Genetic analysis of selected almond genotypes and cultivars grown in Turkey using peroxidase-gene-based markers

Peroxidase plays important roles in many stress-related interactions and catalyzes important reactions in various physiological processes. Since peroxidase played critical roles in the evolution of almond(Prunus dulcis Miller(D.A Webb) syn P. amygdalus Batsch), peroxidase-gene-based analyses may increase the understanding of evolution of this species. Peroxidase gene polymorphism(POGP) markers were used to determine genetic diversity and relationships among 69 Turkish genotypes/cultivars and 27 foreign almond cultivars by using unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean(UPGMA) analysis. This study is the first evaluation of the use of POGP markers for diversity analysis in almond.Totally, 83 fragments were obtained from eight peroxidase primer pairs, and polymorphism was identified as 94 %.Similarity level among the genotypes ranged between 0.63 and 0.93, and all materials were distinguished. In general,Turkish and foreign genotypes were mixed in clusters since they share a common genetic background and gene migration among the sites. Clusters were not based on geographic regions except for some minor groupings. This study indicated that peroxidase gene markers can be reliably used to determine genetic relationships in almonds.     

Antioxidant Activities of Citrus Albedo and Flavedo Fragments Against Fish Lipid Oxidation

ABSTRACT

This research aimed to inhibit the oxidation of fish lipid by adding the ethanol extracts of albedo and flavedo fragments of grapefruit, sour orange, and bergamot. The samples were stored at 25°C, and analyses were performed on weekly intervals. The albedo fragments of sour orange extract had the highest antioxidant activity (0.342 ± 0.002 µM Trolox) and total phenolic content (5.29 ± 0.00 g GAE/100 g dry matter). Lipid oxidation increased rapidly in control samples compared to the extract treatments. The lowest scores for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), para-anisidine value, peroxide value, and UV absorbance values were determined in sour orange albedo extracts as 5.21 mg MDA/kg, 17.81 and 4.78 meq O₂/kg, 2.24, and 0.403, respectively, at the end of the storage. More successful results were obtained with the peels of grapefruit and bergamot in supressing the lipid oxidation. Bergamot extract was the most preferred citrus in terms of sensory analyses.     

Purification and characterization of Ocimum basilicum L. polyphenol oxidase

A partial characterization of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity in Ocimum basilicum L. is described. PPO in O. basilicum L. was extracted and purified through (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, dialysis, and a Sepharose 4B-l-tyrosine-p-aminobenzoic acid affinity column. The samples obtained from (NH4)2SO4 precipitation and dialysis were used for the characterization of PPO. At the end of purification by affinity chromatography, 11.5-fold purification was achived. The purified enzyme exhibited a clear single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be approximately 54 kDa. The contents of total phenolic and protein of O. basilicum L. extracts were determined. The total phenolic content of O. basilicum L. was determined spectrophotometrically according to the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and was found to be 280 mg 100 g(-1) on a fresh weight basis. The protein content was determined according to the Bradford method. The enzyme showed activity to 4-methylcatechol, catechol, and pyrogallol substrates, but not to tyrosine. Therefore, of these three substrates, 4-methylcatecol was the best substrate due to the highest V(max)/K(m) value, followed by pyrogallol and catechol. The optimum pH was at 6, 8, and 9 for 4-methylcatechol, catechol, and pyrogallol, respectively. The enzyme had an optimum temperature of 20, 40, and 50 degrees C for 4-methylcatechol, catechol, and pyrogallol, respectively. It was found that optimum temperature and pH were dependent on the substrates studied. The enzyme activity with increasing temperature and inactivation time for 4-methylcatechol, catechol, and pyrogallol substrates decreased due to heat denaturation of the enzyme.     

Characterization and spatial distribution of particulate and soluble carbon and nitrogen from wildfire-impacted sediments

Purpose

The heavily forested Cache la Poudre (CLP) watershed in northern Colorado, USA, was impacted by the High Park wildfire in 2012. The wildfire burned land and vegetation immediately adjacent to the CLP River where blackened, ashy sediment samples were collected from five sites upstream of the City of Fort Collins drinking water intake to evaluate the spatial distribution and characteristics of burned sediments, along with quantifying and characterizing soluble compounds following a leaching experiment.

