Chicken Gastrointestinal Tract Research Articles

Heat Shock Protein Alteration in the Gastrointestinal Tract Tissues of Chickens Exposed to Arsenic Trioxide.

Arsenic (As) is widely distributed in our living environment and is useful for industry, agriculture, medical treatment, and other fields. Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) is an existing form of As. Exposure to As2O3 has a toxic effect on humans and animals. It not only leads to skin cancer, peripheral vascular disease, hyperkeratosis, etc. but also interferes with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract is an important organ for animals to transform the food they eat into the nutrients their body needs for maintenance and growth. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) exist in the non-stress normal cells and their expression increases under stimuli. Therefore, we wonder whether the "stimulus" of As2O3 could change the messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance and expression level of Hsps in the gastrointestinal tract of birds. To investigate the relation between arseniasis and Hsp alterations in the chicken's gastrointestinal tract induced by an As2O3-supplemented diet, we selected 72 one-day-old male Hy-line chickens and randomly divided them into four groups. They were fed either a commercial diet or an As2O3-supplemented diet containing 7.5, 15, and 30mg/kg As2O3. The experiment lasted for 90days, and gastrointestinal tract tissue samples (gizzard, glandular stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, and rectum) were collected at 30, 60, and 90days. The mRNA contents of Hsps (including Hsp27, Hsp40, Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90) were examined by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). The correlation between As2O3 and Hsp genes was assessed. In addition, the protein expression levels of Hsp60 and Hsp70 in the gastrointestinal tract tissue samples were measured by western blot. The results indicated that the mRNA expression levels and the Hsp expression levels in the gastrointestinal tract tissues of chickens with As2O3 supplementation increased at different time points in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05 or p<0.01). These data suggested that arseniasis influenced the mRNA abundance of Hsp27, Hsp40, Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90 and the protein expression levels of Hsp60 and Hsp70 in the chicken's gastrointestinal tract tissues.

Bitter, sweet and umami taste receptors and downstream signaling effectors: Expression in embryonic and growing chicken gastrointestinal tract

Taste perception is a crucial biological mechanism affecting food and water choices and consumption in the animal kingdom. Bitter taste perception is mediated by a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family—the taste 2 receptors (T2R)—and their downstream proteins, whereas sweet and umami tastes are mediated by the GPCR family -taste 1 receptors (T1R) and their downstream proteins. Taste receptors and their downstream proteins have been identified in extra-gustatory tissues in mammals, such as the lungs and gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and their GIT activation has been linked with different metabolic and endocrinic pathways in the GIT. The chicken genome contains three bitter taste receptors termed ggTas2r1, ggTas2r2, and ggTas2r7, and the sweet/umami receptors ggTas1r1 and ggTas1r3, but it lacks the sweet receptor ggTas1r2. The aim of this study was to identify and determine the expression of genes related to taste perception in the chicken GIT, both at the embryonic stage and in growing chickens. The results of this study demonstrate for the first time, using real-time PCR, expression of the chicken taste receptor genes ggTas2r1, ggTas2r2, ggTas2r7, ggTas1r1, and ggTas1r3 and of their downstream protein-encoding genes TRPM5, α-gustducin, and PLCβ2 in both gustatory tissues—the palate and tongue, and extra-gustatory tissues—the proventriculus, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon of embryonic day 19 (E19) and growing (21 d old) chickens. Expression of these genes suggests the involvement of taste pathways for sensing carbohydrates, amino acids and bitter compounds in the chicken GIT.

Metagenomic Analysis of Chicken Gut Microbiota for Improving Metabolism and Health of Chickens - A Review.

