Effectiveness of dietary xylo-oligosaccharides for broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of xylo-oligosaccharides（XOS） on growth performance, meat quality, immune functions, duodenal morphology and intestinal microbial populations of broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal basal diet. A total of 450 1-day-old commercial Arbor Acres male broiler chicks were randomly allocated by bodyweight to 1 of 5 treatments with 6 replicate cages（15 broilers per cage） for each of 5 treatments in a completely randomized design. Chicks were fed the basal corn-soybean meal diets supplemented with 0, 25, 50, 75, or 100 mg of XOS kg–1 of diet, respectively, for an experimental duration of 42 days. The results showed that supplementation of XOS affected feed conversion rate（feed/gain, F/G） during days 22–42 and 1–42（P〈0.03）, drip loss in thigh muscle（P=0.02）, and duodenal crypt depth（P=0.005） on day 42, but had no effect（P〉0.05） on all other measured indices. The chicks fed the diet supplemented with 100 mg of XOS kg–1 had the lowest（P〈0.05） F/G and drip loss in thigh muscle. The drip loss in thigh muscle decreased linearly（P=0.003） as the supplemented XOS increased. Duodenal crypt depth decreased（P〈0.05） at the supplemental level of 75 mg of XOS kg–1. The results indicate that dietary supplementations of 75 and 100 mg of XOS kg–1 are beneficial to broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet.

Synthesis of chitosan oligosaccharide selenium and its antitumor activity

Background:Polysaccharides have various biological activities;the complexation of polysaccharides with trace element ions can produce synergistic effects,improving the original biological activities of sugars and trace elements.Methods:The preparation process of chitosan oligosaccharide selenium(COSSe)was optimized by the response surface method,followed by a detailed analysis of the resultant compound’s characteristics.The anti-cancer activity of COSSe was studied using the human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 as a cell model.Results:The prepared COSSe response surface was well predicted,indicating successful chitosan oligosaccharide binding with selenium.Response surface method analyses identified the optimal synthesis conditions for COSSe:the reaction time of 5.08 h,the reaction temperature of 71.8°C,and mass ratio(Na2SeO3:chitosan oligosaccharide)of 1.02.Under the optimal conditions,the final product,the selenium content,reached 1.302%.The results of cell experiments showed that COSSe significantly inhibited SKOV3 proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner.RNA-seq results showed that chitosan oligosaccharide and COSSe significantly modulated the expression of genes’DNA metabolic processes and cell cycle in SKOV3 cells.Gene enrichment analysis showed the inhibition of the cell cycle,and the results of flow cytometry showed that SKOV3 cells increased in the S phase and decreased in the G2/M phase,with a noted suppression in the protein expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 2(CDK2)and cyclin A1(CCNA1).Conclusion:COSSe has a stronger effect than chitosan oligosaccharide,leading to the arrest of the cell cycle in the S phase.Thus,COSSe may be an effective candidate for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Preparative Fractionation of Feruloyl Oligosaccharides Produced by Combinatorial Enzyme Digestion of Arabinoxylan

Pretreated wheat insoluble arabinoxylan was converted to oligosaccharides of structural variants using combinatorial enzyme approach. The digestive products were separated by preparative scale chromatographic Amberlite XAD-2 column. Fractions containing feruloyl oligosaccharides (FOS) were isolated, pooled, freeze-dried, and demonstrated to possess antimicrobial activity. The FOS suppressed cell growth of the test organism ATCC 8739 E. coli with a MIC value of 0.028% (w/v, 35˚C, 24 hr). The antimicrobial action was observed exceeding 72 hr of culture incubation. The FOS product could be a useful source of prebiotics or preservatives. The present results further confirm the science and application of the concept of combinatorial enzyme technique.

