Melanin Inhibitory Effect of Tuber himalayense Isolated in Incheon, Korea.

There has been a growing interest in skin beauty and antimelanogenic products. Melanogenesis is the process of melanin synthesis whereby melanocytes are activated by UV light or hormone stimulation to produce melanin. Melanogenesis is mediated by several enzymes, such as tyrosinase (TYR), microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), and TRP-2. In this study, we investigated the effect of Tuber himalayense extract on melanin synthesis in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-treated B16F10 melanoma cells. We confirmed that T. himalayense extract was not toxic to α-MSH-treated B16F10 melanoma cells and exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on melanin synthesis at concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 µg/ml. Additionally, the T. himalayense extract inhibited melanin, TRP-1, TRP-2, tyrosinase, and MITF, which are enzymes involved in melanin synthesis, in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, T. himalayense extract inhibited the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38. Therefore, we hypothesized that various components of T. himalayense extract affect multiple factors involved in melanogenesis in B16F10 cells. Our results indicate that T. himalayense extract could potentially be used as a new material for preparing whitening cosmetics.

Structurally diverse cucurbitane-type triterpenoids from the tubers of Hemsleya chinensis with cytotoxic activity.

Ten previously undescribed cucurbitane-type triterpenoids, namely hemslyencins A-F (1-6) and hemslyencosides A-D (7-10), together with twenty previously reported compounds (11-30), were isolated from the tubers of Hemsleya chinensis. Their structures were elucidated by unambiguous spectroscopic data (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR data). Hemslyencins A and B (1 and 2) possessing unique 9, 11-seco-ring system with a six-membered lactone moiety, were the first examples among of the cucurbitane-type triterpenoids, and hemslyencins C and D (3 and 4) and hemslyencoside D (10) are the infrequent pentacyclic cucurbitane triterpenes featuring a 6/6/6/5/6 fused system. The cytotoxic activities of all isolated compounds were evaluated against MCF-7, HCT-116, HeLa, and HepG2 cancer cells, and their structure-activity relationships (SARs) was discussed as well. Compounds 17, 25, and 26 showed significant cytotoxic effects with IC50 values ranging from 1.31 to 9.89 µM, among which compound 25 induced both apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in a dose dependent manner against MCF-7 cells.

Cassava retting ability and textural attributes of fufu for demand-driven cassava breeding.

BACKGROUND: Cassava retting ability and the textural qualities of cooked fufu are important quality traits. Cassava retting is a complex process in which soaking causes tissue breakdown, starch release, and softening. The rate at which various traits linked to it evolve varies greatly during fufu processing. According to the literature, there is no standard approach for determining retting ability. The retting indices and textural properties of fufu were measured using both manual and instrumental approaches. RESULTS: Different protocols were developed to classify 64 and 11 cassava genotypes into various groups based on retting ability and textural qualities, respectively. The retting protocols revealed considerable genetic dissimilarities in genotype classification: foaming ability and water clarity should be measured at 24 h, while penetrometer, hardness, turbidity, pH, and total titratable acidity data are best collected after 36 h. The stepwise regression model revealed that pH, foaming ability, and dry matter content are the best multivariates (with the highest R2) for predicting cassava retting. These predictors were used to develop an index for assessing the retting ability of cassava genotypes. The retting index developed showed a significant relationship with dry matter content and fufu yield. The study also showed significant correlations between instrumental cohesiveness and sensory smoothness (r = -0.75), moldability (r = -0.62), and stretchability (r = 0.78). Instrumental cohesiveness can correctly estimate fufu smoothness (R2 = 0.56, P = 0.008) and stretchability (R2 = 0.60, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: pH, foaming ability, and dry matter content are the best traits for predicting cassava retting ability, while instrumental cohesiveness can effectively estimate fufu smoothness and stretchability. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

How physicochemical and nutritional traits of potatoes may vary under field conditions over long periods.

