Muscle Amino Acid Research Articles

Role of creatine supplementation on the myofiber characteristics and muscle protein synthesis of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus).

To assess the role of dietary creatine on myofiber characteristics and protein synthesis in muscle, we fed grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus, initial body weight: 88.47 ± 1.44 g) creatine-supplemented diets (1.84, 5.91, 8.48, and 15.44 g/kg diet) for 8 weeks. Creatine supplementation did not affect growth performance, but significantly increased creatine contents in muscle and liver. At 8.48 g/kg, creatine decreased the activities of alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase in serum, and improved hardness and chewiness of muscle due to shorter myofiber mean diameter, higher myofiber density and the frequencies of the diameters of class I and III and collagen content, longer sarcomere length, and upregulated mRNA levels of slow myosin heavy chains. Creatine supplementation upregulated the mRNA expressions of myogenic regulatory factors. The 8.48 g/kg creatine-supplemented diet significantly increased the contents of protein, total amino acids (AAs), essential AAs, and free flavor AAs in muscle, the protein levels of insulin-like growth factor I, myogenic differentiation antigen, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactlvator-1α in muscle, and stimulated the phosphorylation of target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway in muscle. In summary, 8.48 mg/kg creatine improved fish health and skeletal muscle growth, and increased hardness and protein synthesis in muscle of grass carp by affecting myofiber characteristics and the TOR signaling pathway. A second-order regression model revealed that the optimal dietary creatine supplementation of grass carp ranges between 8.48 and 12.04 g/kg.

Effect of dietary incorporation of peanut and linseed meals with or without enzyme mixture on physiological performance of broilers

The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of feeding peanut meal and linseed meal (LSM) with or without enzyme mixture on growth, plasma metabolites, muscle amino acid (AA) profile, nutrient digestibility, and expression of nutrient absorption-related genes in broilers. A total of 560 one-day-old Cobb-500 male broiler chicks were distributed into eight experimental treatments (7 replications of 10 chicks each) as follows: This study was designed by using 560 one-day-old Cobb-500 male broiler chicks were distributed into eight experimental groups (7 replications of 10 chicks each) to evaluate the differences in body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion rate, carcass parts, blood biochemical and mRNA expression genes. Group 1 (C) control fed the basal diet without supplements, Group 2 (C + E) is control group fed on 350 g/ton enzyme mixture, Group 3 (C + PNM100) is control group fed 100 kg/ton peanut meal, Group 4 (C + E + PNM100) is a control group fed on 350 g/ton enzyme mixture and 100 kg/ton peanut meal, Group 5 (C + LSM100) is a control group fed on 100 kg/ton linseed meal, Group 6 (C + E + LSM100) is a control group fed on 350 g/ton enzyme mixture and 100 kg/ton linseed meal, Group 7 (C + PNM50 + LSM50) is control group fed on 50 kg/ton peanut meal and 50 kg/ton linseed meal. Group 8 (C + E + PNM50 + LSM50) is the control group fed on 50 kg/ton peanut meal and 50 kg/ton linseed meal. Each gram of the enzyme mixture contains 11,000 U Xylanase, 6000 U Cellulase, 700 U β-Mannanase, 1500 U Phytase, 5 mg α-Amylase, and 2 mg Protease. No differences in Bodyweight, Bodyweight gain, Feed intake, and carcass parts were noticed among experimental groups, while abdominal fat (%) and FCR were reduced (P < 0.05) in PNM50 + LSM50 + E and LSM100 groups. Plasma metabolites were not altered except total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL, reduced (P < 0.01) in treated birds. Dietary inclusion of 100 kg PNM or LSM reduced (P < 0.05) methionine concentration in muscle, while all remaining AA and ammonia concentrations were unaffected. Hepatic MDA contents were reduced (P < 0.001) in treated groups. Nutrient digestibility was not altered among groups except for protein digestibility, which was elevated (P < 0.05) in PNM50 + LSM50 + E, E, and PNM100 + E groups. The highest mRNA expressions of PepT1, APN, SGLT1, HMGCR, GHr, and IGF-1 genes were noticed in PNM50 + LSM50 + E. Conclusively, PNM and LSM can efficiently substitute corn and soybean meal in broiler diets, particularly when fortified with exogenous enzymes, without negative impacts on broiler performance.

