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Although early solid diet supplementation is a common practice to improve the growth and development in goat kids, its biological mechanism how solid diet induces rumen microbiota and epithelial development is still unknow. In this study, rumen fermentation parameters, 16S rRNA sequencing for rumen content and epithelial microbiota, transcriptomics and proteomics of epithelium were determined to classify the effects of solid diet supplementation. Here, we classified the changes of goat phenotypes (i.e., growth performance, rumen fermentation and development) and linked them to the changes of rumen microbiota, transcriptome and expressed proteins. The mechanism of solid diet improving rumen development was elucidated preliminarily. Moreover, different roles between the rumen content and epithelial microbiota were identified. Thess datasets expands our understanding of the association between the early diet intervention and rumen development, providing the useful information how nutrient strategy affects rumen function and subsequently improves the host growth. The generated data provides insights in the importance of rumen niche microbiota and microbe-host interactions, which benefits future studies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

An unprecedented study of the application of planar chiral compounds in antiviral pesticide development is reported. A class of multifunctional planar chiral ferrocene derivatives bearing α-amino phosphonate moieties was synthesized. These compounds, exhibiting superior optical purities, were subsequently subjected to antiviral evaluations against the notable plant pathogen potato virus Y (PVY). The influence of the absolute configurations of the planar chiral compounds on their antiviral bioactivities was significant. A number of these enantiomerically enriched planar chiral molecules demonstrated superior anti-PVY activities. Specifically, compound ( S p , R )- 9n displayed extraordinary curative activities against PVY, with a 50% maximal effective concentration (EC 50 ) of 216.11 μg/mL, surpassing the efficacy of ningnanmycin (NNM, 272.74 μg/mL). The protective activities of compound ( S p , R )- 9n had an EC 50 value of 152.78 μg/mL, which was better than that of NNM (413.22 μg/mL). The molecular docking and defense enzyme activity tests were carried out using the planar chiral molecules bearing different absolute configurations to investigate the mechanism of their antiviral activities against PVY. ( S p , R )- 9n , ( S p , R )- 9o , and NMM all showed stronger affinities to the PVY-CP than the ( R p , S )- 9n . Investigations into the mechanisms revealed that the planar chiral configurations of the compounds played pivotal roles in the interactions between the PVY-CP molecules and could augment the activities of the defense enzymes. This study contributes substantial insights into the role of planar chirality in defending plants against viral infections.

The production performance of dairy cattle is closely related to their metabolic state. This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the production performance and metabolic features of Sanhe dairy cattle across different parities, with a specific focus on evaluating variations in milk traits and metabolites in both milk and serum. Sanhe dairy cattle from parities 1 to 4 (S1, n = 10; S2, n = 9; S3, n = 10; and S4, n = 10) at mid-lactation were maintained under the same feeding and management conditions. The milk traits, hydrolyzed milk amino acid levels, serum biochemical parameters, and serum free amino acid levels of the Sanhe dairy cattle were determined. Multiparous Sanhe dairy cattle (S2, S3, and S4) had a greater milk protein content, lower milk lactose content, and lower solids-not-fat content than primiparous Sanhe dairy cattle (S1). Moreover, S1 had a higher ratio of essential to total amino acids (EAAs/TAAs) in both the serum and milk. The serum biochemical results showed the lower glucose and total protein levels in S1 cattle were associated with milk quality. Furthermore, ultra-high-resolution high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem MS analysis (UPLC-MS/MS) identified 86 and 105 differential metabolites in the serum and milk, respectively, and these were mainly involved in amino acid, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism. S1 and S2/S3/S4 had significantly different metabolic patterns in the serum and milk, and more vitamin B-related metabolites were significantly higher identified in S1 than in multiparous cattle. Among 36 shared differential metabolites in the serum and milk, 10 and 7 metabolites were significantly and strongly correlated with differential physiological indices, respectively. The differential metabolites identified were enriched in key metabolic pathways, illustrating the metabolic characteristics of the serum and milk from Sanhe dairy cattle of different parities. L-phenylalanine, dehydroepiandrosterone, and linoleic acid in the milk and N-acetylornithine in the serum could be used as potential marker metabolites to distinguish between Sanhe dairy cattle with parities of 1-4. In addition, a metabolic map of the serum and milk from the three aspects of carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids was created for the further analysis and exploration of their relationships. These results reveal significant variations in milk traits and metabolites across different parities of Sanhe dairy cattle, highlighting the influence of parity on the metabolic profiles and production performance. Tailored nutritional strategies based on parity-specific metabolic profiles are recommended to optimize milk production and quality in Sanhe cattle.

