Effect of different planting times on the quantitative variation of total seed isoflavone content and composition in Korean soybean cultivars (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - There is great interest in the enhancement of isoflavones as one of the functional ingredients in soybean. This study aimed to investigate the effects of...     

Mass production of rubusoside using a novel stevioside-specific β-glucosidase from Aspergillus aculeatus

Rubusoside (R) is a natural sweetener and a solubilizing agent with antiangiogenic and antiallergic properties. However, currently, its production is quite expensive, and therefore, we have investigated nine commercially available glycosidases to optimize an economically viable R-production method. A stevioside (ST)-specific β-glucosidase (SSGase) was selected and purified 7-fold from Aspergillus aculeatus Viscozyme L by a two-step column chromatography procedure. The 79 kDa protein was stable from pH 3.0 to pH 7.0 at 50-60 °C. Hydrolysis of ST by SSGase produced R and steviol monoglucosyl ester as determined by (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Importantly, SSGase showed higher activity toward ST than other β-linked glucobioses. The optimal conditions for R production were 280 mM ST and 16.6 μL of SSGase at pH 5.1 and 63 °C. This is the first discussion detailing the production of R by enzymatic hydrolysis of ST and is useful for the food additive and pharmaceutical industries.     

Metabolic Profiling of Glucosinolates, Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, and Other Secondary Metabolites in Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes)

We profiled and quantified glucosinolates, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and other secondary metabolites in the skin and flesh of pale green and purple kohlrabis. Analysis of these distinct kohlrabis revealed the presence of 8 glucosinolates, 12 anthocyanins, 2 carotenoids, and 7 phenylpropanoids. Glucosinolate contents varied among the different parts and types of kohlrabi. Glucoerucin contents were 4-fold higher in the flesh of purple kohlrabi than those in the skin. Among the 12 anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-(feruloyl)(sinapoyl) diglucoside-5-glucoside levels were the highest. Carotenoid levels were much higher in the skins than the flesh of both types of kohlrabi. The levels of most phenylpropanoids were higher in purple kohlrabi than in pale green ones. trans-Cinnamic acid content was 12.7-fold higher in the flesh of purple kohlrabi than that in the pale green ones. Thus, the amounts of glucosinolates, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and phenylpropanoids varied widely, and the variations in these compounds between the two types of kohlrabi were significant.     

Breeding of tetra null soybean (Glycine max) for lipoxygenase,kunitz trypsin inhibitor,lectin, and 7S α' subunit proteins

Soybean seed includes various bioactive substances. Also, they contain a variety of antinutritional factors including lipoxygenase, Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI), lectin, and 7S α' subunit proteins. The genetic removal of these proteins will improve the nutritional value of soybean seed. The objective of this research was to breed new soybean with tetra recessive alleles (lox1lox2lox3/lox1lox2lox3‐ti/ti‐le/le‐cgy1/cgy1) for lipoxygenase, KTI, lectin, and 7S α' subunit proteins. Seven parents were used to breed tetra null strain. SDS‐PAGE and Western blot analysis were used to determine the presence or absence of lipoxygenase, 7S α' subunit, KTI, and lectin proteins in mature seed. Tetra null soybean line has a purple flower, determinate growth habit, tan pod, and yellow seed coat colour. Stem height of the breeding line was 62.3 cm. The 100‐seed weight of the breeding line was 27.1 g and yield (t/ha) was 2.84. This is the first soybean strain with lox1lox2lox3/lox1lox2lox3‐ti/ti‐le/le‐cgy1/cgy1 genotype (absence of lipoxygenase, KTI, lectin, and 7S α' subunit proteins).     

The mechanical properties and abrasion behavior of warp knitted fabrics for footwear

The abrasion behavior of three kinds of warp knitted fabrics, which are normally used for upper sole of footwear, was evaluated. We measured the changes of mechanical and structural properties of each sample as abrasion cycle increased. Each sample showed similar trends in compression and surface properties but there were significant differences in abrasion rate among the samples. The mechanical properties showed remarkable differences with directions. The frictional coefficient (MIU) of fabric surface increased at the beginning of abrasion and decreased as abrasion cycles increased. The weight and thickness of the fabric linearly decreased with abrasion cycles. The surface roughness (SMD) and the compressional resilience (RC) decreased as abrasion cycles increased while compressional energy (WC) increased.     

Antimicrobial resistance, virulence-associated genes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium isolated from piglets with diarrhea in Korea

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium was isolated from diarrheic piglets in 2 periods, 2000-2001 (n = 25) and 2005-2006 (n = 17). To compare the characteristics of the isolates collected during the 2 periods, all isolates were tested for antimicrobial resistance, the presence of virulence genes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. All 42 isolates were resistant to at least 1 of the 20 antimicrobials tested, and 39 (93%) were resistant to 2 or more antimicrobials. One isolate was resistant to 12 antimicrobials. Profiles of antimicrobial resistance revealed 20 resistance types. Several isolates were also resistant to quinolones and expanded-spectrum cephalosporins. Ten isolates (24%) were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfonamides, and tetracycline (ACSSuT); only one isolate had been isolated in 2000-2001, indicating that this type of resistance has rapidly disseminated. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays revealed that all the isolates carried invA. Among the 25 strains isolated in 2000-2001, all carried the sipA, sopA, sopD, sopE2, and ssaR genes, and 96% carried sopB and sifA. Among the 17 strains isolated in 2005-2006, all carried sifA, and approximately 90% carried sipA, sopA, sopB, sopD, sopE2, and ssaR. However, only 6 (14%) of the 42 isolates carried spvC. By PFGE analysis, all 42 strains were classified into 4 major clusters, basically by collection period. The genetic similarity according to PFGE suggests that the strains isolated from diarrheic piglets of this region within the same period may be closely related.     