BACKGROUND: Potato is the most important non-grain crop worldwide, whose quality characteristics are always affected by temporal and spatial variability. Knowledge of the performance consistency of quality characteristics over long periods could prove very important to identify which quality traits are less variable over time, and therefore provide greater guarantees of stability. In this research, variations in physicochemical and nutritional traits of tubers over five consecutive growing seasons of two potato genotypes (Arizona and Vogue) were monitored in two locations. RESULTS: Although qualitative performances of genotypes fluctuated across the seasons in both locations, two physicochemical traits (pH and dry matter content) and starch content showed less variability throughout the five seasons compared to total soluble solids and most of the nutritional traits (namely reducing sugars, citric acid, vitamin C, total phenolics and antioxidant capacity), which were considerably influenced by weather conditions. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that pH, dry matter content and starch content traits could be used advantageously in studies of temporal stability in potatoes. This approach could prove useful in providing scientific support for the setup of potato protected geographical identifications. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Deep learning-based characterization and redesign of major potato tuber storage protein.

Potato is one of the most important crops worldwide, to feed a fast-growing population. In addition to providing energy, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, potato storage proteins are considered as one of the most valuable sources of non-animal proteins due to their high essential amino acid (EAA) index. However, low tuber protein content and limited knowledge about potato storage proteins restrict their widespread utilization in the food industry. Here, we report a proof-of-concept study, using deep learning-based protein design tools, to characterize the biological and chemical characteristics of patatins, the major potato storage proteins. This knowledge was then employed to design multiple cysteines on the patatin surface to build polymers linked by disulfide bonds, which significantly improved viscidity and nutrient of potato flour dough. Our study shows that deep learning-based protein design strategies are efficient to characterize and to create novel proteins for future food sources.

Characterization of the physiological parameters, effective components, and transcriptional profiles of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. Under pH stress.

Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. is a traditional Chinese medicine with extensive distribution and robust adaptability, but comprehensive research on its acid and alkali resistance is presently lacking. This study aimed to analyze the effects of 5 months of continuous pH stress on the physiological and photosynthetic parameters of P. multiflorum, and the content of effective components. Results revealed that pH stress significantly influenced the normal growth, physiological functions, and photosynthetic indicators of P. multiflorum. At soil pH 4.5, the tubers of P. multiflorum exhibited the highest levels of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-O-ß-d-glucoside (THSG) and total anthraquinones at 5.41% and 0.38%, respectively. However, increased soil pH significantly reduced the content of THSG and total anthraquinones. Reference-free transcriptome analysis was further conducted on P. multiflorum treated at pH 4.5 and 9.5, generating a total of 47,305 unigenes with an N50 of 2118 bp, of which 31,058 (65.65%) were annotated. Additionally, 2472 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Among them, 17 DEGs associated with the biosynthesis of THSG and anthraquinones were screened. A comprehensive analysis of differential gene expression and effective component content demonstrated a significant positive correlation between the content of effective components and the 14 DEGs' expression but a negative correlation with soil pH. This study highlighted the influence of varying soil pH values on the effective component content of P. multiflorum. Specific acidic conditions proved beneficial for the synthesis and accumulation of THSG and total anthraquinones in P. multiflorum, thereby enhancing the quality of the medicinal material.

Real-Time Monitoring of Translocation, Dissipation, and Cumulative Risk of Maleic Hydrazide in Potato Plants and Tubers by Ion Exclusion Chromatography.

In this paper, a high-performance ion exclusion chromatographic (ICE) method was developed and applied for monitoring maleic hydrazide (MH) translocation in complex potato plant tissue and tuber matrices. After middle leaf uptake, most MH was trapped and dissipated in the middle leaf, and the rest was transported to other parts mainly through the phloem. Soil absorption significantly reduced the uptake efficiency of the root system, in which MH was partitioned to dissipate in root protoplasts or transfer through the xylem and persisted in the plant. Tuber uptake enabled MH to remain in the flesh and maintain stable levels under storage conditions, but during germination, MH was translocated from the flesh to the growing buds, where it dissipated through the short-day photoperiodic regime. The results demonstrated successful application of the ICE method and provided necessary insights for real-time monitoring of MH translocation behavior to effectively improve potato edible safety.

Furfural Derivatives and Phenolic Constituents in Stemona tuberosa Lour.

Chemical investigation on the water-soluble constituents of Stemona tuberosa Lour. resulted in the isolation of a previously undescribed furfural derivative namely (S)-5-((R)-hydroxy(5-(hydroxymethyl)furan-2-yl)methyl)-5-methylfuran-2(5H)-one and twenty-five known compounds from the water decoction of the dried root tubers. Their structures were determined by analysis of the extensive spectroscopic data, including 1D/2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and ORD, as well as the ECD simulation and comparison. Most of them were phenolic and among them, four compounds were isolated from Stemona plants for the first time. This study uncovers diverse constituents from water decoction of S. tuberosa dedicated for its quality control and allows for the exploitation of chemical markers with potential significance for discrimination of Stemona plants.