We have developed a catalytic method using chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) as the sole organic catalyst to synthesize planar chiral carbonitriles asymmetrically, resulting in optically pure, multifunctional compounds. The method demonstrates remarkable tolerance toward diverse substituents and substitution patterns through kinetic resolution (KR) or desymmetrization processes. The resulting optically pure planar chiral products hold significant potential for applications in asymmetric synthesis and antibacterial pesticide development.

Macrolactones exhibit distinct conformational and configurational properties and are widely found in natural products, medicines, and agrochemicals. Up to now, the major effort for macrolactonization is directed toward identifying suitable carboxylic acid/alcohol coupling reagents to address the challenges associated with macrocyclization, wherein the stereochemistry of products is usually controlled by the substrate's inherent chirality. It remains largely unexplored in using catalysts to govern both macrolactone formation and stereochemical control. Here, we disclose a non-enzymatic organocatalytic approach to construct macrolactones bearing chiral planes from achiral substrates. Our strategy utilizes N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) as a potent acylation catalyst that simultaneously mediates the macrocyclization and controls planar chirality during the catalytic process. Macrolactones varying in ring sizes from sixteen to twenty members are obtained with good-to-excellent yields and enantiomeric ratios. Our study shall open new avenues in accessing macrolactones with various stereogenic elements and ring structures by using readily available small-molecule catalysts., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The performance of dairy cows is closely tied to the metabolic state, and this performance varies depending on the number of times the cows have given birth. However, there is still a lack of research on the relationship between the metabolic state of Holstein cows and the performance of lactation across multiple parities. In this study, biochemical analyses and metabolomics studies were performed on the serum and milk from Holstein cows of parities 1-4 (H1, N = 10; H2, N = 7; H3, N = 9; H4, N = 9) in mid-lactation (DIM of 141 ± 4 days) to investigate the link between performance and metabolic changes. The results of the milk quality analysis showed that the lactose levels were highest in H1 ( p = 0.036). The total protein content in the serum increased with increasing parity ( p = 0.013). Additionally, the lipase activity was found to be lowest in H1 ( p = 0.022). There was no difference in the composition of the hydrolyzed amino acids in the milk among H1 to H4. However, the free amino acids histidine and glutamate in the serum were lowest in H1 and highest in H3 ( p < 0.001), while glycine was higher in H4 ( p = 0.031). The metabolomics analysis revealed that 53 and 118 differential metabolites were identified in the milk and serum, respectively. The differential metabolites in the cows' milk were classified into seven categories based on KEGG. Most of the differential metabolites in the cows' milk were found to be more abundant in H1, and these metabolites were enriched in two impact pathways. The differential metabolites in the serum could be classified into nine categories and enriched in six metabolic pathways. A total of six shared metabolites were identified in the serum and milk, among which cholesterol and citric acid were closely related to amino acid metabolism in the serum. These findings indicate a significant influence of blood metabolites on the energy and amino acid metabolism during the milk production process in the Holstein cows across 1-4 lactations, and that an in-depth understanding of the metabolic changes that occur in Holstein cows during different lactations is essential for precision farming, and that it is worthwhile to further investigate these key metabolites that have an impact through controlled experiments.

Variability in food availability leads to condition-dependent investments in reproduction. This study is aimed at understanding the metabolic response and regulatory mechanism of female Scylla paramamosain in response to starvation in a temporal- and tissue-specific manner. The mud crabs were starved for 7 (control), 14, 28, and 40 days for histological and biochemical analysis in the hepatopancreas, ovary, and serum, as well as for RNA sequencing on the hepatopancreas and ovary. We further highlighted candidate gene modules highly linked to physiological traits. Collectively, our observations suggested that starvation triggered endogenous ovarian maturation at the expense of hepatopancreas mass, with both metabolic adjustments to optimize energy and fatty acid supply from hepatopancreas to ovary in the early phase, followed by the activation of autophagy-related pathways in both organs over prolonged starvation. These specific adaptive responses might be considered efficient strategies to stimulate ovarian maturation of Scylla paramamosain under fasting stress, which improves the nutritional value of female mud crabs and other economically important crustaceans.

