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Frontiers in Plant Science 2021Flesh firmness of watermelon is an important quality trait for commercial fruit values, including fruit storability, transportability, and shelf life. To date, knowledge...
Flesh firmness of watermelon is an important quality trait for commercial fruit values, including fruit storability, transportability, and shelf life. To date, knowledge of the gene networks underlying this trait is still limited. Herein, we used weighted genes co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) based on correlation and the association of phenotypic data (cell wall contents) with significantly differentially expressed genes between two materials, a near isogeneic line "HWF" (with high average flesh firmness) and inbred line "203Z" (with low average flesh firmness), to identify the gene networks responsible for changes in fruit flesh firmness. We identified three gene modules harboring 354 genes; these gene modules demonstrated significant correlation with water-soluble pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and protopectin. Based on intramodular significance, eight genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis and ethylene pathway are identified as hub genes within these modules. Among these genes, two genes, (Cellulose synthase) and (Pectinesterase), were significantly correlated with cellulose ( = 0.83) and protopectin ( = 0.81); three genes, (ERF1), (Cellulose synthase), and (Galactosyltransferase), had a significant correlation with water-soluble pectin ( = 0.91), cellulose ( = 0.9), and protopectin ( = 0.92); and three genes, (ERF2a), (probable glycosyltransferase), and (Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase), were correlated with hemicellulose ( = 0.85), cellulose ( = 0.8), and protopectin ( = 0.8). This study generated important insights of biosynthesis of a cell wall structure and ethylene signaling transduction pathway, the mechanism controlling the flesh firmness changes in watermelon, which provide a significant source to accelerate future functional analysis in watermelon to facilitate crop improvement.
PubMed: 34239519
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.630243 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2022(T.T. Herbert) M.E. Barr is a major fungal phytopathogen that causes blast disease in cereals, resulting in economic losses worldwide. An in-depth understanding of the...
(T.T. Herbert) M.E. Barr is a major fungal phytopathogen that causes blast disease in cereals, resulting in economic losses worldwide. An in-depth understanding of the basis of virulence and ecological adaptation of is vital for devising effective disease management strategies. Here, we aimed to determine the genomic basis of the pathogenicity and underlying biochemical pathways in using the genome sequence of a pearl millet-infecting PMg_Dl generated by dual NGS techniques, Illumina NextSeq 500 and PacBio RS II. The short and long nucleotide reads could be draft assembled in 341 contigs and showed a genome size of 47.89 Mb with the N50 value of 765.4 Kb. PMg_Dl showed an average nucleotide identity (ANI) of 86% and 98% with and , respectively. The gene-calling method revealed a total of 10,218 genes and 10,184 protein-coding sequences in the genome of PMg_Dl. InterProScan of predicted protein showed a distinct 3637 protein families and 695 superfamilies in the PMg_Dl genome. virulence analysis revealed the presence of 51VFs and 539 CAZymes in the genome. The genomic regions for the biosynthesis of cellulolytic endo-glucanase and beta-glucosidase, as well as pectinolytic endo-polygalacturonase, pectin-esterase, and pectate-lyases (pectinolytic) were detected. Signaling pathways modulated by MAPK, PI3K-Akt, AMPK, and mTOR were also deciphered. Multicopy sequences suggestive of transposable elements such as Type LTR, LTR/Copia, LTR/Gypsy, DNA/TcMar-Fot1, and Type LINE were recorded. The genomic resource presented here will be of use in the development of molecular marker and diagnosis, population genetics, disease management, and molecular taxonomy, and also provide a genomic reference for ascomycetous genome investigations in the future.
PubMed: 35736098
DOI: 10.3390/jof8060614 -
A Guide to Elucidate the Hidden Multicomponent Layered Structure of Plant Cuticles by Raman Imaging.Frontiers in Plant Science 2021The cuticle covers almost all plant organs as the outermost layer and serves as a transpiration barrier, sunscreen, and first line of defense against pathogens. Waxes,...
