Gossypol Toxicity and Degradation Mechanisms in Livestock
Summary
Gossypol is a polyphenolic aldehyde produced by pigment glands in cotton plants and is present at highest concentrations in seeds and seed by-products. In livestock, free gossypol binds to iron and proteins, impairing erythropoiesis, disrupting reproductive function and compromising immune responses. Monogastric species are particularly susceptible, whereas ruminants exhibit partial detoxification via rumen microflora. The persistent presence of gossypol in cottonseed meal limits its widespread use as a protein feed, despite its high nutritional value and global availability. Recent advances have elucidated both chemical and biological pathways for gossypol removal, including heat treatment, enzymatic oxidation, microbial biodegradation and solid-state fermentation. Elucidation of enzyme systems, microbial consortia and metabolic pathways has enabled targeted interventions to reduce free gossypol levels below toxic thresholds, thereby improving animal performance and health. Progress in genomics, proteomics and enzyme engineering now underpins novel biocatalytic solutions that are scalable for feed processing and sustainable utilisation of cotton industry residues.
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Gossypol Toxicity and Degradation Mechanisms in Livestock publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in gossypol toxicity and degradation mechanisms in livestock across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Gossypol: A natural sesquiterpenoid aldehyde found in cotton plants, responsible for antinutritional and toxic effects in animals.
Free gossypol: The biologically active and unbound form of gossypol that can interact with dietary minerals and proteins, leading to toxicity.
Laccase: A multicopper oxidase enzyme capable of catalysing the oxidation of phenolic compounds, used in biocatalytic detoxification.
Proteomics: The large-scale study of proteins, including their expression, structure and functions, often applied to identify enzymes involved in metabolic pathways.
References
- Effective Degradation of Free Gossypol in Defatted Cottonseed Meal by Bacterial Laccases: Performance and Toxicity Analysis. Foods (2024).
- An Enzymatic and Proteomic Analysis of Panus lecomtei during Biodegradation of Gossypol in Cottonseed. Journal of Fungi (2024).
- Biodegradation of Gossypol by Aspergillus terreus-YJ01. Microorganisms (2023).
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