Lactiplantibacillus argentoratensis AGMB00912 alleviates salmonellosis and modulates gut microbiota in weaned piglets: a pilot study.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Lactiplantibacillus argentoratensis AGMB00912 (LA) in reducing Salmonella Typhimurium infection in weaned piglets. The investigation focused on the influence of LA on the gut microbiota composition, growth performance, and Salmonella fecal shedding. The results indicated that LA supplementation significantly improved average daily gain and reduced the prevalence and severity of diarrhea. Fecal analysis revealed reduced Salmonella shedding in the LA-supplemented group. Furthermore, LA notably altered the composition of the gut microbiota, increasing the levels of beneficial Bacillus and decreasing those of harmful Proteobacteria and Spirochaetes. Histopathological examination showed less intestinal damage in LA-treated piglets than in the controls. The study also observed that LA affected metabolic functions related to carbohydrate, amino acid, and fatty acid metabolism, thereby enhancing gut health and resilience against infection. Short-chain fatty acid concentrations in the feces were higher in the LA group, suggesting improved gut microbial activity. LA supplementation enriched the population of beneficial bacteria, including Streptococcus, Clostridium, and Bifidobacterium, while reducing the number of harmful bacteria, such as Escherichia and Campylobacter. These findings indicate the potential of LA as a probiotic alternative for swine nutrition, offering protective effects to the gut microbiota against Salmonella infection.

Transcriptome profiles of organ tissues from pigs experimentally infected with African swine fever virus in early phase of infection.

African swine fever, caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious and fatal disease that poses a significant threat to the global pig industry. The limited information on ASFV pathogenesis and ASFV-host interactions has recently prompted numerous transcriptomic studies. However, most of these studies have focused on elucidating the transcriptome profiles of ASFV-infected porcine alveolar macrophages in vitro. Here, we analyzed dynamic transcriptional patterns in vivo in nine organ tissues (spleen, submandibular lymph node, mesenteric lymph node, inguinal lymph node, tonsils, lungs, liver, kidneys, and heart) obtained from pigs in the early stages of ASFV infection (1 and 3 d after viremia). We observed rapid spread of ASFV to the spleen after viremia, followed by broad transmission to the liver and lungs and subsequently, the submandibular and inguinal lymph nodes. Profound variations in gene expression patterns were observed across all organs and at all time-points, providing an understanding of the distinct defence strategies employed by each organ against ASFV infection. All ASFV-infected organs exhibited a collaborative response, activating immune-associated genes such as S100A8, thereby triggering a pro-inflammatory cytokine storm and interferon activation. Functional analysis suggested that ASFV exploits the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway to evade the host immune system. Overall, our findings provide leads into the mechanisms underlying pathogenesis and host immune responses in different organs during the early stages of infection, which can guide further explorations, aid the development of efficacious antiviral strategies against ASFV, and identify valuable candidate gene targets for vaccine development.

Antifungal activity of aminopyrrolnitrin against Trichophyton verrucosum in a guinea pig model of dermatophytosis.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytosis is a common and major public health concern worldwide. Despite the increasing availability of antifungal drugs, relapses and untreated cases of dermatophyte infections are reported. Therefore, novel antifungal agents are required. Aminopyrrolnitrin (APRN) shows promise for dermatophytosis treatment because of its antifungal activity. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the antifungal properties of APRN against Trichophyton verrucosum (T. verrucosum), in both laboratory settings and a guinea pig model. METHODS: The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of APRN and enilconazole against T. verrucosum were determined according to the CLSI M38 method. The skins of 16 male guinea pigs were infected with 1.0 × 108 conidia of T. verrucosum and the animals were grouped into sets of four: negative control group (NC) received normal saline; positive control group (PC) received 2 µg/mL of enilconazole; and APRN4 and APRN8 received 4 and 8 µg/mL of APRN, respectively. Clinical, mycological and histological efficacies were measured after 10 days. RESULTS: The MIC90 of APRN and enilconazole against T. verrucosum was 4 and 2 µg/mL, respectively. The clinical scores of PC, APRN4, and APRN8 were significantly lower than those of NC. Clinical and mycological efficacies were higher for APRN8, APRN4 and PC. No fungi were observed in the skin tissues of APRN4 and APRN8, while fungi were observed in 50% of the PC. CONCLUSION: APRN showed antifungal activity against T. verrucosum in vitro and in vivo and is a potential candidate for the treatment of dermatophytosis.