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics in the livestock and poultry industry has led to the development of multi-drug resistance in animal pathogens, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in bacteria transfer from animals to humans through the consumption of animal products, posing a serious threat to human health. Therefore, the use of antibiotics in livestock production has been strictly controlled. As a result, bacteriophages have attracted increasing research interest as antibiotic alternatives, since they are natural invaders of bacteria. Numerous studies have shown that dietary bacteriophage supplementation could regulate intestinal microbial composition, enhance mucosal immunity and the physical barrier function of the intestinal tract, and play an important role in maintaining intestinal microecological stability and normal body development of animals. The effect of bacteriophages used in animals is influenced by factors such as species, dose, and duration. However, as a category of mobile genetic elements, the high frequency of gene exchange of bacteriophages also poses risks of transmitting ARGs among bacteria. Hence, we summarized the mechanism and efficacy of bacteriophage therapy, and highlighted the feasibility and challenges of bacteriophage utilization in farm animal production, aiming to provide a reference for the safe and effective application of bacteriophages as an antibiotic alternative in livestock and poultry.

The direct functionalization of inert C(sp 3 )-H bonds to form carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds offers vast potential for chemical synthesis and therefore receives increasing attention. At present, most successes come from strategies using metal catalysts/reagents or photo/electrochemical processes. The use of organocatalysis for this purpose remains scarce, especially when dealing with challenging C-H bonds such as those from simple alkanes. Here we disclose the first organocatalytic direct functionalization/acylation of inert C(sp 3 )-H bonds of completely unfunctionalized alkanes. Our approach involves N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst-mediated carbonyl radical intermediate generation and coupling with simple alkanes (through the corresponding alkyl radical intermediates generated via a hydrogen atom transfer process). Unreactive C-H bonds are widely present in fossil fuel feedstocks, commercially important organic polymers, and complex molecules such as natural products. Our present study shall inspire a new avenue for quick functionalization of these molecules under the light- and metal-free catalytic conditions., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The development of catalyst-controlled methods for direct functionalization of two distinct C-H bonds represents an appealing approach for C-C formations in synthetic chemistry. Herein, we describe an organocatalytic approach for straightforward acylation of C(sp 3 )-H bonds employing readily available aldehyde as "acyl source" involving dehydrogenative coupling of aldehydes with ether, amine, or benzylic C(sp 3 )-H bonds. The developed method affords a broad range of ketones under mild conditions. Mechanistically, simple ortho-cyanoiodobenzene is essential in the oxidative radical N-heterocyclic carbene catalysis to give a ketyl radical and C(sp 3 ) radical through a rarely explored intermolecular hydrogen atom transfer pathway, rendering the acylative C-C formations in high efficiency under a metal- and light-free catalytic conditions. Moreover, the prepared products show promising anti-bacterial activities that shall encourage further investigations on novel agrochemical development., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

This experiment explored the effects of different proportions of sweet sorghum silage as a substitute for corn silage on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield, milk quality, apparent digestibility, rumen fermentation parameters, serum amino acid profile, and rumen microbial composition of dairy cows. A total of 32 mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows with similar body weights and parities were randomly divided into four treatments: 100% corn silage +0% sorghum silage (CON), 75% corn silage +25% sorghum silage (CS1), 50% corn silage +50% sorghum silage (CS2), and 25% corn silage +75% sorghum silage (CS3). The milk yield was increased (linear, p  = .048) as the proportion of sweet sorghum increased. Linear ( p  = .003) and quadratic ( p  = .046) increased effects were observed in milk fat as corn silage was replaced with sorghum silage. Compared with the CON diet group, the CS2 and CS3 diet groups had lower dry matter (DM) (linear, p  < .001), ether extract (EE) (linear, p  < .001), and gross energy (GE) (linear, p  = .001) digestibility of the dairy cows. The ruminal fluid aspartate (Asp) level decreased (linear, p  = .003) as the proportion of sweet sorghum increased. Linear ( p  < .05) and quadratic ( p  < .05) increased effects were observed for the contents of threonine (Thr), glycine (Gly), valine (Val), leucine (Leu), tyrosine (Tyr), and histidine (His) in rumen fluid with the replacement of corn silage with sorghum silage. Cows fed the CS3 diet had greater Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides , and Prevotella ruminicola content/copy number than those fed the CON diet ( p  < .05). In conclusion, feeding sorghum silage as a replacement for corn silage could increase the milk yield and fat, promote the growth of rumen microbes, and provide more rumen fluid amino acids for the body and microbial utilization. We believe that sorghum silage is feasible for dairy cows, and it is reasonable to replace corn silage with 75% sorghum silage., Competing Interests: The authors declare that no conflict of interest exists., (© 2023 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

