Isolation and characterization of collagens from the skin of giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus)

ABSTRACT

Acid-solubilized collagen (ASC) and pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC) were extracted from the skin of giant groupers (Epinephelus lanceolatus) with yields of 39.51 and 19.12%, respectively. ASC and PSC consisted of two different α chains (α1 and α2) and were characterized to be type I collagen with no disulfide bond. The imino acid contents of the ASC and PSC from giant grouper skin were 189 and 181 per 1,000 residues, respectively. The maximum endothermic temperatures (T_max) of ASC and PSC measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were 31.71 and 31.33°C, respectively. The denaturation temperatures of ASC and PSC measured by viscometry were 29.84 and 29.05°C, respectively. The maximum solubility in 0.5 M acetic acid was observed at pH 5 and pH 6 for ASC and PSC, respectively. A sharp decrease in solubility was observed for both ASC and PSC in the presence of NaCl above 3% (w/v).     

Assessment of the Bacteriocinogenic Potential of Marine Bacteria Reveals Lichenicidin Production by Seaweed-Derived Bacillus spp.

The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the bacteriocinogenic potential of bacteria derived mainly from seaweed, but also sand and seawater, (2) to identify at least some of the bacteriocins produced, if any and (3) to determine if they are unique to the marine environment and/or novel. Fifteen Bacillus licheniformis or pumilus isolates with antimicrobial activity against at least one of the indicator bacteria used were recovered. Some, at least, of the antimicrobials produced were bacteriocins, as they were proteinaceous and the producers displayed immunity. Screening with PCR primers for known Bacillus bacteriocins revealed that three seaweed-derived Bacillus licheniformis harbored the bli04127 gene which encodes one of the peptides of the two-peptide lantibiotic lichenicidin. Production of both lichenicidin peptides was then confirmed by mass spectrometry. This is the first definitive proof of bacteriocin production by seaweed-derived bacteria. The authors acknowledge that the bacteriocin produced has previously been discovered and is not unique to the marine environment. However, the other marine isolates likely produce novel bacteriocins, as none harboured genes for known Bacillus bacteriocins.     

Comparative effects of ultrasonic transducers on medium chemical content in a nutrient mist plant bioreactor

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficiency of ultrasonic transducers in a nutrient mist bioreactor by analyzing the chemical constituents (carbohydrates and inorganic elements) of the mists produced by ultrasonic transducers from a liquid sucrose-supplemented Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. The ultrasonic transducer oscillation frequency with an input power of 2.8 MHz and at 17.5 W was the optimum condition since the contents of glucose, sucrose, total soluble carbohydrate, macro-elements (NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, P, K, Mg, Ca and S), micro-elements (Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, B, I, Mo and Co), and pH value were similar to those in the MS medium after autoclaving. Further, when MS medium was replaced by Gamborg et al. medium (B-5) or woody plant medium (WPM) in this bioreactor at the same transducer settings, the NH₄⁺-N and NO₃⁻-N contents in nutrient mist generated were also similar to those in B5 or WPM after autoclaving, respectively. The results of this research represent a significant contribution towards development of a functional nutrient mist bioreactor.     

Properties of wood plasticization with octanoyl chloride in a solvent-free system

Diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT), solid state cross-polarization/magic-angle-spinning ¹³C-nuclei magnetic resonance spectroscopy (CP/MAS ¹³C-NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and thermomechanical analysis (TMA) were used in this study to elucidate the characteristics of wood sawdust after esterification. Results revealed that thermoplastic wood was produced by solvent-free esterification using octanoyl chloride. Increasing the duration of treatment enhanced the extent of esterification. After octanoylation, the crystallinity of wood sawdust was decreased, whereas thermoplasticity, hydrophobicity, and thermal stability were enhanced. The complete flow of the octanoylated wood meal was achieved at around 300°C under a force of 0.01 N, indicating that octanoylated wood sawdust is a good thermoplastic material.     

Preliminary study on puffer fish proteome-species identification of puffer fish by two-dimensional electrophoresis

The aims of this work were to determine the differential characterization of the urea soluble protein components of puffer fish species and to establish a preliminary proteomic database using an immobilized pH gradient two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) technique. The puffer fish muscle proteins resolved into 171-260 spots in the 2DE gels, with a pI range of 3-10 and molecular mass range of 7.4-205.0 kDa, following Comassie blue staining. Puffer fish muscle proteins fell in the region with pI values of 3.5-7.0, and molecular masses of 7.4-45.0 kDa were well-resolved and were good for species comparison. The more acidic proteins of lower molecular masses showed species specific characteristics. Therefore, the species of puffer fish can be differentiated from the comparison of the characteristic 2DE protein patterns.     

