Different pots are used in different ways.It's important for chefs to choose the right pots when cooking.Steam pot chicken is a famous dish in Yunnan Province.Thanks to its special cooking way,food can keep its or...Different pots are used in different ways.It's important for chefs to choose the right pots when cooking.Steam pot chicken is a famous dish in Yunnan Province.Thanks to its special cooking way,food can keep its original flavour and nutrients.展开更多
Background Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis(S.Enteritidis)is a global foodborne pathogen that poses a significant threat to human health,with poultry being the primary reservoir host.Therefore,addressing S.Ente...Background Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis(S.Enteritidis)is a global foodborne pathogen that poses a significant threat to human health,with poultry being the primary reservoir host.Therefore,addressing S.Enteritidis infections in poultry is crucial to protect human health and the poultry industry.In this study,we investigated the effect of co-housing Arbor Acres(AA)chickens,a commercial breed susceptible to S.Enteritidis,with Tibetan chickens,a local breed resistant to S.Enteritidis infection,on the resistance of the latter to the pathogen.Results Ninety-six 1-day-old Tibetan chickens and 961-day-old AA chickens were divided into a Tibetan chicken housed alone group(n=48),an AA chicken housed alone group(n=48),and a co-housed group(48 birds from each breed for 2 cages).All birds were provided the same diet,and the experimental period lasted 14 d.At d 7,all chickens were infected with S.Enteritidis,and samples were collected at 1-,3-,and 7-day-post-infection.We found that the body weight of AA chickens significantly increased when co-housed with Tibetan chickens at 1-and 3-day-post-infection(P<0.05).In addition,the cecal S.Enteritidis load in AA chickens was significantly reduced at 1-,3-,and 7-day-post-infection(P<0.05).Furthermore,the inflammatory response in AA chickens decreased,as evidenced by the decreased expression of proinflammatory cytokines NOS2,TNF-α,IL-8,IL-1β,and IFN-γin their cecal tonsils(P<0.05).Co-housing with Tibetan chickens significantly increased the height of villi and number of goblet cells(P<0.05),as well as the expression of claudin-1(P<0.05),a tight junction protein,in the jejunum of AA chickens.Further analysis revealed that co-housing altered the gut microbiota composition in AA chickens;specifically,the relative abundances of harmful microbes,such as Intestinimonas,Oscillibacter,Tuzzerella,Anaerotruncus,Paludicola,and Anaerofilum were reduced(P<0.05).Conclusions Our findings indicate that co-housing with Tibetan chickens enhanced the resistance of AA chickens to S.Enteritidis infection without compromising the resistance of Tibetan chickens.This study provides a novel approach for Salmonella control in practical poultry production.展开更多
Background Broiler chickens are most vulnerable immediately after hatching due to their immature immune systems,making them susceptible to infectious diseases.The yolk plays an important role in early immune defence b...Background Broiler chickens are most vulnerable immediately after hatching due to their immature immune systems,making them susceptible to infectious diseases.The yolk plays an important role in early immune defence by showing relevant antioxidant and passive immunity capabilities during broiler embryonic development.The immunomodulatory effects of phytogenic compound carvacrol have been widely reported.After in ovo delivery in the amniotic fluid during embryonic development carvacrol is known to migrate to the yolk sac.However,it is unknown whether carvacrol in the yolk could enhance defence responsiveness in the yolk sac.Therefore,the aim of this study was to improve early immune function in chicken embryos,and it was hypothesized that in ovo delivery of carvacrol would result in immunomodulatory effects in the yolk sac,potentially improving post-hatch resilience.Methods On embryonic day(E)17.5,either a saline(control)or carvacrol solution was injected into the amniotic fluid.Yolk sac tissue samples were collected at E19.5,and transcriptomic analyses using RNA sequencing were performed,following functional enrichment analyses comparing the control(saline)and carvacrol-injected groups.Results The results showed that 268 genes were upregulated and 174 downregulated in the carvacrol group compared to the control(P<0.05;logFC<-0.5 or log FC>0.5).Functional analyses of these differentially expressed genes,using KEGG,REACTOME,and Gene Ontology databases,showed enrichment of several immune-related pathways.This included the pathways‘Antimicrobial peptides’(P=0.001)and‘Chemoattractant activity’(P=0.004),amongst others.Moreover,the‘NOD-like receptor signaling’pathway was enriched(P=0.002).Antimicrobial peptides are part of the innate immune defence and are amongst the molecules produced after the nucleotide oligomeriza-tion domain(NOD)-like receptor pathway activation.While these responses may be associated with an inflammatory reaction to an exogenous threat,they could also indicate that in ovo delivery of carvacrol could prepare the newly hatched chick against bacterial pathogens by potentially promoting antimicrobial peptide production through acti-vation of NOD-like receptor signaling in the yolk sac.Conclusion In conclusion,these findings suggest that in ovo delivery of carvacrol has the potential to enhance anti-pathogenic and pro-inflammatory responses in the yolk sac via upregulation of antimicrobial peptides,and NOD-like receptor pathways.展开更多
Background Necrotic enteritis(NE)in broiler chickens leads to significant economic losses in poultry production.This study examined the inhibitory effects of usnic acid and tannic acid on coccidia,sporozoite,and Clost...Background Necrotic enteritis(NE)in broiler chickens leads to significant economic losses in poultry production.This study examined the inhibitory effects of usnic acid and tannic acid on coccidia,sporozoite,and Clostridium perfringens and assessed their influence on growth performance and intestinal health in NE-challenged broilers through in vitro and in vivo experiments.Methods The in vitro experiment included 5 treatment groups:the negative control(NC),2μmol/L diclazuril(DZ),30μmol/L usnic acid(UA),90μmol/L tannic acid(TA),and 15μmol/L usnic acid^(+)45μmol/L tannic acid(UTA)groups.The in vivo experiment involved 320 broilers divided into four groups:PC(NE-challenged),SA(500 mg/kg salinomycin premix^(+)NE-challenged),UA(300 mg/kg usnic acid^(+)NE-challenged),and UTA(300 mg/kg usnic acid^(+)500 mg/kg tannic acid^(+)NE-challenged)groups.Results In the in vitro study,the UA,TA,and UTA treatments significantly increased apoptosis in coccidian oocysts and sporozoites,lowered the mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.05),and disrupted the oocyst structure compared with those in the NC group.UA and TA had inhibitory effects on C.perfringens,with the strongest inhibition observed in the UTA group.The in vivo results demonstrated that the SA group presented significantly improved growth performance on d 13,21,and 28(P<0.05),whereas the UA and UTA groups presented improvements on d 13 and 21(P<0.05).The SA,UA,and UTA treatments reduced the intestinal lesion scores by d 28 and the fecal coccidian oocyst counts from d 19 to 21(P<0.05).Compared with the PC group,the UA and UTA groups presented lower intestinal sIgA levels and CD8^(+)cell percentages(P<0.05),with a trend toward a reduced CD3^(+)cell percentage(P=0.069).The SA,UA,and UTA treatments significantly reduced the serum diamine oxidase activity,crypt depth,and plateletderived growth factor levels in the intestinal mucosa while increasing the villus height to crypt depth ratio and number of goblet cells(P<0.05).The UTA treatment also significantly increased the acetate and butyrate concentrations in the cecum(P<0.05).With respect to the gut microbiota,significant changes inβdiversity in the ileum and cecum were observed in the SA,UA,and UTA groups,indicating that the microbial community compositions differed among the groups.Romboutsia dominated the SA group,Bacillales dominated the UA group,and Lactobacillales and Lachnospirales dominated the UTA group in the ileal microbiota.In the cecal microbiota,Lactobacillus,Butyricicoccus,and Blautia abundances were significantly elevated in the UTA group(P<0.05).Conclusion Usnic acid and tannic acid induce apoptosis in coccidia and sporozoites by lowering the mitochondrial membrane potential.Both usnic acid alone and in combination with tannic acid alleviate NE-induced adverse effects in broilers by modulating intestinal immunity,altering the microbial composition,and improving intestinal barrier function.Compared with usnic acid alone,the combination of usnic acid and tannic acid had superior effects,providing a promising basis for the development of effective feed additive combinations.展开更多
In order to contribute to a better understanding of the biodiversity of local chicken populations, this study focused on the description of the essential qualitative parameters in the phenotypic characterization of lo...In order to contribute to a better understanding of the biodiversity of local chicken populations, this study focused on the description of the essential qualitative parameters in the phenotypic characterization of local species. Conducted in 6 localities in the Far North Region of Cameroon (Doukoula, Yagoua, Guidiguis, Dziguilao, Maroua 3rd and Méri), a population of 240 local chickens, including 172 hens and 68 cocks were characterized in family farms. The choice of localities was made on the basis of their strong potential local chicken flocks in the region. To this end, each animal was the subject of a qualitative description based on the identification of the sex of the animal, the description of the colorations of the plumage and extremities, and the description of the types of format, plumage and crests. All observations were made with the naked eye and in daylight and then photographed. The main results show that the plumage colors are multiple and dominated by the White-Pied-Black (21.7%) and the Mille-fleur (20.8%);the wattles are dominated by the red (60%) and the pink (35.4%);the tarsi are dominated by the white (43.8%) and the black (32.08%);the white skin (92.5%) dominates over the pink skin (7.5%);the “Smooth-uniform” feather is dominant (97.08%), followed by the smooth-crested type (2.08%) and the fries type (0.82%);the medium size of the chickens is dominant (86.66%), followed by the dwarf size (9.58%) and the large size (3.75%). The results of this study demonstrate that there is a strong phenotypic diversity within the local chicken population. This diversity can serve as a basis for the development of selection, conservation and genetic potential improvement programs based on rational exploitation of the local chicken.展开更多
