Thermal stabilities of lupin seed conglutin gamma protomers and tetramers

Various experimental approaches have been used in this work to assess the thermal stabilities of lupin seed conglutin gamma at two pH values, 4.5 and 7.5, at which the protein exists as a protomer and a tetramer, respectively. The patterns of thermal unfolding at the two pH values differed significantly; the tetramer aggregated and became insoluble, whereas the protomer was still soluble after thermal treatment. Also, the midpoint transition temperatures were dramatically different, being 60.3 and 75.1 degrees C for the protomer and tetramer, respectively. The behavior of conglutin gamma at neutral pH was also affected by disulfide formation/interchange, in that some unfolded protein molecules became covalently stabilized. More detailed analyses by differential scanning calorimetry and indirect fluorescence measurements, using 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid as a probe, confirmed the remarkable differences observed in the thermal stabilities of the two protein forms and allowed models for their unfolding patterns to be drawn.     

Proteomic analysis of lupin seed proteins to identify conglutin Beta as an allergen, Lup an 1

Lupin products may be valuable as human foods because of their high protein content and potential anticholesterolemic properties. However, a small percentage of the population is allergic to lupin. In this study, we use in vitro IgE binding and mass spectrometry to identify conglutin beta, a major storage protein, as an allergen in seeds of Lupinus angustifolius and Lupinus albus. Purification of conglutin beta from L. angustifolius flour confirmed that serum IgE binds to this protein. Where IgE in sera recognized lupin proteins on Western blots, it recognized conglutin beta, suggesting this protein is a major allergen for lupin. The L. angustifolius conglutin beta allergen has been designated Lup an 1 by the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) allergen nomenclature subcommittee.     

Overexpression, purification, and in vitro refolding of the 11S globulin from amaranth seed in Escherichia coli

An amarantin 11S globulin cDNA encoding one of the most important storage proteins of amaranth seeds, with a high content of essential amino acids, was expressed in Escherichia coli. A good level of expression of recombinant amarantin with a molecular weight of 59 kDa was obtained. The recombinant protein was extracted by ammonium sulfate precipitation and purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange chromatography and reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The expressed protein exhibited electrophoretic, immunochemical, and surface hydrophobicity properties similar to those of native amarantin from amaranth seed. Also, the recombinant protein was refolded in vitro using two different methods.     

Nutritive evaluation of the seed,germinated seed,and string bean of Erythrina americana and the detoxification of the material by boiling

The nutritive and toxicological values of the dry seeds, germinated seeds, and string beans of Erythrina americana were studied using raw and boiled samples. Raw germinated seeds had a higher protein content and lower fiber content than dry seeds. The whole string bean had lower protein content and higher fiber content. However, the seeds of the green pod showed the same protein concentration as the dry seeds (dry basis). Boiling and elimination of broth was beneficial in diminishing the alkaloid concentration in all the samples. The trypsin inhibitors, lectins, and tannins were also diminished as was expected. The raw string bean showed the lowest LD(50). Although the total essential amino acids content of the boiled germinated seeds was increased, the quality of protein, protein efficiency ratio (PER), was lower than in boiled dry seeds, and in these, the PER was similar to the control (casein). The present results suggest that for the protein quality and low alkaloid content, the boiled dry seeds and string beans could be used for animal feeding. It could be interesting to test the raw string beans in ruminants since in this stage E. americana showed the lowest toxicity.     

Nutritional utilization by the rat of diets based on lentil (Lens culinaris) seed meal or its fractions

The nutritional effects in the rat of raw lentil meal or its fractions have been evaluated in three feeding trials. Growth, gain/feed ratio, apparent N digestibility, and N retention were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by the inclusion of whole lentil meal, dehulled lentil meal, or ethanol-extracted lentil meal as the sole source of protein in the diet. Pure lentil lectin and lectin-depleted albumin proteins had no significant negative effect on nutritional performance. In contrast, growth, gain/feed ratio, protein conversion efficiency, N digestibility, and N retention were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by diets containing lentil globulins or lentil hulls. The poor nutritional quality of raw lentil meal for rats is therefore likely to be primarily due to the combined effects of these two components.     

