The influence of crossbreeding on collagen solubility and tenderness of Infraspinatus and Semimembranosus muscles of semi‐intensively reared young bulls

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of crossbreeding on collagen content and solubility, shear force (WBSF) and the eating quality of Infraspinatus (INF) and Semimembranosus (SM) muscles of young bulls and the relationships between collagen content and solubility, shear force and the eating quality of beef. The experimental material comprised muscles of crossbred young bulls (about 600 days old) of Polish Holstein‐Friesian (PHF) × Limousine (LM) (n = 10), PHF × Charolaise (CH) (n = 9), PHF × Hereford (HER) (n = 9) breeds. The crossbreeding influenced WBSF, aroma and taste, total, water‐soluble, acid‐soluble, total soluble and insoluble collagen content, as well as the acid‐soluble, total soluble and insoluble collagen proportions. WBSF was significantly negatively correlated with sensorial tenderness and water‐soluble collagen content. The eating quality of beef obtained from different crossbreds was similar; however, the meat from PHF × LM and PHF × HER bulls had lower WBSF values than PHF × CH bulls. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

Influence of the Structural Features of Carrageenans from Red Algae of the Far Eastern Seas on Their Antiviral Properties

The structural diversity and unique physicochemical properties of sulphated polysaccharides of red algae carrageenans (CRGs), to a great extent, determine the wide range of their antiviral properties. This work aimed to compare the antiviral activities of different structural types of CRGs: against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and enterovirus (ECHO-1). We found that CRGs significantly increased the resistance of Vero cells to virus infection (preventive effect), directly affected virus particles (virucidal effect), inhibited the attachment and penetration of virus to cells, and were more effective against HSV-1. CRG1 showed the highest virucidal effect on HSV-1 particles with a selective index (SI) of 100. CRG2 exhibited the highest antiviral activity by inhibiting HSV-1 and ECHO-1 plaque formation, with a SI of 110 and 59, respectively, when it was added before virus infection. CRG2 also significantly reduced the attachment of HSV-1 and ECHO-1 to cells compared to other CRGs. It was shown by molecular docking that tetrasaccharides—CRGs are able to bind with the HSV-1 surface glycoprotein, gD, to prevent virus–cell interactions. The revealed differences in the effect of CRGs on different stages of the lifecycle of the viruses are apparently related to the structural features of the investigated compounds.     

Analysis of genetic diversity among Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. isolates from Euro-Asian countries

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The study assessed the genetic variability among Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. isolates originating from six different countries (Turkey,...     

Changes in the content of free sulphydryl groups during postharvest wheat and flour maturation and their influence on technological quality

The main aim of this study was to determine the changes in free sulphydryl content during postharvest wheat and flour maturation. The content of free sulphydryl groups was determined from wet gluten over 50 days of wheat postharvest maturation and over 14 days of flour maturation by varying incubation temperatures (30 and 37 °C) and incubation times (0, 45, 90 and 135 min). The amount of free sulphydryl groups increased during postharvest wheat and flour maturation as well as with the increase in temperature and gluten incubation time. The additional aim of this study was to find the interrelation between the content of free sulphydryl groups and selected parameters of technological quality by means of Principal Component Analysis. During wheat/flour maturation, the strengthening of protein structure was observed manifested by the increase in gluten index and Mixolab protein network weakening (C2), and changes in dough resistance as well. The incubation temperature of 37 °C affected the weakening of protein structure manifested by the decrease in gluten index and resistance, and increase in extensibility. Strong differentiation of examined varieties in terms of selected quality indicators was observed upon pre-defined maturation period, probably due to the expression of their intrinsic properties.     

Androgenic capability among genotypes of winter and spring barley

Variable efficiency of androgenesis remains a serious problem in many species of cereals. It is still unclear what makes certain genotypes more amenable to androgenesis than others. This study was undertaken to quantify the previously suspected advantage of winter barley genotypes over spring ones with regard to regeneration efficiency in anther culture. The material consisted of 40 barley hybrids originating from Polish breeding companies. The number of androgenic structures per 100 anthers did not differ significantly between analysed groups (119 vs. 152 non‐significant), but the average regeneration of green plants per 100 anthers was five times higher in winter genotypes (6.4 vs. 1.3). The incidence of albinism was lower for the winter than for the spring materials (70% vs. 90%), while the rate of spontaneous chromosome doubling was similar in both groups (58% vs. 56%). The results strongly support the notion that winter genotypes are more amenable to androgenesis and this may be a consequence of their better adaptation to stress conditions.     

Solid foodstuff supplemented with phenolics from grape: antioxidant properties and correlation with phenolic profiles

Osmotic dehydration was assessed as an operation for supplementing a solid foodstuff (a gel was used as the model food) with grape phenolics from a concentrated red grape must to increase its antioxidant properties. The model food was processed for up to 24 h, and the osmotic pressure was adjusted by diluting the concentrated red grape must. In all conditions tested, low molecular weight phenolics (相似文献   

Evidence for genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in selected intermediate hosts in Serbia

To contribute to the insight into the worldwide population structure of Toxoplasma gondii, we genetically characterized a total of eight strains isolated from intermediate hosts including humans, sheep and pigeons in Serbia. Although parasite DNA was detected in 28.2% (60/213) of the human samples from 162 patients serologically suspected of active toxoplasmosis, as well as in 5/7 seropositive pigeons and in 2/12 seropositive sheep examined, multilocus PCR-RFLP genotyping, using SAG1, 5′SAG2, 3′SAG2, GRA6, 5′GRA7 and 3′GRA7 as markers, was successful in only four human isolates (of which one was isolated from both the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood samples of a single patient), one sheep and three pigeons. Of the eight isolates, five were type II (62.5%), one was type III, one was atypical, and one had a type I allele at GRA6 as the single locus genotyped. Although type II, as elsewhere in Europe, predominated, these results may suggest a higher genetic diversity of T. gondii in Serbia, reflecting local environmental contamination and also the geographical position of the country in South-East Europe.     

Does reduced MHC diversity decrease viability of vertebrate populations?

Loss of genetic variation may render populations more vulnerable to pathogens due to inbreeding depression and depletion of variation in genes responsible for immunity against parasites. Here we review the evidence for the significance of variation in genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) for conservation efforts. MHC molecules present pathogen-derived antigens to the effector cells of the immune system and thus trigger the adaptive immune response. Some MHC genes are the most variable functional genes in the vertebrate genome. Their variation is clearly of adaptive significance and there is considerable evidence that its maintenance is mainly due to balancing selection imposed by pathogens. However, while the evidence for selection shaping MHC variation on the historical timescale is compelling, a correlation between levels of MHC variation and variation at neutral loci is often observed, indicating that on a shorter timescale drift also substantially affects MHC, leading to depletion of MHC diversity. The evidence that the loss of MHC variation negatively affects population survival is so far equivocal and difficult to separate from effects of general inbreeding. Some species with depleted MHC variation seem to be particularly susceptible to infection, but other species thrive and expand following severe bottlenecks that have drastically limited their MHC variation. However, while the latter demonstrate that MHC variation is not always critical for population survival, these species may in fact represent rare examples of survival despite of the loss of MHC variation. There is clearly a compelling need for data that would disclose the possible consequences of MHC diversity for population viability. In particular, we need more data on the impact of MHC allelic richness on the abundance of parasites or prevalence of disease in populations, while controlling for the role of general inbreeding. Before such evidence accumulates, captive breeding programs and other conservation measures aimed at inbreeding avoidance should be favoured over those protecting only MHC variation, especially since inbreeding avoidance programs would usually conserve both types of genetic diversity simultaneously.