• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.45.1-45.7
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• 2022

Food security will be affected by climate change worldwide, particularly in the developing world, where the most important food products originate from plants. Plants are often exposed to environmental stresses that may affect their growth, development, yield, and food quality. Auxin is a hormone that plays a critical role in improving plants' tolerance of environmental conditions. Auxin controls the expression of many stress-responsive genes in plants by interacting with specific cis-regulatory elements called auxin-responsive elements (AuxREs). In this work, we performed an in silico prediction of AuxREs in promoters of five auxin-responsive genes in Zea mays. We applied a data fusion approach based on the combined use of Dempster-Shafer evidence theory and fuzzy sets. Auxin has a direct impact on cell membrane proteins. The short-term auxin response may be represented by the regulation of transmembrane gene expression. The detection of an AuxRE in the promoter of prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) in Z. mays and the 3-fold overexpression of this gene under auxin treatment for 30 min indicated the role of POP in maize auxin response. POP is regulated by auxin to perform stress adaptation. In addition, the detection of two AuxRE TGTCTC motifs in the upstream sequence of the bx1 gene suggests that bx1 can be regulated by auxin. Auxin may also be involved in the regulation of dehydration-responsive element-binding and some members of the protein kinase superfamily.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.325-339
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• 2022

Endophytes ascertain a symbiotic relationship with plants as promoters of growth, defense mechanism etc. This study is a first report to screen the endophytic population in Waltheria indica, a tropical medicinal plant. 5 bacterial and 3 fungal strains in leaves, 3 bacterial and 1 yeast species in stems were differentiated morphologically and identified by biochemical and molecular methods. The phylogenetic tree of the isolated endophytes was constructed using MEGA X. Silver nanoparticles were biosynthesized from a rare endophytic bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans isolated from the leaf of W. indica. The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-Visible spectrophotometer that evidenced a strong absorption band at 408.5 nm of UV-Visible range with crystalline nature and average particle size of 16.4 nm by Particle size analyzer. The Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectrum displayed the presence of various functional groups that stabilized the nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction peaks were conferred to face centered cubic structure. Transmission Electron Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope revealed the spherical-shaped, polycrystalline nature with the presence of elemental silver analyzed by Energy Dispersive of X-Ray spectrum. Selected area electron diffraction also confirmed the orientation of AgNPs at 111, 200, 220, 311 planes similar to X-ray diffraction analysis. The synthesized nanoparticles are evaluated for antimicrobial activity against 7 bacterial and 3 fungal pathogens. A good zone of inhibition was observed against pathogenic bacteria than fungal pathogens. Thus the study could hold a key aspect in drug discovery research and other pharmacological conducts of human clinical conditions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.723-731
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• 2008

Immunomodulatory feed additives might offer alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters in pig production. This experiment was designed to determine the effects of dietary galacto-mannan-oligosaccharide (GMOS) and chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) supplementation on the immune response in early-weaned piglets. Forty 15-day-old piglets (Duroc$\times$Landrace$\times$Yorkshire) with an average live body weight of $5.6{\pm}0.51kg$ were weaned and randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups that were fed maize-soybean meal diets containing either basal, 110 mg/kg of lincomycin, 250 mg/kg of COS or 0.2% GMOS, respectively, over a 2-week period. Another six piglets of the same age were sacrificed on the same day at the beginning of the study for sampling, in order to obtain baseline values. Interleukin (IL)-1${\beta}$gene expression in peripheral blood monocytes, jejunal mucosa and lymph nodes, as well as serum levels of IL-1${\beta}$ IL-2 and IL-6, IgA, IgG, and IgM, were evaluated for 5 pigs from each group at 15 and 28 days of age. The results indicate that weaning stress resulted in decreases in serum antibody and cytokine levels. Dietary supplementation with GMOS or COS enhanced (p<0.05) IL-1${\beta}$gene expression in jejunal mucosa and lymph nodes, as well as serum levels of IL-1${\beta}$ IL-2, IL-6, IgA, IgG and IgM compared to supplementation with lincomycin. These findings suggest that GMOS or COS may enhance the cell-mediated immune response in early-weaned piglets by modulating the production of cytokines and antibodies, which shows that GMOS or COS have different effects than the antibiotic on animal growth and health.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.445-452
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• 1996

