Thursday, 27 January 2022

Genetic polymorphisms of the 5' untranslated regions of the HSP70 gene in Indonesian cattle populations

Research (Published online: 27-01-2022)
21. Genetic polymorphisms of the 5' untranslated regions of the HSP70 gene in Indonesian cattle populations
Peni Wahyu Prihandini, Almira Primasari, Aryogi Aryogi, Muchamad Luthfi and Dwi Nur Happy Hariyono
Veterinary World, 15(1): 168-172

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a group of proteins that play a significant role in protecting cells against cellular stress. HSP70 is a conserved, sensitive, and abundant gene associated with heat stress's physiological adaptability. The objective of this study was to reveal the polymorphisms of the partial sequences of the HSP70 gene (5' untranslated region [UTR]) in seven cattle populations in Indonesia.

Materials and Methods: Polymerase chain reaction products (551 bp) of the HSP70 gene amplified from 102 animals representing seven cattle populations (Bali, Belgian Blue × Peranakan Ongole [PO] cross, Galekan, Jabres, Madura, PO, and Rambon) were sequenced by DNA sequencing method.

Results: Fourteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), generally found at a low frequency, were detected. Among these SNPs, only 1117G>A, 1125A>C, and 1204T>C were polymorphic in all the analyzed breeds. A Chi-square test showed that the majority of the loci were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p>0.05). Varying levels of observed (0.050-0.571) and expected heterozygosity (0.049-0.500) were noted. The polymorphism information content values (0.048-0.375) indicated that the SNPs in the HSP70 gene showed low-to-moderate polymorphism in the studied populations. Thirty-six haplotypes were defined according to the identified SNPs, of which haplotype Hap5 (CGACGAGAGTGTCC) and Hap4 (CGACGAGAGTGCCC) were generally dominant in the studied samples. The phylogenetic tree showed a close relationship between Bali and Rambon cattle and between Galekan and Jabres cattle, while the Belgian Blue × PO crossbred cattle were farther apart.

Conclusion: The polymorphisms in the 5' UTR of the HSP70 gene identified in this study should be further investigated in a larger population to unravel the association between the SNPs and thermotolerance in Indonesian local cattle populations.

Keywords: cattle, heat shock protein, heat stress, polymorphism, thermotolerance.



Survivability of Clostridioides difficile spores in fermented pork summer sausage during refrigerated storage

Research (Published online: 27-01-2022)
20. Survivability of Clostridioides difficile spores in fermented pork summer sausage during refrigerated storage
Genevieve Flock, Hsin-Bai Yin, Chi-Hung Chen, Abraham Joseph Pellissery and Kumar Venkitanarayanan
Veterinary World, 15(1): 162-167

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Clostridioides difficile is a spore-forming pathogen that causes serious enteric disease in humans. Strains have been isolated from food animals and meat, including pork, which suggest a potential for foodborne transmission. Pork summer sausage is a popular fermented meat product, which is consumed cooked or cooked to a lower internal temperature due to acidification of the product. The effect of acidity and cooking on the viability of C. difficile spores in a fermented meat product has not been determined. Therefore, the aim was to study the survivability of C. difficile spores in fermented pork summer sausage.

Materials and Methods: Fermented pork sausages were prepared according to a commercial recipe with or without starter culture and C. difficile spores followed by fermentation at 37°C for ∼12 h under 85% relative humidity until pH 5.0 was reached and further processed as cooked (>57°C) or uncooked (≤57°C) and stored at 4°C. C. difficile spores in sausages were enumerated at 1 h following inoculation and on days 0, 1, 7, 14, 21, 30, 60, and 90 of storage.

Results: It was observed that C. difficile spore viability in control unfermented treatment was significantly different on day 0 from the fermented, fermented cooked, and control unfermented cooked treatments (p<0.05); however, there was no significant difference among the latter three treatment groups throughout 90 days of storage (p>0.05). On day 90 of storage, the unfermented control sausages yielded ∼4.0 log colony-forming unit (CFU)/g of C. difficile spores compared to ∼3.5 log CFU/g recovered from fermented samples and the unfermented cooked control samples identifying spore viability in all treatment groups.

Conclusion: C. difficile spores were found to survive the acidity and cooking of fermented pork summer sausage and storage at 4°C for 3 months, thereby highlighting the need for effective intervention strategies to reduce the risk of C. difficile contamination in pork products.

Keywords: acidity, Clostridioides difficile, fermented pork sausage, spores.



Tuesday, 25 January 2022

Effect of trimmed asparagus by-products supplementation in broiler diets on performance, nutrients digestibility, gut ecology, and functional meat production

Research (Published online: 26-01-2022)
19. Effect of trimmed asparagus by-products supplementation in broiler diets on performance, nutrients digestibility, gut ecology, and functional meat production
Manatsanun Nopparatmaitree, Marisa Nava, Verachai Chumsangchotisakun, Pornpan Saenphoom, Soranot Chotnipat and Warangkana Kitpipit
Veterinary World, 15(1): 147-161

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Trimmed asparagus by-products (TABP) is the resultant waste from asparagus possessing. TABP has fructans, such as inulins and fructooligosaccharide, which can be utilized as an alternative prebiotic. This study was conducted to examine the effect of TABP dietary supplementation on the productive performance, nutrient digestibility, gut microbiota, volatile fatty acid (VFA) content, small-intestine histology, and meat quality of broilers.