Previous studies have shown that VGLL2,a member of the mammalian Vestigial-like(VGLL)family,plays important roles in the growth and development of animal skeletal muscle,but its specific role in the development of chi...Previous studies have shown that VGLL2,a member of the mammalian Vestigial-like(VGLL)family,plays important roles in the growth and development of animal skeletal muscle,but its specific role in the development of chicken skeletal muscle is unclear.The main goal of this study was to explore the biological functions of VGLL2 in the development of chicken skeletal muscle and the proliferation and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells in vitro.In this study,we detected the effect of VGLL2 on the proliferation of myoblasts by CCK8,EdU and flow cytometry analyses after overexpressing and interfering with VGLL2.Indirect immunofluorescence was used to detect the effect of VGLL2 on the differentiation of myoblasts.qRT-PCR and hematoxylin and eosin(H&E)staining were used to evaluate the effects of VGLL2 overexpression on the growth rate and muscle fiber structure of chicken skeletal muscle.The results showed that VGLL2 inhibited the proliferation of primary cultured chicken myoblasts and promoted the differentiation of these cells.Interestingly,food intake and muscle fiber development were significantly enhanced by the overexpression of VGLL2 in chickens.Taken together,these data demonstrate that the VGLL2 gene may be a useful marker for improving muscle mass in poultry.展开更多
Sexual maturation heterosis has been widely exploited in animal crossbreeding.However,the underlying mechanism has been rarely explored in chicken.In the present study,we performed the reciprocal crossing between Whit...Sexual maturation heterosis has been widely exploited in animal crossbreeding.However,the underlying mechanism has been rarely explored in chicken.In the present study,we performed the reciprocal crossing between White Leghorn and Beijing You chicken to evaluate the phenotypes related to sexual maturation,and profiled the ovary circRNAs of purebreds(WW,YY)and crossbreds(WY,YW)to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying heterosis for sexual maturation.Pubic space and oviduct length exhibited positive heterosis,and age at first egg(AFE)exhibited negative heterosis in the crossbreds.We identified 3,025 known circRNAs and 624 putative circRNAs,which were mainly derived from the exons.Among these circRNAs,141 and 178circRNAs were specially expressed in WY and YW,respectively.There were 52.38 and 64.63%of total circRNAs in WY and YW exhibited non-additive expression pattern,respectively.GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the host genes of non-additive circRNAs were mainly involved in TGF-beta signaling pathway,oocyte development,ATPase activator activity,oocyte meiosis,progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation and GnRH signaling pathway.Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified that 4 modules were significantly(P<0.05)correlated with oviduct length and pubic space.The host genes of non-additive circRNAs harbored in the 4 modules were associated with MAPK signaling pathway and Wnt signaling pathway.Furthermore,competing endogenous RNAs(ceRNA)network analysis characterized non-additive circRNAs gal-FGFR2_0005 and galMAPKAP1_0004 could interact with gga-miR-1612 and gga-miR-12235-5p to regulate CNOT6,COL8A1,and FHL2,which were essential for ovary development,indicating that the non-additive circRNAs involved in the formation of sexual maturation heterosis through regulating genes related to the reproductive and developmental process.The findings would provide a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying sexual maturation heterosis from a novel perspective.展开更多
Skeletal muscle satellite cells are stem cells characterized by their multipotency and capacity for in vitro proliferation.However,primary skeletal muscle satellite cells demonstrate limited proliferative capacity in ...Skeletal muscle satellite cells are stem cells characterized by their multipotency and capacity for in vitro proliferation.However,primary skeletal muscle satellite cells demonstrate limited proliferative capacity in vitro,which impedes their investigation in poultry skeletal muscle research.Cell immortalization techniques have emerged as valuable tools to address this limitation and facilitate the study of skeletal muscle satellite cell functions.This study achieved the immortalization of chicken skeletal muscle satellite cells through the transduction of primary cells with TERT(telomerase reverse transcriptase)amplified from chicken(chTERT)using a lentiviral vector via telomerase activity reconstitution.While the cells successfully overcame replicative senescence,complete immortalization was not achieved.Initial functional characterization revealed that the proliferative properties and cell cycle characteristics of the immortalized chicken skeletal muscle satellite cell lines(ICMS)closely resembled those of chicken primary muscle satellite cells(CPMSCs).Serum dependency analysis and soft agar assays confirmed that ICMS did not undergo malignant transformation.Furthermore,induced differentiation experiments demonstrated preserved differentiation capacity in ICMS.The established cell lines provide a fundamental framework for developing immortalized poultry cell lines and offer a cellular model for investigating poultry skeletal muscle-related functional genes.展开更多
Background Wheat and,to a lesser extent,sorghum are the dominant feed grains in Australian chicken-meat production.There is considerable local interest in the development of reduced-crude protein(CP)broiler diets in p...Background Wheat and,to a lesser extent,sorghum are the dominant feed grains in Australian chicken-meat production.There is considerable local interest in the development of reduced-crude protein(CP)broiler diets in part because this would decrease the need to import soybean meal into the country.Maize is rarely included in Australian broiler diets,but birds appear better able to accommodate dietary CP reductions with maize than with wheat-based diets.Sorghum is more similar to maize than wheat and for this reason wheat-and sorghum-based diets,with standard and reduced-CP concentrations,were evaluated in broiler chickens in a direct comparison.Results Reducing dietary CP from 205 to 175 g/kg CP did not statistically influence weight gain and FCR in broilers offered sorghum-based diets from 14 to 35 d post-hatch.In contrast,the 30 g/kg CP reduction compromised weight gain by 10.1%(1,964 versus 2,187 g/bird)and FCR by 9.68%(1.575 versus 1.436),in broilers offered wheat-based diets.Consequently,treatment interactions(P<0.001)were observed for dietary CP levels grain type for both weight gain and FCR.Another treatment interaction(P<0.001)was observed for starch digestibility coefficients in the distal jejunum.Birds offered 205 g/kg CP,wheat-based diets had superior starch digestibility by 11.6%(0.914 versus 0.819),but sorghum supported superior starch digestibility by 9.70%(0.837 versus 0.763)in the context of 175 g/kg CP diets.Conclusions Under the condition of thid study,broiler chickens offered sorghum-based diets had a greater capacity to accommodate dietary CP reductions than their counterparts offered wheat-based diets.This study confirmed that wheat-based diets are not conducive to CP reductions,but the causal factors have yet to be identified precisely.展开更多
Background Crossbreeding is widely promoted as an efficient strategy to improve the productivity in agriculture.The molecular mechanism underlying heterosis for egg production is always intriguing in chicken.The trans...Background Crossbreeding is widely promoted as an efficient strategy to improve the productivity in agriculture.The molecular mechanism underlying heterosis for egg production is always intriguing in chicken.The transcriptional dynamic changes play a crucial role in the formation of heterosis,but little is known for the egg production traits.Results In present study,we measured the continuous manifestation of heterosis ranging from 2.67%to 10.24%for egg number in the crossbreds generated by reciprocal crossing White Leghorn and Beijing You chicken.The high-quality transcriptomes of ovary for purebreds(WW and YY)and crossbreds(WY and YW)in 5 laying stages were sequenced and integrated to identify regulatory networks relevant to the heterosis.We found highly conserved transcriptional features among 4 genetic groups.By using weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA),we obtained multiple gene co-expression modules that were significantly correlated with egg number for each group.The common KEGG pathways including apelin signaling pathway,cell cycle,ribosome,spliceosome and oxidative phosphorylation,were screened for the 2 crossbreds.Then,we identified consensus co-expression modules(CMs)that showed divergent expression pattern among crossbred(WY or YW)and purebreds(WW and YY).The hub genes of CMs were again overrepresented in the cell cycle pathway,and the crossbreds exhibited temporally complementary dominance of hub genes in the 5 laying stages.These results suggested that the crossbreds inherited from both parents to maintain the ovary function by cell cycle-related genes,contributing to the persistent heterosis for egg production.Furthermore,the dominant genes including MAD2L1,CHEK2 and E2F1 were demonstrated to function in ovarian follicle development and maturation and could be the candidate genes for egg production heterosis.Conclusion Our study characterized the dynamic profile of genome-wide gene expression in ovary and highlighted the role of dominant expression of cell cycle pathway genes in heterosis.These findings provided new insights for the molecular mechanism of egg production heterosis,which would facilitate the rational choice of suitable parents for producing crossbred chickens with higher egg production.展开更多
