• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2023

Neutral and non-essential amino acid, glutamine (Gln), plays an essential role in supplying nitrogen to all the amino acids and nucleotides in the mammalian body. Gln is also the most important carbon source that provides intermediates for gluconeogenesis and fatty acid synthesis and supplements the tricarboxylic acid cycle in fast-growing cancer cells. Among the known 14 Gln transporter genes, soluted carrier family 1 member 5 (SLC1A5) has been reported to be closely associated with cancer cell growth. Three variants (v1, v2, and v3) have been derived from SLC1A5. Here, we established a heterologous gene expression system for the active form of human SLC1A5 variant-2 (hSLC1A5v2) in Escherichia coli. v2 is the smallest variant that has not yet been studied. Four expression systems were investigated: pBAD, pCold, pET, and pQE. We also addressed the problem of codon usage bias. Although pCold and pET overexpressed hSLC1A5v2 in E. coli, they were functionally inactive. hSLC1A5v2 using the pBAD system was able to catalyze the successful transport of Gln, even if it was not highly expressed. Initial activity of hSLC1A5v2 for [¹⁴C] Gln uptake in E. coli reached up to 6.73 μmole·min^-1·gDW^-1 when the cell was induced with 80 mM L-arabinose. In this study, we demonstrated a heterologous expression system for the human membrane protein, SLC1A5, in E. coli. Our results can be used for the functional comparison of SLC1A5 variants (v1, v2, and v3) in future studies, to facilitae the developement of SLC1A5 inhibitors as effective anticancer drugs.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.197-219
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• 2023

Rabbit meat has high nutritional and dietetic characteristics, but its consumption rate is comparatively lower than other meat types. The nutritional profile of rabbit meat, by comparison with beef, pork, and poultry, is attributed to relatively higher proportions of n-3 fatty acids and low amounts of intramuscular fat, cholesterol, and sodium, indicating its consumption may provide health benefits to consumers. But, the quality attributes of rabbit meat can be originated from different factors such as genetics, environment, diet, rearing system, pre-, peri-, and post-slaughter conditions, and others. Different rabbit breeds and the anatomical location of muscles may also affect the nutritional profile and physicochemical properties of rabbit meat. However, adequate information about the effect of those two factors on rabbit meat is limited. Therefore, cumulative information on nutritional composition and carcass and meat quality attributes of rabbit meat in terms of different breeds and muscle types and associated factors is more important for the production and processing of rabbits. Moreover, some studies reported that rabbit meat proteins exhibited angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory characteristics and antioxidant properties. The aim of this review is to elucidate the determinants of rabbit meat quality of different breeds and its influencing factors. In addition, the proven biological activities of rabbit meat are introduced to ensure consumer satisfaction.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.496-512
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• 2023

A fructose-enriched diet is thought to contribute to hepatic injury in developing non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, the cellular mechanism of fructose-induced hepatic damage remains poorly understood. This study aimed to determine whether fructose induces cell death in primary hepatocytes, and if so, to establish the underlying cellular mechanisms. Our results revealed that treatment with high fructose concentrations for 48 h induced mitochondria-mediated apoptotic death in mouse primary hepatocytes (MPHs). Endoplasmic reticulum stress responses were involved in fructose-induced death as the levels of phosho-eIF2α, phospho-C-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) increased, and a chemical chaperone tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) prevented cell death. The impaired oxidation metabolism of fatty acids was also possibly involved in the fructose-induced toxicity as treatment with an AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) activator and a PPAR-α agonist significantly protected against fructose-induced death, while carnitine palmitoyl transferase I inhibitor exacerbated the toxicity. However, uric acid-mediated toxicity was not involved in fructose-induced death as uric acid was not toxic to MPHs, and the inhibition of xanthine oxidase (a key enzyme in uric acid synthesis) did not affect cell death. On the other hand, treatment with inhibitors of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)⁺-consuming enzyme CD38 or CD38 gene knockdown significantly protected against fructose-induced toxicity in MPHs, and fructose treatment increased CD38 levels. These data suggest that CD38 upregulation plays a role in hepatic injury in the fructose-enriched diet-mediated NASH. Thus, CD38 inhibition may be a promising therapeutic strategy to prevent fructose-enriched diet-mediated NASH.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1051-1059
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• 2022