皂角苷增强洗脱复合污染土壤中多环芳烃和重金属的作用及机理

通过增溶实验和土壤洗脱实验,研究了一种生物表面活性剂——皂角苷（saponin）对多环芳烃-重金属复合污染土壤的洗脱作用及机理。结果表明,皂角苷对菲、芘等多环芳烃有极强的增溶作用,当皂角苷浓度为0.04%时,菲、芘在液相中的表观溶解度分别增大了约22倍和128倍,因而皂角苷能显著增强多环芳烃污染土壤中菲、芘的洗脱,洗脱效率最大分别可达84.1%和81.4%,增大了约2倍和17倍。皂角苷可与重金属离子形成水溶性的络合物,从而增强洗脱重金属污染土壤中的Zn^2＋和Cd^2＋,在皂角苷浓度为0.4%时,Zn^2＋、Cd^2＋的洗脱效率分别可达93.0%和79.4%,增大了约75倍和8倍。皂角苷可同时洗脱多环芳烃-重金属复合污染土壤中的菲、芘和Zn^2＋、Cd^2＋,洗脱效率分别达87.6%、83.5%和92.3%、78.6%,重金属的存在略增大了皂角苷对菲、芘等多环芳烃的洗脱效率,但多环芳烃对Zn^2＋、Cd^2＋的洗脱效率没有明显影响。皂角苷可同时增强洗脱复合污染土壤中的多环芳烃和重金属,从而为多环芳烃-重金属复合污染土壤的修复奠定基础。     

Estimating soil frictional resistance to metal probes and its relevance to the penetration of soil by roots

Friction accounts for a large proportion of the resistance to a penetrometer probe, often much more so than to a plant root. The contribution of frictional resistance to penetrometer resistance was investigated in five soils with texture ranging from sandy loam to silty clay. The effect on penetration resistance of rotating the conical tip of the probe was studied in both intact cores of undisturbed field soil, and in cores remoulded from sieved soil. Rotation altered the orientation of the vector of frictional resistance towards a direction perpendicular to the probe axis, and so decreased the component of frictional resistance that opposed the axial penetration of the probe. The decrease in friction was greater for probes with a semiangle of 5° than those with a 30° semiangle and was more than half of the total resistance to a nonrotating probe in 15 out of the 16 cases studied. A theoretical treatment of the effect of rotation period on probe resistance showed good agreement with the experimental results. The penetration resistance of a metal probe is related to that of a root in terms of frictional resistance and factors such as the penetration rate. When all frictional resistance was subtracted from the resistance measured to the penetration of a 5 semiangle probe, the remaining resistance was similar to that measured for roots growing in the same soil.     

实验室冷冻法鉴定2个冬小麦品种抗寒性研究

以实验室冷冻法研究模拟东北、内蒙古自治区赤峰等地区麦田土壤温度日变化规律,测定“Norstar”、“米罗诺夫808”2个冬小麦品种的生理生态抗寒性,1月份(隆冬季节)2个冬小麦品种的死亡率为50％时临界温度值(LT50)分别为-27.7℃和-26.3℃,死亡率专20％时临界温度值(LT20)分别为-26.2℃和-23.9℃。返青期2个冬小麦品种的死亡率为50％时临界温度值分别为-12.9℃和-11.7℃,死亡率为20％时临界温度值分别为-10.0℃和-8.9℃。     

Identifying the position of the compacted layer by measuring soil penetration resistance in a dryland farming region in Northeast China

Topsoil is disturbed by ploughing, the effects of infiltration, the movement of fine particles from the topsoil to the subsoil, and direct pressure from agriculture machinery, all creating an abrupt delineation in the form of a compacted layer with very low permeability. Spatial variability of soil properties, such as soil structure and penetration resistance (PR), can help identify the compacted layer. However, there are no quantitative methods to describe this layer. In this study, PR was used to survey different soil types. A Mann–Kendall (M-K) test of PR data was used to identify the presence and position of the compacted layer in a dryland farming region of Northeast China. Our results demonstrated that PR was mainly affected by bulk density and soil water content. Compared with the topsoil, PR was more significantly affected by water content in deeper soil layers. An M-K test of the PR curve can provide a more reliable and objective assessment of the thickness of the plough layer and location of the compacted layer than field observation. Our data indicated that there was a compacted layer in the soil profile in the study areas and the spatial variability of the compacted layer was heterogeneous. The plough layer was shallow, and the compacted layer was thicker in areas with frequent use of agricultural machinery. Moreover, frequent use of agricultural machinery resulted in a PR of the plough and compacted layers that was greater than that in other areas. Information on identifying the position and thickness of the compacted layer and the factors influencing their spatial distribution can be used to create effective soil management options and improve conditions for the development of plant roots in dryland farming regions.     