Chicken(Gallus gallus)is a vital living organism and plays a crucial role in food requirements.Complete and accurate chicken genomes are critical for insights into chicken breeding,avian evolution,and comparative geno...Chicken(Gallus gallus)is a vital living organism and plays a crucial role in food requirements.Complete and accurate chicken genomes are critical for insights into chicken breeding,avian evolution,and comparative genomics(Bravo et al.,2021).Pan-genomes possess more power to capture complete gene sets,thus presenting more comprehensive genomic information within species.展开更多
Background:The chicken chorioallantoic membrane(CAM)model is a potential alter-native to the mouse model based on the 3R principles.However,its value for deter-mination of the in vivo behaviors of radiolabeled peptide...Background:The chicken chorioallantoic membrane(CAM)model is a potential alter-native to the mouse model based on the 3R principles.However,its value for deter-mination of the in vivo behaviors of radiolabeled peptides through positron emission tomography(PET)imaging needed investigation.Herein,the chicken CAM tumor models were established,and their feasibility was evaluated for evaluating the imag-ing properties of radiolabeled peptides using a 68Ga-labeled HER2 affibody.Methods:Two human breast cancer cell lines were inoculated into chicken CAM and mice,respectively.The tumor-targeting potential and pharmacokinetic profile of a 68Ga-labeled affibody,68Ga-MZHER,in both tumor models were also determined.Results:The tumor-formation time in chicken CAM model was shorter than that of mouse model.The uptake values of human epithelial growth factor receptor-2(HER2)-positive Bcap37 tumors in chicken CAM and mouse models were 5.36±0.26%ID/g and 5.26±0.43%ID/g at 30 min postinjection of 68Ga-MZHER,respectively.At the same time points,the uptake values of HER2-negative MDA-MB-231 tumors in the chicken CAM models and mouse models were 1.57±0.15%ID/g and 1.67±0.25%ID/g,respectively.Ex vivo biodistribution confirmed that more radioactivity accu-mulated in Bcap37 tumors than in MDA-MD-231 tumors in both CAM and mouse models.Conclusion:In this study,the CAM tumor model was successfully prepared.The chicken CAM model is a novel tool for quickly determining the in vivo properties of radiolabeled peptides targeting biomarkers.It may be beneficial for early monitoring of the therapeutic effect of a new drug through PET imaging with specific peptides.展开更多
Germplasm resources are essential for the sustainable development of biodiversity and husbandry of local chickens, as well as for the breeding and industry of superior quality chickens. Unfortunately, many local and i...Germplasm resources are essential for the sustainable development of biodiversity and husbandry of local chickens, as well as for the breeding and industry of superior quality chickens. Unfortunately, many local and indigenous chicken breeds are at risk of declining numbers, emphasizing the need to conserve breed resources for endangered chickens. Primordial germ cells(PGCs) are crucial for preserving germplasm resources by inheriting genetic information from parents to offspring and ensuring stability of genetic material between germlines. In this study,PGCs were isolated from chicken embryos' gonads and cultured in FAcs medium without feeder cells. Over a period of approximately 40 d, the cells proliferated to a number of up to 10^(6), establishing various cell lines. Particularly, 18 PGC lines were created from Rugao Yellow chicken and Shouguang chicken, with an efficiency ranging from 39.1 to 45%. Furthermore, PGCs that had been cultured for 40 passages exhibited typical PGC characteristics, suchas glycogen staining reaction, and expression of pluripotency and reproductive markers. These results confirmthat PGCs maintain stem cell properties even after long-term in vitro culture. Additionally, PGCs cryopreserved for up to 120 d remained viable, maintained typical PGC morphologies, and possessed stable cell proliferation ability. Through intravascular injection into chicken embryos, green fluorescent protein(GFP)-PGCs were found in the recipient embryos' gonads and could develop into gametes to produce offspring, indicating that even after extended culture, PGCs retain their migratory and lineage-transmitting capabilities. This research offers valuable insights into the in vitro cultivation and preservation of PGCs of Chinese indigenous chickens. The findings of this study can be applied in transgenic chicken production and the preservation of genetic resources of indigenous chicken breeds.展开更多
Background It is important to promote intestinal development and maturation of chicks for feed digestion and utilization,intestinal health,and disease resistance.This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary ...Background It is important to promote intestinal development and maturation of chicks for feed digestion and utilization,intestinal health,and disease resistance.This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary yeast cell wall polysaccharides(YCWP)addition on intestinal development and maturation of chickens and its potential action mechanism.Methods 180 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to three groups containing control(basal diets without any antibiotics or anticoccidial drug),bacitracin methylene disalicylate(BMD)-treated group(50 mg/kg)and YCWP-supplemented group(100 mg/kg).Results Compared with control group,in-feed antibiotic BMD continuous administration significantly decreased crypt depth(d 21)and villus height(d 42)along with mucosal maltase activity(d 42)in the ileum(P<0.05).Also,BMD markedly downregulated gene expression levels ofβ-catenin,lysozyme,occludin and FABP-2(d 21)and innate immune related genes CD83 and MHC-I mRNA levels(d 42,P<0.05),and decreased goblet cell counts in the ileum of chickens(d 21 and d 42,P<0.05).While,TLR-2,TLR-6 and iNOS mRNA abundances were notably upregulated by BMD treatment(d 42,P<0.05).Nevertheless,dietary YCWP addition significantly increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth(d 21),villus surface area(d 21 and d 42),ileal alkaline phosphatase and maltase activities as well as goblet cell(d 21 and d 42)and IgA-producing plasma cell numbers as compared to BMD treatment(d 21,P<0.05).YCWP addition also upregulated gene expression levels of Lgr5,Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway related gene(Wnt3,β-catenin,d 21;β-catenin,d 42),intestinal cells proliferation marker Ki-67 and barrier function related genes(occludin,d 21 and d 42,P<0.05).Moreover,YCWP significantly increased antigen presenting cell marker related genes(MHC-II,d 21;CD83 and MHC-I,d 42),TLR-1,TLR-2 and TLR-6 mRNA levels(d 21,P<0.05).Cecal microbiome analysis showed that YCWP addition obviously improved cecal microbial composition,as indicated by increasing relative abundance of Fournierella,Psychrobacter and Ruminiclostridium on d 21,and Alistipes and Lactobacillus on d 42,which were positively related with gut development and maturation related indexes(P<0.05).Conclusion Collectively, YCWP promoted yet antibiotic BMD delayed intestinal morphological and immunologicaldevelopment linked with modulating gut microbiome in chickens.展开更多
The development of alternative therapies to treat chicken coccidiosis has become a hot topic because of the widespread use of conventional medicines.This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of eugenol in trea...The development of alternative therapies to treat chicken coccidiosis has become a hot topic because of the widespread use of conventional medicines.This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of eugenol in treating Eimeria tenella infection in broilers.Broiers,at the age of 14 d,were orally infected with sporulated Eimeria tenella oocysts,and then,eugenol essential oil was added to chicken feed at three different dosages(0.1,0.2 or 0.4 g/kg).The anticoccidial effects of eugenol essential oil were assessed using the anticoccidial index(ACI).As a result,eugenol exhibited a moderate anticoccidial effect,with an ACI of 167.37 at 0.2 g/kg.After eugenol treatment,the expression of occludin in the epithelial cells of the chicken cecum was significantly greater(P<0.05)than that in the epithelial cells of the nontreated control(IC)group.The proportion of intestinal Lactobacillus_agilli increased.Eugenol therapy dramatically increased the activity of superoxide dismutase.After high-dose treatment,the expression of the proinflammatory factors IL-1βand IL-6 significantly decreased,while the expression of the cytokines IL-4 and IFN-γsignificantly increased.The safety of eugenol essential oil was evaluated at the 1,3 or 6 recommended doses.Overall,no significant differences were detected in the blood tests or serum biochemistry of the chickens between the treatment groups and the control group.As a result,eugenol essential oil can cure chicken coccidiosis by improving the intestinal microbial structure in the chicken cecum and decreasing the cecum's inflammatory reactions,thus strengthening immune function and eventually demonstrating anticoccidial properties.展开更多
