Effects of the orange lemma (rob1) mutant line of barley cv. ‘Optic’ compared with its wild-type on the ruminal microbiome and fermentation tested with the rumen simulation technique

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (9) ◽  
pp. 789
Author(s):  
F. Klevenhusen ◽  
C. Emsenhuber ◽  
H. Grausgruber ◽  
R. M. Petri ◽  
Q. Zebeli

The use of cereals as forage crops is limited due to the high lignin content in the cell walls reducing nutrient digestibility. Recent research has focused on reducing lignification in forage crops through gene mutations. This study investigated the ruminal fermentation characteristics of a barley mutation (orange lemma), which is associated with a lower lignin content, using the in vitro ruminal fermentation system (RUSITEC). Two-rowed spring barley cv. ‘Optic’ and its ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS)-induced orange lemma (rob1) mutant line were harvested at both stem elongation and early fruit development and incubated in the RUSITEC system. Gas production, concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and ammonia and the nutrient degradation of the plants after 48 h incubation were investigated. Additional samples were analysed for microbial composition using MiSeq sequencing technology. In general, acid detergent lignin (ADL) was higher at early grain filling than stem elongation. ADL was lower in the mutant line than in the wild type at both stem elongation (13.9% vs 18.5%) and early grain development (26.0% vs 28.6%; dry matter basis). This was reflected in increased ruminal degradation of neutral detergent fibre (61.7% vs 53.7%; P < 0.001) when harvested at stem elongation, but not at the later stage. In contrast, methane formation was lower with rob1 than ‘Optic’ (P = 0.002), especially when harvested at stem elongation. No difference was seen in protein degradation between the barley genotypes. The fermentation SCFA profile did not differ between barley genotypes when harvested at stem elongation, but at early fruit development more acetate and less butyrate was produced with rob1. Microbial species richness was lower when barley was incubated at stem elongation compared to fruit development (P < 0.001), which was especially pronounced with rob1 (P = 0.026). The abundance of Bacteroidetes, Synergistetes and Tenericutes was lower when plants harvested at early grain development were incubated compared to the stem elongation stage, whereas the abundance of Cyanobacteria, Elusimicrobia, Fusobacteria, Lentisphaerae, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and WPS-2 was higher (P < 0.001). In conclusion, most fermentation parameters were affected by vegetation stage and related changes in nutrient composition. However, additional effects of barley genotype were seen on the rumen microbial community structure, SCFA profile and methane production.

2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 26-29
Author(s):  
J. Meng ◽  
C. Li ◽  
M. Zhao ◽  
C. Wang ◽  
Y. Ru ◽  
...  

The Antisense 4CL gene was transfected into alfalfa through Agrobacterium-mediated transfer. The test results indicated that the antisense 4CL gene was successfully integrated into the genome DNA of alfalfa and was stably transmitted to the offspring. Compared to the wild-type plants, the lignin content of T<sub>0</sub> and T<sub>1</sub> generation plants was reduced by 45.77% and 31.97%, respectively; there were no significant differences in height and weight of T<sub>0</sub> and T<sub>1</sub> plants, compared to the wild-type plants. However, the transgenic plant differed from the wild-type plant by softer stems and leaves, larger leaves, fewer flowers and a fewer seeds. The T<sub>0</sub> line was susceptible to disease infection, but significantly improved in the second year. The results suggest that the 4CL gene from Amorpha fruticosa can be used to regulate lignin biosynthesis in transgenic forage crops.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yushan Liu ◽  
Yizhou Wang ◽  
Jiabo Pei ◽  
Yadong Li ◽  
Haiyue Sun

Abstract Background Caffeic acid O-methyltransferases (COMTs) play an important role in the diversification of natural products, especially in the phenylalanine metabolic pathway of plant. The content of COMT genes in blueberry and relationship between their expression patterns and the lignin content during fruit development have not clearly investigated by now. Results Ninety-two VcCOMTs were identified in Vaccinium corymbosum. According to phylogenetic analyses, the 92 VcCOMTs were divided into 2 groups. The gene structure and conserved motifs within groups were similar which supported the reliability of the phylogenetic structure groupings. Dispersed duplication (DSD) and whole-genome duplication (WGD) were determined to be the major forces in VcCOMTs evolution. The results showed that the results of qRT-PCR and lignin content for 22 VcCOMTs, VcCOMT40 and VcCOMT92 were related to lignin content at different stages of fruit development of blueberry. Conclusion We identified COMT gene family in blueberry, and performed comparative analyses of the phylogenetic relationships in the 15 species of land plant, and gene duplication patterns of COMT genes in 5 of the 15 species. We found 2 VcCOMTs were highly expressed and their relative contents were similar to the variation trend of lignin content during the development of blueberry fruit. These results provide a clue for further study on the roles of VcCOMTs in the development of blueberry fruit and could promisingly be foundations for breeding blueberry clutivals with higher fruit firmness and longer shelf life.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2625
Author(s):  
Nurashikin Kemat ◽  
Richard G. F. Visser ◽  
Frans A. Krens

