Microbial Analysis Research Articles

Rumen fluid pretreatment promotes anaerobic methane production: revealing microbial dynamics driving increased acid yield from different concentrations of corn straw.

In this work, the corn straw (CS) with concentrations of 3%, 6%, and 9% (w/v) were pretreated by rumen fluid (RF) and then used for batched mesophilic biogas production. The results showed that after a 6-day pretreatment, volatile fatty acid (VFAs) production of 3.78, 8.27, and 10.4 g/L could be found in 3%, 6%, and 9%, respectively. When concerning with biogas production, the highest accumulative methane production of 149.1 mL CH4/g volatile solid was achieved by 6% pretreated CS, which was 22% and 45% higher than 3% and 9%, respectively. Also, it was 3.6 times higher than the same concentration of unpretreated CS. The results of the microbial community structure analysis revealed that the 6% CS pretreatment not only maintained a microbial community with the highest richness and diversity, but also exhibited the highest relative abundance of Firmicutes (45%) and Euryarchaeota (3.9%). This high abundance was conducive to its elevated production of VFAs and methane. These findings provide scientific reference for the utilization of CS and support the development of agricultural waste resource utilization and environmental protection.

A Continuous Plug-Flow Anaerobic-Multistage Anoxic/Aerobic Process Treating Low-C/N Domestic Sewage: Nutrient Removal, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Microbial Community Analysis

The anaerobic-multistage anoxic/aerobic (A-MAO) process has shown good potential for advanced nitrogen removal in recent years, but its greenhouse gas emissions still need to be fully explored. The effects of the influent distribution and external carbon source sodium acetate on nutrient removal, greenhouse gas emissions, and the microbial community structure in a continuous plug-flow A-MAO reactor fed with real low C/N ratio domestic sewage were investigated. The results showed that altering the allocation of carbon source resulted in average chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen (TN) concentration in effluent reduced to 26.10 ± 4.86 and 6.65 ± 1.73 mg/L, respectively. Both operations reduced the emission rate of greenhouse gas. While the addition of external car-bon sources leaded to lower N2O emission rates and higher CO2 and CH4 emission rates. The addition of sodium acetate facilitated nitrification and denitrification processes, thereby leading to a reduction in N2O production. Meanwhile, it spurred the growth of methanogenic bacteria and heterotrophic microorganisms, thus boosting the production of CO2 and CH4. Influent distribution promoted the increase of Bacteroidota, Chloroflexi and Acidobacteriota of the reactor. The enrichment of typical hydrolytic bacteria and glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) increased the utilization efficiency of carbon sources in the system after the addition of sodium acetate. The significant increase of typical denitrifying bacteria (DNBs) Azospira reduced the N2O emission during heterotrophic denitrification process, which was considered to be an important functional genus for increasing nitrogen loss in this system. The rational utilization of carbon source makes the difference in metabolism function. The study provides a valuable strategy for comprehensively evaluating the pollutant removal and greenhouse gas emission reduction from the A-MAO process.

Diversity and host interaction of the gut microbiota in specific pathogen-free pigs

Pigs are widely used as animal models in various studies related to humans. The interaction between the gut microbiota and the host has significant effects on the host’s health and disease status. However, although there have been many studies investigating the pig gut microbiota, the findings have been inconsistent due to variations in rearing conditions. Interactions between the gut microbiota and host have not been fully explored in pigs. Specific pathogen-free (SPF) pigs are ideal non-primate large animals to study the interactions between the gut microbiota and the host. In this study, we performed high-throughput sequencing analysis of the gut microbiota and the gut tissue transcriptome of six SPF pigs to provide a systematic understanding of the composition, function, and spatial distribution of gut microbiota in SPF pigs. We identified significant differences in microbial diversity and functionality among different gastrointestinal tract sites. Metagenomics data analysis revealed significant differences in alpha diversity and beta diversity of microbiota in different gastrointestinal sites of SPF pigs. Additionally, transcriptomic data indicated significant differences in gene expression as well as KEGG and GO functional enrichment between the small intestine and large intestine. Furthermore, by combining microbial metagenomics and host transcriptomics analyses, specific correlations were found between gut microbiota and host genes. These included a negative correlation between the TCN1 gene and Prevotella dentalis, possibly related to bacterial metabolic pathways involving vitamin B12, and a positive correlation between the BDH1 gene and Roseburia hominis, possibly because both are involved in fatty acid metabolism. These findings lay the groundwork for further exploration of the co-evolution between the microbiota and the host, specifically in relation to nutrition, metabolism, and immunity. In conclusion, we have elucidated the diversity of the gut microbiota in SPF pigs and conducted a detailed investigation into the interactions between the gut microbiota and host gene expression. These results contribute to our understanding of the intricate dynamics between the gut microbiota and the host, offering important references for advancements in life science research, bioproduct production, and sustainable development in animal husbandry.

