Poultry Science最新文献

Ovarian follicular development in laying hens is tightly regulated by a variety of endocrine and cellular factors, among which follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plays a decisive role. Our previous study demonstrated that phosphorylation of LSD1 at serine 54 (LSD1Ser54p) level increases after follicle selection, and FSH induces LSD1Ser54p in chicken hierarchical follicular granulosa cells (Post-GCs), suggesting a critical role of LSD1Ser54p in chicken follicle selection. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we first determined the expression pattern of LSD1Ser54p in follicular tissues and confirmed its role in reducing the levels of H3K4me1/2 and H3K9me1/2 in Post-GCs. By integrating transcriptome sequencing and CUT&Tag chromatin analysis, we identified genes that are targeted by FSH and directly bound by LSD1Ser54p, with farnesyl-diphosphate farnesyltransferase 1 (FDFT1) being selected for further investigations. In depth analysis of the histone modification status at the FDFT1 promoter revealed that LSD1Ser54p specifically removes H3K9me1/2 methylation, thereby alleviating chromatin repression and activating FDFT1 transcription, which ultimately promotes the cholesterol synthesis. Our findings reveal an epigenetic regulatory pathway-the FSH-LSD1Ser54p-H3K9me1/2-FDFT1 axis-operating during chicken follicle selection, providing new molecular insights into avian reproductive physiology.

Roosters play a crucial role in breeder chicken production. A decline in reproductive performance during the late breeding stage is a major factor limiting economic returns. Testosterone, a key hormone for maintaining secondary sexual characteristics and supporting spermatogenesis, is primarily synthesized and processed within mitochondria. With advancing age, mitochondrial function deteriorates in roosters, leading to reduced testosterone synthesis and impaired reproductive capacity. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms through which rest and sport affect the reproductive performance of aging roosters. A total of 36 Tianfu Pink roosters aged 110 weeks were allocated into three groups with three replicates per group. After a 4-week intervention involving rest and sport regimens, natural mating was conducted to collect reproductive performance data. The results showed that rest and sport exerted anti-inflammatory effects, significantly improved semen quality and hatching performance, increased serum levels of testosterone and gonadotropins, enhanced systemic antioxidant capacity, and markedly upregulated FUNDC1 expression in the testes. In primary chicken testicular interstitial cells, overexpression or knockdown of FUNDC1 significantly enhanced or suppressed mitochondrial function, as well as the expression of genes and proteins related to antioxidant defense and testosterone synthesis. Moreover, FUNDC1 overexpression alleviated rotenone-induced mitochondrial damage and restored testosterone synthesis in testicular interstitial cells. These findings suggest that sport may enhance testosterone synthesis in testicular interstitial cells by modulating FUNDC1 expression, thereby improving mitochondrial function and antioxidant defense. This study provides theoretical and technical insights for improving the reproductive performance of breeding roosters during the late production phase.

Barley has been proposed as a promising and more sustainable alternative to common cereals in poultry diets. However, the use of barley in poultry diets has historically been limited, mainly due to observed negative impact on gastrointestinal health and performance. In this study, we explored the potential of incorporating barley into broiler diets, focusing on effects on Clostridium perfringens, the causative agent of necrotic enteritis in poultry, and the cecal microbiota. The study included four diets containing 54% barley, with or without the addition of non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzyme (NSPase), and one control diet without barley. The main ingredients were ground to either a fine or coarse particle size. Low C. perfringens levels were maintained in the intestines of broilers fed barley-based diets, suggesting that barley did not predispose to necrotic enteritis in this study. Broilers fed the coarse barley-based diet with NSPase exhibited the lowest abundance of Lactobacillus and the highest abundance of Faecalibacterium, and their cecal microbiota resembled that of the group fed the control diet. In contrast, broilers fed the coarse barley-based diet without NSPase exhibited the highest abundance of Lactobacillus among all groups in this study, along with a lower abundance of Faecalibacterium. Among the groups that received diets with finely ground barley, regardless of NSPase supplementation, there was no clear shift in the abundance of the two bacterial genera. These observations suggest that feed particle size and NSPase supplementation influence the composition of the cecal microbiota in broilers fed barley-based diets, and that these factors could be utilized as tools to mitigate undesirable health effects associated with the inclusion of barley in poultry diets. The findings of this study highlight the potential of including increased levels of barley in broiler diets without compromising health or performance. Further studies are warranted to explore the effects of similar inclusion levels of different barley varieties on gastrointestinal health and microbiota under varied environmental conditions.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.