Chicken is a major food source for humans, hence it is important to understand the mechanisms involved in nutrient absorption in chicken. In the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), the microbiota plays a central role in enhancing nutrient absorption and strengthening the immune system, thereby affecting both growth and health of chicken. There is little information on the diversity and functions of chicken GIT microbiota, its impact on the host, and the interactions between the microbiota and host. Here, we review the recent metagenomic strategies to analyze the chicken GIT microbiota composition and its functions related to improving metabolism and health. We summarize methodology of metagenomics in order to obtain bacterial taxonomy and functional inferences of the GIT microbiota and suggest a set of indicator genes for monitoring and manipulating the microbiota to promote host health in future.

Transducer like proteins of Campylobacter jejuni 81-176: role in chemotaxis and colonization of the chicken gastrointestinal tract.

Transducer Like Proteins (Tlps), also known as methyl accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCP), enable enteric pathogens to respond to changing nutrient levels in the environment by mediating taxis toward or away from specific chemoeffector molecules. Despite recent advances in the characterization of chemotaxis responses in Campylobacter jejuni, the impact of Tlps on the adaptation of this pathogen to disparate niches and hosts is not fully characterized. The latter is particularly evident in the case of C. jejuni 81-176, a strain that is known to be highly invasive. Furthermore, the cytoplasmic group C Tlps (Tlp5, 6, and 8) were not extensively evaluated. Here, we investigated the role of C. jejuni 81-176 Tlps in chemotaxis toward various substrates, biofilm formation, in vitro interaction with human intestinal cells, and chicken colonization. We found that the Δtlp6 and Δtlp10 mutants exhibited decreased chemotaxis toward aspartate, whereas the Δtlp6 mutant displayed a decreased chemotaxis toward Tri-Carboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle intermediates such as pyruvate, isocitrate, and succinate. Our findings also corroborated that more than one Tlp is involved in mediating chemotaxis toward the same nutrient. The deletion of tlps affected important phenotypes such as motility, biofilm formation, and invasion of human intestinal epithelial cells (INT-407). The Δtlp8 mutant displayed increased motility in soft agar and showed decreased biofilm formation. The Δtlp8 and Δtlp9 mutants were significantly defective in invasion in INT-407 cells. The Δtlp10 mutant was defective in colonization of the chicken proximal and distal gastrointestinal tract, while the Δtlp6 and Δtlp8 mutants showed reduced colonization of the duodenum and jejunum. Our results highlight the importance of Tlps in C. jejuni's adaptation and pathobiology.

Narrow-Spectrum Inhibitors of Campylobacter jejuni Flagellar Expression and Growth

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of food-borne illness due to its ability to reside within the gastrointestinal tracts of chickens. Multiple studies have identified the flagella of C. jejuni as a major determinant of chicken colonization. An inhibitor screen of approximately 147,000 small molecules was performed to identify compounds that are able to inhibit flagellar expression in a reporter strain of C. jejuni. Several compounds that modestly inhibited motility of wild-type C. jejuni in standard assays were identified, as were a number of small molecules that robustly inhibited C. jejuni growth, in vitro. Examination of similar bacterial screens found that many of these small molecules inhibited only the growth of C. jejuni. Follow-up assays demonstrated inhibition of other strains of C. jejuni and Campylobacter coli but no inhibition of the closely related Helicobacter pylori. The compounds were determined to be bacteriostatic and nontoxic to eukaryotic cells. Preliminary results from a day-of-hatch chick model of colonization suggest that at least one of the compounds demonstrates promise for reducing Campylobacter colonization loads in vivo, although further medicinal chemistry may be required to enhance bioavailability.

Isolation and characterization of Bacillus subtilis CH16 strain from chicken gastrointestinal tracts for use as a feed supplement to promote weight gain in broilers.