Materials and methods

At each site, samples were collected from three locations: (1) the edge of the bank adjacent to the water edge (downbank), (2) 1 m upslope of location 1 (midbank), and (3) 2 m upslope of location 1 (upperbank). All solid sediment samples were analyzed for elemental composition, and a subset of solid sediment samples were analyzed with ¹³C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Sediments were mixed with the background CLP River water collected from upstream of the wildfire and allowed to leach for 6 and 24 h to determine the quantity and quality of water-soluble constituents. Filtered samples were analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), iron, manganese, and inorganic nutrient concentrations, by optical properties, and for disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation.

Results and discussion

Percent carbon and nitrogen content of the solid sediments were good predictors of leachate DOC concentration. The mean fluorescence index was higher for wildfire-impacted sediment leachates (1.50) compared to the background CLP River water (1.37), which may be due to changes in DOM molecular weight and oxidation of organic matter. All sediment leachates showed consistently higher haloacetonitrile and chloropicrin yields (DBP concentration/DOC concentration) compared to background CLP River water, whereas carbonaceous DBPs did not.

Conclusions

The collected sediments showed that burned material accumulated downstream near the river and was composed of inputs from burned soil and biomass along with the mobilization of unburned terrestrial material. The leachates of these sediments have different characteristics compared to the background CLP River water, indicating that DOM leached from sediments following a wildfire may increase aquatic DOC concentrations and N-DBP formation.

     

Effects of Freezing and Frozen Storage on Protein Functionality and Texture of Some Cephalopod Muscles

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of freezing and frozen storage on protein functionality and texture of squid (Loligo vulgaris), octopus (Octopus vulgaris), and cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) muscles. Squid, octopus, and cuttlefish samples were cut into pieces of 4 × 4 cm. These pieces were packed in polyethylene bags. The bags were frozen in a blast freezer at ?45°C until the thermal center reached ?18°C. Frozen samples were stored in a deep freezer at ?18°C for 30 days. After freezing and during frozen storage, total soluble protein and water holding capacity decreased and total free amino acid and cooking loss increased in all cephalopod muscles. According to instrumental texture analysis results, freezing and frozen storage affected textural characteristics of squid and cuttlefish but not of octopus. Sensory hardness and chewiness values of all cephalopods increased after freezing, but elasticity values did not change. There were no significant differences between storage days in hardness values of squid and octopus. However, significant differences in hardness values of cuttlefish were observed between the 1st day of storage and the last day.     

Determination of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus</Emphasis> spp. isolated from the intestines of various fishes

In this study, 30 strains of the genus Bacillus were isolated from various fresh fishes obtained from fish markets in Ankara, Turkey. They were identified as Bacillus pasteurii, Bacillus badius, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus brevis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus lentus, and Bacillus pumilus. When poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production by these strains was determined by spectrophotometry, it was found that PHB production ranged from 0.81–23.38% (w/v). PHB production and productivity were highest for B. pasteurii P2 (20.58% w/v) and B. lentus P18 (23.38% w/v). Furthermore, B. pasteurii P2 and B. lentus P18 were examined for PHB production using different carbon and nitrogen sources and in combined medium containing both carbon and nitrogen sources. The amounts of PHB produced by the strains in these media were more different than the amounts of PHB produced in nutrient broth medium.     

Serum concentration of some acute phase proteins in naturally occurring canine babesiosis: a preliminary study

BACKGROUND: Serum concentrations of acute phase proteins can provide valuable diagnostic information in the detection, prognosis, or monitoring of disease. Information available on the acute phase response in naturally occurring canine babesiosis is limited. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to retrospectively evaluate serum concentrations of haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, and ceruloplasmin in dogs naturally infected with Babesia canis. METHODS: Haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, and ceruloplasmin concentrations were measured in serum samples from dogs with uncomplicated (n = 6) and complicated (n = 1) babesiosis and compared with 6 healthy dogs. RESULTS: Serum C-reactive protein and ceruloplasmin concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with babesiosis; however, serum haptoglobin concentration was significantly lower compared with control dogs (P <.01). CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study suggest that acute phase protein concentrations could be beneficial in the diagnosis and determination of the severity of babesiosis in dogs.     

Extension of murine life span by overexpression of catalase targeted to mitochondria

To determine the role of reactive oxygen species in mammalian longevity, we generated transgenic mice that overexpress human catalase localized to the peroxisome, the nucleus, or mitochondria (MCAT). Median and maximum life spans were maximally increased (averages of 5 months and 5.5 months, respectively) in MCAT animals. Cardiac pathology and cataract development were delayed, oxidative damage was reduced, H2O2 production and H2O2-induced aconitase inactivation were attenuated, and the development of mitochondrial deletions was reduced. These results support the free radical theory of aging and reinforce the importance of mitochondria as a source of these radicals.