Avian influenza virus (AIV) reassortment plays a crucial role in viral evolution, contributing to genetic diversity and expanding host range. Among low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs), H9 and H6 subtypes are widely prevalent and have significant potential for gene reassortment. In this study, two H6 subtype and seven H9 subtype LPAIVs were isolated and characterized from poultry in Fujian, China. Notably, the two viruses H6N2-C5 and H9N2-C1 shared identical seven gene segments except for the hemagglutinin (HA) gene, with H6N2-C5 carrying the HA gene from an H6N6 virus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed distinct lineages for H6 and H9 viruses, with divergence from commercial vaccine strains. Both H6N2-C5 and H9N2-C1 strains exhibited the ability to replicate efficiently in multiple mammalian and avian cell lines. Animal infection experiments demonstrated that both viruses caused mild to moderate respiratory symptoms in chickens, Muscovy ducks, and mice. H6N2-C5 showed broader tissue tropism and higher viral loads, including neurotropism in mice, while co-infection intensified pathological damage. These findings highlight the active reassortment and cross-species adaptability of H9 and H6 LPAIVs, emphasizing the necessity for continuous surveillance to mitigate their potential threat to animal and public health.
{"title":"Genetic evolution and pathogenicity analysis of two natural recombinant isolates of avian influenza.","authors":"Shihong Yan, Chenqi Hu, Hongyang Li, Xinyu Zhang, Qiulu Wei, Huimin Chen, Dianfeng Chu, Qiao Liu, Ruijing Su, Ji-Long Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106536","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2026.106536","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Avian influenza virus (AIV) reassortment plays a crucial role in viral evolution, contributing to genetic diversity and expanding host range. Among low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs), H9 and H6 subtypes are widely prevalent and have significant potential for gene reassortment. In this study, two H6 subtype and seven H9 subtype LPAIVs were isolated and characterized from poultry in Fujian, China. Notably, the two viruses H6N2-C5 and H9N2-C1 shared identical seven gene segments except for the hemagglutinin (HA) gene, with H6N2-C5 carrying the HA gene from an H6N6 virus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed distinct lineages for H6 and H9 viruses, with divergence from commercial vaccine strains. Both H6N2-C5 and H9N2-C1 strains exhibited the ability to replicate efficiently in multiple mammalian and avian cell lines. Animal infection experiments demonstrated that both viruses caused mild to moderate respiratory symptoms in chickens, Muscovy ducks, and mice. H6N2-C5 showed broader tissue tropism and higher viral loads, including neurotropism in mice, while co-infection intensified pathological damage. These findings highlight the active reassortment and cross-species adaptability of H9 and H6 LPAIVs, emphasizing the necessity for continuous surveillance to mitigate their potential threat to animal and public health.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"106536"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146228235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2026.106544
Jiongwen Wu , Zhexia Fan , Xiaohuan Chao , Weiming Liang , Ruina Li , Shuya Chen , Cheng Fang , Qingbin Luo
Pullorum disease, caused by Salmonella Pullorum, is a significant avian disease that poses a serious threat to poultry health. To elucidate the host immune response characteristics and key regulatory gene mechanisms during infection, this study investigated 2,100 White Plymouth Rock hens at 100 days of age. A rapid plate agglutination (RPA) test was conducted for screening, identifying 175 individuals as strongly positive and 42 as weakly positive. Immune factor levels in peripheral blood were measured in 375 birds, revealing that the expression levels of IgG, IL-6, and IL-8 were significantly higher in the positive group than in the negative group, indicating that Salmonella Pullorum infection induces the release of immune factors.Whole-genome resequencing (WGS) of the 375 samples identified 72 SNPs significantly associated with the agglutination phenotype through genome-wide association study (GWAS), and 289 candidate genes were screened. Transcription sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis identified 536 differential expressed genes (DEGs), which were enriched in pathways related to Salmonella infection, calcium signaling, and immune responses. Integrated analysis of the GWAS and RNA-seq results revealed five overlapping genes: MYL9, SYT1, KLHL38, C11orf87, and KCNH4. Among them, MYL9 was enriched in the Salmonella infection pathway and occupied a central node in the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. Functional validation of MYL9 in HD11 cells showed that MYL9 significantly promoted the expression of IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, IFN-α, IFN-β, and TNF-α, and increased the protein levels of IFN-α, TNF-α, and IgG in HD11 cells. It indicates that MYL9 plays a role in Salmonella Pullorum by upregulating immune factors.
