chromosome and one unassigned linkage group was used for QTL detection. RESULTS: Using the QTLMap software developed for linkage analyses by interval mapping, we detected 16 QTL for feed intake, 13 for feed efficiency, 49 for anatomy-related traits, seven for growth, six for body composition and ten for excretion. Nine of these QTL were genome-wide significant (four for feed intake on GGA1, one for feed efficiency on GGA2, and four for anatomy on GGA1, 2, 3 and 4). GGA16, 19, and 26 carried many QTL for different types of traits that co-localize at the same position. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several QTL regions that are involved in the control of digestive efficiency in chicken. Further studies are needed to identify the genes that underlie these effects, and to validate these in other commercial populations and for different breeding environments.

Impact of Selection for Digestive Efficiency on Microbiota Composition in the Chicken.

OBJECTIVES: Feed efficiency and its digestive component, digestive efficiency, are key factors in the environmental impact and economic output of poultry production. The interaction between the host and intestinal microbiota has a crucial role in the determination of the ability of the bird to digest its food and to the birds' feed efficiency. We therefore investigated the phenotypic and genetic relationships between birds' efficiency and the composition of the cecal microbiota in a F2 cross between broiler lines divergently selected for their high or low digestive efficiency. METHODS: Analyses were performed on 144 birds with extreme feed efficiency values at 3 weeks, with feed conversion values of 1.41±0.05 and 2.02±0.04 in the efficient and non-efficient groups, respectively. The total numbers of Lactobacillus, L. salivarius, L. crispatus, C. coccoides, C. leptum and E. coli per gram of cecal content were measured. RESULTS: The two groups mainly differed in larger counts of Lactobacillus, L. salivarius and E. coli in less efficient birds. The equilibrium between bacterial groups was also affected, efficient birds showing higher C. leptum, C. coccoides and L. salivarius to E. coli ratios. The heritability of the composition of microbiota was also estimated and L. crispatus, C. leptum, and C. coccoides to E. coli ratios were moderately but significantly heritable (0.16 to 0.24). The coefficient of fecal digestive use of dry matter was genetically and positively correlated with L. crispatus, C. leptum, C. coccoides (0.50 to 0.76) and negatively with E. coli (-0.66). Lipid digestibility was negatively correlated with E. coli (-0.64), and AMEn positively correlated with C. coccoides and with the C. coccoides to Lactobacillus ratio (0.48 to 0.64). We also detected 14 Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for microbiota on the host genome, mostly on C. leptum and Lactobacillus. The QTL for C. leptum on GGA6 was close to genome-wide significance. This region mainly includes genes involved in anti-inflammatory responses and in the motility of the gastrointestinal tract.

Thermal manipulation during embryogenesis has long-term effects on muscle and liver metabolism in fast-growing chickens.

Fast-growing chickens have a limited ability to tolerate high temperatures. Thermal manipulation during embryogenesis (TM) has previously been shown to lower chicken body temperature (Tb) at hatching and to improve thermotolerance until market age, possibly resulting from changes in metabolic regulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of TM (12 h/d, 39.5°C, 65% RH from d 7 to 16 of embryogenesis vs. 37.8°C, 56% RH continuously) and of a subsequent heat challenge (32°C for 5 h at 34 d) on the mRNA expression of metabolic genes and cell signaling in the Pectoralis major muscle and the liver. Gene expression was analyzed by RT-qPCR in 8 chickens per treatment, characterized by low Tb in the TM groups and high Tb in the control groups. Data were analyzed using the general linear model of SAS considering TM and heat challenge within TM as main effects. TM had significant long-term effects on thyroid hormone metabolism by decreasing the muscle mRNA expression of deiodinase DIO3. Under standard rearing conditions, the expression of several genes involved in the regulation of energy metabolism, such as transcription factor PGC-1α, was affected by TM in the muscle, whereas for other genes regulating mitochondrial function and muscle growth, TM seemed to mitigate the decrease induced by the heat challenge. TM increased DIO2 mRNA expression in the liver (only at 21°C) and reduced the citrate synthase activity involved in the Krebs cycle. The phosphorylation level of p38 Mitogen-activated-protein kinase regulating the cell stress response was higher in the muscle of TM groups compared to controls. In conclusion, markers of energy utilization and growth were either changed by TM in the Pectoralis major muscle and the liver by thermal manipulation during incubation as a possible long-term adaptation limiting energy metabolism, or mitigated during heat challenge.

Nutritional regulation of glucokinase: a cross-species story.