It is well known that solid diet supplementation in early life can significantly promote rumen development and metabolic function in young ruminants. However, the changes in the expressed proteome and related metabolism in rumen epithelium in response to a supplemented solid diet remain unclear. In this study, rumen epithelial tissue from goats in three diet regimes including milk replacer only (MRO), milk replacer supplemented concentrate (MRC), and milk replacer supplemented concentrate plus alfalfa pellets (MCA) were collected for measurement of the expression of epithelial proteins using proteomic technology (six per group). The results showed that solid diet significantly improved the growth performance of goats, enhanced the ability of rumen fermentation, and promoted the development of epithelial papilla ( p < 0.05). Proteome analysis revealed the distinct difference in the expressed protein in the MRC and MCA group compared with the MRO group (42 upregulated proteins and 79 downregulated proteins in MRC; 38 upregulated proteins and 73 downregulated proteins in MCA). Functional analysis showed that solid diet supplementation activated a variety of molecular functions in the epithelium, including protein binding, ATP binding, structural constituent of muscle, etc., in the MRC and MCA groups. Meanwhile, the expression of proteins related to fatty acid metabolism, the PPAR signaling pathway, valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation, and butanoate metabolism were upregulated, being stimulated by solid feed. In contrast, the proteins associated with carbohydrate digestion and absorption and glycosaminoglycan degradation were downregulated. In addition, the protein expression of enzymes involved in ketone body synthesis in the rumen was generally activated, which was caused by solid feed. In summary, solid feed promoted the development of rumen epithelium by changing the expression of proteins related to fatty acid metabolism, energy synthesis, and signal transduction. The ketone body synthesis pathway might be the most important activated pathway, and provides energy for rumen development.

Maintaining muscle quality throughout life is crucial to human health and well-being. Muscle is the most extensive form of protein storage in the human body; skeletal muscle mass is determined by the balance between muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB). MPB provides amino acids needed by various organs; however, excessive MPB, especially with aging, may cause loss of muscle mass and a decline in motor function, even threatening life. The turnover of muscle protein is vital to the health of humans. Thus, although the study of MPS and MPB has theoretical and practical significance, the network that controls MPS is very complicated and we cannot discuss both MPS and MPB in a single review. Therefore, the aim of this review is to discuss the regulation of MPS, especially by amino acids. Amino acids regulate protein synthesis in cell and animal models, but compelling evidence for amino acids promoting protein synthesis in human muscles is ambiguous. Studies on the stimulation of human MPS by branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) have been inconsistent. Amino acids other than BCAAs such as threonine and tryptophan may also have MPS-stimulating effects, and alternatives to BCAAs, such as β-hydroxy-β-methyl butyrate and branched-chain keto acids are also worthy of further investigation. Amino acids coordinate protein synthesis and degradation through the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1); however, the amino acid-mTORC1-protein synthesis pathway is complex, and new insights into amino acid control continue to emerge. Understanding how amino acids control MPS is of forward-looking significance for treating muscle mass loss during human aging., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Tea tree oil (TTO) is a plant-derived additive with anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, and growth-promoting properties. However, little is known about the effects of TTO on intestinal amino acid transport and immune function in goats. Twenty-four Ganxi goats (initial body weight of 13.5 ± 0.70 kg) were randomly allotted two treatments and fed either control (CON) or CON+TTO (0.2 ml/kg) diet. The addition of TTO to the diet significantly decreased ( p  < .05) tumor necrosis factor-α content and increased ( p  < .05) interleukin-2 (IL-2) content in goat serum; significantly decreased ( p  < .05) IL-12, and increased ( p  < .05) IL-2 content in goat ileal mucosa; significantly increased ( p  < .05) secreted IgA content in the jejunal and ileal mucosa; significantly upregulated ( p  < .05) IL-2 and downregulated ( p  < .05) IL-12 at the mRNA level in the ileal mucosa; significantly elevated the levels of serine, arginine, and total amino acids in the ileal mucosa ( p  < .05); significantly upregulated ( p  < .05) SLC1A1 and SLC7A1 in the ileum; and significantly enhanced ( p  < .05) the protein expression of Claudin-1 in the ileal mucosa. In summary, adding 0.2 ml/kg of TTO to the diet enhanced SLC1A1 and SLC7A1 mRNA expression in the ileal mucosa, and SLC1A1 and SLC7A1 could transport serine and arginine from the chyme to the ileal mucosa. Thus, increased serine and arginine content in the mucosa could improve intestinal immunity. TTO supplementation upregulated the expression of IL-2 and Claudin-1 in goat ileal mucosa, and enhanced immune function in the intestine., Competing Interests: The authors declare that no conflict of interest exist., (© 2022 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