The cuticle covers almost all plant organs as the outermost layer and serves as a transpiration barrier, sunscreen, and first line of defense against pathogens. Waxes, fatty acids, and aromatic components build chemically and structurally diverse layers with different functionality. So far, electron microscopy has elucidated structure, while isolation, extraction, and analysis procedures have revealed chemistry. With this method paper, we close the missing link by demonstrating how Raman microscopy gives detailed information about chemistry and structure of the native cuticle on the microscale. We introduce an optimized experimental workflow, covering the whole process of sample preparation, Raman imaging experiment, data analysis, and interpretation and show the versatility of the approach on cuticles of a spruce needle, a tomato peel, and an Arabidopsis stem. We include laser polarization experiments to deduce the orientation of molecules and multivariate data analysis to separate cuticle layers and verify their molecular composition. Based on the three investigated cuticles, we discuss the chemical and structural diversity and validate our findings by comparing models based on our spectroscopic data with the current view of the cuticle. We amend the model by adding the distribution of cinnamic acids and flavonoids within the cuticle layers and their transition to the epidermal layer. Raman imaging proves as a non-destructive and fast approach to assess the chemical and structural variability in space and time. It might become a valuable tool to tackle knowledge gaps in plant cuticle research.
PubMed: 34975980
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.793330 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2020This study aimed to identify and quantify the chemical composition and polyphenolic profile of 19 cultivars of Chaenomeles × superba, a, and by liquid chromatography...
ABTS On-Line Antioxidant, α-Amylase, α-Glucosidase, Pancreatic Lipase, Acetyl- and Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibition Activity of Fruits Determined by Polyphenols and other Chemical Compounds.
This study aimed to identify and quantify the chemical composition and polyphenolic profile of 19 cultivars of Chaenomeles × superba, a, and by liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector and quadrupole time-of-flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-PDA-QTOF-ESI-MS). Antioxidant (ABTS on-line, ABTS, FRAP, and ORAC), as well as in vitro biological activities, i.e., the ability to inhibit α-amylase, α-glucosidase, pancreatic lipase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), and 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) were determined. Most of the species and cultivars analyzed in this study have not been examined in this respect until now. Fruits contained 30.26 to 195.05 mg of vitamin C, 0.65 to 1.69 g of pectin, 0.32 to 0.64 g of ash, 0.60 to 3.98 g of sugars, and 41.64 to 110.31 g of organic acids in 100 g fresh weight. The lowest content of total polyphenols showed 'Rubra' (57.84 g/kg dry weight, dw) while × 'Nicoline' (170.38 g/kg dw) exhibited the highest concentration of those compounds. In the phenolic compounds, polymeric procyanidin fraction predominated (65%) with procyanidin B2, C1, and (-)-epicatechin the most abundant. The antioxidant capacity measured by ABTS assay was mainly formed by polymeric procyanidins and flavan-3-ols, which was confirmed by ABTS on-line profiling. Chaenomeles fruits showed high potential for inhibition of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase. The analyzed cultivars displayed greater potential for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition than for butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). The data indicate that Chaenomeles fruits could be regarded as a promising source of bioactive functional food.
PubMed: 31936619
DOI: 10.3390/antiox9010060 -
Polymers Aug 2023Prospective adjuvant anticancer therapy development includes the establishing of drug delivery systems based on biocompatible and biodegradable carriers. We have...
Prospective adjuvant anticancer therapy development includes the establishing of drug delivery systems based on biocompatible and biodegradable carriers. We have designed films and nanoparticles (NPs) based on low-esterified pectin hydrogel using the ionic gelation method. We investigated morphology, nanomechanical properties, biocompatibility and anticancer activity. Hydrogel films are characterized by tunable viscoelastic properties and surface nanoarchitectonics through pectin concentration and esterification degree (DE), expressed in variable pore frequency and diameter. An in vitro study showed a significant reduction in metabolic activity and the proliferation of the U87MG human glioblastoma cell line, probably affected via the adhesion mechanism. Glioma cells formed neurosphere-like conglomerates with a small number of neurites when cultured on fully de-esterified pectin films and they did not produce neurites on the films prepared on 50% esterified pectin. Pectin NPs were examined in terms of size distribution and nanomechanical properties. The NPs' shapes were proved spherical with a mean diameter varying in the range of 90-115 nm, and a negative zeta potential from -8.30 to -7.86 mV, which indicated their stability. The NPs did not demonstrate toxic effect on cells or metabolism inhibition, indicating good biocompatibility. Nanostructured biomaterials prepared on low-esterified pectins could be of interest for biomedical applications in adjuvant anticancer therapy and for designing drug delivery systems.
PubMed: 37571174
DOI: 10.3390/polym15153280 -
Precision Clinical Medicine Jun 2020Increasing resistance to antibiotics has ledthat molecular testing is appropriate as a sub to adoption of seven different bismuth quadruple therapies (BQT) in China...
Increasing resistance to antibiotics has ledthat molecular testing is appropriate as a sub to adoption of seven different bismuth quadruple therapies (BQT) in China without differentiation of first-line or second-line regimens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of susceptibility-guided BQT for patients who had experienced previous treatment failures. A total of 133 patients was included and was successfully cultured from 101 patients (75.9%) for subsequent antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Based on the AST results, 88 patients completed one of five AST-guided 14-day BQT regimens: esomeprazole and bismuth colloidal pectin, along with either, amoxicillin and clarithromycin (EBAC), amoxicillin and levofloxacin (EBAL), amoxicillin and furazolidone (EBAF), amoxicillin and tetracycline (EBAT), or tetracycline and furazolidone (EBTF). eradication rates were 100% for EBAC (5/5), EBAL (13/13), EBAF (14/14), and EBTF (43/43), but 76.9% for EBAT (10/13). The three patients that failed the EBAT regimen were all cured after subsequent treatment with the EBTF regimen. Our study demonstrates the excellent efficacy of the AST-guided BQT for referred patients, and that the current EBAT regimen, used in clinics, needs to be optimized. In addition, 57 of the isolates were subjected to whole-genome sequencing. Analysis of the sequences revealed that point mutations in 23S rRNA correlated well with the phenotypic clarithromycin resistance with a concordance of 91.2%, while the concordance between phenotypic levofloxacin resistance and point mutations was 82.3%. This suggests that molecular testing is appropriate as a substitute for AST as a more rapid and cost-effective method for determining clarithromycin and levofloxacin resistance in Chinese patients.
PubMed: 35692608
DOI: 10.1093/pcmedi/pbaa010 -
International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2023The need for prehospital hemostatic dressings that exert an antibacterial effect is of interest for prolonged field care. Here, we consider a series of antibacterial and...
The need for prehospital hemostatic dressings that exert an antibacterial effect is of interest for prolonged field care. Here, we consider a series of antibacterial and zeolite formulary treatment approaches applied to a cotton-based dressing. The design of the fabric formulations was based on the hemostatic dressing TACGauze with zeolite Y incorporated as a procoagulant with calcium and pectin to facilitate fiber adherence utilizing silver nanoparticles, and cellulose-crosslinked ascorbic acid to confer antibacterial activity. Infra-red spectra were employed to characterize the chemical modifications on the dressings. Contact angle measurements were employed to document the surface hydrophobicity of the cotton fabric which plays a role in the contact activation of the coagulation cascade. Ammonium Y zeolite-treated dressings initiated fibrin equal to the accepted standard hemorrhage control dressing and showed similar improvement with antibacterial finishes. The antibacterial activity of cotton-based technology utilizing both citrate-linked ascorbate-cellulose conjugate analogs and silver nanoparticle-embedded cotton fibers was observed against and at a level of 99.99 percent in the AATCC 100 assay. The hydrogen peroxide levels of the ascorbic acid-based fabrics, measured over a time period from zero up to forty-eight hours, were in line with the antibacterial activities.
Topics: Silver; Metal Nanoparticles; Zeolites; Hemostatics; Ascorbic Acid; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cotton Fiber; Bandages; Cellulose
PubMed: 38069435
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317115 -
Food Chemistry Jun 2018Tubers from a genetically modified high-amylose line T-2012 and its parental potato cultivar Dinamo were analyzed for resistant starch (RS) and dietary fiber (DF) after...
