Search Results (320)

The objectives of the current study were to evaluate the fluctuations in production performance, rumen fermentation, and microbial community in lactating dairy cows fed a high-grain diet (HG). In this study, 16 healthy Holstein lactating dairy cattle with similar milk yields of 16.80 ± 4.30 kg/d, days in milk 171.44 ± 23.25 days, and parity 2.2 ± 1.5 times were selected and randomly allocated into two groups. One group was fed a low-grain diet (LG; 40% concentrate, DM basis; n = 8), and the other group was fed a high-grain diet (HG; 60% concentrate, DM basis; n = 8). The experiment lasted 6 weeks, including 1 week for adaptation. The experimental results showed that the milk fat content in the milk of lactating cows in the HG group was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), and the milk urea nitrogen (MUN) content showed an increasing trend (0.05 < p < 0.10) compared with the LG group. Compared with the LG group, rumen fluid pH was significantly decreased after feeding a high-grain diet, and contents of total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), acetate, propionate, and butyrate were significantly increased (p < 0.05). The acetate/propionate significantly decreased (p < 0.05). HG group significantly increased the abundance of Prevotella and Bacteroides in rumen fluid while significantly reducing the abundance of Methanobrevibacter and Lachnospiraceae ND3007_group (p < 0.05). Microorganisms with LDA scores > 2 were defined as unique, with the bacterial genus Anaerorhabdus_furcosa_group identified as a biomarker for the LG group, and the unique bacterial genus in the HG group were Prevotella, Stenotrophomonas, and Xanthomonadaceae. The prediction results of microbial function showed that a total of 18 KEGG differential pathways were generated between the two treatment groups, mainly manifested in metabolic pathways, signal transduction, and the immune system. In conclusion, the HG group promoted rumen fermentation by altering the microbial composition of lactating cows. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the rational use of high-grain diets to achieve high yields in intensive dairy farming. Full article

Fish sauce is produced at high salt concentrations (>20%) to inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms. The salt-reduced fish sauce (10% salt) was prepared under pressurized CO₂ (pCO₂) conditions at 30 °C and 5 MPa for 3 months (${\mathrm{F}\mathrm{S}}_{{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}}_2}$), from Sardinops melanostictus, Odontamblyopus lacepedii, Trachurus japonicus, Konosirus punctatus, and their collective mixture, as well as unused fish mixture obtained from the Ariake Sea in Japan. ${\mathrm{F}\mathrm{S}}_{{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}}_2}$ exhibited significantly better microbial quality and free amino acid content, lighter color, standardized odor (dashi-like odor), and umami richness qualities compared to fish sauces prepared using the conventional method (${\mathrm{F}\mathrm{S}}_{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{n}}$) (20% salt), as previously demonstrated, after a fermentation period of 2 months. Bacterial flora analysis implied that the standardization of odor and umami richness may not be the result of specific microbial metabolism. Even when using previously unused fish, it was possible to produce ${\mathrm{F}\mathrm{S}}_{{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}}_2}$ equivalent to that produced by conventional sardines and other fish. These results indicate that the quality of fish sauce can be improved. The flavor of ${\mathrm{F}\mathrm{S}}_{{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}}_2}$ became similar regardless of the type of fish and fermentation period using pCO₂ during fermentation, leading to the effective utilization of unutilized fish as a resource for high-quality salt-reduced fish sauce. Full article

Charcoal-based fertilizer could be used extensively and is environmentally friendly. An experiment was designed to investigate the effects of different charcoal-based fertilizer application methods on soil microbiology and grape quality in a vineyard to guide the cultivation of ‘Shine-Muscat’. A control treatment without fertilization and six other treatments were set up. Four treatments applied carbon-based fertilizer as a base fertilizer with or without potassium fulvic acid, a complex microbial agent, or Bacillus subtilis, and two treatments were only applied with two applications of carbon-based fertilizer or compound fertilizer during the expansion period. The results showed that the bacterial phyla were mainly Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota dominated the fungal community. At the genus level, the composition of fungi, compared to bacteria, varied significantly, while the dominant flora differed among fertilization practices. Application of charcoal-based fertilizer enriched beneficial microorganisms, while chemical fertilizers enriched pathogenic microorganisms. The addition of microbial fungicides and biostimulants for a period reduced the size of the microbial network, lowered positive correlations, and enhanced resistance to adverse conditions and diseases and there was no significant correlation between agronomic traits and microbial network topology. A combination of soil microbial and grape agronomic traits suggests that a charcoal-based fertilizer base, with microbial fungicides applied, is the optimal fertilization regimen for grape. Full article