In situ visualization of the cellular uptake and sub-cellular distribution of mussel oligosaccharides

Unlike chemosynthetic drugs designed for specific molecular and disease targets,active small-molecule natural products typically have a wide range of bioactivities and multiple targets,necessitating extensive screening and development.To address this issue,we propose a strategy for the direct in situ microdynamic examination of potential drug candidates to rapidly identify their effects and mechanisms of action.As a proof-of-concept,we investigated the behavior of mussel oligosaccharide(MOS-1)by tracking the subcellular dynamics of fluorescently labeled MOS-1 in cultured cells.We recorded the entire dynamic process of the localization of fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-MOS-1 to the lysosomes and visualized the distribution of the drug within the cell.Remarkably,lysosomes containing FITC-MOS-1 actively recruited lipid droplets,leading to fusion events and increased cellular lipid consumption.These drug behaviors confirmed MOS-1 is a candidate for the treatment of lipid-related diseases.Furthermore,in a high-fat HepG2 cell model and in high-fat diet-fed apolipoprotein E(ApoE)^(-/-)mice,MOS-1 significantly promoted triglyceride degradation,reduced lipid droplet accumulation,lowered serum triglyceride levels,and mitigated liver damage and steatosis.Overall,our work supports the prioritization of in situ visual monitoring of drug location and distribution in subcellular compartments during the drug development phase,as this methodology contributes to the rapid identification of drug indications.Collectively,this methodology is significant for the screening and development of selective small-molecule drugs,and is expected to expedite the identification of candidate molecules with medicinal effects.

Alginate oligosaccharide-mediated butyrate-HIF-1α axis improves skin aging in mice

The“gut-skin”axis has been proved and is considered as a novel therapy for the prevention of skin aging.The antioxidant efficacy of oligomannonic acid(MAOS)makes it an intriguing target for use to improve skin aging.The present study further explored whereby MAOS-mediated gut-skin axis balance prevented skin aging in mice.The data indicated the skin aging phenotypes,oxidative stress,skin mitochondrial dysfunction,and intestinal dysbiosis(especially the butyrate and HIF-1a levels decreased)in aging mice.Similarly,fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)from aging mice rebuild the aging-like phenotypes.Further,we demonstrated MAOS-mediated colonic butyrate-HIF-1a axis homeostasis promoted the entry of butyrate into the skin,upregulated mitophagy level and ultimately improving skin aging via HDAC3/PHD/HIF-1a/mitophagy loop in skin of mice.Overall,our study offered a better insights of the effectiveness of alginate oligosaccharides(AOS),promised to become a personalized targeted therapeutic agents,on gut-skin axis disorder inducing skin aging.

A novel enzyme-assisted one-pot method for the extraction of fucoidan and alginate oligosaccharides from Lessonia trabeculata and their bioactivities

Alginate oligosaccharides(AOS)and fucoidan are two important bioactive carbohydrate which that can be prepared from brown seaweeds.We investigated a novel enzyme-assisted one-pot method on AOS and fucoidan extraction from Lessonia trabeculata,and found that the optimum extraction procedure was:first,using 10-g/L Na_2CO_3 solution to digest the seaweeds for 2 h at 80℃ with the material-liquid ratio 1?20(g/mL),and then adding 4.0%fucoidan cleavage enzyme for reaction for 12 h at 45℃.The yield of AOS and fucoidan was 21.36%and 14.40%,respectively,which was higher than those using traditional methods.The degree of polymerization of AOS was determined to be 3-5,confirming the results through thin layer chromatography(TLC)and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS).The ratio of guluronic acid to mannuronic acid in AOS was found to be 1.97.Through anion-exchange column chromatography,four sulfated polysaccharide fractions(F0.5,F1.0,F1.5,and F2.0)were successfully isolated from fucoidan.Chemical analysis revealed that fucoidan and F0.5 were heteropolysaccharides,consisting mainly of mannuronic acid,fucose,and xylose,while the other fractions were predominantly composed of fucose and galactose.The sulfate group content increased from 8.74%to 18.76%,while the uronic acid content decreased from 23.79%to 5.58%across the fractions.All fractions of fucoidan exhibited significant antioxidant activity in various tests.There was a positive correlation between the sulfate content and the ability to scavenge superoxide radicals.Additionally,both AOS and the fucoidan fractions showed immunostimulation activity and were nontoxic to RAW264.7 cells.These results indicate that the novel enzyme-assisted one-pot method is a green and efficient approach for the extraction of fucoidan and alginate oligosaccharides from brown seaweeds.It has potential applications in the processing industry of brown seaweeds.

