Amino Acids in Nutrition and Health

This edited volume comprehensively highlights recent advances in the metabolism, nutrition, physiology, and pathobiology of amino acids in companion (dogs and cats), zoo (carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores), and farm (including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, fish, and crustaceans) animals. It enables readers to understand the crucial roles of amino acids and their metabolites in the growth, development, health, and metabolic diseases of these animals.

Readers will learn from well-written chapters that amino acids are not only the building blocks of protein but are also signaling molecules and key regulators of gene expression and whole body homeostasis in companion, domestic, aquatic, and captive animals. The book also provides new and useful information on the optimum requirements of the animals for dietary amino acids. This knowledge will guide nutritional practices and daily management to improve the health and survival of all species and to enhance the productivity of livestock, poultry, and aquaculture enterprises worldwide to produce high-quality protein for human consumption.

Editor of this volume is an internationally recognized expert in the biochemistry, nutrition and physiology of amino acids. He has over 38 years of experience with research and teaching at world-class universities in the area of amino acid biochemistry, nutrition, and physiology. He has published more than 625 papers in peer-reviewed journals, 62 chapters in books, and authored two text/reference books, with an H-index of 117 and more than 55,000 citations in Google Scholar.

This publication is a useful reference for professionals and pet owners, as well as undergraduate and graduate students in animal science, aquaculture, zoology, wildlife, veterinary medicine, biology, biochemistry, food science, nutrition, pharmacology, physiology, toxicology, and other related disciplines. In addition, all chapters provide general and specific references to amino acid nutrition and metabolism for researchers and practitioners in animal agriculture, aquaculture, zoos, biomedicine, and plant science, and for government policy makers.

Chapter 7 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Auteur
Guoyao Wu is a Distinguished Professor, University Faculty Fellow, and AgriLife Research Senior Faculty Fellow in the Department of Animal Science. He also holds appointments with the Graduate Faculty of Nutrition, the Departments of Systems Biology and Translational Medicine and Veterinary Integrative Biosciences. He earned his bachelor's degree in animal science from South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou, a master's degree in animal nutrition from Beijing Agricultural University, and a master's degree and doctorate in animal biochemistry from the University of Alberta in Canada. He received postdoctoral training in biochemistry and nutrition at McGill University Medical School in Montreal, Canada, and at the Memorial University of Newfoundland Medical School in St. John's, Canada.

Dr. Wu teaches graduate courses in protein metabolism and nutritional biochemistry. He conducts research in protein and amino acid metabolism at molecular, cellular, and whole body levels . The animal models used in his research include cattle, chicks, pigs, rats, and sheep

Résumé
Amino acids (AAs) are not only building blocks of protein, but are also signalling molecules as well as regulators of gene expression and the protein phosphorylation cascade. Additionally, AAs are key precursors for syntheses of hormones and low-molecular weight nitrogenous substances with each having enormous biological importance. For example, physiological concentrations of AA metabolites (e.g., nitric oxide, polyamines, glutathione, taurine, thyroid hormones, and serotonin) are required for cell functions. Growing evidence shows that humans and animals have dietary requirements for all proteinogenic AAs. Mammals, birds and fish also have species- and age-dependent needs for some AA-related substances. However, elevated levels of other products (e.g., ammonia, homocysteine, H2S, and asymmetric dimethylarginine) are pathogenic factors for neurological disorders, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular disease. Thus, optimal amounts of AAs and their ratios in diets and circulation are crucial for whole body homeostasis and health. Adequate provision of one or a mixture of functional AAs or metabolites may be beneficial for ameliorating health problems at various stages of the life cycle (e.g., fetal growth restriction, neonatal morbidity and mortality, weaning-associated intestinal dysfunction and wasting syndrome, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, the metabolic syndrome, and infertility). Dietary supplementation of these nutrients can also optimize the efficiency of metabolic transformations to enhance muscle growth, milk production, and athletic performance, while preventing excess fat deposition and reducing adiposity. Therefore, functional AAs hold great promise in improving the growth, health and well-being of individuals.
Chapter 7 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Contenu

Prelims

Chapter 1:

One-carbon metabolism and development of the conceptus during pregnancy: Lessons from studies with sheep and pigs

Chapter 2:

Cell-specific expression of enzymes for serine biosynthesis and glutaminolysis in farm animals

Chapter 3:

Amino acids in beef cattle nutrition and production (author to be identified)

Chapter 4:

Amino acid nutrition and reproductive performance in ruminants

Chapter 5:

Amino acids in the nutrition and production of sheep and goats

Chapter 6:

Amino acids in swine nutrition and production

Chapter 7:

Amino acid nutrition and metabolism in chickens

Chapter 8:

Nutrition and functions of amino acids in fish

Chapter 9:

Nutrition and functions of amino acids in aquatic crustaceans

Chapter 10:

Amino acids in dog nutrition and health

Chapter 11:

Amino acids in the nutrition, metabolism, and health of domestic cats

Chapter 12:

Amino acid nutrition for optimum growth, development, reproduction, and health of zoo animals