{"title":"Integrative GWAS and RNA-seq identify MYL9 as a key regulator of pullorum disease resistance in chickens","authors":"Jiongwen Wu , Zhexia Fan , Xiaohuan Chao , Weiming Liang , Ruina Li , Shuya Chen , Cheng Fang , Qingbin Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106544","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106544","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pullorum disease, caused by <em>Salmonella Pullorum</em>, is a significant avian disease that poses a serious threat to poultry health. To elucidate the host immune response characteristics and key regulatory gene mechanisms during infection, this study investigated 2,100 White Plymouth Rock hens at 100 days of age. A rapid plate agglutination (<strong>RPA</strong>) test was conducted for screening, identifying 175 individuals as strongly positive and 42 as weakly positive. Immune factor levels in peripheral blood were measured in 375 birds, revealing that the expression levels of IgG, IL-6, and IL-8 were significantly higher in the positive group than in the negative group, indicating that <em>Salmonella Pullorum</em> infection induces the release of immune factors.Whole-genome resequencing (<strong>WGS</strong>) of the 375 samples identified 72 SNPs significantly associated with the agglutination phenotype through genome-wide association study (GWAS), and 289 candidate genes were screened. Transcription sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis identified 536 differential expressed genes (<strong>DEGs</strong>), which were enriched in pathways related to Salmonella infection, calcium signaling, and immune responses. Integrated analysis of the GWAS and RNA-seq results revealed five overlapping genes: MYL9, SYT1, KLHL38, C11orf87, and KCNH4. Among them, MYL9 was enriched in the Salmonella infection pathway and occupied a central node in the protein–protein interaction (<strong>PPI</strong>) network. Functional validation of MYL9 in HD11 cells showed that <em>MYL9</em> significantly promoted the expression of IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, IFN-α, IFN-β, and TNF-α, and increased the protein levels of IFN-α, TNF-α, and IgG in HD11 cells. It indicates that <em>MYL9</em> plays a role in <em>Salmonella Pullorum</em> by upregulating immune factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"Article 106544"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146166457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Excessive accumulation of abdominal fat (AF) reduces feed efficiency and carcass yield, posing a significant challenge to the poultry industry. However, the molecular network underlying age-dependent AF development remains unclear, despite some recent progress. In this study, we quantified the abdominal adipocyte area and sequenced 20 AF transcriptomes from eight 9-week-old (9 W) and twelve 20-week-old (20 W) Wannan chickens. The abdominal adipocyte area increased significantly at 20 W compared with 9 W (p < 0.001). Differentially expressed gene analysis between the two age groups revealed 235 up-regulated and 206 down-regulated genes in the 20 W. Enrichment analysis revealed the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules, TGF-beta signaling pathway, and biological processes related to the cell surface receptor signaling pathway and cellular developmental process. We performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) using a total of 23,225 genes, which identified 32 co-expression modules. The darkgreen, lightcyan1, and royalblue modules were significantly correlated with adipocyte area, abdominal fat percentage (AFP), and age. Genes within these modules were enriched in GO terms such as the catalytic complex, oleate transmembrane transporter activity, and cell cycle process. Notably, 5 up-regulated genes were identified in the darkgreen module, 3 down-regulated genes in the lightcyan1 module, and 23 down-regulated genes in the royalblue module. Among these genes, several genes with the highest connectivity, including JUND, PAPSS2, PAK6, PIEZO2, and BUB1B, were identified as associated with the age-dependent AF development of the Wannan chickens. Overall, our results provide new insights and a valuable resource for understanding gene expression patterns associated with age-dependent AF development in chickens.
