Mannose-based polymers in livestock production. 1. Focus on biochemical structures in feed and biological properties

Abstract

Mannose-based polysaccharides are widespread in the living world. From one organism to another, the length of the mannose backbone, the type of linkages between the sugars, the composition and the length of the ramifications are extremely variable and give these polymers different biological properties. Beyond their structural role or as water keeper molecules in plants, they participate in the glycosylation of proteins and are involved in ligand-receptor interaction. Some highly preserved viral or bacterial mannose polymers are thus, in the higher animals, recognized very quickly by the host, which defends itself by initiating a non-specific response, known as “innate immune response”. Rather connected by α-bonds in viruses, bacteria and yeasts, mannose units are connected by β-bonds in the higher plants. These β-mannans are found in all plant products, in particularly high level in some families (palm kernel, guar, coprah) and derivated by-products used in animal feeds. Their anti-nutritional properties observed in pigs and poultry are mainly explained by the appearance of intestinal inflammation inducing performance declines, reduced food efficiency and increased energy expenditure on maintenance related to the immune system activity.