Impact of rumen cannulation surgery on rumen microbiota composition in Hanwoo steers.

Rumen cannulation is a surgical technique used to collect rumen contents from ruminants. However, rumen cannulation surgery may potentially impact the composition of the rumen microbiota. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal alterations in the rumen microbiota composition of Hanwoo steers after cannulation surgery. In this study, eight Hanwoo steers were used; four steers underwent rumen cannulation surgery (cannulation group), while the remaining four were left intact (control group). Rumen samples were collected from all eight steers using the stomach tubing method on the day before surgery (day 0) and on postoperative days 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, and 28, resulting in 80 samples (10 timepoints × 8 animals). The microbiota of all 80 samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing with Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology version 2 (QIIME2). There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in all major phyla and most major genera representing at least 0.5% of total sequences across all 80 samples between the control and cannulation groups on the preoperative and postoperative days. However, while the alpha diversity indices did not differ (p > 0.05) between the two groups on the preoperative day, they significantly differed (p < 0.05) between the two groups on the postoperative days. Further, the overall microbial distribution based on both unweighted and weighted principal coordinate analysis plots significantly differed (p < 0.05) between the two groups on both the preoperative and postoperative days. Orthogonal polynomial contrasts indicated that major genera and microbial diversity in the cannulation group decreased following surgery but returned to their initial states by postoperative day 28. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that rumen cannulation surgery affects some major taxa and microbial diversity, suggesting that the rumen cannulation method can alter the composition of rumen microbiota in Hanwoo steers.

Gut microbiota alteration with growth performance, histopathological lesions, and immune responses in Salmonella Typhimurium-infected weaned piglets.

Salmonella Typhimurium can cause gastroenteritis in weaned piglets, which are particularly vulnerable to dietary changes and dysfunction of their immature organs. The colonization of S. Typhimurium could disrupt the gut microbiota and increase susceptibility to the bacterium. This study aimed to investigate the alterations of gut microbiota in S. Typhimurium-infected weaned piglets. Ten 49-day-old pigs were divided into two groups: S. Typhimurium-inoculated (ST, n = 6) and negative control (NC, n = 4) groups. The body weight and S. Typhimurium fecal shedding were monitored for 14 days after S. Typhimurium inoculation (dpi). The intestinal tissues were collected at 14 dpi; histopathological lesions and cytokine gene expression were evaluated. The gut microbiome composition and short-chain fatty acid concentrations were analyzed in fecal samples collected at 14 dpi. The average daily gain and gut microbiota alpha diversity in ST group tended to be lower than NC group at 14 dpi. Linear discriminant analysis effect size results showed a significant increase in the abundance of two genera and five species, while a significant decrease was observed in the five genera and nine species within the gut microbiota of ST group. Among the significantly less abundant bacteria in the ST group, Lachnospira eligens and Anaerobium acetethylicum produce acetate and butyrate, and may be considered as key S. Typhimurium infection-preventing bacteria. The overall results provide invaluable information about changes in the gut microbiota of S. Typhimurium-infected weaned piglets, which can be used to develop alternative measures to antibiotics and prevent ST bacterial infection.

Genome-wide association study of mammary gland tumors in Maltese dogs.

Background: A genome-wide association study (GWAS) is a valuable tool for investigating genetic and phenotypic variation in many diseases. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify variations in the genomes of Maltese dogs that are associated with the mammary gland tumor (MGT) phenotype and to assess the association between each biological condition and MGT phenotype in Maltese dogs. Methods: DNA was extracted from 22 tumor samples and 11 whole blood samples from dogs with MGTs. Genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping was performed, and the top 20 SNPs associated with various conditions and genetic variations were mapped to their corresponding gene locations. Results: The genotyping process successfully identified 173,662 loci, with an overall genotype completion rate of 99.92%. Through the quality control analysis, 46,912 of these SNPs were excluded. Allelic tests were conducted to generate Manhattan plots, which showed several significant SNPs associated with MGT phenotype in intergenic region. The most prominent SNP, located within a region associated with transcription and linked to the malignancy grade of MGT, was identified on chromosome 5 (p = 0.00001) though there may be lack of statistical significance. Other SNPs were also found in several genes associated with oncogenesis, including TNFSF18, WDR3, ASIC5, STAR, and IL1RAP. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first GWAS to analyze the genetic predisposition to MGT in Maltese dogs. Despite the limited number of cases, these analyzed data could provide the basis for further research on the genetic predisposition to MGTs in Maltese dogs.