Preventive effects of calcitriol on the development of capsular invasive carcinomas in a rat two-stage thyroid carcinogenesis model

We have shown phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling activation in thyroid capsular invasive carcinomas (CICs), which are highly induced by promotion with sulfadimethoxine (SDM) in a rat 2-stage thyroid carcinogenesis model. To examine the potency of calcitriol, a synthetic vitamin D3 analog, on the development or progression of CICs, male F344 rats were injected with calcitriol (0.1 μg/kg body weight) three times a week intraperitoneally, during an entire period of SDM-promotion for 13 weeks (Experiment 1) or during the last 2 weeks of a 15-week SDM-promotion (Experiment 2). Initiation with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine preceded all treatments. In Experiment 1, long-term calcitriol treatment reduced the multiplicity of CICs, while cell proliferation activity, estimated by Ki-67 cell index in the induced CICs, was unchanged with SDM-promotion alone. Considering the strong dependency of promotion with SDM during the early stages on thyroid-stimulating hormone, the reduced multiplicity in Experiment 1 may be due to the effect on an early stage of neoplastic proliferation. Although the magnitude was mild, cell proliferation activity was decreased in existing CICs after short-term calcitriol treatment in Experiment 2, which was associated with a mild decrease in cyclin-dependent kinase-2-positive cells, cytoplasmic immunolocalization of phosphorylated, inactive, Rb protein and a mild increase in nucleocytoplasmic expression of p27(kip1). Although the effect was mild at the late stage of SDM-promotion in this hypothyroidism-related thyroid carcinogenesis model, our results suggest that calcitriol targets cell proliferation via inhibition of a molecular cascade downstream of PI3K/Akt signaling, controlling G1/S transition.     

Influenza virus neuraminidase inhibitory activity of phlorotannins from the edible brown alga Ecklonia cava

Influenza A virus infections continue to pose a major threat to humans and several animal species. Neuraminidase (NA) is one of the most promising targets for the development of drugs against influenza viruses because of its critical role in the viral life cycle. During the course of a search for NA inhibitors from edible natural sources, we found that the ethyl acetate layer of ethanol extracts of Ecklonia cava showed extremely high NA-inhibitory activity (72.1% inhibition at 30 μg/mL). Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate layer yielded five phlorotannins, identified as phloroglucinol (1), eckol (2), 7-phloroeckol (3), phlorofucofuroeckol (4), and dieckol (5). The inhibitory activities of these compounds (1-5) against NAs from group-1 (A/Bervig_Mission/1/18 [H1N1], A/PR/8/34 [H1N1]) and group-2 (A/Hong Kong/8/68 [H3N2], A/Chicken/Korea/MS96/96 [H9N2]) influenza A were evaluated to determine potencies and kinetic behavior. Analyses using various in vitro influenza A virus NA assays showed that all five phlorotannin derivatives were selective NA inhibitors. Of the phlorotannins, phlorofucofuroeckol (4) exhibited the most potent inhibitory activities toward group-1 NAs (IC?? values, 4.5 and 14.7 μM), whereas dieckol (5) potently inhibited group-2 NAs. Kinetic analyses indicated that compounds 1-5 were all noncompetitive. Notably, these noncompetitive inhibitors synergized with oseltamivir to enhance the NA-inhibitory effects of oseltamivir.     

Genetic differentiation between fake abalone and genuine Haliotis species using the forensically informative nucleotide sequencing (FINS) method

Abalones ( Haliotis species) are a popular delicacy and commonly preserved in dried form either whole or in slices or small pieces for consumption in Asian countries. Driven by the huge profit from trading abalones, dishonest traders may substitute other molluscan species for processed abalone, of which the morphological characteristics are frequently lost in the processed form. For protection of consumer rights and law enforcement against fraud, there is a need for an effective methodology to differentiate between fake and genuine abalone. This paper describes a method (validated according to the international forensic guidelines provided by SWGDAM) for the identification of fake abalone species using forensically informative nucleotide sequence (FINS) analysis. A study of the local market revealed that many claimed "abalone slice" samples on sale are not genuine. The fake abalone samples were found to be either volutids of the genus Cymbium (93%) or the muricid Concholepas concholepas (7%). This is the first report of Cymbium species being used for the preparation and sale as "abalone" in dried sliced form in Hong Kong.     

Optimization of in vitro embryo production and zygote vitrification for the indigenous Vietnamese Ban pig: The effects of different in vitro oocyte maturation systems

The Vietnamese Ban pig is a precious genetic resource that needs to be preserved. In vitro embryo production from in vitro matured (IVM) oocytes is an important tool for the utilization of cryopreserved porcine sperm. The aim of this study was to compare two media for the IVM of Ban pig oocytes. Immature oocytes were subjected to IVM either in a non‐defined (TCM‐199 + pig follicular fluid) or in a defined base medium (POM + epidermal growth factor). At the end of IVM, the oocytes were in vitro fertilized (IVF) with frozen Ban sperm. Ten hours after IVF, the oocytes were either subjected to orcein staining to check fertilization and maturation status or cultured in vitro for 7 days. There was no difference between the two IVM media in terms of percentages of oocyte maturation and blastocyst production. However, the percentage of male pronuclear formation after IVF and the total cell numbers in blastocysts were higher with the defined system. Zygotes obtained by the two IVM systems survived vitrification at similar rates. In conclusion, the two IVM systems were both effective for the production of Ban pig embryos; however, better embryo quality was achieved with the defined one.