Highly effective removal of nitrate from saline wastewater by glucose-enhanced sulfur autotrophic system

The denitrification performance of the elemental sulfur autotrophic denitrification (S0AD) system requires improvements to broaden its applicability for treating nitrate (NO3−-N) wastewater contaminated with high salinity. Therefore, this work investigated the denitrification performance and mechanism of the glucose-enhanced (C:N ratio = 1) S0AD system with saline wastewater (0–15 g/L). The results showed that by adding glucose, our research successfully constructed the elemental sulfur autotrophic/heterotrophic denitrification (HS0AD) system, which showed a stable NO3−-N removal efficiency above 95 % and lower effluent sulfate generation. The NO3−-N removal efficiency of the HS0AD system was over 95.62 % with wastewater containing different salinity levels. With increasing salinity, the glucose utilization efficiency increased from 65.23 % to 74.35 %. Microbial community analysis showed that adding glucose promoted the growth of the Proteobacteria phylum and stimulated its activity under salt stress. High salinity (≥10 g/L) reduced the microbial diversity at the genus level. However, the growth of salt-tolerant denitrifying bacteria (Thiobacillus and Vitellibacter) still enabled efficient denitrification performance with the system. These microorganisms can resist high salinity stresses by releasing proteins. All results indicated that the glucose-enhanced system shows great nitrate removal potential, even under salt stress. These conclusions provide a theoretical basis for applying a synergistic system to treat saline wastewater contaminated with NO3−-N.

Genomic epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus from the Iberian Peninsula highlights the expansion of livestock associated-CC398 towards wildlife

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile pathobiont, exhibiting a broad host range, including humans, other mammals, and avian species. Host specificity determinants, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance genes are often shared by strains circulating at the animal-human interface. While transmission dynamics studies have shown strain exchange between humans and livestock, knowledge of the source, genetic diversification, and transmission drivers of S. aureus in wildlife lag behind.In this work, we explore a wide array of S. aureus genomes from different sources in the Iberian Peninsula to understand population structure, gene content and niche adaptation at the human-livestock-wildlife nexus. Through Bayesian inference, we address the hypothesis that S. aureus strains in wildlife originate from humanized landscapes, either from contact with humans or through interactions with livestock. Phylogenetic reconstruction applied to whole genome sequence data was completed with a dataset of 450 isolates featuring multiple clones from the 1990–2022 period and a subset of CC398 strains representing the 2008–2022 period. Phylodynamic signatures of S. aureus from the Iberian Peninsula suggest widespread circulation of most clones among humans before jumping to other hosts. The number of transitions of CC398 strains within each host category (human, livestock, wildlife) was high (88.26 %), while the posterior probability of transitions from livestock to wildlife was remarkably high (0.99). Microbial genome-wide association analysis did not evidence genome rearrangements nor biomarkers suggesting S. aureus niche adaptation to wildlife, thus supporting recent spill overs. Altogether, our findings indicate that S. aureus isolates collected in the past years from wildlife most likely represent multiple introduction events from livestock. The clonal origin of CC398 and its potential to disseminate and evolve through different animal host species are highlighted, calling for management practices at the livestock-wildlife axis to improve biosecurity and thus restrict S. aureus transmission and niche expansion along gradients of human influence.

