Distribution of micronutrients in Arborg oat (Avena sativa L.) using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging.

It is important to know the mineral distribution in cereal grains for nutritional improvement or genetic biofortification. Distributions and intensities of micro-elements (Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn) and macro-elements (P, S, K and Ca) in Arborg oat were investigated using synchrotron-based on X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI). Arborg oat provided by the Crop Development Center (CDC, Aaron Beattie) of the University of Saskatchewan for 2D X-ray fluorescence scans were measured at the BioXAS-Imaging beamline at the Canadian Light Source. The results show that the Ca and Mn were mainly localized in the aleurone layer and scutellum. P, K, Fe, Cu, and Zn were mainly accumulated in the aleurone layer and embryo. Particularly the intensities of P, K, Cu, and Zn in the scutellum were higher compared to other areas. S was also distributed in each tissue and its abundance in the sub-aleurone was the highest. In addition, the intensities of S and Cu were highest in the nucellar projection of the crease region. All these elements were also found in the pericarp but they were at lower levels than other tissues. Overall, the details of these experimental results can provide important information for micronutrient biofortification and processing strategies on oat through elemental mapping in Arborg oat.

Combined molecular spectroscopic techniques (SR-FTIR, XRF, ATR-FTIR) to study physiochemical and nutrient profiles of Avena sativa grain and nutrition and structure interactive association properties.

Synchrotron radiation based on Fourier transform infrared radiation (SR-FTIR), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and attenuated total reflection based on Fourier transform infrared radiation (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy are both fast determining and minimal sample preparing techniques. They are capable of detecting the internal molecular structures. However, these techniques are still not well understood by nutrition researchers for the analysis of feed. The purpose of this review is to introduce advanced SR-FTIR, XRF, and ATR-FTIR molecular techniques, use these techniques to study chemical and nutrient profiles of Avena sativa grain, and lastly to study the nutrition and structure interactive association properties. The review mainly focuses on the following aspects: 1) the background information of Avena sativa grain; its history, chemical composition, nutrient profile, inherent structure, and production; 2) molecular spectroscopic techniques; principles and spectral analysis methodology of SR-FTIR, XRF and ATR-FTIR; 3) the application of SR-FTIR, XRF, and ATR-FTIR as a novel approach. This review provides an insight on how molecular spectroscopic techniques could be used for the study of nutrition and structure interactive association properties.

Using vibrational molecular spectroscopy to reveal carbohydrate molecular structure properties of faba bean partitions and faba bean silage before and after rumen incubation in relation to nutrient availability and supply to dairy cattle.

To our knowledge, there is limited study on the relationship between the molecular structure of feed and nutrient availability in the ruminant system. The objective of this study is to use advanced vibrational molecular spectroscopy (attenuated total reflection [ATR]-Fourier transform infrared [FT/IR]) to reveal carbohydrate molecular structure properties of faba bean partitions (stem, leaf, whole pods [WP], and whole plant) and faba bean silage before and after rumen incubation in relation to nutrient availability and supply to dairy cattle. The study included the correlation between carbohydrate-related spectral profiles and chemical profiles, feed energy values, Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System carbohydrate fractions, and rumen degradation parameters of faba bean samples (whole crop, stem, leaf, WP, and silage) before and after rumen incubation. FTIR spectra of faba bean sample before and after 12 and 24 h rumen incubations were collected with JASCO FT/IR-4200 with ATR at mid-IR range (ca. 4000-700 cm-1 ) with 128 scans and at 4 cm-1 resolution. The univariate molecular spectral analysis was carried out using OMNIC software. The results show that ATR-FT/IR spectroscopic technique could detect the change of microbial digestion to carbohydrate-related molecular structure. The spectral parameters of feed rumen incubation residues had a stronger correlation with less degradable carbohydrate fractions (neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose) while spectral profiles of original faba samples had a stronger correlation with easily degradable carbohydrate fractions (starch). In conclusion, rumen degradation of carbohydrate contents can be reflected in the change of its molecular spectral profiles. The study shows that vibrational molecular spectroscopy (ATR-FT/IR) shows high potential as a fast analytical tool to evaluate and predict nutrient supply in the ruminant system.

Cordycepin production by a novel endophytic fungus Irpex lacteus CHG05 isolated from Cordyceps hawkesii Gray.

Cordycepin is an essential nucleoside antibiotic with a broad spectrum of physiological functions, which is currently produced by the fermentation of Cordyceps militaris. Even though numerous efforts were made to enhance cordycepin production, the cordycepin yield is still limited. High-cordycepin-yielding strains are still a prerequisite for industrial cordycepin production in large amounts. Screening high-cordycepin-yielding strains from other sources may break new grounds for cordycepin. In this study, Cordyceps hawkesii Gray, with high homology to C. militaris, was selected as the source to screen the cordycepin manufacturing endophytic fungi. Four isolates capable of cordycepin production were successfully obtained among all isolated endophytic fungi. One of the four with better cordycepin yield was identified as Irpex lacteus CHG05, which belongs to the Phlebia species. The response surface methodology was applied to optimize the culture conditions for cordycepin fermentation. 162.05 mg/L of cordycepin with a 53.1% improvement was achieved compared to the original conditions. This study indicates that the endophytic fungi from C. hawkesii Gray could produce cordycepin and served as the first report for cordycepin by the white-rot fungus of I. lacteus. Even though the yield is low compared to C. militaris, this strain provided another choice for enhanced cordycepin in the future.