Pathobiological analysis of african swine fever virus contact-exposed pigs and estimation of the basic reproduction number of the virus in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: African swine fever (ASF), caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a fatal disease affecting wild and domestic pigs. Since China reported the first ASF outbreak in August 2018, ASFV has swept over the neighbouring Asian countries. However, studies involving experimental pig-to-pig ASFV transmission in Vietnam are lacking. The main objective of this experimental study was to demonstrate the pathobiological characteristics of ASFV contact-exposed pigs and estimate their basic reproduction number (R0) in Vietnam. Fifteen pigs were randomly divided into two groups: experimental (n = 10) and negative control (n = 5) groups. One pig in the experimental group was intramuscularly inoculated with ASFV strain from Vietnam in 2020 and housed with the uninoculated pigs during the study period (28 days). RESULTS: The inoculated pig died 6 days post-inoculation, and the final survival rate was 90.0%. We started observing viremia and excretion of ASFV 10 days post-exposure in contact-exposed pigs. Unlike the surviving and negative control pigs, all necropsied pigs showed severe congestive splenomegaly and moderate-to-severe haemorrhagic lesions in the lymph nodes. The surviving pig presented with mild haemorrhagic lesions in the spleen and kidneys. We used Susceptible-Infectious-Removed models for estimating R0. The R0 values for exponential growth (EG) and maximum likelihood (ML) were calculated to be 2.916 and 4.015, respectively. In addition, the transmission rates (ß) were estimated to be 0.729 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.379-1.765) for EG and 1.004 (95% CI: 0.283-2.450) for ML. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed pathobiological and epidemiological information in about pig-to-pig ASFV transmission. Our findings suggested that culling infected herds within a brief period of time may mitigate the spread of ASF outbreaks.

Raw potato starch diet supplement in weaned pigs could reduce Salmonella Typhimurium infection by altering microbiome composition and improving immune status.

Backgorund: Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) is one of the causative agents of gastroenteritis in pigs. Pigs fed a diet supplemented with raw potato starch (RPS) have improved gut health by the alteration of the microbiota composition and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of RPS supplementation in reducing infection severity and fecal shedding in ST-infected pigs. Methods: The weaned experimental pigs were divided into two groups: CON (n = 6) fed a corn/soybean-based diet and TRT (n = 6) supplemented with 5% RPS. After 21 d, the pigs were inoculated with ST, and their body weight, clinical signs, and fecal shedding of ST were monitored for 14 d. At 14 d post-inoculation (dpi), the jejunum, cecum, ileum, and colon tissues were collected from euthanized pigs, and histopathological lesions and cytokine gene expression were compared. Additionally, blood samples at 2 dpi were analyzed for gene ontology enrichment. Moreover, the gutmicrobiome was analyzed using 16S rRNA metagenomic sequencing, and the SCFA concentration was measured using gas chromatography. Results: The average daily weight gain was significantly higher in TRT than in CON during the ST infection period; however, histopathological lesion scores were significantly lower in TRT than in CON. The relative abundance of nine genera of butyrate- and acetate-producing bacteria significantly increased in TRT compared with that of only two acetate-producing bacteria in CON. Among the genes involved in the immune response, IL-18 expression level was significantly lower in the jejunum and colon in TRT than in CON. Furthermore, Reg3γ expression was significantly different in the cecum and colon of both groups. Conclusion: The diet supplemented with RPS in weaned pigs could result in predominance of butyrate- and acetate-producing bacteria, reducing the severity of ST infection by improving the immune status.

Multi-organ metastases of primary chondrosarcoma of the mammary gland of a spayed Toy Poodle.

We report the clinical and histopathological findings associated with multi-organ metastases of primary mammary chondrosarcoma in a 12-year-old spayed female Toy Poodle. At post-mortem examination, multifocal, sharply demarcated, grey-white to bright brown, round nodules of variable size were randomly distributed in the lungs, myocardium, liver, pancreas, spleen, intestinal tract and kidneys. Histologically, immature cartilage structures and primitive mesenchymal cells were seen in these organs. Neoplastic cells located in the cartilaginous basophilic extracellular matrix had cytoplasmic vacuolation and round vesicular nuclei and were stained with Safranin O and Alcian blue. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a multi-organ metastatic chondrosarcoma that originated in the mammary gland of a dog.

