NAC transcription factor SlNOR-like1 plays a dual regulatory role in tomato fruit cuticle formation.

The plant cuticle is an important protective barrier on the plant surface, constructed mainly by polymerized cutin matrix and a complex wax mixture. Although the pathway of plant cuticle biosynthesis has been clarified, knowledge of the transcriptional regulation network underlying fruit cuticle formation remains limited. In the present work, we discovered that tomato fruits of the NAC transcription factor SlNOR-like1 knockout mutants (nor-like1) produced by CRISPR/Cas9 [clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9] displayed reduced cutin deposition and cuticle thickness, with a microcracking phenotype, while wax accumulation was promoted. Further research revealed that SlNOR-like1 promotes cutin deposition by binding to the promoters of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase6 (SlGPAT6; a key gene for cutin monomer formation) and CUTIN DEFICIENT2 (SlCD2; a positive regulator of cutin production) to activate their expression. Meanwhile, SlNOR-like1 inhibits wax accumulation, acting as a transcriptional repressor by targeting wax biosynthesis, and transport-related genes 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase1 (SlKCS1), ECERIFERUM 1-2 (SlCER1-2), SlWAX2, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored lipid transfer protein 1-like (SlLTPG1-like). In conclusion, SlNOR-like1 executes a dual regulatory effect on tomato fruit cuticle development. Our results provide a new model for the transcriptional regulation of fruit cuticle formation.

Association of sleep duration and sleep quality with gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women after treatment with assisted reproductive technology: A birth cohort study.

Maternal sleep is closely related to subsequent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in natural pregnancies. However, whether this connection exists in pregnant women conceiving with the help of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has not been confirmed. Hence, in this study, we evaluated whether early pregnancy sleep duration or sleep quality is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in ART-pregnant women, as well as the influence of maternal age on this association. This prospective birth cohort study included 856 pregnant women who successfully conceived with the help of ART treatment. The sleep parameters of ART-pregnant women were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in early pregnancy. We explored the association between sleep and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus using an unconditional binary logistic regression model. Different models were constructed to examine the robustness of the estimation by incorporating different confounding factors. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that sleep duration of more than 10 h among ART-pregnant women was significantly associated with the risk of GDM, and the association between sleep duration and gestational diabetes mellitus varied by maternal age. We found an increased risk of subsequent gestational diabetes mellitus with increasing sleep duration only in pregnant women aged <35 years. Additionally, no statistically significant association between sleep quality and gestational diabetes mellitus was found in this study. In conclusion, excessive sleep duration (≥10 h) is associated with a high risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women who conceived with the help of assisted reproductive technology, and maternal age may modify this effect.

Effect of physical treatments on the functional and structural features of soluble dietary fiber from soybean dregs.

BACKGROUND: In this research, the effects caused by ultrafine grinding (U), high-temperature cooking (HTC), microwave (M) and combined treatment (U-HTC, U-M) were evaluated on the functional properties and structural characteristics of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) obtained from soybean dregs. RESULTS: Physical treatments could increase the extraction yield of SDF and improve the functional properties of SDF. The highest extraction yield (277.15 ± 5.87 g kg-1 based on the weight of soybean dregs) and purity (863.37 ± 5.15 g kg-1 based on the extract weight) of SDF was found in the sample by U-M treatment. U-HTC and U-M combined treatments significantly improved the water solubility and oil holding capacity of SDF. U-M treatment significantly increased the ability of SDF to adsorb cholesterol and perform cationic exchange; compared to the control, these abilities were increased by 138.46% and 10.38%, respectively. At pH 2.0, the nitrite ion adsorption capacity (NIAC) of SDF obtained by U-M combined treatment was 184.55 µg g-1 , which was significantly higher by 32.10% compared with that of the control. The results obtained by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy showed that the structure of SDF generated from soybean dregs became coarser and more porous, and the crystallinity decreased after physical treatments. CONCLUSION: Combined physical treatment is an effective way to improve the extracted yield and functional properties of SDF from soybean dregs. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of enzymatic hydrolysis of arabinoxylan on the quality of frozen dough during the subfreezing process.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this investigation was to examine the impact of enzymatic hydrolysis of arabinoxylan (AX) on frozen dough quality under subfreezing conditions. The dough was subjected to freezing at -40 °C for 2 h and then stored at -9, -12, and -18 °C for 15 days. The water loss, freezable water content, water migration, and microstructure of the dough were measured. RESULTS: The dough containing 0.8% cellulase enzymatically hydrolyzed AX (CAX) required the shortest duration when traversing the maximum ice-crystal formation zone (6.5 min). The dough with xylanase enzymatically hydrolyzed AX (XAX) demonstrated a faster freezing rate than the dough with CAX. The inclusion of both XAX and CAX in the dough resulted in the lowest freezable water loss and reduced freezable water content and free-water content levels, whereas the inclusion of xylanase-cellulase combined with enzymatically hydrolyzed AX resulted in higher free-water content levels. The textural properties of the subfreezing temperature dough were not significantly different from the dough stored at -18 °C and sometimes even approached or surpassed the quality observed in the control group rather than the dough stored at -18 °C. In addition, the gluten network structure remains well preserved in XAX- and CAX-containing doughs with minimal starch damage. CONCLUSION: The enzymatic hydrolysis of AX from wheat bran can be used as a useful additive to improve the quality of frozen dough. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Leveraging DNA-Encoded Cell-Mimics for Environment-Adaptive Transmembrane Channel Release-Induced Cell Death.

