Isolation and enzymatic digestion of body complex of soybean seed

The body complex of the soybean seed (BCSS) was isolated from the single cells (27.2%) by a sequential procedure of autoclaving with water, cellulase digestion for the primary cell wall, pectinase digestion for the secondary cell wall, and defatting with hexane washing. Its characteristics were then investigated. The defatted BCSS (DBCSS) consisted of protein (76.5%) and mannose-rich carbohydrates (3.2%). Screening of the food-processing protease for the digestion of DBCSS was carried out, and a kind of alkaline protease was selected. The inner protein of DBCSS was easily extracted with 0.1 M sodium carbonate buffer, pH 10, and the insoluble shell of the body complex (SDBCSS) was left. SDBCSS consisted of hydrophobic amino acid-rich protein. SDBCSS was easily digested by the selected alkaline protease. SDBCSS was dissolved by boiling with sodium dodecyl sulfate-mercaptoethanol, and it was found to consist of a protein of approximately 3 kDa. The high enzymatic digestion including the selected protease for soybean seed and defatted soybean meal was carried out; both were extracted and digested with a yield of >99.5%. The final indigestible residue was found as paired hexagonal and filamentous organs of the soybean cells.     

Extraction of soybean oil from single cells

Single cells prepared from autoclaved soybeans and cellulase treatment of the cells were effective in digesting the cell walls of and extracting the oil from soybeans. The first cell wall of the soybean single cell was completely removed using cellulases; the thin and transparent second cell wall of the cell was swollen. Oil in the cell formed spherical or hemispherical oil drops, and oil leaking from the oil bodies was observed. The oil was almost retained within the second cell wall. Water-extractable substances were obtained at approximately >60% of the weight. Flotation of oil drops by centrifugation was easily done. Ambient n-hexane extraction was also possible; however, residual oil remained in the oil bodies. Protease or peptidase digested the structure of the oil bodies; however, separation of the oil and the hydrolysates was impossible. The oil from the oil bodies was obtained effectively (>85%) by pressing the single cells and/or cellulase-treated single cells.     

Feeding guilds in Collembola based on digestive enzymes

The digestion ability of 20 species of Collembola sampled from nutrient-poor moist peat meadows was determined. The activity of three carbohydrases was measured, i.e. trehalase, cellulase and chitinase. Species were classified in feeding guilds based on the presence or absence of enzymatic activity. The majority of the samples analysed showed trehalase and cellulase activity, and indicate that Collembola commonly have the ability to digest cell walls of plants and algae, and the contents of fungal hyphae. Most of the species examined had chitinase activity, and are able to digest fungal cell walls. Based on the results, four feeding guilds were distinguished, i.e. herbo-fungivorous grazers (nine species), fungivorous grazers (two species), opportunistic herbofungivores (one species) and omnivore (one species). Five species could not be classified due to low number of samples. One more feeding guild was indicated if the levels of enzymatic activity within species were taken into account, i.e. fungivorous browsers. The results show that most species have the ability to digest the food items reported from gut content analyses. Between species, significant difference in specific enzymatic activity was recorded. These findings suggest that, together with information on feeding guilds, under field conditions the various species in the community differed in their food choice. It is hypothesised that a relationship exists between the mouthpart morphology of Collembola species and specific carbohydrase activity.     

黑曲霉和米曲霉发酵改善豆渣口感

豆渣作为豆制品生产的副产品,富含营养。为了解决豆渣颗粒大,口感差,难以直接食用的问题,该文对利用黑曲霉和米曲霉发酵豆渣降低其粒度分布进而改善其口感、增加其可食性进行了研究。结果表明:利用黑曲霉和米曲霉在28℃,相对湿度为95%的条件下发酵,能使渣感减弱,吞咽变易,口感明显改善;对发酵10d后豆渣的外观形态、显微镜观察、粒度分布进行考察,均一致表现为发酵后豆渣颗粒显著变小;黑曲霉发酵豆渣对渣感的降低效果好于米曲霉发酵豆渣和未发酵豆渣;发酵使豆渣颗粒变小是口感改善的主要原因;口感改善的根本原因是发酵豆渣过程中所产生的纤维素酶和半纤维素酶降解了豆渣中的纤维素和半纤维素,导致豆渣颗粒变小的缘故。该研究对豆渣的综合利用提供了新途径。     

Hydroponic cultivation improves the nutritional quality of soybean and its products

