2, 4-D浓度对胡萝卜悬浮细胞茄红素合成的影响

从茄红素含量，细胞总鲜重及茄红素总产量三方面，研究了培养基中，2，4－D浓度对胡萝卜悬浮培养细胞茄红素合成的影响。结果表明：2，4－D浓度在0．0－5．0mg/L，范围内，随着浓度升高单位鲜重细胞中茄红素含量增加，浓度为5.0mg/L时，含量最高，高于5.0mg/L时，茄红素含量急剧下降，2，4－D浓度在0.0-0.1mg/L范围内，浓度增加有利于细胞鲜重和茄红素总产量的提高，浓度高于0.1mg/L对两者都有抑制作用。     

Antioxidant Capacity and Antimutagenic Activity of Natural Oleoresin from Greenhouse Grown Tomatoes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lycopersicon esculentum</Emphasis>)

Natural oleoresins rich in lycopene were obtained from two varieties of tomato (Zedona and Gironda) and their nutraceutical potential (antioxidant and antimutagenic capacity) was evaluated. Both oleoresins had a high content of lycopene, 58.33 ± 1.67 mg/g (Zedona) and 63.97 ± 0.80 mg/g (Gironda). The antioxidant activity (AA) of the oleoresins by β-carotene method were 56.4–74.5% (Zedona) and 51–72.8% (Gironda), while when using the free radical stable 2,2-diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) method, the antiradical activity (ARA) was determined to be 18.2–32.7% (Zedona) and 16.6–26.7% (Gironda) for the concentrations tested that of 200–400 μM equivalents of lycopene. The antimutagenic activity of the oleoresins was tested against aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) using the microsuspension assay, both varieties had a very high antimutagenic potential against AFB₁ (60–66%).These results suggest the NCRT can be taken advantage to obtaining rich oleoresin in lycopene with a nutraceutical value.     

Variation in the Carotenoid Composition of the Lycopene-Rich Brazilian Fruit <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eugenia uniflora</Emphasis> L.

The indigenous pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.) is now marketed and commercially processed in Brazil. In the present work, the carotenoids of the pitanga fruit from two states and at two stages of ripening, as well as of processed pitanga products (frozen pulp and juice, the brands being designated as A, B and C) commercialized in Campinas, São Paulo, were determined by HPLC. As compared to ripe pitanga from Medianeira, Paraná, those from Campinas had significantly higher (all-E)-lycopene (14.0 vs. 71.1 μg/g), (13Z)-lycopene (1.1 vs. 5.0 μg/g) and (all-E)-γ-carotene (1.6 vs. 3.8 μg/g) levels. Significant increases in most of the carotenoids occurred from the partially ripe to the ripe fruits, with (all-E)-lycopene doubling its concentration in fruits from both states. Pitanga was found to be one of the richest fruit sources of carotenoids, particularly lycopene, but the processed products had much lower lycopene content. The mean (all-E)-lycopene concentration was 16.6 μg/g for frozen pulp brand A, 23.0 μg/g for bottled juice brand B and 25.6 μg/g for bottled juice brand C. Optimization of processing is therefore needed to guarantee better retention of this important carotenoid.     

Lycopene protects primary mouse cerebrocortical neurons against t-BHP-induced damage in vitro

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of lycopene on primary mouse cerebrocortical neurons exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) and its mechanisms of in vitro.METHODS: Primary cerebrocortical neurons of newborn C57 mice were extracted and divided into normal group, t-BHP group, lycopene+t-BHP group and lycopene group. The neuronal damage was induced by t-BHP exposure for 24 h, and the cell viability was examined by MTT assay. ROS content was measured by flow cytometry, and the protein levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome C were examined by Western blot.RESULTS: The primary mouse cortical neurons expressed MAP-2 protein. Lycopene at concentration of 4 μmol/L reversed the decrease in cell viability. Flow cytometry revealed that lycopene treatment attenuated ROS content under the condition of t-BHP exposure. In addition, the protein level of Bcl-2 was increased, and the expression of Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome-C was suppressed in lycopene+t-BHP group.CONCLUSION: The protective effect of lycopene on cortical neurons with t-BHP-induced injury may be involved in the mechanism of neuronal antioxidative response by down-regulating caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.     

