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The probiotic Bacillus subtilis ( B. subtilis ) was widely applied in animal production as feed additive. Lysine (Lys) and methionine (Met) were the two most important limiting amino acids in livestock animal feed. Raising Lys and Met contents in B. subtilis would provide better effects for animal production and save Lys and Met supplements. We still didn't know whether Lys-rich and Met-rich protein genes from plants could be transfected into B. subtilis and expressed at a high level so as to improve animal production, such as milk production as an additional diet. The Lys-rich protein gene ( Cflr ) and Met-rich 10 ku- δ Zein were cloned from pepper anther and maize endosperm, respectively. Then they were constructed into plasmids individually and successfully cotransfected into B. subtilis. Upon IPTG induction, mRNAs and protein expressions could be observed. Lys and Met contents in the fermentation broth were raised by 65.92% and 46.39%, respectively. After feeding 200 g and 400 g · cow −1 · d −1 , transgenic B. subtilis fermentation broth, the milk yield, milk protein and milk fat contents all significantly increased. The Lys-rich protein gene ( Cflr ) and Met-rich 10 ku- δ Zein were successfully transfected into B. subtilis. Contents of Lys and Met in the transgenic B. subtilis obviously raised and the fermentation broth of the transgenic bacteria could effectively improve milk yield and quality.

The use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as food products becomes more and more widespread. The European Union has implemented a set of very strict procedures for the approval to grow, import and/or utilize GMOs as food or food ingredients. Thus, analytical methods for detection of GMOs are necessary in order to verify compliance with labelling requirements. There are few effective screening methods for processed GM (genetically modified) products. Three anti-herbicide genes (CP4-EPSPS, BAR and PAT) are common exogenous genes used in commercialized transgenic soybean, maize and rice. In the present study, a new SYBR® Green qPCR screening method was developed to simultaneously detect the three exogenous anti-herbicide genes and one endogenous gene in a run. We tested seven samples of representative processed products (soya lecithin, soya protein powder, chocolate beverage, infant rice cereal, maize protein powder, maize starch, and maize jam) using the developed method, and amplicons of endogenous gene and transgenic fragments were obtained from all the processed products, and the sensitivity was 0.1%. These results indicated that SYBR® Green qPCR screening method was appropriate for qualitative detection of transgenic soybean, maize and rice in processed products.

Vaccaria segetalis has very strong effect on lactogenesis, but the mechanism is still unknown. This study aims to reveal the influence of Vaccaria segetalis on cellular lactogenesis signaling pathway of dairy cow mammary epithelial cells (DCMECs). In this study the purified DCMECs was used to screen the most effective concentration of Vaccaria segetalis water decoction for lactogenesis. DCMECs were treated with prolactin (PRL), E (estrogen) or water extraction of Vaccaria segetalis, and many lactogenesis signal molecules in DCMECs including prolactin receptor (PRLR), estrogen receptor a (ERa), p-STAT5, p-mTOR, p100, GARS, PPARg and cyclinD1 were detected by using western blot assay. It was found that Vaccaria segetalis, E and PRL could promote lactogenesis of DCMECs and up-regulate these lactogenesis signal molecules except PPARg. These data reveals that Vaccaria segetalis has a similar role as E or PRL and activates cellular lactogenesis signaling pathway of DCMECs on both the translational and transcriptional levels.