Hydroponic cultivation allows the control of environmental conditions, saves irrigation water, increases productivity, and prevents plant infections. The use of this technique for large commodities such as soybean is not a relevant issue on fertile soils, but hydroponic soybean cultivation could provide proteins and oil in adverse environmental conditions. In this paper, the compositions of four cultivars of soybean seeds and their derivates, soy milk and okara, grown hydroponically were compared to that of the same cultivar obtained from soil cultivation in an open field. Besides proximal composition, the concentrations of phytic acid and isoflavones were monitored in the seeds, soy milk, and okara. Results demonstrated that, independent from the cultivar, hydroponic compared to soil cultivation promoted the accumulation of fats (from 17.37 to 21.94 g/100 g dry matter) and total dietary fiber (from 21.67 to 28.46 g/100 g dry matter) and reduced isoflavones concentration (from 17.04 to 7.66 mg/kg dry matter), whereas protein concentration was unaffected. The differences found in seed composition were confirmed in the respective okara products, but the effect of cultivation system was not significant looking at the soy milk composition. Data showed that hydroponic cultivation improved the nutritional quality of soybean seeds with regard to fats and dietary fiber. They also suggest that specific cultivars should be selected to obtain the desired nutritional features of the soybean raw material depending on its final destination.     

Composition of proteins in okara as a byproduct in hydrothermal processing of soy milk

Protein quality, based on its subunit composition, in okara obtained as a byproduct during hydrothermal cooking of soy milk was assessed. The composition of 7S and 11S protein fractions was correlated with the physicochemical properties of protein in okara produced from six soybean varieties. The basic 7S globulin (Bg7S) and 11S protein were two main proteins in okara. Investigated soybean genotypes produced okara with mainly acidic A(5) and basic B(1,2,4) polypeptides of 11S proteins. Soybean 11S content was not an indicator of okara protein recovery or extractability. Of all tested relationships, extractable soluble protein content of okara was influenced only by soybean Bg7S (r = 0.86; p < 0.05) and its light subunit contents (r = 0.93; p < 0.05). Okara protein recovery depended on Bg7S heavy subunit content in soybeans (r = 0.81; p < 0.05). The high quantity of vegetable protein in okara (around 35%) and very high protein extractability (around 85%) qualify this byproduct for potential application in food preparation as a functional ingredient.     

Phenolic extraction from apple peel by cellulases from Thermobifida fusca

With the optimization of the pretreatment conditions for the crude Thermobifida fusca cellulase activity and phenolic release from apple peel, we focused on the activity of individual purified cellulase related to the antioxidant activity. The overall phenolic release was significantly increased in a synergistic manner with combined pretreatment, not with individual pretreatment such as boiling, acid, and pectinase treatment. Approximately 60 mg of reducing sugar equivalent were produced per g of apple peel by treatment with T. fusca crude extract, and up to 3 times more reducing sugars were released when the apple peel was boiled and then treated with acid and pectinase. There was good correlation between the release of phenolics and reducing sugar by cellulase treatment and also between the amount of total phenolics and antioxidant capacity by each enzyme treatment (r2> 0.95). Among the tested enzymes purified from T. fusca cell extract, cellulase activity on apple peel was the highest with cellulase 6A (Cel 6A; 43% digestion), and the highest antioxidant capacity was obtained by incubation with Cel 6B (16 mg vitamin C equiv/g). Synergism in the activity was found from the combined treatment with Cel 6A and 6B in both cellulase activity and antioxidant capacity after 20 h of incubation. Cel 9A (progressive endocellulase) exhibited greater cellulase activity and antioxidant capacity than Cel 9A cd which lacks in cellulose-binding module, indicating that the cellulose-binding domain might play important roles in cellulolysis of apple peel. This study could provide some insights into the action mechanism of various cellulases on the digestion of cellulose-containing byproducts and expand the opportunity for cellulase utilization in the extraction of functional ingredients from the plant-derived byproducts.     

Efficient digestion and structural characteristics of cell walls of coffee beans

Screening of effective food-processing cellulase for digestion of cell walls of coffee beans was carried out, and the cellulase from Trichoderma sp. was selected. The digestion of the cell walls of green and roasted coffee beans was carried out by sequential procedures of alkali boiling (0.1 M Na2CO3 buffer, pH 10, and 0.1 M NaOH), cellulase digestion, autoclaving with 0.1 M NaOH, and cellulase redigestion. The total digestion yields were >95 and >96%, respectively. The cell walls became thin, and the final residues of the cell walls were easily broken into small pieces. The neutral sugar analysis of the digestion or the extract and the residues and the microscopy observations with staining with toluidine blue O, Yariv reagent, and calcofluor for the residue in each step were investigated. Four structures, the galactomannan-cellulose (center part), the membrane of the arabinogalactan protein, the cellulose-rich galactomannan layer, and the arabinogalactan protein-rich layers (outer part), were found in the cell walls.     

