Biocatalytic production of dihydrocoumarin from coumarin by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Natural dihydrocoumarin, which is of great interest in the flavor industry, was biotechnologically produced from pure coumarin or tonka bean meal with Pseudomonas orientalis, Bacillus cereus, and various Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Coumarin was shown to be converted to melilotic acid, which yielded dihydrocoumarin upon distillation during purification. About 1.0 g/L product was obtained from 25 g/L tonka beans with S. cerevisiae within 147 h. This dihydrocoumarin thus fulfills all of the criteria of a natural raw material and can be used as a natural flavoring in accordance with U.S. and European Union regulations.     

Does transport of water to roots limit water uptake of field crops?

The question was examined under which conditions the water extraction rate of plant roots in the field can be limited by water transport to the roots. For this purpose we used a numerical solution of the single root model. Scenario calculations were carried out in order to investigate the general model behaviour. A sensitivity analysis showed that initial volumetric water content and root length density are of greater importance than root diameter in determining the maximum water transport rate to the roots. Data from a field experiment were taken, describing root length density, volumetric water content and water uptake rates under oats (Avena saliva L.) and faba beans (Vicia faba L.) as model input parameters. With this data the model calculated the water content difference between the bulk soil and the root surface which is necessary to induce a water flow to the roots matching the observed water uptake rate. Root length densities below the grain legume crop faba beans are one order of magnitude lower compared to that of the cereal crop oats. The therefore higher specific water influx rates of faba beans roots resulted in a higher decrease in water content near the root surface. However, water uptake by faba beans was controlled by the water flow towards the roots probably only in deeper soil layers with very low root length density. For the given conditions no transport limitation of water uptake was calculated, when rooting densities were higher than about 0.1 cm.cm^?3.     

Measurement and simulation of herbicide transport in macroporous soils

Lysimeter experiments were carried out to study pesticide transport through macroporous soils. In order to differentiate between the effects of soil structure and chemical behaviour, the leaching experiments were conducted using disturbed and undisturbed soil samples. Two herbicides with different sorption behaviours, and bromide as tracer were applied. The results were used to validate a dynamic simulation model which considers bypass flow in macropores. The simulation results show that the model is able to reproduce the soil suction within the soil as well as the spatial distribution of bromide and the herbicides. The continuity of the macropores is most important for the efficiency of bypass flow. The results indicate that cultivation practices like ploughing significantly influence the temporal and spatial distribution of the macropores. © 1998 SCI.     

Comparison of antioxidant potency of commonly consumed polyphenol-rich beverages in the United States

A number of different beverage products claim to have antioxidant potency due to their perceived high content of polyphenols. Basic and applied research indicates that pomegranate juice (PJ), produced from the Wonderful variety of Punica granatum fruits, has strong antioxidant activity and related health benefits. Although consumers are familiar with the concept of free radicals and antioxidants, they are often misled by claims of superior antioxidant activity of different beverages, which are usually based only on testing of a limited spectrum of antioxidant activities. There is no available direct comparison of PJ's antioxidant activity to those of other widely available polyphenol-rich beverage products using a comprehensive variety of antioxidant tests. The present study applied (1) four tests of antioxidant potency [Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), total oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), free radical scavenging capacity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)]; (2) a test of antioxidant functionality, that is, inhibition of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation by peroxides and malondialdehyde methods; and (3) evaluation of the total polyphenol content [by gallic acid equivalents (GAEs)] of polyphenol-rich beverages in the marketplace. The beverages included several different brands as follows: apple juice (3), a?aí juice (3), black cherry juice (3), blueberry juice (3), cranberry juice (3), Concord grape juice (3), orange juice (3), red wines (3), iced tea beverages (10) [black tea (3), green tea (4), white tea (3)], and a major PJ available in the U.S. market. An overall antioxidant potency composite index was calculated by assigning each test equal weight. PJ had the greatest antioxidant potency composite index among the beverages tested and was at least 20% greater than any of the other beverages tested. Antioxidant potency, ability to inhibit LDL oxidation, and total polyphenol content were consistent in classifying the antioxidant capacity of the polyphenol-rich beverages in the following order: PJ>red wine>Concord grape juice>blueberry juice>black cherry juice, a?aí juice, cranberry juice>orange juice, iced tea beverages, apple juice. Although in vitro antioxidant potency does not prove in vivo biological activity, there is also consistent clinical evidence of antioxidant potency for the most potent beverages including both PJ and red wine.     

