Roughage quality determines the production performance of post-weaned Hu sheep via altering ruminal fermentation, morphology, microbiota, and the global methylome landscape of the rumen wall

Roughage quality is a crucial factor influencing the growth performance and feeding cost of ruminants; however, a systematic investigation of the mechanisms underlying this is still lacking. In this study, we examined the growth performance, meat quality, ruminal fermentation parameters, rumen microbiome, and tissue methylomes of post-weaned Hu sheep fed low- or high-quality forage-based diets. Our results showed that sheep in the alfalfa hay (AG) and peanut vine (PG) groups exhibited better growth performance, slaughter performance, and meat quality than sheep in the wheat straw group (WG). The sheep in the AG possessed relatively higher contents of serum immunoglobins (IgA, IgG, and IgM) and lower contents of serum inflammation factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) than those in the WG and the PG did. In addition, the levels of blood T lymphocytes (CD4+ and CD8+) and the CD4-to-CD8 ratio were significantly higher in the AG sheep than in the WG sheep and PG sheep. The concentration of ruminal NH3-N was highest in WG sheep, whereas the concentrations of individual and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were highest in the PG sheep. The length, width, and surface area of ruminal papillae were markedly different among the three groups, with the sheep in the PG being the most morphologically developed. The main ruminal microbes at the genus level include Prevotella 1, Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, norank f F082, Ruminococcus 1, and Ruminococcus 2. The relative abundances of certain species are positively or negatively associated with fermentation parameters and growth index. For example, the fibrolytic bacteria Ruminococcaceae UGG-001 showed positive relationships with the concentration of SCFAs, except propionate. In addition, the relative abundances of fibrolytic bacteria (e.g., Ruminoccus 1) showed a negative relationship with starch-degrading bacteria (e.g., Prevotellaceae). The genome-wide DNA methylation analysis revealed that rumen tissues in the PG sheep and WG sheep occupied different global DNA methylomes. The genes with differentially methylated promoters were involved in known pathways (e.g., the FoxO signaling pathway) and the Gene Ontology (GO) terms (e.g., anatomical structure morphogenesis) pertaining to rumen development. Two candidate genes (ACADL and ENSOARG00020014533) with hyper- and hypo-methylated promoters were screened as potential regulators of rumen development. In conclusion, roughage quality determines sheep growth performance via directly influencing rumen fermentation and microbiome composition, and indirectly affecting rumen development at the epigenetic level

Response of Gut Microbiota to Dietary Fiber and Metabolic Interaction With SCFAs in Piglets

Dietary fiber (DF) is increasingly thought to regulate diversity of piglet gut microbiota to alleviate weaning stress in piglets. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of DF on growth performance of piglets and composition of their gut microbiota, as well as the interaction between gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in piglets. A total of 840 piglets were allocated to three dietary treatments consisting of a control group (CG), an alfalfa meal group (AG), and a commodity concentrated fiber group (OG) in a 30-day feeding trial. Gut mucosa and feces samples were used to determine bacterial community diversity by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Fiber treatment had a positive effect on growth performance and metabolism of SCFAs in piglets, in particular, compared with CG, the diarrhea rate was significantly decreased, and the content of propionic acid (PA) in the cecum was markedly increased in AG. The Shannon indices of the jejunum microbiota in AG were higher than CG. At the genus level, compared to CG, in the duodenum, the relative abundance of Paenibacillus in AG and OG was higher; in the jejunum, the relative abundances of Bacillus, Oceanobacillus, Paenibacillus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, and Exiguobacterium were higher, whereas the relative abundance of Mycoplasma was lower in AG; in the cecum, there was also lower relative abundance of Helicobacter in AG and OG, and furthermore, the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium in OG was higher than in CG and AG. Spearman correlation analysis showed that Pseudobutyrivibrio was positively correlated with acetic acid, PA, and butyric acid (BA), while Bacteroides and Anaerotruncus were negatively correlated with PA and BA. In addition, microbiota analyses among different intestine segments showed distinct differences in microbiota between the proximal and distal intestines. Bacteria in the proximal segments were mainly Firmicutes, while bacteria in the distal segments were mainly Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Overall, these findings suggested that DF treatment could reduce the diarrhea rate of piglets and had beneficial effects on gut health, which might be attributed to the alteration in gut microbiota induced by DF and the interaction of the gut microbiota with SCFAs

Recent shell-model investigation and its possible role in nuclear structure data study

Up to now, the nuclear shell model is rarely used in the nuclear data study because of several reasons. First, medium and heavy mass nuclei far from the shell-model cores, normally doubly magic nuclei, require a huge amount of calculation resource even in a limited shell-model space. Second, large deformation is difficult to be described in the limited model space, which is based on spherical symmetry. Third, high precision evaluation of nuclear structure data challenges the ability of the shell model. Even so, it is worth starting preliminary nuclear data investigations based on the shell model. With the present computational ability, it is possible to investigate 1000 or more nuclei in the framework of the shell model, which should be helpful for nuclear data study. In the present work, some recent shell-model investigations are briefly introduced. Based on these works, a simple nuclear force is suggested to be used in the systematic nuclear structure data study. The south-west region of 132Sn is taken as an example to show the ability of such a simple nuclear force

