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Journal of Applied Glycoscience 2024Super Ohtaka, a fermented beverage of plant extracts, is prepared from approximately 50 kinds of fruits and vegetables. Natural fermentation is mainly performed by...
Super Ohtaka, a fermented beverage of plant extracts, is prepared from approximately 50 kinds of fruits and vegetables. Natural fermentation is mainly performed by lactic acid bacteria ( spp.) and yeast ( spp.). Four water-soluble polysaccharide fractions were obtained from Super Ohtaka by dialysis, ion exchange chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography; these fractions were designated as OEP1-1, OEP1-2, OEP2, and OEP3. OEP1-1 is a polysaccharide composed solely of glucose. The other fractions contained polysaccharides composed of glucose, galactose, mannose, and a small amount of arabinose. OEP2 and OEP3 contained phosphorus, which was not detected in OEP1-1 and OEP1-2. Furthermore, the immunomodulatory activity of the polysaccharides was investigated in murine macrophage cell lines. OEP2 and OEP3 significantly induced nitric oxide (NO) secretion by macrophages in a dose-dependent manner (concentration range of 4 to 100 µg/mL). When the concentration of OEP3 was 100 µg/mL, NO production was almost identical to lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 ng/mL) used as a positive control. Notably, OEP3 induced NO secretion more strongly than OEP2. This trend was also observed for TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12 p40 secretion. Overall, our studies on polysaccharides isolated from Super Ohtaka suggest that the fermented beverage stimulates macrophages and activates the immune system.
PubMed: 38863952
DOI: 10.5458/jag.jag.JAG-2023_0012 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2024In this study, the polysaccharides (PCPs) were heteropolysaccharides with molecular weights of 63.17 kDa and 8.99 kDa, and their total carbohydrate content was...
In this study, the polysaccharides (PCPs) were heteropolysaccharides with molecular weights of 63.17 kDa and 8.99 kDa, and their total carbohydrate content was 76.17 ± 0.23%, uronic acid content was 19.92 ± 0.42%, and protein content was 1.24 ± 0.07%. PCP is composed of arabinose, galactose, glucose, and glucuronic acid, with a molar ratio of 0.196:0.249:0.451:0.104. In addition, we further investigated the effects of the diet supplemented with different doses of PCP on growth performance, meat quality, and anti-oxidant capacity in Chongren Partridge chickens. A total of 200 chickens were randomly allocated into 4 treatments, and fed with a basal diet of 0 (CON), 200 (LPCP), 400 (MPCP), and 800 (HPCP) mg/kg PCP for a 14-day prefeeding period and a formal experimental period of 56 days. Results showed that dietary PCP significantly increased final body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and decreased feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) from days 1 to 56. Meanwhile, dietary PCP reduced yellowness (b) values and increased redness (a) values at 24 h in breast muscles ( < 0.05). Furthermore, LPCP and MPCP significantly increased the level of guanylic acid (GMP) ( < 0.05). MPCP increased the content of free amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, valine, alanine, glutamic acid, serine, cysteine), total essential amino acid (EAA), total flavor amino acid (FAA), total AA, the content of fatty acids (c14:1, c16:1, and c22:2), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in the breast muscle when compared to CON ( < 0.05). In addition, MPCP significantly reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the transcript abundances of fatty acid desaturase 2 (), fatty acid synthase (), lipoprotein lipase (), and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 () in the breast muscles of the chickens ( < 0.05). In light of the aforementioned results, PCP at 400 mg/kg could be used as an effective additive because it not only promotes the growth performance of Chongren Partridge chickens but also shows a conducive role in meat quality, especially in meat flavor.
PubMed: 38863448
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1381188 -
International Journal of Biological... Jun 2024To explore the adjuvant therapy drugs of low-dose metformin, one homogeneous polysaccharide named APS-D1 was purified from Astragalus membranaceus by DEAE-52 cellulose...