Exploring the Microbial Community and Functional Characteristics of the Livestock Feces Using the Whole Metagenome Shotgun Sequencing.

The foodborne illness is the important public health concerns, and the livestock feces are known to be one of the major reservoirs of foodborne pathogens. Also, it was reported that 45.5% of foodborne illness outbreaks have been associated with the animal products contaminated with the livestock feces. In addition, it has been known that the persistence of a pathogens depends on many potential virulent factors including the various virulent genes. Therefore, the first step to understanding the public health risk of livestock feces is to identify and describe microbial communities and potential virulent genes that contribute to bacterial pathogenicity. We used the whole metagenome shotgun sequencing to evaluate the prevalence of foodborne pathogens and to characterize the virulence associated genes in pig and chicken feces. Our data showed that the relative abundance of potential foodborne pathogens, such as Bacillus cereus was higher in chickens than pigs at the species level while the relative abundance of foodborne pathogens including Campylobacter coli was only detected in pigs. Also, the microbial functional characteristics of livestock feces revealed that the gene families related to "Biofilm formation and quorum sensing" were highly enriched in pigs than chicken. Moreover, the variety of gene families associated with "Resistance to antibiotics and toxic compounds" were detected in both animals. These results will help us to prepare the scientific action plans to improve awareness and understanding of the public health risks of livestock feces.

Johne's disease in two Korean black goats (Capra hircus coreanae) with clinical and subclinical infection: A case report.

Johne's disease (JD) is a chronic enteric infection in ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). JD infection is more difficult to diagnose in goats than cattle because MAP can insidiously affect small ruminants. Few reports have used pathological and molecular diagnosis for cases in Korean black goats. Here, we present our results from two MAP-infected goats. Case 1 was categorized as clinically significant (stage IV), with severe clinical signs and a high antibody titer (S/P ratio, 158.9%). Case 2 was in the subclinical stage (stage II); however, the goat suddenly died without any clinical signs (S/P ratio, 70.9%). DNA from the organ tissues and feces from Case 1 showed a strong positive PCR result for MAP, whereas Case 2 only exhibited a very weak reaction in the fecal sample. Moreover, fecal DNA from both cases was genotyped as C-type MAP using the PCR-REA method. Gastrointestinal organ tissues (jejunum, ileum, colon, and mesenteric lymph nodes) from Case 1 showed moderate-to-severe lesions, and acid-fast bacilli were observed. In contrast, Case 2 showed intact-to-mild pathological lesions, and acid-fast bacilli were detected in the colon, mesenteric lymph nodes, and liver. In addition, Case 2 was co-infected with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, which caused caseous lymphadenitis. This case study provides valuable information regarding the pathological and molecular characteristics of JD-infected Korean black goats. The results highlighted the differences in pathological lesions between clinically and subclinically infected goats, which help veterinarians to develop better strategies to control MAP in goat farms.

Effect of feeding raw potato starch on the composition dynamics of the piglet intestinal microbiome.

OBJECTIVE: Raw potato starch (RPS) is resistant to digestion, escapes absorption, and is metabolized by intestinal microflora in the large intestine and acts as their energy source. In this study, we compared the effect of different concentrations of RPS on the intestinal bacterial community of weaned piglets. METHODS: Male weaned piglets (25-days-old, 7.03±0.49 kg) were either fed a corn/soybean-based control diet (CON, n = 6) or two treatment diets supplemented with 5% RPS (RPS5, n = 4) or 10% RPS (RPS10, n = 4) for 20 days and their fecal samples were collected. The day 0 and 20 samples were analyzed using a 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology, followed by total genomic DNA extraction, library construction, and high-throughput sequencing. After statistical analysis, five phyla and 45 genera accounting for over 0.5% of the reads in any of the three groups were further analyzed. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the day 20 fecal samples were analyzed using gas chromatography. RESULTS: Significant changes were not observed in the bacterial composition at the phylum level even after 20 d post feeding (dpf); however, the abundance of Intestinimonas and Barnesiella decreased in both RPS treatment groups compared to the CON group. Consumption of 5% RPS increased the abundance of Roseburia (p<0.05) and decreased the abundance of Clostridium (p<0.01) and Mediterraneibacter (p< 0.05). In contrast, consumption of 10% RPS increased the abundance of Olsenella (p<0.05) and decreased the abundance of Campylobacter (p<0.05), Kineothrix (p<0.05), Paraprevotella (p<0.05), and Vallitalea (p<0.05). Additionally, acetate (p<0.01), butyrate (p<0.05), valerate (p = 0.01), and total SCFAs (p = 0.01) were upregulated in the RPS5 treatment group. CONCLUSION: Feeding 5% RPS altered bacterial community composition and promoted gut health in weaned piglets. Thus, resistant starch as a feed additive may prevent diarrhea in piglets during weaning.