The glucokinase (GK) enzyme (EC 2.7.1.1.) is essential for the use of dietary glucose because it is the first enzyme to phosphorylate glucose in excess in different key tissues such as the pancreas and liver. The objective of the present review is not to fully describe the biochemical characteristics and the genetics of this enzyme but to detail its nutritional regulation in different vertebrates from fish to human. Indeed, the present review will describe the existence of the GK enzyme in different animal species that have naturally different levels of carbohydrate in their diets. Thus, some studies have been performed to analyse the nutritional regulation of the GK enzyme in humans and rodents (having high levels of dietary carbohydrates in their diets), in the chicken (moderate level of carbohydrates in its diet) and rainbow trout (no carbohydrate intake in its diet). All these data illustrate the nutritional importance of the GK enzyme irrespective of feeding habits, even in animals known to poorly use dietary carbohydrates (carnivorous species).

Detection of QTL controlling digestive efficiency and anatomy of the digestive tract in chicken fed a wheat-based diet.

BACKGROUND: Improving digestive efficiency is a major goal in poultry production, to reduce production costs, make possible the use of alternative feedstuffs and decrease the volume of manure produced. Since measuring digestive efficiency is difficult, identifying molecular markers associated with genes controlling this trait would be a valuable tool for selection. Detection of QTL (quantitative trait loci) was undertaken on 820 meat-type chickens in a F2 cross between D- and D+ lines divergently selected on low or high AMEn (apparent metabolizable energy value of diet corrected to 0 nitrogen balance) measured at three weeks in animals fed a low-quality diet. Birds were measured for 13 traits characterizing digestive efficiency (AMEn, coefficients of digestive utilization of starch, lipids, proteins and dry matter (CDUS, CDUL, CDUP, CDUDM)), anatomy of the digestive tract (relative weights of the proventriculus, gizzard and intestine and proventriculus plus gizzard (RPW, RGW, RIW, RPGW), relative length and density of the intestine (RIL, ID), ratio of proventriculus and gizzard to intestine weight (PG/I); and body weight at 23 days of age. Animals were genotyped for 6000 SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) distributed on 28 autosomes, the Z chromosome and one unassigned linkage group. RESULTS: Nine QTL for digestive efficiency traits, 11 QTL for anatomy-related traits and two QTL for body weight at 23 days of age were detected. On chromosome 20, two significant QTL at the genome level co-localized for CDUS and CDUDM, i.e. two traits that are highly correlated genetically. Moreover, on chromosome 16, chromosome-wide QTL for AMEn, CDUS, CDUDM and CDUP, on chromosomes 23 and 26, chromosome-wide QTL for CDUS, on chromosomes 16 and 26, co-localized QTL for digestive efficiency and the ratio of intestine length to body weight and on chromosome 27 a chromosome-wide QTL for CDUDM were identified. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several regions of the chicken genome involved in the control of digestive efficiency. Further studies are necessary to identify the underlying genes and to validate these in commercial populations and breeding environments.

Regulators of protein metabolism are affected by cyclical nutritional treatments with diets varying in protein and energy content.

There is evidence that the E3 ubiquitin ligases muscle ring finger-1 (MuRF1) and atrogin-1, which mediate the ubiquitination of certain proteins and thereby their proteolysis, are regulated by cyclical nutritional treatments varying in lysine content. In order to explore further the regulatory mechanisms involved in metabolic adaptation to dietary changes, we investigated the effects of daily variations in energy [2800 (E-) followed by 3200 kcal/kg (E+)], protein [230 (P+) followed by 150g/kg (P-)] or both [E-P+ followed by E+P-] on muscle protein metabolism in 2-week-old male broiler chickens. Growth performance was similar for all treatments. Expression of atrogin-1 and MuRF1 was changed by alternation of diets varying in protein (higher expression with P- vs. P+) and energy content (higher expression with E- vs. E+). The expression of atrogin-1 was regulated with mixed diets (increase in E+P- vs. E-P+) but not that of MuRF1. Such regulation may involve the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which was more phosphorylated with P+ than with P-. Eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein, p70S6 kinase and ribosomal protein S6, which are mTOR targets known to control protein synthesis, were highly activated by increased protein content (P+ vs. P-). The mechanisms coordinating the protein synthesis/proteolysis balance remain to be characterized.

Insulin immuno-neutralization in fed chickens: effects on liver and muscle transcriptome.