{"title":"Transcriptomic analysis identifies hub genes involved in age-dependent abdominal fat development in chickens","authors":"Wei Wei , Najun Huang , Zihan Chen , Jingran Jiao , Chuchu Zhang , Hao Wang , Chaomu Li , Xing Guo , Runshen Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106521","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106521","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Excessive accumulation of abdominal fat (AF) reduces feed efficiency and carcass yield, posing a significant challenge to the poultry industry. However, the molecular network underlying age-dependent AF development remains unclear, despite some recent progress. In this study, we quantified the abdominal adipocyte area and sequenced 20 AF transcriptomes from eight 9-week-old (9 W) and twelve 20-week-old (20 W) Wannan chickens. The abdominal adipocyte area increased significantly at 20 W compared with 9 W (<em>p</em> < 0.001). Differentially expressed gene analysis between the two age groups revealed 235 up-regulated and 206 down-regulated genes in the 20 W. Enrichment analysis revealed the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules, TGF-beta signaling pathway, and biological processes related to the cell surface receptor signaling pathway and cellular developmental process. We performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) using a total of 23,225 genes, which identified 32 co-expression modules. The darkgreen, lightcyan1, and royalblue modules were significantly correlated with adipocyte area, abdominal fat percentage (AFP), and age. Genes within these modules were enriched in GO terms such as the catalytic complex, oleate transmembrane transporter activity, and cell cycle process. Notably, 5 up-regulated genes were identified in the darkgreen module, 3 down-regulated genes in the lightcyan1 module, and 23 down-regulated genes in the royalblue module. Among these genes, several genes with the highest connectivity, including <em>JUND, PAPSS2, PAK6, PIEZO2</em>, and <em>BUB1B</em>, were identified as associated with the age-dependent AF development of the Wannan chickens. Overall, our results provide new insights and a valuable resource for understanding gene expression patterns associated with age-dependent AF development in chickens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"Article 106521"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146126100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Water quality is paramount to poultry health and production, as birds consume approximately twice the amount of water as feed. Poor water quality, characterized by high microbial loads, undesirable pH, or elevated mineral content, can interfere with digestion, reduce bird performance, and decrease the efficacy of water-administered medications and vaccines. Traditional, single-strategy water treatments, such as basic chlorination or simple physical filtration alone, are often insufficient to meet the rigorous biosecurity and performance demands of modern commercial poultry operations. Advanced water-quality improvement approaches and technologies, including acidification (e.g., adding organic acids) and physical treatments (e.g., ionization), are therefore integral to biosecurity and successful water management. Hence, the current review discusses these recent treatments and offers a comprehensive perspective on their integration into sustainable and circular water management strategies in poultry farms, for their widespread commercial adoption. Furthermore, it demonstrates the importance of applying the Precision Livestock Farming strategies on poultry drinking water to ensure optimal water sanitization levels are maintained, thereby guaranteeing consistent water hygiene and directly enhancing overall flock productivity.
{"title":"Recent advancements to improve drinking water quality in poultry farms","authors":"Karim El-Sabrout , Giovanni Buonaiuto , Damiano Cavallini , Birendra Mishra","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106523","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106523","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water quality is paramount to poultry health and production, as birds consume approximately twice the amount of water as feed. Poor water quality, characterized by high microbial loads, undesirable pH, or elevated mineral content, can interfere with digestion, reduce bird performance, and decrease the efficacy of water-administered medications and vaccines. Traditional, single-strategy water treatments, such as basic chlorination or simple physical filtration alone, are often insufficient to meet the rigorous biosecurity and performance demands of modern commercial poultry operations. Advanced water-quality improvement approaches and technologies, including acidification (e.g., adding organic acids) and physical treatments (e.g., ionization), are therefore integral to biosecurity and successful water management. Hence, the current review discusses these recent treatments and offers a comprehensive perspective on their integration into sustainable and circular water management strategies in poultry farms, for their widespread commercial adoption. Furthermore, it demonstrates the importance of applying the Precision Livestock Farming strategies on poultry drinking water to ensure optimal water sanitization levels are maintained, thereby guaranteeing consistent water hygiene and directly enhancing overall flock productivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"Article 106523"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146126434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2026.106522
Leonie Meier , Ákos Szentgyörgyi , Nadine Wallauch , Martina Feger , Michael Oster , Vera Sommerfeld , Sonja Schmucker , Korinna Huber , Volker Stefanski , Klaus Wimmers , Markus Rodehutscord , Michael Föller
Phosphate homeostasis is controlled by fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) produced by bone cells in mammals and primarily acting in the kidney. For its phosphaturic effect and for suppression of production of active vitamin D, it requires αKlotho as a co-receptor. FGF23 and αKlotho have emerged as disease biomarkers. Relatively little is known about their significance in laying hens that are in particular need of balanced mineral homeostasis for eggshell formation. Dietary myo-inositol (MI) and phosphate metabolism are interdependent, and this study aimed to explore FGF23 and αKlotho expression in two commercial hen strains fed different amounts of MI. Forty Lohmann Brown Classic (LB) and Lohmann LSL-Classic (LSL) 26-week-old hens received standard diets with 0, 1, 2, or 3 g supplemental MI per kg feed for four weeks, and gene expression of FGF23 and αKlotho was measured by quantitative real-time PCR in different organs. Statistical analysis was performed with the MIXED procedure, and correlation analysis with markers of phosphate homeostasis and hepatic inflammation applying Pearson's correlation coefficient or Spearman's Rho. Three g supplemental MI per kg feed resulted in lower hepatic FGF23 expression only in LB hens. Regardless of MI supplementation, tibial FGF23 expression tended to be lower in LSL than LB hens. Moreover, supplemental MI did not significantly impact αKlotho expression, but hepatic αKlotho expression was higher in LSL than LB hens without MI supplementation and tibial and renal αKlotho expression was significantly higher in LB than in LSL hens, regardless of dietary MI. To summarize, MI supplements at 3 g/kg reduced hepatic FGF23 expression in LB, but not in LSL hens at the peak of egg-laying. Further studies might be needed to elucidate the effect before sexual maturity.