Blood parameters and pathological lesions in pigs experimentally infected with Vietnam's first isolated African swine fever virus.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a notable virus and one of the most serious global threats to the pig industry. Improving awareness about host-virus interactions could facilitate the understanding of the disease pathogenesis. Therefore, we investigated changes in blood parameters, viral loads, and pathological changes in ASFV-inoculated pigs according to the time of death after the onset of viremia. For the analyses, the ASFV-infected pigs (n = 10) were divided into two groups (five pigs/group) according to their time of death after the onset of viremia. The blood cell count dynamics and serum biochemistry profiles were similar between the groups; however, viral load distribution was different. A comparison of the histopathological changes and immunohistochemistry results between the two groups indicated that the lymphoid system, particularly the spleen, was more damaged in the early stage of the disease than in the last stage. Additionally, the virus-induced lesions in other organs (liver and kidney) were more severe in the late stage than in the early stage. Our findings provide invaluable information on the characteristics of blood parameters and pathological lesions in pigs infected with the Asia-epidemic ASFV strain and the course of ASF, targeting internal organs in pigs. Overall, this study characterizes the host-pathogen interaction in ASFV infection, offering insight for the establishment of ASF control strategies.

Brachygnathia Inferior in Cloned Dogs Is Possibly Correlated with Variants of Wnt Signaling Pathway Initiators.

Abnormalities in animals cloned via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) have been reported. In this study, to produce bomb-sniffing dogs, we successfully cloned four healthy dogs through SCNT using the same donor genome from the skin of a male German shepherd old dog. Veterinary diagnosis (X-ray/3D-CT imaging) revealed that two cloned dogs showed normal phenotypes, whereas the others showed abnormal shortening of the mandible (brachygnathia inferior) at 1 month after birth, even though they were cloned under the same conditions except for the oocyte source. Therefore, we aimed to determine the genetic cause of brachygnathia inferior in these cloned dogs. To determine the genetic defects related to brachygnathia inferior, we performed karyotyping and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) for identifying small genetic alterations in the genome, such as single-nucleotide variations or frameshifts. There were no chromosomal numerical abnormalities in all cloned dogs. However, WGS analysis revealed variants of Wnt signaling pathway initiators (WNT5B, DVL2, DACT1, ARRB2, FZD 4/8) and cadherin (CDH11, CDH1like) in cloned dogs with brachygnathia inferior. In conclusion, this study proposes that brachygnathia inferior in cloned dogs may be associated with variants in initiators and/or regulators of the Wnt/cadherin signaling pathway.

Age-dependent immune response in pigs against foot-and-mouth disease virus in vitro.