Effects of two natural diets on the biochemical compositions of post‐mating female mud crab ( Scylla paramamosain )

Understanding the effects of different natural diets on the growth performance and nutritional quality of mud crab Scylla paramamosain is important for both aquaculture and human nutrition perspectives. In the present study, female S. paramamosain were fed with two different natural diets, a marine bivalve species Potamocorbula rubromuscula (initial weight of the experimental crabs: 192.1 ± 29.2 g) and lizardfish Harpadon nehereus (initial weight of the experimental crabs: 188.1 ± 42.9 g) during the post-mating period. Furthermore, the weight gain ratio (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), gonado-somatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI), proximate compositions, total carotenoid content, amino and fatty acid profiles were investigated. Different diets affected HSI, carotenoid, lipid, amino acid and fatty acid contents in the claw muscle, hepatopancreas and ovary of female S. paramamosain. However, different diets did not affect the growth parameters including WGR, SGR and GSI. Crabs fed with P. rubromuscula had significantly higher amino acid content in the claw muscle, hepatopancreas and ovary, but lower HSI value and lipid content in the hepatopancreas and ovary compared with the crabs fed with H. nehereus. The carotenoid content was significantly higher in the hepatopancreas and ovary tissues of crabs fed with P. rubromuscula, whereas crab fed with H. nehereus displayed higher carotenoid content in the claw muscle. These results indicated that feeding S. paramamosain with P. rubromuscula could enhance amino acid contents (in claw muscle, hepatopancreas and ovary) and carotenoid contents in the hepatopancreas and ovary. Moreover, this study showed that the post-mating period is a critical period for nutritional deposition and a short feeding strategy during this period dramatically alters the body biochemical compositions.

Pools of Amino Acids of Skeletal Muscle in Yakutian Ground Squirrel Urocitellus undulatus during Different Hibernation Stages

Pools of Amino Acids of Skeletal Muscle in Yakutian Ground Squirrel Urocitellus undulatus during Different Hibernation Stages

Beneficial effects of phytase and/or protease on growth performance, digestive ability, immune response and muscle amino acid profile in low phosphorus and/or low fish meal gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) diets

A 10-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of individual and combined inclusion of phytase and protease on the growth performance, digestive ability, immune response and muscle amino acid profile of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) fed low phosphorus (LP) and/or low fish meal (LFM) diets. Seven experimental diets were designed: 1) Normal diet [PC, 15 g/kg Ca(H2PO4)2 and 80 g/kg fish meal], 2) Low P diet [10 g/kg Ca(H2PO4)2 and 80 g/kg fish meal], 3) LP + 0.4 g/kg phytase diet (LP + Ph), 4) Low fish meal diet [LFM, 15 g/kg Ca(H2PO4)2 and 50 g/kg fish meal], 5) LFM + 0.5 g/kg protease diet (LFM + Pr), 6) Low P and Low fish meal diet [LP-LFM, 10 g/kg Ca(H2PO4)2 and 50 g/kg fish meal] and 7) LP-LFM + 0.4 g/kg phytase +0.5 g/kg protease diet (LP-LFM + Ph + Pr). The results showed that the growth performance, whole body composition, nutrient digestibility, immunological indices, and muscle amino acid contents of gibel carp fed the LP, LFM and LP-LFM diets were dramatically lower than those of carp fed the normal diet (P<0.05). However, compared the LP-LFM, LFM and LP groups, dietary addition of phytase + protease, protease and phytase, respectively, (1) improved the special growth rate (SGR), weight gain rate (WGR), ADC of dry matter, crude protein and P; (2) upregulated the activities of lipase, trypsin, amylase and chymotrypsin in the liver and intestine; (3) increased liver lysozyme (LZM), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) levels, intestinal secreted immunoglobulin A (sIgA), complement 4 (C4) and C3 levels; (4) increased the contents of amino acids, for example, valine, leucine and methionine, in the muscle. Moreover, when both phytase and protease were added simultaneously, they had a better promoting effect than when individual added. It can be concluded that a reduction of dietary P and fish meal for gibel carp has side effects on growth performance, while phytase and protease could mitigate these effects by improving the digestive ability and immune response of gibel carp.

