In Ovo Feeding of Creatine Pyruvate Increases the Glycolysis Pathway, Glucose Transporter Gene Expression, and AMPK Phosphorylation in Breast Muscle of Neonatal Broilers.

This study aims to investigate in ovo feeding (IOF) of creatine pyruvate (CrPyr) on glucose metabolism, hormone concentration, and the 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in breast muscle of embryos and neonatal broilers. The three treatments were noninjected control, 0.75% NaCl treatment, and 12 mg CrPyr/egg treatment. The solution was injected on the 17.5 day of incubation. At hatch, 120 male broilers from each treatment were chosen for a 7 day feeding trial. Compared with other treatments, CrPyr treated broilers enhanced insulin and thyroxine levels in plasma, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration, hexokinase and pyruvate kinase activities, glucose transporter protein mRNA expressions, as well as protein abundances of phosphor-liver kinase B1 and phosphor-AMPK in breast muscle at hatch. In conclusion, IOF of CrPyr improved the energy status, increased the gene expression of glucose transporter proteins, and facilitated glycolysis in breast muscle, which may be associated with the activated AMPK pathway.

[Effects of nisin on in vitro fermentation, methanogenesis and functional microbial populations of the rumen].

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of nisin on in vitro fermentation, methanogenesis and functional microbial populations of the rumen. Methods: The negative control did not contain any additives. Monensin (5 µmol/L) was added as positive control. Nisin was added at 3 doses:3 (NI-3), 9 (NI-9), and 27 mg/100 mL (NI-27). Each treatment contained 4 replicates. Gas and methane production was measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h after incubation. Samples of culture were collected at 24 h, and used to measure rumen fermentation parameters and functional microbial populations. Results: Compared with negative control, both nisin and monensin addition dramatically reduced gas and methane production (P<0.05). Nisin addition had no effect on pH, dry matter degradability, and organic matter degradability (P0.05). Ammonia concentration was reduced by NI-9 (P<0.05), but was not influenced by NI-3 and NI-27 (P0.05). In contrast, monensin addition significantly lowered dry matter degradability, organic matter degradability, and ammonia concentration (P<0.05), but had no influence on pH (P0.05). Compared with negative control, both nisin and monensin addition significantly reduced acetate concentration and acetate-propionate ratio (P<0.05), and increased propionate concentration (P<0.05). Quantitative real-time PCR results showed that both nisin and monensin addition had no effects on the populations of total bacteria and Bacteroides (P0.05). Compared with negative control, the populations of protozoa, methanogens, fungi and Firmicutes were not influenced by nisin (P0.05), but were significantly reduced by monensin addition (P<0.05). Both nisin and monensin addition significantly increased the populations of sulfur-reducing bacteria and Clostridium aminophilum (P<0.05), but had no influence on the population of Clostridium sticklandii (P0.05). Conclusion: Appropriate nisin addition could reduce methanogenesis and ammoniagenesis, while had no adverse effect on feed digestion. These effects are probably associated with the variation of rumen functional microbial populations and communities.