Key phytochemicals contributing to the bitterness of quinoa.

Despite its nutritional components and potential health benefits, the bitterness of quinoa seed limits its utilization in the food industry. Saponins are believed to be the main cause of the bitterness, but it is still uncertain which specific compound is responsible. This study aimed to isolate the main components contributing to the bitterness in quinoa seed by solvent extraction and various column chromatography techniques guided by sensory evaluation. Five compounds were identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses, with the dose-over-threshold factors from 29.03 to 198.89. The results confirmed that triterpenoids are responsible for the bitter taste in quinoa seed, with phytolaccagenic acid derivatives being the primary contributor. Additionally, kaempferol 3-O-(2″, 6″-di-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl)-ß-galactopyranoside (namely mauritianin), was demonstrated for the first time to be associated with the bitterness of quinoa. This study could provide new insight into the bitter compound identification in quinoa.

Integration of transcriptome and metabolome reveals the accumulation of related metabolites and gene regulation networks during quinoa seed development.

Quinoa seeds are gluten- and cholesterol-free, contain all amino acids required by the human body, have a high protein content, provide endocrine regulation, protein supplementation, and cardiovascular protection effects. However, metabolite accumulation and transcriptional regulatory networks in quinoa seed development are not well understood. Four key stages of seed development in Dianli-3260 and Dianli-557 were thus analyzed and 849 metabolites were identified, among which sugars, amino acids, and lipids were key for developmental processes, and their accumulation showed a gradual decrease. Transcriptome analysis identified 40,345 genes, of which 20,917 were differential between the M and F phases, including 8279 and 12,638 up- and down-regulated genes, respectively. Grain development processes were mainly enriched in galactose metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, the biosynthesis of amino acids, and carbon metabolism pathways, in which raffinose, phosphoenolpyruvate, series and other metabolites are significantly enriched, gene-LOC110689372, Gene-LOC110710556 and gene-LOC110714584 are significantly expressed, and these metabolites and genes play an important role in carbohydrate metabolism, lipid and Amino acid synthesis of quinoa. This study provides a theoretical basis to expand our understanding of the molecular and metabolic development of quinoa grains.

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal the Importance of Lipid Metabolism and Photosynthesis Regulation in High Salinity Tolerance in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Leaves Derived from Mutagenesis Combined with Microspore Culture.

Barley is the most salt-tolerant cereal crop. However, little attention has been paid to the salt-tolerant doubled haploids of barley derived from mutagenesis combined with isolated microspore culture. In the present study, barley doubled haploid (DH) line 20, which was produced by mutagenesis combined with isolated microspore culture, showed stably and heritably better salt tolerance than the wild type H30 in terms of fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, K+/Na+ ratio and photosynthetic characteristics. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses were performed to compare the changes in gene expression and metabolites between DH20 and H30. A total of 462 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 152 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified in DH20 compared to H30 under salt stress. Among the DAMs, fatty acids were the most accumulated in DH20 under salt stress. The integration of transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed that nine key biomarkers, including two metabolites and seven genes, could distinguish DH20 and H30 when exposed to high salt. The pathways of linoleic acid metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, photosynthesis, and alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism were significantly enriched in DH20 with DEGs and DAMs in response to salt stress. These results suggest that DH20 may enhance resilience by promoting lipid metabolism, maintaining energy metabolism and decreasing amino acids metabolism. The study provided novel insights for the rapid generation of homozygous mutant plants by mutagenesis combined with microspore culture technology and also identified candidate genes and metabolites that may enable the mutant plants to cope with salt stress.

Generating homozygous mutant populations of barley microspores by ethyl methanesulfonate treatment.