Microbiota–muscle/immune interactions in rhesus macaque under simulated microgravity revealed by integrated multi‐omics analysis

AbstractBackgroundLong‐term exposure to microgravity during spaceflight has adverse effects on human health including muscle atrophy, impaired immune function, and alterations in gut microbiome profile. Gut microorganisms influence a wide range of host biological processes, but their interactions with skeletal muscle and the immune system under microgravity have yet to be elucidated.MethodsRhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) were subjected to −6° head‐down tilted bed rest (HDBR) for 6 weeks. Faecal samples, skeletal muscle tissue, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected for metagenomic, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses, respectively, and further integrated for a multi‐omics analysis.ResultsHead‐down tilted bed rest significantly altered taxon abundance (P &lt; 0.05) in 1 class, 5 orders, 11 families, 55 genera, and 122 species of microbes. We also identified the significantly changed metabolites (P &lt; 0.05, fold change &gt;1.2, variable importance in projection &gt;1) in atrophied muscles, including some crucial metabolites (such as l‐alanine and l‐carnitine) and hub metabolites (such as pyridoxamine and epinephrine) involved in energy metabolism. Transcriptomic analysis of PBMCs revealed genes related to leucocyte activation, differentiation, and interleukin‐2 production that were differentially expressed as a result of HDBR exposure (fold change &gt;2 and P &lt; 0.05). By integrating multi‐omics analysis, we identified three bacterial genera (Klebsiella, Kluyvera, and Bifidobacterium) that were closely associated with immune dysfunction and five (including Oligella, Sporosarcina, Citrobacter, Weissella, and Myroides) that were associated with abnormal metabolism of amino acids in atrophied muscles induced by HDBR. The reduced abundance of butyrate‐producing colon bacteria Eubacterium, Roseburia, and their cross‐feeding bacteria Bifidobacteria may contribute to the impaired immune function and muscle atrophy caused by HDBR.ConclusionsThis is the first report of the HDBR‐associated changes in gut microbiota composition, metabolomics of skeletal muscle, and transcripts of PBMCs in a non‐human primate. The underlying microbiota–muscle and microbiota–immune interactions during simulated microgravity imply that modulation of gut microbiota may represent a novel strategy for enhancing the health and safety of crew members during long‐term space expeditions.

Use of Poultry By-product and Plant Protein Sources in Diets of Redclaw Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)

A total of 300 juvenile crayfish (13.0±0.03 g) were randomly distributed among 5 dietary groups (n=60, 3 replicates) held within 15×500 L-1 fiberglass tanks connected to a recirculation system (RAS), at 20 crayfish per tank. Each group was fed for 12 weeks one of five experimental diets where the main protein sources were: 1) control, fish-meal-based diet (FM, 48% of the diet); 2) 10% FM + 52.5% poultry by-product meal (PoM); 3) 34.5% soybean meal + 34.5% corn gluten meal (Pmix); 4) 34.5% PoM + 32.soybean/corn gluten meal mix (PoM/Pmix); and 5) 10% FM + 27.5% soybean + 27.5% corn gluten meal (FM/Pmix). The results demonstrated that there were no significant differences among diets in terms of growth and feed utilization efficiency. Muscle amino acid profile of redclaw crayfish fed the FM diet had the highest level of total essential amino acids, followed by FM/PMix, Pmix, PoM/Pmix, and PoM diets. Particularly, in all experimental groups, the highest essential amino acids (EAA) were lysine, arginine, and leucine. Based on these findings, we conclude that redclaw can perform well with FM-free vegetable diets and PoM-based diets although more research is needed into the total composition of EAA and FA in muscle.

Critical assessment of metabolism and related growth and quality traits in trout fed spirulina-supplemented plant-based diets

