Apparent absorption of methionine and 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid from gastrointestinal tract of conventional and gnotobiotic pigs

The effect of commensal microbiota and feeding corn or wheat/barley-based diets on the apparent gastrointestinal absorption of dl-methionine (MET) and 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid (MHA-FA) was studied in conventional (n = 32) and gnotobiotic pigs (n = 24). Conventional pigs (CON) were vaginally delivered and sow-reared until weaning at 14 days of age. Gnotobiotic pigs were derived by caesarian section and reared in HEPA (high efficiency particulate air)-filtered isolator units with ad libitum access to a milk-based formula. Corn or wheat/barley-based diets were fed to all pigs from 14 to 24 days of age. At 24 days of age, after an overnight fast, pigs were fed 20 g/kg BW of experimental diet supplemented with 107 Bq of either 3H-l-MET or 3H-l-MHA-FA per kg of feed and chromic oxide (0.5% wt/wt). Pigs were killed for sample collection 3 h after consuming the meal. Residual 3H-MET and 3H-MHA-FA were estimated in gastrointestinal contents as the ratio of 3H : chromic oxide in digesta samples to the ratio of 3H : chromic oxide in feed. In CON pigs, feeding a wheat/barley-based diet increased (P < 0.05) total aerobes, whereas supplementation with MHA-FA increased (P < 0.05) total aerobes and lactobacilli populations in proximal small intestine (SI). Among the gnotobiotic pigs, bacterial contamination occurred such that eight pigs (two isolators) were monoassociated with a Gram-negative bacteria closely related to Providencia spp. and 16 pigs (four isolators) were monoassociated with Gram positive Enterococcus faecium. Species of monoassociated bacterial contaminant and diet composition did not affect residual methionine or MHA-FA in digesta. In both CON and monoassociated (MA) pigs, methionine and MHA-FA were retained in stomach (92%) but disappeared rapidly from proximal SI. Residual methionine and MHA-FA in digesta was not different in MA pigs; however, in CON pigs, less (P < 0.01) apparent residual methionine was found in digesta recovered at 25% (from cranial to caudal) and 75% of SI length compared with MHA-FA. Apparent residual methionine was 16% and 8% compared with 34% and 15% for MHA-FA, at the 25% and 75% locations, respectively. In proximal SI tissue, significantly (P < 0.05) higher radioactivity (cpm/mg wet tissue) was associated with MET pigs (8.56 ± 0.47) as compared to MHA-FA ones (5.45 ± 0.50). This study suggests that microbial metabolism of MHA-FA increases retention in small intestinal digesta relative to methionine and contributes, in part, to the lower bioefficacy of MHA-FA compared to methionine.     

猪不同肠段微生物体外培养对蛋氨酸的代谢特性

【目的】旨在通过微生物体外发酵技术,以回肠微生物为参照,研究猪盲肠及结肠微生物对在小肠微生物中代谢率较低的蛋氨酸的代谢特性。【方法】采集4头健康100 kg左右杜×长×大杂交猪的盲肠、结肠与回肠食糜作为接种物,分别接种于10 mmol/L蛋氨酸的培养基中,37°C体外培养24 h。分别设含蛋基酸溶液和含各肠段食糜接种物的空白对照组。【结果】(1)不同肠段微生物以蛋氨酸为底物体外发酵,盲肠组蛋氨酸消失率(21.9%)显著高于结肠组(16.7%)与回肠组(16.3%)(P0.05)。盲肠组总SCFA量显著高于结肠与回肠组(P0.05),伴随着p H值下降程度最高;盲肠组MCP产量也显著高于结肠与回肠组(P0.05);在产气量与NH3-N浓度上,盲肠组与结肠组均显著低于回肠组(P0.05)。(2)以蛋氨酸为底物体外发酵,门水平上,总菌、厚壁菌门含量在各肠段组间无显著差异(P0.05),拟杆菌门含量在盲肠组最高;与不加蛋氨酸底物的对照组比较,三个肠段试验组总菌、厚壁菌门含量均显著高于对照组(P0.05),而拟杆菌门含量在试验组与对照组间差异不显著(P0.05)。属水平上,盲肠组和结肠组大肠杆菌属数量显著低于回肠组(P0.05),而柔嫩梭菌属和梭菌XIV属数量在盲肠组和结肠组均高于回肠组;各肠段组间双歧杆菌数量无显著差异(P0.05)。【结论】以蛋氨酸为底物,体外培养猪盲肠微生物对蛋氨酸代谢率高于回肠微生物,伴随着其他发酵参数的变化,并且发酵产生更多的菌体蛋白。相比于回肠微生物发酵,大肠微生物发酵后,柔嫩梭菌属和梭菌XIV属数量较高,而大肠杆菌属数量较低。     