Background Necrotic enteritis(NE)is an economically important disease of broiler chickens caused by Clostridium perfringens(CP).The pathogenesis,or disease process,of NE is still not clear.This study aimed to identify...Background Necrotic enteritis(NE)is an economically important disease of broiler chickens caused by Clostridium perfringens(CP).The pathogenesis,or disease process,of NE is still not clear.This study aimed to identify the alterations of metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with subclinical or clinical NE in CP infected birds and to investi-gate the possible variations in the metabolic profile of birds infected with different isolates of CP.Methodology Using a well-established NE model,the protein content of feed was changed abruptly before expos-ing birds to CP isolates with different toxin genes combinations(cpa,cpb2,netB,tpeL;cpa,cpb2,netB;or cpa,cpb2).Metabolomics analysis of jejunal contents was performed by a targeted,fully quantitative LC-MS/MS based assay.Results This study detected statistically significant differential expression of 34 metabolites including organic acids,amino acids,fatty acids,and biogenic amines,including elevation of butyric acid at onset of NE in broiler chickens.Subsequent analysis of broilers infected with CP isolates with different toxin gene combinations confirmed an eleva-tion of butyric acid consistently among 21 differentially expressed metabolites including organic acids,amino acids,and biogenic amines,underscoring its potential role during the development of NE.Furthermore,protein-metabolite network analysis revealed significant alterations in butyric acid and arginine-proline metabolisms.Conclusion This study indicates a significant metabolic difference between CP-infected and non-infected broiler chickens.Among all the metabolites,butyric acid increased significantly in CP-infected birds compared to non-infected healthy broilers.Logistic regression analysis revealed a positive association between butyric acid(coefficient:1.23,P<0.01)and CP infection,while showing a negative association with amino acid metabolism.These findings suggest that butyric acid could be a crucial metabolite linked to the occurrence of NE in broiler chickens and may serve as an early indicator of the disease at the farm level.Further metabolomic experiments using different NE animal models and field studies are needed to determine the specificity and to validate metabolites associated with NE,regardless of predisposing factors.展开更多
Background AFB_(1)-8,9-exo-epoxide(AFBO)is the highly toxic product of Aflatoxin B_(1)(AFB_(1)).Glutathione S-transferases(GSTs)play pivotal roles in detoxifying AFB_(1) by catalyzing the conjugation of AFBO with glut...Background AFB_(1)-8,9-exo-epoxide(AFBO)is the highly toxic product of Aflatoxin B_(1)(AFB_(1)).Glutathione S-transferases(GSTs)play pivotal roles in detoxifying AFB_(1) by catalyzing the conjugation of AFBO with glutathione(GSH).Although there are over 20 GST isozymes that have been identified in chicken,GST isozymes involved in the detoxification process of AFB_(1) have not been identified yet.The objective of this study was to determine which GST isozymes played key role in detoxification of AFB_(1).Results A total of 17 pcDNA3.1(+)-GST isozyme plasmids were constructed and the GST isozyme genes were overexpressed by 80–2,500,000 folds in the chicken Leghorn male hepatoma(LMH)cells.Compared to the AFB_(1) treatment,overexpression of GSTA2X,GSTA3,GSTT1L,GSTZ1-1,and GSTZ1-2 increased the cell viability by 6.5%–17.0%in LMH cells.Moreover,overexpression of five GST isozymes reduced the release of lactate dehydrogenase and reactive oxygen species by 8.8%–64.4%,and 57.2%–77.6%,respectively,as well as enhanced the production AFBO-GSH by 15.8%–19.6%,thus mitigating DNA damage induced by AFB_(1).After comprehensive evaluation of various indicators,GSTA2X displayed the best detoxification effects against AFB_(1).GSTA2X was expressed in Pichia pastoris X-33 and its enzymatic properties for catalyzing the conjugation of AFBO with GSH showed that the optimum temperature and pH were 20–25℃ and 7.6–8.6 as well as the enzymatic kinetic parameter V_(max) was 0.23 nmol/min/mg and the Michaelis constant was 86.05μmol/L with the AFB_(1) as substrate.Conclusions In conclusion,GSTA2X,GSTA3,GSTT1L,GSTZ1-1,and GSTZ1-2 played key roles in AFB_(1) detoxification,which will provide new remediation strategies to prevent aflatoxicosis in chickens.展开更多
Chicken meat quality directly influences consumer acceptability and is crucial for the economic success of the poultry industry.Genetics and nutrition are key determinants of the meat quality traits in broilers.This r...Chicken meat quality directly influences consumer acceptability and is crucial for the economic success of the poultry industry.Genetics and nutrition are key determinants of the meat quality traits in broilers.This review summarizes the research advances in this field,with a focus on the genetic and nutritional foundations that regulate intramuscular fat(IMF)deposition and meat quality in chickens over the past decade.The effects of embryonic nutrition,both maternal nutrition and in ovo feeding(IOF),on skeletal muscle development,the IMF content,and meat quality traits in broilers are also discussed.In genetics,single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that de novo lipogenesis predominantly occurs in myocytes,which is key to the formation of IMF in chicken muscle tissue.Fatty acid synthase(FASN)is the key enzyme involved in this process.This discovery has reshaped the traditional understanding of intramuscular lipid metabolism in poultry.Key genes,proteins,and pathways,such as FASN,FABP4,PPARG,C/EBPα,SLC27A1;LPL,APOA1,COL1A1;PPAR and ECM–receptor interactions signaling,have been identified to regulate IMF content and distribution by modulating fatty acid metabolism and adipogenesis.LncHLFF was innovatively found to promote ectopic IMF deposition in chickens via exosome-mediated mechanisms without affecting abdominal fat deposition.MiR-27b-3p and miR-128-3p were found to inhibit adipogenic differentiation by targeting PPARG,thereby affecting IMF formation.In nutrition,nutrigenomics research has shown that fructose enhances IMF deposition by activating ChREBP,providing new targets for nutritional interventions.Adjusting dietary components,including energy,protein,amino acids,fatty acids,and phytochemicals(e.g.,rutin),has been shown to significantly improve meat quality in broilers.Maternal nutrition(e.g.,intake of energy,amino acids,vitamins,and trace elements)and IOF(e.g.,N-carbamylglutamate)have also been confirmed to significantly impact offspring meat quality,opening new avenues for improving embryonic nutrition.Based on these significant advancements,this review proposes strategies that integrate genetic and nutritional approaches.These strategies aim to modulate the differentiation fate of paraxial mesenchymal stem cells toward myogenic or adipogenic lineages and the interaction between muscle and adipose tissues.These insights would help to improve meat quality while ensuring the growth performance of broiler chickens.展开更多
Background : Traditional DNA microinjection methods used in mammals are difficult to apply to avian species due to their unique reproductive characteristics. Genetic manipulation in chickens, particularly involving im...Background : Traditional DNA microinjection methods used in mammals are difficult to apply to avian species due to their unique reproductive characteristics. Genetic manipulation in chickens, particularly involving immature follicles within living ovaries, has not been extensively explored. This study seeks to establish an efficient method for generating transgenic chickens through ovarian injection, potentially bypassing the challenges associated with primordial germ cell (PGC) manipulation and fertilized egg microinjection. Methods : Hens were anesthetized and underwent a surgical procedure to access the ovary for DNA injection into immature follicles. The study used liposomes to deliver GFP- expressing plasmids at various dosages. After injection, hens recovered, and their eggs were fertilized through artificial insemination. Results : Transgenic chickens were successfully generated in one generation without needing G0 founders. The injection of 20 μg plasmid yielded the highest transgenic efficiency at 12.1%. GFP- positive embryos were confirmed through microscopy, and successful transgene expression was validated at the tissue level using immunostaining. TERT and GFP elements introduced in the G1 generation resulted in 4.1% positive transgene rates, as confirmed by PCR and Southern blotting. Conclusion : This ovarian injection method offers a promising alternative for avian genetic manipulation, bypassing complex PGC procedures and enabling direct generation of G1 transgenic chickens. This technique simplifies the transgenic process for chickens and has the potential to be adapted for other avian species, especially those without established PGCs culture systems.展开更多
This study proposes a system for biometric access control utilising the improved Cultural Chicken Swarm Optimization(CCSO)technique.This approach mitigates the limitations of conventional Chicken Swarm Optimization(CS...This study proposes a system for biometric access control utilising the improved Cultural Chicken Swarm Optimization(CCSO)technique.This approach mitigates the limitations of conventional Chicken Swarm Optimization(CSO),especially in dealing with larger dimensions due to diversity loss during solution space exploration.Our experimentation involved 600 sample images encompassing facial,iris,and fingerprint data,collected from 200 students at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology(LAUTECH),Ogbomoso.The results demonstrate the remarkable effectiveness of CCSO,yielding accuracy rates of 90.42%,91.67%,and 91.25%within 54.77,27.35,and 113.92 s for facial,fingerprint,and iris biometrics,respectively.These outcomes significantly outperform those achieved by the conventional CSO technique,which produced accuracy rates of 82.92%,86.25%,and 84.58%at 92.57,63.96,and 163.94 s for the same biometric modalities.The study’s findings reveal that CCSO,through its integration of Cultural Algorithm(CA)Operators into CSO,not only enhances algorithm performance,exhibiting computational efficiency and superior accuracy,but also carries broader implications beyond biometric systems.This innovation offers practical benefits in terms of security enhancement,operational efficiency,and adaptability across diverse user populations,shaping more effective and resource-efficient access control systems with real-world applicability.展开更多
文摘Different pots are used in different ways.It's important for chefs to choose the right pots when cooking.Steam pot chicken is a famous dish in Yunnan Province.Thanks to its special cooking way,food can keep its original flavour and nutrients.