The advancement of cell-mimic materials, which can forge sophisticated physicochemical dialogues with living cells, has unlocked a realm of intriguing prospects within the fields of synthetic biology and biomedical engineering. Inspired by the evolutionarily acquired ability of T lymphocytes to release perforin and generate transmembrane channels on targeted cells for killing, herein we present a pioneering DNA-encoded artificial T cell mimic model (ARTC) that accurately mimics T-cell-like behavior. ARTC responds to acidic conditions similar to those found in the tumor microenvironment and then selectively releases a G-rich DNA strand (LG4) embedded with C12 lipid and cholesterol molecules. Once released, LG4 effectively integrates into the membranes of neighboring live cells, behaving as an artificial transmembrane channel that selectively transports K+ ions and disrupts cellular homeostasis, ultimately inducing apoptosis. We hope that the emergence of ARTC will usher in new perspectives for revolutionizing future disease treatment and catalyzing the development of advanced biomedical technologies.

Multiplexed and Quantitative Imaging of Live-Cell Membrane Proteins by a Precise and Controllable DNA-Encoded Amplification Reaction.

Amplifying DNA conjugated affinity ligands can improve the sensitivity and multiplicity of cell imaging and play a crucial role in comprehensively deciphering cellular heterogeneity and dynamic changes during development and disease. However, the development of one-step, controllable, and quantitative DNA amplification methods for multiplexed imaging of live-cell membrane proteins is challenging. Here, we introduce the template adhesion reaction (TAR) method for assembling amplifiable DNA sequences with different affinity ligands, such as aptamers or antibodies, for amplified and multiplexed imaging of live-cell membrane proteins with high quantitative fidelity. The precisely controllable TAR enables proportional amplification of membrane protein targets with variable abundances by modulating the concentration ratios of hairpin templates and primers, thus allowing sensitive visualization of multiple membrane proteins with enhanced signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) without disturbing their original ratios. Using TAR, we achieved signal-enhanced imaging of six proteins on the same live-cell within 1-2 h. TAR represents an innovative and programmable molecular toolkit for multiplexed profiling of membrane proteins in live-cells.

Clinical observation of neutralizing antibody DXP-604 for treatment critical COVID-19 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.

From January to March 2022, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta (B.1.617.2) infection was prevalent in Yuzhou and Zhengzhou. DXP-604 is a broad-spectrum antiviral monoclonal antibody, which has excellent viral neutralization ability in vitro and a long half-life in vivo, with good biosafety and tolerability. Preliminary results showed that DXP-604 can accelerate recovery from Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in hospitalized patients with mild to moderate clinical symptoms. However, the efficacy of DXP-604 has not been fully studied in high-risk severe patients. Here, we prospectively enrolled 27 high-risk patients, two groups were divided, in addition to receiving standard of care (SOC), 14 of them additionally received the neutralizing antibody DXP-604 therapy, and another 13 intensive care unit (ICU) patients simultaneously underwent SOC as a control group matched for age, gender, and clinical type. The results revealed lower C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, lactic dehydrogenase and neutrophil counts, and higher lymphocyte and monocyte counts from Day 3 post-DXP-604 treatment compared with SOC treatment. Besides, thoracic CT images showed improvements in lesion areas and degrees, along with changes in blood inflammatory factors. Moreover, DXP-604 reduced the invasive mechanical ventilation and mortality of high-risk SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. The ongoing clinical trials of DXP-604 neutralizing antibody will clarify its utility as a new attractive countermeasure for high-risk COVID-19.

