• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.54-64
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• 2023

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer (P. ginseng) is a traditional natural/herbal medicine. The amelioration on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity rely mainly on its main active ingredients that are referred to as ginsenosides. However, the current literature on gut microbiota, gut microbiota-host co-metabolites, and systems pharmacology has no studies investigating the effects of ginsenoside on IBD. Methods: The present study was aimed to investigate the role of ginsenosides and the possible underlying mechanisms in the treatment of IBD in an acetic acid-induced rat model by integrating metagenomics, metabolomics, and complex biological networks analysis. In the study ten ginsenosides in the ginsenoside fraction (GS) were identified using Q-Orbitrap LC-MS. Results: The results demonstrated the improvement effect of GS on IBD and the regulation effect of ginsenosides on gut microbiota and its co-metabolites. It was revealed that 7 endogenous metabolites, including acetic acid, butyric acid, citric acid, tryptophan, histidine, alanine, and glutathione, could be utilized as significant biomarkers of GS in the treatment of IBD. Furthermore, the biological network studies revealed EGFR, STAT3, and AKT1, which belong mainly to the glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways, as the potential targets for GS for intervening in IBD. Conclusion: These findings indicated that the combination of genomics, metabolomics, and biological network analysis could assist in elucidating the possible mechanism underlying the role of ginsenosides in alleviating inflammatory bowel disease and thereby reveal the pathological process of ginsenosides in IBD treatment through the regulation of the disordered host-flora co-metabolism pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.516-524
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• 2024

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary spray-dried plasma (SDP) on the gut microbiota of lactating sows and their piglets. A total of 12 sows were randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatment groups in a completely randomized design. The treatments were a sow diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON), and a CON diet with an added 1% SDP. The sows were fed the dietary treatments from d 30 before farrowing to weaning (d 28). The fecal samples of three sows from each treatment and two of their randomly selected piglets were collected to verify their fecal microbiota. There were no differences in the alpha diversity and distinct clustering of the microbial communities in the sows and their piglets when SDP was added to the sow diets from late gestation to weaning. The fecal microbiota of the lactating sows and their piglets showed a higher relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidota and genus Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus and showed a lower relative abundance of the phylum Bacillota and genus Bacteroides, Escherichia/Shigella, and Clostridium in the sows fed the SDP diet than those fed the CON diet. Overall, these results show that the addition of SDP to the sow diet during lactation altered the gut environment with positive microbial composition changes. These results were similar in the nursing piglets, suggesting that the control of the sow diets during lactation may contribute to the intestinal health and growth in piglets after weaning.

• Annals of Coloproctology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.280-285
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• 2018

For many years, developmental and physiological differences have been known to exist between anatomic segments of the colorectum. Because of different outcomes, prognoses, and clinical responses to chemotherapy, the distinction between right colon cancer (RCC) and left colon cancer (LCC) has gained attention. Furthermore, variations in the molecular features and gut microbiota between right and LCCs have recently been a hot research topic. CpG island methylator phenotype-high, microsatellite instability-high colorectal cancers are more likely to occur on the right side whereas tumors with chromosomal instability have been detected in approximately 75% of LCC patients and 30% of RCC patients. The mutation rates of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes also differ between RCC and LCC patients. Biofilm is more abundant in RCC patients than LLC patients, as are Prevotella, Selenomonas, and Peptostreptococcus. Conversely, Fusobacterium, Escherichia/Shigella, and Leptotrichia are more abundant in LCC patients compared to RCC patients. Distinctive characteristics are apparent in terms of molecular features and gut microbiota between right and LCC. However, how or to what extent these differences influence diverging oncologic outcomes remains unclear. Further clinical and translational studies are needed to elucidate the causative relationship between primary tumor location and prognosis.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 2013

The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide. Obesity can cause hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Many environmental or genetic factors have been suggested to contribute to the development of obesity, but there is no satisfactory explanation for its increased prevalence. This review discusses the latest updates on the role of the gut microbiota in obesity and NAFLD.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

Human breast milk is a potential source of bacteria for the development of the intestinal microbiota of infants. Several species within the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were demonstrated to shape the gut microbiota of infants. In this study, the bacterial diversity was investigated in the breast milk and feces of a mother-infant pair, and probiotic candidates were identified. Importantly, the novel L. gasseri EJL and B. breve JTL strains were isolated from breast milk and infant feces samples, respectively; their completed genome was resolved using de novo sequencing. In addition, the bacterial composition in the infant's feces at 1 week revealed the prevalence of Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus; a higher diversity was observed after 3 weeks. In particular, the abundance of Akkermansia was sharply increased at 7 weeks, further increasing thereafter, up to 15 weeks. Our results suggest that human breast milk and infant's feces are a source of probiotic candidates.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2021

Evidence highlighting the importance of gut microbiota in biodiversity conservation is growing; however, gut bacteria in South Korean wildlife have not been well identified. Using a culture-dependent isolation method, we identified the gut bacteria from Korean aquatic wildlife: the gazami crab (Portunus trituberculatus), Korean striped bitterling (Acheilognathus yamatsutae), oily bitterling (Acheilognathus koreensis), leopard mandarin fish (Siniperca scherzeri), Korean dark chub (Zacco koreanus), diving beetle (Cybister lewisianus), spotted steed (Abbottina springeri), and Korean spotted sleeper (Odontobutis obscura interrupta). We identified 18 strains previously unrecorded in South Korea by comparing 16S rRNA gene sequences of isolates against the EzBioCloud and National Institute of Biological Resources(NIBR) databases. The isolated strains belong to the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. We also assessed for phylogenetic relatedness, Gram-stain reaction, colony and cell morphology, and biochemical characteristics. Basic information and 16S rRNA gene sequences of the isolates were registered in NIBR, and NIBR accession numbers are provided.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.640-653
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• 2022

