Effects of natural protease inhibitors on high protease activity flours

Wheat grain damaged by wheat bug (Eurygaster spp.) contains the bug salivary secretion which hydrolyses the gluten needed for the dough quality of breadmaking due to its proteolytic activity. Since the protease inhibitors are widespread throughout the plant kingdom, the possibility of using some plants, especially food and feed legumes to decrease the proteolytic activity of flours milled from bug damaged wheats was investigated. The proteolytic activity was considerably inhibited by pefabloc-SC and EDTA-Na₂, suggesting that bug protease(s) included serine and metallo proteases. Extracts from cones of hops, seeds of grass pea, red kidney bean and sunflower caused reduction in the activity of bug protease(s). Effects of hop extract on electrophoretic, rheological properties of high protease activity flours milled from different bread wheat cultivars damaged by the bug were also studied. The dough development time and stability values of high protease activity flours increased considerably with hop extract at the lowest addition level (10:1, flour to hop extract ratio). The doughs supplemented with the hop extract had higher maximum resistance and lower extensibility values as compared to their controls. These results suggested that hop extract had improving effects on high protease activity flours due to the bug damage.     

Genetic basis and origin of resistance to acetolactate synthase inhibitors in Amaranthus palmeri from Spain and Italy

BACKGROUND

Amaranthus palmeri is an aggressive annual weed native to the United States, which has become invasive in some European countries. Populations resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have been recorded in Spain and Italy, but the evolutionary origin of the resistance traits remains unknown. Bioassays were conducted to identify cross-resistance to ALS inhibitors and a haplotype-based genetic approach was used to elucidate the origin and distribution of resistance in both countries.

RESULTS

Amaranthus palmeri populations were resistant to thifensulfuron-methyl and imazamox, and the 574-Leu mutant ALS allele was found to be the main cause of resistance among them. In two Spanish populations, 376-Glu and 197-Thr mutant ALS alleles were also found. The haplotype analyses revealed the presence of two and four distinct 574-Leu mutant haplotypes in the Italian and Spanish populations, respectively. None was common to both countries, but some mutant haplotypes were shared between geographically close populations or between populations more than 100 km apart. Wide genetic diversity was found in two very close Spanish populations.

CONCLUSION

ALS-resistant A. palmeri populations were introduced to Italy and Spain from outside Europe. Populations from both countries have different evolutionary histories and originate from independent introduction events. ALS resistance then spread over short and long distances by seed dispersal. The higher number and genetic diversity among mutant haplotypes from the Spanish populations indicated recurrent invasions. The implementation of control tactics to limit seed dispersal and the establishment of A. palmeri is recommended in both countries. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Quinone Binding Sites of Membrane Proteins as Targets for Inhibitors

Quinones are a central component of most photosynthetic and respiratory electron transfer chains. The proteins that reduce and oxidise these quinones have quinone binding sites—Q sites—that are good targets for pesticides. This paper reviews the diversity of these sites, their possible structure, and the types of compounds that act upon them.     

Multiple resistance of Papaver rhoeas L. to 2,4‐D and acetolactate synthase inhibitors in four European countries

The issue of cross‐ or multiple resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors and the auxinic herbicide 2,4‐D was investigated in Papaver rhoeas L., a common and troublesome weed in winter cereals, in a broad‐scale study across four European countries. A combination of herbicide sensitivity bioassays and molecular assays targeting mutations involved in resistance was conducted on 27 populations of P. rhoeas originating from Greece (9), Italy (5), France (10) and Spain (3). Plants resistant to the field rate of 2,4‐D were observed in 25 of the 27 populations assayed, in frequencies ranging from 5% to 85%. Plants resistant to ALS‐inhibiting herbicides (sulfonylureas) were present in 24 of the 27 populations, in frequencies ranging from 4% to 100%. Plants resistant to 2,4‐D co‐occurred with plants resistant to sulfonylureas in 23 populations. In four of these, the probability of presence of plants with cross‐ or multiple resistance to 2,4‐D and sulfonylureas was higher than 0.5. ALS genotyping of plants from the field populations or of their progenies, identified ALS alleles carrying a mutation at codon Pro197 or Trp574 in 2,4‐D‐sensitive and in 2,4‐D‐resistant plants. The latter case confirmed multiple resistance to 2,4‐D and ALS inhibitors at the level of individual plants in all four countries investigated. This study is the first to identify individual plants with multiple resistance in P. rhoeas, an attribute rarely assessed in other weed species, but one with significant implications in designing chemical control strategies.     

