Effects of a transient lack of dietary mineral phosphorus on renal gene expression and plasma metabolites in two high-yielding laying hen strains

Abstract Background There is an emerging body of evidence that current poultry feed is formulated in excess for phosphorus (P), which results in unnecessarily high P excretions. Sustainable concepts for agricultural P flows should trigger animal-intrinsic mechanisms for efficient P utilization. In t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hiba Qasir, Henry Reyer, Michael Oster, Siriluck Ponsuksili, Nares Trakooljul, Vera Sommerfeld, Markus Rodehutscord, Klaus Wimmers
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:BMC Genomics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11294-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850067524363747328
author Hiba Qasir
Henry Reyer
Michael Oster
Siriluck Ponsuksili
Nares Trakooljul
Vera Sommerfeld
Markus Rodehutscord
Klaus Wimmers
author_facet Hiba Qasir
Henry Reyer
Michael Oster
Siriluck Ponsuksili
Nares Trakooljul
Vera Sommerfeld
Markus Rodehutscord
Klaus Wimmers
author_sort Hiba Qasir
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background There is an emerging body of evidence that current poultry feed is formulated in excess for phosphorus (P), which results in unnecessarily high P excretions. Sustainable concepts for agricultural P flows should trigger animal-intrinsic mechanisms for efficient P utilization. In the current study, Lohmann Brown (LB) and Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL) laying hens were fed either a high P diet (P+) with 1 g/kg mineral P supplement or a low P diet (P-) with 0 g/kg mineral P supplement for a period of 4 weeks prior to sampling. Before and after onset of laying, i.e., at 19 and 24 weeks of life, kidney and plasma samples were collected to investigate the endogenous P utilization in response to restricted dietary P, laying hen strain, and sexual maturation. Results Plasma analyses of minerals and metabolites confirmed the response to a low P diet, which was characterized by a significant reduction in plasma P levels at week 19 in both strains. The plasma calcium (Ca) levels were tightly regulated throughout the entire experimental period. Notably, there was a numerical trend of increased plasma calcitriol levels in P- fed birds of both strains compared to the P + group, which might have mediated a substantial role regarding the adaptive responses to low P supply. At week 19, RNA sequencing of kidney identified 1,114 and 556 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) unique to the LB and LSL strains, respectively. The number of DEGs declined with increasing maturity of the hens culminating in 90 and 146 DEGs for LB and LSL strains at week 24. Analyses revealed an enrichment of pathways related to energy metabolism and cell cycle, particularly at week 19 in both strains. The diet-specific expression of target genes involved in P homeostasis highlighted transcripts related to active (SLC34A1, SLC20A2) and passive mineral transport (CLDN14, CLDN16), Ca utilization (STC1, CALB1), and acid-base balance (CA2, SLC4A1). Conclusions Results suggest that both laying hen strains adapted to the lack of mineral P supplements and achieved a physiological Ca: P-ratio in body compartments through endogenous regulation as evidenced via the endocrine profile.
