Heterologous expression of type I antifreeze peptide GS-5 in baker's yeast increases freeze tolerance and provides enhanced gas production in frozen dough

The demand for frozen-dough products has increased notably in the baking industry. Nowadays, no appropriate industrial baker's yeast with optimal gassing capacity in frozen dough is, however, available, and it is unlikely that classical breeding programs could provide significant improvements of this trait. Antifreeze proteins, found in diverse organisms, display the ability to inhibit the growth of ice, allowing them to survive at temperatures below 0 degrees C. In this study a recombinant antifreeze peptide GS-5 was expressed from the polar fish grubby sculpin (Myoxocephalus aenaeus) in laboratory and industrial baker's yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Production of the recombinant protein increased freezing tolerance in both strains tested. Furthermore, expression of the GS-5 encoding gene enhanced notably the gassing rate and total gas production in frozen and frozen sweet doughs. These effects are unlikely to be due to reduced osmotic damage during freezing/thawing, because recombinant cells showed growth behavior similar to that of the parent under hypermosmotic stress conditions.     

Genetic mapping of quantitative resistance to race 5 of Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola in common bean

Halo-blight is an important worldwide bacterial disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola. Nine races of the pathogen and five race-specific resistance genes have been previously described. However, a quantitative response to this pathogen has also been described. The objective of this study was to identify halo-blight resistance loci linked to molecular markers that could be used in resistance breeding. Chromosomal regions related to race 5 halo-blight resistance were localized on a genetic map of RAPD and AFLP molecular markers and constructed by the analysis of a “Jules” × “Canela” F₂ progeny. “Jules” shows quantitative resistance to halo-blight and “Canela” is a very appreciated but susceptible Spanish bean landrace. Two QTL for resistance to halo-blight were mapped in two linkage groups. There were four large groups, with 14–22 molecular markers each, five with 4–8 markers each, and three with 2 or 3 markers each.     

Extracts of Maqui ( Aristotelia chilensis ) and Murta ( Ugni molinae Turcz.): sources of antioxidant compounds and α-Glucosidase/α-Amylase inhibitors

The objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant and antihemolytic activities of crude, aqueous, and organic-aqueous extracts of maqui ( Aristotelia chilensis ) and murta ( Ugni molinae Turcz.), together with their inhibiting effect on enzymes involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Radical scavenging activity, inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation in a micellar system, antihemolytic activity, and inhibition of α-amylases and α-glucosidases were analyzed. Crude extracts of maqui leaves and fruits were found to be important sources of polyphenolic compounds, showing 69.0 ± 0.9 and 45.7 ± 1.1 mg GAE/g dm, respectively. Polyphenols from maqui leaves were active as antioxidants and antihemolytic compounds (p < 0.05), showing a noncompetitive inhibiting effect on α-glucosidase. Flavan-3-ol polymers and glycosylated flavonols, such as quercetin glucoside and kaempferol glucoside, were tentatively identified in extracts. This preliminary observation provides the basis for further examination of the suitability of polyphenol-enriched extracts from maqui and murta as nutritional or medicinal supplements with potential human health benefits.     

Chemical composition and insecticidal activity of essential oils from Vanillosmopsis pohlii baker against Bemisia argentifolii

Essential oils from the heartwood and leaves of specimens of Vanillosmopsis pohlii collected in two different localities were analyzed by GC-MS. The major constituent of both heartwood essential oils was the sesquiterpene alpha-bisabolol. Essential oil composition from leaves was quite different for two specimens and showed beta-pinene and E-caryophyllene as principal constituents. The essential oil of heartwood and the pure sesquiterpene alpha-bisabolol were tested against Bemisia argentifolii, the white fly fruit plague, and pronounced insecticidal effects were observed.     

Zinc toxicity‐induced variation of mineral element composition in hydroponically grown bush bean plants

Bush bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv Contender) were grown for twenty days in nutrient solution (pH=5), containing 0.13, 0.3, 0.5 or 0.75 mg 1^‐1 Zn as ZnSO₄‐7H₂O. The plant yield decreased linearly with the increase of the Zn concentration supplied. The phytotoxic threshold content (for 10% growth reduction) was about 486, 242, 95 and 134^‐ μg Zn g^‐1 for roots, steins, mature primary and trifoliate leaves, and developing leaves, respectively. High inverse correlation coefficients with the Zh concentration supplied were found for the Mn content of all organs, for the P content of roots, and for the Cu and Ca contents of developing leaves. Significant positive relations were found for the Fe, Zn and Cu contents in roots and for the Zn con‐ tents in stems and fully expanded leaves. The ratios of the mineral contents between organs suggest inhibition of uptake of Mn and P, and inhibition of translocation of Fe, Cu and Ca. The relation between dry weight decrease and Zn‐induced nutrient content disorders were discussed.     