Effects of in ovo delivered xylo-and mannan-oligosaccharides on growth performance,intestinal immunity,cecal short-chain fatty acids,and cecal microbiota of broilers

Background:This study investigated a novel in ovo feeding strategy to determine the prebiotic effects of xylo-and mannan-oligosaccharides(XOS and MOS)differing in the degree of polymerization.A total of 192 fertilized eggs were divided into 6 treatment groups:i)normal saline control(NSC),ii)xylotriose(XOS3),iii)xylotetraose(XOS4),iv)mannotriose(MOS3),v)mannotetraose(MOS4),and vi)no injection control(NIC),each containing 4 replicate trays with 8 eggs per replicate.On d 17 of incubation,3 mg of oligosaccharides(except for controls)dissolved in 0.5 mL of 0.85%normal saline were injected into the amnion of Cobb 500 broilers eggs.After hatch,the chicks were raised for 28 d under standard husbandry practices and were fed a commercial broilers diet ad libitum,and samples were collected periodically.Results:The hatchability,growth performance,and relative weights of breast,drumstick,liver,and proventriculus were not different among the treatments(P>0.05).The XOS3 injection increased the total short-chain fatty acid production at d 28 compared with both control groups(P<0.05).The villus height to crypt depth ratio was significantly higher in the XOS4 group than both controls on the hatch day(P<0.01)but were not different among any treatments on d 7 and 28(P>0.05).On the hatch day,the expression level of the CD3 gene(a T cell marker)was increased by XOS3,while the IL-10 gene(a marker of anti-inflammatory cytokine)was reduced by MOS4(P<0.05)compared with both controls.Compared with both controls,XOS3 exhibited a trend of reduction for IL-10(P=0.074).No cytokines or lymphocyte markers were affected by the treatments on d 7(P>0.05),except XOS4 increased IL-4 compared with NSC(P<0.05).The broilers in the MOS4 group had higher operational taxonomic units(OTUs)and had more differentially abundant taxa,including order Lactobacillales and family Leuconostocaceae(P<0.05)than both controls on d 28.The predictive functional profiling indicated that the linoleic acid metabolism pathway was enriched in the cecal microbiota of the XOS3 group compared with both controls(P<0.05).Conclusion:The effects of these XOS and MOS on ileal mucosa and immunity are transient,but the effects on fermentation and cecal microbiota are prolonged,and further research is warranted to determine their use as a gut health promoter in poultry.

Xylo-oligosaccharides preparation through acid hydrolysis of hemicelluloses isolated from press-lye

The preparation of xylo-oligosaccharides(XOSs)through hydrolysis of hemicelluloses was studied.The hemicelluloses were isolated from the press lye discharged in the production of viscose,which contained about 30%xylan.Then,a factorial experimental design was applied to compare the influences of several factors including the concentrations of sulphuric acid and hemicelluloses,the duration and temperature of the hydrolysis,on the conversion of xylan,and the selectivity for the product–XOSs.The results showed that the hydrolysis duration affects the yield of XOSs to the greatest extent.It is difficult to obtain a high yield of XOSs with sulphuric acid as the hydrolysis catalyst.

Structural elucidation of mulberry leaf oligosaccharide and its selective promotion of gut microbiota to alleviate type 2 diabetes mellitus