猪源乳酸菌的分离、鉴定及其生物学特性

【目的】将分离自猪肠道粘膜、食糜和粪便的乳酸菌,通过产乳酸能力、生长性能、耐酸和耐胆盐性能及抑菌能力评价,筛选适应养猪生产的潜在益生特性的菌株。【方法】共分离获得155株乳酸菌纯菌株,从中筛选出4株产酸能力较强的乳酸菌,结合生理生化试验及细菌16S rRNA测序鉴定其种属,评价候选乳酸菌的生长情况、耐酸、耐胆盐及抑菌特性。【结果】综合变色时间(8 h)、pH值(3.9)和乳酸含量(100 mmol/L),筛选出4株(L45、L47、L63和L79)候选菌株,经鉴定依次为罗伊氏乳杆菌、植物乳杆菌、约氏乳杆菌和粪肠球菌。该4株乳酸菌均可在体外快速生长;L47和L79能够耐受pH 2.5的酸性环境,L47能够耐受0.5%胆盐环境;各乳酸菌上清液与指示菌共培养,发现对E coli K88和沙门氏菌均产生了抑制作用,其中L47上清液对指示菌的抑制作用较强。【结论】L47具有较好的产酸性能与生长性能、可耐受猪胃酸和肠道胆盐环境,对E.coli K88和沙门氏菌具有较好的抑制作用,说明该乳酸菌具有潜在的益生特性。     

甲酸乙酯及甲酸对离体玉米象乙酰胆碱酯酶及酯酶活性的影响

研究甲酸乙酯和甲酸对离体玉米象Sitophilus zeamais（Motschulsky）酯酶和乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）的抑制作用,结果表明甲酸乙酯对离体的玉米象酯酶和AChE没有抑制作用,并且甲酸对玉米象酯酶和AChE的抑制中浓度远远高于甲酸乙酯对玉米象的致死中浓度,说明甲酸对玉米象这两种酶的抑制作用不是甲酸乙酯杀虫的主要机理。     

Relieving effects of glycine and methionine from acetic acid inhibition in Escherichia coli fermentation

Among amino acids screened for their potential to relieve wild and recombinant Escherichia coli from the negative effects of acetic acid, glycine, and methionine showed a sparing effect. In the presence of 2 g/L of acetic acid, addition of 0.5 g/L of glycine or methionine resulted in either a complete recovery or a further enhancement in the specific growth rate, while the enhancement was significant but not fully complete in the presence of 4 g/L of acetic acid. The addition of 0.5 g/L of methionine alleviated the negative effect of acetic acid on recombinant E. Coli growth to produce more beta-lactamase, which was encoded by plasmid pUC18. In continuous fermentation the methionine effect on recombinant. E. coli metabolism depended on dilution rate; at high dilution rates, above 0.4 h(-1), the methionine addition enhanced beta-lactamase production and reduced acetic acid formation, while at low dilution rates, below 0.3 h (-1), the effect was reversed. In def-batch fermentation with wild-type E. Coli, cell growth rate and cell yield from glucose were enhanced with methionine addition, while the acetic acid concentration reached over 4 g/L. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Biosynthesis of azetidine-2-carboxylic acid from methionine in Nicotiana tabacum

The administration of dl-methionine-[1¹⁴C] to Nicotia tabacum resulted in the formation of radioactive azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (isolated by dilution) which was specifically labelled on its carboxyl group. This result and other evidence strongly indicates that this imino acid is a normal component of tobacco.     

