Diversity analysis of panicle traits in Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources and their influence on its systematic classification.

This study aimed to reveal the diversity and variation in panicle traits of the Chinese prickly ash and clarify their influence on the its systematic classification to provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the efficient utilization of Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources and breeding. Sixteen panicle traits were identified from 35 Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources from 2021 to 2022. The diversity of these panicle traits and their role in the plant's systematic classification were studied using variance, correlation, cluster, and principal component analyses. Cluster analysis showed that the 35 Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources could be divided into two groups with Euclidean distances of 25. Further analysis showed that yield traits such as panicle length, panicle width, primary branching, grain number per panicle, and grain weight per panicle were significantly positively correlated with grain chlorophyll content, while grain anthocyanin content was negatively correlated with both panicle (panicle length, panicle width, panicle length to width ratio, primary branching, grain number per panicle, and grain weight per panicle) and grain characteristics (single grain weight, thousand-grain weight, grain length, grain width and fruit shape index). In conclusion, Chinese prickly ash germplasms have diverse panicle traits. Z. armatum has dark green grains, long and wide panicles, a long conical shape, many primary branches, high grain weight, and high grain number per panicle. In contrast, Z. bungeanum has bright red seeds, a panicle width larger than its length, short and conical panicles, a small number of primary branches, and low grain weight per panicle and number of grains per panicle. Overall, Z. armatum had a significant yield advantage over Z. bungeanum.

Rheological properties, multiscale structure, and in vitro digestibility of a maize starch-konjac glucomannan-bamboo leaf flavonoid complex modified by dynamic high-pressure microfluidization.

The effects of dynamic high-pressure microfluidization (DHPM) treatment on the rheological properties, multiscale structure and in vitro digestibility of complex of maize starch (MS), konjac glucomannan (KGM), and bamboo leaf flavonoids (BLFs) were investigated. Compared with MS, the MS-KGM-BLF complex exhibited reduced viscosity and crystallinity, along with increased lamellar thickness to 10.26 nm. MS-KGM-BLF complex had lower viscosity after DHPM treatment. The highest ordered structure and crystallinity were observed at 50 MPa, with the α value increasing from 3.40 to 3.59 and the d value decreasing from 10.26 to 9.81 nm. However, higher DHPM pressures resulted in a decrease in the α value and an increase in the d value. The highest gelatinization enthalpy and resistant starch content were achieved at 100 MPa DHPM, while the fractal structure shifted from surface fractal to mass fractal at 150 MPa. This study presents an innovative method for enhancing the properties of MS.

Leaf traits of prickly ash and its correlation with ecological and geographical factors of origin.

The morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of leaves result from the long-term adaptation of plants to their environment and are closely related to plant growth and development. In this study, 37 prickly ash germplasm resources from 18 production areas were utilized as the subjects of research. Logistic equations, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis were employed to comprehensively evaluate the leaf traits of prickly ash germplasm resources, with an analysis of their correlation with ecological and geographical factors in the production areas. The results showed that the leaf traits of prickly ash germplasms of different origins are substantially different and diverse. The coefficient of variation for the 14 leaf traits was greater than 10%. The coefficient of variation of the compound leaflet number was the highest among all the considered leaf traits, and the coefficient of variation of leaf thickness was the lowest, at 49.86% and 11.37%, respectively. The leaf traits of the prickly ash germplasm originating from Chongqing in Yongchuan, Chongqing in Rongchang, and Yunnan in Honghe ranked highest, whereas the leaf traits of the prickly ash germplasm from Henan in Jiaozuo, Gansu in Tianshui, and Shanxi in Yuncheng ranked lowest. The results of the correlation analysis showed that among the ecological and geographical factors of the origins, latitude had the strongest correlation with the leaf traits of the prickly ash germplasm. As latitude increased, the leaves of prickly ash gradually decreased in size, weight, and leaf shape index. The factor with the second strongest correlation was temperature. The leaves of the prickly ash germplasm originating from warmer climate areas were larger and heavier than those from areas with colder climates. Altitude and longitude did not significantly affect the leaf traits of the prickly ash germplasm, but at similar latitudes, the leaves of the prickly ash germplasm in high-altitude areas were smaller, and the leaves of the prickly ash germplasm in low-altitude areas were larger. These findings can provide valuable references for breeding and the sustainable utilization of new varieties of prickly ash resources.

New insights into the interaction between bamboo shoot polysaccharides and lotus root starch during gelatinization, retrogradation, and digestion of starch.