Two oligosaccharide fractions(MLO 2-1 and 2-2)were purified from enzymatic hydrolysate of mulberry leaf polysaccharide.The results of simulated digestion showed that MLO 2-2 was a digestible oligosaccharide,which could be degraded by human digestive juice;while MLO 2-1 possessed the non-digestible property in the upper gastrointestinal tract and performed the function by regulating the gut microbiota.Hence,MLO 2-1 was selected for the further analysis.The structure of MLO 2-1 was elucidated as follow:α-T-Glcp-(1→3)-β-Glcp-(1→5)-α-Araf-(1→5)-α-Araf-1→5)-α-Araf-(1→3)-α-(2-OAc)-Glcp-1.The in vitro fecal fermentation results showed that MLO 2-1 could modulate the composition of gut microbiota.Meanwhile,MLO 2-1 was effectively metabolized by fecal bacteria to produce lactate and short chain fatty acids,especially acetate and butyrate.The specific metabolic pathways of MLO 2-1 by gut microbiota were further illuminated.Gut microbiota analysis revealed that MLO 2-1 selectively promoted the growth of Ligilactobacillus murinus,a commensal bacterium presented a reduced level in T2DM mice.Animal experiments indicated that MLO 2-1 and L.murinus exhibited hypoglycemic activities.These results demonstrated that MLO 2-1 might alleviate T2DM by selectively accelerating the proliferation of L.murinus.

Physiological and Transcriptome Analysis Illuminates the Molecular Mechanisms of the Drought Resistance Improved by Alginate Oligosaccharides in Triticum aestivum L.

Alginate oligosaccharides(AOS)enhance drought resistance in wheat(Triticum aestivum L.),but the definite mechanisms remain largely unknown.The physiological and transcriptome responses of wheat seedlings treated with AOS were analyzed under drought stress simulated with polyethylene glycol-6000.The results showed that AOS promoted the growth of wheat seedlings and reduced oxidative damage by improving peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities under drought stress.A total of 10,064 and 15,208 differentially expressed unigenes(DEGs)obtained from the AOS treatment and control samples at 24 and 72 h after dehydration,respectively,were mainly enriched in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites(phenylpropanoid biosynthesis,flavonoid biosynthesis),carbohydrate metabolism(starch and sucrose metabolism,carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms),lipid metabolism(fatty acid elongation,biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids,alpha-linolenic acid metabolism,cutin,suberine and wax biosynthesis),and signaling transduction pathways.The up-regulated genes were related to,for example,chlorophyll a-b binding protein,amylosynthease,phosphotransferase,peroxidase,phenylalanine ammonia lyase,flavone synthase,glutathione synthetase.Signaling molecules(including MAPK,plant hormones,H_(2)O_(2) and calcium)and transcription factors(mainly including NAC,MYB,MYB-related,WRKY,bZIP family members)were involved in the AOS-induced wheat drought resistance.The results obtained in this study help underpin the mechanisms of wheat drought resistance improved by AOS,and provides a theoretical basis for the application of AOS as an environmentally sustainable biological method to improve drought resistance in agriculture.

Xylo-Oligosaccharide Preparation through Enzyme Hydrolysis of Hemicelluloses Isolated from Press Lye

The emerging food additive, xylo-oligosaccharide(XOSs), was prepared through enzymatic hydrolysis of hemicelluloses isolated from press lye. Two of the three experimental enzyme preparations presented favourable effects, while the other one consisting of the nominal enzyme preparations with high enzyme activity was found to have poor catalytic effects. The conversion of xylan exceeded 40% and the selectivity for XOSs reached 90% when the temperature, hemicellulose concentration, dosage of enzymes, and hydrolysis time were 40?C, 100 g/L, 1 ku/g, and 4 h, respectively. Xylo-oligosaccharide preparation through enzymatic hydrolysis of hemicelluloses isolated from press lye was proved to be a feasible process to utilize the by-product of the lye regeneration, which will substantially improve the economy of the lye regeneration and recycling.

Sucrose-free hawthorn leathers formulated with fructooligosaccharides and xylooligosaccharides ameliorate high-fat diet induced inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism in liver of mice

