The AFBI Repository
Not a member yet
442 research outputs found
Sort by
Soil and Plant Responses to Phosphorus Inputs from Different Phytase-Associated Animal Diets
Get PDFPublication history: Accepted - 4 January 2022; Published - 5 January 2022.The over-supplementation of animal feeds with phosphorus (P) within livestock-production
systems leads to high rates of P excretion and thus to high P loads and losses, which negatively
impact the natural environment. The addition of phytase to pig and poultry diets can contribute
to reducing P excretion; however, cascading effects of phytase on plant–soil systems remain poorly
understood. Here, we addressed how three different diets containing various levels of exogenous
phytase, i.e., (1) no-phytase, (2) phytase (250 FTU), and (3) superdose phytase (500 FTU) for pigs
(Sus scrofa domesticus) and broilers (Gallus gallus domesticus) might affect P dynamics in two different
plant–soil systems including comfrey (Symphytum uplandicum) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne). We
found that differences in phytase supplementation significantly influenced total P content (%) of
broiler litter and also pig slurry (although not significantly) as a result of dietary P content. P Use
Efficiency (PUE) of comfrey and ryegrass plants was significantly higher under the intermediate
‘phytase’ dose (i.e., commercial dose of 250 FTU) when compared to ‘no-phytase’ and ‘superdose
phytase’ associated with pig slurry additions. Soil P availability (i.e., water soluble P, WSP) in both
comfrey and ryegrass mesocosms significantly decreased under the intermediate ‘phytase’ treatment
following pig slurry additions. Dietary P content effects on P losses from soils (i.e., P leaching)
were variable and driven by the type of organic amendment. Our study shows how commercial
phytase levels together with higher dietary P contents in pig diets contributed to increase PUE and
decrease WSP thus making the plant–soil system more P conservative (i.e., lower risks of P losses).
Our evidence is that dietary effects on plant–soil P dynamics are driven by the availability of P forms
(for plant uptake) in animal excretes and the type of organic amendment (pig vs. broiler) rather than
plant species identity (comfrey vs. ryegrass).This work has received funding from the European Research Area Network (ERA-NET) co-funds on Sustainable Animal Production (SusAn) as part of the PEGaSus project (2817ERA02D) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the UK
The Prebiotic Effect of an Organic Acid Mixture on Faecalibacterium prausnitzii Metabolism and Its Anti-Pathogenic Role against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Shrimp
Get PDFPublication history: Accepted - 27 December 2022; Published - 29 December 2022.Increasing the abundance of probiotic bacteria in the gut requires either direct dietary
supplementation or the inclusion of feed additives able to support the growth of beneficial commensal
bacteria. In crustaceans, the increased presence of probiotic-like bacteria in the gut, including of
Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. prausnitzii), will guarantee a positive health status and a gut environment
that will ensure enhanced performance. The aim of this study was to investigate if a mixture of organic
acids, AuraAqua (Aq) can stimulate the growth and the anti-pathogenic efficacy of F. prausnitzii
through a combination of in vitro and ex vivo models. The results showed that 0.5% Aq was able
to improve the growth rate of F. prausnitzii in vitro and in an ex vivo shrimp gut model. Moreover,
we were able to demonstrate that Aq increases butyrate production and cellulose degradation in
culture or in the shrimp gut model. The growth-stimulating effect of Aq also led to an improved
and anti-pathogenic effect against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in a co-culture experiment with shrimp gut
primary epithelial cells (SGP). In conclusion, our work demonstrates that Aq can stimulate the growth
of F. prausnitzii, increase the production of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate, improve substrate
digestion, and prevent V. parahaemolyticus invasion of SGP cells.We acknowledge Environtech, Dublin, Ireland for funding the PhD of Eugenia Butucel.