Induced mutations are important for genetic research and breeding. Mutations induced by physical or chemical mutagenesis are usually heterozygous during the early generations. However, mutations must be fixed prior to phenotyping or field trials, which requires additional rounds of self-pollination. Microspore culture is an effective method to produce double-haploid (DH) plants that are fixed homozygotes. In this study, we conducted ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced mutagenesis of microspore cultures of barley (Hordeum vulgare) cultivar 'Hua30' and landrace 'HTX'. The EMS concentrations were negatively correlated with the efficiency of callus induction and the frequency of mutant plant regeneration. The two genotypes showed different regeneration efficiencies. The phenotypic variation of the regenerated M1 plants and the presence of genome-wide nucleotide mutations, revealed by whole-genome sequencing, highlight the utility of EMS-induced mutagenesis of isolated microspore cultures for developing DH mutants. Genome-wide analysis of the mutation frequency in the regenerated plants revealed that a considerable proportion of mutations resulted from microspore culture (somaclonal variation) rather than EMS-induced mutagenesis. In addition to producing a population of 1972 homozygous mutant lines that are available for future field trials, this study lays the foundation for optimizing the regeneration efficiency of DH plants and the richness of mutations (mainly by fine-tuning the mutagen dosage).

Transcriptomics integrated with metabolomics reveals the effect of cold stress on rice microspores.

BACKGROUND: Microspore culture is one of the important biotechnological tools in plant breeding. The induction of microspore embryogenesis is a critical factor that affects the yield of microspore-derived embryo productions. Cold treatment has been reported to reprogram the gametophytic pathway in various plant species. However, the exact mechanism(s) underlying the effect of cold pre-treatment of floral buds on the efficiency of ME is still not clear. RESULTS: In this study, the effects of cold stress on the microspore totipotency of rice cultivar Zhonghua 11 were investigated. Our results revealed that a 10-day cold treatment is necessary for microspore embryogenesis initiation. During this period, the survival rate of microspores increased and reached a peak at 7 days post treatment (dpt), before decreasing at 10 dpt. RNA-seq analysis showed that the number of DEGs increased from 3 dpt to 10 dpt, with more downregulated DEGs than upregulated ones at the same time point. GO enrichment analysis showed a shift from 'Response to abiotic stimulus' at 3 dpt to 'Metabolic process' at 7 and 10 dpt, with the most significant category in the cellular component being 'cell wall'. KEGG analysis of the pathways revealed changes during cold treatment. Mass spectrometry was used to evaluate the variations in metabolites at 10 dpt compared to 0 dpt, with more downregulated DEMs being determined in both GC-MS and LC-MS modes. These DEMs were classified into 11 categories, Most of the DEMs belonged to 'lipids and lipid-like molecules'. KEGG analysis of DEMs indicates pathways related to amino acid and nucleotide metabolism being upregulated and those related to carbohydrate metabolism being downregulated. An integration analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics showed that most pathways belonged to 'Amino acid metabolism' and 'Carbohydrate metabolism'. Four DEMs were identified in the interaction network, with stearidonic acid involving in the most correlations, suggesting the potential role in microspore totipotency. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings exhibited the molecular events occurring during stress-induced rice microspore. Pathways related to 'Amino acid metabolism' and 'Carbohydrate metabolism' may play important roles in rice microspore totipotency. Stearidonic acid was identified, which may participate in the initiation of microspore embryogenesis.

Integrated Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of the Quinoa Seedling Response to High Relative Humidity Stress.

Quinoa is of great interest because it is cold- and drought-resistant; however, little research has been performed on quinoa under high relative humidity (RH) stress. In this study, quinoa seedlings of a highly HR-resistant variety ("Dianli-439") and a sensitive variety ("Dianli-969") were subjected to morphological and physiological measurements and metabolome and transcriptome analyses to investigate their response to high RH stress. In total, 1060 metabolites were detected, and lipids and flavonoids were the most abundant, with 173 and 167 metabolites, respectively. In total, 13,095 differentially expressed genes were identified, and the results showed that abscisic acid, auxin, and jasmonic-acid-related genes involved in plant hormone signaling may be involved in the response of quinoa seedlings to high RH stress. The analysis of the transcription factors revealed that the AP2/ERF family may also play an important role in the response to high RH stress. We identified the possible regulatory mechanisms of the hormone signaling pathways under high RH stress. Our findings can provide a basis for the selection and identification of highly resistant quinoa varieties and the screening of the metabolite-synthesis- and gene-regulation-related mechanisms in quinoa in response to RH stress.