Applying DNA techniques to the identification of the species of dressed toasted eel products

To differentiate the species of processed eel products, the gene identification of four fresh eel species was first established and the species of eel products collected from markets were investigated. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequence analysis were used to determine the genetic variation in a 362-nucleotide region of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene in four fresh eels including Anguilla japonica, Anguilla anguilla, Anguilla rostrata, and Muraenesox cinereus. It was found that each eel species had a unique genotype, which was no different among fresh, frozen, and sterilized meats. The restriction enzyme HinfI could differentiate the species of A. japonica and A. rostrata but could not differentiate A. anguilla and M. cinereus. Another restriction enzyme, Sau96 I, was valuable in the differentiation of M. cinereus from the other three species of Anguilla. By applying PCR and restriction enzymes, the species of 12 commercial eel products were identified as A. japonica (9 samples), A. anguilla (2), and A. rostrata (1). This indicated that the sequence and restriction enzyme cutting site analyses were very usable to authenticate species of different processed eel products.     

Effects of Oxido-Reductants on Rheological Properties of Wheat Flour Dough and Comparison with Some Characteristics of Extruded Noodles

The effects of oxido-reductants on the rheological properties of wheat flour dough were evaluated by using a capillary rheometer and an oscillatory rheometer at three temperatures. The oxidants potassium iodate (KIO₃) and l -ascorbic acid (l -AA) significantly increased the apparent viscosity and G′ and decreased loss tangent at low temperatures of 30 and 60°C due to enhanced formation of disulfide bonds. The reductant glutathione (GSH) had the opposite effect. Heating caused the gelatinization of starch, which diminished the effects of the oxido-reductants and produced doughs with similar rheological properties at 80°C. The correlation between dough rheology and characteristics of extruded noodles was also studied.     

Utilization of hydrolysed potato starch by juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., when using a restricted feeding regime

A 56‐day growth trial was conducted to study the utilization of hydrolysed potato starch by juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. using a restricted feeding regime. Two diets supplemented with either 15% or 30% hydrolysed potato starch and a control diet without carbohydrate supplementation were each fed to triplicate groups of salmon. Feeding rate varied from 1.4% to 2.0% of body weight per day, so that fish were fed similar amounts of protein and lipid. In spite of the restricted feeding used, no growth stimulation was measured as a consequence of the additional starch intake. No variation was found in protein utilization, measured as protein efficiency ratio values (PER), while feed utilization showed decreased values as starch intake increased. Plasma glucose concentrations did not vary as a consequence of increased starch intake when measured 24 h after feeding, indicating efficient regulation of plasma glucose. In fish fed the 30% starch, the plasma triacylglycerol concentration was significantly increased, which may point to de novo lipid synthesis from the high starch intake. No variation was found in plasma cholesterol or protein concentrations, or asparagine aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities. This shows that the fish health status and liver function were normal (no mortality was registered). Liver and muscle showed increased glycogen levels as a function of increased starch intake. The same diets were also fed to juvenile white sturgeon Acipencer transmontanus and hybrid tilapia Oreochromis niloticus×O. aureus. These results are presented separately.     

Studies on the Development and Quality of Fish Chiffon Cake and its Storage Stability

Thirty percent flour was substituted with dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) and unicorn leatherjacket (Aluterus monoceros) paste in a cake recipe to evaluate the quality and shelf life of fish chiffon cakes stored at 4℃ and 25℃. Proximate composition, free amino acid (FAA), aerobic plate count (APC), total volatile basic nitrogen (T-VBN), and texture profile and sensory evaluation of fish chiffon cakes were conducted. Fish paste addition increases proteins. Cakes made with dolphinfish paste had the highest FAA content, followed by the cake made with unicorn leatherjacket. Histidine is the predominant FAA in dolphinfish chiffon cake, and it is significantly higher than the other two cakes. T-VBN values and APC increased with the addition of fish paste and was lower than the upper limit of acceptable fish products during storage period. The hardness of the two fish cakes was slightly lower than the control after 1 and 2 days storage at 25℃ or 3 and 5 days storage at 4℃ and increased during storage. Sensory evaluation showed no significant differences among the ordinary cake and two fish chiffon cakes for odor, texture, flavor, and overall acceptability. Therefore, incorporation of white fish meat is feasible for chiffon cake.     

Hepatic enzyme adaptation to different dietary carbohydrates in juvenile tilapiaOreochromis niloticus xO. aureus

The influence of two carbohydrates, starch and glucose, on hepatic enzyme activities of juvenile tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus xO. aureus, were investigated. Fish were fed either starch or glucose diet solely for 12 weeks or fed either starch or glucose diet for the first 6 weeks and then switched the diet each other for the last 6 weeks. Fish fed only the starch diet gained more (p < 0.05) body weight, had better feed conversion, higher protein deposition and energy retention values than fish fed the glucose diet. These parameters generally decreased in fish when the starch diet was fed first and then switched to the glucose diet, or increased in fish when the glucose diet was fed first and then switched to the starch diet. The starch — fed fish had higher body lipid content than glucose — fed fish. Body lipid decreased in fish transferred from the starch to glucose diet orvice versa when fish were transformed from the glucose to the starch diet. Hepatic hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, and glucose-6-phosphatase activities in fish were not affected by the different dietary regimes. Malic enzyme (ME), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD) activities were higher in the fish fed the starch diet than in those fed the glucose diet. Changing the diet from starch to glucose decreased ME, G-6-PD and PGD activities, whereas, changing the diet from the glucose to the starch increased these enzyme activities in fish liver. These results suggest that lipogenic enzyme activity can adapt to dietary carbohydrates in the fish liver.