Mushrooms have garnered considerable interest among researchers due to their immense nutritional and therapeutic properties. The presence of biologically active primary and secondary metabolites, which includes several micronutrients, including vitamins, essential minerals, and other dietary fibers, makes them an excellent functional food. Moreover, the dietary inclusion of mushrooms has been reported to reduce the incidence of aging- and lifestyle-related diseases, such as cancer, obesity, and stroke, as well as to provide overall health benefits by promoting immunomodulation, antioxidant activity, and enhancement of gut microbial flora. The multifunctional activities of several mushroom extracts have been evaluated by both in vitro and in vivo studies using cell lines along with invertebrate and vertebrate model systems to address human diseases and disorders at functional and molecular levels. Although each model has its own strengths as well as lacunas, various studies have generated a plethora of data regarding the regulating players that are modulated in order to provide various protective activities; hence, this review intends to compile and provide an overview of the plausible mechanism of action of mushroom-derived bioactives, which will be helpful in future medicinal explorations. Full article

As the most abundant group of mammals, rodents possess a very rich ecotype, which makes them ideal for studying the relationship between diet and host gut microecology. Zokors are specialized herbivorous rodents adapted to living underground. Unlike more generalized herbivorous rodents, they feed on the underground parts of grassland plants. There are two species of the genus Myospalax in the Eurasian steppes in China: one is Myospalax psilurus, which inhabits meadow grasslands and forest edge areas, and the other is M. aspalax, which inhabits typical grassland areas. How are the dietary choices of the two species adapted to long-term subterranean life, and what is the relationship of this diet with gut microbes? Are there unique indicator genera for their gut microbial communities? Relevant factors, such as the ability of both species to degrade cellulose, are not yet clear. In this study, we analyzed the gut bacterial communities and diet compositions of two species of zokors using 16S amplicon technology combined with macro-barcoding technology. We found that the diversity of gut microbial bacterial communities in M. psilurus was significantly higher than that in M. aspalax, and that the two species of zokors possessed different gut bacterial indicator genera. Differences in the feeding habits of the two species of zokors stem from food composition rather than diversity. Based on the results of Mantel analyses, the gut bacterial community of M. aspalax showed a significant positive correlation with the creeping-rooted type food, and there was a complementary relationship between the axis root-type-food- and the rhizome-type-food-dominated (containing bulb types and tuberous root types) food groups. Functional prediction based on KEGG found that M. psilurus possessed a stronger degradation ability in the same cellulose degradation pathway. Neutral modeling results show that the gut flora of the M. psilurus has a wider ecological niche compared to that of the M. aspalax. This provides a new perspective for understanding how rodents living underground in grassland areas respond to changes in food conditions. Full article