The effect of different dietary levels of dl-methionine and dl-methionine hydroxy analogue on the antioxidant and immune status of young turkeys

The hypothesis postulating that the antioxidant and immunological effects of dietary methionine (Met) in young turkeys (1–8 weeks of age) can be differentiated by level and source of Met was investigated in this study. A total of 544 female Hybrid Converter turkeys were divided into four groups and fed diets in which Met content was tailored through supplementation with dl-methionine (dl-Met) or dl-methionine hydroxy analogue (MHA) to levels recommended by NRC (1994) (Groups dl-Met_L and MHA_L) and exceeding them by 50% (Groups dl-Met_H and MHA_H). Regardless of its source, the increased dietary Met content led to significantly higher body weight gains but had no effect on feed conversion rates. Moreover, an increased Met content lowered lipid peroxide concentrations in breast meat and increased selected indicators of the plasma antioxidant status like uric acid levels, activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) concentrations, the ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), increased immunoglobulin A (IgA) plasma levels and decreased interleukin 6 levels. In comparison with dl-Met, MHA decreased the activities of SOD and catalase, and GSH concentrations in plasma. A dosage by source interaction revealed that the lower MHA content was associated with the lowest plasma GSH concentrations, FRAP values and activities of SOD and catalase. The higher dietary MHA level resulted for most parameters similar values, except for a decrease in lipid peroxide concentrations and an increase in plasma IgA levels. It can be concluded that an increased dietary dl-Met and MHA content (about 150% of the recommendations given by NRC 1994) not only increased the growth rate of young turkeys but also improved their antioxidant status. MHA appears to be a less desirable source of dietary Met for young turkeys when the inclusion level of Met matches the current recommendations. Therefore, a further debate is needed to establish the dietary requirements for Met in poultry.     

Determination of clomipramine by flow‐injection analysis with acidic potassium permanganate–formic acid chemiluminescence detection

A sensitive and simple chemiluminescent (CL) method for the determination of clomipramine has been developed by combining the flow‐injection analysis (FIA) technique, which is based on the CL intensity generated from the redox reaction of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄)–formic acid in sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) medium. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range for the determination of clomipramine was 0.04–4 µg/mL, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9988 (n = 10) and a detection limit of 0.008 µg/mL (3σ), and the relative standard deviation (RSD) for 2.0 µg/mL clomipramine (n = 11) is 1.26%. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of the studied clomipramine in pharmaceutical preparations. The possible reaction mechanism is discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of pH on the extraction characteristics of succinic and formic acids with Tri-n-octylamine dissolved in 1-octanol

A study was made on the extraction equilibria of succinic and formic acids from aqueous solutions using tri-n-octylamine (TOA) in 1-octanol. It was shown that the loading values of TOA decreased with increasing pH values. The apparent equilibrium constants for each acid-amine complex were determined by an equilibrium model. In the case of succinic acid, the formation of a bisuccinate anion played an important role in the stoichiometry of the acid-amine complex.     