Nowadays in aquaculture, the nutrition of carnivorous fish species requires the development of sustainable plant-based diets. Supplementation with microorganisms such as spirulina could offer an alternative to full plant-based diets that are inappropriate for carnivorous species such as rainbow trout. However, the benefits and drawbacks of spirulina supplementation on fish performance and metabolism need to be assessed to substantiate spirulina as an appropriate ingredient. The objective of this work was to determine the metabolic utilization of a plant-based diet supplemented with two levels of spirulina (5% and 15%) and to compare it to a full plant-based (PB) and a commercial-like (COM) diet for trout. Spirulina supplementation induced both a decrease in feed intake and an increase in feed efficiency while maintaining growth and a putative reorientation of lipid deposition from viscera to muscle. Fatty acid changes, including an increase in saturated fatty acids, a decrease in monounsaturated fatty acids, and color changes with an increase in b* index (yellow), suggested a slight alteration of the nutritional and visual quality of fish fed a spirulina diet. 1H NMR metabolomics profiling was used to measure metabolites in experimental feeds and in fish plasma, liver, and muscle. Two specific compounds of the spirulina ingredient were identified and determined to have opposed metabolic fates: i) a quinone-like compound was found to accumulate in liver and ii) β-hydroxybutyrate was found to be completely metabolized. The main metabolites modulated by spirulina in plasma and tissues were involved in energy and amino acid metabolisms. Spirulina supplementation almost suppressed the accumulation of glucose and essential amino acids in fish plasma and muscle induced by the PB diet. However, these compounds, as well as betaine, were found to accumulate in the liver of fish fed spirulina-supplemented diets. An alteration of liver metabolism due to the specific fatty acid profile and quinone-like compound of spirulina is suspected. A correlative approach of fish performance, quality traits, and metabolomic data in plasma and liver suggests that the maintenance of growth rate and feed efficiency using spirulina supplementation of a PB diet requires not only the supply of a well-balanced protein but also the redirection of lipid metabolism. However, observed changes in fatty acid composition and color suggest further alterations of the phospholipid metabolism. This work thus provides a contrasted fate of spirulina supplementation of a PB diet with both expected positive effects and unexpected negative effects that must be investigated further.

Effects of methionine supplementation in plant protein based diet on growth performance and fillet quality of juveniles Yellow River carp (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus)

The 65 days rearing experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary methionine (Met) levels on growth performance and fillet quality of juveniles Yellow River carp, Cyprinus carpio haematopterus . Five diets containing 6.04 g/kg, 9.31 g/kg, 12.09 g/kg, 15.66 g/kg and 18.05 g/kg Met (Met 6.04, Met 9.31, Met 12.09, Met 15.66 and Met 18.05) were respectively fed to experimental carps (initial weight: 21.56 ± 0.46 g) with three replicates per group. The percentage weight gain (PWG), specific growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency (FE), protein efficiency (PE) and condition factor (CF) all elevated at first and then decreased with the increase of dietary Met levels, and all reached the maximum in Met 12.09 group ( P < 0.05). In Met 9.31 group, the shear force, resilience of raw fillet and the firmness, chewiness, cohesiveness, springiness, resilience of cooked fillet all reached the maximum ( P < 0.05), as did the collagen content and the myofiber density in white muscle, and similar trends were observed in the mRNA levels of myogenic differentiation antigen ( MyoD ), Myogenin , myogenic factor 4 ( Mrf4 ) and myosin light chain ( MyLc ) and the protein expression levels of Myogenin, myosin heavy chain (MyHc) and MyLc. The contents of Ile, Leu, Lys, Arg, Asp, Glu, Ala, Tyr, total umami amino acids (UAA, Asp, Glu, Gly and Ala), total essential amino acids (TEAA), total non-essential amino acids (TNEAA) and total amino acids (TAA) reached the maximum in Met 15.66 group ( P < 0.05). In addition, the quadratic regression analysis of PWG, firmness, chewiness and springiness of cooked fillet against dietary Met levels suggested that the appropriate dietary Met levels (crude protein, about 32.5% and crude lipid, about 8.1% in diet) of Yellow River carp (21.5–69.7 g) was estimated to be 12.20 g/kg, 9.54 g/kg, 11.01 g/kg and 13.70 g/kg, respectively. Our study could lay a theoretical and practical foundation for precise nutritional regulation of flesh quality of Yellow River carp. • Dietary methionine levels change the growth and muscle amino acid composition. • Dietary methionine levels change the myofibers diameter and density. • The methionine levels have more obvious effect on cooked than raw fillet in texture.

Long-term fasting leads to preferential catabolism of His, Arg, and branched-chain amino acids in the dorsal muscle of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio): Potential preferential use of amino acids as energy substrates