磷酸盐稳态由成纤维细胞生长因子23 （FGF23）控制，FGF23由哺乳动物骨细胞产生，主要作用于肾脏。由于其磷酸化作用和抑制活性维生素D的产生，它需要α - klotho作为辅助受体。FGF23和αKlotho已成为疾病生物标志物。相对而言，它们对蛋鸡的重要性知之甚少，因为蛋鸡特别需要平衡的矿物质来形成蛋壳。饲粮中肌醇（MI）和磷酸代谢是相互依赖的，本研究旨在探讨饲喂不同MI量的2个商业母鸡品系中FGF23和αKlotho的表达情况。40只26周龄的Lohmann Brown Classic （LB）和Lohmann LSL-Classic （LSL）分别饲喂每kg饲料添加0、1、2和3 g MI的标准饲粮4周后，采用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测FGF23和αKlotho基因在不同器官中的表达。采用MIXED程序进行统计分析，并使用Pearson相关系数或Spearman相关系数与磷酸盐稳态和肝脏炎症标志物进行相关性分析。每kg饲料中添加3 g MI仅在LB母鸡中降低肝脏FGF23表达。无论是否添加心肌梗死，LSL母鸡的胫骨FGF23表达水平往往低于LB母鸡。此外，添加MI对α - klotho表达无显著影响，但LSL母鸡肝脏α - klotho表达高于未添加MI的LB母鸡，而LB母鸡胫骨和肾脏α - klotho表达显著高于LSL母鸡，无论饲粮MI水平如何。综上所述，添加3g /kg MI可降低LB母鸡肝脏FGF23表达，但LSL母鸡产蛋高峰期FGF23表达无显著降低。可能需要进一步的研究来阐明性成熟前的影响。
{"title":"Effects of dietary myo-inositol supplementation on the expression of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and αKlotho in two commercial laying hen strains","authors":"Leonie Meier , Ákos Szentgyörgyi , Nadine Wallauch , Martina Feger , Michael Oster , Vera Sommerfeld , Sonja Schmucker , Korinna Huber , Volker Stefanski , Klaus Wimmers , Markus Rodehutscord , Michael Föller","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106522","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106522","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phosphate homeostasis is controlled by fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) produced by bone cells in mammals and primarily acting in the kidney. For its phosphaturic effect and for suppression of production of active vitamin D, it requires αKlotho as a co-receptor. FGF23 and αKlotho have emerged as disease biomarkers. Relatively little is known about their significance in laying hens that are in particular need of balanced mineral homeostasis for eggshell formation. Dietary <em>myo</em>-inositol (MI) and phosphate metabolism are interdependent, and this study aimed to explore FGF23 and αKlotho expression in two commercial hen strains fed different amounts of MI. Forty Lohmann Brown Classic (LB) and Lohmann LSL-Classic (LSL) 26-week-old hens received standard diets with 0, 1, 2, or 3 g supplemental MI per kg feed for four weeks, and gene expression of FGF23 and αKlotho was measured by quantitative real-time PCR in different organs. Statistical analysis was performed with the MIXED procedure, and correlation analysis with markers of phosphate homeostasis and hepatic inflammation applying Pearson's correlation coefficient or Spearman's Rho. Three g supplemental MI per kg feed resulted in lower hepatic FGF23 expression only in LB hens. Regardless of MI supplementation, tibial FGF23 expression tended to be lower in LSL than LB hens. Moreover, supplemental MI did not significantly impact αKlotho expression, but hepatic αKlotho expression was higher in LSL than LB hens without MI supplementation and tibial and renal αKlotho expression was significantly higher in LB than in LSL hens, regardless of dietary MI. To summarize, MI supplements at 3 g/kg reduced hepatic FGF23 expression in LB, but not in LSL hens at the peak of egg-laying. Further studies might be needed to elucidate the effect before sexual maturity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"Article 106522"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146126370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2026.106525
Shihao Guo , Yang Xi , Jingjing Qi , Zhao Yang , Xu Han , Weikang Ling , Lili Bai , Anqi Huang , Shenqiang Hu , Jiwei Hu , Chunchun Han , Jiwen Wang , Liang Li , Hehe Liu
Residual feed intake (RFI) is a key indicator of feed efficiency in poultry. Although regulatory links such as the hypothalamus–gut and gut–liver axes have been implicated, most studies remain restricted to single axes or fragmented analyses, and systematic multi-organ integration is lacking. Here, we measured feed efficiency in 1,000 Nonghua ducks and selected 12 individuals with divergent RFI for transcriptomic profiling of the hypothalamus, pituitary, liver, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and cecum, combined with serum metabolomics. We identified 769 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with the hypothalamus, liver, and cecum as major contributors, and 28 differential serum metabolites enriched in lipid and amino acid metabolism. Beyond tissue-specific functions, enrichment analysis highlighted several pathways that were repeatedly shared across central and peripheral tissues, including neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, hormone signaling, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and