This study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of mycotoxin adsorbent galactomannan oligosaccharides (GMOS) on growth performance, fermentation parameters, mycotoxins residues, serum biochemistry and oxidative stress parameters of the goats. The in vitro test indicated that 0.05% GMOS outperformed yeast cell wall (YCW) and montmorillonite (MMT) in aflatoxins absorption. Then 20 3-month-old Xiangdong black goats (15.0 ± 1.9 kg) were randomly divided into two dietary treatments for the animal test. The control group (CON group) was fed a multi-mycotoxins contaminated diet, whereas the experimental group (GMOS group) received multi-mycotoxins contaminated diet plus 0.05% GMOS. The trail lasted for 60 days, with 12 days of adaptation period and 48 days of formal experiment period. There were no treatment effects ( P > 0.10) on growth performance, serum antioxidant capacity and activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The concentrations of zearalenone in the rumen were lower ( P < 0.05) in the GMOS group. GMOS significantly reduced ( P < 0.05) propionate concentration in the cecum, resulting in a rise ( P < 0.01) in acetate/propionate ratio in GMOS as compared to CON. Goats of GMOS exhibited considerably greater ( P < 0.05) levels of creatine kinase but lower ( P = 0.02) levels of creatinine than CON. Compared with CON, GMOS supplementation significantly increased ( P < 0.05) platelet count (PLT), platelet volume distribution width (PDW), and platelet hematocrit (PCT), while decreased ( P < 0.05) albumin content (ALB). The 0.05% GMOS protected goats in ruminal fermentation parameters, mycotoxins residues and serum biochemistry. Moreover, GMOS had no adverse effect on goat health. To our knowledge, this is the first report of GMOS in small ruminants. These findings suggested the feasibility of dietary GMOS as a health-maintaining addictive in goat diets., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wu, Ren, Lv, Ran, Zhang, Zhou and Tan.)

This study was designed to investigate the effects of dietary starch structure on muscle protein synthesis and gastrointestinal amino acid (AA) transport and metabolism of goats. Twenty-seven Xiangdong black female goats (average body weight = 9·00 ± 1·12 kg) were randomly assigned to three treatments, i.e., fed a T1 (normal maize 100 %, high amylose maize 0 %), T2 (normal maize 50 %, high amylose maize 50 %) and T3 (normal maize 0 %, high amylose maize 100 %) diet for 35 d. All AA in the ileal mucosa were decreased linearly as amylose:amylopectin increased in diets (P < 0·05). The plasma valine (linear, P = 0·03), leucine (linear, P = 0·04) and total AA content (linear, P = 0·03) increased linearly with the increase in the ratio of amylose in the diet. The relative mRNA levels of solute carrier family 38 member 1 (linear, P = 0·01), solute carrier family 3 member 2 (linear, P = 0·02) and solute carrier family 38 member 9 (linear, P = 0·02) in the ileum increased linearly with the increase in the ratio of amylose in the diet. With the increase in the ratio of amylose:amylopectin in the diet, the mRNA levels of acetyl-CoA dehydrogenase B (linear, P = 0·04), branched-chain amino acid transferase 1 (linear, P = 0·02) and branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex B (linear, P = 0·01) in the ileum decreased linearly. Our results revealed that the protein abundances of phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) (P < 0·001), phosphorylated 4E-binding protein 1 (P < 0·001) and phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 kinases 1 (P < 0·001) of T2 and T3 were significantly higher than that of T1. In general, a diet with a high amylose ratio could reduce the consumption of AA in the intestine, allowing more AA to enter the blood to maintain higher muscle protein synthesis through the mTOR pathway.