In fish, the prerequisite of obtaining the protein-sparing effect is to understand the preferential use of amino acids as energy substrates, which are species-specific. However, little is known regarding this phenomenon in many fish species. In the present study, gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) were starved for 40 days to investigate the preferred energy expenditure of amino acid profiles in the muscle of the fish. The results showed that the body fat content of gibel carp significantly decreased immediately after starvation and then body protein content declined significantly from 10 days after starvation. In the present study, His, Arg and branched chain amino acids (BCAA) were the first amino acids that dropped significantly in gibel carp under starvation. Based on the loss rate of amino acids in the dorsal muscle of the starved gibel carp, the amino acids were ranked in the order of His > Arg > Ile > Val > Ala > Lys > Leu > Asp > Gly. Furthermore, KEGG pathway classification of the transcripts indicated that the differentially expressed genes of BCAA degradation, glycine metabolism, arginine metabolism, histidine metabolism, alanine and aspartate metabolism, and lysine metabolism were significantly induced in the starved gibel carp. This was further validated by the PCR results that the key catabolism-related genes of BCAA (bcat), arginine (arg-II, ass), lysine (aass) and asparatate (asp-d) were significantly up-regulated in the starved fish. The present study concluded that EAA (His, Arg, Ile, Val, Leu, Lys) and NEAA (Asp, Ala and Gly) were the preferred amino acids to be used as energy substrates in gibel carp. This finding could help in utilizing more amino acids for body protein synthesis rather than for energy supply in this fish.

Transcriptome analysis in comparing carcass and meat quality traits of Jiaxing Black Pig and Duroc×Duroc×Berkshire×Jiaxing Black Pig crosses.

This study compares two typical strains: Chinese local excellent meat quality of Jiaxing Black (JXB) Pig and quadratic crossbred pig strain Duroc×Duroc×Berkshire×Jiaxing Black (DDBJ). It was found that between the two pig strains, carcass traits and meat quality traits differed significantly. This is exemplified by the leanness and dressing out percent of DDBJ that were significantly higher than JXB pigs of the same age (P<0.05) and the better growth rate of DDBJ pigs as to JXB pigs was shown by quantifying muscle proliferation and differentiation of longissimus dorsi muscle employing Hematoxylin and Eosin staining of longissimus dorsi muscle. Nutrients such as inosinic acid, intramuscular fat, and free amino acids in the longissimus dorsi muscle were significantly higher in JXB pigs than DDBJ pigs (p<0.0001); saturated fatty acids were higher in JXB than in DDBJ pigs (p=0.0097); essential amino acids and fresh taste amino acids (serine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, alanine) of JXB pigs was higher than that of DDBJ pigs (p<0.0001) and amino acids in longissimus dorsi muscle of JXB pigs surpasses the amino acid concentration of DDBJ pigs (p<0.0001), thus showing the superiority of JXB in terms of meat quality. However, the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which is responsible for poor meat quality, was significantly higher in the longissimus dorsi muscle of DDBJ pig than JXB pigs (p<0.0001); RNA-seq analysis of 5 biological replicates from two of the strains was performed. The screening of 164 up-regulated genes and 183 down-regulated genes found in longissimus dorsi muscle of DDBJ was done and the results identified differentially expressed genes related to muscle development, adipogenesis, amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism and inosine synthesis. In conclusion, the study identified functional genes, elucidated the mechanisms associated with carcass quality traits, meat quality traits and other related traits, and provided means of genetic enhancement to improve meat quality traits and carcass traits in Chinese commercial pigs.

The Role of Dietary Essential Amino Acids in Muscle and Health

The Role of Dietary Essential Amino Acids in Muscle and Health

Effect of season on slaughter performance, meat quality, muscle amino acid and fatty acid composition, and metabolism of pheasants (Phasianus colchicus).

This study aimed to investigate the effect of summer and winter on slaughter performance, muscle quality, flavor-related substance content, and gene expression levels related to the fat metabolism of pheasants. One-hundred 1-day-old pheasants were fed for 5 months starting in March and July and then, respectively, slaughtered in summer (August) and winter (December). The results revealed that compared with summer, winter not only increased pheasant live weight, dressed percentage, full-eviscerated yield, and muscle yield (p < 0.05) but also enhanced the activities of SOD and CAT in serum (p < 0.05). Winter significantly increased meat color, the contents of inosinic acid, and flavor amino acid in muscle. Amino acid contents in leg muscles of pheasants in winter were significantly higher than in summer except for histidine (p < 0.05). Winter increased the contents of muscle mono-unsaturated fatty acid, reducing saturated fatty acid. Summer improved fat synthesis in liver, promoted the deposition of triglycerides and cholesterol, and reduced the expression levels of fat metabolism-related genes in muscle, while winter increased the expression levels of genes related to muscle fat metabolism to provide energy for body and affect muscle fatty acid profile. Overall, pheasants fed in winter had better sensory quality and flavor than summer.