Chickens mimic an insulin-resistance state by exhibiting several peculiarities with regard to plasma glucose level and its control by insulin. To gain insight into the role of insulin in the control of chicken transcriptome, liver and leg muscle transcriptomes were compared in fed controls and "diabetic" chickens, at 5 h after insulin immuno-neutralization, using 20.7K-chicken oligo-microarrays. At a level of false discovery rate <0.01, 1,573 and 1,225 signals were significantly modified by insulin privation in liver and muscle, respectively. Microarray data agreed reasonably well with qRT-PCR and some protein level measurements. Differentially expressed mRNAs with human ID were classified using Biorag analysis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Multiple metabolic pathways, structural proteins, transporters and proteins of intracellular trafficking, major signaling pathways, and elements of the transcriptional control machinery were largely represented in both tissues. At least 42 mRNAs have already been associated with diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, energy expenditure, or identified as sensors of metabolism in mice or humans. The contribution of the pathways presently identified to chicken physiology (particularly those not yet related to insulin) needs to be evaluated in future studies. Other challenges include the characterization of "unknown" mRNAs and the identification of the steps or networks, which disturbed tissue transcriptome so extensively, quickly after the turning off of the insulin signal. In conclusion, pleiotropic effects of insulin in chickens are further evidenced; major pathways controlled by insulin in mammals have been conserved despite the presence of unique features of insulin signaling in chicken muscle.

Glucokinase activation induces potent hypoglycemia without recruiting insulin and inhibits food intake in chicken.

Glucose homeostasis exhibits several peculiarities in chickens (in short, presence of high glycemia and resistance to high doses of exogenous insulin). Though the full chicken glucokinase gene sequence is still lacking, several results suggest its existence. The functionality of chicken glucokinase (GK) has been further investigated using an activator of mammalian GK (GKA). In vitro, GKA decreased GK's S0.5(a) in a glucose-dependent manner in liver homogenates from either fasted or fed chickens; it also increased GK Vmax(a) in homogenates from fed chickens. In vivo, acute oral GKA administration (10-100 mg/kg) induced a potent and dose dependent hypoglycemic effect in fed chickens (starting between 15 and 45 min with a maximum effect at 40 mg/kg, P<0.0001). At this dose, plasma insulin levels showed erratic and minor changes in the early times (an increase at 5 min and a decrease at 10 min, P<0.05). At 90 min, when hypoglycemia had developed plasma insulin levels decreased under controls and plasma pancreatic glucagon levels increased over controls. Also at 40 mg/kg, GKA transiently inhibited food intake at about 3h (P<0.0001). In conclusion, GKA is a potent activator of chicken GK evidencing that the structure and the activity of chicken GK are similar to those of mammalian GK. At variance with results obtained in mammals, the potent GKA hypoglycemic action appears to rely mostly on an effect on liver GK in chicken. This fits with previous results and further support the hypothesis of a "deficient coupling" between Β-cell metabolism and insulin release in this species.

Induction of glucokinase in chicken liver by dietary carbohydrates.

We recently provided evidence of the presence of glucokinase (GCK) in the chicken liver [Berradi, H., Taouis, M., Cassy, S., Rideau, N., 2005. Glucokinase in chicken (Gallus gallus). Partial cDNA cloning, immunodetection and activity determination. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. B Biochem. Mol. Biol. 141, 129-139]. In the present study we addressed the question of whether nutritional regulation of GCK occurs. Several nutritional conditions were compared in chickens (5 weeks old) previously trained to meal-feeding. One group was left in the fasted state (F: 24h) and one was tested at the end of the 2h meal (refed: RF). Two other 2h meal-refed groups received an acute oral saccharose load (6ml/kg BW) just before the 2h meal and were sacrificed either at the end of the meal (Saccharose refed, SRF) or 3h later (SRF+3). Liver GCK mRNA and protein levels did not differ between F, RF and SRF chickens but were significantly increased in SRF+3 chickens (2-fold, p<0.05). GCK activity did not differ between F and RF chickens but increased significantly in SRF and SRF+3 chickens (1.7-fold, p<0.05). Chicken liver GCK expression (mRNA and protein) and activity were therefore inducible in these chickens by feeding a meal with acute oral administration of carbohydrate. These and recent findings demonstrating insulin dependency of the liver GCK mRNA and protein strongly suggest that GCK may have an important role in carbohydrate metabolism, including that of the chicken. However, even in these highly stimulatory conditions, liver GCK activity remained relatively low in comparison with other species. The latter result may partly explain the high plasma glucose level in the chicken.

Insulin immuno-neutralization in chicken: effects on insulin signaling and gene expression in liver and muscle.