Using Factor Analysis to Characterise Historical Trends of Trace Metal Contamination in a Sediment Core from the Tagus Prodelta,Portugal

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution - It is well established that the livestock sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gases (GHG) and ammonia (NH3) emissions. In this paper, the evolution of...     

VRKALE-1: a tropical kale,first of its kind in the world

Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. virdis L.), a very versatile leafy vegetable, is typically a temperate cole crop and is an excellent source of health benefiting phyto-nutrients. A unique tropical kale genotype, first of its kind in the world, has been identified at ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Christened as ‘VRKALE-1’, it bolts and flowers under North Indian plain conditions (11.8–23.5 °C temperature) and doesn’t require vernalization (low temperature <7 °C for 6–8 weeks). This is a smooth leafed kale (subvar. plana Peterm.) having soft, young, tender and crispy leaves, measuring 22–30 cm in length, are ready for first picking in 23–28 days after transplanting and thereafter at weekly interval. A single plant produces 100–125 leaves in 9–12 pickings weighing 1.5–1.8 kg leaf biomass and the leaf yield potential is very high (55–60 t/ha). It bears flowering stalk after 110–120 days of transplanting, having racemose type of inflorescence. Like tropical cauliflower which evolved in India; it is expected that tropical kale will certainly play a pivotal role in expanding the adoption, popularity and genetic base of kale in future, particularly in hitherto unexploited areas.     

Association of a specific cationic peroxidase isozyme with maize stress and disease resistance responses, genetic identification, and identification of a cDNA coding for the isozyme

The presence of a pI 9.0 cationic peroxidase isozyme from milk stage pericarp of six susceptible and five resistant inbreds was correlated significantly with previously reported field data on percentage infection by Aspergillus flavus in the inbreds and their hybrids. The isozyme was constitutively expressed in some additional maize tissues and lines examined, and frequently induced by mechanical damage, heat shock, Fusarium proliferatum, and/or Bacillus subtilis in other lines tested. Native/IEF two-dimensional electrophoresis identified the isozyme as the previously genetically identified px5. A cDNA clone expressed in black Mexican sweet (BMS) maize cell cultures produced the pI 9.0 isozyme. In addition to potential use in marker-assisted breeding, enhanced expression of this cationic peroxidase through breeding or genetic engineering may lead to enhanced disease or insect resistance.     

Biotransformation of pentachlorophenol by Chinese chive and a recombinant derivative of its rhizosphere-competent microorganism, Pseudomonas gladioli M-2196

The use of plants or microorganisms to detoxify contaminated soil or groundwater is a potentially cost-effective alternative to traditional remediation technologies. This study investigated the effects of a rhizosphere microbe on the biotransformation of pentachlorophenol (PCP). Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum Rottler) and its rhizosphere-competent bacterium, Pseudomonas gladioli M-2196, were used as a plant-bacterium pair. The genes encoding PCP-degrading enzymes from Sphingobium chlorophenolicum ATCC39723 were introduced into the chromosome of P. gladioli M-2196. The resultant transformants were able to degrade PCP almost completely in liquid medium within 4 d in culture. PCP degradation experiments showed that the amount of PCP in soil (3.3 μg g⁻¹) planted with the P. gladioli transformant (T-9) and Chinese chive decreased by 40% as compared with untreated soil (control) by day 28. Strain T-9, which was used in the PCP degradation experiments, retained the ability to colonize the Chinese chive rhizosphere after 28 d. Tetrachlorocatechol (TCC) was detected as a metabolite of PCP in Chinese chive extract. The amount of PCP in soil treated only with Chinese chive decreased by 30% as compared with the control, but the total amount of PCP plus TCC detected in the plant was less than 10% of the amount of PCP removed from soil. This might be due to the enhancement of a soil microflora population capable of degrading PCP by root exudates from Chinese chive. Therefore, Chinese chive itself, in addition to the rhizosphere-competent bacterium, seemed to play an important role in reducing the PCP level in the soil.     