Formation and utilization of methionine by rat liver cells in culture

Summary The enzymeN ⁵-methyltetrahydrofolate: homocysteine methyltransferase (methionine synthetase) catalyzes the synthesis of methionine from homocysteine. Methylcobalamin is a cofactor for the reaction. The effects of methionine deprivation and methylcobalamin supplementation on the growth of normal and transformed rat liver epithelial cell lines were determined using growth constants to quantitate cell proliferation. No marked specific requirement by the transformed cell lines for methionine relative to leucine was observed. A sigmoidal relationship, however, was found to exist between growth constants and the logarithms of the amino acid concentrations for both normal and transformed cells. Methylcobalamin stimulated the growth rates of the normal and transformed liver cells in methionine-deficient, homocysteine-containing medium. Growth on methionine was not increased by the addition of methylcobalamin. The growth constants for two normal, two spontaneously transformed, one chemically transformed, and one tumor cell line grown in medium in which methionine was replaced by homocysteine were found to be proportional to the level of methionine synthetase. The results demonstrate the utility of growth quantitation to study the methionine dependency of transformed cells. Presented in part at the Conference on Differentiation and Carcinogenesis in Liver Cell Cultures sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences, October 11, 1979 (see reference 1).     

Influence of formic acid on fungal flora of barley and on aflatoxin production inAspergillus flavus link

In recent yearsAspergillus flavus and aflatoxin production have been noted on several occasions in grain preserved with formic acid. Samples of mouldy barley treated with formic acid and stored in an open bin were investigated for the presence of fungi. In the lower part of the bin there was a clear dominance ofFusarium sporotrichioides, and deoxynivalenol and neosolaniol were detected.A. flavus andA. fumigatus were also present.Paecilomyces variotii occurred, almost as a pure culture, in the upper part of the bin, but no patulin was found. Cultivation of four fungal isolates from these genera on laboratory substrates containing formic acid showedP. variotii to be the most tolerant to formic acid, withstanding 150 mM, but still without patulin production.F. sporotrichioides andA. fumigatus tolerated only 6 mM formic acid. The growth ofA. flavus was reduced and atypical at 60 mM formic acid. Pretreatment ofA. flavus spores with formic acid increased aflatoxin production about 800 times.     

Density functional computations of Rh(I)-catalysed hydroacylation and hydrogenation of ethene using formic acid

The rhodium-catalysed hydroacylation of alkene is one of the most useful C–H bond activation processes. The C–C bond-forming reactions via C–H bond activation have extensively been the focus of study in the fields of organic and organometallic chemistry. In this work, density functional theory has been used to study Rh(I)-catalysed hydroacylation and hydrogenation of ethene with formic acid. All the intermediates and the transition states were optimised completely at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level (LANL2DZ(d) for Rh, P). Calculation results confirm that Rh(I)-catalysed hydroacylation of ethene is exothermic and the released Gibbs free energy is ? 60.39 kJ/mol. Rh(I)-catalysed hydrogenation of ethene is also exothermic and the released Gibbs free energy is ? 150.97 kJ/mol. Rh(I)-catalysed hydroacylation of ethene is the dominant reaction mode for Rh(I)-catalysed hydroacylation and hydrogenation of ethene with formic acid. In Rh(I)-catalysed hydroacylation of ethene, the H-transfer reaction is prior to the C–C bond-forming reaction. Therefore, the reaction mode ‘a’ (i.e. ca → M1 → TS1 → M2 → TS2a → M3a → TS3a → M4 → P1) is the dominant reaction pathway for Rh(I)-catalysed hydroacylation and hydrogenation of ethene. The theoretically predicted dominant product is propane acid.     

Probiotic roles of Lactobacillus sp. in swine: insights from gut microbiota

The use of lactobacilli as probiotics in swine has been gaining attention due to their ability to improve growth performance and carcass quality, prevent gastrointestinal infection and most importantly, their ‘generally recognized as safe’ status. Previous studies support the potential of lactobacilli to regulate host immune systems, enhance gut metabolic capacities and maintain balance in the gut microbiota. Research on swine gut microbiota has revealed complex gut microbial community structure and showed the importance of Lactobacillus to the host's health. However, the species‐ and strain‐specific characteristics of lactobacilli that confer probiotic benefits are still not well understood. The diversity of probiotic traits in a complex gut ecosystem makes it challenging to infer the relationships between specific functions of Lactobacillus sp. and host health. In this review, we provide an overview of how lactobacilli play a pivotal role in the swine gut ecosystem and identify key characteristics that influence gut microbial community structure and the health of pigs. In addition, based on recent and ongoing meta‐omics and omics research on the gut microbiota of pigs, we suggest a workflow combining culture‐dependent and culture‐independent approaches for more effective selection of probiotic lactobacilli.     