Foot-and-mouth disease, one of the most contagious diseases in cloven-hoofed animals, causes significant economic losses. The pathogenesis of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) infection is known to differ with age of the animals. In this study, we aimed to reveal the difference in immunological response in the initial stage of FMDV infection between piglets and adult pigs. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from 3 piglets (8 weeks old) and 3 pigs (35 weeks old) that were not vaccinated against FMDV. O-type FMDV (2 × 102 median tissue culture infectious dose) was inoculated into porcine PBMCs and the cells were incubated at 37.0°C under 5% CO2 for various time periods (0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h). The total RNA was obtained from the FMDV-inoculated PBMCs after each time point, and the virus titer was investigated in these RNA samples. Furthermore, dynamics of mRNA expression of the six tested cytokines (interferon [IFN]-α, IFN-γ, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) in FMDV-inoculated porcine PBMCs were evaluated by time-series analysis to determine the differences, if any, based on the age of the pigs. The PBMCs of piglets contained the highest quantity of FMDV mRNA at 6 hours post-inoculation (hpi), and the PBMCs of pigs had the highest quantity of FMDV mRNA at 3 hpi. The mean cycle threshold-value in the PBMCs steadily decreased after the peak time point in the piglets and pigs (6 and 3 hpi, respectively). The dynamics of mRNA expression of all cytokines except TNF-α showed age-dependent differences in FMDV-inoculated PBMCs. The mRNA expression of most cytokines was more pronounced in the piglets than in the pigs, implying that the immune response against FMDV showed an age-dependent difference in pigs. In conclusion, within 48 hpi, the 8-week-old piglets responded more rapidly and were more sensitive to FMDV infection than the 35-week-old pigs, which could be associated with the difference in the pathogenesis of FMDV infection among the pigs. These results provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the age-dependent differences in immune response in pigs against FMDV infection.

Dynamic Variations in Infrared Skin Temperature of Weaned Pigs Experimentally Inoculated with the African Swine Fever Virus: A Pilot Study.

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating viral disease in pigs and is therefore economically important for the swine industry. ASF is characterized by a short incubation period and immediate death, making the early identification of ASF-infected pigs essential. This pilot-scale study evaluates whether the infrared thermography (IRT) technique can be used as a diagnostic tool to detect changes in skin temperature (Tsk) during the early stages of disease development in experimentally ASF-infected pigs. Clinical symptoms and rectal temperatures (Tcore) were recorded daily, and IRT readings during the experimental ASF infection were analyzed. All infected pigs died at 5-8 days post inoculation (dpi), and the incubation period was approximately 4 dpi. The average Tcore increased from 0 dpi (38.9 ± 0.3 °C) to 7 dpi (41.0 ± 0.5 °C) and decreased by 8 dpi (39.8 ± 0 °C). The maximum Tsk of ASF-infected pigs increased from 2 (35.0 °C) to 3 dpi (38.5 °C). The mean maximum Tsk observed from three regions on the skin (ear, inguinal, and neck) significantly increased from 2 to 3 dpi. This study presents a non-contact method for the early detection of ASF in infected pigs using thermal imaging at 3 days after ASF infection.

Faecalicatena faecalis sp. nov., a moderately alkaliphilic bacterial strain isolated from swine faeces.

An obligately anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped strain AGMB00832T was isolated from swine faeces. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene, together with the housekeeping genes, gyrB and rpoD, revealed that strain AGMB00832T belonged to the genus Faecalicatena and was most closely related to Faecalicatena orotica KCTC 15331T. In biochemical analysis, strain AGMB00832T was shown to be negative for catalase, oxidase and urease. Furthermore, the isolate was positive for ß-glucosidase, ß-glucuronidase, glutamic acid decarboxylase, proline arylamidase, acid phosphatase and naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase. The major cellular fatty acids (> 10%) of the isolate were C14:0, C16:0 and C18:1ω11t DMA. Based on the whole genome sequence analysis, the DNA G + C content of strain AGMB00832T was 44.2 mol%, and the genome size and numbers of rRNA and tRNA genes were 5,175,159 bp, 11 and 53, respectively. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain AGMB00832T and related strains were ≤ 77.4 and 22.5%, respectively. Furthermore, the genome analysis revealed the presence of genes for alkaline shock protein 23 and cation/proton antiporters, which may facilitate growth of strain AGMB00832T in alkaline culture condition. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic approach, strain AGMB00832T represents a novel species within the genus Faecalicatena, for which the name Faecalicatena faecalis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AGMB00832T (= KCTC 15946T = NBRC 114613T).

Phocaeicola faecicola sp. nov., isolated from porcine faeces.