In this study, the interaction between bamboo shoot polysaccharides (BSP) and lotus root starch (LS) during gelatinization, retrogradation, and digestion of starch was investigated. The addition of BSP inhibited the gelatinization of LS and decreased the peak viscosity, valley viscosity, and final viscosity. Amylose leaching initially increased and then decreased with the increase in BSP addition. The apparent viscosity and viscoelasticity of LS decreased with the increase in BSP addition. Moreover, 3 % BSP increased the hardness and cohesiveness of LS gel, whereas 6 %-15 % BSP decreased them. In addition, 3 %-6 % BSP promoted the uniform distribution of water molecules in the starch paste, whereas the addition of 12 % and 15 % BSP resulted in the inhomogeneous distribution of the water. The retrogradation degree of LS gel gradually increased with the increase in BSP addition from 3 % to 6 %, whereas 9 %-15 % BSP restricted the short-term and long-term retrogradation of LS. After 12 % BSP was added, the RDS content reduced by 11.6 %, the RS content significantly increased by 75 %, and the digestibility of starch decreased. This work revealed the interaction between BSP and LS during starch gelatinization, retrogradation, and digestion to improve the physicochemical properties and digestive characteristics of LS.

Lotus starch/bamboo shoot polysaccharide composite system treated via ultrasound: Pasting, gelling properties and multiscale structure.

This study investigated the effects of ultrasound treatment on the physicochemical properties, digestion properties, and multiscale structure of a lotus root starch (LS) and bamboo shoot polysaccharide (BSP) composite system. It also preliminarily revealed the mechanism underlying the modification effect of ultrasound treatment. After 180-360 W ultrasound treatment, the viscosity, thixotropy, and gel viscoelasticity of the LS/BSP paste increased. However, treatment with the ultrasound power of 540 and 720 W decreased viscoelasticity. After 14 days of retrogradation, the hardness and cohesiveness of the LS/BSP gel increased under 180 and 360 W ultrasound treatment but decreased under 540 and 720 W ultrasound treatment. After 540 W ultrasound treatment, RDS content decreased by 17.2 % and resistant starch content increased by 32.5 %. After 180 min of in vitro digestion, the hydrolysis rate of LS/BSP decreased from 97.82 % to 93.13 % as the ultrasound power increased to 540 W. Ultrasound promoted the uniform dispersion of BSP in the starch paste and the movement, orientation, rearrangement, and aggregation of starch and BSP molecular chains. These effects further enhanced the interaction between BSP and starch, resulting in the formation of a dense paste structure with strong resistance to digestive enzymes. This work revealed the mechanism of the effects of ultrasound treatment on LS/BSP and found that 360-540 W ultrasound treatment could improve the physicochemical properties and digestion properties of LS/BSP.

Effect of Zanthoxylum alkylamides on lipid metabolism and its mechanism in rats fed with a high-fat diet.

This research aimed at exploring the effect of Zanthoxylum alkylamides on lipid metabolism and its potential mechanisms using high-fat diet rat model. Treatment with Zanthoxylum alkylamides for 6 weeks, food efficiency and atherogenic index of the low, medium, and high doses of Zanthoxylum alkylamides-treated groups were significantly reduced. Meanwhile, the histopathological structure of the livers showed that hepatic steatosis in the groups treated with Zanthoxylum alkylamides was reduced, particularly the HD group. Moreover, the related genes were studied, such as, liver X receptor (LXR), cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), hepatic 3-hydroxyl-2-methylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP-2), ileal bile acid-binding protein (IBABP), sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT), and transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype1 (TRPV1). These results demonstrated that Zanthoxylum alkylamides could ameliorate abnormal lipid metabolism in rats fed with a high-fat diet. The underlying mechanism may be the downregulation of the expression levels of cholesterol synthesis and bile acid reabsorption-related genes, reduction of endogenous cholesterol synthesis, and increase in bile acid and neutral sterol excretion. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: High-energy diet is a potential risk of lipid metabolic disorder. Many studies have shown that hyperlipidemia can lead to atherosclerosis and even hemangioma, cerebral thrombosis, coronary heart disease, and other diseases, which seriously threaten human health. Therefore, seeking an effective and safe way to prevent the obesity-related disease is necessary. This research found that Zanthoxylum alkylamide could ameliorate abnormal lipid metabolism in rats fed with a high-fat diet. The underlying mechanism may be the downregulation of the expression levels of cholesterol synthesis and ileal absorption of bile acid genes, reduction of endogenous cholesterol synthesis, and increase in bile acid and neutral sterol excretion. Therefore, Zanthoxylum alkylamide has the potential for preventing or alleviating high-energy intake-related obesity.

Hypocholesterolemic Effects of Capsaicinoids and Lactobacillus plantarum Swun5815 Combined by Inhibiting Cholesterol Synthesis and Increasing Bile Acid and Sterols Excretion on Ovariectomized Rats.