To explore the adjuvant therapy drugs of low-dose metformin, one homogeneous polysaccharide named APS-D1 was purified from Astragalus membranaceus by DEAE-52 cellulose and Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. Its chemical structure was characterized by molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide composition, infrared spectrum, methylation analysis, and NMR. The results revealed that APS-D1 (7.36 kDa) consisted of glucose, galactose, and arabinose (97.51 %:1.56 %:0.93 %). It consisted of →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ residue backbone with →3)-β-D-Galp-(1→ residue and terminal-α/β-D-Glcp-(1→ side chains. APS-D1 could significantly improve inflammation (TNF-α, LPS, and IL-10) in vivo. Moreover, APS-D1 improved the curative effect of low-dose metformin without adverse events. APS-D1 combined with low-dose metformin regulated several gut bacteria, in which APS-D1 enriched Staphylococcus lentus to produce l-carnitine (one of 136 metabolites of S. lentus). S. lentus and l-carnitine could improve diabetes, and reduction of S. lentusl-carnitine production impaired diabetes improvement. The combination, S. lentus, and l-carnitine could promote fatty acid oxidation (CPT1) and inhibit gluconeogenesis (PCK and G6Pase). The results indicated that APS-D1 enhanced the curative effect of low-dose metformin to improve diabetes by enriching S. lentus, in which the effect of S. lentus was mediated by l-carnitine. Collectively, these findings support that low-dose metformin supplemented with APS-D1 may be a favorable therapeutic strategy for type 2 diabetes.
Topics: Metformin; Animals; Polysaccharides; Staphylococcus; Mice; Astragalus Plant; Male; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Hypoglycemic Agents; Molecular Weight
PubMed: 38834117
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132860 -
A syrup containing L-arabinose and D-xylose appears superior to PEG-4000 as a bowel cleansing agent.AMB Express Jun 2024Adequate bowel cleansing is crucial for endoscopic diagnosis and treatment, and the recovery of gut microbiota after intestinal cleansing is also important. A hypertonic...
Adequate bowel cleansing is crucial for endoscopic diagnosis and treatment, and the recovery of gut microbiota after intestinal cleansing is also important. A hypertonic syrup predominantly comprising L-arabinose and D-xylose (20% xylo-oligosaccharides) can be extracted from the hemicellulose of corn husks and cobs. L-Arabinose and xylo-oligosaccharides have been reported to relieve constipation and improve the gut microbial environment. This study evaluated the bowel cleansing effect of the aforementioned syrup and its influence on the organism and intestinal microbiota after cleansing in comparison with polyethylene glycol-4000 (PEG-4000) in mice. Bowel cleansing was performed using syrup or PEG-4000 in C57BL/6J mice, and the effect of intestinal preparation and its influence on serum electrolytes and gut microbiota after bowel cleansing were evaluated. The volume of intestinal residual feces in the syrup group was significantly lower than that in the PEG-4000 group. Additionally, syrup disturbed serum electrolytes more mildly than PEG-4000. Alpha diversity in the gut microbiota was significantly higher in the syrup group than in the PEG-4000 group on the first day after bowel cleansing. However, no difference in beta diversity was observed between the two groups. Syrup increased the abundance of Bifidobacteria and Christensenella and decreased the abundance of Akkermansia in comparison with PEG-4000 on the first day after bowel cleansing. Thus, this syrup has potential clinical use as a bowel cleansing agent given the above effects, its benefits and safety, and better taste and acceptability.
PubMed: 38824272
DOI: 10.1186/s13568-024-01715-2 -
Biotech (Basel (Switzerland)) May 2024The enzymatic hydrolysis of agricultural residues like wheat bran enables the valorization of otherwise unused carbon sources for biotechnological processes. The...
The enzymatic hydrolysis of agricultural residues like wheat bran enables the valorization of otherwise unused carbon sources for biotechnological processes. The co-culture of and with wheat bran particles as substrate produces an enzyme set consisting of xylanases, amylases, and cellulases that is suitable to degrade lignocellulosic biomass to sugar monomers (D-glucose, D-xylose, and L-arabinose). An integrated one-pot process for enzyme production followed by hydrolysis in stirred tank bioreactors resulted in hydrolysates with overall sugar concentrations of 32.3 g L and 24.4 g L at a 25 L and a 1000 L scale, respectively, within 86 h. Furthermore, the residual solid biomass consisting of fermented wheat bran with protein-rich fungal mycelium displays improved nutritional properties for usage as animal feed due to its increased content of sugars, protein, and fat.