An obligately anaerobic, non-motile, Gram-negative and rod-shaped strain (AGMB03916T) was isolated from faeces of a 2-week-old piglet raised at the National Institute of Animal Science in Wanju, Republic of Korea. Growth of strain AGMB03916T occurred at 30-45 °C (optimum, 37 °C), at pH 6-9 (optimum, pH 8) and in the presence of 0.5-1.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Based on the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses, strain AGMB03916T was closely related to two validly published species of the genus Phocaeicola, Phocaeicola plebeius and Phocaeicola coprocola. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of strain AGMB03916T compared to P. plebeius M12T (=KCTC 5793T) and P. coprocola M16T (=KCTC 5443T) were 96.3 and 95.0 %, respectively. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain AGMB03916T was 46.4 mol%. The average nucleotide identity values between strain AGMB03916T and the reference strains were 74.9-78.5 %. Cells were able to utilize d-glucose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, salicin, aesculin hydrolysis, cellobiose and raffinose. The major end product of metabolism was acetate. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) of the isolate were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, C16 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 11 (iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and/or C18 : 2 DMA). On the basis of the genotypic, biochemical, chemotaxonomic, phenotypic and phylogenetic data, strain AGMB03916T represents a novel species of the genus Phocaeicola, for which the name Phocaeicola faecicola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AGMB03916T (=KCTC 25014T=GDMCC 1.2574T).

Anaerosporobacter faecicola sp. nov. isolated from faeces of Korean cow.

A novel bacterial isolate designated as strain AGMB01083T was isolated from Korean cow faeces deposited in the National Institute of Animal Science (Wanju, Republic of Korea). The bacterium is obligate anaerobic, Gram-strain-positive, and motile. Cells are straight or curved rod-shaped, flagella and spores are observed. Growth occurs between 20-40 °C (temperature optimum of 35 °C), at pH 7-9 (pH optimum of 7), and in the presence of 0.5-1.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the strain belongs to the genus Anaerosporobacter and is most closely related to A. mobilis HY-37-4T (=KCTC5027T, similarity, 95.7 %). The DNA G+C content is 36.2 mol%, determined by the whole-genome sequence. The average nucleotide identity value between strain AGMB01083T and strain A. mobilis HY-37-4T is 75.5 %, below the interspecies identity threshold value. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) of strain AGMB01083T are C16 : 0, C16 : 0 dimethyl acetal (DMA), and C16 : 0 3-OH. Based on the phylogenetic, phenotypic, biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and genomic characterization, strain AGMB01083T is proposed to be a novel species, named Anaerosporobacter faecicola, in the genus Anaerosporobacter. The type strain is AGMB01083T (=KCTC 15857T=NBRC 114517T).

Description of Anaerostipes faecalis sp. nov., a new segmented filamentous bacterium isolated from swine faeces.

A novel, strictly anaerobic, gram-negative, segmented filamentous bacterium strain AGMB03513T, was isolated from the faeces of a 5-month-old pig. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene indicated that the isolate was a member of the family Lachnospiraceae, and the closest strain was Anaerostipes butyraticus. Strain AGMB03513T formed a lineage within the genus Anaerostipes and was closely related to A. butyraticus DSM 22094 T (= KCTC 15125 T, 95.8%), Anaerostipes hadrus DSM 3319 T (= KCTC 15606 T, 95.5%), Anaerostipes caccae DSM 14662 T (= KCTC 15019 T, 94.0%), and Anaerostipes rhamnosivorans DSM 26241 T (= KCTC 15316 T, 93.4%). Strain AGMB03513T grew at temperatures between 30 and 45 °C, within a pH range of 7.0-9.0, and in medium containing up to 1.5% NaCl. Cells were found to utilise D-glucose, D-mannitol, D-lactose, D-saccharose, D-maltose, D-xylose, L-arabinose, D-mannose, and D-sorbitol, and acetate was identified as the major end product of metabolism. The major components of the cellular fatty acids were C12:0, C16:0, and C18:0. In addition, the bacterium contained meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall. According to the comparative analysis of the whole genome sequence, the DNA G + C content of strain AGMB03513 was 37.0 mol%. In addition, Average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI), and digital DNA-DNA hybridisation (dDDH) values were obtained in comparisons of strain AGMB03513T with reference strains of species in the genus Anaerostipes. ANI values were found to be between 71.0 and 75.7%, AAI values between 66.6 and 73.2%, and dDDH values between 19.5 and 21.4%. All the data were below the threshold range for species determination. Based on phenotypic, phylogenetic, biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and genomic characteristics, we considered it reasonable to assign a novel species status to strain AGMB03513T, for which we propose the name Anaerostipes faecalis sp. nov. The type strain is AGMB03513T (= KCTC 25020 T = NBRC 114896 T).