One of the characteristics of hyperhydric plants is the reduction of cell wall lignification (hypolignification), but how this is related to the observed abnormalities of hyperhydricity (HH), is still unclear. Lignin is hydrophobic, and we speculate that a reduction in lignin levels leads to more capillary action of the cell wall and consequently to more water in the apoplast. p-coumaric acid is the hydroxyl derivative of cinnamic acid and a precursor for lignin and flavonoids in higher plant. In the present study, we examined the role of lignin in the development of HH in Arabidopsis thaliana by checking the wild-types (Ler and Col-0) and mutants affected in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, in the gene coding for cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, C4H (ref3-1 and ref3-3). Exogenously applied p-coumaric acid decreased the symptoms of HH in both wild-type and less-lignin mutants. Moreover, the results revealed that exogenously applied p-coumaric acid inhibited root growth and increased the total lignin content in both wild-type and less-lignin mutants. These effects appeared to diminish the symptoms of HH and suggest an important role for lignin in HH.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeo Toh ◽  
Naoki Takata ◽  
Eigo Ando ◽  
Yosuke Toda ◽  
Yin Wang ◽  
...  

Stomata in the plant epidermis open in response to light and regulate CO2 uptake for photosynthesis and transpiration for uptake of water and nutrients from roots. Light-induced stomatal opening is mediated by activation of the plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPase in guard cells. Overexpression of PM H+-ATPase in guard cells promotes light-induced stomatal opening, enhancing photosynthesis and growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, transgenic hybrid aspens overexpressing Arabidopsis PM H+-ATPase (AHA2) in guard cells under the strong guard cell promoter Arabidopsis GC1 (AtGC1) showed enhanced light-induced stomatal opening, photosynthesis, and growth. First, we confirmed that AtGC1 induces GUS expression specifically in guard cells in hybrid aspens. Thus, we produced AtGC1::AHA2 transgenic hybrid aspens and confirmed expression of AHA2 in AtGC1::AHA2 transgenic plants. In addition, AtGC1::AHA2 transgenic plants showed a higher PM H+-ATPase protein level in guard cells. Analysis using a gas exchange system revealed that transpiration and the photosynthetic rate were significantly increased in AtGC1::AHA2 transgenic aspen plants. AtGC1::AHA2 transgenic plants showed a&gt;20% higher stem elongation rate than the wild type (WT). Therefore, overexpression of PM H+-ATPase in guard cells promotes the growth of perennial woody plants.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1158-1164
Author(s):  
Anuthida Seankamsorn ◽  
Anusorn Cherdthong ◽  
Sarong So ◽  
Metha Wanapat