Expression of NEAT1 can be used as a predictor for Dex resistance in multiple myeloma patients.

OBJECTIVE: Multiple myeloma is a heterogeneous disorder and the intratumor genetic heterogeneity contributes to emergency of drug resistance. Dexamethasone has been used clinically for decades for MM. Nevertheless, their use is severely hampered by the risk of developing side effects and the occurrence of Dex resistance. LncRNA NEAT1 plays a oncogenic role and participates in drug resistance in many solid tumors. Therefore, we investigated a potential usefulness of this molecular as a biomarker for diagnosis of MM and possible correlations of NEAT1 expression with drug resistance and prognosis. METHODS: Bone marrow and peripheral blood mononuclear cells samples were collected from 60 newly diagnosed MM patients. The expression of NEAT1expression level were detected by quantitative real-time PCR analyses. The relationship about the expression levels of lncRNA with other clinical and cytogenetic features was analyzed. In addition, we measured to analysis the correlation between the expression of NEAT1 and Dex resistance in MM patients. RESULTS: It was found that the expression of NEAT1 is significantly higher in multiple myeloma patients compared to controls and does not change with other clinical features and cytogenetic features. We further discovered that overexpression of NEAT1 was associated with Dex resistance and a poor prognosis in MM patients. CONCLUSION: LncRNA NEAT1 has a significant value that might act as a promoting factor in the development of MM and may be severed as a diagnostic factor in MM. NEAT1 invovled in Dex resistance, which provide a new interpretation during the chemotherapy for MM.

Critical assessment of the delivery methods of chemical and natural postharvest preservatives for fruits and vegetables: a review.

For years, researchers have been tirelessly searching for efficient postharvest preservatives to ensure a sustainable and healthy supply chain of fresh fruits and vegetables. However, the effectiveness of preservatives is significantly influenced by delivery methods employed for preservatives. This work centers on delivery methods of diverse preservatives. It delves into the mechanisms of penetration and internalization that facilitate preservatives diffusion into fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, the study comprehensively reviews various delivery methods and their impact on postharvest quality of these fresh food. Methods include liquid surface impregnation (soaking, vacuum infiltration, spraying) and gaseous fumigation. Additionally, unconventional delivery measures, such as fruit stem delivery, microbubble, and edible coating, are discussed in detail for the first time. It is expected that our work will provide inspiration for future development in academia, industry, and supervision.Through a comprehensive review on preservative delivery methods in fruits and vegetables preservation, it becomes evident that majority of existing studies concentrate on the development and mechanisms of preservatives. However, a notable gap lies in comparative analysis of different delivery methods, despite the direct impact of delivery methods on preservation outcomes. Additionally, emerging delivery techniques have displayed promising potential in enhancing delivery efficiency and likewise preservation effectiveness.

Preservative delivery methods (soaking, vacuum infiltration, spraying, fumigation) directly impact their effectiveness.Delivery efficiency is linked to fruit epidermis, including cuticle, intercellular spaces, and stomata.Research uses varied delivery methods, concentrations, and times for preserving different fruits.Promising preservative delivery methods: microbubble, fruit stem delivery, and edible coating.

Recent advances in Zizania latifolia: A comprehensive review on phytochemical, health benefits and applications that maximize its value.