Bioactive Compounds and Sensory Quality of Black and White Mulberries Grown in Spain

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare, for the first time, white and black mulberry species in terms of main phytochemical, volatile composition and sensory profile characteristics in eight Spanish clones. The results showed that black and white mulberry species displayed significant different characteristics. PLS analysis has allowed grouping of the clones into four groups (i) MA1, MA2 and MN2, (ii) MN3 and MN4, (iii) MA3 and MA4, and (iv) MN1. Experimental results proved that Spanish mulberries have potential for fresh consumption due to their high antioxidant capacity (10.7–86.1 mg Trolox 100 g^?1), polyphenol (76.7–180 mg gallic acid 100 g^?1) and ellagic acid content (8.7–15.5 mg 100 g^?1) as well as considerable amount of volatile compounds (35) with desirable attributes, which were scored high by a trained panel. Cultivars from the Morus nigra species seem to provide fruits with higher content of bioactive compounds and better aptitude for fresh consumption than Morus alba. Differences among the species should be attributed to genetics because they were cultivated under same conditions.     

Seed oil bodies from Gevuina avellana and Madia sativa

In this study, oil bodies (OBs) from Gevuina avellana (OBs-G) and Madia sativa (OBs-M) were isolated and characterized. Microscopic inspection revealed that the monolayer on OB-G was thinner compared to that on OB-M. Cytometric profiles regarding size, complexity, and staining for the two OB sources were similar. Fatty acid to protein mass ratio in both OBs was near 29, indicating high lipid enrichment. OBs-G and OBs-M showed a strong electrostatic repulsion over wide ranges of pH (5.5-9.5) and NaCl concentration (0-150 mM). Proteins displaying highly conserved sequences (steroleosins and aquaporins) in the plant kingdom were identified. The presence of oleosins was immunologically revealed using antibodies raised against Arabidopsis thaliana oleosins. OBs-G and OBs-M exhibited no significant cytotoxicity against the cells. This is the first report about the isolation and characterization of OBs-G and OBs-M, and this knowledge could be used for novel applications of these raw materials.     

Pond management and water quality for drip irrigation in Mediterranean intensive horticultural systems

The influence of pond management on water quality for drip-irrigated crops was studied throughout a field survey and a mesocosm experiment. Water sources were pooled into two groups: ground or surface water (GW/SW) and recycled wastewater. Pond covering, which was limited to about a quarter of them, improved water quality by reducing phytoplankton biomass. However, biocide applications and pond dredging were ineffective at improving in-pond water quality. Dredging did not reduce the concentrations of planktonic chlorophyll a or total suspended solids (TSS) in GW/SW fed ponds, whereas biocide applications increased both parameters. Field and experimental data proved that the two predominant taxa of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) found in ponds (Potamogeton pectinatus and Chara spp.) improved water quality by increasing water oxygenation and decreasing chlorophyll a and TSS concentrations. Preserving SAV (especially Chara spp.) appears to be an environment-friendly, cost-effective and recommendable alternative strategy for irrigation pond management.     

Sponge-Derived Kocuria and Micrococcus spp. as Sources of the New Thiazolyl Peptide Antibiotic Kocurin

Forty four marine actinomycetes of the family Microccocaceae isolated from sponges collected primarily in Florida Keys (USA) were selected from our strain collection to be studied as new sources for the production of bioactive natural products. A 16S rRNA gene based phylogenetic analysis showed that the strains are members of the genera Kocuria and Micrococcus. To assess their biosynthetic potential, the strains were PCR screened for the presence of secondary metabolite genes encoding nonribosomal synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthases (PKS). A small extract collection of 528 crude extracts generated from nutritional microfermentation arrays was tested for the production of bioactive secondary metabolites against clinically relevant strains (Bacillus subtilis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Acinetobacter baumannii and Candida albicans). Three independent isolates were shown to produce a new anti-MRSA bioactive compound that was identified as kocurin, a new member of the thiazolyl peptide family of antibiotics emphasizing the role of this family as a prolific resource for novel drugs.