The contribution of endogenous cellulase to the cellulose digestion in the gut of earthworm (Pheretima hilgendorfi: Megascolecidae)

Cellulase activity has been detected in the digestive tract of earthworms. However, it has not been well clarified whether the origin of those cellulases are the earthworm themselves or the symbionts. In our study, zymogram analysis suggests that one cellulase (endo-β-1,4-glucanase, EC3.2.1.4) mainly works to digest cellulose in Pheretima hilgendorfi. To identify the cellulase in P. hilgendorfi, we carried out cDNA cloning of the cellulase gene from the digestive tract. A novel cellulase gene was identified from the gut of earthworm. The cDNA encoding cellulase of P. hilgendorfi (phhEG) is 1606 bp with an open reading frame encoding a protein of 449 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of P. hilgendorfi cellulase showed higher homology to invertebrate cellulases than bacterium cellulases belonging to the glycosyl hydrolase family (GHF) 9. The phhEG gene was detected in intestinal epithelium cell of midforegut using Northern blot and in situ hybridization. Similarly, specific cellulase activity against carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was significantly higher in midforegut tissue. Recombinant phhEG produced by wheat germ cell-free protein synthesis system had a cellulase activity which degrade CMC. In zymogram analysis, the molecular size of cellulase was detected as a single band of 51 kDa from the whole gut contents extracts of P. hilgendorfi, and was very similar to the predicted molecular size of the mature phhEG protein. These results strongly suggested that the earthworm has the capacity to produce the endogenous and functional cellulase around the midforegut, and use this cellulase for their cellulose digestion with the support of intestinal caecum.     

Endocellulase activity is associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal spread in pea symbiotic mutants but not with its ethylene content in root

Plant cell wall hydrolytic enzymes seem to be important to root penetration by arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi and development of AM symbiosis. In this study, taking endocellulase activity as an enzymatic model, the possibility was tested that variations in fungal colonization due to different plant capacities to form AM, can be a good experimental system to identify hydrolytic enzymes which are important to root colonization. Quantitative and qualitative endocellulase activity in roots of different symbiotic pea mutants was analysed. There were differences in root colonization among plant mutants according to their symbiotic features and a similar behaviour in fungal colonization capacities and increases in endocellulase activity in roots was also found. Mutant E107 showed the highest ethylene quantity among the phenotypes analysed, and this phytohormone could be responsible for the decrease in colonization in the mutant, but did not have any effect on cellulase activity during mycorrhiza formation. Results suggest that changes in endocellulase activity in colonized roots are associated with fungal spread within the cortex and arbuscule formation.     

Ultrastructural patterns of beech leaf degradation by Sporotrichum pulverulentum

Degradation of beech leaves by the white rot fungus Sporotrichum pulverulentum was investigated for 4 weeks under laboratory conditions. Observations by transmission electron microscopy revealed that the degradation patterns depended on the nature of the foliar tissues and on the stage of decay. Fibres, parenchyma cells and specific zones of the sclerenchyma tissue, corresponding to the cells located between vessels, were strongly degraded, while vessels and epidermal cells were more resistant to degradation. During the early stages of degradation, a selective removal of components from the lignin and hemicellulose-rich layers was observed in the cell walls of sclerenchyma fibres and parenchyma cells. At a more advanced stage of decay, a simultaneous disappearance of all cell wall layers (primary wall, secondary wall, middle lamella and cell corners) occurred, irrespective of cell type. In parenchyma cells, removal of the intracellular brown pigments occurred prior to degradation of the cell walls, while in epidermis, the cell walls were altered first. In sclerenchyma cells surrounding the vessels, hyphae were found to be closely associated with decayed areas, while in all the other tissues, there was no contact of the fungus with lignocellulosic compounds and polyphenols, suggesting a diffusion of the fungal degradative enzymes. A fibrillar mucilagenous matrix, often detected between hyphae and cell walls, might make this diffusion easier. Cellulase activity was detected in the decayed tissues by the release of reducing sugars localized in the vicinity of the leaf cell walls and often somewhat distant from the hyphae. The role of the fungal enzymes involved in degradation of cell wall components and brown pigments in beech leaves is discussed.     