High sucrose content in traditional hawthorn leathers limits the potential consumption, particularly for elders and diabetics. In this study, sucrose-free hawthorn leathers were formulated with 75% fructooligosaccharides(FOS) and 25% xylooligosaccharides(XOS)(HLF75), which exhibited comparable morphology and sensory properties to the traditional ones. Then, the anti-obesity activity of HLF75 was investigated using high-fat diet(HFD) fed C57BL/6J mice. Comparing with traditional hawthorn leathers, HLF75 supplementation in HFD significantly decreased the levels of blood glucose and serum lipid. The histomorphologies of liver and subcutaneous fat tissues were ameliorated by HLF75, as well as the down-regulated m RNA expression levels of IL-1β, Nos2 and Cox-2 in the liver. M oreover, the protein levels of M y D88 and NF-κB in the liver were suppressed by HLF75 treatment with decreased F4/80-positive macrophage number. Ho wever, the expression levels of PI3K, phosphorylated-AKT(Thr308), and phosphorylated-m TOR(Ser2448) proteins related to glucose metabolism were increased in the liver. Moreover, fat synthesis-related gene expression in HLF75-fed mice was suppressed while expressions of lipolysis genes were improved. Thus, HLF75 supplementation alleviated HFD-induced obesity through the alleviation of inflammation and restoration of the disturbed glucose and lipid metabolism. Functional oligosaccharides could be effective sucrose substitutes in hawthorn leathers and enable their potential utilization as functional foods.

Separation of xylo-oligosaccharides from enzymatic hydrolytes using membrane reactor

The time course of xylo-oligosaccharides concentration and xylo-oligosaccharides yield in the separation of xylo-oligosaccharides from enzymatic hydrolytes was studied using a membrane reactor with constant permeate flux of 4 L·m -2 ·h -1 . The results show that xylanases retain 90% of its activity in the reactor. The concentration of xylo-oligosaccharides achieves the maximum, about 5.48 g/L in 30 min. The difference of xylo-oligosaccharides in the retentate and permeate stream is low, <0.62 g/L, therefore it can permeate through membrane. Under the operating conditions that xylan concentration is 30.0 g/L, pH 5.0, operating pressure 16 kPa, temperature 48 ℃, feed velocity 400 mL/min, reaction volume 400 mL, enzyme dosage 10%(volume fraction), dilution rate 1 h -1 , and enzymatic hydrolysis time 195 min, the yield of xylo-oligosaccharides reaches 31.69%.

Induced Disease Resistance of Antarctic Bacteria B-3 Extracellular Oligosaccharide on Cucumber

[Objective] The induced disease resistance of Antarctic bacteria B-3 extracellular oligosaccharide on cucumber was studied.[Method] Taking the cucumber seedlings as experimental materials,the molecular weight,monosaccharide composition of Antarctic bacteria B-3 extracellular oligosaccharide were studied,its induced effect on the defense enzyme in cucumber leaves and the induced resistance against powdery mildew were also investigated.[Result] Through gel permeation chromatography,the molecular weight of B-3 oligosaccharides was determined to be 2 112 Da;B-3 oligosaccharides was composed by two monosaccharides including of mannose and glucose.The activities of chinitase,β-1,3-glucanse,phenylanine,ammonialyse（PAL）,superoxide dismutase（SOD）,and peroxidase（POD）in cucumber seedlings all increased compared with control when 0.3%,0.5% and 0.8% B-3 extracellular oligosaccharide were sprayed on the seedlings of cucumber for different times,respectively,which had the similar induction effect with 0.5% chitosan;at the same time,0.5% oligosaccharides could significantly reduce the disease index of cucumber powdery mildew,the control effect reached 24.49%.[Conclusion] B-3 oligosaccharides is expected to be developed as a new type of resistance elicitor.

Elicitation on Artemisinin Biosynthesis in Artemisia annua Hairy Roots by the Oligosaccharide Extract from the Endophytic Colletotrichum sp. B501

The oligosaccharide elicitor from the mycelial wall of an endophytic Colletotrichum sp. B501 promoted the production of artemisinin in Artemisia annua L. hairy root culture. When hairy roots of 22-day-old cultures (later growth phase) were exposed to the elicitor (20 mg/L) for 4 d, the maximum content of artemisinin reached 1.15 mg/g, a 64.29% increment over the control. The electron X-ray microanalysis disclosed the rapid accumulation of Ca 2+ in the elicited cortical cells of hairy root. The electronic microscope observation revealed the high electron density area in vacuole of elicited cells. During the first day of elicitation the peroxidase activity of hairy roots was improved sharply. Some cellular morphological changes including cell shrinkage, condensation of cytoplasm and nuclear fragmentation, coincident with the appearance of DNA ladders, were observed after the third day of elicitation. It was suggested that the oligosaccharide elicitor triggered the programmed cell death, which may provide the substance or chemical signal for artemisinin biosynthesis.