This study investigated microbial communities and their diversity in a full-scale mesophilic anaerobic digester treating sewage sludge. Influent sewage sludge and anaerobic digester samples collected from a wastewater treatment plant in Busan were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. It was found that the microbial community structure and diversity in the anaerobic digester could be affected by inoculation effect with influent sewage sludge. Nevertheless, distinct microbial communities were identified as the dominant microbial communities in the anaerobic digester. Twelve genera were identified as abundant bacterial communities, which included several groups of syntrophic bacteria communities, such as Candidatus Cloacimonas, Cloacimonadaceae W5, Smithella, which are (potential) syntrophic-propionate-oxidizing bacteria and Mesotoga and Thermovigra, which are (potential) syntrophic-acetate-oxidizing bacteria. Lentimicrobium, the most abundant genus in the anaerobic digester, may contribute to the decomposition of carbohydrates and the production of volatile fatty acids during the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Of the methanogens identified, Methanollinea, Candidatus Methanofastidiosum, Methanospirillum, and Methanoculleus were the dominant hydrogenotrophic methanogens, and Methanosaeta was the dominant aceticlastic methanogens. The findings may be used as a reference for developing microbial indicators to evaluate the process stability and process efficiency of the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.1209-1220
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• 2023

Objective: The use of probiotics as an alternative to antibiotics in animal feed has received considerable attention in recent decades. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have remarkable functional properties promoting host health and are major microorganisms for probiotic purposes. The aim of this study was to characterize LAB strains of the chicken digestive tract and to determine their functional properties for further use as potential probiotics in poultry. Methods: A total of 2,000 colonies were isolated from the ileum and cecal contents of the chickens based on their phenotypic profiles and followed by a preliminary detection for acid and bile tolerance. The selected 200 LAB isolates with exhibited well-tolerance in acid and bile conditions were then identified by sequencing the 16S rDNA gene, followed by acid and bile tolerance, antimicrobial activity, adhesion to epithelial cells and additional characteristics on the removal of cholesterol. Then, the two probiotic strains (L. ingluviei and L. salivarious) which showed the greatest advantage in vitro testing were selected to assess their efficacy in broiler chickens. Results: It was found that 200 LAB isolates that complied with all measurement criteria belonged to five strains, including L. acidophilus (63 colonies), L. ingluviei (2 colonies), L. reuteri (58 colonies), L. salivarius (72 colonies), and L. saerimneri (5 colonies). We found that the L. ingluviei and L. salivarius can increase the population of LAB and Bifidobacterium spp. while reducing Enterobacteria spp. and Escherichia coli in the cecal content of chickens. Additionally, increased concentrations of valeric acid and short chain fatty acids were also observed. Conclusion: This study indicates that all five Lactobacillus strains isolated from gut contents of chickens are safe and possess probiotic properties, especially L. ingluviei and L. salivarius. Future studies should evaluate the potential for growth improvement in broilers.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.957-963
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• 2021

The study aimed to investigate the effects of supplemented sodium butyrate on the in vitro rumen fermentation and growth performance of Hanwoo calves. In total, four treatments were employed according to the sodium butyrate levels: no addition (control), an addition of 0.1% (treatment 1), an addition of 0.3% (treatment 2), and an addition of 0.5% (treatment 3). After 48 hours of fermentation, the ruminal pH was found to be higher in T1 than in C. Total volatile fatty acids were significantly higher in T2 and T3 than in C. The ratio of acetate and propionate was significantly lower in T1 and T3 than in C. In this study, the optimal concentration to promote rumen fermentation was found to be 0.3%, i.e., T2, and an experiment on Hanwoo calves at a farm was conducted. However, there were no significant differences between the treatment groups in terms of the daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and final body weight in the feeding experiment. Also, there were no significant differences in the body length, withers height, and height at hip cross between the control and the treatment groups. The addition of 0.3% sodium butyrate was most effective at promoting in vitro rumen fermentation, but it did not significantly affect the growth performance when fed to Hanwoo calves. This indicates that the addition of sodium butyrate improved rumen fermentation but did not have a growth-promoting effect. Future studies need to compare growth and carcass performance outcomes to confirm long-term effects.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.669-679
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of rumen-protected amino acid (RPAA) prototypes, which were chemically synthesized, on in vitro rumen fermentation and protection rate outcomes. Several RPAA prototypes were incubated with timothy hay and concentrate. Treatments consisted of 1) control (CON; no RPAA prototype supplement), and prototypes of 2) 0.5% RP-methionine (RPMet), 3) 0.5% RP-tryptophan (RPTrp), 4) 0.5% RP-valine (RPVal), 5) 0.5% RP-phenylalanine (RPPhe), 6) 0.5% RP-leucine (RPLeu), 7) 0.5% RP-histidine (RPHis), 8) 20% RPMet, and 9) 20% RPTrp (w·w^-1 feed). The inoculum (50 mL) prepared with rumen fluid and McDougall's buffer (1 : 4) was dispensed in individual serum bottles and was anaerobically incubated for 0, 6, and 24 h at 39℃ in triplicate. The dry matter degradability did not differ among the groups, except for the 20% RPMet and the 20% RPTrp treatments at 6 and 24 h. The total volatile fatty acid concentration in the 20% RPMet was higher (p < 0.05) than the rest of the groups at 6 h, and 20% RPMet showed the highest molar proportion of acetate, whereas the lowest proportion of propionate was found at 6 h (p < 0.05). The protection rate of the RPAA prototypes ranged from 29.85 to 109.21%. at 24 h. In conclusion, the chemically synthesized RPAA prototypes studied here had no detrimental effects on rumen fermentation parameters. Further studies using animal models are needed for more accurate evaluations of the effectiveness of RPAA.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.659-673
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• 2023

