Molecular docking analysis of stevioside with Akt and PPARγ

Stevioside is a diterpenoid glycoside consisting of an aglycone (steviol) and three glucose molecules. It is commonly used as an anti-hyperglycemic food because of its non-caloric property. Therefore, it is of interest to document the interactions of stevioside with AKT & PPAR-γ proteins using Autodock Vina PyRx docking techniques. Results of the docking studies indicate that stevioside had more than two hydrogen bond interactions with the AKT and PPAR γ protein for further consideration.     

Effects of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on plant growth,stevioside, NPK,and chlorophyll content of Stevia rebaudiana

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a unique medicinal plant which is mostly utilized as a sugar substitute for diabetic patients. In this research, regenerated plantlets of stevia in tissue culture is transferred to pots in greenhouse and inoculated with plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) (Bacillus polymixa, Pseudomonas putida, and Azotobacter chroococcum) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) (Glomus intraradices). The results showed that in comparison to control, inoculation with a single microorganism, significantly increased root and shoot biomass as well as stevioside, chlorophyll, and NPK content in plants. However, such increased effects have been found to be further enhanced significantly due to dual compatible mixtures of inoculants resulting from their strong synergistic relationships among themselves. All growth parameters recorded the highest in 60-days-old plants in the treatment of Glomus+Azotobacter and followed with Glomus+Bacillus and Azotobacter+Pseudomonas treatments, respectively. Furthermore, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) chromatograms revealed that the highest stevioside content have been produced in same treatments. Triple treatments had less positive effects compared to dual inoculations. Probably competence between microorganisms in triple inoculations has reduced their efficiency. Thus, suitable combination of mycorrhizal fungi and PGPR as biotic elicitors can enhance growth and stevioside content in tissue culture-regenerated plantlets of stevia.     

Chloroplast ultrastructure,photosynthetic apparatus activities and production of steviol glycosides in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stevia rebaudiana in vivo</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

The accumulation of steviol glycosides (SGs) in cells of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni both in vivo and in vitro was related to the extent of the development of the membrane system of chloroplasts and the content of photosynthetic pigments. Chloroplasts of the in vitro plants, unlike those of the intact plants, had poorly developed membrane system. The callus cells grown in the light contained proplastids of almost round shape and their thylakoid system was represented by short thylakoids sometimes forming a little number of grana consisting of 2–3 thylakoids. In cells of the etiolated in vitro regenerants and the callus culture grown in the dark, only proplastids practically lacking the membrane system were observed. All the chloroplasts having developed thylakoids and forming at least a little number of grana were equipped with photochemically active reaction centers of photosystems 1 and 2. Leaves of in vivo plants accumulated greater amount of the pigments than leaves of the in vitro plants. In both the callus culture grown in the light and the etiolated in vitro regenerants, the content of the pigments was one order of magnitude lower than that in leaves of the intact plants. The callus tissue grown in the dark contained merely trace amounts of the pigments. Leaves of the intact and the in vitro plants did not exhibit any significant differences in photosynthetic O₂ evolution rate. However, photosynthetic O₂ evolution rate in the callus cells was much lower than that in the differentiated plant cells. The in vitro cell cultures containing merely proplastids did not practically produce SGs. However, after transferring these cultures in the light, both the formation of chloroplasts and the production of SGs in them were detected.     

Catalytic properties of β-cyclodextrin glucanotransferase from alkalophilic<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus</Emphasis> sp. BL-12 and intermolecular transglycosylation of stevioside

The catalytic properties of β-cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (β-CGTase) from alkalophilicBacillus sp. BL-12 specific for the intermolecular transglycosylation of stevioside were investigated. The molecular mass of purified β-CGTase by ultra-filtration and β-cyclodextrin polymer affinity chromatography was estimated to be 90 kDa, which is high compared to other known bacterial CGTases. The optimal pH and temperature were 9.0 and 50°C, respectively, and thermal stability at 40°C was elevated 10-fold in the presence of 1% maltodextrin. The kinetic parameters of the new β-CGTase from alkalophilicBacillus sp. BL-12 indicate that it is more suitable for transglycosylation than the cyclization reaction. Maltodextrin was the most suitable glycosyl donor for transglycosylation of stevioside. The transglycosylation of stevioside was carried out using 60 units of CGTase per gram of maltodextrin, 20 g/L stevioside as the glycosyl acceptor, and 50 g/L maltodextrin as the gycosyl donor at 40°C for 6 h, and a conversion yield of stevioside as high as 76% was obtained.     