Spore-forming bacterial strains were isolated from chicken gastrointestinal tracts to develop a heat-stable feed supplement that promotes weight gain in broilers. Seven Bacillus strains having more than 90% sporulation were screened from the isolates and identified to be closely related with Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis. Of the seven strains, B. subtilis CH16 was selected to develop a feed supplement for broilers, because it formed 100% heat-stable spores, grew rapidly at 42°C and quickly formed a biofilm. In large-scale trials in broilers (n ≥ 1150 per group), the group fed CH16 (3 × 10(6) CFU g(-1) pellet) showed higher average daily gain (ADG = 61·16) and lower food conversion ratio (FCR = 1·696) than did the group fed B. licheniformis CH22 (ADG = 57·10 and FCR = 1·792), the group fed B. subtilis HU58 (ADG = 51·90 and FCR = 1·868), BioPlus group (ADG = 59·32 and FCR = 1·807) and the control group (ADG = 56·02 and FCR = 1·880). In conclusion, CH16 spores significantly increased ADG by 9·17% and reduced FCR by 9·79% in broilers. The result supports the use of B. subtilis CH16 of chicken intestinal origin as a feed supplement that promote weight gain in broilers. Significance and impact of the study: This study reports screening of Bacillus strains isolated from chicken gastrointestinal tracts for development of a feed supplement that promote weight gain in broilers. Of the seven Bacillus isolates with high sporulation efficiency (≥90%), Bacillus subtilis CH16 strain showed the best growth and biofilm formation at body temperature of broilers (42°C). In large-scale trials in broilers (n ≥ 1150 per group), CH16 spores induced a 9·17% increase in daily weight gain (ADG) and a 9·79% reduction in FCR while the commercial BioPlus(®) YC induced only a 5·89% increase in ADG and a 3·88% reduction in FCR.

Molecular Characterization of Bacteriocinogenic, Antifungal and Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Chicken Gastrointestinal Tract

In this study, bacteriocinogenic Lactobacillus plantarum isolates capable of inhibiting food- and feed-borne filamentous fungi from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of broiler chicken were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and further evaluated for probiotic properties in vitro. Six potent lactobacilli were selected from one hundred and thirteen isolates for the present study based on their ability to inhibit both pathogenic bacteria and filamentous fungi. They were characterized using various physiological, biochemical and molecular methods. They were acetoin producers, homo fermentative, catalase-negative and producing racemic lactic acid (10 - 20 mM). All the six isolates exhibited varied sugar utilization and RAPD pattern, indicated their strain level genotypic variation. The 16S rRNA gene sequence and multiplex PCR analysis confirmed that these isolates were Lactobacillus plantarum. The isolates being resistant to low pH (2.0) and bile salt (0.6%) could survive in the gastrointestinal tract of host indicating their potential probiotic application. The isolates were non-pathogenic (γ-hemolytic) and exhibited resistance to antibiotics ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, nitrofurantoin, colistin and streptomycin. They demonstrated strong autoaggregating phenotype ranging from 78% to 86% and showed 49% - 61% and 30% - 46% coaggregation with E. coli MTCC 728 and L. monocytogenes MTCC 657, respectively. The percentage of hydrophobicity ranged from 16% - 33% for all the isolates showing that surface was rather hydrophilic. They exhibited β-galactosidase activity ranging from 1036 - 1179 MU, bile salt hydrolase activity assisting to reduce serum cholesterol and produced the anti-Listerial bacteriocin. The strong inhibitory activity of these isolates against food spoilage molds and bacteria with probiotic properties indicates their potential application as food preservatives.

Reactions of chicken sera to recombinant Campylobacter jejuni flagellar proteins.

Campylobacter jejuni is a Gram-negative spiral rod bacterium and is the leading but underreported bacterial food-borne pathogen that causes human campylobacteriosis worldwide. Raw or undercooked poultry products are regarded as a major source for human infection. C. jejuni flagella have been implicated in colonization and adhesion to the mucosal surface of chicken gastrointestinal tracts. Therefore, flagellar proteins would be the excellent targets for further investigation. In this report, we used the recombinant technology to generate a battery of C. jejuni flagellar proteins, which were purified by His tag affinity chromatography and determined antigenic profiles of these recombinant flagellar proteins using sera from chickens older than 6 weeks of age. The immunoblot results demonstrate that each chicken serum reacted to various numbers of recombinant flagellar proteins. Among these recombinant proteins, chicken sera reacted predominantly to the FlgE1, FlgK, FlhF, FliG and FliY proteins. These antibody screening results provide a rationale for further evaluation of these recombinant flagellar proteins as potential vaccines for chickens to improve food safety as well as investigation of host immune response to C. jejuni.