PubMed: 38804297
DOI: 10.3390/biotech13020015 -
Nature Communications May 2024Virulence and metabolism are often interlinked to control the expression of essential colonisation factors in response to host-associated signals. Here, we identified an...
Virulence and metabolism are often interlinked to control the expression of essential colonisation factors in response to host-associated signals. Here, we identified an uncharacterised transporter of the dietary monosaccharide ʟ-arabinose that is widely encoded by the zoonotic pathogen enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), required for full competitive fitness in the mouse gut and highly expressed during human infection. Discovery of this transporter suggested that EHEC strains have an enhanced ability to scavenge ʟ-arabinose and therefore prompted us to investigate the impact of this nutrient on pathogenesis. Accordingly, we discovered that ʟ-arabinose enhances expression of the EHEC type 3 secretion system, increasing its ability to colonise host cells, and that the underlying mechanism is dependent on products of its catabolism rather than the sensing of ʟ-arabinose as a signal. Furthermore, using the murine pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, we show that ʟ-arabinose metabolism provides a fitness benefit during infection via virulence factor regulation, as opposed to supporting pathogen growth. Finally, we show that this mechanism is not restricted to ʟ-arabinose and extends to other pentose sugars with a similar metabolic fate. This work highlights the importance integrating central metabolism with virulence regulation in order to maximise competitive fitness of enteric pathogens within the host-niche.
Topics: Arabinose; Animals; Mice; Citrobacter rodentium; Humans; Virulence; Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Virulence Factors; Enterobacteriaceae Infections; Escherichia coli Proteins; Type III Secretion Systems; Escherichia coli Infections; Female
PubMed: 38796512
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48933-7 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024With the escalating demand for Astragalus polysaccharides products developed from Radix Astragali (RA), the necessity for quality control of polysaccharides in RA has...
With the escalating demand for Astragalus polysaccharides products developed from Radix Astragali (RA), the necessity for quality control of polysaccharides in RA has become increasingly urgent. In this study, a specific method for the simultaneous determination of seven monosaccharides in polysaccharides extracted from Radix Astragali (RA) has been developed and validated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography equipped with an ultraviolet detector (UHPLC-UV) for the first time. The 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) derivatizations were separated on a C18 column (Waters ACQUITY, Milfor, MA, USA, 1.8 µm, 2.1 × 100 mm) using gradient elution with a binary system of 5 mm ammonium formate (0.1% formic acid)-acetonitrile for 24 min. Additionally, seven monosaccharides showed good linear relationships (R, 0.9971-0.9995), adequate precision (RSD < 4.21%), and high recoveries (RSD < 4.70%). The established method was used to analyze 109 batches of RA. Results showed that the Astragalus polysaccharides (APSs) mainly consist of mannose (Man), rhamnose (Rha), glucose (Glu), galactose (Gal), arabinose (Ara), xylose (Xyl); and fucose (Fuc); however, their composition was different among RA samples from different growth patterns, species, growth years, and origins, and the growth mode of RA and the age of wild-simulated RA can be accurately distinguished by principal component analysis (PCA). In addition, the immunological activity of APSs were also evaluated jointly by measurement of the NO release with RAW264.7, with the results showing that APSs have a promoting effect on the release of NO and exhibit a significant correlation with Man, Glu, Xyl, and Fuc contents. Accordingly, the new established monosaccharides analytical method and APS-immune activity determination in this study can provide a reference for quality evaluation and the establishment of quality standards for RA.
Topics: Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Monosaccharides; Polysaccharides; Astragalus propinquus; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Mice; Animals; RAW 264.7 Cells; Astragalus Plant; Immunologic Factors
PubMed: 38792148
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29102287 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Functional microexons have not previously been described in filamentous fungi. Here, we describe a novel mechanism of transcriptional regulation in requiring the...
