Combination of emulsifier and xylanase in triticale-based broiler chickens diets.

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of supplementing an emulsifier, xylanase or a combination of both on the growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, microflora activity and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens fed triticale-based diets. A total of 480 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments: control (CON), control with an added emulsifier (EMU), control with added xylanase (ENZ) and control with emulsifier and xylanase (EMU+ENZ). Xylanase supplemented groups had diminished feed intake (FI) and enhanced body weight gain (BWG) only within the starter period (p ≤ 0.05), while the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the ENZ and ENZ+EMU groups was lower than CON during the whole experiment period. There was significant ENZ and EMU interaction in apparent metabolisable energy corrected to N equilibrium (AMEN) as well as NDF and DM retention. The viscosity of ileum digesta was the lowest in groups with enzyme addition. Interactions show that caecal galactosidase-α activity was higher in the CON group compared to EMU supplementation, but similar to ENZ and EMU+ENZ (p < 0.05). Activity of glucosidase-α was higher in the CON group related to inclusion of EMU or ENZ alone (p < 0.05) but did not differ from the combined supplementation of EMU+ENZ, whereas the glucosidase-ß activity was higher in the CON group compared to all supplemented diets (p < 0.05). Caecal C2 concentration was greater in the CON group than supplemented diets (p < 0.05). The expression of FATP1, PEPT1 and SGLT1 in the ileum was downregulated after emulsifier addition (p ≤ 0.05). The addition of emulsifier and xylanase indicates a mutual effect on broiler chickens' performance and nutrient digestibility in triticale diets with palm oil during the first nutritional period. Additionally, concomitantly additives usage influenced intestinal microbiome activity, as well.

Isolation of Anti-Diabetic Active Compounds from Benincasae Exocarpium and Development of Simultaneous Analysis by HPLC-PDA.

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that is a constant problem. Previous studies have reported that Benincasa cerifera Savi. extracts are effective in treating diabetes and its complications. Benincasae Exocarpium (BE) is a fruit peel of B. cerifera that has been reported to be used for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases such as hyperglycemia, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. However, there are not enough studies on the compounds and bioassays to support the efficacy of BE. The inhibitory activity of the BE extracts and fractions against advanced glycation end-products (AGE) formation and α-glucosidase activity was evaluated. These assays are relevant for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and its complications. Based on these results, compounds 1-11 were isolated through bioassay-guided isolation. In addition, we developed a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method that can simultaneously analyze these 11 compounds. Activity evaluation of the compounds was also conducted, and eight compounds exhibited significant activity. Among these, flavonoid compounds showed strong activity. A quantitative evaluation of eight bioactive compounds (2, 5-11) was conducted. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the potential of BE for prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes and its complications.

Generation of short-chained granular corn starch by maltogenic α-amylase and transglucosidase treatment.

We describe a method for permitting efficient modification by transglucosidase (TGA), from glycoside hydrolase family 31 (GH31), sequentially after the pre-treatment by maltogenic α-amylases (MA) from GH13. TGA treatment without MA pre-treatment had negligible effects on native starch, while TGA treatment with MA pre-treatment resulted in porous granules and increased permeability to enzymes. MA→TGA treatments lead to decreased molecular size of amylopectin molecules, increased α-1,6 branching, and increased amounts of amylopectin chains with the degree of polymerization (DP)<10 and decreased amounts of DP 10-28 after debranching. Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) data showed a general decrease in crystallinity except for a long term (20 h) TGA post-treatment which increased the relative crystallinity back to normal. MA→TGA treatment significantly lowered the starch retrogradation of starch and retarded the increase of storage- and loss moduli during storage. This work demonstrates the potential of sequential addition of starch active enzymes to obtain granular starch with improved functionality.

New insights into the chemical profiling, cytotoxicity and bioactivity of four Bunium species.