Using advanced vibrational molecular spectroscopy (ATR-Ft/IRS) to study heating process induced changes on protein molecular structure of biodegradation residues in cool-climate adapted faba bean seeds: Relationship with rumen and intestinal protein digestion in ruminant systems.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of heating process on protein molecular structure from ruminal degradation residues in cool-climate adapted faba bean seeds in relation to crude protein (CP), in situ degradation kinetics, rumen protein degradation and intestinal protein digestion parameters in dairy cows. Seeds of six faba bean varieties with low (Snowbird, Snowdrop, 219_16) and normal tannin (Fatima, 346_10, SSNS_1) were collected from three different locations, and were heated 3 min by microwave irradiation (MI, dry heating) or heated 1 h by steam pressure toasting (SP, moist heating) or kept raw as a control. Heat treated samples were used for rumen incubating 24, 12, 8, 4, 2, 0 h(s) in two replicate runs and then residues from 12 h of rumen degradation were used for three steps in vitro technique for determining intestinal protein digestion. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (ATR-Ft/IRS) was used for analyzing protien molecular structure of residual faba bean seeds. The results showed that SP increased the intensities of amide I, amide II, α-helix and ß-sheet but decreased amide I to amide II height and area ratio, α-helix to ß-sheet height ratio from 12 and 24 h of ruminal degradation, and MI decreased all the intensities of amide I, amide II, α-helix and ß-sheet and ratios except amide I to amide II area ratio of residues from 24 h of ruminal degradation. Additionally, the intensities of amide I, amide II, α-helix and ß-sheet had a unique pattern of increasing first and then decreasing with the increasing ruminal digestion time for SP treatment, while amide I to amide II height and area ratio, α-helix to ß-sheet height ratio were declining. For the MI groups, this pattern was not observed and the intensities were rather consistent across the digestion process. Rumen protein degradation parameters including rumen bypass crude protein (BCP) or rumen undegradable protein (RUP) and rumen degradable protein (RDP) closely correlated with protein molecular structure of to peak heights, areas and ratios. Regression equations based on residual protein molecular structure presented a good estimation power for soluble fraction (S, R2 = 0.79), degradable fraction (D, R2 = 0.805), BCP (R2 = 0.941), RUP (R2 = 0.941) and RDP (R2 = 0.811). Overall, heat-induced changes in rumen residual protein molecular structures were related to CP, in situ degradation kinetics, rumen protein degradation and rumen protein digestion parameters.

Using advanced vibrational molecular spectroscopy (ATR-Ft/IRS and synchrotron SR-IMS) to study an interaction between protein molecular structure from biodegradation residues and nutritional properties of cool-climate adapted faba bean seeds.

The objective of this study was to use advanced vibrational molecular spectroscopy (ATR-Ft/IRS) to study an interaction between legume protein molecular structure from biodegradation residues and nutritional properties of newly developed genotypes of cool-climate adapted faba bean seed with low and normal tannin levels grown in western Canada. Protein molecular structures including amide I, II areas and peak heights, α-helix and ß-sheet peak heights in rumen biodegradation residues were determined by using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared molecular spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The nutritional properties were determined which included chemical and nutrient profiles, in situ rumen degradation kinetics, rumen protein degradation, and intestinal protein digestion in the newly developed genotypes of faba bean seeds with low and normal tannin levels. The results showed that the spectral intensity of faba bean varieties with a normal tannin level in rumen biodegradation residues was greater (P < 0.05) than that with a low tannin level. The spectral intensity of amide I, II areas and peak heights, α-helix and ß-sheet peak heights in all genotypes (except the variety of Snowdrop) in biodegradation residuals of faba bean seeds had a unique pattern with increasing first and then decreasing with the increasing of rumen incubation time. The molecular structures of protein (α-helix, ratio of α-helix to ß-sheet height and amide I to II area, R2 > 0.6) were associated with in situ degradation kinetics - soluble (S) and potential degradable fractions (D) and rumen protein degradation- bypass or undegraded protein (BCP or RUP). The molecular spectral parameters in the FTIR fingerprint region didn't form cluster among different genotypes in residual faba bean seeds in 12 h and 24 h incubation, which indicate they had similar protein molecular structures after incubation. In conclusion, there was an interaction between protein molecular structure from biodegradation residues and nutritional properties of newly developed cool-climate adapted faba bean seeds with normal and low level of tannin. The cool-climate adapted genotype had an impact on the protein molecular structure, and the protein utilization and metabolism were predictable from protein spectral molecular structures after rumen biodegradation with ATR-Ft/IRS spectroscopy.