Comparative efficiencies of isopropyl and tert-butyl alcohols for extracting zeins from maize endosperm

Protein of endosperm of maize grains originating from three wild-type inbreds and their opaque-2 versions were solubilized in diverse extracts (E) by the sequential use of 0.5 M NaCl, water (E(1,2)), alcohol plus a reducing agent (E(3)), and salt plus a reducing agent (E(4)). Zeins were isolated in extracts E(3) and E(4) obtained by using 55% (w/w) isopropyl alcohol (i-PrOH) + 0.2% dithiothreitol (DTT) followed by 0.5 M NaCl + 0.2% DTT buffered at pH 10 or 60% tert-butyl alcohol (t-BuOH) + 0.2% DTT followed by 0.5% sodium acetate + 0.2% DTT in 30% t-BuOH. For a given genotype the percentage of extracted zeins was independent of the nature of the alcohol. The latter had a slight effect on the respective magnitude of E(3) and E(4): E(3) increased at the expense of E(4) when t-BuOH was substituted to i-PrOH for their isolation. The percentage of the total endosperm nitrogen present in E(3) + E(4) was identical to that of fractions F(II) + F(III) + F(IV) isolated according to the classical Landry-Moureaux extraction procedure. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed the presence of all types of zeins (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta) in E(3) and F(III), residual zeins in E(4) isolated with t-BuOH, and streaking only in E(4) and F(IV) isolated with NaCl at pH 10. The data together with those of the literature were discussed with regard to the influence of procedure on the yield of zeins using alcoholic extraction.     

Studies on the constituents of a Brazilian folk infusion. Isolation and structure elucidation of new triterpene saponins from Ilex amara leaves.

The isolation of three new triterpene saponins 3beta-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L-2-O-acetylarabinopyranosylolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (2), 3beta-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-O-arabinopyranosylurs-12-en-28-oic acid (3), and 3beta-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-O-galactopyranosylurs-12-en-28-oic acid (4) together with five known saponins and one flavonoid glycoside from the aqueous infusion of Ilex amara (Vellozo) Loes. leaves is reported. All structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including the concerted application of one-dimensional (1H, TOCSY, 13C, and 13C DEPT NMR) and two-dimensional NMR techniques (DQF-COSY, HSQC, and HMBC).     

Volatile compounds in Hispánico cheese manufactured using a mesophilic starter,a thermophilic starter,and bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis INIA 415

The effect of the addition of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis INIA 415, a strain harboring the structural genes of nisin Z and lacticin 481, on the formation of volatile compounds in Hispánico cheese manufactured with a mesophilic starter or with the mesophilic starter and a thermophilic starter was investigated. Addition of bacteriocin-producing L. lactis subsp. lactis INIA 415 to milk enhanced the formation of 2-methyl-propanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 1-octanol, 2-butanone, and 2,3-butanedione. On the other hand, addition of thermophilic starter enhanced the formation of acetaldehyde, ethanol, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, 2-butanone, and 2,3-butanedione in Hispánico cheese. Stepwise discriminant analysis using the relative abundances of volatile compounds classified cheeses by type of starter, with function 1 related to thermophilic starter and function 2 to bacteriocin producer.     

荒漠化土地土壤有机质含量的实测光谱估测

在对2个荒漠化典型区土壤采样、化验分析和光谱测量的基础上,分析荒漠化土地土壤的反射光谱特征及土壤有机质的光谱敏感范围,构建多种土壤有机质含量高光谱估测模型。结果表明:荒漠化土地土壤具独特的波浪型光谱曲线,其主要特点是在可见光和近红外的500～900nm光谱范围存在一个明显的弓形突起区,其对提取土壤有机质信息有实际意义;相关分析发现,在中心波长分别为600和830nm的可见光和近红外光光谱范围分别存在1个有机质光谱敏感区;土壤有机质含量高光谱估测模型验证结果表明,利用波长588nm处的反射光谱对数lgR588和反射光谱倒数1/R588以及波长835nm处的反射光谱倒数的导数(1/R835)'和反射光谱对数的导数(lgR835)'分别建立的模型,可以较好地估测荒漠化土地土壤有机质含量。     

杂种落叶松不同子代针叶内抗氧化酶活性的比较

为研究不同品种杂种落叶松针叶内抗氧化酶活性的差异,用紫外分光光度法对日本落叶松、兴安落叶松和长白落叶松的杂交后代,共2代7个家系的杂种落叶松针叶内的过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的活性及其差异进行比较分析。结果表明:2代7个家系杂种落叶松针叶内的CAT、POD和SOD的活性差异极显著(P<0.01),F1代CAT、SOD的活性普遍高于F2代,POD活性低于F2代。在抗氧化酶方面,F1代杂种优势高于F2代,F1代日3×兴2、F2代日12×兴9等具有较好的潜在抗虫性;结合其他抗虫生理指标,该研究结果在选育落叶松抗虫品种过程中有参考价值。     