Application of Lactobacillus johnsonii expressing phage endolysin for control of Clostridium perfringens.

Clostridium perfringens is frequently found in food and the environment and produces potent toxins that have a negative impact on both human and animal health and particularly on the poultry industry. Lactobacillus johnsonii FI9785, isolated from the chicken gastrointestinal tract, has been demonstrated to exclude Cl. perfringens in poultry. We have investigated the interaction of wild-type Lact. johnsonii FI9785 or an engineered strain expressing a cell wall-hydrolysing endolysin with Cl. perfringens in vitro, using a batch culture designed to simulate human gastrointestinal tract conditions. Co-culture experiments indicated that acid production by Lact. johnsonii is important in pathogen control. The co-culture of the endolysin-secreting Lact. johnsonii with Cl. perfringens showed that the engineered strain had the potential to control the pathogen, but the ability to reduce Cl. perfringens numbers was not consistent. Results obtained indicate that survival of high numbers of Lact. johnsonii will be essential for effective pathogen control. Significance and impact of the study: The bacterium Lactobacillus johnsonii FI9785 reduces numbers of the pathogen Clostridium perfringens in vitro. Biocontrol was improved by engineering the strain to produce and export a cell wall-hydrolysing endolysin, but good survival of the producer strain is essential. The production of bacteriophage endolysins by commensal bacteria has the potential to improve competitive exclusion of pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract.

Spatial heterogeneity and stability of bacterial community in the gastrointestinal tracts of broiler chickens

Bacterial communities in the different regions of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of broiler chickens were analyzed by pyrosequencing approach to understand microbial composition and diversity. The DNA samples extracted from 7 different regions along the GIT were subjected to bacterial-community analysis by pyrosequencing of the V1–V3 region of 16S rRNA gene. Major bacterial phyla in the chicken-gut microbiota includedFirmicutes,Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes,Actinobacteria, andAcidobacteria, butFirmicutes were mostly dominant (67.3 ± 16.1% of the total sequence reads identified). AmongFirmicutes,Lactobacillales, including the generaLactobacillus andEnterococcus, were the most dominant (51.8 ± 34.5% of the total sequence reads identified) from the crop to ileum. In contrast, in the cecum and large intestine, those genera were rarely detected, andClostridiales were dominant (55.9 ± 31.4%). Fast UniFrac analysis showed that microbial communities from the crop to jejunum of the same individual chicken were grouped together, and those from ileum, cecum, and large intestine were clustered in a more GIT-specific manner. The numbers of shared operational taxonomic units between the neighboring segments of GIT were low, ranging from 2.9 to 20.3%. However, the abundance of shared operational taxonomic units in each segment was relatively high, ranging from 61.7 to 85.0%, suggesting that substantial proportions of microbial communities were shared between each segment and its neighboring segments, comprising a core microbiota. Our results suggested that the microbial communities of 7 main segments in the chicken GIT were distinctive according to both individuals and the different segments of GIT, but their stability was maintained along the GIT.

