196,172 research outputs found
Metabolite Profiling Reveals Developmental Inequalities in Pinot Noir Berry Tissues Late in Ripening
No full textUneven ripening in Vitis vinifera is increasingly recognized as a phenomenon of interest, with substantial implications for fruit and wine composition and quality. This study sought to determine whether variation late in ripening (∼Modified Eichhorn-Lorenz stage 39) was associated with developmental differences that were observable as fruits within a cluster initiated ripening (véraison). Four developmentally distinct ripening classes of berries were tagged at cluster véraison, sampled at three times late in ripening, and subjected to untargeted HPLC-MS to measure variation in amino acids, sugars, organic acids, and phenolic metabolites in skin, pulp, and seed tissues separately. Variability was described using predominantly two strategies. In the first, multivariate analysis (Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structures-Discriminant Analysis, OPLS-DA) was used to determine whether fruits were still distinguishable per their developmental position at véraison and to identify which metabolites accounted for these distinctions. The same technique was used to assess changes in each tissue over time. In a second strategy and for each annotated metabolite, the variance across the ripening classes at each time point was measured to show whether intra-cluster variance (ICV) was growing, shrinking, or constant over the period observed. Indeed, berries could be segregated by OPLS-DA late in ripening based on their developmental position at véraison, though the four ripening classes were aggregated into two larger ripening groups. Further, not all tissues were dynamic over the period examined. Although pulp tissues could be segregated by time sampled, this was not true for seed and only moderately so for skin. Ripening group differences in seed and skin, rather than the time fruit was sampled, were better able to define berries. Metabolites also experienced significant reductions in ICV between single pairs of time points, but never across the entire experiment. Metabolites often exhibited a combination of ICV expansion, contraction and persistence. Finally, we observed significant differences in the abundance of some metabolites between ripening classes that suggest the berries that initiated ripening first remained developmentally ahead of the lagging fruit even late in the ripening phase. This presents a challenge to producers who would seek to harvest at uniformity or at a predefined level of variation
Identification of metabolic markers of ripening near harvest in Pinot Noir
No full textAt the onset of berry ripening, four developmentally different berry classes exist simultaneously within the same cluster and represent the most and least developed berries. They were designated Green Hard (GH), Green Soft (GS), Pink Soft (PS) and Red Soft (RS). These classes are assumed indistinguishable from one another at harvest and that the four berry classes follow the ripening curve shown below. However, whether or not this synchronization occurs metabolically at commercial harvest has not been demonstrated. This study will describe the metabolome of Pinot noir near harvest. The objective of this study is to describe which metabolites exhibit minimal variability or persistent variability among the four classes of berries near harvest to clarify the contribution of ripeness heterogeneity to overall fruit quality
Advances in combined enzymatic extraction of ferulic acid from wheat bran
No full textWheat bran could be utilised as feedstock for innovative and sustainable biorefinery processes. Here, an enzymatic hydrolysis process for ferulic acid (FA) extraction was optimised step by step for total wheat bran (Tritello) and then also applied to the outer bran layer (Bran 1). Proteins, reducing sugars, total phenols and FA were quantified. The highest FA yields (0.82-1.05 g/kg bran) were obtained either by rehydrating the bran by autoclaving (Tritello) or by steam explosion (Bran 1) using a bran/water ratio of 1:20, followed by enzymatic pre-treatment with Alcalase and Termamyl, to remove protein and sugars, and a final enzymatic hydrolysis with Pentopan and feruloyl esterase to solubilise phenol. FA was recovered from the final digestate via solid phase extraction. A 40-fold scale-up was also performed and the release of compounds along all the process steps and at increasing incubation times was monitored. Results showed that FA was initially present at a minimum level while it was specifically released during the enzymatic treatment. In the final optimized process, the FA extraction yield was higher than that obtained with NaOH control hydrolysis while, in comparison with other FA enzymatic extraction methods, fewer process steps were required and no buffers, strong acid/alkali nor toxic compounds were used. Furthermore, the proposed process may be easily scaled-up, confirming the feasibility of wheat bran valorisation by biorefinery processes to obtain valuable compounds having several areas of potential industrial exploitation
Towards a scientific interpretation of the terroir concept: plasticity of the grape berry metabolome
No full textBACKGROUND: The definition of the terroir concept is one of the most debated issues in oenology and viticulture. The dynamic interaction among diverse factors including the environment, the grapevine plant and the imposed viticultural techniques means that the wine produced in a given terroir is unique. However, there is an increasing interest to define and quantify the contribution of individual factors to a specific terroir objectively. Here, we characterized the metabolome and transcriptome of berries from a single clone of the Corvina variety cultivated in seven different vineyards, located in three macrozones, over a 3-year trial period. RESULTS: To overcome the anticipated strong vintage effect, we developed statistical tools that allowed us to identify distinct terroir signatures in the metabolic composition of berries from each macrozone, and from different vineyards within each macrozone. We also identified non-volatile and volatile components of the metabolome which are more plastic and therefore respond differently to terroir diversity. We observed some relationships between the plasticity of the metabolome and transcriptome, allowing a multifaceted scientific interpretation of the terroir concept. CONCLUSIONS: Our experiments with a single Corvina clone in different vineyards have revealed the existence of a clear terroir-specific effect on the transcriptome and metabolome which persists over several vintages and allows each vineyard to be characterized by the unique profile of specific metabolites.Andrea Anesi, Matteo Stocchero, Silvia Dal Santo, Mauro Commisso, Sara Zenoni, Stefania Ceoldo, Giovanni Battista Tornielli, Tracey E. Siebert, Markus Herderich, Mario Pezzotti and Flavia Guzz
Dr. Duane M. Jackson, Morehouse College, July 2011