This study aimed to assess the impact of the dietary supplementation of N- carbamoylglutamate (NCG) on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, milk quality, oxidative stress, and metabolites in the plasma and feces of Jersey cattle under high altitude with the hypoxic condition. A total of 14 healthy lactating Jersey dairy cows with similar body conditions were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups. The control group (CON group, N = 6 replicates) was fed with a conventional complete diet, whereas the experimental group (NCG group, N = 8 replicates) received 20 g/d per head NCG supplementation. The experiment lasted for 60 days, the adaptation period was 12 days, and the formal experiment period was 48 days. Except that the NCG group showed an upward trend in dry matter intake (DMI) ( p = 0.09) and the fermentation parameters, the molar proportion of butyric acid tended to decrease ( p = 0.08); the two groups had no significant differences ( p > 0.05) in nutrients digestibility, plasma immunity, and antioxidant ability. However, compared with the CON group, the milk fat rate and blood oxygen saturation of the NCG group showed an upward trend ( p = 0.09). For indexes associated with altitude stress, the contents of thyroxine, transferrin, and endothelin both decreased significantly ( p < 0.05) in the NCG group. Meanwhile, heat shock protein ( p = 0.07) and aldosterone ( p = 0.06) also showed a downward trend. A total of 114 different metabolites were identified from feces and plasma, 42 metabolites were derived from plasma that mainly included 5 kinds of Super Class, and 72 metabolites were derived from feces that mainly included 9 kinds of Super Class. The significantly increased plasma differential metabolites were 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate and salicyluric acid, and the significantly increased fecal differential metabolites were Butenafine (fold change > 2). Pathway analysis showed that after applying NCG as a feed additive, the changes of the Jersey dairy cows mainly focused on amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism. These results indicated that adding NCG to the diet can prevent the hypoxic stress state of lactating Jersey cows in high-altitude areas and has a tendency to improve milk quality., Competing Interests: FY was employed by Hunan Jiuding Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. XH was employed by Changsha Green Top Biotech Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Liu, Yan, Mi, Lv, Wang, Li, Jin, Chen, Zhang, Huang, Zhou and Tan.)

Solid diet supplementation in the early life stages of ruminants could improve rumen microbiota and tissue development. However, most studies focus on bacteria in the rumen content community. The microbiota attached on rumen epithelium are rarely investigated, and their correlations with rumen content bacteria and host transcripts are unknown. In this study, rumen digesta attached in the epithelium from goats in three diet regimes (milk replacer only, milk replacer supplemented concentrate and milk replacer supplemented concentrate plus alfalfa pellets) were collected for measurement of the epithelial microbiota using next generation sequencing. Correspondingly, the rumen tissues of the same animals were measured with the host transcriptome. The distinct microbial structures and compositions between rumen content and epithelial communities were associated with solid diet supplementation. Regarding rumen development in pre-weaning ruminants, a solid diet, especially its accompanying neutral detergent fibre nutrients, was the most significant driver that influenced the rumen microbiota and epithelium gene expression. Compared with content bacteria, rumen epithelial microbiota had a stronger association with the host transcriptome. The host transcriptome correlated with host phenotypes were associated with rumen epithelial microbiota and solid diet. This study reveals that the epithelial microbiota is crucial for proper rumen development, and solid diet could improve rumen development through both the rumen content and epithelial microbiota., (© 2021 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Foliar nitrogen (N) fertilizer application at later stages of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. ) growth is an effective method of attenuating drought stress and improving grain filling. The influences or modes of action of foliar application of various nitrogen forms on wheat growth and grain filling need further research. The objective of this study was to examine the regulatory effects of various forms of foliar nitrogen [NO 3 - , NH 4 + , and CO(NH 2 ) 2 ] on wheat grain filling under drought stress and to elucidate their underlying mechanisms. The relative effects of each nitrogen source differed in promoting grain filling. Foliar NH 4 + -N application notably prolonged the grain filling period. In contrast, foliar application of CO(NH 2 ) 2 and NO 3 - -N accelerated the grain filling rate and regulated levels of abscisic acid (ABA), z-riboside (ZR), and ethylene (ETH) in wheat grains. Analysis of gene expression revealed that CO(NH 2 ) 2 and NO 3 - -N upregulated the genes involved in the sucrose-starch conversion pathway, promoting the remobilization of carbohydrates and starch synthesis in the grains. Besides, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) were increased, whereas the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) declined under foliar nitrogen application (especially NH 4 + -N). Under drought stress, enhancement of carbohydrate remobilization and sink strength became key factors in grain filling, and the relative differences in the effects of three N forms became more evident. In conclusion, NH 4 + -N application improved the antioxidant enzyme system and delayed photoassimilate transportation. On the other hand, foliar applications of NO 3 - -N and CO(NH 2 ) 2 enhanced sink capacity and alleviated drought stress injury in wheat., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Lv, Ding, Long, Liang, Gu, Liu and Wen.)