Methylene Blue Reduces Retinal Cell Inflammation, Apoptosis, and Oxidative Stress in a Rat Model of Diabetic Retinopathy via Sirtuin 1 Activation.

Objective: Diabetic retinopathy (DR), characterized by neuronal damage in the retina, is primarily driven by oxidative stress resulting from diabetes (DM). This study investigated the potential effects of methylene blue (MB) on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DR. Methods: A rat model of DR was established via STZ injection, while a cell model was created using high-glucose (HG) exposure of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells. Evaluation of oxidative stress markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and pro-apoptotic proteins was performed based on their expression profiles in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells. Results: MB treatment significantly upregulated the expression of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), which was found to be downregulated in the retinal tissues of STZ-treated rats and HG-exposed human retinal microvascular endothelial cells, as determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Furthermore, MB therapy effectively suppressed STZ-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death. Consistent with the in vivo findings, MB activated the expression of SIRT1, thereby protecting HG-treated human retinal microvascular endothelial cells against oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Conclusion: These results support the conclusion that MB mitigates DR by activating SIRT1, leading to a reduction of inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress.

Real-Time Quantitative PCR: Primer Design, Reference Gene Selection, Calculations and Statistics.

Real-time quantitative PCR is a technique that can measure the content of the target nucleic acid sequence of interest in a given sample. It is mainly divided into absolute and relative quantitative methods. The relative quantification is mainly used in gene expressions for functional genomic and transcriptome studies. However, to use this technology accurately, there are some key points to master. First, specific primers need to be designed to ensure amplification of the gene of interest (GOI). Second, the appropriate reference gene or reference gene combination has to be selected. Finally, scientific gene expression level calculations and statistics are required to obtain accurate results. Therefore, this work proposes a workflow for relative quantitative PCR and introduces the relevant points so that beginners can better understand and use this technology.

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Reveal Mechanisms Underlying the Response of Quinoa Seedlings to Nitrogen Fertilizers.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a dicotyledonous annual amaranth herb that belongs to the family Chenopodiaceae. Quinoa can be cultivated across a wide range of climatic conditions. With regard to its cultivation, nitrogen-based fertilizers have a demonstrable effect on the growth and development of quinoa. How crops respond to the application of nitrogen affects grain quality and yield. Therefore, to explore the regulatory mechanisms that underlie the responses of quinoa seedlings to the application of nitrogen, we selected two varieties (i.e., Dianli-1299 and Dianli-71) of quinoa seedlings and analyzed them using metabolomic and transcriptomic techniques. Specifically, we studied the mechanisms underlying the responses of quinoa seedlings to varying concentrations of nitrogen by analyzing the dynamics of metabolites and genes involved in arginine biosynthesis; carbon fixation; and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate biosynthetic pathways. Overall, we found that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) of quinoa are affected by the concentration of nitrogen. We detected 1057 metabolites, and 29,012 genes were annotated for the KEGG. We also found that 15 DEMs and 8 DEGs were key determinants of the differences observed in quinoa seedlings under different nitrogen concentrations. These contribute toward a deeper understanding of the metabolic processes of plants under different nitrogen treatments and provide a theoretical basis for improving the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of quinoa.

Why Do Bystanders Become Cyberbullies? The Effect of Perceived Reasonableness of Online Messages on Bystanders' Aggressive Tendency and Its Underlying Mechanism.

The objectives of this study were to examine the influence of bystanders' perceived reasonableness of online messages on their aggressive tendency toward victims and to examine the mediating role of bystanders' attribution of responsibility to victims on their aggressive tendency toward the victims. Our study involved two parts: In Study 1, 295 Taiwanese undergraduates were recruited, and questionnaires were distributed to them to measure their perceived reasonableness of cyberbullying attacks. In Study 2, a total of 78 university students were recruited. The participants' perceived reasonableness of cyberbullying attacks was reduced through experimental manipulation. Subsequently, they were randomly assigned to a group with relatively low reasonableness or a control group. The results of both studies revealed that the participants' aggressive tendency toward the victim was influenced by their perceived reasonableness of cyberbully messages. The relation between perceived reasonableness and aggressive tendency was mediated by the participants' attribution of responsibility to the victim.

