Cell Toxicity Effect of Cadmium on Yeast Cells by Detecting NADH Autofluorescence

The cytotoxic effect of cadmium is studied by detecting intracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotidea（NADH） autofluorescence in this work. NADH autofluorescence in processes of cadmium-induced apoptosis, necrosis and reversible injury are recorded timely. The relativity between time course of NADH autofluorescence and cadmium toxicity is established. The cell toxicity effect of Cadmium on yeast cells is studied by detecting the time courses of intracellular reduced NADH autofluorescence in this work. The relativity between time courses of NADH autofluorescence and Cadmium toxicity is established.

Mediated Electrochemical Measurements of Intracellular Catabolic Activities of Yeast Cells

Coupling with the dual mediator system menadione/ferricyanide, microelectrode voltammetric measurements were undertaken to detect the ferrocyanide accumulations arising from the mediated reduction of ferricyanide by yeast cells. The results indicate that the dual mediator system menadione/ferricyanide could be used as a probe to detect cellular catabolic activities in yeast cells and the electrochemical response has a positive relationship with the specific growth rate of yeast cells.

Use of dry yeast cells as a cheap nitrogen source for lactic acid production by thermophilic Bacillus coagulans WCPIO-4

Dry yeast cells （DYC） were used as a cheap nitrogen source to replace expensive yeast extract （YE） for L-lactic acid production by thermophilic Bacillus coagulans. Cassava starch （200 g. L1） was converted to L-lactic acid by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using Bacillus coagulans WCP10-4 at 50℃ in the presence of 20g·L-1 of DYC, giving 148.1 g·L-1 of L- lactic acid at 27 h with a productivity of 5.5 g·L-1·h-1 and a yield of 92%. In contrast, 154.4 g·L-1 of lactic acid was produced at 24 h with a productivity of 6.4 g·L-1. hl and a yield of 96% when equal amount of YE was used under the same conditions. Use of pre-autolyzed DYC at 50℃ for overnight slightly improved the lactic acid titer （154.5g·L-1） and productivity （7.7g·L-1·h-1） but gave the same yield （96%）.

Effects of Dietary Yeast Cell Wall Polysaccharides Supplementation to Late Gestation and Lactation Diets on Reproductive Performance and Blood Profiles of Sows and Their Offspring

This study was conducted to determine the effects of yeast cell wall polysaccharides（YCWP） on reproductive performance, serum profiles and milk composition during late gestation and lactation. A total of 96 sows（Landrace × Yorkshire） were blocked on a basis of breed, parity（2-3）and their respective d 85 of gestation, and then randomly allotted to the following three dietary treatments： CON（basal diet, treatment 1）, YCWP1（CON＋0.2% YCWP, treatment 2） and YCWP2（CON＋0.4% YCWP, treatment 3）. The experiment lasted from d 85 of gestation to weaning（d 21 of lactation）. Sows fed YCWP diets had lower backfat thickness reduction from postpartum to weaning（ P〈0.05）. The supplementation of YCWP tended to increase litter weight at weaning（P=0.08） compared with CON. The non-lipid and total milk solids in colostrum was improved by YCWP2（P〈0.05）.No differences were observed in milk composition among dietary treatments（ P〉0.05）. The supplementation of YCWP decreased（P〈0.05） the levels of alanine amino transferase（ALT）, aspartate amino transferase（AST）, while it did not affect（ P〉0.05） alkaline phosphatase（ALP）, total protein（TP）,albumin（ALB）, globulin（GLB）, glucose（GLU）, total cholesterol（TC）, triglyceride（TG） or immunoglobulin G（IgG） in the sow serum. The serum IgG of piglets was increased by the YCWP. The levels of serum ALT and AST were reduced（P〈0.05） for suckling piglets in YCWP treatments. Taken together, the results of current studies might indicate beneficial effects of YCWP supplementation to late gestation and lactation diets on the sow productivity by improving litter weight at weaning, reducing backfat loss, and increasing serum IgG concentrations of piglets.

Impacts of low level aflatoxin in feed and the use of modified yeast cell wall extract on growth and health of nursery pigs

This study was to investigate the effect of corn naturally contaminated with aflatoxins(AF)under the regulatory level on the growth performance and health of nursery pigs,and the efficiency of yeast cell wall based feed additive(YC)mainly composed ofβ-glucans and mannan oligosaccharide(MOS)(Integral A+,Alltech,Lexington,KY)in prevention of mycotoxicosis.Pigs(60 barrows and 60 gilts at 6.02 ± 0.83kg BW)were randomly allotted to 4 treatments in a randomized complete block design based on a 2×2 factorial arrangement with 10 pens(5 barrow and 5 gilt pens)per treatment and 3 pigs per pen.Pigs were fed experimental diets for 5 wk.First factor was AF(0 or 20 mg/kg in feed)and the second factor was YC(0 or 2 g/kg in feed).Feed intake and body weight were measured weekly,and blood samples were used to measure blood cell counts,immunoglobulin G(Ig G),tumor necrosis factor-a(TNF-a),oxidative damage status,and serological evaluation related to liver health.Aflatoxin decreased(P<0.05)the number of platelet count(247.4 to 193.5×10~3/μL),and it also tended to increase the level of albumin(P=0.055,3.46 to 3.63 g/d L),albumin:globulin ratio(P=0.050,2.09 to 2.37),and Ca(P=0.080,10.79 to 10.97 mg/d L).Yeast cell wall based feed additive increased(P < 0.05)ADG(493 to 524 g/d),and ADFI(796 to 846 g/d)of pigs whereas G:F was not affected,and it also tended to increase(P=0.055)albumin level(3.46 to 3.63 g/d L).Interactions(P < 0.05)on hemoglobin,hematocrit,and platelet count indicated that YC further increased their levels when pigs were eating AF contaminated feed.Interactions(P < 0.05)on urea nitrogen and blood urea N to creatinine ratio indicated that YC further decreased their levels when feed were contaminated with AF.In conclusion,low level of 20 mg AF/kg under the regulatory level had minor effects on hematology without affecting growth performance,however the supplementation of 2 g/kg YC as a source ofβ-glucans and MOS in feed can improve feed intake and therefore the growth of pigs.

