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Simple Summary: In recent years, there has been a severe shortage of crude protein feed resources for ruminants due to the rapid growth of the animal industry, with traditional feed resources such as alfalfa and soybean meal unable to meet this challenge because of production and price factors. Therefore, it is necessary to explore alternative protein feed resources. Broussonetia papyrifera silage, as a non-conventional protein feed resource, has significant potential. Thus, this study evaluated the effectiveness of Broussonetia papyrifera silage feed for ruminants by investigating its effect on the growth performance, blood parameters, immune response, antioxidant function, and rumen microbial community composition of Kazakh lamb. The findings indicate that Broussonetia papyrifera silage does not adversely affect the growth performance of these lambs; instead, it shows promise in enhancing immune response and antioxidant capacity while promoting a balanced rumen microbial ecology. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Broussonetia papyrifera is an unconventional feed resource with significant developmental potential. This research aimed to explore the effects of Broussonetia papyrifera silage on the growth performance, blood parameters, immunity, antioxidation, cytokine levels, and rumen bacterial composition of Kazakh lamb. Forty healthy male Kazakh lambs, aged 5 months and weighing 30.12 ± 1.14 kg, were randomly divided into control and experimental groups, each consisting of four replicates (five lambs per replicate). The control group was fed a basal diet, while the experimental group received a diet supplemented with 20% Broussonetia papyrifera silage (dry matter basis). Following a 10-day pre-feeding period, a 60-day formal experiment was conducted. The results indicated no significant difference in growth performance between the experimental and control groups. However, compared to the control group, the use of Broussonetia papyrifera silage significantly reduced (p < 0.05) neutrophil, lymphocyte, and eosinophil counts, as well as creatinine levels in the blood. Furthermore, Broussonetia papyrifera silage (p < 0.01) enhanced total serum antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin M, immunoglobulin G, interleukin-2, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8, and decreased malondialdehyde and interleukin-4 levels. Additionally, the use of Broussonetia papyrifera silage increased the diversity and richness of the rumen bacterial community, notably enhancing the relative abundance of Firmicutes such as Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group. In conclusion, feeding Kazakh lamb with Broussonetia papyrifera silage (20% DM) did not adversely affect their growth performance but improved their immunity and antioxidant capacity and enhanced the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria in the rumen, thereby promoting animal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) has a high sensitivity and strong specificity, and is widely used in the analysis of gene expression. Selecting appropriate internal reference genes is the key to accurately analyzing the expression changes of target genes by RT-qPCR. To find out the most suitable internal reference genes for studying the gene expression in Broussonetia papyrifera under abiotic stresses (including drought, salt, and ZnSO4 treatments), seven different tissues of B. papyrifera, as well as the roots, stems, and leaves of B. papyrifera under the abiotic stresses were used as test materials, and 15 candidate internal reference genes were screened based on the transcriptome data via RT-qPCR. Then, the expression stability of the candidate genes was comprehensively evaluated through the software geNorm (v3.5), NormFinder (v0.953), BestKeeper (v1.0), and RefFinder. The best internal reference genes and their combinations were screened out according to the analysis results. rRNA and Actin were the best reference genes under drought stress. Under salt stress, DOUB, HSP, NADH, and rRNA were the most stable reference genes. Under heavy metal stress, HSP and NADH were the most suitable reference genes. EIF3 and Actin were the most suitable internal reference genes in the different tissues of B. papyrifera. In addition, HSP, rRNA, NADH, and UBC were the most suitable internal reference genes for the abiotic stresses and the different tissues of B. papyrifera. The expression patterns of DREB and POD were analyzed by using the selected stable and unstable reference genes. This further verified the reliability of the screened internal reference genes. This study lays the foundation for the functional analysis and regulatory mechanism research of genes in B. papyrifera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broussonetia papyrifera is rich in flavonoids, which have significant antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities and certain pharmacological activities. Nevertheless, scarce transcriptome resources of B. papyrifera have impeded further study regarding the process of its production and accumulation. In this study, RNA-seq was utilized to evaluate the gene expression of B. papyrifera leaves at three distinct developmental phases (T1: young leaves, T3: immature leaves, T4: matured leaves). We obtained 2447 upregulated and 2960 downregulated DEGs, 4657 upregulated and 4804 downregulated DEGs, and 805 upregulated and 484 downregulated DEGs from T1 vs. T3, T1 vs. T4, and T3 vs. T4, respectively. Further research found that the following variables contributed to the formation of flavonoids in the leaves of B. papyrifera: Several important enzyme genes involved in flavonoid production pathways have been discovered. The results demonstrated that the dynamic changing trend of flavonoid contents is related to the expression pattern of the vast majority of essential genes in the biosynthetic pathway. Genes associated in energy and glucose metabolism, polysaccharide, cell wall and cytoskeleton metabolism, signal transduction, and protein and amino acid metabolism may affect the growth and development of B. papyrifera leaves, and eventually their flavonoid content. This study's results offer a strong platform for future research into the metabolic pathways of B. papyrifera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paper mulberry is one of the most common skin-lightening agents in the beauty industry due to its strong anti-tyrosinase activity. This narrative review aims to summarize the chemical composition, biological activities, and applications of paper mulberry in cosmetics. Method: The literature for this article was acquired from the PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases before September 2022. The keywords for searching included "paper mulberry", "Broussonetia