Zizania latifolia is an aquatic and medicinal plant with a long history of development in China and the East Asian region. The smut fungus "Ustilago esculenta" parasitizes Z. latifolia and induces culm expansion to form a vegetable named Jiaobai, which has a unique taste and nutritional attributes. However, the postharvest quality of water bamboo shoots is still a big challenge for farmers and merchants. This paper traced the origin, development process, and morphological characteristics of Z. latifolia. Subsequently, the compilation of the primary nutrients and bioactive substances are presented in context to their effects on ecology a postharvest storage and preservation methods. Furthermore, the industrial, environmental, and material science applications of Z. latifolia in the fields of industry were discussed. Finally, the primary objective of the review proposes future directions for research to support the development of Z. latifolia industry and aid in maximizing its value. To sum up, Z. latifolia, aside from its potential as material it can be utilized to make different productions and improve the existing applications. This paper provides an emerging strategy for researchers undertaking Z. latifolia.

Enhanced ß-carotene production in Yarrowia lipolytica through the metabolic and fermentation engineering.

ß-Carotene is a kind of high-value tetraterpene compound, which shows various applications in medical, agricultural, and industrial areas owing to its antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, Yarrowia lipolytica was successfully metabolically modified through the construction and optimization of ß-carotene biosynthetic pathway for ß-carotene production. The ß-carotene titer in the engineered strain Yli-C with the introduction of the carotenogenesis genes crtI, crtE, and crtYB can reach 34.5 mg/L. With the overexpression of key gene in the mevalonate pathway and the enhanced expression of the fatty acid synthesis pathway, the ß-carotene titer of the engineered strain Yli-CAH reached 87 mg/L, which was 152% higher than that of the strain Yli-C. Through the further expression of the rate-limiting enzyme tHMGR and the copy number of ß-carotene synthesis related genes, the ß-carotene production of Yli-C2AH2 strain reached 117.5 mg/L. The final strain Yli-C2AH2 produced 2.7 g/L ß-carotene titer by fed-batch fermentation in a 5.0-L fermenter. This research will greatly speed up the process of developing microbial cell factories for the commercial production of ß-carotene. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY: In this study, the ß-carotene synthesis pathway in engineered Yarrowia lipolytica was enhanced, and the fermentation conditions were optimized for high ß-carotene production.

Effects of different storage temperatures and time on frozen storage stability of steamed bread.

BACKGROUNDS: This research intended to explore the effects of different frozen storage temperatures and time on the stability of steamed bread. The quality characteristics, moisture content and microstructure of steamed bread were determined after quick-frozen for 30 min at -32 °C and frozen storage at -6, -12, -18, -24 and -30 °C for 1-4 weeks. RESULTS: When the frozen storage temperature is lower, the moisture content, specific volume, pH and the strong bound water in the steamed bread increase, the water loss rate and the contents of freezable water, the weak bound water and free water decreased. With the extension of frozen storage time, the pH value and water loss of steamed bread first increased and then decreased, while the trend of water content was opposite. The specific volume, cohesion and elasticity of steamed bread decreased, while the freezable water content, hardness and chewiness increased. The bound water of steamed bread gradually migrated to free water. In addition, the longer the frozen storage time and the higher the temperature, and the more serious the damage to the microstructure was. CONCLUSION: The shelf life of steamed bread frozen storage at -12 °C could be up to 3 weeks, and the quality of steamed bread stored at -30 °C for more than 3 weeks was the best. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Structure Entropy-Based Node Importance Ranking Method for Graph Data.

Due to its wide application across many disciplines, how to make an efficient ranking for nodes in graph data has become an urgent topic. It is well-known that most classical methods only consider the local structure information of nodes, but ignore the global structure information of graph data. In order to further explore the influence of structure information on node importance, this paper designs a structure entropy-based node importance ranking method. Firstly, the target node and its associated edges are removed from the initial graph data. Next, the structure entropy of graph data can be constructed by considering the local and global structure information at the same time, in which case all nodes can be ranked. The effectiveness of the proposed method was tested by comparing it with five benchmark methods. The experimental results show that the structure entropy-based node importance ranking method performs well on eight real-world datasets.