(±)-Yanhusuomide A, a pair of ornithine-fused benzylisoquinoline enantiomers from Corydalis yanhusuo.

(±)-Yanhusuomide A (1), a novel enantiomeric pair of ornithine-fused benzylisoquinoline, were characterized from the dried tubers of Corydalis yanhusuo, along with a biogenetically related intermediate oblongine (2). Yanhusuomide A features an unprecedented skeleton based on a benzylisoquinoline coupled with an ornithine derivative to form a rare 5,6-dihydro-4H-pyrido[3,4,5-de]quinazoline motif. Plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1 was proposed, and (±)-yanhusuomide A (1) presented potential inhibitory bioactivity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with IC50 = 14.07 ± 2.38 µM. The simulation of molecular docking displayed that 1 generated strong interaction with Asp-74 and Trp-86 residues of AChE through attractive charge of the quaternary nitrogen.

Cucurbitane triterpenes from Hemsleya chinensis tubers and their anti-inflammatory activities.

Six new cucurbitane-type triterpenes, hemchinins A-F (1-6), together with thirteen known ones (7-19) were isolated from ethyl acetate extraction of Hemsleya chinensis tubers. Compounds 1-2 were a group of cucurbitane triterpenes possessing an infrequent pentacyclic framework. Their structures were established by comprehensive UV, IR, HRMS, 1D/2D NMR, and ECD analyses. Bioassay results showed that most isolated compounds exhibited anti-inflammatory actions, in which compounds 13 and 15 exhibited stronger activities at 6.25 µM, with NO inhibition rates of 49.00 ± 0.05% and 48.40 ± 0.10%, respectively.

Resistant starch from sweet potatoes: Recent advancements and applications in the food sector.

In tropical and subtropical areas, tuber and root crops are staple foods and a key source of energy. Sweet potato (SP) is currently regarded as one of the world's top ten foods because of its diverse sizes, shapes, color, and health benefits. The resistant starch (RS) content of SP is substantial. It is predicted to become the cheapest item in the food industry due to its extensive variety, food stability, emulsifier and fat substitution capabilities, and as filler. As a result, interest in SP-sourced RS has recently increased. Due to their unique nutritional and functional qualities, novelty has become a popular research focus in recent years. This review will summarize the current understanding of SP starch components and their impact on the technological and physicochemical properties of produced starch for commercial viability. The importance of sweet potato RS in addressing future RS demand sustainability is emphasized. SPs are a viable alternative to tubers as a sustainable raw material for RS production. It has an advantage over tubers because of its intrinsic nutritional value and climatic endurance. Thermal, chemical, and enzymatic treatments are effective RS manufacturing procedures. The adaptability of sweet potato RS allows for a wide range of food applications.

Principal Component Analysis to Assess the Changes of Yield and Quality in Pinellia ternata at Different Stages after Brassinolide Treatments.

Brassinolide (BR) is the "sixth class" plant hormone, which plays an important role in various physiological and biochemical processes of plants. The wide variety of functions of Pinellia ternata means that there is huge demand for it and thus it is in short supply. This paper mainly assessed the changes of yield and quality in P. ternata at different stages after BR treatments by principal component analysis, in order to improve the yield and quality of P. ternata and at the same time determine the best harvest time. The results showed that the tuber yield of P. ternata was significantly increased by BR treatments at different stages (except for the 15th day). After the 15th, 45th, 60th, 75th, 90th, and 105th day of treatments, the tuber yield of P. ternata reached peak values at 0.10 (0.65 g), 0.50 (1.97 g), 0.50 (1.98 g), 1.00 (2.37 g), 1.00 (2.84 g), and 2.00 mg/L (3.76 g) BR treatment, respectively. The optimal harvest time was the 75th day after 0.10, 0.50, and 1.00 mg/L BR treatments, which not only significantly improved the yield of P. ternata, but also retained high level of total alkaloids in the tubers (20.89, 5.37, and 13.44%) and bulbils (9.74, 20.42, and 13.62%), high total flavone content in the tubers (17.66, 16.26, and 12.74%) and bulbils (52.63, 12.79, and 38.69%), and high ß-sitosterol content in the tubers (25.26, 16.65, and 0.62%) of P. ternata, compared with the control, respectively.