In order to evaluate the role of insulin in chicken, an insulin immuno-neutralization was performed. Fed chickens received 1 or 3 i.v. injections of anti-insulin serum (2-h intervals), while fed or fasted controls received normal serum. Measurements included insulin signaling cascade (at 1 h in liver and muscle), metabolic or endocrine plasma parameters (at 1 and 5 h), and qRT-PCR analysis (at 5 h) of 23 genes involved in endocrine regulation, metabolisms, and transcription. Most plasma parameters and food intake were altered by insulin privation as early as 1 h and largely at 5 h. The initial steps of insulin signaling pathways including insulin receptor (IR), IR substrate-1 (IRS-1), and Src homology collagen and downstream elements: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, GSK3, ERK2, and S6 ribosomal protein) were accordingly turned off in the liver. In the muscle, IR, IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation, and PI3K activity remained unchanged, whereas several subsequent steps were altered by insulin privation. In both tissues, AMPK was not altered. In the liver, insulin privation decreased Egr1, PPAR gamma, SREBP1, THRSP alpha (spot 14), D2-deiodinase, glucokinase (GK), and fatty acid synthase (whereas D3-deiodinase and IGF-binding protein 1 transcripts were up-regulated. Liver SREBP1 and GK and plasma IGFBP1 proteins were accordingly down- and up-regulated. In the muscle, PPAR beta delta and atrogin-1 mRNA increased and Egr1 mRNA decreased. Changes in messengers were partly mimicked by fasting. Thus, insulin signaling in muscle is peculiar in chicken and is strictly dependent on insulin in fed status. The 'diabetic' status induced by insulin immuno-neutralization is accompanied by impairments of glucagon secretion, thyroid axis, and expression of several genes involved in regulatory pathways or metabolisms, evidencing pleiotropic effects of insulin in fed chicken.

Does overfeeding enhance genotype effects on energy metabolism and lipid deposition in breast muscle of ducks?

We evaluated the effects of genotype (Muscovy, Pekin and their crossbreed hinny and mule ducks) and feeding levels (overfeeding between 12 and 14 weeks of age vs ad libitum feeding) on energy metabolism and lipid deposition in breast muscle of ducks. Samples of breast muscle (Pectoralis major) were collected at 14 weeks of age from 8 birds per group. Overfeeding induced an accumulation of lipids in breast muscle (1.5- to 1.7-fold, depending on genotype) mainly induced by triglyceride deposition. It also induced a considerable increase in the amounts (expressed as g/100 g of tissue) of saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (SFA, MUFA), while the amounts of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) remained unchanged in hinny and Muscovy ducks or slightly increased in Pekin and mule ducks. In breast muscle, overfeeding decreased the activity of the main enzymes involved in lipogenesis from glucose (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, G6PDH, malic enzyme, ME, acetyl CoA carboxylase, ACX). Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in Pectoralis major muscle was also significantly decreased (-21%). The ability of muscle tissues to catabolize long-chain fatty acids, as assessed by beta-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (HAD) activity, was increased in Pectoralis major muscle, as was cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) activity. Hybrid and Pekin ducks exhibited higher levels of ACX and LPL activity in Pectoralis major muscle than Muscovy ducks, suggesting a greater ability to synthesise lipids in situ, and to take up circulating lipids. Total lipid content in breast muscle of hybrid and Pekin ducks was higher than in that of Muscovy ducks. In hybrid and Pekin ducks, lipid composition of breast muscle was characterized by higher amounts of triglycerides, SFA and MUFA than in Muscovy ducks. Finally, oxidative metabolism was greater in Pectoralis major muscles of hybrid and Pekin ducks than in Muscovy ducks, suggesting an adaptative strategy of muscle energy metabolism according to lipid level.

Does overfeeding enhance genotype effects on liver ability for lipogenesis and lipid secretion in ducks?

We evaluated the effects of genotype (Muscovy, Pekin and their crossbreed hinny and mule ducks) and feeding levels (overfeeding between 12 and 14 weeks of age vs ad libitum feeding) on liver ability for lipogenesis and lipid secretion in ducks. Samples of liver and blood were collected at 14 weeks of age from 8 birds per group. Plasma levels of insulin was considerably increased in overfed ducks (1.9-fold), stimulating the hepatic activity of the main enzymes involved in lipogenesis from glucose (glucokinase, GK, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, G6PDH, malic enzyme, ME, acetyl CoA carboxylase, ACX), while cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) activity, indicating overall oxidation ability of energy-yielding substrates, remained unchanged. Plasma levels of triglycerides, phospholipids and total cholesterol were therefore increased (1.9, 3.7, 1.6 and 1.6-fold, respectively). Glycaemia also significantly increased (+8%). Pekin ducks exhibited higher levels of GK and G6PDH activity in the liver than Muscovy ducks, suggesting a greater ability to use glucose consistent with their lower glycaemia. Muscovy ducks had greater ACX activity, suggesting greater ability to synthesise lipids. However, plasma lipid levels were much higher in Pekin ducks than in Muscovy ducks, suggesting a greater ability to export lipids from the liver. Values for the different criteria measured in this study were intermediate or similar in hinny and mule ducks to those of parental species. The high values for GK, G6PDH, ME and ACX activity in hybrid ducks enabled them to produce heavy fatty livers with the same chemical and lipid composition as Muscovy ducks and characterised by high amounts of triglycerides (around 96% of total lipids), and saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids.