Synthesis of a combinatorial library of amides and its evaluation against the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda

The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda is a polyphagous pest that causes important damage in different regions of America and mainly affects corn crops in both tropical and subtropical areas. Currently, control relies on both transgenic plants and/or chemical pesticides. In this work we describe the preparation of an indexed combinatorial library of amides and its toxic effect by contact against S. frugiperda . (E)-1-(1-Piperidinyl)-3-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl]-2-propen-1-one was the most active compound with an LD(50) = 0.793 μg mg(-1) of larva. This amide was also evaluated by ingestion and at the lowest concentration (1 mg kg(-1)) achieved 83.3% mortality.     

Assessment of the oil content of the seed produced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salicornia</Emphasis> L., along with its ability to produce forage in saline soils

Soil salinity presents a serious threat to crop production. The relatively poor tolerance to this stress agent exhibited by conventional crops incentivizes the search for alternative producers of food and forage in salinity-affected environments. Halophytes belonging to the genus Salicornia L. have been suggested as being able to provide both forage and edible seed oil. Here, a set of 14 Salicornia europaea L. accessions was investigated for their ability to produce seed oil and forage in response to a range of salt concentrations (100, 300 and 600 mM NaCl) in the water used for irrigation. Seed of the accessions was collected from diverse sites close to saline rivers and the sea in Iran. Salinity was shown to have a major effect on biomass yield, and on seed oil yield and composition. The ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids in the seed oil was remarkably high. Forage yield was highest when irrigated with 300 mM NaCl for most of the accessions, while a level of 600 mM NaCl suited the production of seed oil.     

Study on furundu, a traditional Sudanese fermented roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seed: effect on in vitro protein digestibility, chemical composition, and functional properties of the total proteins

Furundu, a meat substitute, is traditionally prepared by cooking the karkade (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seed and then fermenting it for 9 days. Physicochemical and functional properties of raw and cooked seed and of furundu ferments were analyzed. Furundu preparation resulted in significant changes in karkade seed major nutrients. Total polyphenols and phytic acid were also reduced. The increase in total acidity and fat acidity coupled with a decrease in pH indicates microbial hydrolysis of the major nutrients; proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. In vitro digestibility of the seed proteins reached the maximum value (82.7%) at the sixth day of fermentation, but thereafter it significantly decreased. The effect of furundu preparation on N solubility profiles and functional properties, such as emulsification and foaming properties and other related parameters, is investigated in water and in 1 M NaCl extracts from defatted flour samples. The results show that cooking followed by fermentation affects proteins solubility in water and 1 M NaCl. The foaming capacity (FC) from the flour of raw seed decreased as a result of cooking. Fermentation for 9 days significantly increased the FC of the cooked seed, restoring the inherent value. Foam from fermented samples collapsed more rapidly during a period of 120 min as compared to the foam from raw and cooked karkade seeds; stability in 1 M NaCl was lower as compared to those in water. In water, the emulsion stability (ES) from the fermented samples was significantly higher than that of the raw seed flour. Addition of 1 M NaCl significantly decreased the ES of the fermented samples.     

Challenges to the exploitation of host plant resistance for Striga management in cereals and legumes by farmers in sub-Saharan Africa: a review

Striga hermonthica, Striga asiatica and Striga gesneroides are obligate root parasites that cause severe yield losses in cereals and legumes in sub-Saharan Africa. Genetic control of Striga through resistance is widely considered to be the most practical and economically feasible method for long term control. The paper presents a comprehensive account of the Striga resistance mechanisms and environmental limitations to their usage in sub-Saharan Africa. Components of Striga resistance in cereals and legumes include low germination stimulant production, low haustorial initiation factor, mechanical barriers, incompatibility, antibiosis and Striga avoidance due to root growth habits. The successful exploitation of resistance has been limited by existence of specificity towards hosts, parasites that have evolved races specific host cultivars, Striga genetic variance which enables parasite to adapt to new resistance alleles and diverse hosts which support the parasite even in the absence of cereals together with low fertility due to nutrient mining in the smallholder sector. The results imply that different resistance mechanism may need to be present in genetically heterogeneous varieties or cereals with different resistance mechanisms may be rotated in the same field. Comprehensive Striga management systems should also address soil fertility in the small holder farmers of sub-Saharan Africa.