Adsorption of cellulase components by leaf litter

The competitive adsorption of Trichoderma viride cellulase components to leaf litter was investigated to further elucidate the role of extracellular enzymes as mediators of decomposition processes. Litter analogs were prepared by acid-detergent digestion of senescent Pinus strobus (white pine), Quercus prinus (chestnut oak) and Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) leaves. Enzymatic cellulose digestion was used to produce litter analogs of higher lignin content. The white pine litter analogs had a high affinity for exocellulase and β-glucosidase. Chestnut oak litter preferentially bound endocellulase components and flowering dogwood litter displayed intermediate trends. Natural mixed-deciduous and white pine litters and humus had less capacity for immobilizing cellulase components. The adsorption data are consistent with available information on the binding of cellulase components to purified cellulose and with information on the cellulase activity patterns of decomposing leaf litter.     

甜菜细胞壁界面特征显著影响纤维素酶解效率

生物质不同器官、组织理化性质各异,这种异质性对纤维素酶解效率的影响有待深入研究。该研究以甜菜为研究对象,系统分析不同器官理化性质与酶解效率间的关系,探究细胞壁与纤维素酶的吸附特点及在酶解过程中的形态变化。结果表明,甜菜根、茎、叶酶解还原糖得率不同,根和茎的还原糖得率相近且高于叶,分别为14.64%和14.26%,叶还原糖得率较低为10.15%;酶解还原糖得率与木质素（P<0.01）、半纤维素（P<0.01）呈极显著负相关,而与比表面积（P<0.01）呈极显著正相关;甜菜根、茎、叶的薄壁组织更容易与纤维素酶结合,并且更易被降解。甜菜细胞壁界面理化特征是影响酶与底物有效吸附,进而影响纤维素酶解效率的关键因素。研究结果可为甜菜农业废弃物的利用提供参考。     

Hydrolytic activity and ultrastructural changes in fruit skins from two prickly pear (Opuntia sp.) varieties during storage

The activity of four cell wall hydrolases, pectinmethylesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG), cellulase, and beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal), was measured in fruit skins of two prickly pear varieties, Naranjona and Charola, during storage at 18 degrees C and 85-95% relative humidity (RH). In Naranjona (Opuntia ficus indica), of short postharvest life (ca. 2 weeks), PG, cellulase, and beta-Gal increased their activity more than twice, whereas PME activity tended to increase only slightly during storage. In Charola (Opuntia sp.), of long postharvest life (ca. 2 months), only beta-Gal increased its activity (77%), showing a high PG activity from the beginning of storage. Transmission electron microscopy observations showed middle lamella dissolution at the end of storage for both varieties. Naranjona showed a higher cell wall enzymatic activity than Charola, in agreement with their storability differences. Our results suggest that PG and cellulase in Naranjona and PG and beta-Gal in Charola are the main enzymes responsible for cell wall hydrolytic and ultrastructural changes in skins of stored prickly pears.     

Iron availability from iron-fortified spirulina by an in vitro digestion/Caco-2 cell culture model

Iron deficiency, one of the most important nutritional problems in the world, can be caused not only by foods deficient in iron but also by poor availability of dietary iron. Iron food fortification in combination with highly available iron from supplements could effectively reduce this deficiency. The aim of this study was to examine the iron availability from iron-fortified spirulina. We have used an in vitro digestion/Caco-2 cell culture system to measure iron spirulina availability and made a comparison with those of beef, yeast, wheat floor, and iron sulfate plus ascorbic acid as a reference. Iron availability was assessed by ferritin formation in Caco-2 cells exposed to digests containing the same amount of iron. Our results demonstrate a 27% higher ferritin formation from beef and spirulina digests than from digests of yeast and wheat flour. When iron availability was expressed per microgram of iron used in each digest, a 6.5-fold increase appeared using spirulina digest in comparison with meat. In view of this observed high iron availability from spirulina, we conclude that spirulina could represent an adequate source of iron.     

Molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of an endo-β-mannanase gene from soybean for soybean meal improvement

Soybean meal is the most commonly used protein source in animal feeds. Among the undesirable attributes of soybean meal is the high level of β-mannan, which was determined to be detrimental to the growth performance of animals. β-Mannan is a type of hemicellulose in the plant cell wall and can be hydrolyzed by endo-β-mannanase. The goal of this study is to isolate and characterize an endo-β-mannanase gene from soybean that can be used for genetic improvement of soybean meal. From the sequenced soybean genome, 21 putative endo-β-mannanase genes were identified. On the basis of their relatedness to known functional plant endo-β-mannanases, four soybean endo-β-mannanase genes (GmMAN1 to GmMAN4) were chosen for experimental analysis. GmMAN1 and GmMAN4 showed expression in the soybean tissue examined, and their cDNAs without the sequences for signal peptide were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli to produce recombinant enzymes. Only GmMAN1 showed endo-β-mannanase hydrolase activity. Further gene expression analysis showed that GmMAN1 is specifically expressed in cotyledons of seedlings, suggesting a role of GmMAN1 in degrading mannan-rich food reserves during soybean seedling establishment. Purified recombinant GmMAN1 exhibited an apparent K(m) value of 34.9 mg/mL. The catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)) of GmMAN1 was determined to be 0.7 mL/(mg·s). GmMAN1 was also shown to be active in hydrolyzing the β-mannan-rich cell wall of soybean seeds.     