Effects of low salinity on fatty acid and free amino acid composition of muscle tissues in Portunus trituberculatus

The effects of low salinity on fatty acid and free amino acid (FAA) composition in muscles of swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus, were investigated in this study. The swimming crabs were reared for 5 weeks under two different experimental treatments (the 12 ppt group and the 24 ppt group). Then, composition of fatty acids and free amino acids in total muscles was measured using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with external standard method and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (LC-MS) with internal standard method respectively. Results of fatty acid analysis showed that C18:1n9c, C20:5n3 (EPA) and C22:6n3 (DHA) were the dominating fatty acids in muscle tissues of P. trituberculatus. There was an extremely significant increase in contents of total fatty acids (TFA), total saturated fatty acids (SFA), total monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in muscle tissues of P. trituberculatus with low salinity treatment (12 ppt) compared with those cultured in seawater (24 ppt) (p < 0.01). Results of free amino acid analysis showed that the content of total free amino acids (TFAA) significantly decreased in muscle tissues of P. trituberculatus with low salinity treatment compared with those in seawater (p < 0.05). Among all flavour-tasting FAAs, the umami FAA content was extremely significantly higher in low salinity group compared with control group (p < 0.01); the sweetish FAA content was significantly lower in low salinity group while the bitter taste of FAA content had no significant differences between two groups.

Haematological and metabolic profiles of brooder giant kokopu, Galaxias argenteus (Gmelin 1789) based on sex and temperature

This study assessed the selected peripheral blood haematological parameters and metabolite profiles linked to liver, serum and muscle samples in 3-year-old male (weight = 131.19 ± 29.24 g; total length = 21.33 ± 1.20 cm; n = 5) and female (122.96 ± 27.04 g; total length = 21.09 ± 1.09 cm; n = 5) giant kokopu (Galaxias argenteus) broodstock cultured at 12°C and 16°C. Temperature and sex did not influence haematocrit values or counts of total blood cells, erythrocytes and leucocytes. However, fish reared at 16°C had higher thrombocyte counts, whereas those kept at 12°C exhibited the highest proportion of lymphocytes. At the metabolic level, sex was the main factor that influenced metabolite levels across tissues, with particularly higher amino acid metabolites in liver of females. Changes linked to the interaction between temperature and sex showed significant differences in fatty acid profiles of liver, and in amino acids in muscle and serum samples. Males kept at 16°C exhibited decreased levels of myristic acid and nonadecanoic acid linked to homeoviscous adaptation. In females, levels for energy metabolites including tyrosine and aspartic acid (in muscle), and alanine (in serum) were disturbed at 16°C. The study provides insights into preliminary haematological and metabolic effects associated with sex and temperature in galaxiids.

Effects of Dietary Probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) Supplementation on Carcass Traits, Meat Quality, Amino Acid, and Fatty Acid Profile of Broiler Chickens.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with or without Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) on carcass traits, meat quality, amino acids, and fatty acids of broiler chickens. In total, 160 1-day-old Arbor Acres male broiler chicks were divided into two groups with eight replicates of 10 chicks each. Chickens received basal diets without (CN group) or with 500 mg/kg B. subtilis (BS group) for 42 days. Eight chickens from each group were slaughtered at the end of the trial, and carcass traits, meat quality, chemical composition, amino acid, and fatty acid profile of meat were measured. The results showed that the breast muscle (%) was higher in BS than in CN (p < 0.05), while abdominal fat decreased (p < 0.05). The pH24h of thigh muscle was increased (p < 0.05) when supplemented with BS; however, drip loss, cooking loss of breast muscle, and shear force of thigh muscle decreased (p < 0.05). Lysine (Lys), methionine (Met), glutamic acid (Glu), and total essential amino acid (EAA) in breast muscle and Glu in thigh muscle were greater in BS than in CN (p < 0.05). C16:1, C18:1n9c, and MUFA in breast muscle and thigh muscle were greater in BS than in CN (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with B. subtilis could improve the carcass traits and meat quality of broilers, which is beneficial for the consumers due to the improved fatty acid profile and amino acid composition.

Effects of Feeding Fermented Mulberry Leaf Powder on Growth Performance, Slaughter Performance, and Meat Quality in Chicken Broilers.

