Short-chain fatty acids and poly-beta-hydroxyalkanoates: (New) Biocontrol agents for a sustainable animal production.
Because of the risk of antibiotic resistance development, there is a growing awareness that antibiotics should be used more carefully in animal production. However, a decreased use of antibiotics could result in a higher frequency of pathogenic bacteria, which in its turn could lead to a higher incidence of infections. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have long been known to exhibit bacteriostatic activity. These compounds also specifically downregulate virulence factor expression and positively influence the gastrointestinal health of the host. As a consequence, there is currently considerable interest in SCFAs as biocontrol agents in animal production. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are polymers of beta-hydroxy short-chain fatty acids. Currently, PHAs are applied as replacements for synthetic polymers. These biopolymers can be depolymerised by many different microorganisms that produce extracellular PHA depolymerases. Interestingly, different studies provided some evidence that PHAs can also be degraded upon passage through the gastrointestinal tract of animals and consequently, adding these compounds to the feed might result in biocontrol effects similar to those described for SCFAs.
Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center, Ghent University, Rozier 44, 9000 Gent, Belgium; Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium. Electronic address: Tom.Defoirdt@UGent.be.
Tom
T
Defoirdt
Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
Nico
N
Boon
Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center, Ghent University, Rozier 44, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
Patrick
P
Sorgeloos
Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
Willy
W
Verstraete
Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center, Ghent University, Rozier 44, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
Peter
P
Bossier
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054813:Polyhydroxyalkanoates / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005227:Fatty Acids; D054813:Polyhydroxyalkanoates