The oral microbial flora may be significantly altered by orthodontic therapy and the use of fixed orthodontic brackets. Most orthodontic research has focused on cariogenic pathogens, while some evidence has demonstrated an increase in many known periodontal pathogens. However, little is known about the prevalence of the Gram-negative periodontal pathogen Selenomonas noxia (SN) among these patients. Using an existing saliva biorepository, n = 208 samples from adult and pediatric orthodontic and non-orthodontic patients were identified and screened for the presence of SN using qPCR and validated primers. In the pediatric study sample (n = 89), 36% tested positive for the presence of SN, with orthodontic patients comprising more SN-positive samples (87.5%) than SN-negative samples (78.9%), p = 0.0271. In the adult study sample (n = 119), SN was found in 28.6%, with orthodontic patients comprising 58.8% of positive samples and only 28.2% of negative samples (p < 0.0001). These data demonstrated that both pediatric and adult orthodontic patients exhibited higher prevalence of SN compared with age-matched non-orthodontic controls. As this microorganism is associated not only with periodontal disease but also long-term health issues such as obesity, more research is needed regarding the factors that increase the prevalence of this microbe. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) on the prevention of the diarrhea rates and growth performances of weaned piglets induced by Escherichia coli K88 (E. coli K88). Twenty-four weaned piglets (6.92 ± 0.11 kg) were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups for a period of 21 days. Each group consisted of eight pigs, with each pig being housed in an individual pen. Group I received the control diet along with normal saline, Group II received the control diet along with E. coli K88, and Group III received the control diet supplemented with 5 × 10⁸ CFU/kg of C. butyricum and E. coli K88. We examined alterations in rectal microbiota and metabolites, analyzed the incidence of diarrhea, and investigated the interactions between microbiota and metabolites through the application of Illumina MiSeq sequencing and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The results showed that, from days 14 to 21, the diarrhea incidence in Group III decreased significantly by 83.29% compared to Group II (p < 0.05). Over the entire experimental duration, the average daily feed intake of Group III decreased significantly by 11.13% compared to Group I (p < 0.05), while the diarrhea incidence in Group III decreased by 71.46% compared to Group II (p < 0.05). The predominant microbial flora in the rectum consisted of Firmicutes (57.32%), Bacteroidetes (41.03%), and Proteobacteria (0.66%). Administering E. coli K88 orally can elevate the relative abundance of Megasphaera (p < 0.05). Conversely, the supplementation of C. butyricum in the diet reduced the relative abundance of Megasphaera (p < 0.05), while increasing the relative abundance of unclassified_f_Lachnospiraceae (p < 0.05). Rectal metabolomics analysis revealed that supplementing C. butyricum in the feed significantly altered the amino acids and fatty acids of the piglets infected with E. coli K88 (p < 0.05). The correlation analysis showed that the occurrence of diarrhea was inversely related to adipic acid (p < 0.05) and positively associated with (5-hydroxyindol-3-YL) acetic acid and L-aspartic acid (p < 0.05). Prevotella_1 exhibited a negative correlation with octadecanoic acid (p < 0.05). Prevotellaceae_UCG-005 showed a negative correlation with (5-hydroxyindol-3-YL) acetic acid (p < 0.05). The findings from this research study aid in probiotic development and the enhancement of healthy growth in weaned piglets. Full article

Rice wine is primarily crafted from grains through saccharification and liquification with the help of Qu. Qu plays an important role in the formation of the flavor quality of rice wine. Hongqu and Xiaoqu represent two prevalent varieties of Qu that are typically utilized in the brewing process of rice wine and play a crucial role in its production. In this study, GC, GC-MS, HPLC, and metagenomic sequencing techniques were used to contrast the microbial flora, biogenic amines, and aroma characteristics developed during the fermentation of rice wines, with Hongqu and Xiaoqu being used as initiating agents for the brewing process. The results show that the content of higher alcohols (including n-propanol, isobutanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, and phenethyl alcohol) in rice wine brewed with Xiaoqu (XQW) was significantly higher than that in rice wine brewed with Hongqu (HQW). Contrarily, the concentration of biogenic amines in HQW surpassed that of XQW by a notable margin, but tyramine was significantly enriched in XQW and not detected in HQW. In addition, a multivariate statistical analysis revealed distinct disparities in the constitution of volatile components between HQW and XQW. Hexanoic acid, ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, ethyl caproate, ethyl decanoate, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, etc., were identified as the characteristic aroma-active compounds in HQW and XQW. A microbiome analysis based on metagenomic sequencing showed that HQW and XQW had different dominant microorganisms in the brewing process. Burkholderia, Klebsiella, Leuconostoc, Monascus, and Aspergillus were identified as the primary microbial genera in the HQW fermentation period, while Pediococcus, Enterobacter, Rhizopus, Ascoidea, and Wickerhamomyces were the main microbial genera in the XQW brewing process. A bioinformatics analysis revealed that the concentrations of microbial genes involved in biogenic amines and esters biosynthesis were significantly higher in HQW than those in XQW, while the content of genes relevant to glycolysis, higher alcohol biosynthesis, and fatty acid metabolism was significantly higher in XQW than in HQW, which are the possible reasons for the difference in flavor quality between the two kinds of rice wine from the perspective of microbial functional genes. Full article

