The effects of pyruvate (Pyr), creatine pyruvate (Cr-Pyr) and creatine (Cr) on lipid and protein metabolism were compared in broiler chickens. A total of 400 1-day-old male birds (Aconred) were allocated to four groups, each of which included four replicates (25 birds per replicate). Treatments consisted of unsupplemented basal diet (Control), basal diet containing 2% Pyr, basal diet containing 3% Cr and basal diet containing 5% Cr-Pyr. Cr-Pyr and Pyr significantly decreased the hepatic triglyceride and serum total cholesterol concentration (P , 0.01). Cr-Pyr markedly increased the serum non-esterified fatty acid and highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (P , 0.05), whereas the expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (P , 0.05) and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-a (P , 0.01) mRNA in the liver were both decidedly enhanced in the Cr-Pyr group. The relative leg muscle weight was higher in the Cr-Pyr group than in the control group, whereas the serum uric acid content and hepatic glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase activity were lower in the Cr-Pyr and Cr groups (P , 0.05), respectively. Muscle insulin-like growth factor I (P , 0.05) expression was enhanced, and the myostatin (P , 0.01) mRNA level was reduced in both the Cr-Pyr and Cr groups. In addition, Cr-Pyr did not alter body weight or the feed conversion ratio. These results indicate that, compared with Pyr and Cr alone, Cr-Pyr has a bifunctional role in broiler chickens, in that it influences both lipid and protein metabolism.Keywords: creatine pyruvate, pyruvate, creatine, lipolysis, protein synthesis ImplicationsIn this study, the administration of creatine pyruvate (Cr-Pyr, a new compound, which contains pure pyruvic acid molecularly bound to pure pharmaceutical grade creatine at a concentration ratio of 40 : 60) was compared with the administration of Pyr or Cr alone for its effect on lipid and protein metabolism in broilers. The insights gained from this study will provide a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the Cr-Pyr effect on broiler chickens. Further clarity will help the industry to avoid obesity-related problems during production and explore new ways to improve muscle growth in broilers.

Biochar amendment of soil is known to enhance soil carbon sequestration and fertility. Its effect on soil microbial activity and functioning, however, is not well understood, particularly in field conditions. We collected topsoil samples from plots in a rice paddy in southwest China either amended with biochar for 18 months or not amended. Soil respiration, enzyme activity, total and metabolically active microbial community structures and abundances based on DNA and RNA, and functional diversity were determined. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), pH and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were significantly greater, and bulk density was less, under biochar amendment at 40 t ha−1 than for non‐amended soil. The addition of biochar generally reduced soil respiration, total and active fungal 18S gene abundances and β‐glucosidase activity, whereas it increased microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, total and active bacterial 16S gene abundances, dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activities. Furthermore, biochar amendment induced clear changes in the active microbial community structure and selected microorganisms with carbon substrates of polymers, and phenolic and amine compounds. Redundancy analysis indicated that the changes in soil pH and nutrient concentrations such as SOC, TN and DOC were of benefit mainly to the bacterial community rather than to the fungal one. Therefore, short‐term biochar amendment could help to slow down soil carbon turnover through increased efficiency of carbon use. In addition, soil microorganisms could potentially be selected to enable the use of some recalcitrant carbon substrates. Further investigations are needed to assess the underlying processes and potential effect of these changes on the mineralization of soil organic matter and ecosystem functioning in rice paddy soil. Highlights Examined effect of biochar on soil microbial activity and its functioning 18 months after amendment. Biochar promoted total and metabolically active bacteria, but inhibited those of fungi over time. Biochar changed the active, but not the total community structures of bacteria and fungi. Biochar selected soil microorganisms with carbon substrates rich in aromatics.

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SummaryMany types of RNAs, including messenger RNAs (mRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play crucial roles in regulating fat cell differentiation and tissue development. However, the expression profiles of these RNAs in different adipose tissues are still largely unknown. To shed light on this issue, we performed a transcriptome analysis of mRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs obtained from intramuscular adipose tissue, subcutaneous adipose tissue, retroperitoneal adipose tissue and mesenteric adipose tissue of Chinese Erhualian pigs. A number of differentially expressed mRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs were identified among the four adipose tissues. Tissue‐specific analysis indicated that circRNAs exhibited the highest tissue specificity among mRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs, whereas intramuscular adipose tissue had the most tissue‐specific genes among the four adipose tissues. Gene Ontology analysis showed that differentially expressed mRNAs among groups were involved mainly in lipid metabolism and immune inflammatory response processes. Furthermore, the co‐expression network construction of mRNAs–lncRNAs revealed that several important lncRNAs, such as MSTRG.426159 and MSTRG.604206, might associate with lipid metabolic process. Taken together, these data provide a genome‐wide resource of mRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs potentially involved in porcine fat metabolism, thus improving understanding of their function in diverse adipose tissues.