Processing tomato quality as affected by irrigation scheduling

In Southern Italy the paucity of water is a very important problem and due to the fundamental importance of the water for the processing tomato, in this study the influence of irrigation on processing tomato quality was investigated in the years 2002 and 2003. A hybrid processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill cv. Ability) was treated with different water regimes obtained combining amount of water and irrigation interval. The effects of the trials were evaluated taking into account the physical and chemical characteristics of the fruits, as well as the content in antioxidants moieties. Furthermore, the relationship among all the quality parameters and the seasonal amount of irrigation water was evaluated.The results, comparing different water regimes obtained combining amount of water and irrigation interval, gave useful indications on the possibility to improve nutritional tomato quality by reducing irrigation water during tomato cropping. In particular, relatively to the Mediterranean areas of tomato cultivation and to the texture of the soil considered in this study, the best compromise between quality and quantity of the processing tomato fruit was achieved both with the extension of the irrigation interval (L40 or L60) and with the limitation of irrigation volume for the second part of the tomato crop cycle (thesis 100-50). Extending the irrigation interval and limiting irrigation volume for the second part of the tomato crop cycle, appeared to be the best management strategy to optimize the yield and nutritional quality of processing tomato.     

不同西瓜类型果实茄红素含量的比较研究

采用分光光度法对33个西瓜材料进行茄红素含量的测定,材料涉及不同的瓤色和倍性。结果表明:在白瓤、橙黄瓤、金黄瓤、粉红瓤、红瓤和深红瓤的西瓜材料之间,白瓤西瓜茄红素含量最低,深红瓤西瓜含量最高,茄红素的含量与瓤色大致成正相关。其中深红瓤二倍体西瓜材料中S292、VS8-44的茄红素含量比较高,分别为6.372 mg/100g鲜重和6.350 mg/100g鲜重,三倍体材料中最高的是VS6-19,茄红素含量为6.684 mg/100g鲜重。同瓤色的不同材料之间茄红素的含量与倍性无关,与材料的基因型相关。     

小型西瓜果实中番茄红素含量的比较研究

用含2%二氯甲烷的石油醚有机溶剂提取小型西瓜果实中的番茄红素,通过分光光度法在503 nm波长下测定其吸收值,分析比较了不同品种(系)小型西瓜果实中番茄红素含量的差异.研究结果表明,红瓤和粉红瓤小西瓜果实中番茄红素主要在果实发育的后期合成,授粉后第18～24 d是西瓜果实番茄红素合成的关键时期,橙、黄瓤西瓜中番茄红素含量的变化不明显;西瓜果实中番茄红素含量因品种、瓤色差异显著,红瓤品种>粉红瓤品种>橙瓤品种>黄瓤品种,所测红瓤小型西瓜番茄红素含量为56.6～75.2μg/g.     

番茄红素研究概况

番茄红素是开链式的类胡萝卜素,具有清除活性氧自由基、促进细胞间隙连接通讯、防癌抗癌等多种生理功能。作为一种功能性天然色素,番茄红素被广泛地用于多种功能性食品。文章主要介绍了番茄红素的研究历史、理化性质及生理功能,对番茄红素的应用前景进行了展望。     

Effects of Ca2+/CaM Messenger System Inhibitors on Ethylene-Induced Increase in Lycopene Content

The changes of lycopene content during ripening and senescence of tomato fruit and the relationship between ethylene glycol-bis (EGTA, Ca2+ chelator), verapamil (Vp, Ca2+ channel blockers), trifluoperazine (TFP), chloropromaize (CPZ) (CaM antagonism) and ethylene-induced increase in lycopene content in tomato fruit were investigated. Lycopene content accumulated obviously during ripening and senescence of tomato fruit after harvest at pink stage. Low temperature inhibited but ethylene enhanced the lycopene content.Meanwhile, ethylene also promoted calmodulin (CaM) content in tomato fruit, which was related to the concentration of ethylene. When EGTA, Vp, TFP and CPZ with ethylene were used to treat tomato fruit, ethylene-induced increase in lycopene content could be reversed, indicating that blocking Ca2+ channel in plasma membrane or chelating extracellular Ca2+ or inhibiting the activity of CaM could decrease the action of ethylene, and suggesting that Ca2+-CaM messenger system may be involved in lycopene increase inducedby ethylene.     

番茄红素生物合成相关基因及其基因工程研究进展

番茄红素是一种重要的天然色素,它主要来源于植物果实和微生物中。随着番茄红素代谢途径的阐明和生物合成相关基因的克隆,使得运用基因工程技术提高番茄红素产量成为可能。本文对番茄红素生物合成相关基因的最新研究进展及其在微生物和植物基因工程中的应用情况进行了综述,并探讨了今后进一步提高番茄红素产量的研究方向。