Nutritional, Textural, and Sensory Attributes of Protein Bars Formulated with Mycoproteins.

Research accumulated over the past decades has shown that mycoprotein could serve as a healthy and safe alternative protein source, offering a viable substitute for animal- and plant-derived proteins. This study evaluated the impact of substituting whey protein with fungal-derived mycoprotein at different levels (10%, 20%, and 30%) on the quality of high-protein nutrition bars (HPNBs). It focused on nutritional content, textural changes over storage, and sensory properties. Initially, all bars displayed similar hardness, but storage time significantly affected textural properties. In the early storage period (0-5 days), hardness increased at a modest rate of 0.206 N/day to 0.403 N/day. This rate dramatically escalated from 1.13 N/day to 1.36 N/day after 5 days, indicating a substantial textural deterioration over time. Bars with lower mycoprotein levels (10%) exhibited slower hardening rates compared with those with higher substitution levels (20% and 30%), pointing to a correlation between mycoprotein content and increased bar hardness during storage. Protein digestibility was assessed through in vitro gastric and intestinal phases. Bars with no or low-to-medium levels of mycoprotein substitution (PB00, PB10, and PB20) showed significantly higher digestibility (40.3~43.8%) compared with those with the highest mycoprotein content (PB30, 32.9%). However, digestibility rates for all mycoprotein-enriched bars were lower than those observed for whey-protein-only bars (PB00, 84.5%), especially by the end of the intestinal digestion phase. The introduction of mycoprotein enriched the bars' dietary fiber content and improved their odor, attributing a fresh mushroom-like smell. These findings suggest that modest levels of mycoprotein can enhance nutritional value and maintain sensory quality, although higher substitution levels adversely affect texture and protein digestibility. This study underscores the potential of mycoprotein as a functional ingredient in HPNBs, balancing nutritional enhancement with sensory acceptability, while also highlighting the challenges of textural deterioration and reduced protein digestibility at higher substitution levels.

Ginsenoside Rb1, Compound K and 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol Attenuate High-Fat Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia in Rats via Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Bile Acid Metabolism.

Hyperlipidemia, characterized by elevated serum lipid concentrations resulting from lipid metabolism dysfunction, represents a prevalent global health concern. Ginsenoside Rb1, compound K (CK), and 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD), bioactive constituents derived from Panax ginseng, have shown promise in mitigating lipid metabolism disorders. However, the comparative efficacy and underlying mechanisms of these compounds in hyperlipidemia prevention remain inadequately explored. This study investigates the impact of ginsenoside Rb1, CK, and PPD supplementation on hyperlipidemia in rats induced by a high-fat diet. Our findings demonstrate that ginsenoside Rb1 significantly decreased body weight and body weight gain, ameliorated hepatic steatosis, and improved dyslipidemia in HFD-fed rats, outperforming CK and PPD. Moreover, ginsenoside Rb1, CK, and PPD distinctly modified gut microbiota composition and function. Ginsenoside Rb1 increased the relative abundance of Blautia and Eubacterium, while PPD elevated Akkermansia levels. Both CK and PPD increased Prevotella and Bacteroides, whereas Clostridium-sensu-stricto and Lactobacillus were reduced following treatment with all three compounds. Notably, only ginsenoside Rb1 enhanced lipid metabolism by modulating the PPARγ/ACC/FAS signaling pathway and promoting fatty acid ß-oxidation. Additionally, all three ginsenosides markedly improved bile acid enterohepatic circulation via the FXR/CYP7A1 pathway, reducing hepatic and serum total bile acids and modulating bile acid pool composition by decreasing primary/unconjugated bile acids (CA, CDCA, and ß-MCA) and increasing conjugated bile acids (TCDCA, GCDCA, GDCA, and TUDCA), correlated with gut microbiota changes. In conclusion, our results suggest that ginsenoside Rb1, CK, and PPD supplementation offer promising prebiotic interventions for managing HFD-induced hyperlipidemia in rats, with ginsenoside Rb1 demonstrating superior efficacy.

Mucilaginibacter Phenanthrenivorans sp. nov., a Novel Phenanthrene Degradation Bacterium Isolated from Wetland Soil.