Grant number 49650
The Zymoseptoria tritici white collar-1 gene, ZtWco-1, is required for development and virulence on wheat
Get PDFPublication history: Accepted - 9 June 2022: Published online - 14 June 2022The fungus Zymoseptoria tritici causes Septoria Tritici Blotch (STB), which is one of the most devastating diseases
of wheat in Europe. There are currently no fully durable methods of control against Z. tritici, so novel strategies
are urgently required. One of the ways in which fungi are able to respond to their surrounding environment is
through the use of photoreceptor proteins which detect light signals. Although previous evidence suggests that
Z. tritici can detect light, no photoreceptor genes have been characterised in this pathogen. This study characterises ZtWco-1, a predicted photoreceptor gene in Z. tritici. The ZtWco-1 gene is a putative homolog to the blue
light photoreceptor from Neurospora crassa, wc-1. Z. tritici mutants with deletions in ZtWco-1 have defects in
hyphal branching, melanisation and virulence on wheat. In addition, we identify the putative circadian clock
gene ZtFrq in Z. tritici. This study provides evidence for the genetic regulation of light detection in Z. tritici and it
open avenues for future research into whether this pathogen has a circadian clock.AMMT was supported by a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral
Fellowship Programme award (GOIPD/2018/461) and the BBSRC
SWBio Doctoral Training Partnership. This work was performed under
DEFRA licence number 51046-198767 and EPA GMO Register No.
G0555-01 and G0647-01
Cytochrome P450 168A1 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is involved in the hydroxylation of biologically relevant fatty acids
Get PDFPublication history: Accepted - 24 February 2022; Published - 21 March 2022.The cytochrome P450 CYP168A1 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli followed by purification and characterization of function. CYP168A1 is a fatty acid hydroxylase that hydroxylates saturated fatty acids, including myristic (0.30 min-1), palmitic (1.61 min-1) and stearic acids (1.24 min-1), at both the ω-1- and ω-2-positions. However, CYP168A1 only hydroxylates unsaturated fatty acids, including palmitoleic (0.38 min-1), oleic (1.28 min-1) and linoleic acids (0.35 min-1), at the ω-1-position. CYP168A1 exhibited a catalytic preference for palmitic, oleic and stearic acids as substrates in keeping with the phosphatidylcholine-rich environment deep in the lung that is colonized by P. aeruginosa.This work was supported by the
European Union European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF) via the Wales European Funding
Office of the Welsh Government through the
BEACON funding initiative
The SEA-UNICORN European COST Action: Advancing Knowledge on Marine Connectivity to Support Transition to a Sustainable Blue Economy
Get PDFPublication history: Published online 8 June 2022The European COST Action “Unifying Approaches to Marine Connectivity for improved Resource Management for the Seas” (SEA-UNICORN, 2020‐2025) is an international research coordination initiative that unites an interdisciplinary community of scientists and policymakers from over 100 organizations across Europe and beyond. It is establishing a globally harmonized framework to deliver actionable, transdisciplinary knowledge of marine functional connectivity, promoting a sustainable blue economy and ocean conservation. Planning sustainable development in rapidly changing oceans requires a thorough comprehension of marine biodiversity and the processes underpinning the functioning of ecosystems. Connectivity among marine populations and habitats facilitates the persistence and resilience of vulnerable species and ecosystems and controls the spread of invasive species. Constructing effective networks of restoration or conservation areas and promoting sustainable harvesting requires knowledge of connectivity. SEA-UNICORN advances worldwide collaboration by coordinating the collection, sharing, and application of knowledge on species, community, and ecosystem connectivity at sea and at the land‐sea interface. It engages scientists from diverse areas and early-career researchers and creates a stronger match between natural and social science and policy needs to better address key environmental issues that challenge the future of our planet.This publication is based upon work from COST Action
CA19107 SEA-UNICORN, supported by COST (European Cooperation
in Science and Technology, https://www.cost.eu/
Glutamine in suppression of lipopolysaccharide-induced piglet intestinal inflammation: The crosstalk between AMPK activation and mitochondrial function
