Obesity is one of the prevalent chronic diseases in human and companion animals usually associated with several metabolic disorders. The gut commensal bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) is known for its therapeutic effects on metabolic disorders and inflammations. Here, we isolated the A. muciniphila AKK2 strain from the feces of interferon-inducible protein 204^−/− (IFI204^−/−) mice and further evaluated its anti-obesity effects on high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6J mice and beagles. The results showed that it effectively controlled weight gain. Microbiome analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that HFD alters gut microbiota composition and A. muciniphila AKK2 increases the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio in beagles. Furthermore, we prepared microcapsules containing A. muciniphila AKK2, and tolerance tests showed the encapsulation maintained high viability and stability in an aerobic environment and simulated the secretion of gastrointestinal fluids. Overall, this study widens the spectrum of A. muciniphila applications to prevent obesity.

Pure cultures of chicken intestinal microbial species may still be crucial and imperative to expound on the function of gut microbiota, and also contribute to the development of potential probiotics and novel bioactive metabolites from gut microbiota. In this study, we isolated and identified 507 chicken intestinal bacterial isolates, including 89 previously uncultured isolates. Among these, a total of 63 Lactobacillus strains, belonging to L. vaginalis, L. crispatus, L. gallinarum, L. reuteri, L. salivarius, and L. saerimneri, exhibited antibacterial activity against S. Pullorum. Acid tolerance tests showed Limosilactobacillus reuteri strain YPG14 (L. reuteri strain YPG14) has a particularly strong tolerance to acid. We further characterized other probiotic properties of L. reuteri strain YPG14. In simulated intestinal fluid, the growth of L. reuteri strain YPG14 remained stable after incubation for 4 h. The auto-aggregation test showed the auto-aggregation percentage of L. reuteri strain YPG14 was recorded as 15.0 ± 0.38%, 48.3 ± 2.51%, and 75.1 ± 4.44% at 3, 12, and 24 h, respectively. In addition, the mucin binding assay showed L. reuteri strain YPG14 exhibited 12.07 ± 0.02% adhesion to mucin. Antibiotic sensitivity testing showed that L. reuteri strain YPG14 was sensitive to the majority of the tested antibiotics. The anti-Salmonella Pullorum (S. Pullorum) infection effect in vivo revealed that the consumption of L. reuteri strain YPG14 could significantly improve body weight loss and survival rate of chicks infected by S. Pullorum; reduce the loads of S. Pullorum in the jejunum, liver, spleen, and feces; and alleviate the jejunum villi morphological structure damage, crypt loss, and inflammatory cell infiltration caused by S. Pullorum. Overall, this study may help us to understand the diversity of chicken intestinal microflora and provide some insights for potential probiotic development from gut microbiota and may find application in the poultry industry.

Background: Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) is an important apicomplexan parasite that causes zoonotic toxoplasmosis in humans and animals. Acute T. gondii infection leads to systemic immunopathology that may manifest as lung injury or pulmonary embolism. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent regulated cell death driven by lethal lipid hydroperoxide accumulation. Emerging evidence implicates ferroptosis in infection-related tissue damage; however, the role of ferroptosis in T. gondii -induced lung injury remains to be explored. Methods: Mice were infected with T. gondii to establish a lung injury model. The body weight changes, survival rate, inflammatory cytokines, lung histopathology, and parasite burden were assessed. The key ferroptosis-related indicators involved in antioxidant, iron metabolism, and lipid metabolism pathways were analyzed in lung tissues using techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Deferiprone (DFP), an oral iron chelator that can inhibit ferroptosis, was used to investigate the potential role of ferroptosis in T. gondii lung injury. Results: T. gondii infection induced lung injury in mice with thickening of alveolar septa and hemorrhage in alveolar spaces, accompanied by iron deposition. Crucially, T. gondii triggered ferroptosis in lung tissues of mice, evidenced by MDA elevation, GSH depletion, total iron and Fe ²⁺ overload, and mitochondrial cristae loss. Furthermore, iron metabolism pathways were disordered while antioxidant pathways were suppressed. DFP treatment reversed ferroptosis alterations, decreased inflammatory cytokines, attenuated pathological changes, reduced T. gondii burden, and prolonged survival of the infected mice. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that T. gondii infection triggered ferroptosis by compromising dysregulated iron metabolism and antioxidant defenses, playing a key role in T. gondii -induced lung injury. DFP exhibited a promising therapy effect for toxoplasmosis. Graphical

With the widespread use of antibiotics, the incidence of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms has increased. Monochamus alternatus is a trunk borer of pine trees. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial and biological characteristics of Enterococcus casseliflavus TN-47 (PP411196), isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of M. alternatus in Jilin Province, PR China. Among 13 isolates obtained from the insects, five were preliminarily screened for antimicrobial activity. E. casseliflavus TN-47, which exhibited the strongest antimicrobial activity, was identified. E. casseliflavus TN-47 possessed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus USA300 and Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum ATCC 19945. Furthermore, E. casseliflavus TN-47 was sensitive to tetracyclines, penicillins (ampicillin, carbenicillin, and piperacillin), quinolones and nitrofuran antibiotics, and resistant to certain beta-lactam antibiotics (oxacillin, cefradine and cephalexin), macrolide antibiotics, sulfonamides and aminoglycosides. E. casseliflavus TN-47 could tolerate low pH and pepsin-rich conditions in the stomach and grow in the presence of bile acids. E. casseliflavus TN-47 retained its strong auto-aggregating ability and hydrophobicity. This strain did not exhibit any haemolytic activity. These results indicate that E. casseliflavus TN-47 has potential as a probiotic. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the future applications of E. casseliflavus TN-47 and its secondary metabolites in animal nutrition and feed.

The impact of neosporosis on the livestock industry has worsening each year. Globally, annual losses were estimated to exceed $2.4 billion, with abortion rates reaching up to 47 % in affected herds. But no effective vaccines or drugs are currently available for prevention and treatment. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of emodin on Neospora caninum (N. caninum) infection and its potential mechanisms. The appropriates safe concentration of emodin was determined by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The anti-N. caninum effects of emodin in Vero cells, MDBK cells, macrophages, as well as the combined effects of emodin and niclosamide in Vero cells, were further verified using qPCR or Giemsa staining. Subsequently, the effects of direct incubation of tachyzoites with emodin on N. caninum invasion and proliferation were also examined. The activation of necroptosis by emodin was evaluated by measuring Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in the supernatant and assessing cellular pMLKL levels. The CCK-8 results indicated that emodin exhibited low toxicity to Vero cells, MDBK cells, and macrophages. The qPCR results showed that emodin reduced the number of N. caninum in Vero cells, MDBK cells, and macrophages. Giemsa results showed that the number of tachyzoites within the parasitophorous vacuole was decreased accordingly. Notably, emodin directly affected tachyzoites, reducing its invasion capability by 55 %-63 % and its proliferation capacity by 62 %-88 %. Additionally, the combination of emodin with niclosamide significantly enhanced its antiparasitic effects compared with emodin alone. Western blot analysis showed that emodin significantly increased pMLKL levels and enhanced LDH release, assisting N. caninum in activating necroptosis. However, the inhibitory effects of emodin on N. caninum invasion and proliferation were not significantly altered in Mlkl^-/- macrophages. In conclusion, emodin inhibited N. caninum infection may through a necroptosis-independent mechanism by directly targeting the parasite, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic candidate for neosporosis.

Omics-driven, GSMM-guided systems metabolic engineering of Paenibacillus jilinensis boosts native genistein titres 9.3-fold while reducing waste by 92%, establishing a sustainable, plant-free route to isoflavone bioproduction.