Bunium species have been reported to be used both as food and in traditional medicines. The scientific community has attempted to probe into the pharmacological and chemical profiles of this genus. Nonetheless, many species have not been investigated fully to date. In this study, we determined the phenolic components, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibitory activities of aerial parts of four Bunium species (B. sayai, B. pinnatifolium, B. brachyactis and B. macrocarpum). Results showed that B. microcarpum and B. pinnatifolium were strong antioxidants as evidenced in the DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, and FRAP assays. B. brachyactis was the most effective metal chelator, and displayed high enzyme inhibition against cholinesterase, tyrosinase, amylase, glucosidase, and lipase. The four species showed varied antimicrobial activity against each microorganism. Overall, they showed high activity against P. mirabilis and E. coli (MIC and MBC <1 mg mL-1). B. brachyactis was more effective against Aspergillus versicolor compared to the standard drug ketoconazole. B. brachyactis was also more effective than both ketoconazole and bifonazole against Trichoderma viride. B. sayai was more effective than ketoconazole in inhibiting A. fumigatus. B. sayai was most non-toxic to HEK 293 (cellular viability = 117%) and HepG2 (cellular viability = 104%). The highest level of TPC was observed in B. pinnatifolium (35.94 mg GAE g-1) while B. microcarpum possessed the highest TFC (39.21 mg RE g-1). Seventy four compounds were detected in B. microcarpum, 70 in B. brachyactis, 66 in B. sayai, and 51 in B. pinnatifolium. Quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, pantothenic acid, esculin, isoquercitrin, rutin, apigenin, and scopoletin were present in all the four species. This study showed that the four Bunium species are good sources of biologically active compounds with pharmaceutical and nutraceutical potential.

New Acylglycosides Flavones from Fuzhuan Brick Tea and Simulation Analysis of Their Bioactive Effects.

Four novel acylglycosides flavones (AGFs) including two quercetin acylglycosides and two kaempferol acylglycosides were isolated from Fuzhuan brick tea (FBT) as follows: quercetin 3-O-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)] [2-O''-(E)-p-coumaroyl] [ß-d-glucopyranosyl (1→3)-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl (1→6)]-ß-d-galactoside was named as camelliquercetiside E (1), quercetin 3-O-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)] [2-O''-(E)-p-coumaroyl] [α-l-rhamnopyranosyl (1→6)]-ß-d-galactoside was named as camelliquercetiside F (2), kaempferol 3-O-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl (1→3)] [2-O''-(E)-p-coumaroyl] [ß-d-glucopyranosyl (1→3)-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl (1→6)]-ß-d-glucoside was named as camellikaempferoside D (3), kaempferol 3-O-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl (1→3)] [2-O''-(E)-p-coumaroyl] [α-l-rhamnopyranosyl (1→6)]-ß-d-glucoside was named as camellikaempferoside E (4). Chemical structures of AGFs were identified by time-of-flight mass (TOF-MS) and NMR spectrometers (¹H NMR, 13C NMR, ¹H-¹H COSY, HMBC and HSQC), and the MS² fragmentation pathway of AGFs was further investigated. The inhibitory abilities of AGFs and their proposed metabolites on α-glucosidase and HMG-CoA reductase were analyzed by molecular docking simulation, and the results suggested that inhibitory activities of AGFs were significantly affected by acyl structure, number of glycosyl and conformation, and part of them had strong inhibitory activities on α-glucosidase and HMG-CoA reductase, suggesting that AGFs and their metabolites might be important ingredients that participate in the regulation of hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. The results provided new AGFs and research directions for the practical study of FBT health functions in future.

Co-Application of Milk Tea Waste and NPK Fertilizers to Improve Sandy Soil Biochemical Properties and Wheat Growth.

Desert soil is one of the most severe conditions which negatively affect the environment and crop growth production in arid land. The application of organic amendments with inorganic fertilizers is an economically viable and environmentally comprehensive method to develop sustainable agriculture. The aim of this study was to assess whether milk tea waste (TW) amendment combined with chemical fertilizer (F) application can be used to improve the biochemical properties of sandy soil and wheat growth. The treatments included control without amendment (T1), chemical fertilizers (T2), TW 2.5% + F (T3), TW 5% + F (T4) and TW 10% + F (T5). The results showed that the highest chlorophyll (a and b) and carotenoids, shoot and root dry biomass, and leaf area index (LAI) were significantly (p < 0.05) improved with all amendment treatments. However, the highest root total length, root surface area, root volume and diameter were recorded for T4 among all treatments. The greater uptake of N, P, and K contents for T4 increased for the shoot by 68.9, 58.3, and 57.1%, and for the root by 65.7, 34.3, and 47.4% compared to the control, respectively. Compared with the control, T5 treatment decreased the soil pH significantly (p < 0.05) and increased soil enzyme activities such as urease (95.2%), ß-glucosidase (81.6%) and dehydrogenase (97.2%), followed by T4, T3, and T2. Our findings suggested that the integrated use of milk tea waste and chemical fertilizers is a suitable amendment method for improving the growth and soil fertility status of sandy soils.