Glucokinase in chicken (Gallus gallus). Partial cDNA cloning, immunodetection and activity determination.

Chickens are more hyperglycaemic and insulin-resistant than mammals, and in efforts to understand their glucose metabolism we investigated whether glucokinase (GK) is present in chicken liver or pancreas. This enzyme plays a major role in glucose-sensing in mammals and we have examined whether it also contributes to glucose homeostasis in chickens. Using RT-PCR, we cloned and sequenced a partial cDNA fragment (750 bp) from liver and pancreas that showed a high degree of identity with mammalian GK. Using antibodies directed towards human GK, we immunodetected a 50 kDa band in chicken liver and pancreas. The molecular mass of the band and its specific interaction with the antibody suggest that this protein corresponds to a chicken homologue of human GK. We also determined by spectrophotometry a glucokinase-like activity in crude liver homogenates with an apparent half saturating concentration for glucose of 8.6 mM. GK gene and protein expression did not differ between fed and 24 h fasted states but GK-like activity was significantly increased in fed chickens. In conclusion, our study provides evidence for the presence of GK gene and protein in chicken liver and pancreas and shows that the liver enzyme is active.

Leptin receptor in the chicken ovary: potential involvement in ovarian dysfunction of ad libitum-fed broiler breeder hens.

In hens, the ovarian follicles committed to ovulation are arranged in an ordered follicular hierarchy. In standard broiler breeders hens genetically selected for high growth rate the reproductive function is clearly dysfunctional. Feed restriction is needed during reproductive development to limit the formation of excessive numbers of ovarian yellow follicles arranged in multiple hierarchies. To determine whether leptin is involved in the nutritional and reproductive interactions controlling follicular hierarchy in hens, blood leptin levels and ovarian expression of the leptin receptor mRNA were determined during follicle maturation in three chicken lines; a slow growing broiler "Label" genotype without reproductive dysfunction, a fast growing "Standard" genotype fed ad libitum or restricted and a fast growing "Experimental" line with intermediate reproductive performance levels. Whereas expression of the leptin receptor mRNA did not change in the theca, it clearly decreased with follicular differentiation in the granulosa of slow growing hens. In fast growing standard hens fed ad libitum and presenting significant reproductive dysfunction, the decrease was disrupted and dramatic up-regulation of granulosa cell expression of the leptin receptor was observed. On the other hand, feed restriction decreased the overall level of expression of the leptin receptor mRNA and restored the decrease with follicular growth. The level of expression of the leptin receptor probably modulates the action of leptin on follicular differentiation. Since blood leptin and other metabolic factors were not affected by the genotype or by nutritional state, the factors involved in the regulation of leptin receptor gene expression remain to be determined. This study demonstrates the involvement of leptin in the nutritional control of reproduction in birds. Leptin action on the ovary probably controls follicular hierarchy through the regulation of steroidogenesis.

Hormonal and metabolic responses to overfeeding in three genotypes of ducks.

Muscovy, Pekin and Mule duck are different in their body weight. To make a valid comparison in the lipid metabolism between these three genotypes, overfeeding was carried out by providing the animals with amounts of food in proportion to their body weight. Under these conditions, Muscovy ducks developed a strong liver steatosis, whereas it was not very pronounced in the Mule ducks and even less in the Pekin ducks. On the contrary, Pekin ducks showed a much marked extrahepatic fattening. At the beginning of overfeeding, there was a similarity in the three genotypes as regards the post-heparin lipoprotein-lipase (LPL) activity and the insulin and glucagon concentrations. After 10 days of overfeeding, the LPL activity dramatically fell in Muscovy and in Mule ducks, whereas it remained steady in Pekin ducks. Compared to values found at the beginning of the overfeeding period, plasma glucagon and insulin shown no evolution, except for the insulin of Pekin ducks which was dramatically higher. Those data suggest that high plasma insulin concentrations measured in Pekin ducks after 10 days of overfeeding can be responsible for the maintenance of the LPL activity, which favors the extrahepatic fattening to the detriment of liver steatosis.