Get PDFPublication history: Accepted - 18 March 2022; Published online - 26 March 2022.The study was conducted to investigate the regulatory mechanism of glutamine (Gln) on intestinal inflammation in an Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (E. coli LPS)-induced in vivo and in vitro models. Piglets (n = 8) weaned at 21 d of age were fed a basal diet (control and LPS groups) or 1% Gln diet (Gln + LPS group) ad libitum for 4 weeks. On d 22, 24, 26 and 28, piglets in the LPS and Gln + LPS groups were intraperitoneally injected with E. coli LPS. Intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) (n = 6) induced by LPS were used to assess related mechanisms and compound C was used to inhibit adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity. Our current results showed that compared with the LPS treatment, the Gln + LPS treatment had better growth performance and greater villus height (P < 0.05), and the Gln + LPS treatment reduced the rate of diarrhea by 6.4% (P < 0.05); the Gln + LPS treatment decreased serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF-ɑ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), K+, cortisol and insulin levels, whereas increased (P < 0.05) serum immunoglobulin M and epidermal growth factor levels; the Gln + LPS treatment increased (P < 0.05) the expression of aquaporins and AMPK pathway-associated targets in the jejunum and ileum of piglets, whereas decreased the expression of ion transporters (P < 0.05). The in vitro results showed that 4 mmol/L Gln administration could inhibit (P < 0.05) cell apoptosis and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and TNF-ɑ secretion in LPS-induced IPEC-J2 cells, promote (P < 0.05) mitochondrial respiratory metabolism and increase (P < 0.05) the number of mitochondria and mitochondrial membrane potential. The activity of AMPK was elevated by 70% to 300% in Gln-treated IPEC-J2 cells under LPS challenge or normal conditions. Our results indicate that pre-administration of Gln to piglets suppresses intestinal inflammation by modulating the crosstalk between AMPK activation and mitochondrial function.This work was supported by Huxiang Young Talent Support
Program (2020RC3052), Natural Science Foundation of China
(31902168, 31872371), Hunan Key Research and Development Plan
(2020NK2059), State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition
(2004DA125184F1907), Special Funds for Construction of Innovative
Provinces in Hunan Province (2019RS3022), Guangxi Key
Research and Development Plan (Guike AB19259012), and Guangxi
Guilin Science and Technology Planning Project (2020010901)
Common themes in antimicrobial and anticancer drug resistance
Get PDFPublication history: Accepted - 22 July 2022; Published - 8 August 2022.Antimicrobial and anticancer drug resistance represent two of the main global
challenges for the public health, requiring immediate practical solutions. In
line with this, we need a better understanding of the origins of drug resistance
in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the evolutionary processes leading
to the occurrence of adaptive phenotypes in response to the selective
pressure of therapeutic agents. The purpose of this paper is to present some
of the analogies between the antimicrobial and anticancer drug resistance.
Antimicrobial and anticancer drugs share common targets and mechanisms of
action as well as similar mechanisms of resistance (e.g., increased drug efflux,
drug inactivation, target alteration, persister cells’ selection, protection of
bacterial communities/malignant tissue by an extracellular matrix, etc.). Both
individual and collective stress responses triggered by the chemotherapeutic
agent involving complex intercellular communication processes, as well as
with the surrounding microenvironment, will be considered. The common
themes in antimicrobial and anticancer drug resistance recommend the utility
of bacterial experimental models for unraveling the mechanisms that facilitate
the evolution and adaptation of malignant cells to antineoplastic drugs.This research was funded by CNFIS-FDI-2022-0675, UEFISCDI - PN-III-P4-PCE2021-1797, PN-III-P1-1.1-36PD-2019-
0499, Grant number 224/2021 and the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization through Program 1—Development of the national R&D system, Subprogram 1.2—Institutional performance—Financing projects for excellence in RDI, Contract no. 41 PFE/30.12.2021
Anti-Campylobacter Probiotics: Latest Mechanistic Insights
Get PDFPublication history: Published online ahead of print - 29 July 2022.The Campylobacter genus is the leading cause of human gastroenteritis, with the consumption of contaminated
poultry meat as the main route of infection. Probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Escherichia coli
Nissle, and Bifidobacterium species, have a great immunomodulatory capacity and exhibit antipathogenic
effects through various molecular mechanisms. Reducing Campylobacter levels in livestock animals, such as
poultry, will have a substantial benefit to humans as it will reduce disease transmissibility through the food
chain. Moreover, probiotic-based strategies might attenuate intestinal inflammatory processes, which consequently