To investigate the promoter effect on heterologous gene expression in S. cerevisiae, the recombinant plasmids pYI11, pYI12, pYI10-2, and pYIGP were constructed to contain the inulinase gene (INUI) as a reporter under the control of GAL10, GAL7, GAL1, and GAP promoters, respectively. When the yeasts transformants were cultivated on galactose-containing rich media, the cell growth reached to 36-39 OD600 at 72 hours of cultivation. The specific growth rates of the cells harboring the four different plasmids decreased similarly : they dropped from $0.24 h^{-1}$ during the glucose-consuming period to 0.04 -$0.10 h^{-1}$ during the galactose-consuming period (gene expression phase for GAL promoter system). After the depletion of glucose, the expression of inulinase gene was started and reached to maximal levels of 4.3(GAL1 promoter), 4.0(GAL10 promoter), 3.8(GAL7 promoter), and 1.6(GAP promoter) unit/mL at 72 hours of cultivation. Based on the maximal expression level and activity staining on the plate, the promoter strength was in the order of GAL1, GAL10, GAL7 and GAP promoter. While the GAL-promoter systems showed a high plasmid stabilities of more than 78%, the GAP-promoter plasmid revealed a lower plasmid stability of 55%. Most of inulinase activity (98%) was found in the extracellular medium, indicating that the secretion efficiency of inulinase is independent on the type of promoter.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.382-392
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• 2012

This study evaluated the effects of dietary anticoccidial drugs plus antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) on parameters of immunity in commercial broiler chickens. Day-old chicks were raised on used litter from a farm with endemic gangrenous dermatitis to simulate natural pathogen exposure and provided with diets containing decoquinate (DECX) or monensin (COBN) as anticoccidials plus bacitracin methylene disalicylate and roxarsone as AGPs. As a negative control, the chickens were fed with a non-supplemented diet. Immune parameters examined were concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated spleen cell proliferation, intestine intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) and spleen cell subpopulations, and cytokine/chemokine mRNA levels in IELs and spleen cells. ConA-induced proliferation was decreased at 14 d post-hatch in DECX-treated chickens, and increased at 25 and 43 d in COBN-treated animals, compared with untreated controls. In DECX-treated birds, increased percentages of $MHC2^+$ and $CD4^+$ IELS were detected at 14 d, but decreased percentages of these cells were seen at 43 d, compared with untreated controls, while increased $TCR2^+$ IELs were evident at the latter time. Dietary COBN was associated with decreased fractions of $MHC2^+$ and $CD4^+$ IELs and reduced percentages of $MHC2^+$, $BU1^+$, and $TCR1^+$ spleen cells compared with controls. The levels of transcripts for interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, IL-17F, IL-13, CXCLi2, interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$), and transforming growth factor${\beta}$4 were elevated in IELs, and those for IL-13, IL-17D, CXCLi2, and IFN-${\gamma}$ were increased in spleen cells, of DECX- and/or COBN-treated chickens compared with untreated controls. By contrast, IL-2 and IL-12 mRNAs in IELs, and IL-4, IL-12, and IL-17F transcripts in spleen cells, were decreased in DECX- and/or COBN-treated chickens compared with controls. These results suggest that DECX or COBN, in combination with bacitracin and roxarsone, modulate the development of the chicken post-hatch immune system.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.81-85
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• 2015

Since the banning of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs), the death of livestock has been increased, thus there is a strong demand for AGP-alternatives. Modulation of gut microbiota has been reported to affect host physiological functions and suggested to be a novel approach for developing AGP-alternatives. However, little has been understood about livestock gut microbiota compared to that of humans. We conducted preliminary study provide fundamental information regarding to regional differences in swine gut microbiota. Swine fecal samples were obtained from farms in Jeju (n=40), Gwangju (n=28), and Haenam (n=30). MiSeq was used to sequence 16S rRNA V4 region, and Mothur pipeline (Schloss et al., 2009) was used for data processing. A total of 5,642,125 reads were obtained and 3,868,143 reads were remained after removing erroneous reads. Analysis of taxonomic composition at the phylum level indicated greater abundance of Firmicutes among Jeju swine, and cluster analysis of distribution of operational taxonomic units also showed regional differences among swine gut microbiota. In addition, correlation analysis between non-metric multidimensional scaling and abundance of phyla suggested that the phyla Actinobacter, Verrucomicrobia, Firmicutes, and Fibrobacteres were driving factors for the regional differences. Livestock gut microbiota may be affected by diet and practices in farms. Our results indicated significant regional differences in swine gut microbiota, suggesting that future livestock gut microbiota studies should be designed with the regional differences in mind.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.315-320
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• 2009

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of fermented apple pomace (FAP) and cinnamon on performance, blood profile and meat quality in broiler chickens. A total of six hundred, day old male broiler chicks (Cobb) were randomly divided into 5 groups with 4 replicates of 30 birds each. The treatment groups were; negative control (antibiotic-free diet), positive control (basal diet with 0.05% antibiotics and 0.03% anticoccidials), FAP 1.0%, cinnamon 0.1% and FAP 1.0% + cinnamon 1.0%. The body weight of the broilers fed the diets containing FAP 1.0% was higher than the other treatments during overall period. No synergistic effect in growth performance (weight gain and feed conversion rate) was found when FAP with cinnamon were fed to broilers. No significant differences were observed on the concentration of serum blood chemical. the TBARS was lower in the chickens fed 1.0% FAP diet compared to those of negative group and positive group. These results suggest the possibility that fermented of apple pomace could be used as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters to improve the performance and meat quality of broiler chickens.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1233-1243
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• 2018