Evaluation of Amide Proton Transfer-Weighted Imaging for Lung Cancer Subtype and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor: A Comparative Study With Diffusion and Metabolic Parameters.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the most devastating diseases worldwide, and it is meaningful to assess the subtype and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) status in lung cancer noninvasively by imaging methods. PURPOSE: To differentiate noninvasively small cell lung cancer (SCLC) from nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and EGFR mutation-type from wild-type NSCLC by comparing amide proton transfer-weighted imaging (APTWI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and 2-[18 F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (18 F-FDG PET). STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: A total of 99 patients with lung cancer. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: APTWI and DWI at 18 F-FDG PET/MRI 3.0 T. ASSESSMENT: The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTRasym [3.5 ppm]), maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax ), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were calculated and compared. STATISTICAL TESTS: Individual sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Logistic regression, and P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In NSCLC, MTRasym (3.5 ppm), MTV, and TLG were significantly lower and ADC was significantly higher than in SCLC; MTRasym (3.5 ppm) was significantly higher and SUVmax , MTV, and TLG were significantly lower in EGFR mutation-type NSCLC than in EGFR wild-type NSCLC. In the identification of SCLC and NSCLC, MTRasym (3.5 ppm), ADC, and MTV were independent predictors, the AUCs of the combination of independent predictors, MTV, TLG, MTRasym (3.5 ppm), and ADC were 0.942, 0.875, 0.843, 0.814, and 0.687, respectively. In the identification of EGFR mutation-type and wild-type NSCLC, MTRasym (3.5 ppm) and MTV were independent predictors, the AUCs of the combination of independent predictors, TLG, MTV, MTRasym (3.5 ppm), and SUVmax were 0.919, 0.834, 0.813, 0.795, and 0.771, respectively. DATA CONCLUSION: In the noninvasive assessment of lung cancer subtype and EGFR status, APTWI has similar utility to diffusion and metabolic parameters. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

A Gene Signature Comprising Seven Pyroptosis-Related Genes Predicts Prognosis in Pediatric Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to construct a pyroptosis-related risk score (RS) model for the prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: The TARGET (training) and E-MTAB-1216 (validation) datasets were downloaded. Pyroptosis-related genes with differences in expression were identified between the recurrent and nonrecurrent samples of the training dataset. An RS prognostic model comprising seven pyroptosis-related genes was constructed using LASSO regression coefficients. The samples were classified into the high- and low-risk groups using the RS model; the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between these groups were identified, followed by DEG functional analysis and the immunological evaluation of these groups. RESULTS: Forty-nine pyroptosis-related genes, including 22 DEGs, were screened. WT1, NPM, FLT3/ITD, and CEBPA mutations were found in most pediatric AML samples. An RS prognostic model was constructed using 7 pyroptosis-related genes. The two risk groups and prognostic data were significantly related. FLT3/ITD mutations, CEBPA mutations, and RS model status were identified as independent prognostic factors, using the clinical information. The DEGs between the two groups were correlated with immune-related pathways. Moreover, the immune cell distribution and the occurrence of immune-related pathways were notably decreased in the high-risk group. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Seven pyroptosis-related genes, CHMP2A, PRKACA, CASP9, IRF2, CHMP3, HMGB1, and AIM2, can predict the prognosis and recurrence of childhood AML.

The effects of different parity and delivery mode on wheezing disorders in the children-a retrospective cohort study in Fujian, China.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between childbirth delivery methods and the risk of wheezing in children remains controversial. Few studies have explored it under different maternal conditions. OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of childbirth delivery method on the onset of wheezing in children of different parity. METHODS: A total of 21716 patients were included in this retrospective observational study. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between childbirth delivery method and wheezing in children under 18 years of age in Fujian Province. RESULTS: Wheezing differed statistically based on the child's sex, age, season of onset, parity, jaundice history, and feeding patterns (P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, in cases of parity greater than two, the risk of wheezing in cesarean section deliveries was higher than that in vaginal deliveries (OR: 1.107; 95% CI 1.010-1.214). In girls with parity greater than two (OR: 1.179; 95% CI 1.003-1.387) and normal-weight infants with parity greater than two (OR: 1.106; 95% CI 1.003-1.220), the risk of wheezing in cesarean section deliveries was higher. The interaction term between the mode of childbirth and parity was significant in girls (P = 0.014). CONCLUSION: The method of childbirth delivery and parity are related to the risk of wheezing and may be relevant to gender and birth weight. Parity and gender have synergistic effects on wheezing.

Resistance to Beta-cypermethrin, Azadirachtin, and Matrine, and Biochemical Characterization of Field Populations of Oedaleus asiaticus (Bey-Bienko) in Inner Mongolia, Northern China.

