Proteome response of Monascus pilosus during rice starch limitation with suppression of monascorubramine production

For centuries, red mold rice has been made by fermentation of cooked rice with Monascus species. However, the influence of different carbon sources on the metabolism of Monascus cells remains unclear. We compared the proteome response of Monascus pilosus to replacement of the rice starch fraction with lactose during cultivation, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and tandem mass spectrometry to identify the proteins expressed. The results showed that cell growth and monascorubramine pigment formation of M. pilosus were sensitive to rice starch limitation during cultivation. A total of 12 proteins were identified with statistically altered expression in the cells cultivated with lactose. These deregulated proteins were involved in glycolysis, TCA cycle, energy generation, protein folding, and peptide biosynthesis. The possible metabolic flux shifts induced by rice starch limitation were discussed. The results suggested that the suppression of monascorubramine formation could be related to the necessary energy-requiring adaptations executed in response to carbon depletion during rice starch limitation.     

Antioxidant activity in fruits and leaves of blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry varies with cultivar and developmental stage

Fruits and leaves from different cultivars of thornless blackberry (Rubus sp.), red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.), black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis L.), and strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa D.) plants were analyzed for total antioxidant capacity (oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ORAC) and total phenolic content. In addition, fruits were analyzed for total anthocyanin content. Blackberries and strawberries had the highest ORAC values during the green stages, whereas red raspberries had the highest ORAC activity at the ripe stage. Total anthocyanin content increased with maturity for all three species of fruits. Compared with fruits, leaves were found to have higher ORAC values. In fruits, ORAC values ranged from 7.8 to 33.7 micromol of Trolox equivalents (TE)/g of fresh berries (35. 0-162.1 micromol of TE/g of dry matter), whereas in leaves, ORAC values ranged from 69.7 to 182.2 micromol of TE/g of fresh leaves (205.0-728.8 micromol of TE/g of dry matter). As the leaves become older, the ORAC values and total phenolic contents decreased. The results showed a linear correlation between total phenolic content and ORAC activity for fruits and leaves. For ripe berries, a linear relationship existed between ORAC values and anthocyanin content. Of the ripe fruits tested, on the basis of wet weight of fruit, cv. Jewel black raspberry and blackberries may be the richest source for antioxidants. On the basis of the dry weight of fruit, strawberries had the highest ORAC activity followed by black raspberries (cv. Jewel), blackberries, and red raspberries.     

Cloning, functional expression, and characterization of cystatin in sesame seed

A cDNA fragment encoding cystatin, a cysteine protease inhibitor, was obtained from maturing sesame seeds. The clone was constructed in a nonfusion or fusion vector and then overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant cystatins were found in the soluble fraction of cell extract and were demonstrated to be functionally active in a reverse zymographic assay. The corresponding endogenous 22 kDa cystatin of low abundance in mature seeds was purified to homogeneity via a papain-coupling affinity column and confirmed by western blotting with antibodies against the recombinant cystatin. Both endogenous and recombinant cystatin proteins showed effective inhibitory activities against papain with K(i) values of 7.89 x 10(-8) M and 2.77 x 10(-8) M, respectively. Immunodetection indicated that cystatin was specifically expressed in maturing seeds and rapidly degraded in germination. Accordingly, zymographic and inhibition analyses showed that sesame cystatin could not inhibit the de novo synthesized proteases in germinating seeds. It is suggested that sesame cystatin may play a role in the regulation of endogenous cysteine proteases during seed maturation and germination.     

Timing, duration, and transitions of the last interglacial Asian monsoon

Thorium-230 ages and oxygen isotope ratios of stalagmites from Dongge Cave, China, characterize the Asian Monsoon and low-latitude precipitation over the past 160,000 years. Numerous abrupt changes in 18O/16O values result from changes in tropical and subtropical precipitation driven by insolation and millennial-scale circulation shifts. The Last Interglacial Monsoon lasted 9.7 +/- 1.1 thousand years, beginning with an abrupt (less than 200 years) drop in 18O/16O values 129.3 +/- 0.9 thousand years ago and ending with an abrupt (less than 300 years) rise in 18O/16O values 119.6 +/- 0.6 thousand years ago. The start coincides with insolation rise and measures of full interglacial conditions, indicating that insolation triggered the final rise to full interglacial conditions.     