ACSF2 (encoded by acyl-CoA synthetase family member 2) belongs to the acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) family, activating fatty acids by forming a thioester bond with CoA. In our previous study, a SNP residing in the intron of ACSF2 was identified to be linked to goose egg-laying performance. But the structure of goose ACSF2 as well as its role in reproduction remains unknown. In this study, we cloned and characterized ACSF2 in Yangzhou geese. A total of four alternative splice variants, designated as ACSF2-1, ACSF2-2, ACSF2-3 and ACSF2-4 respectively, were identified in the ovary. The coding regions of the four variants are 1770, 1692, 1599 and 1917 bp in length, respectively encoding 589, 563, 532 and 638 amino acids with conserved AMP-binding sites. All ACSF2 variants were widely expressed in 11 tested tissues in geese, except that the ACSF2-2 transcript was not detected in hypothalamus, pituitary gland and granulosa cells. Subcellular localization revealed that ACSF2 is a mitochondrial matrix protein. ACSF2 mRNA level was compared between high egg production (HEP; n = 8) and low egg production (LEP; n = 10) groups and showed a lower (P < 0.05) mRNA level in the HEP group. Further experiments indicated that overexpressing ACSF2 resulted in a significant increase of caspase-3 mRNA levels and that ACSF2 knockdown triggered a decrease in the caspase-3 mRNA level in granulosa cells. Similarly, the lower caspase-3 mRNA levels were identified in ovaries of the HEP group with lower ACSF2 mRNA levels. The research showed that the ACSF2 mRNA levels had a positive correlation with caspase-3 mRNA levels in vivo (R = 0.86, P < 0.01). Our results suggest that lower ACSF2 expression promotes the laying performance of goose possibly by inhibiting granulosa cell apoptosis and facilitating follicular development.

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In the present study the melatonin receptor 1A gene (MTNR1A) was proposed to be a candidate gene for egg production in Yangzhou geese. A total of 210 goose blood samples were collected to investigate the association of the MTNR1A gene with the number of eggs produced. Using a direct sequencing method, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; g.177G>C) was detected in the 5' regulatory region of the MTNR1A gene (Genbank ss1985399687). Two alleles (G and C) and three genotypes were identified. Association analysis results showed that the g.177G>C SNP significantly affected the level of egg production within a 34-week egg-laying period (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the geese with the GG genotype produced significantly more eggs compared to the geese with the CC genotype. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the MTNR1A gene was highly expressed in small intestine, granulosa cell and ovary compared to other examined tissues. In addition, the mRNA expression level of MTNR1A in ovary indicated that significantly higher expression levels were recorded for geese with the GG genotype compared to those with the CC genotype. Moreover, a luciferase reporter assay showed that the CC genotype had significantly lower promoter activity than did GG. These results suggest that the identified SNP in the MTNR1A gene may influence the number of eggs produced and mRNA expression levels in Yangzhou geese and could be considered as a useful molecular marker in goose selection and improvement, especially for egg production.

We resolved a mechanism connecting tumor epigenetic plasticity with non-genetic adaptive resistance to therapy, with MAPK inhibition of BRAF-mutant melanomas providing the model. These cancer cells undergo multiple, reversible drug-induced cell-state transitions, ultimately yielding a drug-resistant mesenchymal-like phenotype. A kinetic series of transcriptome and epigenome data, collected over two months of drug treatment and release, revealed changing levels of thousands of genes and extensive chromatin remodeling. However, a 3-step computational algorithm greatly simplified the interpretation of these changes, and revealed that the whole adaptive process was controlled by a gene module activated within just three days of treatment, with RelA driving chromatin remodeling to establish an epigenetic program encoding long-term phenotype changes. These findings were confirmed across several patient-derived cell lines and in melanoma patients under MAPK inhibitor treatment. Co-targeting BRAF and histone-modifying enzymes arrests adaptive transitions towards drug tolerance in epigenetically plastic melanoma cells and may be exploited therapeutically.