Oedaleus asiaticus (Bey-Bienko) is an economically devastating locust species found in grassland and pastoral areas of the Inner Mongolia region of northern China. In this study, resistance to three frequently used insecticides (beta-cypermethrin, matrine, and azadirachtin) was investigated in six field populations of O. asiaticus using the leaf-dip bioassay method. The inhibitory effects of synergists and the activities of detoxification enzyme activities in the different populations were determined to explore potential biochemical resistance mechanisms. The results showed that the field populations SB (resistance ratio [RR] = 7.85), ZB (RR = 5.64), and DB (RR = 6.75) had developed low levels of resistance to beta-cypermethrin compared with a susceptible control strain. Both the SB (RR = 5.92) and XC (RR = 6.38) populations had also developed low levels of resistance against matrine, with the other populations remaining susceptible to both beta-cypermethrin and matrine. All field populations were susceptible to azadirachtin. Synergism analysis showed that triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and diethyl-maleate (DEM) increased the toxicity of beta-cypermethrin significantly in the SB population, while the synergistic effects of TPP, piperonyl butoxide (PBO), and DEM on the toxicity of matrine were higher in SB (SR 3.86, 4.18, and 3.07, respectively) than in SS (SR 2.24, 2.86, and 2.29, respectively), but no synergistic effects of TPP, PBO, and DEM on azadirachtin were found. Biochemical assays showed that the activities of carboxylesterases (CarEs) and glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) were significantly raised in all field populations of O. asiaticus, with a significant positive correlation observed between beta-cypermethrin resistance and CarE activity. The activities of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450) and multi-function oxidases (MFO) were elevated in all six field populations, and P450 activity displayed strong positive correlations with the three insecticides. Our findings suggest that resistance to beta-cypermethrin in O. asiaticus may be mainly attributed to elevated CarE and GST activities, while P450 plays an important role in metabolizing matrine and azadirachtin. Our study provides insights that will help improve insecticide resistance management strategies.

Molecular and Genetic Events Determining the Softening of Fleshy Fruits: A Comprehensive Review.

Fruit softening that occurs during fruit ripening and postharvest storage determines the fruit quality, shelf life and commercial value and makes fruits more attractive for seed dispersal. In addition, over-softening results in fruit eventual decay, render fruit susceptible to invasion by opportunistic pathogens. Many studies have been conducted to reveal how fruit softens and how to control softening. However, softening is a complex and delicate life process, including physiological, biochemical and metabolic changes, which are closely related to each other and are affected by environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and light. In this review, the current knowledge regarding fruit softening mechanisms is summarized from cell wall metabolism (cell wall structure changes and cell-wall-degrading enzymes), plant hormones (ETH, ABA, IAA and BR et al.), transcription factors (MADS-Box, AP2/ERF, NAC, MYB and BZR) and epigenetics (DNA methylation, histone demethylation and histone acetylation) and a diagram of the regulatory relationship between these factors is provided. It will provide reference for the cultivation of anti-softening fruits.

Effect of subfreezing storage on the qualities of dough and bread containing pea protein.

BACKGROUND: In this paper, -6, -9 and -12 °C were selected as subfreezing temperatures of dough containing pea protein based on the results of low-field nuclear magnetic relaxation time. The effect of storage at subfreezing temperatures on dough properties was then investigated and compared with sample storage at -18 °C. RESULTS: The pH value, springiness, resilience, cohesiveness of dough and sensory score of bread gradually decreased and the hardness and water loss rate of dough gradually increased with the extension of storage time. However, dough hardness, viscoelasticity and fermentation volume were maintained more effectively in subfreezing storage than in -18 °C storage. The subfreezing temperature could alleviate the damage of gluten network structure in frozen dough by ice crystals and was beneficial in maintaining the elasticity of gluten proteins. The network system of pea protein, gluten protein and starch granules in dough storage at -9 and -12 °C was more tightly connected and the microstructure was similar to that at -18 °C. There was no significant difference between the quality of bread made from the dough stored at subfreezing temperature and that stored at -18 °C for 1-6 weeks, and the preservation effect at -12 °C was closer to that at -18 °C. CONCLUSION: Subfreezing storage can keep the stability of dough containing pea protein close to traditional frozen storage (-18 °C), which provides a new method for storage and transportation of frozen dough. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.