Effects of medium chain triglycerides on hepatic fatty acid oxidation in clofibrate-fed newborn piglets

To investigate whether increasing tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity and ketogenic capacity would augment fatty acid (FA) oxidation induced by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha(PPARa) agonist clofibrate,suckling newborn piglets (n=54) were assigned to 8 groups following a 2(±clofibrate)×4 (glycerol succinate[SUC],triglycerides of 2-methylpentanoic acid[T2M],valeric acid[TC5]and hexanoic acid[TC6]) factorial design.Each group was fed an isocaloric milk formula containing e...     

Developmental changes in lipid and fatty acid metabolism and the inhibition by in ovo feeding oleic acid in Muscovy duck embryogenesis

Hepatic lipid and fatty acid(FA) metabolism are critical for regulating energetic homeostasis during embryogenesis. At present, it remains unclear how an exogenous FA intervention affects embryonic development in an avian embryo model. In Exp. 1, 30 fertilized eggs were sampled on embryonic days(E)16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31 and the day of hatch(DOH) to determine the critical period of lipid metabolism. In Exp. 2, a total of 120 fertilized eggs were divided into two groups(60 eggs/group) for in ovo f...     

Competitive enzyme-linked immunoassay for sialoglycoprotein of edible bird's nest in food and cosmetics

The proliferation of fake and inferior edible bird's nest (EBN) products has recently become an increasingly serious concern. To identify and classify EBN products, a competitive enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was developed to quantitate sialoglycoprotein in EBN used in food and cosmetic applications. The characteristic sialoglycoprotein in EBN was found, extracted, purified, and analyzed. Sialoglycoprotein, considered the main carrier of sialic acid in EBN, consisted of 106 and 128 kDa proteins. A monoclonal antibody that could recognize both proteins was prepared. The heat-treated process did not change the affinity of sialoglycoprotein with the antibody. An optimized ELISA method was established with a cross-reactivity of less than 0.1% and an IC(50) of 3.3 μg/mL. On the basis of different food and cosmetic samples, the limits of detection (LOD) were 10-18 μg/g. Recoveries of fortified samples at levels of 20 and 80 μg/g ranged from 81.5 to 96.5%, respectively. The coefficients of variation were less than 8.0%.     

肉鸡增重和脂肪沉积间的关系

Waters(1909)就曾报道,大部分肉用畜禽都具有通过增加脂肪组织,而不是增加蛋白组织来表达增重的潜力,近年来,多数研究结果表明,肉鸡胴体脂肪含量过多是由于对增重和生长速度的选择所致.用小白鼠进行的大多研究,也支持这种结论.此外,改善大白鼠和小白鼠饲料转化率的选择会增加胴体脂肪.因此,这些研究的总的结论是:体重、生长速度和饲料转化率的遗传改进都会导致胴体脂肪过多.但是,这种结论并不是人们所期望的,因     

Protective effects of oral microencapsulated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine prepared by co-spray drying method

The efficacy of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae oral vaccine was investigated in microsphere dosage form. A co-spray drying process was used to apply an encapsulating material, Eudragit L30 D-55, to microspheres containing Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae antigens. The microspheres were generally effective (>93%) with protein release at pH 7.4, but almost none were released at pH 1.2, for 3 hr in an in vitro dissolution test. An SPF-swine model was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the microspheres as an oral vaccine, and the related immune responses. The serum's systemic IgG against M. hyopneumoniae was evoked by ELISA analysis, after a 2nd immunization of all pigs. The vaccinated groups' mean lesion score was significantly lower after the Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae challenge than that of the nonvaccinated/challenged groups (P<0.05). This study strongly suggests that the oral microspheres vaccine prepared by a co-spray drying method can provide effective protection against M. hyopneumoniae infection in pigs.