BJC16-A38T, a Gram-negative, aerobic and non-motile rod-shaped strain was isolated from a permafrost wetland soil sample. BJC16-A38T was oxidase- and catalase-positive, and produced pale yellow colonies on modified R2A agar plates. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of BJC16-A38T shared the highest sequence similarity with those of Mucilaginibacter xinganensis BJC16-A31T (97.44%), Mucilaginibacter gotjawali SA3-7T (96.79%) and Mucilaginibacter frigoritolerans FT22T (96.14%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that BJC16-A38T formed a separate lineage together with strain M. xinganensis BJC16-A31T in the genus Mucilaginibacter. BJC16-A38T contained menaquinone-7 (MK-7) as the predominant isoprenoid quinine. Major fatty acids in cells were iso-C15:0, summed feature 3 (16:1ω7c/16:1ω6c) and iso-C17:03-OH. BJC16-A38T contained phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown polar lipids, six unidentified phospholipids and an unidentified aminolipid. The Genome of BJC16-A38T was sequenced using the Genome Analyzer IIx sequence platform and 38 contigs were produced in total with an average G + C percentage of 44.00%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) of BJC16-A38T with respect to those of M. xinganensis BJC16-A31T, M. gotjawali SA3-7T and M. frigoritolerans FT22T were 79.60%, 77.24% and 77.58%, respectively. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) values between BJC16-A38T and the tree reference strains were 21.30%, 19.60% and 19.70%, respectively. BJC16-A38T exhibited phenanthrene biodegradation activity that can degrade 88.02% phenanthrene in the MM medium after 7 days cultivation. Phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genomic characteristics concluded that strain BJC16-A38T represents a novel species of the genus Mucilaginibacter. Hence, the name Mucilaginibacter phenanthrenivorans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BJC16-A38T (= CGMCC 1.12693T = NBRC 110383T).

[Effect of electroacupuncture stimulation of "Baihui" (GV 20) and " Yongquan" (KI 1) on expression of hippocampal amyloid-ß and low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 in APP/PS 1 transgenic mice].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment on the level of hippocampal amyloid-beta peptide (Aß) and its key transport receptor low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP 1) in APP/PS 1 transgenic mice so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Twenty-four male APP/PS 1 transgenic mice were equally and randomly divided into model group and EA treatment group, and 12 C 57 BL/6 mice were used as the normal control group. EA (1 Hz/50 Hz, 0.3 mA) was applied to "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Yongquan" (KI 1) for 15 min, once every other day for 6 weeks. The learning-memory ability was detected by using Morris water maze testing, left hippocampal Aß 1-40 and Aß 1-42 contents were assayed by ELISA, and right hippocampal LRP 1 expression was detected using Western blot (WB). RESULTS: Results of Morris water maze test showed no significant differences among the three groups in the escape latency, the times of the platform-site crossovers, the time spent in the target platform quadrant (P>0.05). Compared with the model group, the moderately increased escape latency had a decreasing tendency in the EA treatment group. ELISA assaying showed that hippocampal Aß 1-42, Aß 1-40, and ratio of Aß 1-42/Aß 1-40 of the model group were significantly higher than those of the normal control group (P<0.01). After EA intervention, the increased Aß 1-42 , Aß 1-40, and ratio of Aß 1-42/Aß 1-40 were remarkably down-regulated in the EA treatment group (P<0.01). WB detection displayed that the right hippocampal LRP 1 expression level of the model group was markedly lower than that of the normal control group (P<0.05). After EA treatment, LRP 1 expression level was moderately up-regulated but without significant difference between the model and EA treatment groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: EA intervention can lower the level of hippocampal Aß in APP/PS 1 transgenic mice, but its effects on Aß transport receptor LRP 1 expression and learning-memory ability need being confirmed further.

The rice gene OsZFP6 functions in multiple stress tolerance responses in yeast and Arabidopsis.

The role of zinc finger proteins in organismal stress conditions has been widely reported. However, little is known concerning the function of CCHC-type zinc finger proteins in rice. In this study, OsZFP6, a rice CCHC-type zinc finger protein 6 gene, was cloned from rice using RT-PCR. The OsZFP6 protein contains 305 amino acids and a conserved zinc finger domain and is localised to the nucleus. Southern blot analysis revealed that a single copy was encoded in the rice genome. OsZFP6 expression was increased by abiotic stress, including salt (NaCl), alkali (NaHCO3) and H2O2 treatment. When OsZFP6 was transformed into yeast, the transgenic yeast showed significantly increased resistance to NaHCO3 compared to the control. Moreover, Arabidopsis transgenic plants overexpressing OsZFP6 were more tolerant to both NaHCO3 and H2O2 treatments. Overall, we uncovered a role for OsZFP6 in abiotic stress responses and identified OsZFP6 as a putatively useful gene for developing crops with increased alkali and H2O2 tolerance.