format Article
id doaj-art-6f9be1988b444ba1843659fb4e356b1e
institution DOAJ
issn 1471-2164
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Genomics
spelling doaj-art-6f9be1988b444ba1843659fb4e356b1e2025-08-20T02:48:17ZengBMCBMC Genomics1471-21642025-02-0126111310.1186/s12864-025-11294-6Effects of a transient lack of dietary mineral phosphorus on renal gene expression and plasma metabolites in two high-yielding laying hen strainsHiba Qasir0Henry Reyer1Michael Oster2Siriluck Ponsuksili3Nares Trakooljul4Vera Sommerfeld5Markus Rodehutscord6Klaus Wimmers7Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)Institute of Animal Science, University of HohenheimInstitute of Animal Science, University of HohenheimResearch Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)Abstract Background There is an emerging body of evidence that current poultry feed is formulated in excess for phosphorus (P), which results in unnecessarily high P excretions. Sustainable concepts for agricultural P flows should trigger animal-intrinsic mechanisms for efficient P utilization. In the current study, Lohmann Brown (LB) and Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL) laying hens were fed either a high P diet (P+) with 1 g/kg mineral P supplement or a low P diet (P-) with 0 g/kg mineral P supplement for a period of 4 weeks prior to sampling. Before and after onset of laying, i.e., at 19 and 24 weeks of life, kidney and plasma samples were collected to investigate the endogenous P utilization in response to restricted dietary P, laying hen strain, and sexual maturation. Results Plasma analyses of minerals and metabolites confirmed the response to a low P diet, which was characterized by a significant reduction in plasma P levels at week 19 in both strains. The plasma calcium (Ca) levels were tightly regulated throughout the entire experimental period. Notably, there was a numerical trend of increased plasma calcitriol levels in P- fed birds of both strains compared to the P + group, which might have mediated a substantial role regarding the adaptive responses to low P supply. At week 19, RNA sequencing of kidney identified 1,114 and 556 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) unique to the LB and LSL strains, respectively. The number of DEGs declined with increasing maturity of the hens culminating in 90 and 146 DEGs for LB and LSL strains at week 24. Analyses revealed an enrichment of pathways related to energy metabolism and cell cycle, particularly at week 19 in both strains. The diet-specific expression of target genes involved in P homeostasis highlighted transcripts related to active (SLC34A1, SLC20A2) and passive mineral transport (CLDN14, CLDN16), Ca utilization (STC1, CALB1), and acid-base balance (CA2, SLC4A1). Conclusions Results suggest that both laying hen strains adapted to the lack of mineral P supplements and achieved a physiological Ca: P-ratio in body compartments through endogenous regulation as evidenced via the endocrine profile.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11294-6KidneyLaying periodMineral homeostasisPoultryTranscriptomics
spellingShingle Hiba Qasir
Henry Reyer
Michael Oster
Siriluck Ponsuksili
Nares Trakooljul
Vera Sommerfeld
Markus Rodehutscord
Klaus Wimmers
Effects of a transient lack of dietary mineral phosphorus on renal gene expression and plasma metabolites in two high-yielding laying hen strains
BMC Genomics
Kidney
Laying period
Mineral homeostasis
Poultry
Transcriptomics
title Effects of a transient lack of dietary mineral phosphorus on renal gene expression and plasma metabolites in two high-yielding laying hen strains
title_full Effects of a transient lack of dietary mineral phosphorus on renal gene expression and plasma metabolites in two high-yielding laying hen strains
title_fullStr Effects of a transient lack of dietary mineral phosphorus on renal gene expression and plasma metabolites in two high-yielding laying hen strains
title_full_unstemmed Effects of a transient lack of dietary mineral phosphorus on renal gene expression and plasma metabolites in two high-yielding laying hen strains
title_short Effects of a transient lack of dietary mineral phosphorus on renal gene expression and plasma metabolites in two high-yielding laying hen strains
title_sort effects of a transient lack of dietary mineral phosphorus on renal gene expression and plasma metabolites in two high yielding laying hen strains
topic Kidney
Laying period
Mineral homeostasis
Poultry
Transcriptomics
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11294-6
work_keys_str_mv AT hibaqasir effectsofatransientlackofdietarymineralphosphorusonrenalgeneexpressionandplasmametabolitesintwohighyieldinglayinghenstrains
AT henryreyer effectsofatransientlackofdietarymineralphosphorusonrenalgeneexpressionandplasmametabolitesintwohighyieldinglayinghenstrains
AT michaeloster effectsofatransientlackofdietarymineralphosphorusonrenalgeneexpressionandplasmametabolitesintwohighyieldinglayinghenstrains
AT siriluckponsuksili effectsofatransientlackofdietarymineralphosphorusonrenalgeneexpressionandplasmametabolitesintwohighyieldinglayinghenstrains
AT narestrakooljul effectsofatransientlackofdietarymineralphosphorusonrenalgeneexpressionandplasmametabolitesintwohighyieldinglayinghenstrains
AT verasommerfeld effectsofatransientlackofdietarymineralphosphorusonrenalgeneexpressionandplasmametabolitesintwohighyieldinglayinghenstrains
AT markusrodehutscord effectsofatransientlackofdietarymineralphosphorusonrenalgeneexpressionandplasmametabolitesintwohighyieldinglayinghenstrains
AT klauswimmers effectsofatransientlackofdietarymineralphosphorusonrenalgeneexpressionandplasmametabolitesintwohighyieldinglayinghenstrains