Neutral detergent fiber (NDF), as the main component of structural carbohydrate in forage, is a vital factor impacting the performance of young ruminants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of starter NDF level on the rumen fermentation and morphometrics of lambs fed isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets. One hundred Hu sheep lambs (18 days of age and 6.1 ± 0.1 kg body weight [BW]) were randomly assigned to one of the four starter diets differing in their NDF levels on a dry matter (DM) basis: 1) diet with 14% NDF (NDF14), 2) diet with 18% NDF (NDF18), 3) diet with 22% NDF (NDF22), and 4) diet with 26% NDF (NDF26). Lambs were fed milk replacer with designed starters from 21 to 60 d of age and then transitioned to the same starter feed until 90 d of age. Six lambs from each treatment (close to the average BW of the corresponding treatment) were selected and slaughtered at 90 d of age for measuring rumen fermentation, anatomical development, and morphometric characteristics. Lambs receiving NDF22 and NDF26 starter diets had greater (P < 0.05) intake of starter and total DM, and average daily gain during the overall period, thereby heavier (P < 0.05) final weights at 90 d of age compared with those fed NDF14 starter diet. At 90 d of age, lambs fed NDF22 and NDF26 starters had higher rumen pH, followed by lower propionate, higher acetate concentrations (P < 0.05), and a higher acetate-to-propionate ratio compared with those fed NDF14 and NDF18 starters (P < 0.05). No significant differences of the full and empty weight of reticulorumen were observed among treatments; however, the reticulorumen weight expressed as a percentage of the complex stomach weight was lower (P < 0.05) in lambs fed NDF22 and NDF26 starters compared with those fed NDF14 starter. Furthermore, NDF14 lambs had the thickest keratin layer and epithelium compared with those in the other treatments but showed the thinnest muscle layer (P < 0.05). These results suggest that increasing starter NDF levels can ameliorate the rumen fermentation environment and alleviate hyperkeratosis and plaque formation in the rumen epithelium. In summary, including 22% and 26% NDF in the pelleted starter can improve the performance of lambs., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Supplying sufficient nutrients, such as dietary energy and protein, has a great effect on the growth and rumen development of ruminants. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary energy and protein levels on growth performance, microbial diversity, and structural and physiological properties of the rumen in weaned lambs. A total of 64 two-month-old Hu lambs were randomly allotted to 2 × 2 factorial arrangements with four replicates and with four lambs (half male and half female) in each replicate. The first factor was two levels of dietary metabolizable energy (ME) density (ME = 10.9 MJ/Kg or 8.6 MJ/Kg), and the second factor was two levels of dietary crude protein (CP) content (CP = 15.7% or 11.8%). The trial lasted for 60 days. A low dietary energy level restrained the growth performance of lambs ( p < 0.05). The ruminal concentration of acetate and the ratio of acetate to propionate increased but the propionate concentration decreased significantly with the low energy diet. However, the rumen morphology was not affected by the diet energy and protein levels. Moreover, a low energy diet increased ruminal bacterial diversity but reduced the abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria ( p < 0.05) and genus Succinivibrionaceae&#95; uncultured ( p < 0.05), which was associated with the change in ruminal fermentation phenotypes. By indicator species analysis, we found three indicator OTUs in the high energy group ( Succinivibrionaceae&#95; uncultured, Veillonellaceae&#95; unclassified and Veillonellaceae&#95; uncultured ( p < 0.01)) and two indicator OTUs in the low energy group ( Bacteroidales&#95; norank and Lachnospiraceae&#95; uncultured ( p < 0.01)). In conclusion, these findings added new dimensions to our understanding of the diet effect on rumen microbial community and fermentation response, and are of great significance for establishing the optimal nutrient supply strategy for lambs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

