Feed Supplement Enzyme Synergy for Nutrient Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current feed supplements with phytases and lipolytic enzymes have limited success in enhancing nutrient availability and apparent metabolizable energy in animal feeds due to instability and substrate specificity issues, as well as interactions with calcium that hinder enzyme activity and fat digestibility.
Innovation Solution
A feed supplement comprising a specific lipolytic enzyme with activity in the pH range of 1.5 to 3.5 and a phytase, which together enhance nutrient and mineral uptake by liberating free fatty acids to bind with calcium, thereby boosting phytase activity and increasing phosphate and fat absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fungal phytases are added to animal feed, then phosphorus availability is improved, but the enzymes are proteolytically unstable and susceptible to degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter by formulating the enzyme composition to operate optimally at low pH (1.5-3.5), which is the stomach environment. This parameter change allows the use of bacterial phytases that are stable and active in the acidic stomach environment, avoiding the proteolytic degradation issue that plagues fungal phytases at higher pH levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a bacterial phytase that replicates the function of fungal phytases but with improved stability characteristics. The bacterial enzyme copy maintains the phosphorus-release capability while being resistant to proteolytic degradation in the animal digestive system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If bacterial phytases are added to animal feed, then substrate specificity is improved, but they have narrow substrate specificity for phytate alone and poorly degrade inositol phosphates of intermediate degrees of phosphorylation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects a bacterial phytase that possesses multiple functions: it can degrade phytate (inositol hexaphosphate) and also effectively degrade inositol phosphates of intermediate degrees of phosphorylation (IP5, IP4, IP3). This multi-functional enzyme provides universal activity across the full spectrum of phytate degradation substrates.
3Quantity of substance
If calcium is present in the diet, then nutritional requirements are met, but calcium forms complexes with phytate that are detrimental to phytase activity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the lipolytic enzyme act first to liberate free fatty acids, which then bind to calcium before the phytase acts on the phytate-calcium complexes. This sequence of actions prevents the formation of insoluble phytate-calcium complexes that would otherwise inhibit phytase activity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces free fatty acids as an intermediary substance that mediates between calcium and phytate. The fatty acids bind to calcium to form soluble calcium-soap complexes, preventing calcium from forming insoluble complexes with phytate that would be inaccessible to phytase.
4Reliability
If lipolytic enzymes are added to improve fat digestion, then fat digestibility should increase, but calcium-phosphate complexes react with fatty acids to form insoluble soaps that lower fat digestibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the lipolytic enzyme liberate free fatty acids early in the digestive process, which then bind to calcium. This preliminary binding prevents the formation of insoluble soaps later in the intestine, ensuring that subsequent fat digestion and absorption proceed efficiently without loss to insoluble soap formation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The combination of the lipolytic enzyme and phytase in the feed supplement increases the availability of nutrients and apparent metabolizable energy, improving growth rates and reducing phosphate pollution by enhancing phosphate liberation and absorption.
Implementation Method 1
Through the action of phytase, phytate is generally hydrolysed to give lower inositolphosphates and inorganic phosphate
Implementation Method 2
Through the action of phytase, phytate is generally hydrolysed to give lower inositolphosphates and inorganic phosphate
Implementation Method 3
A feed supplement comprising a lipolytic enzyme and a phytase, wherein the lipolytic enzyme has lipase activity at a pH in the range of from pH1.5 to pH3.5
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a feed supplement comprising a phytase and a lipolytic enzyme, wherein said lipolytic enzyme has lipase activity at a pH in the range of about pH1.5 to about pH3.5.