reduce the severity of Campylobacter disease progression. At a molecular level, probiotics can also
negatively impact on the functionality of various Campylobacter virulence and survival factors (e.g., adhesion,
invasion), and on the associated colonization proteins involved in epithelial translocation. The current review
describes recent in vitro, in vivo, and preclinical findings on probiotic therapies, aiming to reduce Campylobacter
counts in poultry and reduce the pathogen’s virulence in the avian and human host. Moreover, we
focused in particular on probiotics with known anti-Campylobacter activity seeking to understand the biological
mechanisms involved in their mode of action.Non
Milk Composition and Production Efficiency within Feed-To-Yield Systems on Commercial Dairy Farms in Northern Ireland
Get PDFPublication history: Accepted - 5 July 2022; Published - 11 July 2022.This study examined the relationships between milk yield and diet composition, nutrient
intakes, milk composition, and feed use efficiency when concentrates were offered using a feedto-
yield (FTY) approach. The study was conducted on 26 dairy farms in Northern Ireland. Cows
(n = 3471) were fully housed and were offered concentrates on an FTY basis. Individual cow genetic
information was obtained for 18 herds. Concentrate intakes of individual cows were either obtained
from the farms or calculated, while milk yield and milk composition data were obtained from test-day
milk recording. Mean test-day milk yields during months 2 to 5 post-calving were calculated for each
cow, and cows within each lactation were placed into one of six equal-sized milk yield (kg/cow/day)
groups. Diet effects and performance responses to milk yield groups were tested for linear and
quadratic effects. Total dry matter intakes increased with increasing milk yield. Milk fat and milk
protein concentration declined as milk yield increased, which could be attributed in part to genetics
and diet. As milk yield increased, nitrogen and energy use efficiency was improved. However,
concentrates offered per kg of energy-corrected milk also increased at higher milk yields, indicating
an increased reliance on concentrates for these cows.This research was funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and AgriSearch through the Research Challenge Fund
Automated detection and quantification of contact behaviour in pigs using deep learning
Get PDFPublication history: Accepted - 5 October 2022; Published online - 22 October 2022Change in the frequency of contact between pigs within a group may be indicative of a change in the physiological or health status of one or more pigs within a group, or indicative of the occurrence of abnormal behaviour, e.g. tail-biting. Here, we developed a novel framework that detects and quantifies the frequency of interaction, i.e., a pig head to another pig rear, between pigs in groups. The method does not require individual pig tracking/identification and uses only inexpensive camera-based data capturing infrastructure. We modified the architecture of well-established deep learning models and further developed a lightweight processing stage that scans over pigs to score said interactions. This included the addition of a detection subnetwork to a selected layer of the base residual network. We first validated the automated system to score the interactions between individual pigs within a group, and determined an average accuracy of 92.65% ± 3.74%, under a variety of settings, e.g., management set-ups and data capturing. We then applied the method to a significant welfare challenge in pigs, that of the detection of tail-biting outbreaks in pigs and quantified the changes that happen in contact behaviour during such an outbreak. Our study shows that the system is able to accurately monitor pig interactions under challenging farming conditions, without the need for additional sensors or a pig tracking stage. The method has a number of potential applications to the field of precision livestock farming of pigs that may transform the industry.We are grateful to Dr Katarina Buckova, Melanie McAuley, Zoe Tey and Joy McMillen for help with the collection and annotation of the datasets. This research was part of the EU-China HealthyLivestock project https://healthylivestock.net/. The authors wish to acknowledge that HealthyLivestock is funded by the European Union H2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement number 773436. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
The automated detection work was supported in part by the UK Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL) and Zoetis Inc. Zoetis did not influence the data selection, interpretation, conclusions drawn or the decision on how or what to publish.
The study was made possible by a grant from the Green Development and Demonstration Programme under the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Denmark (project IntactTails j. nr. 34,009-13-0743)