MAX2 affects multiple hormones to promote photomorphogenesis.

Ubiquitin-26S proteasome system (UPS) has been shown to play central roles in light and hormone-regulated plant growth and development. Previously, we have shown that MAX2, an F-box protein, positively regulates facets of photomorphogenic development in response to light. However, how MAX2 controls these responses is still unknown. Here, we show that MAX2 oppositely regulates GA and ABA biosynthesis to optimize seed germination in response to light. Dose-response curves showed that max2 seeds are hyposensitive to GA and hypersensitive to ABA in seed germination responses. RT-PCR assays demonstrated that the expression of GA biosynthetic genes is down-regulated, while the expression of GA catabolic genes is up-regulated in the max2 seeds compared to wild-type. Interestingly, expression of both ABA biosynthetic and catabolic genes is up-regulated in the max2 seeds compared to wild-type. Treatment with an auxin transport inhibitor, NPA, showed that increased auxin transport in max2 seedlings contributes to the long hypocotyl phenotype under light. Moreover, light-signaling phenotypes are restricted to max2, as the biosynthetic mutants in the strigolactone pathway, max1, max3, and max4, did not display any defects in seed germination and seedling de-etiolation compared to wild-type. Taken together, these data suggest that MAX2 modulates multiple hormone pathways to affect photomorphogenesis.

[Inheritance, expression and armyworm resistance of protease inhibitor II gene (Pin II) driven by different promoters in transgenic rice].

The inheritance of rice lines transformed by protease inhibitor II gene under control of different promoters was investigated by analysis of hygromycin resistance, PCR and Southern blot. For segregation patterns of foreign gene, 68.4% of the transgenic rice plants were conformed to a Mendelian ratio and in which the rate of transgenic plants with single copy was 63.6%. Quantitative analysis of Pin II protein expressed in transgenic rice plants showed that Pin II protein in fresh leaves was 160 microg/g for Act-Pin II-2x, 176 microg/g for Ubi-Pin II-2x, and 104 microg/g for PIN5'-Pin II-4x separately while in control rice plants was only 20 microg/g. The inhibitory activity against tryspin of Pin II gene driven by Actl and Ubi promoter reached 37.7% and 43.1%, much higher than that driven by PIN5' (29.2%). Bioassay for insect resistance to armyworm (Pseudaletia separata Walker) revealed that transgenic plants had increased their resistance to the pest but there was not significantly different from controls, and also there was no correlation between insect resistance to armyworm and quantity of Pin II protein as well as promoters in transgenic rice.

[Cloning, Characterization and Expression Vector Construction of Potato Proteas-inhibitor II Gene (PIN II-2x) from Diploid Potato (Solanum phurejia).].

Based on the published gene sequence of tetraploid potato (Solanum.tuberosum) protease-inhibitor II, a genomic DNA and a cDNA sequence of potato protease-inhibitor II gene were obtained from the cDNA library and the genomic DNA of a diploid potato IVP101 (Solanum.phurejia) using PCR method and named PINII-2x. Nucleotide sequencing confirmed that the full-length DNA of PINII-2x was 580 bp, including an 115 bp intron and two exons. cDNA was 462 bp ( stop codon TGA not included) and had 88% similarity to the tetraploid potato protease-inhibitor II. The PINII-2x open reading frame encodes a 154-amino acid polypeptide with a predicated size of 16.6 KD and a calculated PI of 6.08. The deduced proteins from PINII-2x cDNA had 93% homology with other tetraploid potato protease-inhibitor II, which contain the intact signal peptide and two active site similar to the potato protease-inhibitor II family. Test of the RT-PCR indicated that PINII-2x mRNA is wound- induced expression in potato leaves. Binary vector of PINII-2x cDNA drove by either rice Actin I promoter (ActI) or maize Ubiquitin promoter (Ubi) was constructed.