Simple SummaryMulberry leaf is widely used in ruminants feeding, such as sheep, beef cattle, and dairy calves. Due to the high content of crude fiber in mature mulberry leaves and branches and the presence of anti-nutritional factors such as tannin, excessive addition will affect the production performance and health of livestock and poultry, and limit its large-scale application in animal production to a certain extent. The disadvantages of woody plants can be improved by microbial fermentation, which can reduce the content of anti-nutritional factors, and increase the content of peptides and amino acids, probiotics, and bioactive components. In this study, Lactobacillus, Saccharomycetes, and Bacillus subtilis were used to make mixed strains to ferment mulberry leaf powder, and different proportions were added to the diet of yellow feathered chicken broilers. The results showed that the addition of fermented mulberry leaf in the diet could improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and then improve its growth performance, and increase the contents of inosine monophosphate (IMP), total amino acids, essential amino acids, and delicious amino acids in breast and thigh muscle, and improved polyunsaturated fatty acids and essential fatty acids in breast muscle; this also has a positive effect on improving meat quality.This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding fermented mulberry leaf powder (FMLP) on growth performance, slaughter performance, and meat quality of broilers. A total of 360 1-day-old chickens were randomly divided into 5 groups. The control group was fed basal diet (CON), 3% FMLP, 6% FMLP, 9% FMLP, and 3% unfermented mulberry leaf powder. The (MLP) group was fed basal diet supplemented with 3%, 6%, 9% fermented mulberry leaf powder, and 3% MLP, respectively. The experiment lasted for 56 days, with 1–28 days as the starter phase and 29–56 days as the grower phase. The results on the growth performance showed that diets supplemented with 3% FMLP significantly increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of broilers, enhanced the activity of intestinal amylase and digestibility of dry matter and crude protein, improved the average daily gain (ADG), and decreased the feed to gain ratio (F/G) (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group diet, the 3% FMLP group diet significantly increased the breast muscle yield (p < 0.05), reduced the abdominal fat ratio (0.1 < p < 0.05), and improved the slaughter performance of broilers. The 3% MLP group diet increased the shear force of breast muscle (p < 0.05) and thigh muscle of broilers compared to the control group, and adding FMLP could reverse the above results. Additionally, relative to the control group, FMLP supplementation improved the contents of inosine monophosphate (IMP), total amino acids (TAA), essential amino acids (EAA), and delicious amino acids (DAA) in breast and thigh muscle, and improved polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and essential fatty acids (EFA) in breast muscle; the 6% and 9% FMLP groups showed preferably such effects (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of FMLP can improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and then improve the growth performance of broilers; it also has a positive effect on improving slaughter performance and meat quality.

Ovarian fullness affects biochemical composition and nutritional quality of female swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus

Ovary is an important edible component of female crabs in many countries, and ovarian fullness (maturity) had become an important quality indicator used for crab marketing. Adult females Portunus trituberculatus are typically divided into four grades (Grade I - Ⅳ) based on ovarian fullness in the carapace during the marketing. This study investigated the chemical composition and nutritional quality of market size female P. trituberculatus. The gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and total edible yield (TEY) showed a stepwise increase from Grade Ⅰ to Ⅳ (P < 0.05). Crude protein and total lipid content in both ovaries and muscle significantly increased with fullness, where Grade Ⅱ - Ⅳ had significantly higher lipid contents in the hepatopancreas compared to Grade Ⅰ. Redness (a*) of carapace and ovaries was consistent with the total carotenoid contents in tissues. Σ MUFA in both ovaries and muscle increased with crab grade, while Σ PUFA in ovaries and muscle, as well as Σ MUFA in the hepatopancreas decreased. For most amino acids in ovaries and muscle were also found to increase with grade. Higher-graded females generally had higher TEY, color parameters and better nutritional quality in edible tissues than the Grade I and II, which appears related to their different ovary stages of P. trituberculatus.

Performance, Carcass Yield, Muscle Amino Acid Profile, and Levels of Brain Neurotransmitters in Aged Laying Hens Fed Diets Supplemented with Guanidinoacetic Acid.