Properties of a New Plant Serine Protease Cucumisin

Cucumisin [EC 3.4.21.25] was coupled to cyanogen bromide-activated Sephayose 4B. The specific activity of the immobilized cucumisin was 41% of that of the soluble cucumisin toward casein. The immobilized enzyme was more stable against alkaline inactivation or heat than the soluble enzyme. In using affinity chromatography on a column of the immobilized cucumisin-Sepharose, cucumisin inhibitor was not obtained from potent sources of proteinase inhibitors, such as pig kidney and liver, avian and turtle egg-whites, or soybeans.     

甜菊不同叶龄细胞结构及其甜菊糖甙含量分布的研究

本文报道甜菊(Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni)不同叶龄细胞结构与甜菊糖苷含量分布。应用电镜技术观察表明,现蕾期成叶细胞内具有内含物丰富的巨大液泡,这些内含物呈大小不一的颗粒或小泡。应用差速离心法,对甜菊成叶的叶肉细胞进行亚细胞分离,并对各部分进行甜菊糖苷的提取与微量测定。结果表明,甜菊糖苷主要存在于12000g的上清液(这部分主要包括液泡内含物和可溶性细胞质)。结合细胞结构和细胞化学研究结果,表明细胞质是合成UDPG的主要场所,在甜菊糖苷合成中具有重要作用。对不同叶龄叶片甜菊糖苷测定表明,现蕾期成叶的甜菊糖苷含量最高。从甜菊不同叶龄细胞结构和甜菊糖苷含量测定结果,现蕾期是甜菊叶片收割的最适时期。     

甜菊含甙量的变异及R－A型良种的选育

从甜味成分种类及含量的不同,研究甜菊（ＳｔｅｖｉａｒｅｂａｕｄｉａｎａＢｅｒｔｏｎｉ）实生群体和单株无性系的变化,从中选育优质甜味成分含量高的良种。主要结果：（１）在实生群体中,丰产株型（圆纺锤形株）占７．３％,其中,优质甜味成分Ｒ－Ａ含量超过Ｓｔ含量的Ｒ－Ａ型株占１０．９６％,它们的Ｒ－Ａ含量变幅为３．３～１２．０％。（２）Ｒ－Ａ型良种Ｊ－２单株无性系在繁殖达２０００万株时,叶片大小和含甙量均存在极显著差异,Ｒ－Ａ含量变幅为４．５～１２．２％。（３）从Ｒ－Ａ含量为３．８６％的实生群体中选出Ｒ－Ａ含量为７．０４～１２．０３％的单株及从Ｒ－Ａ含量为９．１０％的良种单株无性系中选出Ｒ－Ａ含量为１０．１５～１２．１５％的单株,它们的Ｒ－Ａ含量均大幅度提高。     

Functional genomics uncovers three glucosyltransferases involved in the synthesis of the major sweet glucosides of Stevia rebaudiana

Stevia rebaudiana leaves accumulate a mixture of at least eight different steviol glycosides. The pattern of glycosylation heavily influences the taste perception of these intensely sweet compounds. The majority of the glycosides are formed by four glucosylation reactions that start with steviol and end with rebaudioside A. The steps involve the addition of glucose to the C-13 hydroxyl of steviol, the transfer of glucose to the C-2' and C-3' of the 13-O-glucose and the addition of glucose to the hydroxyl of the C-4 carboxyl group. We used our collection of ESTs, an UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT)-specific electronic probe and key word searches to identify candidate genes resident in our collection. Fifty-four expressed sequence tags (ESTs) belonging to 17 clusters were found using this procedure. We isolated full length cDNAs for 12 of the UGTs, cloned them into an expression vector, and produced recombinant enzymes in Escherichia coli. An in vitro glucosyltransferase activity enzyme assay was conducted using quercetin, kaempferol, steviol, steviolmonoside, steviolbioside, and stevioside as sugar acceptors, and (14)C-UDP-glucose as the donor. Thin layer chromatography was used to separate the products and three of the recombinant enzymes produced labelled products that co-migrated with known standards. HPLC and LC-ES/MS were then used to further define those reaction products. We determined that steviol UGTs behave in a regioselective manner and propose a modified pathway for the synthesis of rebaudioside A from steviol.     

一株将甜菊苷转化为甜茶甙的细菌鉴定及转化特性

摘要：【目的】筛选一株对甜菊苷具有特异转化性能的细菌,并对该菌及转化产物进行鉴定,探讨转化酶及酶对甜菊苷的转化特性。【方法】通过16S rDNA序列分析,构建该菌系统进化树,结合菌体形态及菌落特征,确立该菌系统发育学地位。通过高效液相色谱（HPLC）及液质联用（LC－MS）法检测并鉴定转化产物。用菌液直接对甜菊苷进行转化以研究菌的转化能力。用静息细胞、胞外液和胞内液对甜菊糖分别转化法,确定转化酶与菌体的关系,并用该酶液进行转化特性研究。【结果】该菌株与黄杆菌属的16S rDNA序列相似性为99%,结合菌体