No full textThis video is a conversation with Dr. Duane M. Jackson. Dr. Jackson talks about his paper, "Recall and the Serial Position Effect: The Role of Primacy and Recency on Accounting Students' Performance." Jackie Daniel, AUC Woodruff Library, is the interviewer
Potentially neuroactive amines in kiwifruit
No full textThe beneficial effects of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables on human health are generally recognized. The protective effect of a diet rich in fruit and vegetable on cardiovascular diseases and some kind of cancer has been shown in many investigation, including the large scale study using the data coming from the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition) initiative (Crowe et al., 2011) and the very recent investigation of Oyebode and coworkers (2014). The earlier investigation inspired the launch of various national campaign such as “5-a-day” campaign in UK, France and Germany, the “Fruit and Veggies-more matters” in USA, and the “Go for 2+5” in Australia. Some very recent investigation evidentiated also a positive association between fruit and vegetable consumption and enhanced mood, happiness, psychological well-being feeling (White et al., 2013, Carr et al., 2013; Blanchflower et al., 2012) and decreased depression (Tsai et al., 2001). However, similar reports referred on specific fruits or vegetables are very rare. Carr and coworkers (2013) reported a specific positive association between the consumption of 2 kiwifruit a day and less fatigue, more vigour and overall enhanced mood state, while Lin and coworkers (2011) found that kiwifruits seems to improve sleep onset, duration, and efficiency in adults. The precise molecule(s) responsible for these activities have not been yet identified; White and Carr speculated that the observed kiwi fruit effects could be due to the high content of vitamins (mainly vitamin C, D , E ), folates, carotenoids, flavonoids, omega-3-fatty acids and micronutrients, while Lin and coworkers speculatively attributed the observed effect on vitamins, antioxidants and serotonin, which has been previously detected in this fruit. Recently, in a project aimed to the metabolomics characterization of kiwifruits, we found that , beside the presence of vitamin C and various different polyphenols, an interesting cocktail of metabolites which potentially could be involved in the psycoactivities of this fruit have been detected. This phytocomplex included tryptophan, tryptamine, serotonin, N-acetyl serotonin and melatonin, i.e. the complete biosynthetic pathway for the production of phytomelatonin. The putative gene responsible for tryptamine production in kiwifruit was identified and it was characterized by phylogenetic comparison with that of other plant species and by its heterologous expression in Nicotiana benthamiana
Transient Expression in Red Beet of a Biopharmaceutical Candidate Vaccine for Type-1 Diabetes
No full textPlant molecular farming is the use of plants to produce molecules of interest. In this perspective, plants may be used both as bioreactors for the production and subsequent purification of the final product and for the direct oral delivery of heterologous proteins when using edible plant species. In this work, we present the development of a candidate oral vaccine against Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in edible plant systems using deconstructed plant virus-based recombinant DNA technology, delivered with vacuum infiltration. Our results show that a red beet is a suitable host for the transient expression of a human derived autoantigen associated to T1D, considered to be a promising candidate as a T1D vaccine. Leaves producing the autoantigen were thoroughly characterized for their resistance to gastric digestion, for the presence of residual bacterial charge and for their secondary metabolic profile, giving an overview of the process production for the potential use of plants for direct oral delivery of a heterologous protein. Our analysis showed almost complete degradation of the freeze-dried candidate oral vaccine following a simulated gastric digestion, suggesting that an encapsulation strategy in the manufacture of the plant-derived GAD vaccine is required
Alimentazione degli animali da compagnia: prospettive d'impiego dei probiotici nell'alimentazione degli animali da compagnia
No full textIn Vitro Sprouted Plantlets of Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad Shown to Possess Interesting Levels of Cucurbitacins and Other Bioactives against Pathogenic Fungi
No full textCucurbitacins, structurally different triterpenes mainly found in the members of Cucurbitaceae, possess a vast pharmacological potential. Genus Cucurbita, Cucumis, and Citrullus are affluent in these bioactive compounds, and, amongst them, Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. is widely exploited in folk medicine, since a huge number of diseases are successfully treated with organic and aqueous extracts obtained from different organs and tissues of the plant. The well-known pharmacological activities of such species have been attributed to its peculiar composition, which includes cucurbitacins and other bioactive molecules; thus, owing to its high importance as a valuable natural resource for pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, C. colocynthis propagation and multiplication protocols are considered significant, but the exploitation of its phytochemical potential is limited by the restricted cultivation conditions and the low rate of seed germination in the natural environment; in fact, the assessment of accumulation rate of specific phytochemicals under controlled conditions is still missing. Axenically sprouted plantlets obtained without the use of culture media or the addition of hormones have been evaluated here for the production of bioactive compounds and relevant bioactive features. Our results proved that derived organic extracts contain cucurbitacins and other bioactives, show antioxidant potential, and exert activity against some pathogenic fungi (Candida krusei, C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, and Aspergillus flavus), supporting the feasibility of a methodology intended to scale-up cultivation of this species as a source of pharmaceutically interesting compounds, achievable from plantlets cultivated under laboratory conditions
"Reflections on the subject of Emigration from Europe with a view to Settlement in the United States" By M. Carey.
No full text"Reflections on the subject of Emigration from Europe with a view to Settlement in the United States: containing bried sketches of the moral and political character of those states.
By M. Carey, member of the American philosophical, and of the American Antiquarian Society, and author of The Olive Branch, Cindiciae Hibernicae, essays on banking, on political economy, and on internal improvement.
To which are now added the English editor's comments on the subject; together with Important Advice to Emigrants, and Cautions Against Impositions Practiced in the Outports
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