基金supported by the Earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA(Grant No.CARS-41-G01).
文摘Background Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis(S.Enteritidis)is a global foodborne pathogen that poses a significant threat to human health,with poultry being the primary reservoir host.Therefore,addressing S.Enteritidis infections in poultry is crucial to protect human health and the poultry industry.In this study,we investigated the effect of co-housing Arbor Acres(AA)chickens,a commercial breed susceptible to S.Enteritidis,with Tibetan chickens,a local breed resistant to S.Enteritidis infection,on the resistance of the latter to the pathogen.Results Ninety-six 1-day-old Tibetan chickens and 961-day-old AA chickens were divided into a Tibetan chicken housed alone group(n=48),an AA chicken housed alone group(n=48),and a co-housed group(48 birds from each breed for 2 cages).All birds were provided the same diet,and the experimental period lasted 14 d.At d 7,all chickens were infected with S.Enteritidis,and samples were collected at 1-,3-,and 7-day-post-infection.We found that the body weight of AA chickens significantly increased when co-housed with Tibetan chickens at 1-and 3-day-post-infection(P<0.05).In addition,the cecal S.Enteritidis load in AA chickens was significantly reduced at 1-,3-,and 7-day-post-infection(P<0.05).Furthermore,the inflammatory response in AA chickens decreased,as evidenced by the decreased expression of proinflammatory cytokines NOS2,TNF-α,IL-8,IL-1β,and IFN-γin their cecal tonsils(P<0.05).Co-housing with Tibetan chickens significantly increased the height of villi and number of goblet cells(P<0.05),as well as the expression of claudin-1(P<0.05),a tight junction protein,in the jejunum of AA chickens.Further analysis revealed that co-housing altered the gut microbiota composition in AA chickens;specifically,the relative abundances of harmful microbes,such as Intestinimonas,Oscillibacter,Tuzzerella,Anaerotruncus,Paludicola,and Anaerofilum were reduced(P<0.05).Conclusions Our findings indicate that co-housing with Tibetan chickens enhanced the resistance of AA chickens to S.Enteritidis infection without compromising the resistance of Tibetan chickens.This study provides a novel approach for Salmonella control in practical poultry production.
基金support by AgriFutures Australia’s Chicken Meat Program[grant number PRJ-011584]is gratefully acknowledged.
文摘Background Broiler chickens are most vulnerable immediately after hatching due to their immature immune systems,making them susceptible to infectious diseases.The yolk plays an important role in early immune defence by showing relevant antioxidant and passive immunity capabilities during broiler embryonic development.The immunomodulatory effects of phytogenic compound carvacrol have been widely reported.After in ovo delivery in the amniotic fluid during embryonic development carvacrol is known to migrate to the yolk sac.However,it is unknown whether carvacrol in the yolk could enhance defence responsiveness in the yolk sac.Therefore,the aim of this study was to improve early immune function in chicken embryos,and it was hypothesized that in ovo delivery of carvacrol would result in immunomodulatory effects in the yolk sac,potentially improving post-hatch resilience.Methods On embryonic day(E)17.5,either a saline(control)or carvacrol solution was injected into the amniotic fluid.Yolk sac tissue samples were collected at E19.5,and transcriptomic analyses using RNA sequencing were performed,following functional enrichment analyses comparing the control(saline)and carvacrol-injected groups.Results The results showed that 268 genes were upregulated and 174 downregulated in the carvacrol group compared to the control(P<0.05;logFC<-0.5 or log FC>0.5).Functional analyses of these differentially expressed genes,using KEGG,REACTOME,and Gene Ontology databases,showed enrichment of several immune-related pathways.This included the pathways‘Antimicrobial peptides’(P=0.001)and‘Chemoattractant activity’(P=0.004),amongst others.Moreover,the‘NOD-like receptor signaling’pathway was enriched(P=0.002).Antimicrobial peptides are part of the innate immune defence and are amongst the molecules produced after the nucleotide oligomeriza-tion domain(NOD)-like receptor pathway activation.While these responses may be associated with an inflammatory reaction to an exogenous threat,they could also indicate that in ovo delivery of carvacrol could prepare the newly hatched chick against bacterial pathogens by potentially promoting antimicrobial peptide production through acti-vation of NOD-like receptor signaling in the yolk sac.Conclusion In conclusion,these findings suggest that in ovo delivery of carvacrol has the potential to enhance anti-pathogenic and pro-inflammatory responses in the yolk sac via upregulation of antimicrobial peptides,and NOD-like receptor pathways.
基金supported by China Agriculture Research System Program(Project No.CARS-41-G04)。
文摘Background Necrotic enteritis(NE)in broiler chickens leads to significant economic losses in poultry production.This study examined the inhibitory effects of usnic acid and tannic acid on coccidia,sporozoite,and Clostridium perfringens and assessed their influence on growth performance and intestinal health in NE-challenged broilers through in vitro and in vivo experiments.Methods The in vitro experiment included 5 treatment groups:the negative control(NC),2μmol/L diclazuril(DZ),30μmol/L usnic acid(UA),90μmol/L tannic acid(TA),and 15μmol/L usnic acid^(+)45μmol/L tannic acid(UTA)groups.The in vivo experiment involved 320 broilers divided into four groups:PC(NE-challenged),SA(500 mg/kg salinomycin premix^(+)NE-challenged),UA(300 mg/kg usnic acid^(+)NE-challenged),and UTA(300 mg/kg usnic acid^(+)500 mg/kg tannic acid^(+)NE-challenged)groups.Results In the in vitro study,the UA,TA,and UTA treatments significantly increased apoptosis in coccidian oocysts and sporozoites,lowered the mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.05),and disrupted the oocyst structure compared with those in the NC group.UA and TA had inhibitory effects on C.perfringens,with the strongest inhibition observed in the UTA group.The in vivo results demonstrated that the SA group presented significantly improved growth performance on d 13,21,and 28(P<0.05),whereas the UA and UTA groups presented improvements on d 13 and 21(P<0.05).The SA,UA,and UTA treatments reduced the intestinal lesion scores by d 28 and the fecal coccidian oocyst counts from d 19 to 21(P<0.05).Compared with the PC group,the UA and UTA groups presented lower intestinal sIgA levels and CD8^(+)cell percentages(P<0.05),with a trend toward a reduced CD3^(+)cell percentage(P=0.069).The SA,UA,and UTA treatments significantly reduced the serum diamine oxidase activity,crypt depth,and plateletderived growth factor levels in the intestinal mucosa while increasing the villus height to crypt depth ratio and number of goblet cells(P<0.05).The UTA treatment also significantly increased the acetate and butyrate concentrations in the cecum(P<0.05).With respect to the gut microbiota,significant changes inβdiversity in the ileum and cecum were observed in the SA,UA,and UTA groups,indicating that the microbial community compositions differed among the groups.Romboutsia dominated the SA group,Bacillales dominated the UA group,and Lactobacillales and Lachnospirales dominated the UTA group in the ileal microbiota.In the cecal microbiota,Lactobacillus,Butyricicoccus,and Blautia abundances were significantly elevated in the UTA group(P<0.05).Conclusion Usnic acid and tannic acid induce apoptosis in coccidia and sporozoites by lowering the mitochondrial membrane potential.Both usnic acid alone and in combination with tannic acid alleviate NE-induced adverse effects in broilers by modulating intestinal immunity,altering the microbial composition,and improving intestinal barrier function.Compared with usnic acid alone,the combination of usnic acid and tannic acid had superior effects,providing a promising basis for the development of effective feed additive combinations.
