A Metabolic Profiling Analysis Revealed a Primary Metabolism Reprogramming in Arabidopsis glyI4 Loss-of-Function Mutant

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a cytotoxic compound often produced as a side product of metabolic processes such as glycolysis, lipid peroxidation, and photosynthesis. MG is mainly scavenged by the glyoxalase system, a two-step pathway, in which the coordinate activity of GLYI and GLYII transforms it into D-lactate, releasing GSH. In Arabidopsis thaliana, a member of the GLYI family named GLYI4 has been recently characterized. In glyI4 mutant plants, a general stress phenotype characterized by compromised MG scavenging, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), stomatal closure, and reduced fitness was observed. In order to shed some light on the impact of gly4 loss-of-function on plant metabolism, we applied a high resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomic approach to Arabidopsis Col-8 wild type and glyI4 mutant plants. A compound library containing a total of 70 metabolites, differentially synthesized in glyI4 compared to Col-8, was obtained. Pathway analysis of the identified compounds showed that the upregulated pathways are mainly involved in redox reactions and cellular energy maintenance, and those downregulated in plant defense and growth. These results improved our understanding of the impacts of glyI4 loss-of-function on the general reprogramming of the plant’s metabolic landscape as a strategy for surviving under adverse physiological conditions.

SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHOD TO ESTIMATE GLYCOGEN LEVELS IN THE MODEL NEMATODE CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

The model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is widely used in studies on metabolic regulation and aging processes, in developmental and cell biology, neurobiology and genetics. Recent studies have shown the crucial role of glycogen, the glucose polymer, in stress resistance, energy maintenance and aging of organisms. Currently, the main methods for determining glycogen in the C. elegans nematode are iodine staining, enzyme analysis, and Raman microspectroscopy, described in 2019 by A. Cherkas. The proposed spectrophotometric method allows us to quantify glycogen levels, in contrast to those used in modern practice. The nematode was grown on NGM agar seeded with E. coli as a food source for 7 days in a thermostat at 20±20 C. Then, it was washed with M9 buffer and separated from bacteria by centrifugation for 10 min at 9 000 g. The samples were placed in an ice bath and nematodes were counted in each sample at x 10 microscope magnification. The glycogen concentration was determined spectrophotometrically. This value is average for different stages of the nematode development and amounts to 0.001821 ± 0.000009 μg.

378 Awardee Talk - Impact of fetal versus maternal contributions of Bos indicus and Bos taurus genetics on embryonic and fetal development

To evaluate how the inclusion of Bos indicus genotype influences early fetal development in cattle, a reciprocal embryo transfer approach was used in a completely randomized design with a 2×2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments in order to generate 55 pregnancies (n = 55). Recipient cows were randomly assigned to 1) a diet that met daily energy maintenance requirements (MAINT), or 2) a diet that restricted intake to 70% of the energy maintenance requirements (RESTR). Angus (AN) and Brangus (BN) embryo donors were superovulated and artificially inseminated with female sexed-sorted semen from the same breed. Embryos were then randomly transferred to either AN or BN recipients fed their respective diets for 28d. Recipients remained on the dietary scheme until d91 of gestation, and were then comingled and fed a common diet that met their requirements. Measurements included pregnancy establishment at d28 of gestation, pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAG; using 2 commercial [A1 and A2] and 1 in-house assay), and fetal size (CRL). Recipients in the RESTR diet had lower BW and BCS (diet×day; P < 0.01) than MAINT recipients. Energy-restricted AN recipients experienced greater (recipient breed×diet, P < 0.01) pregnancy failure by d28 than the other recipient breed × diet combinations. Restricted recipients that received AN embryos experienced greater pregnancy failure than RESTR recipients receiving BN embryos (embryo breed×diet; P = 0.03). Brangus embryos resulted in greater plasma concentrations of PAG in both A1 (embryo breed×day, P < 0.01) and A2 (embryo breed P < 0.01). Alternatively, recipients that received AN embryos had greater plasma concentrations of PAG for the in-house assay (embryo breed×day; P < 0.01). In addition, fetuses from AN recipients had greater CRL on d91 (breed×day, P < 0.01). In summary, Bos taurus cows experienced greater pregnancy failure when nutrient restricted. Furthermore, fetal size and profile of PAG production during early gestation differed between Bos indicus-influenced and Bos taurus cattle.

A method to estimate the environmental impacts from genetic change in pig production systems