The feeding regime of early, supplementary solid diet improved rumen development and production in goat kids. However, the signature microbiota responsible for linking dietary regimes to rumen function shifts are still unclear. This work analyzed the rumen microbiome and functions affected by an early solid diet regime using a combination of machine learning algorithms. Volatile fatty acids (i.e., acetate, propionate and butyrate) fermented by microbes were found to increase significantly in the supplementary solid diet groups. Predominant genera were found to alter significantly from unclassified Sphingobacteriaceae (non-supplementary group) to Prevotella (supplementary solid diet groups). Random Forest classification model revealed signature microbiota for solid diet that positively correlated with macronutrient intake, and linearly increased with volatile fatty acid production. Bacteria associated with carbohydrate and protein metabolism were also identified. Utilization of a Fish Taco analysis portrayed a set of intersecting core species contributed to rumen function shifts by the solid diet regime. The core community structures consisted of the specific, signature microbiota and the manipulation of their symbiotic partners are manipulated by extra nutrients from concentrate and/or forage, and then produce more volatile fatty acids to promote rumen development and functions eventually host development. Our study provides mechanisms of the microbiome governed by a solid diet regime early in life, and highlights the signature microbiota involved in animal health and production.

A series of mono- to hexabrominated BOPHY dyes have been regioselectively synthesized in 41-96% yields from bromination of parent bis(difluoroboron)-1,2-bis((1H-pyrrol-2-yl)methylene)hydrazine (BOPHY), bromination of hydrazine-linked bispyrrole intermediate, or brominated 2-formylpyrrole precursors in moderate to excellent yields. The reactivities of these polybrominated BOPHY dyes were further studied via regioselective nucleophilic substitution or Suzuki/Stille cross-coupling reactions from which a series of 5- or 5,5'-substituted BOPHYs with amine, pyrrole, thiophene, and phenyl groups were obtained in moderate to high yields of 37-94%. The regioselectivities of both the bromination and nucleophilic substitution reaction, and these resultant BOPHY dyes, are confirmed by NMR, HRMS, and crystal structures. The spectroscopic properties of these resultant BOPHYs were studied, and most of them showed strong absorbance and bright fluorescence with maximum wavelengths centered at between the range of 430 and 660 nm. Their absorption and emission spectra were red-shifted for each bromine atom incorporated. The positions in which bromines or substituents are attached modulate the photophysical properties of the resulting BOPHY dyes.

Drought inhibits wheat grain filling. Polyamines (PAs) are closely associated with plant resistance due to drought and grain filling of cereals. However, little is known about the effect of PAs on the grain filling of wheat under drought stress. This study investigated whether and how PAs are involved in regulating wheat grain filling under drought stress. Two wheat genotypes differing in drought resistance were used, and endogenous PA levels were measured during grain filling under different water treatments. Additionally, external PAs were used, and the variation of hormone levels in grains was measured during grain filling under drought stress. The results indicated that spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) relieve the inhibition caused by drought stress, and putrescine (Put) has the opposite effect. The higher activities of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and Spd synthase in grains promotes the synthetic route from Put to Spd and Spm and notably increases the free Spd and Spm concentrations in grains, which promotes grain filling and drought resistance in wheat. The effect of PA on the grain filling of wheat under drought stress was closely related to the endogenous ethylene (ETH), zeatin (Z) + zeatin riboside (ZR) and abscisic acid (ABA). Spd and Spm significantly increased the Z + ZR and ABA concentrations and decreased the ETH evolution rate in grains, which promoted wheat grain filling under drought. Put significantly increased the ETH evolution rate, which led to excessive ABA accumulation in grains, subsequently aggravating the inhibition of drought on wheat grain filling. This means that the interaction of hormones, rather than the action of a single hormone, was involved in the regulation of wheat grain filling under drought., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)