Functional microexons have not previously been described in filamentous fungi. Here, we describe a novel mechanism of transcriptional regulation in requiring the inclusion of a microexon from the gene. In low-glucose environments, a long mRNA including the microexon encodes a protein with a GAL4-like DNA-binding domain (Xlr2-α), whereas in high-glucose environments, a short mRNA that is produced encodes a protein lacking this DNA-binding domain (Xlr2-β). Interestingly, the protein isoforms differ in their impact on cellulase and xylanase activity. Deleting the gene reduced both xylanase and cellulase activity and growth on different carbon sources, such as carboxymethylcellulose, xylan, glucose, and arabinose. The overexpression of either or in showed that the short isoform (Xlr2-β) caused higher xylanase activity than the wild types or the long isoform (Xlr2-α). Conversely, cellulase activity did not increase when overexpressing but was increased with the overexpression of . This is the first report of a novel transcriptional regulation mechanism of plant-cell-wall-degrading enzyme activity in This involves the differential expression of a microexon from a gene encoding a transcriptional regulator.
Topics: Fungal Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; Trichoderma; Cellulases; Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases; Cell Wall; Sugars
PubMed: 38791210
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105172 -
Systematic and Applied Microbiology May 2024A novel anaerobic, thermophilic bacterium of the class Atribacteria, strain M15, was isolated from a high-temperature gas reservoir, Japan. Cells of strain M15 were...
Atrimonas thermophila gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel anaerobic thermophilic bacterium of the phylum Atribacterota isolated from deep subsurface gas field and proposal of Atrimonadaceae fam. nov. within the class Atribacteria in the phylum Atribacterota.
A novel anaerobic, thermophilic bacterium of the class Atribacteria, strain M15, was isolated from a high-temperature gas reservoir, Japan. Cells of strain M15 were gram-negative, short oval-shaped, and lacked flagella. Growth occurred at 45-75 °C (optimum 70-75 °C) and pH 6.5-8.5 (optimum pH 7.5-8.0) and was fast under optimal conditions (doubling time 11.4 h). Yeast extract was required for growth. Fermentative growth with glucose, arabinose, xylose, and cellobiose was observed. The major fermentative end products of glucose were acetate and hydrogen. The major cellular fatty acids were C, iso-C, and C. The genomic G + C content was 46.0 mol%. Fluorescence and electron microscopy observations revealed the intracellular localization of genomic DNA surrounded by a membrane in the cells of strain M15 as reported in a sole validly described species of the class Atribacteria in the phylum Atribacterota, Atribacter laminatus strain RT761, suggesting that the unique morphological traits are widely shared in this class. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that strain M15 belongs to a distinct family-level lineage in the class Atribacteria and shows low similarities to Atribacter laminatus strain RT761 (16S rRNA gene sequence identity of 90.1 %, average nucleotide identity [ANI] of 66.1 %, average amino acid identity [AAI] of 55.8 %). Phenotypic traits of strain M15 (thermophilic, fast-growing, relatively high G + C content, etc.) were clearly distinct from A. laminatus. Based on these phenotypic and genomic properties, we propose a novel genus and species, Atrimonas thermophila gen. nov., sp. nov. for strain M15 (=JCM39389, =KCTC25731) representing a novel family Atrimonadaceae fam., nov. in the class Atribacteria.
PubMed: 38776610
DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2024.126515 -
ISME Communications Jan 2024Iron fortification to prevent anemia in African infants increases colonic iron levels, favoring the growth of enteropathogens. The use of prebiotics may be an effective...
Iron fortification to prevent anemia in African infants increases colonic iron levels, favoring the growth of enteropathogens. The use of prebiotics may be an effective strategy to reduce these detrimental effects. Using the African infant PolyFermS gut model, we compared the effect of the prebiotics short-chain galacto- with long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scGOS/lcFOS) and native inulin, and the emerging prebiotic acacia gum, a branched-polysaccharide-protein complex consisting of arabinose and galactose, during iron supplementation on four Kenyan infant gut microbiota. Iron supplementation did not alter the microbiota but promoted in one microbiota. The prebiotic effect of scGOS/lcFOS and inulin was confirmed during iron supplementation in all investigated Kenyan infant gut microbiota, leading to higher abundance of bifidobacteria, increased production of acetate, propionate, and butyrate, and a significant shift in microbiota composition compared to non-supplemented microbiota. The abundance of the pathogens and was also inhibited upon addition of the prebiotic fibers. Acacia gum had no effect on any of the microbiota. In conclusion, scGOS/lcFOS and inulin, but not acacia gum, showed a donor-independent strong prebiotic potential in Kenyan infant gut microbiota. This study demonstrates the relevance of comparing fibers prior to clinical studies.
PubMed: 38774131
DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae033