Cereal β-glucans in diet and health

The native mixed linkage β-glucan of cereals is classified as a soluble dietary fibre, with rheological properties generally similar to guar gum and other random coil polysaccharides. The ability of oat and barley products to attenuate postprandial glycemic and insulinemic response is related to content of (1→3)(1→4)-β-d-glucan (β-glucan) and viscosity. A role of viscosity of β-glucan has not been directly demonstrated for lowering of serum cholesterol levels, and not all studies report a statistically significant lowering. The wide range of effectiveness reported may partially be explained by the properties of the β-glucan in the diets used, as well as the dose.     

Variability in essential oil and bioactive chiral monoterpenoid compositions of Indian oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) populations from northwestern Himalaya and their chemotaxonomy

The chemical composition of essential oils isolated from aerial parts of native populations of Origanum vulgare L. from northwestern Himalaya was investigated by enantioselective gas chromatography (enantio-GC), capillary-gas chromatography (capillary-GC) and GC–MS. Seventy compounds, which accounted for 84.9–97% of the oil composition, have been identified. The oils were allotted to two main groups; the first group had a high percentage of components belonging to the thymol/carvacrol biosynthetic pathway and the second was characterized by a different sesquiterpene composition and a high linalool and bornyl acetate percentage. Essential oils of O. vulgare populations from Rilkot and Dhanachuli areas in northwestern Himalaya were characterized by high monoterpenoids proportions as compared to Nainital and Bhowali populations, which were dominated by sesquiterpenoids. High proportions of thymol (29.2–82%) were found only in two populations. Composition of the samples collected from Dhanachuli area differed from Nainital and Bhowali collections by a unique presence of carvacrol. Notably, there were significant differences in the concentration of rest of the terpenes in all the collections. On enantio-GC, enantiomeric excess for (3R) (−)- and (3S) (+)-linalool, (S) (+)- and (R) (−)-terpinen-4-ol, (S) (−)- and (R) (+)-α-terpineol, (1S) (−)-bornyl acetate and (1S) (−)-borneol were established in populations from Bhowali and Dhanachuli area. Moreover, linalool type oregano may be useful in promoting wider commercial utilization of the biodiversity of this species.     

Composition and physical properties of cress (Lepidium sativum L.) and field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) oils

The fatty acid profiles and tocopherol and phytosterol contents of crude oils of cress (Lepidium sativum L.) and field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) are reported, along with yields from the corresponding seeds. The physical properties of these oils were also determined, which included oxidative stability, kinematic viscosity, viscosity index, low temperature fluidity, specific gravity, acid value, lubricity, and iodine value. The oil content of dried cress and field pennycress seeds was 22.7 and 29.0 wt%, respectively. The primary fatty acids found in cress oil were oleic (30.6 wt%) and linolenic acids (29.3 wt%), whereas field pennycress oil was principally composed of erucic (32.8 wt%) and linoleic (22.4 wt%) acids. Cress oil contained high concentrations of γ- (1422 ppm) and δ- (356 ppm) tocopherols, whereas α-tocopherol (714 ppm) was the primary tocopherol discovered in field pennycress oil. The overall tocopherol concentrations of cress and field pennycress oils were 1799 and 851 ppm, respectively. The primary phytosterols elucidated in cress and field pennycress oils were sitosterol and campesterol, with avenasterol also present in significant quantity in cress oil. The total phytosterol concentration in cress oil (14.41 mg/g) was greater than that in field pennycress (8.55 mg/g) oil. Field pennycress oil exhibited excellent low temperature fluidity, whereas cress oil was more stable to oxidation and over a range of temperatures displayed lower kinematic viscosities as well as a higher viscosity index. The acid and iodine values of field pennycress oil were lower than those for cress oil, but both oils had excellent lubrication properties.     

小麦BES1转录因子基因 TaBEH3的克隆及表达分析

BES1(油菜素内酯不敏感1-甲磺酸乙酯-抑制剂1)是一类植物特有的转录因子家族, TaBEH3基因是小麦 BES1基因家族成员之一,为进一步了解该基因的功能,以中国春为材料,克隆了 TaBEH3基因,将其3个同源基因分别命名为 TaBEH3-A、 TaBEH3-B和 TaBEH3-D。序列分析显示,3个同源基因均包含2个外显子,分别编码356、354和358个氨基酸,启动子区含有大量与植物生长发育、激素响应相关的顺式作用元件,其中,分生组织表达元件（CAT-box）和脱落酸响应元件（ABRE）在3个基因中普遍存在。系统进化树分析显示, TaBEH3基因在麦类作物中具有更近的亲缘关系。基于qRT-PCR进行的时空表达分析显示, TaBEH3基因在不同组织和不同器官间均有组成性表达,表明 TaBEH3基因在植物生长发育（特别是花器官的发育和形成）过程中具有重要的作用。 TaBEH3-A、 TaBEH3-B和 TaBEH3-D基因响应ABA激素胁迫处理,且3个基因的表达量变化趋势一致。     

小麦木瓜类半胱氨酸蛋白酶基因TaRD21的克隆及赤霉病菌诱导下的表达分析

木瓜类半胱氨酸蛋白酶（PLCPs）作为一类重要的蛋白水解酶,在植物生长发育以及胁迫应答过程中都发挥着重要作用。本研究从抗、感赤霉病小麦品种差异表达基因谱中获得1个注释为RD21 Cysteine proteases的EST（表达序列标签）,以此序列检索小麦最新基因组数据库并设计引物,从小麦中克隆到3个基因,分别命名为TaRD21-2A、TaRD21-2B和TaRD21-2D,属于PLCPs RD21家族。序列分析表明,3个基因的开放阅读框长度分别为1 410、1 428和1 419 bp,分别编码469、475和472个氨基酸。序列比对发现,3个基因的序列相似性为89.3％,所编码蛋白的氨基酸序列相似性为95.6％。系统进化分析表明,TaRD21-2A、TaRD21-2B和TaRD21-2D蛋白的同源性较高,且与乌拉尔图小麦TuRD21A蛋白聚为一类。qRT-PCR分析表明,3个TaRD21基因均受水杨酸(SA)、乙烯利(ETH)以及赤霉病菌诱导表达;感病品种中,TaRD21-2A对SA和赤霉病菌的响应更迅速,且表达量较高;抗病品种中,TaRD21-2B和TaRD21-2D基因对ETH的响应更迅速。     

Atmospheric CO2 enrichment changes the wheat grain proteome

Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Triso) was grown in a free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) field experiment in order to gain information on CO₂-induced effects on grain composition and quality at maturity. A proteome analysis was performed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and protein identification was done with mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). In elevated CO₂ (526 μl l⁻¹), an increase of 13.5% in grain yield was observed relative to 375 μl l⁻¹ at a low level of significance (P = 0.528). Total grain protein concentration was decreased by 3.5% at a high level of statistical significance. Most importantly, a number of statistically significant changes within the grain proteome were observed, as the levels of 32 proteins were affected by elevated CO₂: 16 proteins were up-regulated and 16 were down-regulated. Our experiment demonstrates that high-CO₂ can markedly affect the proteome of mature wheat grain. The potential role of the proteins, changed in response to CO₂ enrichment, is discussed as some may affect grain quality. For the task of selecting cultivars resistant to CO₂-induced quality loss, we propose to consider the proteins affected by elevated CO₂ identified in this work here.     

玉米ZmCOL3pro217启动子的克隆及功能分析

ZmCOL3是玉米开花期光周期调控网络中一个重要的功能基因,研究发现自然群体中该基因的启动子存在遗传变异,推测这些变异可能参与玉米开花调控。研究从热带血缘玉米材料CIMBL119中克隆了ZmCOL3启动子,命名为ZmCOL3pro217。序列比对发现,该启动子序列与温带血缘玉米B73序列存在1个217 bp大片段置换。生物信息学分析表明,ZmCOL3pro217含有分生组织特异性、光响应、胁迫响应等多个顺势作用元件,预测ZmCOL3pro217可能具有组织特异性,并通过响应光和胁迫反应参与玉米开花调控。进一步构建ZmCOL3pro217驱动gus报告基因表达载体,转化玉米,实时荧光定量PCR、酶联免疫吸附剂测定、GUS组织化学染色等研究结果发现,转基因植株中ZmCOL3pro217驱动gus基因在根和叶器官中高表达,而在茎、花丝和子粒中几乎不表达,证实ZmCOL3pro217是1个新的组织特异性表达启动子。     

新疆杂草黑麦的光合特性分析及综合评价

为探究新疆杂草黑麦光合特性,筛选出高光效优异种质资源,对15个新疆杂草黑麦居群在开花期进行了光合参数的测定及分析。结果表明,新疆杂草黑麦居群间光合性状存在显著差异。通过主成分分析将5个光合性状简化为2个综合指标,分别反映光合能力和水分利用,可反映全部信息的88.67%。通过聚类分析将15个居群分为3大类,其中第Ⅲ大类的居群材料89R6、89R30、89R33、89R59、89R66的净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度和水分利用率均较高,其产量相关性状也表现较好,可作为麦类作物高光效种质加以利用。     

Detection of y-type Subunit at theGlu-A1Locus in Some Swedish Bread Wheat Lines

Electrophoretic and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RP–HPLC) analyses were performed on gluten proteins extracted from flours milled from two different Swedish bread wheat lines; these lines have been reported to possess a novel highM_rglutenin subunit controlled by a gene at theGlu-A1locus, referred to as 21*. Although RP–HPLC indicated that subunit 21* has a surface hydrophobocity similar to that of the commonly occurring allelic subunits 1 or 2*, it differs from them in isoelectric point, being more basic when analysed by two dimensional gel electrophoresis (IEF/SDS–PAGE). RP–HPLC separations of highM_rglutenin subunits showed the presence of an additional peak, the behaviour of which was similar to that of y-type subunits encoded by genes at theGlu-A1ylocus and present only in wild wheatsT. urartu(AA) orT. dicoccoides(AABB). Based on chromatographic results and on the tight linkage observed with subunit 21*, it is suggested that the additional component (indicated as 21*y), present in the breeding lines analysed, corresponds to the y-type subunit encoded at theGlu-A1locus. Genes encoding the subunits 21* and 21*y were also analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Contrary to what was observed for the polypeptide itself, the gene corresponding to subunit 21* was similar in size to that encoding subunit 2* and shorter than that corresponding to subunit 1. Moreover, the amplification product corresponding to the active 21*y gene was shorter than that of the allelic inactive gene present in the bread wheat cultivar Cheyenne. As reported for other highM_rglutenin subunits, gene size differences observed were due to a different length of the repetitive region. Because cultivated polyploid wheats have been shown to have only the x-type subunit at theGlu-A1locus, it is speculated that the new combination, with both x- and y-type subunits expressed, might have been introgressed during breeding processes from the wild wheat progenitorsT. urartuorT. dicoccoides, which have genotypes expressing both types of subunits.     

Differences in conformational stability of barley alpha-amylase isozymes 1 and 2. Role of charged groups and isozyme 2 specific salt-bridges

Barley alpha-amylase isozymes 1 (AMY1) and 2 (AMY2) have 80% sequence identity but possess different physico-chemical properties. By incubation in the range 37–85 °C T₅₀ is 75.2 °C of AMY1 and 79.2 °C of AMY2. While AMY2 is also most stable in urea at pH 6.7, [urea]₅₀ being 8.2 M compared to 7.9 M for AMY1, AMY1 has highest stability in urea below pH 6 or in the presence of NaCl. Moreover AMY1 is most stable in guanidinium chloride. Charge screening thus destabilises AMY2 but stabilises AMY1. Isozyme sequence comparison suggests that AMY1 lacks four of the 20 salt-bridges identified in the crystal structure of AMY2. The four residues that differ comprise Lys67_AMY2 and Asp267_AMY2, forming salt-bridges on the surface of the catalytic (β/α)₈-barrel (domain A), and Glu96_AMY2 and His344_AMY2 that participate in charged networks between domain A and the small domain B and the C-terminal domain, respectively. Four corresponding AMY2 mimics A68K; D97E; Q269D; N346H were made in AMY1 by site-directed mutagenesis. While D97E and Q269D have slightly improved stability compared to AMY1 wild-type, N346H and, under certain conditions, A68K are destabilised. The four mutants show 22–176% activity (k_cat/K_m) toward 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol β- -maltoheptaoside and amylose DP17 and 43–117% activity for insoluble starch.     

Influence of chemical and biological treatments on volatile oil composition of Artemisia annua Linn.

The relative abundance of isoprenoids and other volatile components in the aerial parts of Artemisia annua Linn. (Asteraceae) after different nutritional treatments was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Hydro-distillation of untreated (control) plants yielded 0.28 ± 0.04% essential oil on fresh weight basis. Monoterpenes were predominant in the essential oil of which cis-limonene-1,2-epoxide (22.1%), artemisia ketone (11.5%), iso-pinocamphone (11.4%), thujyl alcohol (9.9%) and camphor (8.4%) were the major components. The essential oil distilled from A. annua treated with Azospirillum (2 ml/plant) amounted to 0.30 ± 0.03% of fresh weight and consisted mainly of neral (31.1%), β-caryophyllene (25.1%), artemisia ketone (10.0%), thujyl alcohol (9.4%), trans-bergamotene (8.5%) and spathulenol (4.8%). The essential oil from plants treated with basal N, P, K and S application (in the form of urea P₂O₅, K₂O and gypsum at a rate of 120, 50, 100 and 50 kg/ha, respectively) amounted to 0.32 ± 0.03% of fresh weight and consisted mainly of thujyl alcohol (33.3%), β-caryophyllene (15.5%), cis-undec-5-ene (14.4%), artemisia ketone (6.0%), trans-nerolidol (5.8%) and undec-4-ene (4.6%). The hydrodistillation of A. annua treated with Glomus (Mycorrhizal soil 50 g/plant) yielded 0.50 ± 0.02% essential oil on fresh weight basis. The sesquiterpenes were predominant in this essential oil and consisted of β-caryophyllene (51.2%), trans-bergamotene (15.4%), α-gurjunene (14.3%), germacrene D (5.1%) and ledol (4.5%) as major components. The only monoterpenes in the essential oil were neral, nerol and pulegone (each less than 1%). These findings suggest that A. annua treated with Glomus lacks glandular trichomes—the primary sites of synthesis of monoterpenes.     

Essential oil composition of Hypericum perfoliatum L. and Hypericum tomentosum L. growing wild in Tunisia

The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Tunisian native Hypericum perfoliatum L. (sect. Drosocarpium Spach.) and Hypericum tomentosum (sect. Adenosepalum Spach.) were analyzed by GC and GC–MS. Thirty-two compounds were identified in the essential oils of H. perfoliatum with α-pinene (13.1%), allo-aromadendrene (11.4%), germacrene-D (10.6%), n-octane (7.3%), α-selinene (6.5%) and β-selinene (5.5%) as main constituents. Sixty-seven components were identified in the oil of H. tomentosum with menthone (17.0%), n-octane (9.9%), β-caryophyllene (5.3%), α-pinene (5.2%), lauric acid (4.1%) and β-pinene (3.7%) as the most abundant components. Both oils were characterized by the presence of many components which could have numerous applications in food, pharmaceutical and perfume industries.     

Valorization of three varieties of grape

In the present investigation, seed methanolic extracts of three Vitis vinifera (Muscat d’Italie, Syrah and Carignan) were assayed for their antioxidant activities. Results showed that there are strong variations in the contents of total phenols (440.97–121.94 mg GAE g⁻¹ DW), flavonoids (48.07–16.81 mg EC g⁻¹ DW) and tanins (37.15–14.9 mg EC g⁻¹ DW) from the studied seeds. The phenolic composition of these extracts was determined by RP–HPLC after acid hydrolysis. The main phenolic compound was quercetin with 27.2% in Muscat d’Italie, 48.8% in Syrah and 28.4% in Carignan. Besides, all seed extracts showed remarkable DPPH radical scavenging activity with IC₅₀ values ranged from 1.8 to 30 μg ml⁻¹. EC₅₀ values of reducing power activity ranged from 100 to 120 μg ml⁻¹. The high phenolic content and the considerable antioxidant activities of vitis seed extracts could potentially be considered as an expensive source of natural antioxidants.     

Efficacy of Rheum officinale liquid formulation on cucumber powdery mildew

Rheum officinale liquid formulation, the ethanol extract from roots of R. officinale Baill., formulated as physcion 5 g l⁻¹ aqueous solution (AS), has been commercialized in China for controlling cucumber powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii (Castagne) U. Braun & Shishkoff). The efficacy of the product was evaluated in pot tests under controlled conditions and in open and protected fields in China over 2 years. In most trials, the efficacy reached above 80% at the rates of 10–50 mg a.i l⁻¹ water after three applications and at the rates of 20–50 mg a.i l⁻¹ water after two applications. The cucumber fruit yield in the product treatment was as many or more as triadimefon treatment, and over 53.1% compared to the untreated control. These results showed that Chinese rhubarb extract could be an effective alternative plant protecting agent in the integrated and biological management of cucumber powdery mildew.     

Growth, yield and mineral content of Miscanthus × giganteus grown as a biofuel for 14 successive harvests

Miscanthus × giganteus, a perennial rhizomatous grass commercially used as a biofuel crop was grown in a field experiment on a silty clay loam soil for 14 years. There were 3 rates of fertilizer nitrogen (N), none (control), 60 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and 120 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ as cumulative applications. The crop was harvested in winter and dry matter yield measured. N did not influence yield. Yield, which increased for the first 6 years, decreased in years 7 and 8, but then increased again and was highest in the 10th year averaging 17.7 t ha⁻¹ across all treatments. Differences in total production over the14 years were only 5% between the highest and lowest yielding treatments and averaged 178.9 t ha⁻¹ equivalent to 12.8 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. In the first 10 harvests, 92% of dry matter was stem. Although the study showed N fertilizer was not required, it is considered that an application of 7 kg P ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and 100 kg K ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ would avoid soil reserve depletion. Pesticides were not required every year and the crop can be considered as low input with a high level of sustainability for at least 14 years.     

新疆杂草黑麦染色体核型分析

为了对新疆杂草黑麦的种质鉴定、起源分析、良种培育和遗传多样性研究提供依据,采用常规压片法制片结合显微摄影技术,分析了3个新疆杂草黑麦居群和1个栽培黑麦品种的核型并比较他们的异同点.结果表明,四种黑麦材料的染色体均为二倍体,染色体数目为14,不同材料之间染色体形态具有丰富的多态性.新疆杂草黑麦居群89R4的染色体核型公式为2n=2x=14=12m+ 2sm,除第7对为近中着丝粒染色体外,其余染色体均为中间着丝粒染色体,核型不对称系数为61.70％,核型类型为1A型,属于基本对称型.新疆杂草黑麦居群89R14的核型公式为2n=2x=14=8m+ 6sm(2sat),除第5、6、7对为近中着丝粒染色体外,其余染色体均为中间着丝粒染色体,其第7对染色体具有随体,核型不对称系数为60.88％,核型类型为2A型,属于基本对称型.新疆杂草黑麦居群89R60的核型公式为2n=2x=14=14m(2sat),其全部染色体均为中间着丝粒染色体,第3对染色体具有随体,核型不对称系数为60.47％,核型类型为1A型,属于基本对称型.栽培黑麦材料H36的染色体核型公式为2n=2x=14=10m+ 4sm,除第5、6对为近中着丝粒染色体外,其余染色体均为中间着丝粒染色体,核型不对称系数为61.20％,核型类型为1A型,属于基本对称型.     

Purification and Characterisation of HighMrGlutenin Subunit 20 and its Linked y-type Subunit from Durum Wheat

HighM_rglutenin subunit 20 and its linked y-type subunit, present in the durum wheat cultivar Lira, were purified by preparative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP–HPLC). Amino acid and N-terminal sequence analysis of subunit 20y confirmed that it corresponded to a y-type subunit. Moreover, the number and position of the cysteine residues in subunit 20 were determined by alkylation with the fluorogenic reagent 7-fluoro-4-sulfamoyl-2,1,3,-benzoxadiazole (ABD-F) and subsequent enzymic digestion with trypsin. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the fluorescent peptides showed that subunit 20 had only two cysteine residues, one in the N-terminal region and the other in the C-terminal domain.     

Waxy gene haplotypes: Associations with pasting properties in an international rice germplasm collection

Associations between RVA pasting properties and three single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites in the Waxy gene intron 1, exon 6, and exon 10 were determined using rice genotypes of diverse geographic origin. A total of four SNP-haplotypes (combination of SNP alleles) were identified that explained high proportions of the variation in RVA pasting properties (R² = 0.574–0.704). A haplotype containing DNA sequence variation in exon 10 (exon 10 cytosine nucleotide) was exclusively found in high-apparent amylose content (AAC) genotypes with a higher RVA viscosity profile compared to the high AAC genotypes with a different haplotype. The exon 10 SNP explained variances in coolpaste and setback (coolpaste–hotpaste) to 0.642 and 0.499, respectively. Across three haplotypes, which contained exon 10 adenine nucleotide, AAC was correlated with peak, hotpaste, breakdown and setback (coolpaste–hotpaste) at r = −0.85, −0.75, −0.79, and 0.49, respectively. Therefore, the exon 10 SNP differentiates high AAC types with a strong RVA profile and thus can be used by molecular breeding programs focused on quality improvement. Additionally, characterizing genotypes by their functional SNPs allowed us to better understand the relationship between the Waxy gene, its chemical product (i.e., AAC) and the functionality created by the product (i.e., pasting properties).     

普通小麦Glu-3位点基因单元型的分离和序列分析

为了从分子水平上探讨优质小麦资源中LMW-GS等位基因与小麦品质的关系,以及在改善小麦品质方面的潜在价值,利用小麦Glu-A3和Glu-B3基因的特异引物从强筋型、中筋型和弱筋型小麦共计10份材料中分离出LMW-GS基因后进行序列分析。结果表明,共发现14个新的核苷酸变异类型和4个肽链变异类型。其中,14个新的核苷酸变异类型中,4个为Glu-A3基因变异类型,1个为Glu-B3基因变异类型,9个为Glu-D3基因变异类型。值得注意的是,有2个半胱氨酸数目特殊的亚基类型被发现,一个是来自师栾02-1含有9个半胱氨酸残基的GluA3-18基因,另一个是来自偃展4110含有7个半胱氨酸残基的GluD3-13基因。