Parque Nacional La Campana (PNLC) is recognized worldwide for its flora and fauna, rather than for its microbial richness. Our goal was to characterize the structure and composition of microbial communities (bacteria, archaea and fungi) and their relationship with the plant communities typical of PNLC, such as sclerophyllous forest, xerophytic shrubland, hygrophilous forest and dry sclerophyllous forest, distributed along topoclimatic variables, namely, exposure, elevation and slope. The plant ecosystems, the physical and chemical properties of organic matter and the soil microbial composition were characterized by massive sequencing (iTag-16S rRNA, V4 and ITS1-5F) from the DNA extracted from the soil surface (5 cm, n = 16). A contribution of environmental variables, particularly related to each location, is observed. Proteobacteria (35.43%), Actinobacteria (32.86%), Acidobacteria (10.07%), Ascomycota (76.11%) and Basidiomycota (15.62%) were the dominant phyla. The beta diversity (~80% in its axes) indicates that bacteria and archaea are linked to their plant categories, where the xerophytic shrub stands out with the most particular microbial community. More specifically, Crenarchaeote, Humicola and Mortierella were dominant in the sclerophyllous forest; Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria and Alternaria in the xerophytic shrubland; Solicoccozyma in the dry sclerophyllous forest; and Cladophialophora in the hygrophilous forest. In conclusion, the structure and composition of the microbial consortia is characteristic of PNLC’s vegetation, related to its topoclimatic variables, which suggests a strong association within the soil microbiome. Full article

Probiotics play an important role in animal production, providing health benefits to the host by improving intestinal microbial balance. In this study, we added three different probiotics, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC), Bacillus licheniformis (BL), and lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and compared them with the control group (CON), to investigate the effects of probiotic supplementation on growth performance, gut microbiology, and gut flora of S. trutta. Our results showed that feeding probiotics improved the survival, growth, development, and fattening of S. trutta. Additionally, probiotic treatment causes changes in the gut probiotic community, and the gut flora microorganisms that cause significant changes vary among the probiotic treatments. However, in all three groups, the abundance of Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Rhizophagus bacterial genera was similar to that in the top three comparative controls. Furthermore, differences in the composition of intestinal microbiota among feed types were directly associated with significant changes in the metabolomic landscape, including lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic acids and derivatives, and organoheterocyclic compounds. The probiotic treatment altered the gut microbiome, gut metabolome, and growth performance of S. trutta. Using a multi-omics approach, we discovered that the addition of probiotics altered the composition of gut microbiota, potentially leading to modifications in gut function and host phenotype. Overall, our results highlight the importance of probiotics as a key factor in animal health and productivity, enabling us to better evaluate the functional potential of probiotics. Full article

Laiwu black goats comprise an excellent local germplasm resource; however, a shortage of feed resources has led to the application of unconventional feed. Ginger straw feed has good physiological effects, but research on this feed source for ruminant animals is lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of enzymatic silage ginger straw on Laiwu black goat performance. The experiment used an independent sample t-test analysis method; 24 healthy Laiwu black goats with a body weight of 20.05 ± 1.15 kg and age of 5.67 ± 0.25 months were randomly divided into two groups with three replicates (bars) per group and four goats per replicate. The experimental diet was composed of mixed concentrate, silage, and garlic peel at a 2:7:1 ratio. The silage used in the two groups was whole corn silage (CON group) and 60% whole corn silage plus 40% enzymatic silage ginger straw (SG group), and the other components were identical. Daily feed intake/daily gain (F/G) was significantly higher in the SG group than in the CON group (p < 0.05), but there were no significant differences in dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility between the groups. The shear force, cooking loss, centrifugal loss, and pressure loss of the longissimus dorsi muscle group were significantly lower in the SG than in the CON group (p < 0.05). Compared with those in the CON group, the serum and liver total antioxidant capacity was significantly increased in the SG group, and in the liver, the O2·⁻, malondialdehyde, and OH· contents were significantly decreased. Collectively, the rumen fluid microbial diversity was changed in the SG group. It was concluded that enzymatic silage ginger straw usage instead of 40% whole silage corn as feed for Laiwu black goats can significantly improve the muscle quality, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal flora, with no adverse effects on production performance. In conclusion, our study provides a basis for ginger straw processing and storage and its rational application in the Laiwu black goat diet. Full article