Simple SummaryIn commercial laying hens, aging is associated with a lower egg production rate and the marketing of spent hen carcasses shows some difficulty, probably due to the expected low meat yield. Using these hens as whole carcasses or to produce meat products for large-scale consumption could provide economic benefits to the poultry markets in developing countries. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with guanidinoacetic acid (GA) on the carcass yield and muscle amino acid profile of aged laying hens. Dietary GA supplements were shown to improve the carcass yield and the levels of essential amino acids in the breast and thigh muscles of laying hens.Guanidinoacetic acid (GA) is a natural precursor of creatine in the body and is usually used to improve the feed conversion and cellular energy metabolism of broiler chickens. The objective was to elucidate the effect of dietary supplementation of GA on carcass yield, muscle amino acid profile, and concentrations of brain neurotransmitters in laying hens. In total, 128 72-week-old ISA Brown laying hens were assigned to four equal groups (32 birds, eight replicates per group). The control group (T1) was fed a basal diet with no supplements, while the other experimental groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.5 (T2), 1.0 (T3), and 1.5 (T4) g GA kg−1 diet. The T3 and T4 groups showed higher hen-day egg production and carcass yield compared to the control group (p = 0.016 and 0.039, respectively). The serum creatine level increased linearly with the increased level of dietary GA (p = 0.007). Among the essential amino acids of breast muscle, a GA-supplemented diet linearly increased the levels of leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, methionine, and threonine in the breast (p = 0.003, 0.047, 0.001, 0.001, and 0.015, respectively) and thigh (p = 0.026, 0.001, 0.020, 0.009, and 0.028, respectively) muscles. GA supplementation linearly reduced the level of brain serotonin compared to the control group (p = 0.010). Furthermore, supplementation of GA in the diet of laying hens linearly increased the level of brain dopamine (p = 0.011), but reduced the level of brain Gamma-aminobutyric acid (p = 0.027). Meanwhile, the concentration of brain nitric oxide did not differ between the experimental groups (p = 0.080). In conclusion, the dietary supplementation of GA may improve the carcass yield and levels of essential amino acids in the breast muscles, as well as the brain neurotransmitters in aged laying hens.

Corticosterone-Mediated Physiological Stress Alters Liver, Kidney, and Breast Muscle Metabolomic Profiles in Chickens.

Simple SummaryCorticosterone is the major stress hormone in birds and research has shown that an increase in corticosterone can have adverse effects on bird health (e.g., predisposition to disease) production performance metrics. However, it is not currently possible to monitor commercial flocks for stress before performance is affected. A popular model of chicken stress involves administering corticosterone to chickens though their drinking water. However, corticosterone is non-polar so it must first be dissolved in ethanol, which means that the chickens are also drinking ethanol. In this study, an untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics approach was used to investigate the effects of this model of stress in chickens, as well as the effects corticosterone on the chicken kidney, liver, and breast muscle metabolomes. We hypothesized that physiological stress modulates the metabolome of liver, kidney, and breast muscle due to increases in catabolism and gluconeogenesis. The administration of corticosterone altered the chicken liver, kidney, and breast muscle metabolomes. However, the ethanol carrier affected the metabolome of all three tissues, which indicated that corticosterone should be administered in an alternate fashion in future metabolomics studies to remove the confounding effects of ethanol. Furthermore, future research should focus on relating metabolite changes in tissues to non-destructive markers like blood, feces, or feathers to develop new diagnostic tools to better monitor on-farm stress during production.The impact of physiological stress on the metabolomes of liver, kidney, and breast muscle was investigated in chickens. To incite a stress response, birds were continuously administered corticosterone (CORT) in their drinking water at three doses (0, 10, and 30 mg L−1), and they were sampled 1, 5, and 12 days after the start of the CORT administration. To solubilize CORT, it was first dissolved in ethanol and then added to water. The administration of ethanol alone significantly altered branched chain amino acid metabolism in both the liver and the kidney, and amino acid and nitrogen metabolism in breast muscle. CORT significantly altered sugar and amino acid metabolism in all three tissues, but to a much greater degree than ethanol alone. In this regard, CORT administration significantly altered 11, 46, and 14 unique metabolites in liver, kidney, and breast muscle, respectively. Many of the metabolites that were affected by CORT administration, such as mannose and glucose, were previously linked to increases in glycosylation and gluconeogenesis in chickens under conditions of production stress. Moreover, several of these metabolites, such as dimethylglycine, galactose, and carnosine were also previously linked to reduced quality meat. In summary, the administration of CORT in chickens significantly modulated host metabolism. Moreover, results indicated that energy potentials are diverted from muscle anabolism to muscle catabolism and gluconeogenesis during periods of stress.