Purpose The environmental impacts (EIs) of the global pig production sector are expected to increase with increasing global pork demand. Although the pig breeding industry has made significant progress over the last decades in reducing its EI, previous work has been unable to differentiate between the improvements made through management improvements from those caused by genetic change. Our study investigates the effect of altering genetic components of individual traits on the EI of pig systems. Methods An LCA model, with a functional unit of 1 kg live weight pig, was built simulating an intensive pig production system; inputs of feed and outputs of manure were adjusted according to genetic performance traits. Feed intake was simulated with an animal energy requirement model. A correlation matrix of the genetic variance and correlations of traits was pooled from data on commercial pig populations in the literature. Three sensitivity analyses were applied: one-at-a-time sensitivity analysis (OAT) used the genetic standard deviations, clusters-of-traits sensitivity analysis (COT) used the genetic standard deviations and clustering based on correlations, and the sensitivity index (SI) applied the full correlation matrix. Five EI categories were considered: global warming potential, terrestrial acidification potential, freshwater eutrophication potential, land use, and fossil resource scarcity. Results and discussion The different EI categories showed similar behaviour for each trait in the sensitivity analyses. OAT showed up to 18% change in EI relative to baseline for energy maintenance and around 3% change in EI relative to baseline for most other traits. COT grouped traits into a grower/finisher cluster (up to 17% change relative to baseline), a reproductive cluster (up to 7% change relative to baseline), and a sow robustness cluster (up to 2% change relative to baseline), all clusters including negative correlations between traits. By including genetic correlations, the SI went from being influenced by maintenance, and finisher and gilt growth rate into solely being dominated by maintenancen and protein-to-lipid ratio responsible for above 0.8 and 0.35 of the variance in EI respectively. Conclusions We developed a novel methodology for evaluating EIs of changes in correlated genetic traits in pigs. We found it was essential to include correlations in the sensitivity analysis, since the local and global sensitivity analyses were not affected to the same extend by the same traits. Further, we found that finisher growth rate, body protein-to-lipid ratio, and energy maintenance could be important in reducing EI, but mortalities and sow robustness had little effect.

Estimation of the net energy and protein requirements for maintenance of male arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) during the growth period12

The maintenance requirements of net energy and net protein were assumed to represent the most accurate and important values totally for the animal’s utilization. The objective of this experiment was to determine the net energy and net protein requirements for maintenance of growing arctic foxes. The experiments was evaluated using regression models estimated from data collected by means of indirect calorimetry, nitrogen balance trials, and digestion and metabolism experiments. Thirty-six growing arctic foxes (3 487 ± 261.7 g) at the age of 85 days were randomly assigned to four groups with 9 animals in each group. Arctic foxes were fed a complete formula diet at four intake levels (100%, or 80%, 60%, and 40% of feed requirements) from 24 July 2017 to 23 September 2017. Arctic foxes in each treatment were kept individually in respiration chambers after 1-d adaptation at day 2 for a 3-d balance trial and then at day 5 followed by a 3-d fasting period. The metabolizable energy intake (MEI), heat production in the fed state (HP), and retained energy (RE) of arctic foxes significantly decreased (P < 0.01) as the feed intake level decreased. Fasting heat production (FHP) of arctic foxes was not influenced by feed intake level (P > 0.05). The metabolizable energy maintenance requirement (MEm) and net energy maintenance requirement (NEm) estimated from the linear relationship between RE and MEI were 230 and 217 kJ/kg of body weight BW0.75/d, respectively. The MEm and NEm estimated by logarithmic regression of HP on MEI were 225 and 209 kJ/kg BW0.75/d, respectively. The net N maintenance requirement (NNm) and net protein maintenance requirement (NPm) estimated from the linear relationship between retained nitrogen (RN) and daily nitrogen intake (NI) were 179.6 mg/kg BW0.75/d and 1.123 g/kg BW0.75/d, respectively. It is concluded that NEm and NPm values obtained fill the net energy and protein requirements shortage, and provide the basic data for establishing the standard of nutrition demand of breeding arctic foxes in China.

Energetics of the Western Hemisphere Circulation Pattern

The Western Hemisphere (WH) circulation pattern, identified by self-organizing maps cluster analysis, is a low-frequency atmospheric regime that influences the fluctuations of large-scale circulation over the North Pacific–North American–North Atlantic areas. The reanalysis datasets from ECMWF are used to estimate the energetics of the WH pattern in this study. The composite results based on monthly WH events reveal that the kinetic energy (KE) associated with the WH pattern is maintained through the barotropic conversion from the climatological-mean westerlies, mainly in the Atlantic jet exit regions. The KE could also be gained through the barotropic feedback forcing from transient eddies. The corresponding baroclinic conversion of available potential energy (APE) from the climatological-mean state, which contributes most efficiently to the energy maintenance of the WH pattern, is obvious in the middle and lower troposphere, owing to the thermal contrast of the colder continent and warmer ocean over the North America–North Atlantic sector. The baroclinic conversion associated with the heat flux on the climatological temperature gradient is consistent with the southwestward-tilting height anomalies from 850 to 500 hPa. The baroclinic feedback from transient eddies contributes negatively to the energy conversion and destroys the maintenance of the WH pattern.

A Study on the Limitations of South Korea’s National Roadmap for Greenhouse Gas Reduction by 2030 and Suggestions for Improvement

South Korea must submit its targets for greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 to comply with the Paris Agreement. While South Korea’s government has announced a roadmap for achieving greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2030, issues are present regarding the methodology used to set reduction targets, select the reduction method, and estimate the potential emissions reduction in the building sector. Accordingly, the present study identified the limitations based on an analysis of the roadmap and suggested an improvement plan for each limitation. To improve the roadmap, the methodology used to set emissions targets was changed from business-as-usual (BAU) to the absolute emissions method, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines were applied to estimate greenhouse gas emissions, and methodology for determining emissions targets by year was proposed. The reduction method has been proposed abstractly, and five methods have been suggested: Energy consumption by building age and establishment of gross floor area for cooling/heating, supply status for each type of lighting, estimation of reduction amount through supply of LED lighting, reduction amount estimation by analyzing current supply status data for home appliances and office equipment, proposal of methodology for improvement of duplicate estimation for building energy maintenance systems (BEMS), and estimation of reduction potential by applying efficiency improvement in power generating equipment.