Enhancing bioretention efficiency for pollutant mitigation in stormwater runoff: Exploring ecosystem cycling dynamics amidst temporal variability

In this study, three distinct bioretention setups incorporating fillers, plants, and earthworms were established to evaluate the operational efficiency under an ecosystem concept across varying time scales. The results revealed that under short-term operating conditions, extending the drying period led to a notable increase in the removal of NO3–-N, total phosphorus (TP), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 5 %–7%, 4 %–12 %, and 5 %–10 %, respectively. Conversely, under long-time operating conditions, the introduction of plants resulted in a significant boost in COD removal by 10 %–20 %, while the inclusion of earthworms improved NH4+-N and NO3–-N removal, especially TP removal by 9 %–16 %. Microbial community analysis further indicated the favorable impact of the bioretention system on biological nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism, particularly with the incorporation of plants and earthworms. This study provides a reference for the operational performance of bioretention systems on different time scales.

Enhancement of Mn2+, Fe2+ and NH4+-N removal by biochar synergistic strains combined with activated sludge in real wastewater treatment

Acinetobacter sp. AL-6 combining with biochar was adapted in activated sludge (AS & co-system) to decontaminate Mn2+, Fe2+ and NH4+-N, and treat activated sludge (AS) for its activity and settling performance improvement. Specifically, the co-system promoted the growth of bacteria in the activated sludge, thus increasing its ability to nitrify and adsorb Mn2+ and Fe2+, resulting in the removal of high concentrations of NH4+-N, Mn2+, Fe2+ and COD in the reactor by 100%, 100%, 100%, and 96.8%, respectively. And the pH of wastewater was increased from 4 to 8.5 by co-system also facilitated the precipitation of Mn2+ and Fe2+. The MLVSS/MLSS ratio increased from 0.64 to 0.95 and SVI30 decreased from 92.54 to 1.54 after the addition of co-system, which indicated that biochar helped to improve the activity and settling performance of activated sludge and prevented it from being damaged by the compound Mn2+ and Fe2+. In addition, biochar promoted the increase of the tyrosine-like protein substance and humic acid-like organic matter in the sludge EPS, thus enhanced the ability of sludge to adsorb Mn2+ and Fe2+. Concretely, compared with AS group, the proteins content and polysaccharides content of the AS & co-system group were increased by 13.14 times and 6.30 times respectively. Further, microbial diversity analysis showed that more resistant bacteria and dominant bacteria Acinetobacter sp. AL-6 in sludge enhanced the nitrification and adsorption of manganese and iron under the promotion of biochar. Pre-eminently, the more effective AS & co-system were applied to the removal of actual electrolytic manganese slag leachate taken from the contaminated site, and the removal of NH4+-N, Mn2+, Fe2+ and COD remained high at 100%, 100%, 71.82% and 94.72%, respectively, revealing advanced value for high engineering applications of AS & co-system.

Improving Broiler Health through Cecal Microbiota Transplantation: A Comprehensive Study on Growth, Immunity, and Microbial Diversity.

Cecal microbiota has emerged as a prominent intervention target for improving the production and welfare of poultry. This is essential for the overall health and performance of broiler chickens. The current study focused on investigating the effect of cecal microbiota transplantation (CMT) from healthy donor chickens on the growth performance, immunity, and microbial composition of newly hatched chicks and evaluated the effect of sample storage on the microbial diversity of the cecal samples. A healthy "Wannan Yellow Chicken line" was selected as the donor, and 180 1-day-old chicks from the same line were used as recipients for a 60-day feed trial. The chicks were randomly allocated to three groups (60 birds per group) with three replicates in each group. The three treatment groups were CMT-0 (control, normal saline solution), CMT-I (1:12 cecal content, normal saline supplemented with 10% glycerol), and CMT-II (1:6 cecal content, normal saline supplemented with 10% glycerol). The results of weight gain and absolute organ weight showed significant improvements in the CMT-II group compared with the CMT-0 group. Serum IgG level was significantly improved (p < 0.05) in CMT-I compared with that in the CMT-0. However, IL-6 levels increased in CMT-I and then significantly decreased in CMT-II. The cecal microbial diversity of CMT treatment was compared between two groups, fresh samples (FS) and stored samples at -80°C (SS). The results showed that beneficial taxa, such as Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobiota, were substantially more abundant in both CMT-I and CMT-II than in CMT-0 in both FS and SS. Microbial function analysis at levels 1, 2, and 3 showed improved metabolism, genetic information processing, cellular processes, environmental information processing, and organismal systems in CMT-I and CMT-II for both FS and SS groups. However, the SS group showed decreased microbial diversity and function. To conclude, cecal microbiota transplantation is a promising strategy for enhancing the productivity and health of broiler chickens.