papyrifera", "skin-lightening", "skin-whitening", "depigmentation", "pharmacological activity", and "biological activity". Results: Paper mulberry consists of various components, including flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, phenols, saponins, coumarins, glycosides, and polysaccharides, which possess a wide range of pharmacological properties. Apart from its anti-tyrosinase activity, paper mulberry and its compounds exhibited anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, antidiabetic, anticholinesterase, antigout, antinociceptive, and hepatoprotective effects. Phenols and flavonoids were demonstrated to be the main contributors to the biological activities of paper mulberry. Paper mulberry is widely applied in cosmetics for skin lightening and skin moisturizing purposes and shows potential for application in hair care products due to the hair nourishing effects. The safety of paper mulberry for topical application was proven in clinical studies. Conclusion: The current review provides a better understanding of paper mulberry's properties and allows us to extend the application of this plant and its bioactive components in cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More attention has been paid in recent times to the application of Broussonetia papyrifera (BP) silage in ruminants, owing to its nutritional value. This study aimed to characterize the functionality of fermented BP and preliminarily explore its dietary effects on the gut health of laying hens. In this study, we characterized the antioxidant and antibacterial activities, bioactive compound profile, and bacterial community in Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented BP (FBP), as well as its dietary effects on intestinal morphology, microbiota and gene expression of laying hens. Improved contents of protein, total polyphenol and flavonoids as well as antioxidant and antibacterial activities were found after fermentation of BP. Untargeted metabolomics displayed more abundant apigenin, luteolin, diosmetin, and quercetin within the FBP, which may contribute to its functionality. Microbiome demonstrated increased abundance of Firmicutes at the expense of Cyanobacteria phylum, accompanied with raised levels of Lactobacillus genus. The results of a feeding trial showed dietary FBP supplementation increased the serum superoxide dismutase, but down-regulated gene expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), mucin2, and ZO-2, without obviously affecting the intestinal morphology and colonic microbiota. These findings suggest that FBP warrants further investigation as it may serve as a functional dietary supplement in laying hen feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent. has considerable economic and ecological value and a long history of use in China. In this paper, root cuttings were used as the material to establish an efficient vegetative propagation of B. papyrifera. The results revealed that root segments with a diameter of 1.5~2.0 cm and a length of 20~30 cm were most suitable for shoot regeneration, as these segments had the highest adventitious shoot induction rates (93.3%), strongest adventitious shoots, and highest multiplication coefficients (7.07). With regard to the methods used for root burial, a horizontal burial at a depth of 1~3 cm yielded the best results, in this case, the adventitious shoot induction rate can reach 86.7%. The best substrate combination was perlite: peat: coconut chaff = 1:1:1 (v/v/v), wherein the adventitious shoot induction rate can reach 75.6%. The best sterilization method was mixing soil with carbendazim and soaking the root sections in carbendazim for 30 min, wherein the adventitious shoot induction rate can reach 77.8%. Adding 0.2 mg/L naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) to 1/4 Hoagland nutrient solution significantly improved the rooting rate of adventitious shoots to 82.2%, and the survival rate of the acclimatized plants was more than 90.0%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broussonetia papyrifera has increasingly been used as a high-quality feedstuff for ruminants due to its advantageous characteristics. The storage temperature can influence the fermentation quality of silage; however, the effect of temperature on B. papyrifera leaves (BPL) silage has not been reported. In the present study, the fermentation quality and bacterial community of BPL, stored at 15 °C and 30 °C, were investigated during ensiling (day 3, 7, 14, 30) with or without Lactobacillus plantarum strain (LP) added. The pH and the coliform bacteria counts were significantly lower in silage stored at 30 than 15 °C (p < 0.01), while the lactic acid content increased significantly (p < 0.05). Adding LP decreased the dry matter loss, pH, coliform bacteria count, and ammonia-N and butyric acid contents at 30 °C. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus increased, while the bacterial diversity decreased in the silage stored at 30 °C when LP was added. During silage, the high abundance of Lactobacillus decreased gas and carbon dioxide (CO2) production, and the lowest gas and CO2 production were detected in silage stored at 30 °C when LP was added. In conclusion, adding LP and storing it at 30 °C could effectively improve the quality of BPL silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper Mulberry ( Broussonetia papyrifera ) possesses medicinal, economic, and ecological significance and is extensively used for feed production, papermaking, and ecological restoration due to its ease of propagation, rapid growth rate, and strong stress resistance. The recent completion of the sequencing of the Paper Mulberry genome has prompted further research into the genetic breeding and molecular biology of this important species. A highly stable reference gene is essential to enhance the quantitative analysis of functional genes in Paper Mulberry; however, none has been identified. Accordingly, in this study, the leaves, stems, roots, petioles, young fruits, and mature fruits of Paper Mulberry plants were selected as experimental materials, and nine candidate reference genes, namely, α-TUB1 , α-TUB2 , β-TUB , H2A , ACT , DnaJ , UBQ , CDC2 , and TIP41 , were identified by RT-qPCR. Their stability was assessed using the geNorm, Normfinder, Delta Ct, BestKeeper, and RefFinder algorithms, identifying ACT and UBQ as showing the greatest stability. The expression of BpMYB090 , which regulates the production of trichomes, was examined in the leaves of plants of the wild type (which have more trichomes) and mutant (which have fewer trichomes) at various developmental stages to validate the results of this study. As a result, their identification addresses a critical gap in the field of Paper Mulberry research, providing a solid foundation for future research that will concentrate on the characterization of pertinent functional genes in this economically valuable species.