Cell Apoptosis Induced by Oligosaccharide in Suspension Cultures of Taxus chinensis

Taxol production of Taxus chinensis (Pilger) Rehd. var. mairei (Lemee et Lévl.) Cheng et L. K. Fu induced by oligosaccharide from Fusarium oxysporum f. vasinfectum (Atkinson) Snyder et Hansen was studied in suspension cultures, and it was found that oligosaccharide triggered cell apoptosis. Under transmission electron microscope the following morphological changes were observed: cell shrinkage, condensation of cytoplasm, nuclear fragmentation, and the increase of high electron density bodies in vacuole in great quantity. In oligosaccharide_treated cells, agarose gel electrophoresis revealed that DNA was digested into oligonucleosomal fragments that were times of 200 bp appearing as DNA ladders. Control cells were in normal physiological state, they were intact, abundant in organelle and with integral nucleus DNA, and the rate of taxol biosynthesis in these cells was very low. After the oligosaccharide to the culture system, the defense system of cells was elicited and the secondary metabolism was strengthened, i.e. phenolics were accumulated in the medium, the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was increased quickly and secondary wall of cells was thickened. The activity of L _phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), the critical enzyme of the phenylpropanoid pathway, was increased promptly 1 h after elicitation. The rate of taxol production was improved sharply and the maximal taxol concentration at 72 h was six times that of control. Appearance of cell apoptosis was accompanied with the highest concentration of taxol in suspension cultures.

Alginate oligosaccharide-induced intestinal morphology, barrier function and epithelium apoptosis modifications have beneficial effects on the growth performance of weaned pigs

Background: Alginate oligosaccharide(AOS), produced from alginate by alginate lyase-mediated depolymerisation, is a potential substitute for antibiotics and possesses growth-enhancing effects. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which AOS regulates porcine growth remain to be elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the AOS-mediated changes in the growth performance of weaned pigs by determining the intestinal morphology, barrier function,as well as epithelium apoptosis.Methods: Twenty-four weaned pigs were distributed into two groups(n = 12) and received either a basal diet(control group) or the same diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg AOS. On d 15, D-xylose(0.1 g/kg body weight)was orally administrated to eight randomly selected pigs per treatment, and their serum and intestinal mucosa samples were collected 1 h later.Results: Our results showed that inclusion of AOS in the diet for 2 wk increased(P < 0.05) the average daily body weight gain in weaned pigs. Notably, AOS supplementation ameliorated the intestinal morphology and barrier function, as suggested by the enhanced(P < 0.05) intestinal villus height, secretory immunoglobulin A content and goblet cell counts. Compared to the control group, AOS ingestion both decreased(P < 0.05) the total apoptotic percentage and increased(P < 0.05) the proportion of S phase in the intestinal epithelial cells. Furthermore, AOS not only up-regulated(P < 0.05) the B-cell lymphoma-2(BCL2) transcriptional level but also down-regulated(P < 0.05) the B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein(BAX), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3(caspase-3) and caspase-9 transcriptional levels in the small intestine.Conclusions: In summary, this study provides evidence that supplemental AOS beneficially affects the growth performance of weaned pigs, which may result from the improved intestinal morphology and barrier function,as well as the inhibited enterocyte death, through reducing apoptosis via mitochondria-dependent apoptosis.