Seasonal variations in extracellular enzymatic activity in marine snow-associated microbial communities and their impact on the surrounding water.

Seasonal changes of microbial abundance and associated extracellular enzymatic activity in marine snow and in seawater were studied in the northern Adriatic during a three-year period. Marine snow was present during the entire period of investigation, although in higher concentrations during summer than during winter. Microorganisms densely colonized marine snow and aggregate-associated enzymatic activity was substantially higher (up to 105 times) than in seawater. Alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) and aminopeptidase activity in marine snow showed seasonal variations with higher values in late spring-summer than in autumn-winter, probably in response to changes in the quantity and quality of organic matter. The highest cell-specific bacterial activity was found for phosphatase, followed by peptidase, and the lowest was for glucosidases. Differential hydrolysis of marine snow-derived organic matter points to the well-known phosphorus limitation of the northern Adriatic and indicates preferential utilization of phosphorus- and nitrogen-rich organic compounds by microbes, while hydrolysis of polysaccharides seemed to be less important. In oligotrophic conditions during summer, organic matter released from marine snow might represent a significant source of substrate for free-living bacteria in seawater. For the first time microorganisms producing APA in marine snow were identified, revealing that dense populations of bacteria expressed APA, while cyanobacteria did not. Cyanobacteria proliferating in marine snow could benefit from phosphorus release by bacteria and nanoflagellates.

Calorie Restriction Effect of Heat-Processed Onion Extract (ONI) Using In Vitro and In Vivo Animal Models.

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is widely consumed as food or medicinal plant due to its well-defined health benefits. The antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic effects of onion and its extracts have been reported well. However, very limited information on anti-hyperglycemic effect is available in processed onion extracts. In our previous study, we reported that Amadori rearrangement compounds (ARCs) produced by heat-processing in Korean ginseng can reduce carbohydrate absorption by inhibiting intestinal carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes in both in vitro and in vivo animal models. To prove the enhancement of anti-hyperglycemic effect and ARCs content by heat-processing in onion extract, a correlation between the anti-hyperglycemic activity and the total content of ARCs of heat-processed onion extract (ONI) was investigated. ONI has a high content of ARCs and had high rat small intestinal sucrase inhibitory activity (0.34 ± 0.03 mg/mL, IC50) relevant for the potential management of postprandial hyperglycemia. The effect of ONI on the postprandial blood glucose increase was investigated in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats fed on sucrose or starch meals. The maximum blood glucose levels (Cmax) of heat-processed onion extract were significantly decreased by about 8.7% (from 188.60 ± 5.37 to 172.27 ± 3.96, p < 0.001) and 14.2% (from 204.04 ± 8.73 to 175.13 ± 14.09, p < 0.01) in sucrose and starch loading tests, respectively. These results indicate that ARCs in onion extract produced by heat-processing have anti-diabetic effect by suppressing carbohydrate absorption via inhibition of intestinal sucrase, thereby reducing the postprandial increase of blood glucose. Therefore, enhancement of ARCs in onion by heat-processing might be a good strategy for the development of the new product on the management of hyperglycemia.

Phytochemical profiling and in vitro screening for anticholinesterase, antioxidant, antiglucosidase and neuroprotective effect of three traditional medicinal plants for Alzheimer's Disease and Diabetes Mellitus dual therapy.