Wood adhesive was prepared using Broussonetia papyrifera waste leaf protein as the raw material. The performance of the B. papyrifera leaf protein adhesive compared to soy protein was investigated using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicated that both B. papyrifera leaf protein and soy protein were spherical proteins that could easily form three-dimensional crosslinked network structures and were of potential for protein adhesive preparation. The B. papyrifera leaf and soy protein-based adhesives had similar curing behaviors, but the crosslinking reaction of B. papyrifera leaf protein-based adhesive seems to be more complex than that of the soy protein-based adhesive. The B. papyrifera leaf protein-based adhesive had a lower increasing trend of particle size and crystallinity than the soy-based protein adhesive, and its water resistance and bonding strength were also weaker. The plywood with BP leaf protein adhesive had dry and wet shear strengths of 0.93 MPa and 0.59 MPa, respectively. These results are promising for future industrial production using Broussonetia papyrifera waste leaf protein as a new protein wood adhesive in the wood industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broussonetia papyrifera is an important ecological and economic tree species. The sexual reproduction of B. papyrifera not only has a low germination rate, but also requires high environmental conditions. Therefore, asexual propagation using tissue culture can effectively improve the propagation efficiency of B. papyrifera. In this study, the leaves and budded shoots of B. papyrifera were used as explants, and different concentrations of plant growth regulators were added to Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) to establish a suitable system for explant callus formation, adventitious buds differentiation and rooting. The results showed that MS + 0.50 mg/L naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) + 0.25 mg/L 6-benzyladenine(6-BA) and MS + 0.25 mg/L NAA + 0.50 mg/L 6-BA were the best mediums for rapid callus induction from leaf explants and shoot explants, respectively. The best medium combination for shoot differentiation and proliferation was MS + 0.05 mg/L NAA + 0.50 mg/L 6-BA, and the high propagation coefficient could also promote adventitious bud growth. The best rooting medium in the establishment of B. papyrifera tissue culture was MS + 0.25 mg/L NAA. Under this condition, the average rooting numbers of leaf explants and shoot explants were 1.71 and 13.86, respectively. In addition, the best transplanting substrate was a mixture of soil:perlite:vermiculite (20:1:1), and the survival rate was 91.1%. This study established a propagation system in vitro culture of B. papyrifera, and provided a reference for tissue culture of other woody plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broussonetia papyrifera is a widely distributed economic tree species, and it is also a pioneer species in adverse environments. In order to investigate the growth and adaptation mechanism of B. papyrifera under cadmium (Cd) contaminated soil, potted experiments were used with six-month treatments to study Cd enrichment and the transportation, morphological and physiological characteristics of B. papyrifera tissues. The results showed that Cd mainly accumulated in the root when the Cd concentration was high (14.71 mg/kg), and the root biomass was significantly reduced by Cd stress although Cd promoted the growth of seedlings. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) increased with the increase in Cd concentration, and reached the maximum value of 0.21 at 14.71 mg/kg. On the contrary, translocation factor (TF) decreased significantly at 8.28–14.71 mg/kg Cd concentration. Cd not only led to the loose arrangement of the xylem vessels of leaves, but also changed the chlorophyll content. However, B. papyrifera could synthesize organic solutes such as soluble protein, soluble sugar and proline to reduce the intracellular osmotic potential. Our study proved that B. papyrifera has good tolerance to Cd stress and is a pioneer tree species for soil and ecological environment restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]