Ontogenetic development of digestive enzymes and effect of starvation in miiuy croaker <Emphasis Type="Italic">Miichthys miiuy</Emphasis> larvae

The ontogenetic development of the digestive enzymes amylase, lipase, trypsin, and alkaline phosphatase and the effect of starvation in miiuy croaker Miichthys miiuy larvae were studied. The activities of these enzymes were detected prior to exogenous feeding, but their developmental patterns differed remarkably. Trypsin activity continuously increased from 2 days after hatching (dah), peaked on 20 dah, and decreased to 25 dah at weaning. Alkaline phosphatase activity oscillated at low levels within a small range after the first feeding on 3 dah. In contrast, amylase and lipase activities followed the general developmental pattern that has been characterized in fish larvae, with a succession of increases or decreases. Amylase, lipase, and trypsin activities generally started to increase or decrease at transitions from endogenous to exogenous feeding or diet changes, suggesting that these enzymatic activities can be modulated by feeding modes. The activities of all the enzymes remained stable from 25 dah onwards, coinciding with the formation of gastric glands and pyloric caecum. These results imply that specific activities of these enzymes underwent changes due to morphological and physiological modifications or diet shift during larval development but that they became stable after the development of the digestive organs and associated glands was fully completed and the organs/glands functioned. Trypsin and alkaline phosphatase were more sensitive to starvation than amylase and lipase because delayed feeding up to 2 days after mouth opening was able to adversely affect their activities. Enzyme activities did not significantly differ among feeding groups during endogenous feeding; however, all activities were remarkably reduced when delayed feeding was within 3 days after mouth opening. Initiation of larvae feeding should occur within 2 days after mouth opening so that good growth and survival can be obtained in the culture.     

水稻抽穗后喷施多胺合成抑制剂对水稻籽粒多胺含量与组成的影响

以高多胺水稻品种金陵香糯为材料,在抽穗期、开花期和灌浆期用不同浓度的多胺合成抑制剂D 精氨酸（D Arg）、甲基乙二醛双（鸟苷腙）（MGBG）和环己胺（CHA）喷施穗部和剑叶,研究它们对水稻籽粒中游离态和结合态多胺含量和组成的影响。结果表明,D Arg对3个时期水稻籽粒中游离态和结合态各多胺含量及总量均有显著抑制作用,其中开花期和灌浆期处理的效果较明显。MGBG和CHA主要影响籽粒多胺的组成,对多胺总量的影响仅MGBG在开花期、CHA在抽穗期和开花期处理的抑制作用达显著水平。     

Nitrate leaching loss following application of organic manures to sandy soils in arable cropping.

Abstract. Experiments were set up at two sites to measure nitrogen (N) leaching loss from applications of separated pig/cattle slurry and cattle farmyard manure(FYM), during winters 1990/91–1993/94 (site A) and from broiler litter and FYM, during winters 1990/91–1992/93 (site B). The manures were applied at a target rate of 200 kg ha^-1 total N during the autumn and winter to overwinter fallow or top dressed onto winter rye. The total N in leachate was calculated from leachate N concentrations, in samples collected using ceramic cups buried at 90 cm, and an estimate of drainage volume. Nitrogen losses were greatest following manure applications in September, October and November but losses following applications in December or January were not significantly elevated above those from untreated controls. Losses were consistently lower from FYM than from broiler litter or separated slurry. The presence of a cover crop (winter rye) significantly reduced overall N leaching compared with the fallow, but only reduced the manure N leaching losses at one site during one winter when a high proportion of drainage occurred late. The incorporation of a nitrification inhibitor (DCD) with manures applied in October did not significantly reduce the manure N leaching.     

杂草对光系统Ⅱ抑制剂的抗药性研究进展

随着除草剂使用量和使用频率的不断增加,杂草抗药性问题也逐渐成为杂草防除及治理的难点和热点。目前杂草对PS(Photosystem)Ⅱ抑制剂类除草剂产生抗药性主要分为靶标抗性和非靶标抗性。本研究综述了近年来杂草对PSⅡ抑制剂类除草剂抗药性的产生、发展现状及杂草抗PSⅡ抑制剂类除草剂的机理。针对这些问题,提出除草剂使用过程中需要注意的事项,为延缓杂草对该类除草剂产生抗药性提供一定参考。     

钙离子和钙激活酶外源抑制剂对牛肉钙激活活性和超微结构的影响

3头改良黄牛(鲁西黄牛×犁木赞)在屠宰厂按照标准的屠宰工艺屠宰并预冷20 h后取样,样品分7组,按样品重10%分别注射蒸馏水(对照)、200 mmol*L1 CaCl2、200 mmol*L1 EGTA、200 mmol*L1 ZnCl2、0.2 mg*mL1亮抑蛋白酶肽、0.2 mg*mL1亮抑蛋白酶肽+0.01 mg*mL1 Triton X-100、0.01 mg*mL1 Triton X-100 7个不同处理,将样品分别成熟3、8和16 d后测μ钙激活酶(μ-calpain)和m钙激活酶(m-calpain)的活性并观察肌纤维超微结构.实验结果发现,与注射CaCl2的牛肉相比,注射外源性钙激活酶抑制剂(亮抑蛋白酶肽、ZnCl2)牛肉的μ钙激活酶保持活性时间延长,超微结构变化受到抑制.提示,钙激活酶特别是μ钙激活酶很可能参与了牛肉嫩化过程并发挥着关键作用.