Measuring Cognitive and Social Interactive Attributes of Digital Natives: Development and Validation of a Scale.

Scholars refer to individuals who have been immersed in digital environments and who make easy use of digital languages to interact with the world as "digital natives," and Teo proposed four attributes of digital natives to illustrate their behavioral tendencies. We aimed to expand Teo's framework and to develop and validate the Scale of Digital Native Attributes (SDNA) for measuring cognitive and social interactive attributes of digital natives. Based on pre-test results, we retained 10 attributes and 37 SDNA items, with 3-4 items in each sub-dimension. We then recruited 887 Taiwanese undergraduates as respondents and conducted confirmatory factor analysis to establish construct validity. Moreover, the SDNA correlated with several other related measurements to demonstrate satisfactory criterion-related validity. Internal consistency was evaluated by McDonald's Omega (ω) and Cronbach's α coefficient, showing satisfactory reliability. This preliminary tool is now ready for cross validation and temporal reliability testing in further research.

[Methylene blue reduces IL-1ß levels by enhancing ERK1/2 and AKT phosphorylation to improve diabetic retinopathy in rats].

Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effect of methylene blue on diabetic retinopathy in rats. Methods Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into blank, control and experimental groups. The control and experimental groups were induced with diabetes by streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injection. After 6 weeks of successful modeling, the experimental group received intravitreal injection of methylene blue at a dose of [0.2 mg/(kg.d)], while the control group received an equal amount of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) intravitreal injection, both continuously injected for 7 days. ELISA was used to detect the levels of retinal superoxide dismutase (SOD), 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha (iPF2α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) in rats. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of retinal extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation (p-ERK1/2) and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT), and PAS staining was used to detect retinal morphological changes. Results Compared with the blank group rats, the retinal SOD activity in the control and experimental group rats was significantly reduced. iPF2α, IL-1ß and p-ERK1/2 level increased, while p-AKT level decreased. Compared with the control group, the SOD activity of the experimental group rats increased. iPF2α and IL-1ß level went down, while p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT level went up significantly. The overall thickness of the retinal layer and the number of retinal ganglion cells were significantly reduced. Conclusion Methylene blue improves diabetic retinopathy in rats by reducing retinal oxidative stress and enhancing ERK1/2 and AKT phosphorylation.

Rapid Generation of Barley Homozygous Transgenic Lines Based on Microspore Culture: HvPR1 Overexpression as an Example.

Obtaining homozygous lines from transgenic plants is an important step for phenotypic evaluations, but the selection of homozygous plants is time-consuming and laborious. The process would be significantly shortened if anther or microspore culture could be completed in one generation. In this study, we obtained 24 homozygous doubled haploid (DH) transgenic plants entirely by microspore culture from one T0 transgenic plant overexpressing the gene HvPR1 (pathogenesis-related-1). Nine of the doubled haploids grew to maturity and produced seeds. qRCR (quantitative real-time PCR) validation showed that the HvPR1 gene was expressed differentially even among different DH1 plants (T2) from the same DH0 line (T1). Phenotyping analysis suggested that the overexpression of HvPR1 inhibited nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) only under low nitrogen treatment. The established method of producing homozygous transgenic lines will enable the rapid evaluation of transgenic lines for gene function studies and trait evaluation. As an example, the HvPR1 overexpression of DH lines also could be used for further analysis of NUE-related research in barley.

Barley Grass Juice Attenuates Hydrodynamic Transfection-Induced HCC Initiation in Mice.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grass has been recognized as a functional food with a wide spectrum of health-promoting properties. Supplementation with barley grass has the potential to prevent chronic diseases, such as cancer. Here, we investigated whether barley grass could protect against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our data showed that administration of barley grass juice attenuates tumor development in a hydrodynamic gene delivery-induced model of HCC. The expression levels of the immune cell markers Ptprc and Adgre1 were upregulated in the barley grass juice-treated and normal groups, compared to those in the vehicle group in the HCC model. Immune cells (CD45+, F4/80+, and CLEC4F + iNOS + cells) infiltration in the liver increased following barley grass juice administration. Our results indicate that barley grass could be beneficial for HCC alleviation, partly by regulating immune cell infiltration. The ingredients of barley grass affect immune cell infiltration in HCC, and the detailed mechanism requires further study.