Dysbiosis Signature of Fecal Microbiota in Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma and Pancreatic Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms

Pancreatic cancer (PC) ranks as the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with approximately 500,000 new cases reported in 2020. Existing strategies for early PC detection primarily target individuals at high risk of developing the disease. Nevertheless, there is a pressing need to identify innovative clinical approaches and personalized treatments for effective PC management. This study aimed to explore the dysbiosis signature of the fecal microbiota in PC and potential distinctions between its Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) phenotypes, which could carry diagnostic significance. The study enrolled 33 participants, including 22 diagnosed with PDAC, 11 with IPMN, and 24 healthy controls. Fecal samples were collected and subjected to microbial diversity analysis across various taxonomic levels. The findings revealed elevated abundances of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in PC patients, whereas healthy controls exhibited higher proportions of Bacteroidota. Both LEfSe and Random Forest analyses indicated the microbiome’s potential to effectively distinguish between PC and healthy control samples but fell short of differentiating between IPMN and PDAC samples. These results contribute to the current understanding of this challenging cancer type and highlight the applications of microbiome research. In essence, the study provides clear evidence of the gut microbiome’s capability to serve as a biomarker for PC detection, emphasizing the steps required for further differentiation among its diverse phenotypes.

Fast Bacterial Succession Associated with the Decomposition of Larix gmelinii Litter in Wudalianchi Volcano

In order to understand the role of microorganisms in litter decomposition and the nutrient cycle in volcanic forest ecosystems, the dominant forest species Larix gmelinii in the volcanic lava plateau of the Wudalianchi volcano was considered as the research object. We analyzed the response of bacterial community structure and diversity to litter decomposition for 1 year, with an in situ decomposition experimental design using litter bags and Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that after 365 days, the litter quality residual rate of Larix gmelinii was 77.57%, and the litter N, P, C:N, C:P, and N:P showed significant differences during the decomposition period (p &lt; 0.05). The phyla Cyanobacteria and the genus unclassified_o_Chloroplast were the most dominant groups in early decomposition (January and April). The phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Acidobacteriota and the genera Massilia, Pseudomonas, and Sphingomona were higher in July and October. The microbial communities showed extremely significant differences during the decomposition period (p &lt; 0.05), with PCoa, RDA, and litter QRR, C:P, and N as the main factors driving litter bacteria succession. Microbial functional prediction analysis showed that Chloroplasts were the major functional group in January and April. Achemoheterotrophy and aerobic chemoheterotrophy showed a significant decrease as litter decomposition progressed.

Enhancing biomethanation performance through co-digestion of diverse organic wastes: a comprehensive study on substrate optimization, inoculum selection, and microbial community analysis.

