Differential cytotoxicity of the isolated protein fraction of Escumite bean (Phaseolus acutifolius)

The Escumite bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) is an edible legume which in raw form is highly toxic to rats. Proteins were separated by DEAE cellulose and affinity chromatography. Hemagglutinating activity, trypsin inhibitory effect, cytotoxicity on human peripheral lymphocytes and on intestinal epithelial cells of rats, and mitogenic activity were assayed with each protein fraction. Hemagglutinins and trypsin inhibitory fractions showed differential toxicity with lymphocytes as compared to intestinal epithelial cells. A protein fraction without the previous activities was cytotoxic mainly to intestinal epithelial cells.     

Proximate Analysis and Some Antinutritional Factor Constituents in Selected Varieties of Jamaican Yams (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dioscorea</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rajana</Emphasis> spp.)

Two wild (Dioscorea polygonoides and Rajana cordata) and seven cultivated varieties of Jamaican yams (Dioscorea spp.) were analyzed for their proximate composition and the levels of antinutritional factors. The protein level range was 47.8 ± 2.6 to 88.0 ± 2.5 g/kg dry weight. The lowest level was seen in D. cayenensis. The range for the dietary fiber content in the tubers was 16.3 ± 0.7 to 63.5 ± 0.4 g/kg dry weight. The wild yam varieties recorded higher levels. Saponins level was < 600 mg/kg dry weight in all the tubers analyzed except for bitter yam (2962.5 ± 60.5 mg/kg dry weight). Total phenol content ranged from 1.3 ± 0.1 to 79.3 ± 6.1 g/kg while total condensed tannin content ranged from 0.1 ± 0.0 to 26.7 ± 3.8 g/kg dry weight. Samples that showed high levels of phenols also had high levels of condensed tannins. All the samples analyzed contained low levels of lectins and no alkaloids were detected. The levels of antinutritional factors did not clearly delineate the wild varieties from the edible varieties.     

Wheat leaf senescence and its regulatory gene network

Wheat leaf senescence is a developmental process that involves expressional changes in thousands of genes that ultimately impact grain protein content (GPC), gr...