BACKGROUND: Extensive epidemiological and clinical studies revealed that Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) are most likely to appear simultaneously in aged people as T2D is a major risk factor for AD. Therefore, development of potential multifunctional agents for dual therapy of AD and T2D has received much attention. Buchanania axillaris, Hemidesmus indicus and Rhus mysorensis have been used extensively in popular medicine. The present study was aimed at phytochemical profiling and evaluating multifunctional ability of titled plants in the AD and T2D dual therapy. METHODS: Methanolic extracts and their derived fractions were evaluated for their inhibitory capacities against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) & butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), and α- & ß-glucosidase besides kinetic analysis of inhibition using methods of Elmann and Shibano, respectively. Antioxidant potency of active fractions was assessed by their DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities. Active fractions were tested by the MTT assay to verify cytotoxicity and neuroprotective ability in human nueroblastoma cell lines. Phytochemical screening was done with the aid of spectrophotometric methods. RESULTS: All the methanolic extracts of test plants (BAM, HIM, RMM) showed concentration dependent inhibitory activities against AChE, BuChE, α- and ß-glucosidase enzymes. Subsequent fractionation and evaluation revealed that chloroform fractions BAC, HIC and RMC with IC50 values of 12.29±2.14, 9.94±2.14, 16.65±1.99 and 27.38±1.24; 28.14±0.9, 5.16±0.22, 11.03±0.5 and 87.64±15.41; 41.35±1.6, 15.86±7.3, 26.04±0.37 and 25.33±0.3 were most prominent with regard to inhibition potential against AChE, BuChE, α- and ß-glucosidase, respectively. Kinetic analysis of these active fractions proved that they disclosed mixed-type inhibition against AChE, BuChE, α- and ß-glucosidase enzymes. In the MTT assay, active fractions BAC, HIC, RMC showed significant cell viability at high concentrations (400 µg). Moreover, in MTT assay, the active fractions displayed excellent neuroprotective effects against oxidative stress induced cell death and significant cell viability in SK N SH cells at all concentrations. CONCLUSION: The strong anticholinesterase, antiglucosidase, antioxidant and neuroprotective activities of methanolic extracts and their derived chloroform fractions indicate the potential of Buchanania axillaris, Hemidesmus indicus and Rhus mysorensis as multifunctional therapeutic remedies for the dual therapy of T2D and AD.

ZnO Nanoparticles-Red Sandalwood Conjugate: A Promising Anti-Diabetic Agent.

With the advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology the interest of researchers has expanded to interdisciplinary domain like bio-medical applications. Among such domains, one of the most important areas explored meticulously is the development of promising solutions in diabetes therapeutics. The disease associated with metabolic disorder, is one of the major challenges, due to its ever-increasing number of patients. The adverse effects of the synthetic enzymes like α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors have invited many scientists to develop promising contender with minimal side-effects. On the other hand, Zinc has strong role in insulin synthesis, storage and secretion and thus its deficiency can be related to diabetes. In this context we have explored natural extract of Red Sandalwood (RSW) as a potent anti-diabetic agent, in conjugation with ZnO nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized via soft chemistry routes and duly characterized for their phase formation with the help of X-ray diffraction technique and Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. These monodispersed nanoparticles, -20 nm in size, were further conjugated to RSW extract. The conjugation chemistry was studied via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy. Extract loading percentage was found from thermo-gravimetric analysis. 65% of the RSW extract was found conjugated to the ZnO nanoparticles. The anti-diabetic activity was assessed with the help of like α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assay with murine pancreatic and small intestinal extracts. It was observed that the conjugated ZnO-RSW nanoparticles showed excellent activity against the crude murine pancreatic glucosidase as compared to the individual ZnO nanoparticles and the RSW extract. The ZnO-RSW conjugate showed 61.93% of inhibition while the bare ZnO nanoparticles and RSW showed 21.48% and 5.90% respectively.

Streptomyces panaciradicis sp. nov., a ß-glucosidase-producing bacterium isolated from ginseng rhizoplane.

A Gram-staining-positive actinobacterium, designated strain 1MR-8(T), was isolated from the rhizoplane of ginseng and its taxonomic status was determined using a polyphasic approach. The isolate formed long chains of spores that were straight, cylindrical and smooth-surfaced. Strain 1MR-8(T) grew at 10-37 °C (optimum 28 °C), whilst no growth was observed at 45 °C. The pH range for growth was 4.0-11.0 (optimum pH 6.0-8.0) and the NaCl range for growth was 0-7% (w/v) with optimum growth at 1% (w/v). Strain 1MR-8(T) had cell-wall peptidoglycans based on ll-diaminopimelic acid. Glucose, mannose and ribose were the whole-cell sugars. The predominant isoprenoid quinones were MK-9 (H4), MK-9 (H6) and MK-9 (H8) and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C(15:0), iso-C(15:0), anteiso-C(17:0) and iso-C(16:0). 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies showed that the novel strain was closely related to the type strains of Streptomyces caeruleatus GIMN4(T), Streptomyces curacoi NRRL B-2901(T), Streptomyces capoamus JCM 4734(T) and Streptomyces coeruleorubidus NBRC 12761(T) with similarities of 98.8%. However, DNA-DNA relatedness, as well as physiological and biochemical analyses, showed that strain 1MR-8(T) could be differentiated from its closest phylogenetic relatives. It is proposed that this strain should be classified as a representative of a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, with the suggested name Streptomyces panaciradicis sp. nov. The type strain is 1MR-8(T) ( = KACC 17632(T) = NBRC 109811(T)).