Tubers from a genetically modified high-amylose line T-2012 and its parental potato cultivar Dinamo were analyzed for resistant starch (RS) and dietary fiber (DF) after cooking and cold storage. For uncooked potatoes, the high-amylose tubers (30% of dry matter, DM) had much lower RS than the parent tubers (56% of DM). However, after cooking, the high-amylose tubers gave more RS (13% of DM) than the parent (4% of DM), and the RS level increased further to about 20% of DM after 1 day of cold storage. The altered RS content was attributable to changes in amylose content, starch granule structure, and amylopectin structure induced by the genetic modification. The high-amylose tubers also contained more DF (10-14% of DM) than the parent (5-7% of DM). Furthermore, cell wall composition was indirectly affected by the genetic modification, giving more cellulose and less pectin in the high-amylose tubers than the parent.
Topics: Amylopectin; Amylose; Cell Wall; Cooking; Dietary Fiber; Pectins; Plant Tubers; Plants, Genetically Modified; Solanum tuberosum; Starch
PubMed: 29426424
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.01.028 -
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Jun 2022Polysaccharides from wampee have been reported to process various biological activities, while the relationship between structure and bioactivities has been barely...
BACKGROUND
Polysaccharides from wampee have been reported to process various biological activities, while the relationship between structure and bioactivities has been barely addressed. Pectin, an abundant water-soluble polysaccharide in wampee, showed significant antioxidant activity, which was associated with the anti-melanogenic activity. Therefore, this study investigated the physicochemical characteristics and the anti-melanogenesis effect of pectin extracted from wampee fruit in A375 cells.
METHODS
The physicochemical characterization of pectin from wampee fruit was investigated by gel chromatography (GCP), FT-IR spectroscopy, and NMR spectroscopy methods. The anti-melanogenesis effects and mechanism were evaluated by mushroom tyrosine enzyme and human melanin cell model in vitro.
RESULTS
The results showed that a molecular weight of 5.271 × 10 Da wampee fruit pectin (WFP) were mainly composed of mannose (Man), ribose (Rib), rhamnose (Rha), glucuronic acid (Glc A), glucose (Glc), galacturonic acid (Gal A), galactose (Gal), and arabinose (Ara), which linked with →4)-β-D-Galp-(1 → units. The current study revealed that WFP could significantly suppress mushroom TRY activity in vitro. Furtherly, WFP significantly reduced intracellular and extracellular melanin formation in A375 melanoma cells depending on the presence of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH). TRY activity was only inhibited in α-MSH treated A375 cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated that WFP reverse α-MSH induced melanogenesis in A375 melanoma cells, including in down-regulated TRY, TYRP-1, TYRP-2, MITF and CREB expressions.
CONCLUSION
These results indicated that WFP could inhibit α-MSH induced melanogenesis in A375 melanoma cells via α-MSH/TRY pathway. In conclusion, these data provided a new perspective to annotate WFP anti-melanogenesis activity mechanism.
Topics: Cell Line, Tumor; Fruit; Humans; Melanins; Melanoma; Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; Monophenol Monooxygenase; Pectins; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; alpha-MSH
PubMed: 35752787
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-022-03646-6 -
Food Chemistry Sep 2023The main by-product from olive oil extraction (alperujo) was extracted with hot water, citric acid, natural deep eutectic solvent (choline chloride: citric acid), and...
The main by-product from olive oil extraction (alperujo) was extracted with hot water, citric acid, natural deep eutectic solvent (choline chloride: citric acid), and only choline chloride. The purified extracts were composed of macromolecular complexes constituting polyphenols associated with pectin. The extracts were structurally characterized by FT-IR and solid-NMR spectroscopy and an in vitro test revealed distinct antioxidant and antiproliferative activity, depending on the extracting agents. The choline chloride-extracted complex contained the highest amount of polyphenols among the examined agents, which exhibited a strong antioxidant activity and significant antiproliferative capacity. However, the complex extracted by hot water showed the highest antiproliferative capacity in vitro against the colon carcinoma Caco-2 cell line. In this finding, choline chloride could be used as a novel, green and promising alternative to the conventional extracting agent for the production of complexes that combine the antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds and the physiological effects of pectic polysaccharides.
Topics: Humans; Polyphenols; Pectins; Plant Extracts; Choline; Olea; Antioxidants; Caco-2 Cells; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Solvents; Water; Citric Acid
PubMed: 37030208
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136073