文摘In order to contribute to a better understanding of the biodiversity of local chicken populations, this study focused on the description of the essential qualitative parameters in the phenotypic characterization of local species. Conducted in 6 localities in the Far North Region of Cameroon (Doukoula, Yagoua, Guidiguis, Dziguilao, Maroua 3rd and Méri), a population of 240 local chickens, including 172 hens and 68 cocks were characterized in family farms. The choice of localities was made on the basis of their strong potential local chicken flocks in the region. To this end, each animal was the subject of a qualitative description based on the identification of the sex of the animal, the description of the colorations of the plumage and extremities, and the description of the types of format, plumage and crests. All observations were made with the naked eye and in daylight and then photographed. The main results show that the plumage colors are multiple and dominated by the White-Pied-Black (21.7%) and the Mille-fleur (20.8%);the wattles are dominated by the red (60%) and the pink (35.4%);the tarsi are dominated by the white (43.8%) and the black (32.08%);the white skin (92.5%) dominates over the pink skin (7.5%);the “Smooth-uniform” feather is dominant (97.08%), followed by the smooth-crested type (2.08%) and the fries type (0.82%);the medium size of the chickens is dominant (86.66%), followed by the dwarf size (9.58%) and the large size (3.75%). The results of this study demonstrate that there is a strong phenotypic diversity within the local chicken population. This diversity can serve as a basis for the development of selection, conservation and genetic potential improvement programs based on rational exploitation of the local chicken.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China-Henan Joint Grant(U1804107)the Zhongyuan Youth Talent Support Program,China(ZYYCYU202012156)the ProgramforScience&Technology Innovation Talents in Universities of Henan Province,China(22HASTIT038).
文摘Previous studies have shown that VGLL2,a member of the mammalian Vestigial-like(VGLL)family,plays important roles in the growth and development of animal skeletal muscle,but its specific role in the development of chicken skeletal muscle is unclear.The main goal of this study was to explore the biological functions of VGLL2 in the development of chicken skeletal muscle and the proliferation and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells in vitro.In this study,we detected the effect of VGLL2 on the proliferation of myoblasts by CCK8,EdU and flow cytometry analyses after overexpressing and interfering with VGLL2.Indirect immunofluorescence was used to detect the effect of VGLL2 on the differentiation of myoblasts.qRT-PCR and hematoxylin and eosin(H&E)staining were used to evaluate the effects of VGLL2 overexpression on the growth rate and muscle fiber structure of chicken skeletal muscle.The results showed that VGLL2 inhibited the proliferation of primary cultured chicken myoblasts and promoted the differentiation of these cells.Interestingly,food intake and muscle fiber development were significantly enhanced by the overexpression of VGLL2 in chickens.Taken together,these data demonstrate that the VGLL2 gene may be a useful marker for improving muscle mass in poultry.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32172721)the China Agriculture Research System(CARS-40)+1 种基金the Central Publicinterest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund,China(2021-YWF-ZYSQ-12)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(ASTIP-IAS04)。
文摘Sexual maturation heterosis has been widely exploited in animal crossbreeding.However,the underlying mechanism has been rarely explored in chicken.In the present study,we performed the reciprocal crossing between White Leghorn and Beijing You chicken to evaluate the phenotypes related to sexual maturation,and profiled the ovary circRNAs of purebreds(WW,YY)and crossbreds(WY,YW)to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying heterosis for sexual maturation.Pubic space and oviduct length exhibited positive heterosis,and age at first egg(AFE)exhibited negative heterosis in the crossbreds.We identified 3,025 known circRNAs and 624 putative circRNAs,which were mainly derived from the exons.Among these circRNAs,141 and 178circRNAs were specially expressed in WY and YW,respectively.There were 52.38 and 64.63%of total circRNAs in WY and YW exhibited non-additive expression pattern,respectively.GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the host genes of non-additive circRNAs were mainly involved in TGF-beta signaling pathway,oocyte development,ATPase activator activity,oocyte meiosis,progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation and GnRH signaling pathway.Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified that 4 modules were significantly(P<0.05)correlated with oviduct length and pubic space.The host genes of non-additive circRNAs harbored in the 4 modules were associated with MAPK signaling pathway and Wnt signaling pathway.Furthermore,competing endogenous RNAs(ceRNA)network analysis characterized non-additive circRNAs gal-FGFR2_0005 and galMAPKAP1_0004 could interact with gga-miR-1612 and gga-miR-12235-5p to regulate CNOT6,COL8A1,and FHL2,which were essential for ovary development,indicating that the non-additive circRNAs involved in the formation of sexual maturation heterosis through regulating genes related to the reproductive and developmental process.The findings would provide a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying sexual maturation heterosis from a novel perspective.
基金supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32372873,32441084 and 32172720)the Program for Science&Technology Innovation Talents in Universities of Henan Province,China(22HASTIT038)the Zhongyuan Youth Talent Support Program of China(ZYYCYU202012156).
文摘Skeletal muscle satellite cells are stem cells characterized by their multipotency and capacity for in vitro proliferation.However,primary skeletal muscle satellite cells demonstrate limited proliferative capacity in vitro,which impedes their investigation in poultry skeletal muscle research.Cell immortalization techniques have emerged as valuable tools to address this limitation and facilitate the study of skeletal muscle satellite cell functions.This study achieved the immortalization of chicken skeletal muscle satellite cells through the transduction of primary cells with TERT(telomerase reverse transcriptase)amplified from chicken(chTERT)using a lentiviral vector via telomerase activity reconstitution.While the cells successfully overcame replicative senescence,complete immortalization was not achieved.Initial functional characterization revealed that the proliferative properties and cell cycle characteristics of the immortalized chicken skeletal muscle satellite cell lines(ICMS)closely resembled those of chicken primary muscle satellite cells(CPMSCs).Serum dependency analysis and soft agar assays confirmed that ICMS did not undergo malignant transformation.Furthermore,induced differentiation experiments demonstrated preserved differentiation capacity in ICMS.The established cell lines provide a fundamental framework for developing immortalized poultry cell lines and offer a cellular model for investigating poultry skeletal muscle-related functional genes.
基金funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage Grant(LP220100292)in which Evonik Operations GmbH was the Linkage partner.
文摘Background Wheat and,to a lesser extent,sorghum are the dominant feed grains in Australian chicken-meat production.There is considerable local interest in the development of reduced-crude protein(CP)broiler diets in part because this would decrease the need to import soybean meal into the country.Maize is rarely included in Australian broiler diets,but birds appear better able to accommodate dietary CP reductions with maize than with wheat-based diets.Sorghum is more similar to maize than wheat and for this reason wheat-and sorghum-based diets,with standard and reduced-CP concentrations,were evaluated in broiler chickens in a direct comparison.Results Reducing dietary CP from 205 to 175 g/kg CP did not statistically influence weight gain and FCR in broilers offered sorghum-based diets from 14 to 35 d post-hatch.In contrast,the 30 g/kg CP reduction compromised weight gain by 10.1%(1,964 versus 2,187 g/bird)and FCR by 9.68%(1.575 versus 1.436),in broilers offered wheat-based diets.Consequently,treatment interactions(P<0.001)were observed for dietary CP levels grain type for both weight gain and FCR.Another treatment interaction(P<0.001)was observed for starch digestibility coefficients in the distal jejunum.Birds offered 205 g/kg CP,wheat-based diets had superior starch digestibility by 11.6%(0.914 versus 0.819),but sorghum supported superior starch digestibility by 9.70%(0.837 versus 0.763)in the context of 175 g/kg CP diets.Conclusions Under the condition of thid study,broiler chickens offered sorghum-based diets had a greater capacity to accommodate dietary CP reductions than their counterparts offered wheat-based diets.This study confirmed that wheat-based diets are not conducive to CP reductions,but the causal factors have yet to be identified precisely.
基金supported by the grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China(32302724 to Jingwei Yuan)the China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA(CARS-40 to Yanyan Sun)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(ASTIP-IAS16 to Jilan Chen)。
文摘Background Crossbreeding is widely promoted as an efficient strategy to improve the productivity in agriculture.The molecular mechanism underlying heterosis for egg production is always intriguing in chicken.The transcriptional dynamic changes play a crucial role in the formation of heterosis,but little is known for the egg production traits.Results In present study,we measured the continuous manifestation of heterosis ranging from 2.67%to 10.24%for egg number in the crossbreds generated by reciprocal crossing White Leghorn and Beijing You chicken.The high-quality transcriptomes of ovary for purebreds(WW and YY)and crossbreds(WY and YW)in 5 laying stages were sequenced and integrated to identify regulatory networks relevant to the heterosis.We found highly conserved transcriptional features among 4 genetic groups.By using weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA),we obtained multiple gene co-expression modules that were significantly correlated with egg number for each group.The common KEGG pathways including apelin signaling pathway,cell cycle,ribosome,spliceosome and oxidative phosphorylation,were screened for the 2 crossbreds.Then,we identified consensus co-expression modules(CMs)that showed divergent expression pattern among crossbred(WY or YW)and purebreds(WW and YY).The hub genes of CMs were again overrepresented in the cell cycle pathway,and the crossbreds exhibited temporally complementary dominance of hub genes in the 5 laying stages.These results suggested that the crossbreds inherited from both parents to maintain the ovary function by cell cycle-related genes,contributing to the persistent heterosis for egg production.Furthermore,the dominant genes including MAD2L1,CHEK2 and E2F1 were demonstrated to function in ovarian follicle development and maturation and could be the candidate genes for egg production heterosis.Conclusion Our study characterized the dynamic profile of genome-wide gene expression in ovary and highlighted the role of dominant expression of cell cycle pathway genes in heterosis.These findings provided new insights for the molecular mechanism of egg production heterosis,which would facilitate the rational choice of suitable parents for producing crossbred chickens with higher egg production.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD1301600)Shaanxi Livestock and Poultry Breeding Double-chain Fusion Key Project(2022GD-TSLD-46-0401)Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi(2022JQ-171).
文摘Chicken(Gallus gallus)is a vital living organism and plays a crucial role in food requirements.Complete and accurate chicken genomes are critical for insights into chicken breeding,avian evolution,and comparative genomics(Bravo et al.,2021).Pan-genomes possess more power to capture complete gene sets,thus presenting more comprehensive genomic information within species.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant numbers:31972644,32272959)the University Synergy Innovation Program of Anhui Province(grant number:GXXT-2019-035)+1 种基金the Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Team(grant number:CXTDA2017024)the leading technology foundation research project of Jiangsu Province(grant number:BK20192005).
文摘Background:The chicken chorioallantoic membrane(CAM)model is a potential alter-native to the mouse model based on the 3R principles.However,its value for deter-mination of the in vivo behaviors of radiolabeled peptides through positron emission tomography(PET)imaging needed investigation.Herein,the chicken CAM tumor models were established,and their feasibility was evaluated for evaluating the imag-ing properties of radiolabeled peptides using a 68Ga-labeled HER2 affibody.Methods:Two human breast cancer cell lines were inoculated into chicken CAM and mice,respectively.The tumor-targeting potential and pharmacokinetic profile of a 68Ga-labeled affibody,68Ga-MZHER,in both tumor models were also determined.Results:The tumor-formation time in chicken CAM model was shorter than that of mouse model.The uptake values of human epithelial growth factor receptor-2(HER2)-positive Bcap37 tumors in chicken CAM and mouse models were 5.36±0.26%ID/g and 5.26±0.43%ID/g at 30 min postinjection of 68Ga-MZHER,respectively.At the same time points,the uptake values of HER2-negative MDA-MB-231 tumors in the chicken CAM models and mouse models were 1.57±0.15%ID/g and 1.67±0.25%ID/g,respectively.Ex vivo biodistribution confirmed that more radioactivity accu-mulated in Bcap37 tumors than in MDA-MD-231 tumors in both CAM and mouse models.Conclusion:In this study,the CAM tumor model was successfully prepared.The chicken CAM model is a novel tool for quickly determining the in vivo properties of radiolabeled peptides targeting biomarkers.It may be beneficial for early monitoring of the therapeutic effect of a new drug through PET imaging with specific peptides.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFD1200301 and 2021YFD1200302)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20210813)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32102534)the Yangzhou International Science and Technology Cooperation Projects, China (YZ2021175)。
文摘Germplasm resources are essential for the sustainable development of biodiversity and husbandry of local chickens, as well as for the breeding and industry of superior quality chickens. Unfortunately, many local and indigenous chicken breeds are at risk of declining numbers, emphasizing the need to conserve breed resources for endangered chickens. Primordial germ cells(PGCs) are crucial for preserving germplasm resources by inheriting genetic information from parents to offspring and ensuring stability of genetic material between germlines. In this study,PGCs were isolated from chicken embryos' gonads and cultured in FAcs medium without feeder cells. Over a period of approximately 40 d, the cells proliferated to a number of up to 10^(6), establishing various cell lines. Particularly, 18 PGC lines were created from Rugao Yellow chicken and Shouguang chicken, with an efficiency ranging from 39.1 to 45%. Furthermore, PGCs that had been cultured for 40 passages exhibited typical PGC characteristics, suchas glycogen staining reaction, and expression of pluripotency and reproductive markers. These results confirmthat PGCs maintain stem cell properties even after long-term in vitro culture. Additionally, PGCs cryopreserved for up to 120 d remained viable, maintained typical PGC morphologies, and possessed stable cell proliferation ability. Through intravascular injection into chicken embryos, green fluorescent protein(GFP)-PGCs were found in the recipient embryos' gonads and could develop into gametes to produce offspring, indicating that even after extended culture, PGCs retain their migratory and lineage-transmitting capabilities. This research offers valuable insights into the in vitro cultivation and preservation of PGCs of Chinese indigenous chickens. The findings of this study can be applied in transgenic chicken production and the preservation of genetic resources of indigenous chicken breeds.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32172774)the Key Research and Development and Promotion of Special(Science and Technology)Project of Henan Province(No.242102110018).
文摘Background It is important to promote intestinal development and maturation of chicks for feed digestion and utilization,intestinal health,and disease resistance.This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary yeast cell wall polysaccharides(YCWP)addition on intestinal development and maturation of chickens and its potential action mechanism.Methods 180 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to three groups containing control(basal diets without any antibiotics or anticoccidial drug),bacitracin methylene disalicylate(BMD)-treated group(50 mg/kg)and YCWP-supplemented group(100 mg/kg).Results Compared with control group,in-feed antibiotic BMD continuous administration significantly decreased crypt depth(d 21)and villus height(d 42)along with mucosal maltase activity(d 42)in the ileum(P<0.05).Also,BMD markedly downregulated gene expression levels ofβ-catenin,lysozyme,occludin and FABP-2(d 21)and innate immune related genes CD83 and MHC-I mRNA levels(d 42,P<0.05),and decreased goblet cell counts in the ileum of chickens(d 21 and d 42,P<0.05).While,TLR-2,TLR-6 and iNOS mRNA abundances were notably upregulated by BMD treatment(d 42,P<0.05).Nevertheless,dietary YCWP addition significantly increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth(d 21),villus surface area(d 21 and d 42),ileal alkaline phosphatase and maltase activities as well as goblet cell(d 21 and d 42)and IgA-producing plasma cell numbers as compared to BMD treatment(d 21,P<0.05).YCWP addition also upregulated gene expression levels of Lgr5,Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway related gene(Wnt3,β-catenin,d 21;β-catenin,d 42),intestinal cells proliferation marker Ki-67 and barrier function related genes(occludin,d 21 and d 42,P<0.05).Moreover,YCWP significantly increased antigen presenting cell marker related genes(MHC-II,d 21;CD83 and MHC-I,d 42),TLR-1,TLR-2 and TLR-6 mRNA levels(d 21,P<0.05).Cecal microbiome analysis showed that YCWP addition obviously improved cecal microbial composition,as indicated by increasing relative abundance of Fournierella,Psychrobacter and Ruminiclostridium on d 21,and Alistipes and Lactobacillus on d 42,which were positively related with gut development and maturation related indexes(P<0.05).Conclusion Collectively, YCWP promoted yet antibiotic BMD delayed intestinal morphological and immunologicaldevelopment linked with modulating gut microbiome in chickens.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program(2016YFD0501303).
文摘The development of alternative therapies to treat chicken coccidiosis has become a hot topic because of the widespread use of conventional medicines.This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of eugenol in treating Eimeria tenella infection in broilers.Broiers,at the age of 14 d,were orally infected with sporulated Eimeria tenella oocysts,and then,eugenol essential oil was added to chicken feed at three different dosages(0.1,0.2 or 0.4 g/kg).The anticoccidial effects of eugenol essential oil were assessed using the anticoccidial index(ACI).As a result,eugenol exhibited a moderate anticoccidial effect,with an ACI of 167.37 at 0.2 g/kg.After eugenol treatment,the expression of occludin in the epithelial cells of the chicken cecum was significantly greater(P<0.05)than that in the epithelial cells of the nontreated control(IC)group.The proportion of intestinal Lactobacillus_agilli increased.Eugenol therapy dramatically increased the activity of superoxide dismutase.After high-dose treatment,the expression of the proinflammatory factors IL-1βand IL-6 significantly decreased,while the expression of the cytokines IL-4 and IFN-γsignificantly increased.The safety of eugenol essential oil was evaluated at the 1,3 or 6 recommended doses.Overall,no significant differences were detected in the blood tests or serum biochemistry of the chickens between the treatment groups and the control group.As a result,eugenol essential oil can cure chicken coccidiosis by improving the intestinal microbial structure in the chicken cecum and decreasing the cecum's inflammatory reactions,thus strengthening immune function and eventually demonstrating anticoccidial properties.
基金support for the project was provided by Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan(424357)Canadian Poultry Research Council(424854)+1 种基金Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(424679)Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund(426954).
