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We investigated anammox with a focus on biofilm in 10 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) that use activated sludge treatment of swine wastewater. In three plants, we found red biofilms in aeration tanks or final sedimentation tanks. The biofilm had higher anammox 16S rRNA gene copy numbers (up to 1.35 × 10 12 copies/g-VSS) and higher anammox activity (up to 295 μmoL/g-ignition loss/h) than suspended solids in the same tank. Pyrosequencing analysis revealed that Planctomycetes accounted for up to 17.7% of total reads in the biofilm. Most of them were related to Candidatus Brocadia or Ca. Jettenia. The highest copy number and the highest proportion of Planctomycetes were comparable to those of enriched anammox sludge. Thus, swine WWTPs that use activated sludge treatment can fortuitously acquire anammox biofilm. Thus, concentrated anammox can be detected by focusing on red biofilm., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Somatic cell cloning is expected to be a valuable method for conserving genetic resources in pigs. In this study, we compared the reproductive and growth performance of Jin Hua cloned pigs with that of naturally bred Jin Hua pigs. In addition, we generated offspring from the cloned sows and examined the productivity and quality of meat in the progeny. The birth weights and growth rates of somatic cell-cloned pigs were similar to those of Jin Hua pigs. The cloned pigs reached puberty very early, and this is typical of the Jin Hua breed. Furthermore, reproductive performance, in terms of traits such as gestation period, litter size, and raising rate in the cloned pigs were similar to Jin Hua pigs. Although the offspring of the cloned (OC) pigs had lower birth weights than the Jin Hua breed, the daily weight gain of the OC pigs was significantly higher, especially at the finishing stage. The carcass quality of the OC pigs had similar characteristics to the Jin Hua breed, namely thick back fat and a small loin area. Furthermore, the meat qualities of the OC pigs were similar to those of Jin Hua pigs in terms of intramuscular fat content and tenderness. These results demonstrate that cloned pigs and their offspring were similar to the Jin Hua breed in most of the growth, reproductive, and meat productive performances. This strongly suggests that pigs cloned from somatic cell nuclei have the potential to be a valuable genetic resource for breeding.

The present study examined the kinetics of glutathione (GSH) concentration during maturation and after fertilization in pig oocytes and its relevance to the ability of pig oocytes to form a male pronucleus after in vitro fertilization. The GSH concentration was significantly higher in pig oocytes matured in Waymouth medium than in pig oocytes matured in either modified (m) TCM-199 or mTLP media. The addition of 0.04-0.57 mM cysteine (CySH) to mTLP significantly increased both the GSH concentrations in oocytes matured in vitro and the rate of male pronucleus formation as compared to those in oocytes cultured in mTLP alone. When pig oocytes were cultured 12, 24, or 36 h in mTLP plus 0.14 mM CySH, their GSH concentrations were significantly higher than in uncultured oocytes. After fertilization, the GSH concentration in pig oocytes declined significantly. GSH concentrations in oocytes matured in vivo did not differ from those in oocytes matured in mTLP plus 0.14 or 0.57 mM CySH. The results indicate that 1) the composition of maturation medium affects the GSH concentration in pig oocytes; 2) the addition of CySH to maturation medium permits GSH synthesis by the pig oocytes; 3) GSH levels in pig oocytes change during maturation and after fertilization; and 4) GSH synthesis during oocyte maturation is an important factor for promoting their ability to form a male pronucleus after fertilization.