Background and Aim: Crude glycerin is changed to propionate in the rumen, while chitosan can be used as a feed supplement to increase propionic acid concentration and decrease methane (CH4) production. We hypothesized that supplementation with a combination of a high level of crude glycerin with chitosan could have a beneficial effect on ruminal fermentation and mitigate CH4 production. This study aimed to explore the combined effects of crude glycerin and chitosan supplementation on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and CH4 calculation in native Thai bulls. Materials and Methods: Four 2-year-old native Thai bulls, weighing 150±20 kg, were kept in a 2×2 factorial arrangement in a 4×4 Latin square design. Factor A represented the incorporation of crude glycerin at 10.5% and 21% of the dry matter (DM) of a total mixed ration (TMR), and factor B represented the supplementation of chitosan at 1% and 2% DM of a TMR. Results: Increasing levels of crude glycerin at 21% decreased DM intake by 0.62 kg/day compared with 10.5% crude glycerin (p<0.05), whereas nutrient digestibility did not change (p>0.05). The incorporated crude glycerin and supplemented chitosan levels did not affect the pH, temperature, concentrations of ammonia-nitrogen, microbial population, and blood urea nitrogen (p>0.05). Supplemented chitosan and incorporated crude glycerin did not show any interaction effects on the molar portions and total volatile fatty acids (VFAs), except estimated CH4. Increasing the incorporated crude glycerin levels increased propionate and decreased the ratio of acetate to propionate ratio, whereas levels of butyrate, acetate, and total VFAs were unchanged. The combination of crude glycerin at 21% in the TMR with chitosan at 2% reduced CH4 estimation by 5.08% compared with the other feed treatment. Conclusion: Increasing incorporated crude glycerin levels in a TMR significantly elevated the propionate concentration, whereas combining 21% crude glycerin in the TMR diet with 2% chitosan supplementation could depress CH4 estimation more effectively than adding one of these supplements alone.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
C. Wang ◽  
L. Han ◽  
G. W. Zhang ◽  
H. S. Du ◽  
Z. Z. Wu ◽  
...  

Abstract Coated copper sulphate (CCS) could be used as a Cu supplement in cows. To investigate the influences of copper sulphate (CS) and CCS on milk performance, nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation, fifty Holstein dairy cows were arranged in a randomised block design to five groups: control, CS addition (7·5 mg Cu/kg DM from CS) or CCS addition (5, 7·5 and 10 mg Cu/kg DM from CCS, respectively). When comparing Cu source at equal inclusion rates (7·5 mg/kg DM), cows receiving CCS addition had higher yields of fat-corrected milk, milk fat and protein; digestibility of DM, organic matter (OM) and neutral-detergent fibre (NDF); ruminal total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration; activities of carboxymethyl cellulase, cellobiase, pectinase and α-amylase; populations of Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Fibrobacter succinogenes; and liver Cu content than cows receiving CS addition. Increasing CCS addition, DM intake was unchanged, yields of milk, milk fat and protein; feed efficiency; digestibility of DM, OM, NDF and acid-detergent fibre; ruminal total VFA concentration; acetate:propionate ratio; activity of cellulolytic enzyme; populations of total bacteria, protozoa and dominant cellulolytic bacteria; and concentrations of Cu in serum and liver increased linearly, but ruminal propionate percentage, ammonia-N concentration, α-amylase activity and populations of Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus decreased linearly. The results indicated that supplement of CS could be substituted with CCS and addition of CCS improved milk performance and nutrient digestion in dairy cows.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 596
Author(s):  
Yafeng Huang ◽  
Cory Matthew ◽  
Fei Li ◽  
Zhibiao Nan

This study evaluated common vetch stover as a feed in mixed rations for growing lambs. Four common vetch varieties were compared with alfalfa (control) for their effects on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen retention. Male Hu lambs (n = 50) aged 3 months, with a mean body weight of 17.5 ± 0.34 kg were allocated randomly to one of the five dietary treatments, making 10 lambs per treatment. The experiment lasted 67 days with a 10-day adaptation period and a 50-day fattening period, and with the final 7 days used for a nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance trial. All diets contained 30.0% maize straw and 50.0% concentrate, with different forage sources (on a fed basis): 20.0% alfalfa hay (control), 20.0% local common vetch variety 333A (C333A) stover, or 20.0% stover of one of three improved common vetch varieties: Lanjian No. 1 (CLJ1), Lanjian No. 2 (CLJ2), or Lanjian No. 3 (CLJ3). For stover quality, CLJ1 stover had the greatest crude protein (CP), in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), and metabolizable energy (ME) content and the least cell wall contents, while C333A stover had the least CP, IVOMD, and ME contents and the greatest cell wall contents. Sheep fed the control diet had a greater average daily gain (ADG), apparent digestibility of organic matter (DOM), neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and nitrogen retention, and greater ruminal total volatile fatty acids concentration than lambs fed the C333A or CLJ3 diet, but similar performance to lambs fed the CLJ1 and CLJ2 diets. The feed conversion ratio and predicted CH4 emission per unit of DOM intake and ADG of the control, CLJ1, and CLJ2 diets was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than for the other diets. Based on these results, stovers of varieties CLJ1 and CLJ2 can be recommended as an alternative to alfalfa hay and for use in a legume crop rotation with cereals on the Tibetan plateau.


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