This study evaluated the hypocholesterolemic effects and potential metabolism of single and combined administrations of capsaicinoids and Lactobacillus plantarum SWUN5815 in ovariectomized rats. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 treatment groups. One group was sham-operated (with 1 mL/100 g BW physiological saline), and the 4 other groups were double-ovariectomized: OVX-CON (with 1 mL/100 g BW physiological saline), OVX-CAP (with 1 mL/100 g BW physiological saline and fed with food containing 0.08 g/kg capsaicinoids), OVX-L. P. (with 1 mL 2 × 109 cfu/mL/100 g BW L. plantarum SWUN5815), and OVX-CAP + L. P. (with 1 mL 2 × 109 cfu/mL/100 g BW L. plantarum SWUN5815 and fed with food containing 0.08 g/kg capsaicinoids). Rats were sacrificed after 6 weeks of feeding. Results showed that the combination of capsaicinoids and L. plantarum significantly decreased the total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of plasma, total cholesterol and lipid accumulation of liver in ovariectomized rats without affecting food intake. Bile acid contents in the fecal excrement and small intestines were significantly increased by the combination compared with the individual effects. However, the mRNA levels of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA R), farnesoid X receptor (FXR), ileum bile acid binding protein (IBABP), and apical sodium-dependent bile acids transporter (ASBT) significantly decreased. Liver X receptor also remarkably increased. Therefore, these genes potentially affect cholesterol metabolism by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis and promoting excretion of bile acid. The protective effects of the combination of capsaicinoids and L. plantarum SWUN5815 on the intestines were significant in ovariectomized rats.

The impact of the postharvest environment on the viability and virulence of decay fungi.

Postharvest decay of fruits, vegetables, and grains by fungal pathogens causes significant economic losses. Infected produce presents a potential health risk since some decay fungi produce mycotoxins that are hazardous to human health. Infections are the result of the interplay between host resistance and pathogen virulence. Both of these processes, however, are significantly impacted by environmental factors, such as temperature, UV, oxidative stress, and water activity. In the present review, the impact of various physical postharvest treatments (e.g., heat and UV) on the viability and virulence of postharvest pathogens is reviewed and discussed. Oxidative injury, protein impairment, and cell wall degradation have all been proposed as the mechanisms by which these abiotic stresses reduce fungal viability and pathogenicity. The response of decay fungi to pH and the ability of pathogens to modulate the pH of the host environment also affect pathogenicity. The effects of the manipulation of the postharvest environment by ethylene, natural edible coatings, and controlled atmosphere storage on fungal viability are also discussed. Lastly, avenues of future research are proposed.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Mechanism Underlying the Production of a High Quantity of Chlorogenic Acid in Young Leaves of Lonicera macranthoides Hand.-Mazz.

Lonicera macranthoides Hand.-Mazz (L. macranthoides) is a medicinal herb that is widely distributed in southern China. The biosynthetic and metabolic pathways for a core secondary metabolite in L. macranthoides, chlorogenic acid (CGA), have been elucidated in many species. However, the mechanisms of CGA biosynthesis and the related gene regulatory network in L. macranthoides are still not well understood. In this study, CGA content was quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and CGA levels differed significantly among three tissues; specifically, the CGA content in young leaves (YL) was greater than that in young stems (YS), which was greater than that in mature flowers (MF). Transcriptome analysis of L. macranthoides yielded a total of 53,533,014 clean reads (average length 90 bp) and 76,453 unigenes (average length 703 bp). A total of 3,767 unigenes were involved in biosynthesis pathways of secondary metabolites. Of these unigenes, 80 were possibly related to CGA biosynthesis. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened in different tissues including YL, MF and YS. In these tissues, 24 DEGs were found to be associated with CGA biosynthesis, including six phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) genes, six 4-coumarate coenzyme A ligase (4CL) genes, four cinnamate 4-Hydroxylase (C4H) genes, seven hydroxycinnamoyl transferase/hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA quinate transferase HCT/HQT genes and one coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H) gene.These results further the understanding of CGA biosynthesis and the related regulatory network in L. macranthoides.

Hypoglycemic effects of Zanthoxylum alkylamides by enhancing glucose metabolism and ameliorating pancreatic dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

This study aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of Zanthoxylum alkylamides and explore the potential mechanism in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats were orally treated with 3, 6, and 9 mg per kg bw alkylamides daily for 28 days. As the alkylamide dose increased, the relative weights of the liver and kidney, fasting blood glucose, and fructosamine levels were significantly decreased. The alkylamides also significantly increased the body weight and improved the oral glucose tolerance of the rats. Likewise, the alkylamides significantly increased the levels of liver and muscle glycogen and plasma insulin. These substances further alleviated the histopathological changes in the pancreas of the diabetic rats. The beneficial effects of high-dose alkylamides showed a comparable activity to the anti-diabetic drug glibenclamide. Western blot and real-time PCR results revealed that the alkylamide treatment significantly decreased the expression levels of the key enzymes (phosphoenolpyruvate caboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase) involved in gluconeogenesis and increased the glycolysis enzyme (glucokinase) in the liver, and enhanced the expression levels of pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1, glucokinase, and glucose transporter 2 in the pancreas. In addition, it was also observed that the alkylamides, unlike glibenclamide, increased the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 and decreased cannabinoid receptor 1 expressions in the liver and pancreas. Therefore, alkylamides can prevent STZ-induced hyperglycemia by altering the expression levels of the genes related to glucose metabolism and by ameliorating pancreatic dysfunction.