insulin signaling, suggesting a coordinated regulation of feed efficiency between the brain, gut, and liver. To clarify their relevance, we integrated gene modules with metabolites and identified two candidate cross-organ association frameworks: the MEblack–6-Oxopiperidine-2-carboxylic acid (gut–liver) networks, enriched for liver genes CNTNAP1, SHC3, and RAB36, and cecal genes DCC and CCDC60. The MEblue–LysoPE(18:2(9Z,12Z)/0:0) (gut–brain) networks, enriched for cecal genes FABP6, KCNJ11, and the pituitary gene TRPA1, in which these genes and metabolites may contribute to RFI regulation. Together, these findings provide new insights into cross-organ molecular networks underlying feed efficiency in ducks and establish a valuable resource for future functional studies and breeding strategies.
{"title":"Integrated multi-tissue transcriptome and serum metabolome analysis reveals brain–gut–liver regulatory axes of residual feed intake in ducks","authors":"Shihao Guo , Yang Xi , Jingjing Qi , Zhao Yang , Xu Han , Weikang Ling , Lili Bai , Anqi Huang , Shenqiang Hu , Jiwei Hu , Chunchun Han , Jiwen Wang , Liang Li , Hehe Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106525","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106525","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Residual feed intake (RFI) is a key indicator of feed efficiency in poultry. Although regulatory links such as the hypothalamus–gut and gut–liver axes have been implicated, most studies remain restricted to single axes or fragmented analyses, and systematic multi-organ integration is lacking. Here, we measured feed efficiency in 1,000 Nonghua ducks and selected 12 individuals with divergent RFI for transcriptomic profiling of the hypothalamus, pituitary, liver, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and cecum, combined with serum metabolomics. We identified 769 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with the hypothalamus, liver, and cecum as major contributors, and 28 differential serum metabolites enriched in lipid and amino acid metabolism. Beyond tissue-specific functions, enrichment analysis highlighted several pathways that were repeatedly shared across central and peripheral tissues, including neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, hormone signaling, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and insulin signaling, suggesting a coordinated regulation of feed efficiency between the brain, gut, and liver. To clarify their relevance, we integrated gene modules with metabolites and identified two candidate cross-organ association frameworks: the MEblack–6-Oxopiperidine-2-carboxylic acid (gut–liver) networks, enriched for liver genes <em>CNTNAP1, SHC3, and RAB36,</em> and cecal genes <em>DCC</em> and <em>CCDC60</em>. The MEblue–LysoPE(18:2(9Z,12Z)/0:0) (gut–brain) networks, enriched for cecal genes <em>FABP6, KCNJ11</em>, and the pituitary gene <em>TRPA1</em>, in which these genes and metabolites may contribute to RFI regulation. Together, these findings provide new insights into cross-organ molecular networks underlying feed efficiency in ducks and establish a valuable resource for future functional studies and breeding strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"Article 106525"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146143337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Heat stress (HS) has a significant negative effect on production and affects growth performance and intestinal health in broilers. The current study assessed the effectiveness of adding increased dietary levels of mint leaf powder (MLP) as a feed additive on growth performance, physiological indicators of stress, intestinal morphology and molecular indicators of stress in broilers subjected to HS. A total of 192 male Cobb broiler chicks from day 14 to 42 were randomized in a 2 × 4 factorial design with the treatment being two ambient temperature regimens (thermo-neutral: 25°C vs HS: 35°C) and four levels of MLP (0%, 0.6%, 1.2% and 1.8%). HS decreased final body weight by 13.60% (P < 0.01), feed intake by 15.4% (P < 0.01), and increased breathing frequency by 77.50% (P < 0.001). Supplementation with 1.8% MLP improved body weight (3.4%; P < 0.02), breathing frequency (-25%; P < 0.001), and body temperature (P < 0.044) while experiencing HS groups. HS also decreased ileal villus height area and villus width (P < 0.01); whereas 1.8% MLP supplementation preserved intestinal morphology. Changes at the molecular level showed that HS markedly upregulated of ileal heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) of 3.83-fold in the MLP groups over in the control group (0.96-fold, P < 0.001) and HSP90 (1.73-fold, P < 0.001). MLP supplementation modulated HSP expression; HSF3 decreased (P < 0.012), and had significant degrees of suppression of inflammatory cytokines, specifically tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) expression by 68% under HS (P < 0.001). Results concluded that using 1.8% MLP as a continuous phytogenic additive is effective in mitigating HS by mechanisms involving multi-level amelioration of HS, improved thermoregulation, intact intestine morphology, regulated molecular responses to stress, and powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
{"title":"Effect of dietary mint leaf powder (Mentha piperita) supplementation on growth, intestinal integrity and molecular responses in broilers under heat stress","authors":"Yantao Lv , Abdelmotaleb Elokil , Beiyi Feng , Mohamed Elsharkawy , Shuang Wang , Yanan Zhang , Weiguang Xia , Shenglin Wang , Khaled Abouelezz , Haoyun Wang , Chuntian Zheng , Wei Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106520","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106520","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heat stress (HS) has a significant negative effect on production and affects growth performance and intestinal health in broilers. The current study assessed the effectiveness of adding increased dietary levels of mint leaf powder (MLP) as a feed additive on growth performance, physiological indicators of stress, intestinal morphology and molecular indicators of stress in broilers subjected to HS. A total of 192 male Cobb broiler chicks from day 14 to 42 were randomized in a 2 × 4 factorial design with the treatment being two ambient temperature regimens (thermo-neutral: 25°C vs HS: 35°C) and four levels of MLP (0%, 0.6%, 1.2% and 1.8%). HS decreased final body weight by 13.60% (P < 0.01), feed intake by 15.4% (P < 0.01), and increased breathing frequency by 77.50% (P < 0.001). Supplementation with 1.8% MLP improved body weight (3.4%; P < 0.02), breathing frequency (-25%; P < 0.001), and body temperature (P < 0.044) while experiencing HS groups. HS also decreased ileal villus height area and villus width (P < 0.01); whereas 1.8% MLP supplementation preserved intestinal morphology. Changes at the molecular level showed that HS markedly upregulated of ileal heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) of 3.83-fold in the MLP groups over in the control group (0.96-fold, P < 0.001) and HSP90 (1.73-fold, P < 0.001). MLP supplementation modulated HSP expression; HSF3 decreased (P < 0.012), and had significant degrees of suppression of inflammatory cytokines, specifically tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) expression by 68% under HS (P < 0.001). Results concluded that using 1.8% MLP as a continuous phytogenic additive is effective in mitigating HS by mechanisms involving multi-level amelioration of HS, improved thermoregulation, intact intestine morphology, regulated molecular responses to stress, and powerful anti-inflammatory properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"Article 106520"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The global human population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, placing an unprecedented burden on food systems and amplifying the need for sustainable poultry production. Free-range and organic poultry farming are gaining popularity due to consumer demand for animal welfare and environmental sustainability. However, these systems present unique challenges with regard to therapeutic strategies, bioactive environmental exposure and their degradation. Long-acting therapeutic strategies are needed to minimize chicken handling and stress, while also ensuring therapeutic efficiency in open environments. Controlled-release delivery systems (CRDS) offer significant potential to address these challenges by prolonging therapeutic activity, protecting bioactive from environmental degradation, and reducing labor and animal stress. CRDS can enable efficient delivery of drugs, vaccines, botanicals and probiotics. Despite these advantages, implementing controlled-release technologies in free-range and organic settings is a complex process and presents many challenges. We investigated the current state of CRDS for small molecules, vaccines, plant botanicals, and probiotics, highlighting key challenges and future prospects for their application in the evolving poultry industry.