A blend of organic municipal solid waste, slaughterhouse waste, fecal sludge, and landfill leachate was selected in different mixing ratios to formulate the best substrate mixture for biomethanation. Individual substrates were characterized, and the mixing ratio was optimized with the help of a response surface methodology tool to a value of 1:1:1:1 (with a C/N ratio of 28±0.769 and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration of 2500±10.53 mg/L) to improve the overall biomethanation. The optimized blend (C/N ratio: 28.6, VFA: 2538 mg/L) was characterized for physicochemical, biological, and microbial properties and subjected to anaerobic digestion in lab-scale reactors of 1000 mL capacity with and without the addition of inoculum. The biogas yield of individual substrates and blends was ascertained separately. The observed cumulative biogas yield over 21 days from the non-inoculated substrates varied between 142±1.95 mL (24.6±0.3 ml/gVS) and 1974.5±21.72 mL (270.4±3.1 ml/gVS). In comparison, the addition of external inoculation at a 5% rate (w/w) of the substrate uplifted the minimum and maximum cumulative gas yield values to 203±9.9 mL (35.0±1.6 mL/gVS) and 3394±13.4 mL (315.3±1.2 mL/gVS), respectively. The inoculum procured from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was screened in advance, considering factors such as maximizing VFA production and consumption rate, biogas yield, and digestate quality. A similar outcome regarding biogas yield and digestate quality was observed for the equivalent blend. The cumulative gas yield increased from 2673±14.5 mL (373.7±2.2 mL/gVS) to 4284±111.02 mL (391.47±20.02 mL/gVS) over 21 days post-application of a similar dosage of DRDO inoculum. The 16S rRNA genomic analysis revealed that the predominant bacterial population belonged to the phylum Firmicutes, with the majority falling within the orders Clostridiales and Lactobacillales. Ultimately, the study advocates the potential of the blend mentioned above for biomethanation and concomitant enrichment of both biogas yield and digestate quality.

Evaluation of the Microorganism Present in Garri Sold within Local Market and Garri Producers in Ozoro Community

This study evaluated the microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) present in garri sold within local market and garri producers at Ozoro Community. This was achieved through microbial analysis of samples to determine microbial count and strains available. Contamination of sample was observed for garri sold at different locations with the bacteria count seen to be higher at the local market 1 (42x106cfu/10g) and garri producer (41x106cfu/10g) than at local market 2 (38x106cfu/10g) which shows that market activity may not be the contamination source. Bacteria isolates indicated the presence of pathogen associated with disease and food poisoning syndrome such as E. coli, Staphylococcus, Bacilli and Pseudomonas. Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli were observed to be the dominant strains of microbes in garri sold across all assessed location which poses health risk due to their pathogenicity. Fungi were detected in garri samples assessed from all three locations with an increasing trend from producer to sales point which is an indication that garri contamination with fungi must have occurred from post production activities in the market and sales point. The fungi isolates obtained from the samples areAsperillus flavus Penicilum spp.and Candida albican. Asperillus flavus andPenicilum spp. were observed to be the dominant strains of microbes in garri sold across all assessed location. The samples of garri sold around Ozoro are unsafe since they did not meet with the recommended limit by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of 1x104cfu/g for bacteria count and 1x104cfu/g for fungi count and E.coli count of 0. Hygienic practices should be strictly adhered to prevent contamination of garri produced.

Vendors' handling practices of edible long-horned grasshoppers (Ruspolia differens) products and implications on microbial safety

Vendors' handling practices of edible long-horned grasshoppers (Ruspolia differens) products and implications on microbial safety

Assessment of Microbial Activity, Shelf Life, and Sensory Characteristics of Buttermilk Enhanced with Indian Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum rhetsa) Extract

The present investigation was carried out at the Dairy Science Laboratory of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture, Dr. BSKKV., Dapoli (M.S.) to Assessment of Microbial Activity, Shelf Life, and Sensory Characteristics of Buttermilk enhanced with Indian Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum rhetsa) extract. This study aimed to evaluate the microbial activity, shelf life, and sensory attributes of Indian Prickly Ash extract fortified buttermilk during storage under refrigerated conditions. Microbial analysis was conducted on fresh and stored samples over 15 days, focusing on standard plate count, coliform count, yeast, and mold count. Results indicated that the initial standard plate count of fresh buttermilk increased marginally during storage. Shelf-life assessment revealed that the buttermilk remained suitable for consumption for up to 15 days under refrigerated conditions. Sensory evaluation was performed concurrently with microbial analysis. Overall acceptability scores were highest for buttermilk fortified with 6% Indian Prickly Ash extract, followed by treatments with lower extract concentrations. Statistical analysis showed significant differences among treatments, with 6% extract incorporation yielding the most favorable sensory outcomes. In conclusion, Indian Prickly Ash extract fortified buttermilk, particularly at 6% concentration, exhibited enhanced microbial stability and sensory appeal, suggesting its potential as a functional food product. Keywords: Milk, Buttermilk, Indian Prickly Ash.