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most common mycotoxin contaminant of cereal-based food and animal feed. The toxicity of DON is very low compared to that of other toxins; however, the most prominent signs of DON exposure include inappetence and body weight loss, which causes considerable economic losses in the livestock industry. This review summarizes critical studies on biological DON mycotoxin mitigation strategies and the respective in vitro and in vivo intestinal effects. Focus areas include growth performance, gut health in terms of intestinal histomorphology, epithelial barrier functions, the intestinal immune system and microflora, and short-chain fatty acid production in the intestines. In addition, DON detoxification and modulation of these parameters, through biological supplements, are discussed. Biological detoxification of DON using microorganisms can attenuate DON toxicity by modulating gut microbiota and improving gut health with or without influencing the growth performance of pigs. However, the use of microorganisms as feed additives to livestock for mycotoxins detoxification needs more research before commercial use.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.67-77
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• 2024

This study aims to assess the efficacies of exogenous enzymes, derived from invertebrate gut-associated microbes, as feed additives, in reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions using an in vitro pig intestine continuous fermentation system. An in vitro continuous fermentation model was used to simulate a comparable bionic digestion system by co-reacting feed, enzymatic additives (arazyme, mannanase, and xylanase, derived from the gut bacteria of Nephila clavata, Eisenia fetida, and Moechotypa diphysis, respectively), and gastrointestinal microbes, followed by an analysis of their correlations. A significant correlation was observed between exogenous enzyme supplementation and reduced VOC emissions in the fecal phase of continuous fermentation (p < 0.05). The concentration of VOCs decreased by 3.75 and 2.75 ppm in the treatment group following arazyme and multi-enzyme supplementation, respectively, compared to that in the control group (7.83 ppm). In addition, supplementation with arazyme and multiple enzymes significantly affected the microbial composition of each fermentation phase (p < 0.05). In particular, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus and Pediococcus pentosaceus, which changed in abundance according to arazyme or multi-enzyme supplementation, exhibited a positive relationship with VOC emissions. These results suggest that exogenous enzymes derived from invertebrate gut-associated bacteria can be efficiently applied as feed additives, leading to a reduction in VOC emissions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.78-84
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine shifts in the composition of the bacterial population in the intestinal tracts (ITs) of weaning piglets by antibiotic treatment using high-throughput sequencing. Methods: Sixty 28-d-old weaning piglets were randomly divided into two treatment groups. The Control group was treated with a basal diet without antibiotics. The Antibiotic group's basal diet contained colistin sulfate at a concentration of 20 g per ton and bacitracin zinc at a concentration of 40 g per ton. All of the pigs were fed for 28 days. Then, three pigs were killed, and the luminal contents of the jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon were collected for DNA extraction and high-throughput sequencing. Results: The results showed that the average daily weight gain of the antibiotic group was significantly greater (p<0.05), and the incidence of diarrhea lower (p>0.05), than the control group. A total of 812,607 valid reads were generated. Thirty-eight operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that were found in all of the samples were defined as core OTUs. Twenty-one phyla were identified, and approximately 90% of the classifiable sequences belonged to the phylum Firmicutes. Forty-two classes were identified. Of the 232 genera identified, nine genera were identified as the core gut microbiome because they existed in all of the tracts. The proportion of the nine core bacteria varied at the different tract sites. A heat map was used to understand how the numbers of the abundant genera shifted between the two treatment groups. Conclusion: At different tract sites the relative abundance of gut microbiota was different. Antibiotics could cause shifts in the microorganism composition and affect the composition of gut microbiota in the different tracts of weaning piglets.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.1491-1499
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• 2017

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is transformed from trimethylamine (TMA) through hepatic flavin-containing monooxygenases, can promote atherosclerosis. TMA is produced from dietary carnitine, phosphatidylcholine, and choline via the gut microbes. Previous works have shown that some small molecules, such as allicin, resveratrol, and 3,3-dimethyl-1-butanol, are used to reduce circulating TMAO levels. However, the use of bacteria as an effective therapy to reduce TMAO levels has not been reported. In the present study, 82 isolates were screened from healthy Chinese fecal samples on a basal salt medium supplemented with TMA as the sole carbon source. The isolates belonged to the family Enterobacteriaceae, particularly to genera Klebsiella, Escherichia, Cronobacter, and Enterobacter. Serum TMAO and cecal TMA levels were significantly decreased in choline-fed mice treated with Enterobacter aerogenes ZDY01 compared with those in choline-fed mice treated with phosphate-buffered saline. The proportions of Bacteroidales family S24-7 were significantly increased, whereas the proportions of Helicobacteraceae and Prevotellaceae were significantly decreased through the administration of E. aerogenes ZDY01. Results indicated that the use of probiotics to act directly on the TMA in the gut might be an alternative approach to reduce serum TMAO levels and to prevent the development of atherosclerosis and "fish odor syndrome" through the effect of TMA on the gut microbiota.