Effects of yeast cell wall on growth performance, immune responses and intestinal short chain fatty acid concentrations of broilers in an experimental necrotic enteritis model

Subclinical necrotic enteritis(NE) causes devastating economic losses in the broiler chicken industry,especially in birds raised free of in-feed antibiotics. Prebiotics are potential alternatives to in-feed antibiotics. Yeast cell wall extract(YCW) derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a prebiotic with known immune modulating effects. This study examined the effects of YCW and antibiotics(AB) during subclinical NE on broiler growth performance, intestinal lesions, humoral immune response and gut microflora metabolites. The study employed a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Factors were:NE challenge(yes or no) and feed additive(control, AB, or YCW). Each treatment was replicated in 8 floor pens with 15 birds per pen. Challenged birds had higher feed conversion ratio(FCR) than unchallenged birds on d 35(P < 0.05). Dietary inclusion of AB decreased FCR regardless of challenge(P < 0.05) on d 24 and 35. Inclusion of YCW reduced serum interleukin-1(IL-1) concentration in NE challenged birds(P < 0.01) and increased immunoglobulin(Ig) G(P < 0.05) and Ig M(P < 0.05) levels compared to other dietary treatments regardless of challenge. Yeast cell wall extract increased formic acid concentration in cecal contents during challenge and increased butyric acid concentration in unchallenged birds on d 16.This study indicates YCW suppressed inflammatory response, promoted generation of immunoglobulin and increased short chain fatty acid production suggesting potential benefits to bird health.

Dietary supplementation of yeast cell wall improves the gastrointestinal development of weaned calves

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential benefits of yeast cell wall(YCW)on the gastrointestinal development of weaned calves.Twenty healthy Holstein male calves(BW=92±8.29 kg and 60±5 d of age)were randomly allocated into 2 groups:CON with no YCW,and YCW(accounted for0.16%of the basal diet).The dietary concentrate-to-roughage ratio was 40:60.All the calves were fed regularly twice a day at 09:00 and 16:00 and had free access to water.The experiment lasted for 60 d.The results showed that calves fed YCW showed higher(P<0.05)length,width,and surface area of papillae in the ventral sac of the rumen as compared to CON.For the dorsal sac of the rumen,the muscularis thickness was thicker(P<0.05)in the YCW group when compared with CON group.The villus height of YCW calves was higher(P<0.05)than that of CON in the ileum.Calves supplemented with YCW also showed a higher(P<0.05)villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in the ileum.The YCW calves exhibited a greater(P<0.05)thickness of the wall in the duodenum and jejunum.Calves supplemented with YCW improved(P<0.05)the claudin 1 mRNA expression in the ileum and occludin mRNA expression in the jejunum and ileum.The YCW increased(P<0.05)the contents of secretory immunoglobulin A in the jejunum and ileum of calves.In conclusion,dietary supplementation with YCW could improve the gastrointestinal development of weaned calves.

Yeast Two-Hybrid Screening for Proteins that Interact with the Extracellular Domain of Amyloid Precursor Protein

Alzheimer＇s disease（AD） is a neurodegenerative disorder in which amyloid b plaques are a pathological characteristic. Little is known about the physiological functions of amyloid b precursor protein（APP）. Based on its structure as a type I transmembrane protein, it has been proposed that APP might be a receptor, but so far, no ligand has been reported. In the present study, 9 proteins binding to the extracellular domain of APP were identified using a yeast two-hybrid system. After confirming the interactions in the mammalian system, mutated PLP1,members of the FLRT protein family, and KCTD16 were shown to interact with APP. These proteins have been reported to be involved in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease（PMD） and axon guidance. Therefore, our results shed light on the mechanisms of physiological function of APP in AD, PMD, and axon guidance.

Advances in engineering methylotrophic yeast for biosynthesis of valuable chemicals from methanol

Methylotrophic yeasts and bacteria, which can use methanol as carbon and energy source, have beenwildly used as microbial cell factories for biomanufacturing. Due to their robustness in industrial harshconditions, methylotrophic yeasts such as Pichia pastoris have been explored as a cell factory forproduction of proteins and high-value chemicals. Methanol utilization pathway （MUT） is highlyregulated for efficient methanol utilization, and the downstream pathways need extensively constructedand optimized toward target metabolite biosynthesis. Here, we present an overview of methanolmetabolism and regulation in methylotrophic yeasts, among which we focus on the regulation of keygenes involved in methanol metabolism. Besides, the recent progresses in construction and optimizationof downstream biosynthetic pathways for production of high value chemicals, such as polyketides, fattyacids and isoprenoids, are further summarized. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and feasiblestrategies toward constructing efficient methylotrophic cell factories may promote wide applications inthe future.