Metabolite profiling of tubers of an early- and a late-maturing potato line and their grafts.

INTRODUCTION: Earliness of tuberisation and the quality of potato tubers are important traits in potato breeding. The qualitative traits rely on the metabolite profile of tubers, which are storage organs and net importers of assimilates. Thus, the quality of tubers largely depends on the metabolites transported from leaves to developing tubers. OBJECTIVES: To test the influence of canopy on the quality of tubers by metabolite profiling of tubers of an early- and a late-maturing potato line and their grafts. METHODS: Potatoes were grown under greenhouse conditions, grafted and the tubers harvested at the end of the scions' vegetation period. Metabolite profiling of freshly harvested tubers was performed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Statistical analyses were applied to determine the significant differences between the different tubers. RESULTS: 99 metabolites were identified and an additional 181 peaks detected in chromatograms, out of which 186 were polar and 94 non-polar compounds. The concentrations of 113 metabolites were significantly different in the tubers from the early-maturing CE3130 and the late-maturing CE3027 line. Hetero-grafting resulted in considerable changes in the metabolite content of tubers. Especially, the effect of CE3027 on the metabolite composition of tubers formed on CE3130 rootstocks was readily apparent. Nevertheless, many compounds were present at similar levels in the tubers of hetero-grafted plants as was found in the tubers of their scion counterparts. CONCLUSION: Hetero-grafting resulted in many compounds at similar concentrations in rootstock tubers as in scion tubers suggesting that these are transported from the source leaves to tubers.

Comparative Proteomics of Potato Cultivars with a Variable Dormancy Period.

The control of the duration of the dormancy phase is a significant challenge in the potato industry and for seed producers. However, the proteome landscape involved in the regulation of the length of the dormancy period over potato cultivars remains largely unexplored. In this study, we performed for the first time a comparative proteome profiling of potato cultivars with differential duration of tuber dormancy. More specifically, the proteome profiling of Agata, Kennebec and Agria commercial potato varieties with short, medium and medium-long dormancy, respectively, was assessed at the endodormancy stage using high-resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled to reversed-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-TripleTOF MS/MS). A total of 11 proteins/isoforms with statistically significant differential abundance among cultivars were detected on 2-DE gels and confidently identified by LC-TripleTOF MS/MS. Identified proteins have known functions related to tuber development, sprouting and the oxylipins biosynthesis pathway. Fructokinase, a mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier, catalase isozyme 2 and heat shock 70 kDa were the proteins with the strongest response to dormancy variations. To the best of our knowledge, this study reports the first candidate proteins underlying variable dormancy length in potato cultivars.

Quantitation of Toxic Steroidal Glycoalkaloids and Newly Identified Saponins in Post-Harvest Light-Stressed Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Varieties.

Although domesticated potatoes contain a large variety of steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) and saponins, in the past, many research projects mainly focused on the two major SGAs, α-solanine and α-chaconine. This study investigates the quantitative changes, induced by post-harvest LED light exposure, of six SGAs and four saponins in 12 potato cultivars at three different time points (1, 7, and 16 days), by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Altogether, SGA contents of 3.0-17.1 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW) could be observed in the analyzed tubers with potato varieties highly exceeding the newly discussed safety limit of 10 mg/100 g. The overall contents of 0.1-5.4 mg/100 g FW of the so far barely studied saponins, like protoneodioscin or barogenin-solatrioside, highly differed between the assayed potato cultivars. Furthermore, cultivar-specific regulations of SGAs and saponins could be observed due to light exposure.

Study of the molecular-structural composition of alcoholic extracts of radio-induced potato tubers by mass spectrometry and EPR.

This article presents data on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and mass spectrometric analysis of potato tubers, irradiated with gamma rays, in order to examine and identify changes in the molecular composition of organic matter following radiation exposure. The products of the Maillard reaction were compared with the products of intramolecular radiolysis of organic constituents of potatoes. The presence of free radicals was verified using EPR. DDPM (2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4 (H) -pyran-4-one) was among the radiolysis products detected via mass spectrometry, which points to the intramolecular dehydration of potato carbohydrates. EPR signals indicate single-electron transitions of the semidione radical anionic molecular compounds. It has been shown that irradiation with gamma rays significantly destroys the carbohydrate, lipid, keto-carotene and amino acid molecules of potatoes.