Flavobacterium panaciterrae sp. nov., a ß-glucosidase producing bacterium with ginsenoside-converting activity isolated from the soil of a ginseng field.

The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession number for the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain DCY69(T) is JX233806. A Gram-reaction-negative, oxidase- and catalase-positive, non-gliding motile strain, designated strain DCY69(T), was isolated from the soil of a ginseng field in the Republic of Korea. Colonies of strain DCY69(T) were circular, 0.5-1.5 mm diameter, yellow, and convex on an R2A agar plate after 2 days. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain DCY69(T) belonged to the genus Flavobacterium with 90.5-98.3% gene sequence similarity. The major predominant quinone was MK-6. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15:0, iso-C17:0 3-OH, iso-C15:0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (containing C16:1ω7c and/or C16:1ω6c). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid and unidentified polar lipids (L1, L2). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain DCY69(T) was 35.0mol%. The strain DCY69(T) transformed ginsenoside Rb1 into Rd and F2. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic data, strain DCY69(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium panaciterrae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DCY69(T)(= KCTC 32392(T) = JCM 19161(T)), isolated from the soil of a ginseng field in the Republic of Korea.

Physicochemical property of starch-pectin conjugates with resistance to enzymatic activity.

BACKGROUND: In view of the high nutritional values and bioactivities of resistant starch and pectin, it would be a good choice to chemically combine pectin and starch to give a new type of chemically modified resistant starch. RESULT: A new type of chemically modified resistant starch has been prepared by cross-linking starch and pectin using sodium trimetaphosphate. Starch-pectin conjugates can well prevent the hydrolysis catalysed by different enzymes, such as α-amylase, amyloglucosidase, pancreatin as well as ß-amylase and glucosidase. Although the conjugates do not change the crystal type of starch, they increase the degree of crystallinity. Moreover, thermal stability and structural homogeneity of the conjugates are positively correlated with double-helical order in the crystalline region. CONCLUSION: This study gives a new method for the preparation of resistant starch-pectin conjugates which can be widely used as a new type of food additive in the industry.

Genomic, proteomic, and biochemical analyses of oleaginous Mucor circinelloides: evaluating its capability in utilizing cellulolytic substrates for lipid production.

Lipid production by oleaginous microorganisms is a promising route to produce raw material for the production of biodiesel. However, most of these organisms must be grown on sugars and agro-industrial wastes because they cannot directly utilize lignocellulosic substrates. We report the first comprehensive investigation of Mucor circinelloides, one of a few oleaginous fungi for which genome sequences are available, for its potential to assimilate cellulose and produce lipids. Our genomic analysis revealed the existence of genes encoding 13 endoglucanases (7 of them secretory), 3 ß-D-glucosidases (2 of them secretory) and 243 other glycoside hydrolase (GH) proteins, but not genes for exoglucanases such as cellobiohydrolases (CBH) that are required for breakdown of cellulose to cellobiose. Analysis of the major PAGE gel bands of secretome proteins confirmed expression of two secretory endoglucanases and one ß-D-glucosidase, along with a set of accessory cell wall-degrading enzymes and 11 proteins of unknown function. We found that M. circinelloides can grow on CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) and cellobiose, confirming the enzymatic activities of endoglucanases and ß-D-glucosidases, respectively. The data suggested that M. circinelloides could be made usable as a consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) strain by introducing a CBH (e.g. CBHI) into the microorganism. This proposal was validated by our demonstration that M. circinelloides growing on Avicel supplemented with CBHI produced about 33% of the lipid that was generated in glucose medium. Furthermore, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis showed that when growing on pre-saccharified Avicel substrates, it produced a higher proportion of C14 fatty acids, which has an interesting implication in that shorter fatty acid chains have characteristics that are ideal for use in jet fuel. This substrate-specific shift in FAME profile warrants further investigation.