Advances in Identifying the Mechanisms by Which Microorganisms Improve Barley Salt Tolerance.

As the global human population continues to increase, the use of saline-alkali land for food production is an important consideration for food security. In addition to breeding or cultivating salt-tolerant crop varieties, microorganisms are increasingly being evaluated for their ability to improve plant salt tolerance. Barley is one of the most important and salt-tolerant cereal crops and is a model system for investigating the roles of microorganisms in improving plant salt tolerance. However, a comprehensive review of the mechanisms by which microorganisms improve barley salt tolerance remains lacking. In this review, the mechanisms of barley salt tolerance improvement by microorganisms are summarized, along with a discussion of existing problems in current research and areas of future research directions. In particular, with the development of sequencing technology and the great reduction of prices, the use of omics can not only comprehensively evaluate the role of microorganisms but also evaluate the impact of the microbiome on plants, which will provide us with many opportunities and challenges in this research area.

Integrated analysis of transcriptome and metabolome reveals molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance in seedlings of upland rice landrace 17SM-19.

Salt stress is a major abiotic stress that threatens global rice production. It is particularly important to improve salt tolerance in upland rice because of its growth environment. Upland rice landrace 17SM-19 with high salt tolerance was obtained from a previous study. In this study, an integrated analysis of transcriptome and metabolome was performed to determine the responses of the rice seedling to salt stress. When treated with 100 mm NaCl, the rice seedling growth was significantly inhibited at 5 d, with inhibition first observed in shoot dry weight (SDW). Changes in potassium (K+) content were associated with changes in SDW. In omics analyses, 1,900 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 659 differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) were identified at 3 d after salt stress (DAS), and 1,738 DEGs and 657 DAMs were identified at 5 DAS. Correlation analyses between DEGs and DAMs were also conducted. The results collectively indicate that salt tolerance of upland rice landrace 17SM-19 seedlings involves many molecular mechanisms, such as those involved with osmotic regulation, ion balance, and scavenging of reactive oxygen species.

In vitro simulated digestion affecting physicochemical characteristics and bioactivities of polysaccharides from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grasses at different growth stages.

In this study, three polysaccharides (BGPs: BGPs-Z21, BGPs-Z23, and BGPs-Z31) were successively extracted from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grasses (BG) at different growth stages, including seedling (Z21), tillering (Z23), and stem elongation (Z31). The effects of in vitro simulated saliva-gastrointestinal digestion on the physicochemical characteristics and biological activities of BGPs were investigated and compared. Results showed that the simulated saliva-gastrointestinal digestion had considerable influences on reducing sugar content, chemical components, monosaccharide constituents, and molecular weights of BGPs but hardly affected their preliminarily structural characteristics. Moreover, the antioxidant activities of BGPs were weakened after the simulated saliva-gastrointestinal digestion, but their bile acid-binding capacities were remarkably enhanced. The digested BGPs-Z31 by gastric juice possessed better antioxidant benefit, and bile acid-binding capacity (80.33 %) than other digested products. Overall, these results indicated that BGPs obtained from BG are valuable for functional foods as promising bioactive ingredients.

Assessment of Diaphragm in Hemiplegic Patients after Stroke with Ultrasound and Its Correlation of Extremity Motor and Balance Function.