文摘Background Necrotic enteritis(NE)is an economically important disease of broiler chickens caused by Clostridium perfringens(CP).The pathogenesis,or disease process,of NE is still not clear.This study aimed to identify the alterations of metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with subclinical or clinical NE in CP infected birds and to investi-gate the possible variations in the metabolic profile of birds infected with different isolates of CP.Methodology Using a well-established NE model,the protein content of feed was changed abruptly before expos-ing birds to CP isolates with different toxin genes combinations(cpa,cpb2,netB,tpeL;cpa,cpb2,netB;or cpa,cpb2).Metabolomics analysis of jejunal contents was performed by a targeted,fully quantitative LC-MS/MS based assay.Results This study detected statistically significant differential expression of 34 metabolites including organic acids,amino acids,fatty acids,and biogenic amines,including elevation of butyric acid at onset of NE in broiler chickens.Subsequent analysis of broilers infected with CP isolates with different toxin gene combinations confirmed an eleva-tion of butyric acid consistently among 21 differentially expressed metabolites including organic acids,amino acids,and biogenic amines,underscoring its potential role during the development of NE.Furthermore,protein-metabolite network analysis revealed significant alterations in butyric acid and arginine-proline metabolisms.Conclusion This study indicates a significant metabolic difference between CP-infected and non-infected broiler chickens.Among all the metabolites,butyric acid increased significantly in CP-infected birds compared to non-infected healthy broilers.Logistic regression analysis revealed a positive association between butyric acid(coefficient:1.23,P<0.01)and CP infection,while showing a negative association with amino acid metabolism.These findings suggest that butyric acid could be a crucial metabolite linked to the occurrence of NE in broiler chickens and may serve as an early indicator of the disease at the farm level.Further metabolomic experiments using different NE animal models and field studies are needed to determine the specificity and to validate metabolites associated with NE,regardless of predisposing factors.
基金supported by the Chinese Natural Science Foundation Projects 32072775,32272915 and 32472949the National Key Research and Development Programs of China(2023YFD1301003 and 2023YFD1301005)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2662023DKPY002)。
文摘Background AFB_(1)-8,9-exo-epoxide(AFBO)is the highly toxic product of Aflatoxin B_(1)(AFB_(1)).Glutathione S-transferases(GSTs)play pivotal roles in detoxifying AFB_(1) by catalyzing the conjugation of AFBO with glutathione(GSH).Although there are over 20 GST isozymes that have been identified in chicken,GST isozymes involved in the detoxification process of AFB_(1) have not been identified yet.The objective of this study was to determine which GST isozymes played key role in detoxification of AFB_(1).Results A total of 17 pcDNA3.1(+)-GST isozyme plasmids were constructed and the GST isozyme genes were overexpressed by 80–2,500,000 folds in the chicken Leghorn male hepatoma(LMH)cells.Compared to the AFB_(1) treatment,overexpression of GSTA2X,GSTA3,GSTT1L,GSTZ1-1,and GSTZ1-2 increased the cell viability by 6.5%–17.0%in LMH cells.Moreover,overexpression of five GST isozymes reduced the release of lactate dehydrogenase and reactive oxygen species by 8.8%–64.4%,and 57.2%–77.6%,respectively,as well as enhanced the production AFBO-GSH by 15.8%–19.6%,thus mitigating DNA damage induced by AFB_(1).After comprehensive evaluation of various indicators,GSTA2X displayed the best detoxification effects against AFB_(1).GSTA2X was expressed in Pichia pastoris X-33 and its enzymatic properties for catalyzing the conjugation of AFBO with GSH showed that the optimum temperature and pH were 20–25℃ and 7.6–8.6 as well as the enzymatic kinetic parameter V_(max) was 0.23 nmol/min/mg and the Michaelis constant was 86.05μmol/L with the AFB_(1) as substrate.Conclusions In conclusion,GSTA2X,GSTA3,GSTT1L,GSTZ1-1,and GSTZ1-2 played key roles in AFB_(1) detoxification,which will provide new remediation strategies to prevent aflatoxicosis in chickens.
基金funded by the Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund of National Natural Science Foundation of China(Project No.U21A20253)2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University.
文摘Chicken meat quality directly influences consumer acceptability and is crucial for the economic success of the poultry industry.Genetics and nutrition are key determinants of the meat quality traits in broilers.This review summarizes the research advances in this field,with a focus on the genetic and nutritional foundations that regulate intramuscular fat(IMF)deposition and meat quality in chickens over the past decade.The effects of embryonic nutrition,both maternal nutrition and in ovo feeding(IOF),on skeletal muscle development,the IMF content,and meat quality traits in broilers are also discussed.In genetics,single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that de novo lipogenesis predominantly occurs in myocytes,which is key to the formation of IMF in chicken muscle tissue.Fatty acid synthase(FASN)is the key enzyme involved in this process.This discovery has reshaped the traditional understanding of intramuscular lipid metabolism in poultry.Key genes,proteins,and pathways,such as FASN,FABP4,PPARG,C/EBPα,SLC27A1;LPL,APOA1,COL1A1;PPAR and ECM–receptor interactions signaling,have been identified to regulate IMF content and distribution by modulating fatty acid metabolism and adipogenesis.LncHLFF was innovatively found to promote ectopic IMF deposition in chickens via exosome-mediated mechanisms without affecting abdominal fat deposition.MiR-27b-3p and miR-128-3p were found to inhibit adipogenic differentiation by targeting PPARG,thereby affecting IMF formation.In nutrition,nutrigenomics research has shown that fructose enhances IMF deposition by activating ChREBP,providing new targets for nutritional interventions.Adjusting dietary components,including energy,protein,amino acids,fatty acids,and phytochemicals(e.g.,rutin),has been shown to significantly improve meat quality in broilers.Maternal nutrition(e.g.,intake of energy,amino acids,vitamins,and trace elements)and IOF(e.g.,N-carbamylglutamate)have also been confirmed to significantly impact offspring meat quality,opening new avenues for improving embryonic nutrition.Based on these significant advancements,this review proposes strategies that integrate genetic and nutritional approaches.These strategies aim to modulate the differentiation fate of paraxial mesenchymal stem cells toward myogenic or adipogenic lineages and the interaction between muscle and adipose tissues.These insights would help to improve meat quality while ensuring the growth performance of broiler chickens.
基金National Key Research and Development Program of China,Grant/Award Number:2023YFF1000204National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:32172715,32230105 and 32330103+2 种基金The Innovative Project of State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding,Grant/Award Number:2024SKLAB1-2/9Chinese Universities Scientific Fund,Grant/Award Number:2024TC167The 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University。
文摘Background : Traditional DNA microinjection methods used in mammals are difficult to apply to avian species due to their unique reproductive characteristics. Genetic manipulation in chickens, particularly involving immature follicles within living ovaries, has not been extensively explored. This study seeks to establish an efficient method for generating transgenic chickens through ovarian injection, potentially bypassing the challenges associated with primordial germ cell (PGC) manipulation and fertilized egg microinjection. Methods : Hens were anesthetized and underwent a surgical procedure to access the ovary for DNA injection into immature follicles. The study used liposomes to deliver GFP- expressing plasmids at various dosages. After injection, hens recovered, and their eggs were fertilized through artificial insemination. Results : Transgenic chickens were successfully generated in one generation without needing G0 founders. The injection of 20 μg plasmid yielded the highest transgenic efficiency at 12.1%. GFP- positive embryos were confirmed through microscopy, and successful transgene expression was validated at the tissue level using immunostaining. TERT and GFP elements introduced in the G1 generation resulted in 4.1% positive transgene rates, as confirmed by PCR and Southern blotting. Conclusion : This ovarian injection method offers a promising alternative for avian genetic manipulation, bypassing complex PGC procedures and enabling direct generation of G1 transgenic chickens. This technique simplifies the transgenic process for chickens and has the potential to be adapted for other avian species, especially those without established PGCs culture systems.
基金supported by Ladoke Akintola University of Technology,Ogbomoso,Nigeria and the University of Zululand,South Africa.
文摘This study proposes a system for biometric access control utilising the improved Cultural Chicken Swarm Optimization(CCSO)technique.This approach mitigates the limitations of conventional Chicken Swarm Optimization(CSO),especially in dealing with larger dimensions due to diversity loss during solution space exploration.Our experimentation involved 600 sample images encompassing facial,iris,and fingerprint data,collected from 200 students at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology(LAUTECH),Ogbomoso.The results demonstrate the remarkable effectiveness of CCSO,yielding accuracy rates of 90.42%,91.67%,and 91.25%within 54.77,27.35,and 113.92 s for facial,fingerprint,and iris biometrics,respectively.These outcomes significantly outperform those achieved by the conventional CSO technique,which produced accuracy rates of 82.92%,86.25%,and 84.58%at 92.57,63.96,and 163.94 s for the same biometric modalities.The study’s findings reveal that CCSO,through its integration of Cultural Algorithm(CA)Operators into CSO,not only enhances algorithm performance,exhibiting computational efficiency and superior accuracy,but also carries broader implications beyond biometric systems.This innovation offers practical benefits in terms of security enhancement,operational efficiency,and adaptability across diverse user populations,shaping more effective and resource-efficient access control systems with real-world applicability.