Effect of Specific Structure of Lotus Seed Oligosaccharides on the Production of Short-chain Fatty Acids by Bifidobacterium adolescentis

In order to study the structure of lotus （Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn） seed oligosaccharides and their effect on the proliferation ofBifidobacterium adolescentis, we extracted the oligosaccharides from seeds collected from Jianning County, China. We preliminarily characterized the groups, molecular weights, molecular formulae, component monosaccharides and glycosidic bonds using mass spectrometry （MS） and nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） after isolation and purification. The lotus seed oligosaccharides contained glycosidic bonds Manp-（1→）, Galp-（1→）, α（1→6）-Glup and α（1→6）-Manp; and mannose was the chief component monosaccharide. NMR analyses showed that ~t-glycosidic bonds and pyranoid rings were predominant in the oligosaccharides. The MS analyses showed that lotus seed oligosaccharides consisted of three oligosaccharides of different polymerization degree, with relative molecular weights of 342, 504 and 666 Da, and corresponding molecular formulae C12H22O11, C18H32O16 and C24H42O21. Research on the effect of lotus seed oligosaccharides on the proliferation orB. adolescentis showed that they effectively promoted the production of acetic, propionic and butyric acids by B. adolescentis through fermentation, and their effect was stronger than that of fructo-, xylo- and isomalto-oligosaccharides. Lotus seed oligosaccharides have potential as a new functional probiotic and lotus seeds should be further explored and utilized as a source of oligosaccharides.

Gut Bacterial and Lactobacilli Communities of Weaning Piglets in Response to Mannan Oligosaccharide and Sugar Beet Pulp In vitro Fermentation

Microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract （GIT） of piglets during weaning transition can experience a sharp change which could result in growth reduction and diarrhea of weaned piglets. Dietary manipulations can play an important role in attenuating such changes caused by weaning stress. Therefore, ileal and colonic contents of weaned piglets were used as inocula, mannan oligosaccharide （MOS） or sugar beet pulp （SBP） was supplied as single energy sources to investigate effects of MOS or SBP on the shifts of gastro-intestinal microflora and lactobacilli populations. The universal bacteria- and lactobacilli-specific PCR/denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE）, cloning and sequencing techniques were used. DGGE profiles of the universal bacteria showed that great changes were found in the position, numbers and intensity of dominant bands after fermentation. The similarity of bacterial community between ileum and colon was increased to 85-97% by MOS or SBP treatment after fermentation from the similarity with 20% before fermentation. MOS treatment significantly increased the bacterial diversity and band number in both ileal and colonic fermentation （P〈0.05）. SBP treatment significantly increased the bacterial diversity and band number in colon （P〈0.05）. It implies that some species were enriched by the addition of MOS or SBP to increase the similarity and diversity of bacterial community in weaned piglets. Five specific bands appearing in MOS or SBP treatment group after fermentation were cloned and sequenced, the changes of species related to Prevotella and Ruminococcus were observed. Two bands related to uncultured bacterium with 98% similarity were detected by MOS or SBP treatment. However, there were no effects on the similarity, diversity index and lactobacilli species revealed by MOS or SBP treatment. These results imply that MOS or SBP could have beneficial effects on the weaning piglets by stablizing microbiota in the GIT microflora.

Effects of Different Oligosaccharides on Performance and Availability of Nutrients in Broilers

One hundred and forty-four Avin broilers (1 d of age) were randomly divided into six groups, with three replicates of eight birds each to study on the effects of different oligosaccharides on performance and availability of nutrients in broilers. The control group(Group I)was fed with corn-soybean meal as basal diet, and the trial groups (Group II, III, IV,V and VI) were fed with basal diet plus 0.1% Manoligosaccharides(MOS), 0.3% Soybean-Oligosaccharides(SBOS), 0.3% Fructo-oligosaccharides(FOS), 0.3% α-Glucooligosaccharides(α-GOS) and 50 mg·L-1 Chlortetracycline(CTC), respectively. The results showed that the supplementation of oligosaccharides slightly improved daily gain and feed intake. SBOS supplementation improved, but MOS and α-GOS significantly decreased availability of energy. Oligosaccharides supplementation improved availability of energy, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and iron, and significantly increased cholesterol content of fecal, and did not affect on availability of protein and cholesterol contents in serum and muscle. Availability of phosphorus of broilers fed with FOS was much higher than that with α-GOS. SBOS supplementation remarkably increased availability of iron.