226 Oral and rumen microbiome characterization to predict host phenotypes

Abstract Studies have utilized rumen microbiome composition and function to predict animal phenotypes. Yet, sample collection for rumen microbial community analysis can be difficult and invasive and hinders the possibility of sampling large animal populations. In this study, we investigated the development of the bovine rumen microbiome over time, to identify the potential of the oral microbiome as a proxy for the rumen microbiome, and to test the applicability of using the oral microbiome for predicting phenotypes in beef cattle. We employed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to characterize the rumen and oral bacterial community structure over time and collected both birth and weaning weights in a population of 220 animals. Our findings show that both the oral and rumen microbiomes are established early, and a significant portion of the taxa persists even after weaning. We identified a group of core successional species shared between the oral and rumen bacterial communities, which are established early and persist over time. The oral bacterial community was dominated by phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteria, while the rumen bacterial community was dominated by phyla Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, Fibrobacteria, and Spirochaetota. Furthermore, we observed that 38% of Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) were shared between the oral and rumen microbiomes at 50 to 120 d of age. At 170 to 240 d of age, 37% of ASVs were shared, and at 295 to 365 d, 33% of ASVs were shared. Finally, at 400 to 468 d, 21% of ASVs were shared. Based on weighted Unifrac analysis, notable differences and distinct clustering was observed between oral and rumen microbiome communities at different sampling ages (P = 0.001; R2 = 0.50969, 50 to 120; P = 0.001; R2 = 0.66247, 170 to 240; P = 0.001; R2 = 0.62036, 295 to 365; and P = 0.001, R2 = 0.66559, 400 to 468). Microbiability estimates varied across different stages and microbial environments. For the oral bacterial community at 50 to 120, the estimates were 0.029%, 0.032%, 0.029%, and 0.028% for birth weight, weaning weight, intramuscular fat (IMF), and ribeye area (REA), respectively. In contrast, the rumen microbiome exhibited microbiability values of 0.034%, 0.058, 0.059, and 0.069% for birth weight, weaning weight, IMF, and REA respectively during the same period. As the animal aged the microbiability increased. At 170 to 240, oral microbiomes showed microbiability estimates of 0.051%, 0.060%, 0.069%, and 0.21% for birth weight, weaning weight, IMF, and REA respectively. In comparison, the rumen microbiome displayed greater microbiability estimates of 0.12%, 0.124%, 0.20%, and 0.26% for birth weight, weaning weight, IMF, and REA respectively. In conclusion, the oral microbiome is not a good proxy for the rumen microbiome composition; however, there is potential to use the oral microbiome for phenotype prediction.

Effect of in ovo feeding of xylobiose and xylotriose on plasma immunoglobulin, cecal metabolites production, microbial ecology, and metabolic pathways in broiler chickens