Atropisomeric 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene/bibenzyl trimers with anti-inflammatory and PTP1B inhibitory activities from Bletilla striata.

Two pairs of novel trimeric dihydrophenanthrene-bibenzyl-dihydrophenanthrene enantiomers (1 and2), the first examples of a dihydrophenanthrene dimer linked to a bibenzyl or dihydrophenanthrene through a C-O-C bond (3 and4), and a pair of rare polymers with a bibenzyl connected to C-8' of the dihydrophenanthro[b]furan moiety via a methylene (5), together with four known compounds (6-9) were isolated from the tubers of Bletilla striata. Their structures including the absolute configurations were determined using spectroscopic data analysis and ECD and NMR calculations, combined with the exciton chirality method or the reversed helicity rule. The atropisomerism of dihydrophenanthrenes and related polymers was considered based on their chiral optical properties, and QM torsion profile calculations, which revealed the racemic mixture form of the polymers. Compounds 4, 5b, 6a and 7b significantly inhibited the production of NO in LPS-induced BV-2 cells, with IC50 values ranging from 0.78 to 5.52 µM. Further mechanistic study revealed that 7b suppressed the expression of iNOS, and suppressed the phosphorylation of the p65 subunit to regulate the NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, compounds 2b, 5a, 5b, 7a and 7b displayed significant protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 3.43-12.30 µM.

Screening of Acrylamide of Par-Fried Frozen French Fries Using Portable FT-IR Spectroscopy.

Current assays for acrylamide screening rely heavily on LC-MS/MS or GC-MS, techniques that are not suitable to support point of manufacturing verification because it can take several weeks to receive results from a laboratory. A portable sensor that can detect acrylamide levels in real-time would enable in-house testing to safeguard both the safety of the consumer and the economic security of the agricultural supplier. Our objective was to develop a rapid, accurate, and real-time screening technique to detect the acrylamide content in par-fried frozen French fries based on a portable infrared device. Par-fried French fries (n = 70) were manufactured at times ranging from 1 to 5.5 min at 180 °C to yield a wide range of acrylamide levels. Spectra of samples were collected using a portable FT-IR device operating from 4000 to 700 cm-1. Acrylamide was extracted using QuEChERS and quantified using uHPLC-MS/MS. Predictive algorithms were generated using partial least squares regression (PLSR). Acrylamide levels in French fries ranged from 52.0 to 812.8 µg/kg. The best performance of the prediction algorithms required transformation of the acrylamide levels using a logarithm function with models giving a coefficient of correlation (Rcv) of 0.93 and RPD as 3.8, which means the mid-IR model can be used for process control applications. Our data corroborate the potential of portable infrared devices for acrylamide screening of high-risk foods.

Physicochemical and structural characterization of starches from Andean roots and tubers grown in Colombia.

The preservation of Andean roots and tubers (ART) depends on the recognition of their health-promoting and nutritional metabolites and their transformation into other products such as starches. The objective of this study was to determine the physicochemical and structural properties of native starches obtained from Canna edulis K., Oxalis tuberosa M., and Ipomoea batatas L. from the Colombian Andean agroecosystem. The physicochemical properties of starches were determined by traditional methods of analysis. The thermal properties were determined by gravimetric thermal analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), while the structural characteristics were studied with X-ray diffractometry and infrared spectrometry. The ART showed a starch yield of between 53.3% and 75.4% (dry basis) and amylose content between 28.4% and 35.6%. Starches from I. batatas showed the highest percentage of amylose, lowest gel clarity, lowest water absorption index, and highest gel temperature. X-ray diffractograms showed a type A crystallographic pattern for I. batatas starch, and a type B pattern for C. edulis and O. tuberosa starches, while infrared spectra (FTIR-ATR) corroborated the structural characteristics of each type of starch. The results suggest that starches from Andean resources can be used as a substitute for traditional starches from corn and potato. In addition, their amylose content makes them potential sources of resistant starch and dietary fiber.