Sterol regulatory-element binding proteins (SREBPs) are a family of transcription factors that regulate lipid homeostasis and metabolism by controlling the expression of enzymes required for endogenous cholesterol, fatty acid (FA), triacylglycerol, and phospholipid synthesis. The three SREBPs are encoded by two different genes. The SREBP1 gene gives rise to SREBP-1a and SREBP-1c, which are derived from utilization of alternate promoters that yield transcripts in which distinct first exons are spliced to a common second exon. SREBP-2 is derived from a separate gene. Additionally, SREBPs are implicated in numerous pathogenic processes, such as endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis. They also contribute to obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases. Genome-wide analyses have revealed that these versatile transcription factors act as important nodes of biological signaling networks. Changes in cell metabolism and growth are reciprocally linked through SREBPs. Anabolic and growth signaling pathways branch off and connect to multiple steps of SREBP activation and form complex regulatory networks. SREBPs are activated through the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway in these processes, but the molecular mechanism remains to be understood. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of SREBPs in physiology and pathophysiology at the cell, organ, and organism levels.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.975-988
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• 2010

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether water extracts from Artemisia capillaries (A. capillaries) and Camellia sinensis (C. sinensis) could be used as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in broiler feed. The experiment 1 was verified their chemical composition, extracts yields, total phenolic compounds concentration, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, and chicken splenocytes proliferation through in vitro test. The extract yields of A. capillaries and C. sinensis were 26.5 and 16.8%, respectively. Total phenolic compounds concentrations of them expressed as gallic acid equivalent were 15.28 and 26.74 mg/mL, respectively. Electron donating abilities of them expressed as $SC_{50}$ showing 50% DPPH radical scavenging were 0.30 and 0.06 mg, respectively. Bacterial inhibitory rates of them against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella Typhimurium were ranged from 42.1 to 52.3% and from 21.6 to 33.7%, respectively. And, these extracts increased proliferation of chicken splenocytes. Especially, A. capillaris was more excellent than Echinacea and Concanavalin A known as T-cell stimulator. The experiment 2 was investigated their effects on growth performance, relative organ weight, cecal microflora, blood biochemical parameters, and splenic cytokines mRNA expression in broiler chicks. Four hundred eighty 1-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were divided in to 4 treatment groups with 4 replicates of 30 birds in each group: NC (control, no antibiotics), PC (avilamycin, 10 ppm; salinomycin, 60 ppm), AC (A. capillaries, 100 ppm), and CS (C. sinensis, 100 ppm); treatments were administered through water supplementation. Final body weight was significantly higher in all treated groups than in NC (p<0.05). Cecal Salmonella numbers were significantly or somewhat decreased in all treated groups than in NC (p<0.05). The relative weights and lengths of the small intestine were more significantly decreased in the PC and AC groups than in the other groups. Cecal Salmonella numbers were significantly or somewhat decreased in all treated groups than in the NC group (p<0.05). The contents of total cholesterol, aspatate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase in blood serum were more significantly decreased in all treated groups than in NC (p<0.05). In conclusion, these results suggested the possibility that these extracts could serve as alternatives for antibiotic growth promoters.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.187-196
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• 2007

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary single or mixed supplementation of plant extract, fermented medicinal plants and Lactobacillus on performance, nutrient availability, blood characteristics, cecal microflora and intestinal digestive enzymes activity in broiler chickens and to prove the possibility of plant derived compounds and Lactobacillus as an antibiotic growth promoter alternative. A total of eight hundred forty, 1-d-old male broiler chicks (Ross strain) were randomly divided into 7 groups with 4 replicates of 30 birds each. The treatments were NC (antibiotic-free diet), PC (basal diet with 0.05% antibiotics and 0.03% anticoccidials), PE (basal diet with 0.1% plant extract), FMP (basal diet with 0.1% fermented medicinal plants), LB (basal diet with 0.1% probiotics), PE+LB (basal diet with 0.1% plant extract and 0.1% probiotics) and FMP+LB (basal diet with 0.1% fermented medicinal plants and 0.1% probiotics). The final body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion rate in all treated groups tended to be improved or significantly improved as compared to those of NC (P<0.05). PE was significantly high in the final body weight, body weight gain of all treated groups (P<0.05). But the growth performance was significantly lower in all treated groups except PE than PC (P<0.05). No synergic effect in growth performance was found when plant extracts and Lactobacillus were mixed and fed to broilers. The ratio of albumin to globulin was significantly lower in all groups than NC (P<0.05). And the stress indicator (lymphocyte/heterophil ratio) of NC was significantly reduced than other treatments (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed on the numbers of cecal microbes and Lactobacillus. The number of cecal E. coli and Salmonella in FMP and LB were significantly reduced (P<0.05). The activity of intestinal digestive enzymes except to sucrase of treated groups significantly decreased compare to those of controls (P<0.05). These results suggest the possibility that plant extracts and Lactobacillus could be used as the alternative of antibiotic growth promoters by improving the performance of broiler chicks.