Evaluation of germination, distribution, and persistence of Bacillus subtilis spores through the gastrointestinal tract of chickens

Spores are popular as direct-fed microbials, though little is known about their mode of action. Hence, the first objective of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro germination and growth rate of Bacillus subtilis spores. Approximately 90% of B. subtilis spores germinate within 60 min in the presence of feed in vitro. The second objective was to determine the distribution of these spores throughout different anatomical segments of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in a chicken model. For in vivo evaluation of persistence and dissemination, spores were administered to day-of-hatch broiler chicks either as a single gavage dose or constantly in the feed. During 2 independent experiments, chicks were housed in isolation chambers and fed sterile corn-soy-based diets. In these experiments one group of chickens was supplemented with 106 spores/g of feed, whereas a second group was gavaged with a single dose of 106 spores per chick on day of hatch. In both experiments, crop, ileum, and cecae were sampled from 5 chicks at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h. Viable B. subtilis spores were determined by plate count method after heat treatment (75°C for 10 min). The number of recovered spores was constant through 120 h in each of the enteric regions from chickens receiving spores supplemented in the feed. However, the number of recovered B. subtilis spores was consistently about 105 spores per gram of digesta, which is about a 1-log10 reduction of the feed inclusion rate, suggesting approximately a 90% germination rate in the GIT when fed. On the other hand, recovered B. subtilis spores from chicks that received a single gavage dose decreased with time, with only approximately 102 spores per gram of sample by 120 h. This confirms that B. subtilis spores are transiently present in the GIT of chickens, but the persistence of vegetative cells is presently unknown. For persistent benefit, continuous administration of effective B. subtilis direct-fed microbials as vegetative cells or spores is advisable.

Characterization of the most abundant Lactobacillus species in chicken gastrointestinal tract and potential use as probiotics for genetic engineering.

The count and diffusion of Lactobacilli species in the different gastrointestinal tract (GI) regions of broilers were investigated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the probiotic characteristics of six L. reuteri species isolated from broilers' GI tract were also investigated to obtain the potential target for genetic engineering. Lactobacilli had the highest diversity in the crop and the lowest one in the cecum. Compared with the lower GI tract, more Lactobacilli were found in the upper GI tract. Lactobacillus reuteri, L. johnsonii, L. acidophilus, L. crispatus, L. salivarius, and L. aviarius were the predominant Lactobacillus species and present throughout the GI tract of chickens. Lactobacillus reuteri was the most abundant Lactobacillus species. Lactobacillus reuteri XC1 had good probiotic characteristics that would be a potential and desirable target for genetic engineering.

The interplay between Campylobacter and Helicobacter species and other gastrointestinal microbiota of commercial broiler chickens.

BackgroundPoultry represent an important source of foodborne enteropathogens, in particular thermophilic Campylobacter species. Many of these organisms colonize the intestinal tract of broiler chickens as harmless commensals, and therefore, often remain undetected prior to slaughter. The exact reasons for the lack of clinical disease are unknown, but analysis of the gastrointestinal microbiota of broiler chickens may improve our understanding of the microbial interactions with the host.MethodsIn this study, the fecal microbiota of 31 market-age (56-day old) broiler chickens, from two different farms, was analyzed using high throughput sequencing. The samples were then screened for two emerging human pathogens, Campylobacter concisus and Helicobacter pullorum, using species-specific PCR.ResultsThe gastrointestinal microbiota of chickens was classified into four potential enterotypes, similar to that of humans, where three enterotypes have been identified. The results indicated that variations between farms may have contributed to differences in the microbiota, though each of the four enterotypes were found in both farms suggesting that these groupings did not occur by chance. In addition to the identification of Campylobacter jejuni subspecies doylei and the emerging species, C. concisus, C. upsaliensis and H. pullorum, several differences in the prevalence of human pathogens within these enterotypes were observed. Further analysis revealed microbial taxa with the potential to increase the likelihood of colonization by a number of these pathogens, including C. jejuni.ConclusionDepletion of these taxa and the addition of taxa that compete with these pathogens, may form the basis of competitive exclusion strategies to eliminate them from the gastrointestinal tract of chickens.