不同密度华北落叶松人工林土壤理化性质研究

以河北省木兰围场国有林场管理局北沟林场内5种不同密度的华北落叶松人工林为对象,研究林分密度对土壤理化性质的影响,结果发现:林分密度不同程度地影响土壤理化性质。当株数密度为660株/hm2时,土壤的质量含水量、全N及全K含量均保持在一个相对较高的水平;当株数密度从740株/hm2增加到2 000株/hm2时,0～20cm土层的土壤密度先减小后增大,而土壤质量含水量、土壤有机质和全N含量表现出相反的趋势;20～60cm土层的土壤密度与0～20cm土层的变化情况相同,而土壤质量含水量和土壤速效K含量则持续降低,土壤有效P含量呈现出增大趋势;当株数密度达到2 000株/hm2以上时,林地土壤的pH值降低,呈现明显的酸化趋势。过大的林分密度可能导致华北落叶松人工林地土壤酸化与土壤水分、有机质、N和K元素的加速消耗。从维持林地土壤健康的角度,建议将华北落叶松人工林地的林分密度控制在1 500株/hm2左右并且不能超过2 000株/hm2。     

Comparative effects of food-derived polyphenols on the viability and apoptosis of a human hepatoma cell line (HepG2)

Consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in polyphenols, has been associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cancer. Dietary polyphenols have antioxidant and antiproliferative properties that might explain their beneficial effect on cancer prevention. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different pure polyphenols [quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and (-)-epicatechin] and natural fruit extracts (strawberry and plum) on viability or apoptosis of human hepatoma HepG2 cells. The treatment of cells for 18 h with quercetin and fruit extracts reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner; however, chlorogenic acid and (-)-epicatechin had no prominent effects on the cell death rate. Similarly, quercetin and strawberry and plum extracts, rather than chlorogenic acid and (-)-epicatechin, induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Moreover, quercetin and fruit extracts arrested the G1 phase in the cell cycle progression prior to apoptosis. Quercetin and strawberry and plum extracts may induce apoptosis and contribute to a reduced cell viability in HepG2 cells.     

Assessment of changes in soil organic matter after invasion by exotic plant species

Invasive exotic plants can modify soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics and other soil properties. We evaluated changes in particulate organic matter (POM) and carbon (C) mineralisation in adjacent plots invaded by Solidago gigantea, Prunus serotina, Heracleum mantegazzianum and Fallopia japonica, and non-invaded control plots on different soils in Belgium. Litter decomposition of S. gigantea and P. serotina was compared to that of the native species Epilobium hirsutum, Betula pendula and Fagus sylvatica. Disregarding the differences in site characteristics (soil texture, parental material and plant species), we argued that the invasion by S. gigantea and P. serotina enhance SOM dynamics by increasing C mineralisation in 2 out of 3 sites invaded by S. gigantea and in 1 out of 3 sites invaded by P. serotina; C in coarse POM (cPOM, 4,000–250 μm) and fine POM (fPOM, 250–50 μm) in 1 site invaded by S. gigantea and C content in total POM (tPOM, 4,000–50 μm) and the organo-mineral fraction (OMF, 0–50 μm) in 1 site invaded by P. serotina. H. mantegazzianum and F. japonica slowed down SOM dynamics by reducing C mineralisation in three out of four sites; C and nitrogen (N) of fPOM in the invaded compared with the non-invaded plots at one site invaded by H. mantegazzianum. However, N content of cPOM (4,000–250 μm) was higher in the invaded sites by F. japonica compared with the non-invaded plots. Our results indicated that the effects of invasion by exotic plant species were not species-specific but site-specific.     

棉花GhMADS12基因的克隆及其表达载体的构建

MADS-box基因是真核生物中一类重要的转录调控因子,调节着植物根、茎、叶到花的发育和果实的成熟。本研究以中棉所36花发育期均一化全长cDNA文库为基础,分离出一个棉花的MADS-box基因全长cDNA命名为GhMADS12。同时利用pBI121双元载体成功构建了GhMADS12基因的植物过表达载体,并利用基因枪轰击法瞬时表达载体,验证了载体的可靠性,为下一步转基因验证基因的功能奠定了基础。     

转低温胁迫转录因子BcICE1基因水稻提高抗寒性

低温冷害是制约黑龙江省水稻安全生产最主要的气象灾害之一,严重影响其产量和品质.为提高寒地水稻抗低温冷害能力,本研究将从大白菜分离的低温胁迫转录因子BcICE1基因(GenBank登录号为HQ902162)构建到植物表达载体pCAMBLA1301上,利用农杆菌介导法导入粳稻品种龙粳24中.PCR、Southern杂交和R...