Recent shell-model investigation and its possible role in nuclear structure data study

Up to now, the nuclear shell model is rarely used in the nuclear data study because of several reasons. First, medium and heavy mass nuclei far from the shell-model cores, normally doubly magic nuclei, require a huge amount of calculation resource even in a limited shell-model space. Second, large deformation is difficult to be described in the limited model space, which is based on spherical symmetry. Third, high precision evaluation of nuclear structure data challenges the ability of the shell model. Even so, it is worth starting preliminary nuclear data investigations based on the shell model. With the present computational ability, it is possible to investigate 1000 or more nuclei in the framework of the shell model, which should be helpful for nuclear data study. In the present work, some recent shell-model investigations are briefly introduced. Based on these works, a simple nuclear force is suggested to be used in the systematic nuclear structure data study. The south-west region of 132Sn is taken as an example to show the ability of such a simple nuclear force

Supplementing Ryegrass Ameliorates Commercial Diet-Induced Gut Microbial Dysbiosis-Associated Spleen Dysfunctions by Gut–Microbiota–Spleen Axis

The type and composition of food strongly affect the variation and enrichment of the gut microbiota. The gut–microbiota–spleen axis has been developed, incorporating the spleen’s function and maturation. However, how short-chain fatty-acid-producing gut microbiota can be considered to recover spleen function, particularly in spleens damaged by changed gut microbiota, is unknown in geese. Therefore, the gut microbial composition of the caecal chyme of geese was assessed by 16S rRNA microbial genes, and a Tax4Fun analysis identified the enrichment of KEGG orthologues involved in lipopolysaccharide production. The concentrations of LPS, reactive oxygen species, antioxidant/oxidant enzymes, and immunoglobulins were measured from serum samples and spleen tissues using ELISA kits. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR was employed to detect the Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1–Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Keap1-Nrf2), B cell and T cell targeting markers, and anti-inflammatory/inflammatory cytokines from the spleen tissues of geese. The SCFAs were determined from the caecal chyme of geese by using gas chromatography. In this study, ryegrass-enriched gut microbiota such as Eggerthellaceae, Oscillospiraceae, Rikenellaceae, and Lachnospiraceae attenuated commercial diet-induced gut microbial alterations and spleen dysfunctions in geese. Ryegrass significantly improved the SCFAs (acetic, butyric, propionic, isovaleric, and valeric acids), AMPK pathway-activated Nrf2 redox signaling cascades, B cells (B220, CD19, and IgD), and T cells (CD3, CD4, CD8, and IL-2, with an exception of IL-17 and TGF-β) to activate anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM) in geese. In conclusion, ryegrass-improved reprogramming of the gut microbiota restored the spleen functions by attenuating LPS-induced oxidative stress and systemic inflammation through the gut–microbiota–spleen axis in geese

Artificial Pasture Grazing System Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Gut Barrier Dysfunction, Liver Inflammation, and Metabolic Syndrome by Activating ALP-Dependent Keap1-Nrf2 Pathway

Introduction. Geese can naturally obtain dietary fiber from pasture, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory impacts of pasture on ameliorating LPS-ROS-induced gut barrier dysfunction and liver inflammation in geese. Materials and methods. The lipopolysaccharides (LPS), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), reactive oxygen species (ROS), tight junction proteins, antioxidant enzymes, immunoglobulins, and metabolic syndrome were determined using ELISA kits. The Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1-Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Keap1-Nrf2) and inflammatory cytokines were determined using the quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) method. The intestinal morphology was examined using the Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining method in ileal tissues. Results. Pasture significantly influences nutrient absorption (p p p p p Conclusions. Our results provide new insight into the mechanism of the pasture-induced ALP-dependent Nrf2 signaling pathway in limiting systemic inflammation in geese

Alfalfa leaf meal as a new protein feedstuff improves meat quality by modulating lipid metabolism and antioxidant capacity of finishing pigs

The effects of alfalfa leaf meal (ALM) on the meat quality of finishing pigs are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of ALM diet on meat quality by replacing 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% of soybean meal in the diet of finishing pigs, respectively. The findings showed that 25% ALM diet increased the IMF, cooked meat rate, a* and antioxidant capacity of longissimus dorsi (LD), improved amino acid composition, increased MUFA content, and increased LD lipid synthesis and mRNA expression of antioxidation-related genes. At the same time, ALM diet altered serum lipid metabolism (TG, FFA). Correlation analysis showed that antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with meat quality. In addition, metabolomic analysis of LD showed that the main metabolites of 25% ALM diet altered stachydrine and l-carnitine were associated with meat quality and antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, ALM replacing 25% soybean meal diet can improve the meat quality of pigs