Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute

The valorization of food waste through bioconversion using black soldier fly larvae (BSFL, Hermetia illucens) represents a promising pathway for sustainable waste management. However, the efficiency and safety of this process when using low-quality food waste substrates remain insufficiently characterized. This study investigated the adaptive responses, nutrient conversion efficiency, and product safety of BSFL reared solely on food waste (moisture 78.4%, crude protein 42.98%, pH 3.62) under controlled conditions (28 °C, 55% RH). Larval growth followed a logistic model (R2 = 0.96), with an inflection point at 13.14 days and a maximum daily weight gain of 0.0153 g/larva. Crude protein content increased significantly to 64.21%, while crude fat peaked at 26.42% by day 6 before declining. Larvae accumulated essential amino acids and functional fatty acids effectively. Notably, BSFL demonstrated a strong ability to exclude arsenic and chromium, with over 90% of these heavy metals retained in the frass. The frass itself exhibited high organic matter content (up to 61.57%) and an alkaline pH, meeting general standards for organic fertilizers. These findings underscore the resilience of BSFL and its potential for safe, high-value biomass production from challenging food waste streams, contributing to advanced circular economy strategies.

Background: Arboviruses, transmitted to humans and animals by blood-feeding arthropods, pose significant public health risks. This study investigates the types, distribution, and epidemiology of arboviruses in the central Yuxi region of Yunnan Province, providing crucial data for the prevention and control of mosquito-borne diseases. Methods: In 2015, mosquitoes were collected from Tonghai County, Huaning County, Jiangchuan District, and Chengjiang County in Yuxi using light traps. The mosquitoes were homogenized, and virus isolation was performed by inoculating the homogenates onto BHK-21 (baby hamster kidney) and C6/36 (Aedes albopictus) cell lines. Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) amplification was performed with universal and virus-specific primers, followed by sequencing of positive products using bioinformatics tools (DNAstar, MEGA X). Results: A total of 13,050 mosquitoes from four counties were collected, with 261 pools processed for virus detection. The mosquitoes belonged to three genera: Culex Anopheles and Aedes, with Culex tritaeniorhynchus as the predominant species. Cytopathic effects were observed in 95 pools. Nine viruses were identified: Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV), Bannavirus, Getah Virus, Tibet Orbivirus (TIBOV), Nam Dinh Virus, Akabane Virus (AKAV), Ngewotan Virus (NWTV), Quang Binh Virus (QBV), and Culex pipiens pallens densovirus. The distribution of viruses varied: six viruses with 35 isolates in Tonghai County; six viruses with 88 isolates in Huaning County; two viruses with five isolates in Chengjiang County; and no viruses were found in Jiangchuan District. TIBOV and NWTV were present in all three counties, while JEV, AKAV, and QBV were found only in Tonghai County. Conclusion: Nine arboviruses were isolated across four counties in Yuxi, with varying distributions. This highlights the epidemiological diversity of mosquito-borne viruses in the region, emphasizing the need for targeted control measures.

The gut microbiota modulates host immunity through a wide array of metabolic products that function as signaling molecules, thereby linking microbial activity with both mucosal and systemic immune responses. Notably, short-chain fatty acids, secondary bile acids, tryptophan-derived indoles, polyamines, and lipid derivatives play pivotal roles in regulating innate and adaptive immune functions via G protein-coupled receptors, nuclear receptors, and epigenetic pathways. These metabolites modulate immune cell differentiation, epithelial barrier integrity, and the resolution of inflammation in a dose- and site-specific manner. Recent advancements in spatial metabolomics, synthetic biology, and nanomedicine have facilitated the spatiotemporal delivery of these immunomodulatory compounds, revealing novel therapeutic avenues for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. This review summarizes the biosynthesis and immunoregulatory functions of key microbial metabolites, highlights the compartmentalized and systemic mechanisms of action, and discusses emerging therapeutic approaches, including postbiotics, engineered probiotics, and receptor-targeting drugs. We also explore the challenges in achieving personalized microbiome-immune modulation and propose future directions integrating multiomics and AI-driven predictive modeling. Understanding the metabolite-immune axis paves the way for novel interventions targeting host-microbe symbiosis.