Molecular characterization of the microbial species that colonize human ileal and colonic mucosa by using 16S rDNA sequence analysis

AIM: The aim of this study was to characterize the bacterial community adhering to the mucosa of the terminal ileum, and proximal and distal colon of the human digestive tract. METHODS AND RESULTS: Pinch samples of the terminal ileum, proximal and distal colon were taken from a healthy 35-year-old, and a 68-year-old subject with mild diverticulosis. The 16S rDNA genes were amplified using a low number of PCR cycles, cloned, and sequenced. In total, 361 sequences were obtained comprising 70 operational taxonomic units (OTU), with a calculated coverage of 82.6%. Twenty-three per cent of OTU were common to the terminal ileum, proximal colon and distal colon, but 14% OTU were only found in the terminal ileum, and 43% were only associated with the proximal or distal colon. The most frequently represented clones were from the Clostridium group XIVa (24.7%), and the Bacteroidetes (Cytophaga-Flavobacteria-Bacteroides) cluster (27.7%). CONCLUSION: Comparison of 16S rDNA clone libraries of the hindgut across mammalian species confirms that the distribution of phylogenetic groups is similar irrespective of the host species. Lesser site-related differences within groups or clusters of organisms, are probable. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT: This study provides further evidence of the distribution of the bacteria on the mucosal surfaces of the human hindgut. Data contribute to the benchmarking of the microbial composition of the human digestive tract.     

Substitution of the methionine residues of calmodulin with the unnatural amino acid analogs ethionine and norleucine: biochemical and spectroscopic studies

Calmodulin (CaM) is a 148-residue regulatory calcium-binding protein that activates a wide range of target proteins and enzymes. Calcium-saturated CaM has a bilobal structure, and each domain has an exposed hydrophobic surface region where target proteins are bound. These two "active sites" of calmodulin are remarkably rich in Met residues. Here we have biosynthetically substituted (up to 90% incorporation) the unnatural amino acids ethionine (Eth) and norleucine (Nle) for the nine Met residues of CaM. The substituted proteins bind in a calcium-dependent manner to hydrophobic matrices and a synthetic peptide, encompassing the CaM-binding domain of myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK). Infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopy show that there are essentially no changes in the secondary structure of these proteins compared to wild-type CaM (WT-CaM). One- and two-dimensional NMR studies of the Eth-CaM and Nle-CaM proteins reveal that, while the core of the proteins is relatively unaffected by the substitutions, the two hydrophobic interaction surfaces adjust to accommodate the Eth and Nle residues. Enzyme activation studies with MLCK show that Eth-CaM and Nle-CaM activate the enzyme to 90% of its maximal activity, with little changes in dissociation constant. For calcineurin only 50% activation was obtained, and the K(D) for Nle-CaM also increased 3.5-fold compared with WT-CaM. These data show that the "active site" Met residues of CaM play a distinct role in the activation of different target enzymes, in agreement with site-directed mutagenesis studies of the Met residues of CaM.     

两株乳酸菌在小鼠体内对幽门螺杆菌抑制作用的初探

成功地建立了小鼠幽门螺杆菌感染模型,并对两株在体外对幽门螺杆菌有显著抑制作用的乳酸菌,进行了体内预防与治疗作用的初步验证。通过尿素酶反应、细菌培养、病理组织切片检验三种指标测试,证明J16发酵乳能够有效预防幽门螺杆菌感染;小鼠胃中乳酸菌数量和幽门螺杆菌数量相反。