Materials and Methods: A total of 320 1-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308®) were raised under ambient temperature and assigned through a completely randomized design to one of four dietary treatments, with four replicates per treatment. The dietary treatments comprised corn-soybean basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 10, 30, or 50 g/kg TABP. All birds were provided drinking water and feed ad libitum to meet the standard nutritional requirements of National Research Council for broiler chickens.

Results: TABP supplementation to the broilers significantly increased the apparent ether extract, crude fiber, and gross energy digestibility (p<0.05). TABP supplementation significantly increased lactic bacteria and Enterococcus spp. numbers as well as acetic, propionic, butyric, and total VFA levels (p<0.01); on the other hand, it also significantly decreased Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli contents in the cecum compared with the control group (p<0.01). Moreover, TABP supplementation increased villus height in the duodenum and jejunum (p<0.01), cryptal depth in the jejunum and ileum (p<0.01), and villus surface areas in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum (p<0.01). Overall, 0-35 day TABP supplementation significantly increased the feed intake (p<0.01) and average daily gain of broilers (p<0.05), but not significantly affected the viability, productive index, and economic benefit return (p>0.05). The carcass characteristics, pH, color, and water holding capacity of the chicken meat between groups were not significantly different (p>0.05). All levels of TABP supplementation appeared to be a feasible means of producing broilers with the lower serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as atherogenic indices of serum compared with the control (p<0.05). Cholesterol contents and palmitic acid, oleic acid, saturated fatty acids, and Monounsaturated fatty acids levels decreased with an increase of TABP supplementation (p<0.05). Furthermore, TABP supplementation decreased atherogenic index (AI) and thrombogenicity index (TI) of meat (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Supplementation of 30 g/kg TABP in broiler diet could enhance broiler performance and provide chicken meat with beneficial properties, with decreased AI and TI resulted from altered cholesterol and fatty acid profiles.

Keywords: asparagus by-products, broiler, functional feed, functional meat, prebiotic.



Biochemical and molecular identification of Gram-positive isolates with β-hemolysis activity isolated from the nasal swab of pigs during the human meningitis outbreak in Badung Regency, Bali-Indonesia

Research (Published online: 25-01-2022)
18. Biochemical and molecular identification of Gram-positive isolates with β-hemolysis activity isolated from the nasal swab of pigs during the human meningitis outbreak in Badung Regency, Bali-Indonesia
K. J. Putra Pinatih, I. W. Suardana, I. D. M. Sukrama, I. B. N. Swacita and R. K. Putri
Veterinary World, 15(1): 140-146

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: The nasal cavity of a pig serves as an entry point and a habitat for the colonization of commensal microbes and pathogenic bacteria. Based on biochemical and serological tests, Streptococcus β-hemolytic Group C was identified as the Gram-positive bacteria, which resulted in the 1994 outbreak and death of thousands of pigs in Bali. Furthermore, this agent is zoonotic and frequently results in the development of meningitis lesions in the infected pig. Recently, a meningitis outbreak in humans was also reported after the consumption of pig-derived foods at Sibang Kaja, Badung-Bali. This study aimed to identify and characterize Gram-positive β-hemolytic organisms collected from nasal swab of pigs from the outbreak area, as well as to compare API Kit and 16S rRNA gene analysis methods.

Materials and Methods: This study commenced with the cultivation of two isolates, Punggul Swab Nasal (PSN) 2 and PSN 19, which were characterized by β-hemolysis activity. These samples were then conventionally and molecularly identified using Kit API 20 Strep and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene primers, respectively.

Results: Using the Kit API 20 Strep, both isolates were identified as Enterococcus faecium, which was previously classified as Group D Streptococci. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing, PSN 2 and PSN 19 were molecularly confirmed to have 99 and 98.1% similarities with E. faecium (NR042054), respectively. Furthermore, both isolates share the same clade in the phylogenetic tree analysis.

Conclusion: Using Kit API 20 Strep and 16S rRNA gene analysis, the PSN 2 and PSN 9 Gram-positive isolates with β-hemolysis activity from pig nasal swabs were identified as E. faecium.

Keywords: 16S ribosomal RNA gene, Gram-positive bacteria, Kit API 20 Strep, nasal of pig, phylogenetic tree.



A novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for the genotypic survey of the non-homologous end-joining factor 1 gene associated with Collie eye anomaly in Thailand

Research (Published online: 25-01-2022)
17. A novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for the genotypic survey of the non-homologous end-joining factor 1 gene associated with Collie eye anomaly in Thailand
Chommanad Lerdkrai and Nuch Phungphosop
Veterinary World, 15(1): 132-139

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Collie eye anomaly (CEA) is a hereditary and congenital ocular disorder, which affects several dog breeds, including Collies, Collie-related breeds, and other purebreds. An intronic deletion of 7799-bp in the non-homologous end-joining factor 1 (NHEJ1) gene has been identified as the genetic defect causing CEA. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of CEA based on NHEJ1 genotyping assay in Thailand.