In vitro evaluation of the suitability potential probiotic of lactobacilli isolates from the gastrointestinal tract of chicken

Probiotic lactobacilli could be used to decrease the colonization of pathogenic bacteria in chicken and therefore decrease the risk of foodborne illness to consumers. The present study was conducted to select appropriate microbial strains for the development of potential probiotic. In experiment 1, 18 strains of lactobacilli isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of chicken were evaluated. The strains were demonstrated for their lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and exopolysaccharide productions. For experiment 2, the strains were tested for their acid, bile, antimicrobial activity, and antibiotic resistance levels. Among them, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. delbrueckii BAZ32, Lactobacillus acidophilus BAZ29, BAZ36, BAZ43, and BAZ63 which produced high EPS were selected to aggregation ability. It is concluded that L. delbrueckii ssp. delbrueckii BAZ32, L. acidophilus BAZ29 confer high tolerance to acid, bile, antibiotic resistance, high antimicrobial activity, aggregation ability, and EPS production. These strains may be functional feed additives as potential probiotic in chicken.

Microbiota of the chicken gastrointestinal tract: influence on health, productivity and disease

Recent advances in the technology available for culture-independent methods for identification and enumeration of environmental bacteria have invigorated interest in the study of the role of chicken intestinal microbiota in health and productivity. Chickens harbour unique and diverse bacterial communities that include human and animal pathogens. Increasing public concern about the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry has influenced the ways in which poultry producers are working towards improving birds' intestinal health. Effective means of antibiotic-independent pathogen control through competitive exclusion and promotion of good protective microbiota are being actively investigated. With the realisation that just about any change in environment influences the highly responsive microbial communities and with the abandonment of the notion that we can isolate and investigate a single species of interest outside of the community, came a flood of studies that have attempted to profile the intestinal microbiota of chickens under numerous conditions. This review aims to address the main issues in investigating chicken microbiota and to summarise the data acquired to date.

High-Throughput Sequencing of Campylobacter jejuni Insertion Mutant Libraries Reveals mapA as a Fitness Factor for Chicken Colonization

Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of gastrointestinal infections worldwide, due primarily to its ability to asymptomatically colonize the gastrointestinal tracts of agriculturally relevant animals, including chickens. Infection often occurs following consumption of meat that was contaminated by C. jejuni during harvest. Because of this, much interest lies in understanding the mechanisms that allow C. jejuni to colonize the chicken gastrointestinal tract. To address this, we generated a C. jejuni transposon mutant library that is amenable to insertion sequencing and introduced this mutant pool into day-of-hatch chicks. Following deep sequencing of C. jejuni mutants in the cecal outputs, several novel factors required for efficient colonization of the chicken gastrointestinal tract were identified, including the predicted outer membrane protein MapA. A mutant strain lacking mapA was constructed and found to be significantly reduced for chicken colonization in both competitive infections and monoinfections. Further, we found that mapA is required for in vitro competition with wild-type C. jejuni but is dispensable for growth in monoculture.

Genome Sequences of Campylobacter jejuni 81-176 Variants with Enhanced Fitness Relative to the Parental Strain in the Chicken Gastrointestinal Tract

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of food-borne infections in the United States due to its ability to asymptomatically colonize the gastrointestinal tracts of chickens. Using competition assays with parental C. jejuni 81-176, variants with consistently improved fitness in chicken ceca relative to the parental strain were identified and sequenced.

Clostridium perfringens challenge and dietary fat type affect broiler chicken performance and fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract

The aim of the present work was to examine how different fats commonly used in the feed industry affect broiler performance, nutrient digestibility and microbial fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens challenged with virulent Clostridium perfringens strains. Two experiments were carried out, each including 480-day-old male broilers (Ross 308), which were randomly distributed to eight experimental groups using six replicate pens per treatment and 10 birds per pen. In Experiment 1, birds were fed diets containing soybean oil, palm kernel fatty acid distillers, rendered pork fat and lard. In Experiment 2, birds were fed diets containing rapeseed oil, coconut oil, beef tallow and palm oil. In both experiments, the birds were either not challenged or challenged with a mixture of three C. perfringens type A strains. Irrespective of the fat type present in the diet, C. perfringens did not affect broiler chicken body weight gain (BWG) and mortality in either of the two experiments. The BWG was affected by dietary fat type in both experiments, indicating that the fatty acid composition of the fat source affects broiler growth performance. In particular, the inclusion of animal fats tended to improve final BW to a greater extent compared with the inclusion of unsaturated vegetable oils. In Experiment 2, irrespective of the dietary fat type present in the diet, C. perfringens challenge significantly impaired feed conversion ratio in the period from 14 to 28 days (1.63 v. 1.69) and at 42 days (1.65 v. 1.68). In both experiments apparent metabolizable energy values were affected by dietary fat type. Irrespective of the fat type present in the diet, C. perfringens challenge decreased the digesta pH in the crop and ileum, but had no effect in cecal contents. Moreover, in Experiment 1, total organic acid concentration in the ileum was two to three times lower on soybean oil diets as compared with other treatments, indicating that C. perfringens as well as dietary fat type significantly affects microbiota activity in the broiler chicken gastrointestinal tract.

Dietary Nisin Modulates the Gastrointestinal Microbial Ecology and Enhances Growth Performance of the Broiler Chickens

Due to antimicrobial properties, nisin is one of the most commonly used and investigated bacteriocins for food preservation. Surprisingly, nisin has had limited use in animal feed as well as there are only few reports on its influence on microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The present study therefore aimed at investigating effects of dietary nisin on broiler chicken GIT microbial ecology and performance in comparison to salinomycin, the widely used ionophore coccidiostat. In total, 720 one-day-old male Ross 308 chicks were randomly distributed to six experimental groups. The positive control (PC) diet was supplemented with salinomycin (60 mg/kg). The nisin (NI) diets were supplemented with increasing levels (100, 300, 900 and 2700 IU nisin/g, respectively) of the bacteriocin. The negative control (NC) diet contained no additives. At slaughter (35 days of age), activity of specific bacterial enzymes (α- and β-glucosidases, α-galactosidases and β-glucuronidase) in crop, ileum and caeca were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the NC group, and nisin supplementation decreased the enzyme activities to levels observed for the PC group. A similar inhibitory influence on bacterial activity was reflected in the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and putrefactive SCFA (PSCFA) in digesta from crop and ileum; no effect was observed in caeca. Counts of Bacteroides and Enterobacteriacae in ileum digesta were significantly (P<0.001) decreased by nisin and salinomycin, but no effects were observed on the counts of Clostridium perfringens, Lactobacillus/Enterococcus and total bacteria. Like salinomycin, nisin supplementation improved broiler growth performance in a dose-dependent manner; compared to the NC group, the body weight gain of the NI900 and NI2700 groups was improved by 4.7 and 8.7%, respectively. Our findings suggest that dietary nisin exerts a mode of action similar to salinomycin and could be considered as a dietary supplement for broiler chickens.

Expression pattern of the homeotic gene Bapx1 during early chick gastrointestinal tract development

Regulation of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling pathway is essential for the normal development of vertebrate gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but also for the differentiation of the digestive mesenchymal layer into smooth muscles and submucosal layer. Different studies demonstrated that Bapx1 (for bagpipe homeobox homolog 1) negatively regulates the BMP pathway, but its precise expression pattern during the development and the differentiation of the GI tract mesenchyme actually remains to be examined. Here, we present the spatio-temporal expression profile of Bapx1 in the chick GI tract. We show that Bapx1 is first expressed in the undifferentiated mesenchyme of the gizzard and the colon. After the differentiation of the digestive mesenchyme, we found Bapx1 strongly expressed in the gizzard smooth muscle and in the submucosa layer of the colon. This expression pattern provides new insights into the roles of Bapx1 during the regionalization of the GI tract and the differentiation of the digestive mesenchyme of the colon and the stomach.