BackgroundDietary supplementation of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) has been found to influence gut health by manipulating cecal microbiota and producing microbe-origin metabolites. But no study investigated and compared the effect of in ovo feeding of xylobiose (XOS2) and xylotriose (XOS3) in chickens. This study investigated the effect of in ovo feeding of these XOS compounds on post-hatch gut health parameters in chickens. A total of 144 fertilized chicken eggs were divided into three groups: a) non-injected control (CON), b) XOS2, and c) XOS3. On the 17th embryonic day, the eggs of the XOS2 and XOS3 groups were injected with 3 mg of XOS2 and XOS3 diluted in 0.5 mL of 0.85% normal saline through the amniotic sac. After hatching, the chicks were raised for 21 d. Blood was collected on d 14 to measure plasma immunoglobulin. Cecal digesta were collected for measuring short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) on d 14 and 21, and for microbial ecology and microbial metabolic pathway analyses on d 7 and 21.ResultsThe results were considered significantly different at P < 0.05. ELISA quantified plasma IgA and IgG on d 14 chickens, revealing no differences among the treatments. Gas chromatography results showed no significant differences in the concentrations of cecal SCFAs on d 14 but significant differences on d 21. However, the SCFA concentrations were lower in the XOS3 than in the CON group on d 21. The cecal metagenomics data showed that the abundance of the family Clostridiaceae significantly decreased on d 7, and the abundance of the family Oscillospiraceae increased on d 21 in the XOS2 compared to the CON. There was a reduction in the relative abundance of genus Clostridium sensu stricto 1 in the XOS2 compared to the CON on d 7 and the genus Ruminococcus torques in both XOS2 and XOS3 groups compared to the CON on d 21. The XOS2 and XOS3 groups reduced the genes for chondroitin sulfate degradation I and L-histidine degradation I pathways, which contribute to improved gut health, respectively, in the microbiome on d 7. In contrast, on d 21, the XOS2 and XOS3 groups enriched the thiamin salvage II, L-isoleucine biosynthesis IV, and O-antigen building blocks biosynthesis (E. coli) pathways, which are indicative of improved gut health. Unlike the XOS3 and CON, the microbiome enriched the pathways associated with energy enhancement, including flavin biosynthesis I, sucrose degradation III, and Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle pathways, in the XOS2 group on d 21.ConclusionIn ovo XOS2 and XOS3 feeding promoted beneficial bacterial growth and reduced harmful bacteria at the family and genus levels. The metagenomic-based microbial metabolic pathway profiling predicted a favorable change in the availability of cecal metabolites in the XOS2 and XOS3 groups. The modulation of microbiota and metabolic pathways suggests that in ovo XOS2 and XOS3 feeding improved gut health during the post-hatch period of broilers.

186 Evaluation of the effects of a Lactobacillus postbiotic product (LumensaM) in medicated and non-medicated nursery pig diets

Abstract Two studies in weanling pigs were conducted to evaluate the effects of a Lactobacillus postbiotic product (LFP; Lumensa, Verdesian Life Sciences, Salt Lake City, UT) in medicated and non-medicated nursery pig diets on performance, daily fecal scores and some fecal microbiome measures. A 2 X 3 factorial factorial design with main effects of in-feed medication (0 vs 55 ppm of Carbadox) and LFP inclusion rate (0, 0.075, or 0.15%) was used in each study. In study 1, LFP in liquid form was added to the treatment diets, and in study 2 LFP in dry form was used in the treatment diets. Each study used 36 pens containing 10 weanling pigs (PIC 800 x 1050; 21 d of age) per pen, and there were 6 pens for each treatment group. A pelleted three-phase commercial nursery feeding program was used. Dry LFP product increased final body weight (BW) linearly (P &amp;lt; 0.05) and tended to improve gain to feed ratio (G:F; P = 0.07) in study 2. Final BW was increased (P = 0.006) in nursery pigs fed medicated diets in study 2 but not in study 1. Feeding the dry LFP in study 2 improved growth performance (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in nursery pigs when they were fed non-medicated diets. In study 1, it was found that feeding LFP tended (P = 0.10) to decrease final BW variability (pen BW CV) on d 42. Daily fecal scores were recorded during both studies, and no treatment effects were observed. During study 2, fresh fecal samples were collected from each pen on d 21 and d 42 for microbial analysis. The Shannon Index was found to be moderately correlated (P &amp;lt; 0.05) to BW results on d 21 and 42 (Study 1, r = -0.31 and 0.19; Study 2, r= -0.49 and 0.27, d 21 and d 42, respectively). It was found that feeding LFP decreased the proportion of Gammaproteobacteria, which includes several Gram-negative pathogens, on d 21 (P &amp;lt; 0.05). In conclusion, feeding LFP to nursery pigs as dry product may increase average daily gain in pigs fed non-medicated diets and decrease BW variability (pen BW CV) when pigs are fed nursery diets containing carbadox. Also, feeding LFP may lead to changes in the fecal microbiome.