{"title":"Addressing therapeutic challenges in poultry production, with particular emphasis on free-range and organic systems: The potential of controlled-release delivery systems (CRDS)","authors":"Prabhat Bhusal , Ghulam Asghar Sajid , Surya Paudel","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106503","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106503","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global human population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, placing an unprecedented burden on food systems and amplifying the need for sustainable poultry production. Free-range and organic poultry farming are gaining popularity due to consumer demand for animal welfare and environmental sustainability. However, these systems present unique challenges with regard to therapeutic strategies, bioactive environmental exposure and their degradation. Long-acting therapeutic strategies are needed to minimize chicken handling and stress, while also ensuring therapeutic efficiency in open environments. Controlled-release delivery systems (CRDS) offer significant potential to address these challenges by prolonging therapeutic activity, protecting bioactive from environmental degradation, and reducing labor and animal stress. CRDS can enable efficient delivery of drugs, vaccines, botanicals and probiotics. Despite these advantages, implementing controlled-release technologies in free-range and organic settings is a complex process and presents many challenges. We investigated the current state of CRDS for small molecules, vaccines, plant botanicals, and probiotics, highlighting key challenges and future prospects for their application in the evolving poultry industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"Article 106503"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2026.106506
Shifan Deng , Xinli Zheng , Han Chu , Liang Hong , Jianbin Zhang , Hua Yang , Lihong Gu , Lei Pu
Through the selective breeding of superior strains, livestock and poultry can achieve enhanced disease resistance and production performance, thereby improving farming efficiency and increasing chicken meat yield. This study analyzed the expression of gut health-related genes, cecal microbiota, and untargeted serum metabolomics in Wenchang chickens from the NS strain (Normal strain) and the AFS strain (Antibiotic-free strain), and explored the relationships between their cecal microbiota and serum metabolites. Our results show that in the ileum, antioxidant-related indicators T-AOC (P < 0.05), T-SOD (P < 0.05), and GSH-PX (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in the AFS strain than in the NS strain, while MDA (P < 0.05) was significantly lower in the AFS strain than in the NS strain. The mRNA expression level of RORγt/FoxP3, which is related to immune regulation, was significantly lower in the AFS strain than in the NS strain (P < 0.05). The differential microorganisms in the cecum primarily included Muribaculum, Cryptobacteroides, Blautia, Enterocloster, Lachnoclostridium, Hydrogenoanaerobacterium, Ruminococcus, Subdoligranulum, Clostridioides, and Evtepia. The main differential metabolites in serum included folinic acid, biotin, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, and others. The differential metabolites are primarily enriched in the following metabolic pathways: gap junction, glycolipid metabolism, and fatty acid biosynthesis. In addition, the Pearson correlation analysis between the gut microbiota and serum metabolites showed that Blautia was positively correlated with folinic acid (P < 0.05) and biotin (P < 0.05); Lachnoclostridium was positively correlated with biotin (P < 0.01); and Ruminococcus was positively correlated with 3-hydroxybutyric acid (P < 0.05). This study mainly elucidates the metabolic characteristics of the antibiotic-free Wenchang chicken strain by analyzing gut microbiota and serum metabolites.
