Screening of Human CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 Inhibitors from Seaweed In Silico and In Vitro

Phenolic compounds and carotenoids are potential inhibitors of cytochrome P450s. Sixteen known compounds, phenolic compounds and carotenoids from seaweed were examined for potential inhibitory capacity against CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 in silico and in vitro. Morin, quercetin, and fucoxanthin inhibited the enzyme activity of CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 in a dose-dependent manner. The IC₅₀ values of morin, quercetin, and fucoxanthin were 41.8, 22.5, and 30.3 μM for CYP1A2 and 86.6, 16.1, and 24.4 μM for CYP3A4, respectively. Siphonaxanthin and hesperidin did not show any significant effect on CYP1A2, but they slightly inhibited CYP3A4 activity at high concentrations. In silico modeling of CYP’s binding site revealed that the potential inhibitors bound in the cavity located above the distal surface of the heme prosthetic group through the 2a or 2f channel of CYPs. This study presents an approach for quickly predicting CYP inhibitory activity and shows the potential interactions of compounds and CYPs through in silico modeling.     

An efficient method to produce segregating populations in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)

Quinoa offers a promising alternative for staple food, considering its outstanding nutritional value and tolerance to abiotic stresses. To develop breeding programmes in quinoa, a reliable crossing method for increasing the genetic variation is required. In the following study, we aimed to develop segregating populations in quinoa. We tested the efficiency of three different crossing methods (hand emasculation, warm water emasculation and no emasculation). Moreover we developed a two-stage selection strategy based on morphological traits and molecular markers for the selection of hybrid plants. We reported hand emasculation to be the most efficient crossing method, followed by warm water emasculation and no emasculation. Our results demonstrated that crosses in quinoa can be successfully performed, despite its complicated flower structure and high self-pollination rate. Additionally, we developed 30 segregating populations from crosses between accessions of different origins with varying phylogenetic relationship, which offers a promising perspective for quinoa breeding programmes in the future.     

Growth Responses and Differences in Gene Expression depending on Cultivation Temperature between Alternative type Wheat Varieties

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Two domestic wheat varieties were grown in the growth chamber set at 17°C, 20°C, 23°C and 26°C on average after the emergence of...     

Isolation and Characterization of a Yellow Xanthophyll Pigment-Producing Marine Bacterium,Erythrobacter sp. SDW2 Strain,in Coastal Seawater

Xanthophylls, a yellow pigment belonging to the carotenoid family, have attracted much attention for industrial applications due to their versatile nature. We report the isolation of a homo xanthophyll pigment-producing marine bacterium, identified as the Erythrobacter sp. SDW2 strain, from coastal seawater. The isolated Erythrobacter sp. SDW2 strain can produce 263 ± 12.9 mg/L (89.7 ± 5.4 mg/g dry cell weight) of yellow xanthophyll pigment from 5 g/L of glucose. Moreover, the xanthophyll pigment produced by the SDW2 strain exhibits remarkable antioxidative activities, confirmed by the DPPH (73.4 ± 1.4%) and ABTS (84.9 ± 0.7%) assays. These results suggest that the yellow xanthophyll pigment-producing Erythrobacter sp. SDW2 strain could be a promising industrial microorganism for producing marine-derived bioactive compounds with potential for foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.     

Distribution and migration of Japanese common squid, Todarodes pacificus, in the southwestern part of the East (Japan) Sea

Data on squid catches of Korean and Japan, water temperatures at depth of 100 m, and night-visible images of fishing boats collected in the East (Japan) Sea from 1970 to 1999 were analyzed to examine the distribution and migration of the Japanese common squid, Todarodes pacificus, in the southwestern part of the East (Japan) Sea. The main fishing grounds detected from squid catch in each grid (0.5° latitude × 0.5° longitude) by Korean squid fishery and night-visible images provided by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS) were situated in the southwestern part of the East (Japan) Sea. The distribution and migration route was illustrated from squid catch in each grid and DMSP OLS image. In years of high catches, the fishing grounds were situated mainly between Ulleung Island and the eastern coastal waters of Korea, while in years of low catches they were situated between Ulleung Island and the Yamato Bank in the central East (Japan) Sea. The center of fishing activity began moving northward from around the Korea/Tsushima strait to the northern boundary of the Tsushima Warm Current in March, reaching into the Yamato Bank in September, and then returning to the strait by February. The northward and southward migration routes differed; the northward migration route occurred closer to the mainland coast of Korea than the southward migration route did. This work suggests T. pacificus begin their northward migration almost 2 months earlier than previously suggested.     

Acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of sterols and phlorotannins from Ecklonia stolonifera

ABSTRACT:   As part of this study on the isolation of cholinesterase inhibitors from natural marine products, the bioactivity of the ethanolic extracts from 27 Korean seaweeds were screened using acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory assays. Ecklonia stolonifera exhibited promising inhibitory properties against both AChE and BChE. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the active n -hexane and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) soluble fractions, obtained from the ethanolic extract of E. stolonifera , resulted in the isolation of the sterols; fucosterol ( 1 ) and 24-hydroperoxy 24-vinylcholesterol ( 2 ), from the n -hexane fraction and the phlorotannins; phloroglucinol ( 3 ), eckstolonol ( 4 ), eckol ( 5 ), phlorofucofuroeckol-A ( 6 ), dieckol ( 7 ), triphlorethol-A ( 8 ), 2-phloroeckol ( 9 ) and 7-phloroeckol ( 10 ), from the EtOAc fraction. Of these, compounds 2 , 9 and 10 were isolated from E. stolonifera for the first time. Compounds 4 – 7 , 9 and 10 exhibited inhibitory potential against AChE, with 50% inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) values of 42.66 ± 8.48, 20.56 ± 5.61, 4.89 ± 2.28, 17.11 ± 3.24, 38.13 ± 4.95 and 21.11 ± 4.16 μM, respectively; whereas, compounds 1 , 2 , 4 and 6 were found to be active against BChE, with IC₅₀ values of 421.72 ± 1.43, 176.46 ± 2.51, 230.27 ± 3.52 and 136.71 ± 3.33 μM, respectively. It has been suggested that the inhibition of these enzymes by the sterols and phlorotannins derived from marine brown algae could be a useful approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.     

Inheritance pattern of chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes in artificial hybrids of Porphyra yezoensis (Rhodophyta)

ABSTRACT:   To investigate inheritance of chloroplasts and mitochondria (organelles) in the marine red alga Porphyra yezoensis , cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) profiles of the two strains, TU-2 and KGJ, as parental gametophytes and 44 hybrid sporophytes (i.e. female of TU-2 and male of KGJ) were examined. A carbamyl phosphate synthase small subunit gene ( carA ) and ribosomal protein S11 gene ( rps11 )-small subunit ribosomal RNA gene ( rns ) spacer region were used as molecular markers for the chloroplast and mitochondrial DNAs, respectively. Thirty-eight of 44 (86.4%) conchocelis colonies showed maternal banding patterns, five (11.4%) colonies showed biparental bands and one (2.2%) colony showed paternal bands in CAPS analyses both with chloroplast and mitochondrial markers. These results suggest that organelles of P. yezoensis are inherited uniparentally from the female parent.     

Volatile Flavor Components and the Body Weights of Rats in the Green Tea Added Miner Ingredients

In order to change for the good flavor in green tea of middle or low grade,roast naked barley （miner ingredient） was added to it.To make tea having functional property,mixed roast naked barley-green tea with one medicinal herb （MH,miner ingredient）.This study was performed to investigate the effect of drinking extracts of naked barley-MH-green tea （A group） and adlay-Angelica gigas Nakai-green tea （B group） on the body weights of rats,and volatile flavor components of best effective extract on weight reduction.Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats divided into six groups were fed five different green tea extracts for 8 weeks.The result obtained in the experiment indicated that the change of body weights of rats was affected by A group,B group and others.A group showed highest reduction rate of body weights （36.40％）.Reduction rate of body weights on the B group （10.10％） was much lower than A group （36.40％）.Aroma compounds were extracted by the SDE method.The concentrated aroma extracts were analyzed and identified by GC and GC-MS.The main aroma components of the green tea blended with naked barley and MH were 12 pyrazines having roasty note,methyl butanals having sweet note,hexanal having briskness greenish note,and nerolidol and3-ionone having floral note.     

Use of Tetragenococcus halophilus as a starter culture for flavor improvement in fish sauce fermentation

The potential of Tetragenococcus halophilus as a starter culture for flavor improvement in fish sauce fermentation was elucidated. Four strains of T. halophilus isolated from fish sauce mashes were inoculated to anchovy mixed with 25% NaCl with an approximate cell count of 10(6) CFU/mL. The α-amino content of 6-month-old fish sauce samples inoculated with T. halophilus was 780-784 mM. The addition of T. halophilus MRC10-1-3 and T. halophilus MCD10-5-10 resulted in a reduction of histamine (P < 0.05). Fish sauce inoculated with T. halophilus showed high contents of total amino acids with predominantly high glutamic acid. Major volatile compounds in fish sauce were 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, and benzaldehyde. T. halophilus-inoculated fish sauce samples demonstrated the ability to reduce dimethyl disulfide, a compound contributing to a fecal note. The use of T. halophilus for fish sauce fermentation improves amino acid profiles and volatile compounds as well as reduces biogenic amine content of a fish sauce product.