Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Md Jahangir Alam.
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The Hilsa Shad is an anadromous fish of major ecological and economic importance in Bangladesh. It migrates between marine and freshwater environments and faces substantial osmotic challenges. There is limited research on osmoregulatory gene expression during migration across diverse habitats. This study provides the first genome-wide identification of the Slc12a2 gene in Hilsa Shad and confirms the existence of two Slc12a2 gene paralogs. To evaluate their potential role in salinity adaptation, we further examined their expression across contrasting habitats. The Bay of Bengal where the fish originates, the genome-wide expression of Slc12a2 has not yet been investigated. The Surma River has been identified as a significant freshwater habitat for Hilsa Shad. However, the molecular information including gene expression data has not yet been reported for this population. In this study, RT-qPCR was used to analyze gill, kidney, liver, and muscle tissues of Hilsa Shad. The results showed that both Slc12a2 paralogs were significantly down-regulated during upstream migration from the Bay to Bengal to the Surma River. These findings demonstrate the essential role of Slc12a2 in maintaining osmotic balance during habitat transition. This genome-wide approach also gives an overall picture of how multiple Slc12a2 gene copies respond to environmental salinity changes and regulate homeostasis.
BACKGROUND: Amino acids are fundamental in sustaining physiological homeostasis during stress conditions. l-citrulline (l-Cit), a non-essential amino acid (NEAA) and metabolic precursor of arginine, has been reported to exert beneficial effects on the health and performance of broiler chickens. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with varying inclusion levels of l-Cit on growth performance, meat quality, plasma biochemical indices, and thermoregulatory responses in broiler chickens. METHODS: A total of 120 one-day-old chickens of the Lohman meat (Indian River) strain were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments, and each treatment included 30 birds in 3 replicates each. A 7-day feeding trial was conducted, beginning at 21 days of age. The control group (T0) was fed only a basal diet, while l-Cit was administered through the drinking water at concentrations of 0.5 % (T1), 0.75 % (T2), and 1.0 % (T3) to the respective treatment groups, in addition to the basal diet. RESULTS: Dietary inclusion of l-Cit significantly affected broiler performance and physiology. The T2 group demonstrated the highest body weight gain and lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared with T0, T1, and T3 (p < 0.05). Organ development was increased in T2, with significant increases in bursa, heart, and liver indices, alongside reduced abdominal fat (p < 0.05). Meat quality improved through reduced drip loss and elevated muscle pH, particularly in T2. Plasma biochemical analysis showed lower cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL in all l-Cit groups, with optimal in T2 (p < 0.05), while HDL and uric acid remained unaffected. Moreover, rectal temperature decreased significantly across l-Cit groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Overall, this study suggests that a diet supplemented with 0.75 % l-Cit (T2), which could be a promising amino acid without affecting meat quality or consumer preferences, may improve growth performance, meat quality, the lipid profile (blood plasma), and thermoregulation in broilers.