{"title":"Antibiotic-free Wenchang chickens may promote blood levels of B vitamins by modulating the gut microbiota: An integrated analysis of cecal content metagenomics and serum metabolomics","authors":"Shifan Deng , Xinli Zheng , Han Chu , Liang Hong , Jianbin Zhang , Hua Yang , Lihong Gu , Lei Pu","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106506","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106506","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Through the selective breeding of superior strains, livestock and poultry can achieve enhanced disease resistance and production performance, thereby improving farming efficiency and increasing chicken meat yield. This study analyzed the expression of gut health-related genes, cecal microbiota, and untargeted serum metabolomics in Wenchang chickens from the <strong>NS</strong> strain (Normal strain) and the <strong>AFS</strong> strain (Antibiotic-free strain), and explored the relationships between their cecal microbiota and serum metabolites. Our results show that in the ileum, antioxidant-related indicators T-AOC (<em>P</em> < 0.05), T-SOD (<em>P</em> < 0.05), and GSH-PX (<em>P</em> < 0.05) were significantly higher in the AFS strain than in the NS strain, while MDA (<em>P</em> < 0.05) was significantly lower in the AFS strain than in the NS strain. The mRNA expression level of <em>RORγt</em>/<em>FoxP3</em>, which is related to immune regulation, was significantly lower in the AFS strain than in the NS strain (<em>P</em> < 0.05). The differential microorganisms in the cecum primarily included <em>Muribaculum, Cryptobacteroides, Blautia, Enterocloster, Lachnoclostridium, Hydrogenoanaerobacterium, Ruminococcus, Subdoligranulum, Clostridioides</em>, and <em>Evtepia</em>. The main differential metabolites in serum included folinic acid, biotin, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, and others. The differential metabolites are primarily enriched in the following metabolic pathways: gap junction, glycolipid metabolism, and fatty acid biosynthesis. In addition, the Pearson correlation analysis between the gut microbiota and serum metabolites showed that <em>Blautia</em> was positively correlated with folinic acid (<em>P</em> < 0.05) and biotin (<em>P</em> < 0.05); <em>Lachnoclostridium</em> was positively correlated with biotin (<em>P</em> < 0.01); and <em>Ruminococcus</em> was positively correlated with 3-hydroxybutyric acid (<em>P</em> < 0.05). This study mainly elucidates the metabolic characteristics of the antibiotic-free Wenchang chicken strain by analyzing gut microbiota and serum metabolites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"Article 106506"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The structural characterization of glycopeptides is essential for elucidating their functional activity. In this study, the glycopeptide structures of chicken egg yolk proteins were identified comprehensively. Glycopeptides were obtained from egg yolk via trypsin digestion followed by hydrophilic interaction chromatography enrichment. Intact N- and O-glycopeptide structures of egg yolk proteins were analyzed using glycoproteomics techniques, and their potential functional activities were subsequently investigated. A total of 424 N-glycopeptides and 306 O-glycopeptides were identified, corresponding to 48 N-glycosites on 37 N-glycoproteins and 39 O-glycosites on 25 O-glycoproteins, respectively, demonstrating the extensive heterogeneity of glycosylation modifications. Twenty-two egg yolk glycoproteins were concurrently modified by N- and O-glycosylation. The identified glycopeptides exhibited diverse oligosaccharide chain compositions, demonstrating macro- and micro-heterogeneity. Apolipoprotein B yielded the most abundant glycopeptide structures, comprising 130 N-glycopeptides and 62 O-glycopeptides. N-glycoproteins were significantly enriched in immune-related signaling pathways, such as lysosome and regulation of actin cytoskeleton, whereas O-glycoproteins were significantly enriched in the spliceosome signaling pathway. These findings elucidated the structural characteristics of glycopeptides derived from egg yolk proteins and provided a theoretical basis for investigating their functional activities and potential applications as functional food ingredients.
{"title":"Research note: Structural identification of glycopeptides from chicken egg yolk protein.","authors":"Xinyu Liu, Hong He, Jinqiu Wang, Yuting Wang, Putri Widyanti Harlina, Zhipeng Yu, Yiding Yu, Fang Geng","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106516","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106516","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The structural characterization of glycopeptides is essential for elucidating their functional activity. In this study, the glycopeptide structures of chicken egg yolk proteins were identified comprehensively. Glycopeptides were obtained from egg yolk via trypsin digestion followed by hydrophilic interaction chromatography enrichment. Intact N- and O-glycopeptide structures of egg yolk proteins were analyzed using glycoproteomics techniques, and their potential functional activities were subsequently investigated. A total of 424 N-glycopeptides and 306 O-glycopeptides were identified, corresponding to 48 N-glycosites on 37 N-glycoproteins and 39 O-glycosites on 25 O-glycoproteins, respectively, demonstrating the extensive heterogeneity of glycosylation modifications. Twenty-two egg yolk glycoproteins were concurrently modified by N- and O-glycosylation. The identified glycopeptides exhibited diverse oligosaccharide chain compositions, demonstrating macro- and micro-heterogeneity. Apolipoprotein B yielded the most abundant glycopeptide structures, comprising 130 N-glycopeptides and 62 O-glycopeptides. N-glycoproteins were significantly enriched in immune-related signaling pathways, such as lysosome and regulation of actin cytoskeleton, whereas O-glycoproteins were significantly enriched in the spliceosome signaling pathway. These findings elucidated the structural characteristics of glycopeptides derived from egg yolk proteins and provided a theoretical basis for investigating their functional activities and potential applications as functional food ingredients.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 4","pages":"106516"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12906204/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146137623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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