Beneficial effect of flax seeds in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice: isolation of active fraction having islet regenerative and glucosidase inhibitory properties.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Present study highlights the antidiabetogenic property of Linum usitassimum active fraction (LU6) in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic Swiss mice. Treatment with LU6 fraction showed improved glucose utilization with increase in liver glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme activity and normal glycogenesis in hepatic and muscle tissues. Reduction in pancreatic and intestinal glucosidase inhibitory activity was observed with LU6 treatment, indicating beneficial effects in reducing postprandial hyperglycemia (PPHG). Normalization of plasma insulin and C-peptide levels were observed in diabetic mice, indicating endogenous insulin secretion after the treatment with LU6. The histochemical and immunohistochemical analysis on pancreatic islets suggests the role of LU6 fraction in islet regeneration and insulin secretion as evident in increase functional pancreatic islets producing insulin. Furthermore, significant insulin producing islet formation was also observed in in vitro PANC-1 cells after LU6 treatment, indicating the cellular aggregates to be newly formed islets. This suggests the potential of LU6 fraction in the formation of new islets in vitro, as well as in vivo. Thus, LU6 can be used as a neutraceutical-based first-line treatment for diabetes.

Enzymatic transformation of nonfood biomass to starch.

The global demand for food could double in another 40 y owing to growth in the population and food consumption per capita. To meet the world's future food and sustainability needs for biofuels and renewable materials, the production of starch-rich cereals and cellulose-rich bioenergy plants must grow substantially while minimizing agriculture's environmental footprint and conserving biodiversity. Here we demonstrate one-pot enzymatic conversion of pretreated biomass to starch through a nonnatural synthetic enzymatic pathway composed of endoglucanase, cellobiohydrolyase, cellobiose phosphorylase, and alpha-glucan phosphorylase originating from bacterial, fungal, and plant sources. A special polypeptide cap in potato alpha-glucan phosphorylase was essential to push a partially hydrolyzed intermediate of cellulose forward to the synthesis of amylose. Up to 30% of the anhydroglucose units in cellulose were converted to starch; the remaining cellulose was hydrolyzed to glucose suitable for ethanol production by yeast in the same bioreactor. Next-generation biorefineries based on simultaneous enzymatic biotransformation and microbial fermentation could address the food, biofuels, and environment trilemma.

Protein profiling of paraquat-exposed rat lungs following treatment with Acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) berry extract.

Paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium chloride, PQ) is a non-selective herbicide, and PQ poisoning by accidental or intentional ingestion is a cause of numerous fatalities around the world every year. Although a great deal of research has been conducted into the development of an acceptable treatment for PQ poisoning, no effective guidelines for patients have been developed thus far. Acai berry extract and juice have been highlighted in this regard, due to their observed antioxidant effects in various diseases. Furthermore, the acai berry has been used in dietary supplements, as it contains a variety of nutrients, including proteins, lipids, vitamins A, C and E and polyphenols. In this study, we conducted proteomic analysis of PQ-poisoned rat lungs to evaluate the changes in protein expression induced by PQ and to identify any protective effects of acai berry on the PQ poisoning. Our data revealed that the expression of the calcium signaling-related proteins calcium binding protein 1 (CaBP1), FK506 binding protein 4 (FKBP4), S100A6 and secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (Sparc, also known as osteonectin) were induced by PQ treatment and downregulated by acai berry treatment. However, the levels of protein kinase C substrate 80K-H were shown to be downregulated as the result of PQ treatment. Our results indicated that these proteins may function as biomarkers for acute poisoning by PQ exposure. Further studies may be necessary to understand their clinical relevance with regard to PQ poisoning.

Extracellular enzyme activity in a willow sewage treatment system.