Compared to infant formula, breast milk is the best source of nutrition for infants; it not only improves the neonatal intestinal function, but also regulates the immune system and gut microbiota composition. However, probiotic-fortified infant formula may further enhance the infant gut environment by overcoming the limitations of traditional infant formula. We investigated the probiotic formula administration for one month by comparing 118 Korean infants into the following three groups: infants in each group fed with breast milk (50), probiotic formula (35), or placebo formula-fed group (33). Probiotic formula improved stool consistency and defecation frequency compared to placebo formula-fed group. The probiotic formula helped maintaining the level of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), which had remarkably decreased over time in placebo formula-fed infants (compared to weeks 0 and 4). Moreover, probiotic formula decreased the acidity of stool and considerably increased the butyrate concentration. Furthermore, the fecal microbiota of each group was evaluated at weeks 0 and 4. The microbial composition was distinct between each groups, and the abundance of health-promoting bacteria increased in the probiotic formula compared to the placebo formula-fed group. In summary, supplementation of probiotic infant formula can help optimize the infant gut environment, microbial composition, and metabolic activity of the microbiota, mimicking those of breast milk.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.347-351
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• 2023

Flying fish Cypselurus agoo roe is a popular food ingredient due to its abundant nutrition, unique texture, and flavor. It contains high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, protein, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins (A, B₁, B₂, B₆, and niacin), making it a highly utilized food ingredient. Additionally, it is widely used as a raw material for food and cooking in several countries. After harvesting, flying fish roe is dried and transported to processing plants, where it performed a re-moisturizing process. However, the conventional re-moisturizing process is time-consuming and results in some loss of quality. Thus, this study investigates the conditions required for the re-moisturization of flying fish roe including the composition of the immersion solution, immersion time, and conditions that could minimize damage to the roe. The results suggest a reasonable composition of immersion solution to minimize damage to flying fish roe and the most appropriate immersion time for re-moisturization. These results may provide valuable insights for the industry to enhance the quality of re-moisturized flying fish roe, leading to an increase in its market value and demand.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2009

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of fasting and high-fat diet feeding on uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) mRNA levels, uncoupling the respiratory chain and producing heat, of skeletal muscle in rat. METHODS. Fasting experiment: Forty Male Sprague-Dawley rats (5 wk) were divided into non-fasting groups (CON) and fasting groups (FG) for 0 day, 0.5 day (12 hr), 1 day, 2 day and 3 day. The rats of CON were sacrificed at 0 and 3 day. High-fat diet experiment: Forty Male Sprague-Dawley rats (5 wk) were divided into low-fat diet groups (LF) and high-fat diet group feeding for 0 day, 0.5 day (12 hr), 1 day, 2 day and 3 day. The rats of LF were sacrificed at 0 and 3 day. Analysis: Analysis of UCP3 mRNA expression was used by Real-time PCR. RESULTS. UCP3 mRNA levels of FG group were increased according to time course for 2 days- fasting but decreased at 3 day-fasting. UCP3 mRNA of HF were increased during HF diet feeding for 2 day, and peaked at 1 day-HF feeding, but decreased 2 day and 3 day-HF feeding CONCLUSION. Therefore, it may be rational that UCP3 is up-regulation when a large amount of fatty acids influx occurs in skeletal muscles as well as might have a role for fine adjustments of energy expenditure.