Materials and Methods: We clarified the prevalence of CEA in 224 dogs from five purebred dog breeds using a novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based technique and confirmed the genotypic status with direct DNA sequencing.

Results: The highest frequency of the mutated NHEJ1 allele was 83.3% for Rough Collies, followed by 7.8% for Border Collies, 5.1% for Australian Shepherds, and 2.8% for Shetland Sheepdogs. The heterozygous mutated NHEJ1 genotype detected for Rough Collies, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, and Shetland Sheepdogs was 33.3%, 15.6%, 10.3%, and 3.3%, respectively. The homozygous mutated NHEJ1 genotype was detected only in Rough Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs, accounting for 66.7% and 1.1%, respectively. Thai Ridgeback Dogs were not affected by this mutation.

Conclusion: This study describes, for the 1st time, the genotypic survey of the NHEJ1 gene associated with CEA in dogs in Thailand. In addition, we successfully developed a new multiplex PCR assay with high accuracy, reproducibility, and cost-efficiency and validated its usefulness for determining NHEJ1 genotypes.

Keywords: Collie eye anomaly, dogs, multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay, non-homologous end-joining factor 1 genotype.



Monday, 24 January 2022

Cervical anticancer activities of Annona squamosa Linn. leaf isolate

Research (Published online: 24-01-2022)
16. Cervical anticancer activities of Annona squamosa Linn. leaf isolate
Made Dira Swantara, Wiwik Susanah Rita, Made Asmarani Dira and Kadek Karang Agustina
Veterinary World, 15(1): 124-131

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death, the need for new anticancer herbal drugs is becoming more urgent considering the side effects of synthetic drugs. This study aimed to determine the anticancer activity of isolates derived from the methanol extract of Annona squamosa Linn. leaves and to identify the compounds that have an active effect against HeLa cells.

Materials and Methods: The leaf metabolites of A. squamosa L. were extracted using methanol at room temperature (28°C) and were partitioned into n-hexane, chloroform, and n-butanol. The toxicity test of these extracts was conducted using a brine shrimp lethality assay. Furthermore, the most toxic extracts were separated and purified using silica gel column chromatography to yield four isolate fractions: FA, FB, FC, and FD. The most toxic isolates were tested for anticancer against HeLa cells, and their compounds were identified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results: The results showed that the most toxic isolate with an LC50 value of 100.00 ppm had a potency similar to that of an anticancer agent with an IC50 value of 70.9021 ppm. Furthermore, the five compounds identified in this isolate include (6S, 7aR)-6-hydroxy-4,4,7a-trimethyl-6,7-dihydro-5H-1-benzofuran-2-one or loliolide, cocamidopropyl betaine, N-[3- (dimethylamino)propyl]dodecanamide or lauramidopropyl dimethylamine, linolenic acid, and 1-dodecyl-2-azepanone or laurocapram.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that the leaf isolates of A. squamosa Linn. had shown anticancer activities against cervical cancer.

Keywords: Annona squamosa Linn, cervical anticancer activities, HeLa cells.



Comparison of three progesterone quantification methods using blood samples drawn from bitches during the periovulatory phase

Research (Published online: 24-01-2022)
15. Comparison of three progesterone quantification methods using blood samples drawn from bitches during the periovulatory phase
Hassan A. Hussein, Gerhard Schuler, Theresa Conze and Axel Wehrend
Veterinary World, 15(1): 119-123

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Measuring blood progesterone (P4) concentration has become an essential diagnostic tool in small animal reproductive medicine. Methods enabling precise and rapid on-site measurements are in high demand, especially for the optimization of breeding management in bitches. This study aimed to compare two commercial on-site methods (Speed™ P4, Virbac [M1] and mini VIDAS®, bioMérieux [M2]) and a well-established radioimmunoassay (RIA), which was used as a reference method.

Materials and Methods: Comparative measurements were performed on 52 blood serum samples collected from 45 clinically healthy bitches of different breeds. The dogs had been presented to determine the estrus cycle stage and predict the time of ovulation. Each sample was divided into three aliquots. In aliquot 1, P4 was measured immediately applying M2. Aliquots 2 and 3 were stored at –20°C until analysis was performed using RIA and M1. The consistency of the three methods was investigated by pairwise linear regression analyses.

Results: In RIA, the P4 concentrations ranged between 1.1 and 25.4 ng/mL. Regression analyses revealed highly significant (p<0.0001) positive correlations between the three methods applied (M1 vs. RIA: R=0.94; M2 vs. RIA: R=0.98; and M1 vs. M2: R=0.91).

Conclusion: The results show that the two commercial on-site methods tested exhibit approximately equal, high consistency with the radioimmunological reference method and can, therefore, be used beneficially in a clinical setting. However, biological interpretation of data must be performed in a method-specific manner.

Keywords: dog, enzyme-linked immunofluorescence, immunochromatography, progesterone, radioimmunoassay.