This paper presents the results of studies on the activity of extra-cellular enzymes in soil-willow vegetation filter soil which is used in the post-treatment of household sewage in an onsite wastewater treatment system located in central Poland. Wastewater is discharged from the detached house by gravity into the onsite wastewater treatment system. It flows through a connecting pipe into a single-chamber septic tank and is directed by the connecting pipe to a control well to be further channelled in the soil-willow filter by means of a subsurface leaching system. Soil samples for the studies were collected from two depths of 5 cm and 1 m from three plots: close to the wastewater inflow, at mid-length of the plot and close to its terminal part. Soil samples were collected from May to October 2009. The activity of the extra-cellular enzymes was assayed by the fluorometric method using 4-methylumbelliferyl and 7-amido-4-methylcoumarin substrate. The ranking of potential activity of the assayed enzymes was the same at 5 cm and 1 m soil depths, i.e. esterase > phosphmomoesterase > leucine-aminopeptidase > ß-glucosidase > α-glucosidase. The highest values of enzymatic activity were recorded in the surface layer of the soil at the wastewater inflow and decreased with increasing distance from that point.

Prebiotics and bioactive natural substances induce changes of composition and metabolic activities of the colonic microflora in cancerous rats.

Prebiotics are defined as selectively fermented food ingredients that induce specific changes in the composition and/or activity in the gastrointestinal microbiota beneficial to the host well-being and health. The aim of the presented experiment was to investigate the effect of a prebiotic applied alone or in combination with Hyppocastani extractum siccum, and Lini oleum virginale in rats with dimethylhydrazine induced colon cancer. Wistar albino rats were fed high fat diet supplemented with the prebiotic alone or in combination with Horse chestnut and flaxseed oil. The activity of faecal glycolytic enzymes, lipid parameters, bile acids, short chain fatty acids and counts of coliforms and lactobacilli were determined. Treatment with the prebiotic alone and in combination with selected substances significantly decreased the activity of glycolytic bacterial enzyme ß-glucuronidase (P<0.001) and increased activities of ß-galactosidase and ß-glucosidase. Bile acids concentration was significantly decreased (P<0.01) except for the combination of the prebiotic with Horse chestnut. The prebiotic alone decreased the lipid parameters (P<0.001) and enhanced production of short chain fatty acids. Application of prebiotic and bioactive natural substances significantly reduced number of coliforms (P<0.05). Prebiotic alone significantly increased the count of lactobacilli (P<0.05). These results show that prebiotics have a protective effect and may be the useful for colon cancer prevention and treatment.

Supplementation of barley-based diets with ß-glucanase for pigs: energy and amino acid digestibility response.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of graded levels of ß-glucanase supplementation to barley (Hordeum vulgare)-based diets on the digestibility of DM, GE, N, and AA for growing-finishing pigs. Eight pigs (initial BW: 53.3 ± 3.2 kg) were each fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum and allotted to a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with 4 diets and 4 periods in each square. Diets were based on a barley-soybean (Glycine max) meal (SBM) basal diet (BD) containing 199 g CP and 3286 kcal DE per kilogram of diet. Treatments consisted of the BD and the BD supplemented with 10,000 (10K), 20,000 (20K), or 30,000 (30K) units of ß-glucanase per kilogram at the expense of corn (Zea mays). Chromic oxide (0.5%) was included as an indigestible marker. Each experimental period consisted of 4 d of adaptation, 1 d of feces collection, and 2 d of ileal digesta collection. Apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM ranged from 81.0 to 82.5% and was not affected by ß-glucanase supplementation. In the BD, ATTD of GE and N was 83.1 and 83.3%, respectively, and was not different in the BD supplemented with up to 30K units of ß-glucanase per kilogram at 83.4 and 83%, respectively. Increasing levels of ß-glucanase supplementation to the barley-SBM-based diet did not affect the ATTD of any criteria measured. Apparent ileal digestibility (AID) for DM, GE, and N ranged from 60.6, 65.4, and 70.8% (10K) to 66.4, 71.0, and 74.9% (20K), respectively. For indispensable AA, AID for Lys (79.9%) and Met (78.1%) was lowest in the BD supplemented with 20K and 10K units of ß-glucanase per kilogram, respectively, and was not different from the digestibility of Lys and Met in the diet with added 30K units of ß-glucanase per kilogram at 80.8 and 80.4%, respectively. There were neither significant linear nor quadratic effects of ß-glucanase supplementation to barley-SBM-based diets on the AID of DM, GE, N, and AA. In conclusion, ß-glucanase supplementation did not affect apparent ileal and total tract nutrient digestibility in grow-finish pigs fed a barley-SBM-based diet.