Appraisal of groundwater quality and hydrochemistry in three regions of Ghana: Implications for drinking purposes

Groundwater is the most relied upon source of water for rural areas and small communities with no access to national water systems. The Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) in Ghana is an institution that facilitates the provision of water and sanitation services to small towns and communities, hence it has engineered several boreholes all over the country. However, some of these boreholes have quality challenges. Hence this study was carried out to assess the quality and hydrochemical controls of such boreholes in the Ashanti, Upper East and Central Regions of Ghana. A total of 45 boreholes were sampled across these areas and subjected to physicochemical, microbial, and heavy metal analysis. Analysis of the groundwater in the Ashanti Region indicates that its quality is negatively impacted by its iron, manganese, and arsenic content. Same was observed for the Central Region. While in the Upper East Region, total hardness, fluoride, nitrate, and arsenic are the parameters that impact the groundwater quality greatly. Water quality index was used to assess the suitability of the groundwater for domestic purposes and based on this index, 80 % of the water samples were classified as either having an excellent or good quality, while about 7 % were classified as unsuitable for domestic purposes, across all regions. The suitability of the groundwater for irrigational purposes was assessed using sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), percentage sodium (% Na), and Kelly's index (KI). Based on SAR and % Na, all the water samples were suitable for irrigation, while 9 % were unsuitable based on KI. This study provides a comprehensive information on some of the CWSA boreholes with quality challenges. This kind of information is critical and useful when considering what options and treatment technologies would be suitable to address the challenges that these boreholes have.

Community dynamics and metagenomic analyses reveal Bacteroidota's role in widespread enzymatic Fucus vesiculosus cell wall degradation

Enzymatic degradation of algae cell wall carbohydrates by microorganisms is under increasing investigation as marine organic matter gains more value as a sustainable resource. The fate of carbon in the marine ecosystem is in part driven by these degradation processes. In this study, we observe the microbiome dynamics of the macroalga Fucus vesiculosus in 25-day-enrichment cultures resulting in partial degradation of the brown algae. Microbial community analyses revealed the phylum Pseudomonadota as the main bacterial fraction dominated by the genera Marinomonas and Vibrio. More importantly, a metagenome-based Hidden Markov model for specific glycosyl hydrolyses and sulphatases identified Bacteroidota as the phylum with the highest potential for cell wall degradation, contrary to their low abundance. For experimental verification, we cloned, expressed, and biochemically characterised two α-L-fucosidases, FUJM18 and FUJM20. While protein structure predictions suggest the highest similarity to a Bacillota origin, protein–protein blasts solely showed weak similarities to defined Bacteroidota proteins. Both enzymes were remarkably active at elevated temperatures and are the basis for a potential synthetic enzyme cocktail for large-scale algal destruction.

Effect of long-term supercooling preservation using a stepwise algorithm on the freshness of kimchi cabbage

Kimchi cabbage is a Korean traditional fermented vegetable that is rich in nutrients and probiotics. Temperature changes caused microbial growth adversely affect the quality of kimchi. Therefore, controlling the preservation temperature is important to prevent over-fermentation of kimchi. Supercooling has emerged as an alternative storage method; however, maintaining the supercooled state of food is challenging. In this study, a stepwise cooling algorithm for supercooling preservation was developed and applied. All samples were maintained in a supercooled state, and no ice nucleation was detected. Assessments of CO2 content, pH, and titratable acidity revealed that supercooled samples exhibited more delayed fermentation than refrigerated samples. However, moisture content and hardness of the unfrozen (refrigerated and supercooled) samples were not significantly different. Microbial analysis and community composition indicated that the supercooling treatment delayed kimchi fermentation by approximately three months. Conclusively, supercooling is effective for maintaining the freshness of kimchi cabbage during long-term storage. This study contributes to the optimization of kimchi preservation strategies, offering potential benefits for both consumers and producers in terms of product quality, shelf life, and food safety.