Structure of PTB bound to RNA: specific binding and implications for splicing regulation

The polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) is a 58-kilodalton RNA binding protein involved in multiple aspects of messenger RNA metabolism, including the repression of alternative exons. We have determined the solution structures of the four RNA binding domains (RBDs) of PTB, each bound to a CUCUCU oligonucleotide. Each RBD binds RNA with a different binding specificity. RBD3 and RBD4 interact, resulting in an antiparallel orientation of their bound RNAs. Thus, PTB will induce RNA looping when bound to two separated pyrimidine tracts within the same RNA. This leads to structural models for how PTB functions as an alternative-splicing repressor.     

Bodenvariabilität und Verhalten von Pflanzenschutzmitteln

Soil variability and pesticide behaviour The spatial variability of selected soil characteristics (organic carbon, particle size), pesticide adsorption and leaching was estimated for an agricultural location. Variograms were calculated to describe the spatial dependence of data. All parameters showed a nearly isotropic behaviour. According to variograms a kriging interpolation was done and the spatial variability of parameters was estimated. Leaching of terbuthylazine was calculated (model PRZM) with regard to soil variability and adsorption pattern (K_d-values). Leaching depth in the winter season varied between 10 and 22 cm depending strictly on soil characteristics.     

Effects of Sarcocystis miescheriana infection on carcass quality and on the water-binding capacity of the meat of halothane-tested fattening pigs

Ten halothane-positive pigs (stress sensitive, group A) and ten halothane-negative pigs (stress insensitive, Group C) with a mean body weight of 36 kg were each inoculated orally with 50,000 sporocysts of Sarcocystis miescheriana. Twelve halthane-positive pigs (Group B) and ten halothane-negative pigs (Group D) served as non-infected controls. Thirteen weeks post infection (p.i.) the lean: fat ratios of the pigs of the infected groups A and C were lower (A, 1:0.41 +/- 0.09; C, 1:0.50 +/- 0.10) than those of the pigs of the non-infected groups B and D (B, 1:0.50 +/- 0.08; D, 1:0.55 +/- 0.08). The back-fat thickness, the fat thickness 'A' and the fat thickness 'B' were thinner in infected pigs than in non-infected pigs. The difference in Lendenst?rkespeckquotient (Loin Fat Thickness Quotient) (LSQ) between infected and non-infected pigs was not statistically significant. The values of the water-holding capacity were lower in infected pigs than in non-infected pigs, the difference being statistically significant only in the halothane-negative groups (C, 0.45 +/- 0.02; D, 0.48 +/- 0.04). The water-absorbing capacity was significantly higher in the infected groups (A, 5.92 +/- 3.99%; B, 2.26 +/- 1.08%; C, 8.96 +/- 2.90%; D, 4.97 +/- 2.51%). In conclusion, it can be said that there was a slight tendency towards a better carcass quality and a better water-binding capacity in infected pigs, although this was combined with reduced growth rates.     

Lycopene accumulation induced by 2-(4-chlorophenylthio)-triethylamine hydrochloride

After fruits, roots, or the mycelium of certain plants were treated with 2-(4-chlorophenylthio)-triethylamine hydrochloride, lycopene was detected in the tissue. This is the first known success in causing lycopene to accumulate in a wide range of carotenogenic tissues that normally do not accumulate the pigment at some stage of development. The response should be of value in the study of carotenoid biosynthetic pathways and gene control mechanisms.     

Development of piscirickettsiosis in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) smolts after intraperitoneal and cohabitant challenge using an EM90‐like isolate: A comparative study

Piscirickettsiosis, caused by the intracellular Gram‐negative bacteria Piscirickettsia salmonis, is at present the most devastating disease in the Chilean salmon industry. The aim of this study was to analyse disease development after challenge with a P. salmonis strain (EM90‐like) under a controlled environment by comparing intraperitoneal challenge with cohabitation challenge. The P. salmonis EM90‐like isolate was cultured in a liquid medium for the challenge of 400 Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts. Cumulative mortality was registered, necropsy was performed, and bacterial distribution in the tissues and histopathological changes were analysed. The results revealed a similar progression of the disease for the two different challenge models. Pathological and histopathological changes became more visible during the development of the clinical phase of the disease. Bacterial DNA was identified in all the analysed tissues indicating a systemic infection. Bacterial tropism to visceral organs was demonstrated by real‐time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. Better knowledge of disease development during P. salmonis infection may contribute to further development of challenge models that mimic the field situation during piscirickettsiosis outbreaks. The models can be used to develop and test future preventive measures against the disease.