Background: A variety of functional disorders can be caused after stroke, among which impairment of respiratory function is a frequent and serious complication of stroke patients. The aim of this study was to examine diaphragmatic function after stroke by diaphragm ultrasonography and then to apply to explore its correlation with extremity motor function and balance function of the hemiplegia patients. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study recruited 48 hemiplegic patients after stroke and 20 matched healthy participants. The data of demographic and ultrasonographic assessment of all healthy subjects were recorded, and 45 patients successfully underwent baseline data assessment in the first 48 h following admission, including post-stroke duration, stroke type, hemiplegia side, pipeline feeding, pulmonary infection, ultrasonographic assessment for diaphragm, Fugl−Meyer Motor Function Assessment Scale (FMA Scale), and Berg Balance Scale assessment. Ultrasonographic assessment parameters included diaphragm mobility under quiet and deep breathing, diaphragm thickness at end-inspiratory and end-expiratory, and calculated thickening fraction of the diaphragm. The aim was to analyze the diaphragm function of hemiplegic patients after stroke and to explore its correlation with extremity motor function and balance function. Results: The incidence of diaphragmatic dysfunction under deep breath was 46.67% in 45 hemiplegia patients after stroke at the convalescent phase. The paralyzed hemidiaphragm had major impairments, and the mobility of the hemiplegic diaphragm was significantly reduced during deep breathing (p < 0.05). Moreover, the thickness fraction of hemiplegic side was extremely diminished when contrasted with the healthy control and non-hemiplegic side (p < 0.05). We respectively compared the diaphragm mobility under deep breath on the hemiplegic and non-hemiplegic side of patients with left and right hemiplegia and found there was no significant difference between the hemiplegic side of right and left hemiplegia (p > 0.05), but the non-hemiplegic side of right hemiplegia was significantly weaker than that of left hemiplegia patients (p < 0.05). The diaphragm mobility of stroke patients under quiet breath was positively correlated with age and FMA Scale score (R2 = 0.296, p < 0.05), and significant positive correlations were found between the diaphragm mobility under deep breath and Berg Balance Scale score (R2 = 0.11, p < 0.05), diaphragm thickness at end-inspiratory and FMA Scale score (R2 = 0.152, p < 0.05), and end-expiratory thickness and FMA Scale score (R2 = 0.204, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The mobility and thickness fraction of the hemiplegic diaphragm after stroke by diaphragm ultrasonography were significantly reduced during deep breathing. Diaphragm mobility on bilateral sides of the right hemiplegia patients were reduced during deep breathing. Moreover, the hemiplegic diaphragmatic function was positively correlated with extremity motor and balance function of the hemiplegia patients.

From pity to numbness: Social exclusion moderates the relationship between trait empathy and bystanders' aggressive tendencies in cyberbullying.

Studies on cyberbullying have revealed an inconsistent relationship between trait empathy and bystanders' aggressive tendencies towards victims. We believe that these studies have overlooked the role of social exclusion. We infer that high-severity social exclusion suppresses the negative relationship between trait empathy and bystanders' aggressive tendencies. In Study 1, 226 participants read a news report concerning a singer's humiliation by netizens due to lack of talent. The results revealed that trait empathy predicted lower aggressive tendencies towards the singer for participants with fewer experiences of social exclusion. However, trait empathy was unrelated to aggressive tendencies for participants with more experiences of social exclusion. In Study 2, 146 participants were randomly assigned to a low-severity or a high-severity social exclusion condition and were required to recall their experiences of low- or high-severity social exclusion, respectively. The results demonstrated that in the low-severity condition, trait empathy was negatively associated with participants' aggressive tendencies towards the singer and this relationship was mediated by state empathy. However, there was no evidence that the process was at work in the high-severity condition. This study further presents implications and directions for future research.

Comparison of physicochemical characteristics and biological activities of polysaccharides from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grass at different growth stages.

Barley grass polysaccharides (BGPs) are some of the major bioactive constituents of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grass (BG). They exhibit favorable biological activities and health benefits. In this study, seven BGPs were extracted from BG, which was harvested at three different growth stages (e.g., seedling, tillering, and stem elongation), by alkaline-extraction method. Their physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and biological activities were investigated and compared. Results demonstrated that the extraction yields, chemical compositions, monosaccharide constituents, and molecular weights of the seven BGPs obtained at different growth stages varied obviously. These BGPs had similar preliminary structural characteristics but different microstructures and thermal properties. Furthermore, the BGPs (BGP-Z12 and BGP-Z21) obtained at the seedling stage possessed stronger in vitro antioxidant potentials, cholic acid binding activity, and immunological activity than other BGPs. Therefore, these results indicated that that the seedling stage of BG was the preferable harvest time for preparing highly bioactive BGPs.