TGase-7S gels prepared after different HIU pretreatment times were used to intervene in healthy mice to analyze their effects on growth characteristics and intestinal morphology, and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was applied to fecal samples to investigate the effects of the gel on the structure and diversity of intestinal flora in mice. The results showed that the intestinal tissues of mice in different treatment groups showed better integrity, and the intake of gel increased the length of small intestinal villi in mice, among which the 30-gel group had the highest value of villi length (599.27 ± 44.28) μm (p < 0.05) and showed the neatest and tightest arrangement, indicating that the intake of gel did not have adverse effects on the intestinal tract. The effect of gel ingestion on the diversity of the intestinal microbial community structure was more significant, positively promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria such as Desferriobacterium, Synechococcus, and Bifidobacterium. In addition, the ingestion of the gel improved the intestinal health of mice by altering the physiological functions of the intestinal flora and modulating their participation in various metabolic pathways. The above findings provide some theoretical value for the safety of 7S gel in food applications. Full article

Heavy metal pollution in the soil around bauxite mines, especially cadmium pollution, is becoming more and more severe due to this mining becoming more frequent. Therefore, it is urgent to develop green and safe remediation technology. Biostimulants have been studied extensively, but their practical application is still challenging. In this study, the effects of humic acid (HA), glucose (GLU), and tetrasodium glutamate diacetate (GLDA), as well as their synergistic complex bacterial flora, on Cd-contaminated soil were analyzed. It has been shown that applying these three types of stimulants, individually or with complex bacterial flora, can enhance soil environment and quality. Nevertheless, the remediation efficacy of stimulants in combination with microbial communities surpasses that achieved through the use of stimulants alone. Among them, 1%GLU combined with complex bacterial flora had the best passivation effect on Cd, reducing the available Cd by 25%, followed by 0.5% GLU combined with complex bacterial flora and 0.5%HA combined with complex bacterial flora, which reduced the available Cd by 21.92% and 19.17%, respectively. The synergistic remediation method using stimulants and microorganisms can reduce the harm caused to the environment by conventional remediation methods and improve the effectiveness of soil remediation. It has broad application prospects in the field of bauxite-contaminated soil remediation. Full article

Broad bean paste (BBP) is a traditional fermented soy food, and its high salt content not only prolongs the fermentation time but also threatens human health. In this study, three BBP-meju with different salt concentrations were prepared, and the effects of varying salinity on fermentation were comprehensively compared. The results showed that salt-reduced fermentation contributed to the accumulation of amino acid nitrogen, reducing sugars, free amino acids, and organic acids. Alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and acids were the main volatile flavor compounds in BBP-meju, and the highest total volatile flavor compounds were found in medium-salt meju. Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Aspergillus, and Mortierella were the dominant microbial communities during fermentation, and there were also three opportunistic pathogens, Enterobacter, Pantoea, and Brevundimonas, respectively. According to Spearman correlation analysis, Wickerhamomyces, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Mortierella all showed highly significant positive correlations with ≥3 key flavor compounds, which may be the core functional flora. Furthermore, the dominant microbial genera worked synergistically to promote the formation of high-quality flavor compounds and inhibit the production of off-flavors during salt-reduced fermentation. This study provides a theoretical reference for the quality and safety control of low-salt fermented soy foods. Full article

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. The role of intestinal microbiota in carcinogenesis has also become an important research topic, and CRC is closely related to the intestinal microbiota. Selenium-containing compounds have attracted more attention as anticancer drugs as they can have minimal side effects. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the effect of sodium selenite and selenomethionine on the microbial communities of nude mice with CRC. A CRC ectopic tumorigenesis model was established by subcutaneously injecting HCT116 cells into nude mice. The mice were then intraperitoneally injected with sodium selenite and selenomethionine for 24 days to regulate their intestinal microbiota. Compared with sodium selenite, selenomethionine resulted in a greater reduction in the richness and diversity of intestinal microbiota in nude mice with CRC, and the richness and diversity were closer to healthy levels. Selenomethionine also regulated a wider variety of flora. Additionally, sodium selenite and selenomethionine produced different microorganisms, changed function and metabolic pathways in the intestinal microbiota. Both sodium selenite and selenomethionine have certain effects on restoring the intestinal microbial diversity in nude mice with CRC, and the effect of selenomethionine is better than that of sodium selenite. Full article