The decline of migratory shorebirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway has attracted global attention. Conservation efforts thus far have targeted habitat loss and degradation in the Yellow Sea region, with little attention having been given to direct mortality by humans. Here we studied the impacts of direct mortality of shorebirds along China's coast during migration from hunting, fishery bycatch and, at aquaculture sites, bird deterrence measures. We estimated that approximately 47,870 shorebirds were killed at 19 stopover sites per year, mainly from hunting and deterrence. Mortalities for 11 shorebird species account for 1% to 10% of their known total flyway populations. Conservative annual direct mortality rates for four species exceeded sustainable levels, with nine other species approaching unsustainable levels. Direct mortality due to humans is clearly a major overlooked threat to migratory shorebird populations along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Reducing it is essential to conserving these declining species.

ABSTRACTDung beetles, despite their well‐documented ecological significance, remain surprisingly underrepresented in molecular biology research, with a notable paucity of genomic and molecular data available for this ecologically crucial insect group. We sequenced and analyzed the whole mitochondrial genomes of four species of dung beetles, including Catharsius molossus, Liatongus bucerus, Copris magicus, and Onitis falcatus from the Scarabaeinae subfamily. The results showed that the mitochondrial genome sizes of the four dung beetle species ranged from 14,977 bp to 18,425 bp. Among them, the mitochondrial genome structure, base composition, codon usage, and gene arrangement of L. bucerus and C. magicus were relatively conserved, consistent with other Coleoptera species. However, C. magicus exhibited a unique rearrangement, with the trnT and trnP genes undergoing positional swapping, resulting in the formation of a trnP‐trnT tRNA gene block. In L. bucerus, a long‐distance translocation of the trnI gene and rearrangement between the trnS2 and nad1 genes occurred, leading to the formation of a trnS2‐trnI tRNA gene block. This represents the first identification of such rearrangements in Scarabaeidae. The phylogenetic reconstruction of mitochondrial protein‐coding genes in 63 species of Scarabaeinae revealed significant insights into their evolutionary relationships. It supported multilineage for the tribes Coprini and Onthophagini, and monophyly for the tribes Onitini and Oniticellini. Coprini maintained close affinities with Deltochilini, Dichotomiini, Phanaeini, Ateuchini, and Eurysternini, with Phanaeini as a sister group to each other, and the phylogenetic relationships among the tribes supported the existing findings. It clarified the position of four dung beetles in their respective clades and genera. This study could enrich the genetic data of Scarabaeidae and establishes a foundation for further understanding of the evolutionary relationships of dung beetles.

The widespread misuse of antibiotics in livestock production has raised growing concerns about antimicrobial resistance and residue contamination. These challenges have led to global restrictions on the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs). However, the ban on AGPs has made the management of intestinal inflammation significantly more difficult, highlighting the urgent need for safe and effective alternatives. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), known for their immunomodulatory properties, have emerged as promising candidates, though their anti-inflammatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of a porcine-derived Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) strain, SBC5-3. Using tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced inflammatory models in the HT-29 cells, we employed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) combined with Western blot analyses to systematically explore the modulation of inflammatory signaling pathways. RNA-seq demonstrated that L. reuteri SBC5-3 downregulated 9 out of 14 TNF-α-induced genes associated with the TNF and/or nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways, including BIRC3, PTGS2, CCL20, TNFAIP3, LTB, CXCL1, CXCL10, IL-8, and CSF1. Specifically, L. reuteri SBC5-3 downregulated key genes in the NF-κB pathway, such as TAK1, IKKα, and NFKB1, while upregulating NFKBIA. Concurrent transcriptional suppression occurred in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway components ERK and JNK. Western blot analysis further confirmed attenuation of phosphorylation involving TAK1, IKKα/β, and IκBα following SBC5-3 treatment. The collective data demonstrate that immunomodulation mediated by L. reuteri SBC5-3 involves inhibiting IκBα degradation, which is known to be essential for the nuclear translocation of the p50/p65 heterodimer, thereby suggesting inhibition of TNF-α-induced NF-κB nuclear translocation. These results position L. reuteri SBC5-3 as a viable therapeutic agent for inflammation modulation through targeted intervention in NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.