草酸处理对桂七芒果冷害及细胞壁代谢的影响

为探讨草酸处理对低温冷藏下芒果冷害及细胞壁代谢的影响,本试验以桂七芒果果实为试材,采用5 mmol·L^-1草酸溶液浸泡处理,以清水浸泡处理为对照,并于4℃贮藏,分析芒果的冷害指数、丙二醛(MDA)含量、相对电导率、硬度、细胞壁物质含量、细胞壁代谢酶的变化。结果表明,与对照组相比,草酸处理显著降低了低温贮藏14 d后桂七芒果果实冷害指数、MDA含量、相对电导率、原果胶和纤维素含量,显著降低了低温贮藏28 d后果实的硬度;显著提高了低温贮藏14 d后果实水溶性果胶含量及多聚半乳糖醛酸酶(PG)、果胶甲酯酶(PME)、纤维素酶(Cx)活性,显著提高了贮藏21 d后果实β-半乳糖苷酶(β-Gal)活性。综上所述,草酸处理能减轻桂七芒果冷害,维持采后果实细胞壁降解酶较高活性和水溶性果胶含量。本研究为揭示草酸减轻芒果果实冷害机制提供了依据,可为草酸应用于其他冷敏型果实的贮藏保鲜提供理论参考。     

Angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides from in vitro pepsin-pancreatin digestion of soy protein

Angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity was determined in the soy protein isolate (SPI) digest produced by in vitro pepsin-pancreatin sequential digestion. The inhibitory activity was highest within the first 20 min of pepsin digestion and decreased upon subsequent digestion with pancreatin. An IC(50) value of 0.28 +/- 0.04 mg/mL was determined after 180 min of digestion, while no ACE inhibitory activity was measured for the undigested SPI at 0.73 mg/mL. Chromatographic fractionation of the SPI digest resulted in IC(50) values of active fractions ranging from 0.13 +/- 0.03 to 0.93 +/- 0.08 mg/mL. Although many of the fractions showed ACE inhibition, peptides with lower molecular masses and higher hydrophobicities were most active. The findings show that many different peptides with ACE inhibitory activities were produced after in vitro pepsin-pancreatin digestion of SPI and lead to the speculation that physiological gastrointestinal digestion could also yield ACE inhibitory peptides from SPI.     

Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannoproteins that protect wine from protein haze: evaluation of extraction methods and immunolocalization

Yeast-derived haze-protective mannoprotein material (HPM) offers protection to white wines from commercially unacceptable turbidities. HPM extraction methods have been evaluated using three winemaking strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Digestion with Zymolyase of cells pretreated with DTE and EDTA gave the greatest yields of active material. Heat treatment of cells with SDS also released active material but the quantities were low. Treatment of the cells in an autoclave or with a French pressure device was less effective. A detailed study was conducted on the strain Maurivin PDM. SDS was not necessary to extract HPM from PDM; boiling the cells for 5 min in Tris buffer was sufficient. HPM could also be extracted with EDTA during the pretreatment of the cells prior to Zymolyase digestion. The data suggest that HPM was noncovalently linked to other cell wall components and loosely associated with the cell wall. An immunological investigation showed that a specific mannoprotein with haze-protective activity, HPF1, was located primarily on the outermost and innermost layers of the cell wall.     

Impact of UV-C irradiation on the cell wall-degrading enzymes during ripening of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) fruit

The effect of a hormic dose of UV-C (254 nm) on changes in fruit firmness and cell wall-degrading enzyme (CWDE) activity was determined using tomato fruit. Throughout the storage period, a decrease in firmness was jointly observed with an increase of the CWDE (polygalacturonase, pectin methyl esterase, cellulase, xylanase, beta-D-galactosidase, and protease) activity for all treatments, suggesting the involvement of these enzymes in the ripening process. However, the enhancement in the activity of the CWDE was significantly less in fruit subjected to the hormic dose of UV-C. This reduction may explain why irradiated fruit were firmer than control and consequently may explain how UV-C could delay the ripening and senescence process. We suggest that the CWDE are one of the targets of the UV-C, and by this action, irradiation contributed to a delay of the cell wall degradation and consequently retarded softening of the tomato fruit tissues.