Sweet potato: A novel substrate for pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans

A strain Aureobasidium pullulans AP329, was used for the production of pullulan by employing hydrolysed sweet potato as cultivation media. Hydrolysis with α-amylase alone resulted in the lowest yields of pullulan. In contrast continuous hydrolysis with pullulanase and the β-amylase in sweet potato itself gave higher yields, but prolonged hydrolysis with amyloglucosidase decreased the yield. The maximum pullulan yield (29.43 g/l) was achieved at the dextrose equivalent value of 45 and pH of 5.5 for 96 h. As a substitute of sucrose, hydrolysed sweet potato was found to be hopeful and the yield of pullulan was higher than that of glucose and sucrose. The molecular weight of pullulan obtained from hydrolysed sweet potato media was much higher than that of sucrose and glucose media. Results of this work indicated that sweet potato was a promising substrate for the economical production of pullulan.     

Rapid shoot regeneration in industrial ‘high starch’ sweetpotato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ipomoea batatas</Emphasis> L.) genotypes

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is an important crop in North Carolina with annual production of 0.33 million tons, accounting for 37% of total US supply (USDA, Louisiana Farm Reporter 8(12), August 2008). To target industrial use, novel high-starch industrial-type varieties that contain more than 30% dry matter were developed by conventional breeding methods. In vitro cultures from selected genotypes were established using meristem culture. To establish regeneration procedures that could be coupled with transformation experiments, conditions for the induction of rapid shoot-organogenesis in leaf explants were compared using varying concentrations of the auxins ‘NAA’, ‘IAA’, ‘2,4-D’, and ‘4-FA’ either alone or in combination with zeatin riboside. Regeneration efficiencies, defined as the number of explants developing shoots out of the total number tested, were as high as 57% for the best genotypes, with a significant genotype-dependent response observed in all the hormone regimes evaluated. In all treatments, shoot regeneration was observed within 2 months. Our results led to the establishment of optimized in vitro regeneration procedures for the novel high-starch sweetpotato (SP) genotypes ‘DM01-158’, ‘FTA94’, ‘FT489’, and ‘PDM P4’ that are rapid and reliable.     

Polymethoxylated flavones induce Ca(2+)-mediated apoptosis in breast cancer cells

Flavonoids, polyphenolic phytochemicals which include flavones and isoflavones, are present in the common human diet. It has been suggested that these compounds may exert anticancer activity; however, the mechanisms involved remain unknown. We have recently shown (Sergeev, 2004, Biochem Biophys Res Commun 321: 462-467) that isoflavones can activate the novel apoptotic pathway mediated by cellular Ca(2+). Here, we report that polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) derived from sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L.) inhibit growth of human breast cancer cells via Ca(2+)-dependent apoptotic mechanism. The treatment of MCF-7 breast cancer cells with 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone (5-OH-HxMF) and 3'-hydroxy-5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone (3'-OH-TtMF) induced a sustained increase in concentration of intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) resulting from both depletion of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) stores and Ca(2+) influx from the extracellular space. This increase in [Ca(2+)](i) was associated with the activation of the Ca(2+)-dependent apoptotic proteases, mu-calpain and caspase-12, as evaluated with the calpain and caspase-12 peptide substrates and antibodies to active (cleaved) forms of the enzymes. Corresponding non-hydroxylated PMFs, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone (HpMF) and 5,6,7,3',4'-pentamethoxyflavone (PtMF), were dramatically less active in inducing Ca(2+)-mediated apoptosis. Our results strongly suggest that the cellular Ca(2+) modulating activity of flavonoids underlies their apoptotic mechanism and that hydroxylation of PMFs is critical for their ability to induce an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) and, thus, activate Ca(2+)-dependent apoptotic proteases.     

甜高粱茎秆不同节间糖分累积与相关酶活性的变化

为了进一步了解甜高粱茎秆糖分代谢的规律,利用高效液相色谱等方法测定了考利、拉马达和MN-2747等3个甜高粱品种成熟期6个节间果糖、葡萄糖和蔗糖含量以及中性转化酶(NI)、可溶性酸性转化酶(SAI)、蔗糖磷酸合成酶(SPS)和蔗糖合成酶(SS)的酶活性,并对其变化规律和相关性进行了分析。结果表明:不同品种间,果糖、葡萄糖和蔗糖含量变化范围较大,分别为2.32～4.34mg/g、2.30～4.14mg/g和35.92～95.92mg/g。随着节间的变化,3个品种果糖和葡萄糖均呈现"U"型变化趋势,而蔗糖无明显的变化规律,只是略有增高的趋势。3个品种成熟期茎秆中NI、SAI、SPS和SS酶活性普遍较低,随着节间的提高均呈现降低的趋势。节间蔗糖含量与SAI酶活性呈显著负相关(R=-0.71,P0.01),与NI、SPS和SS酶活性无明显相关性。SAI可能为甜高粱茎秆糖分代谢的关键调控酶。     

宣木瓜中多糖含量测定

目的:建立宣木瓜中多糖含量的测定方法,并测定不同采收时期的宣木瓜多糖含量。方法:在同一种植基地定期采集同一宣木瓜品种果实,以葡萄糖为对照品,采用分光光度法,以苯酚—浓硫酸为显色剂,在490 nm波长处测定吸光度,计算样品中多糖含量。结果:宣木瓜果实在生长过程中,其多糖含量在2.51%~5.08%之间,并于7月8日含量最高为5.08%。结论:本文建立的宣木瓜多糖含量的测定方法简便灵敏,精密度高,重现性好,稳定可靠;若要利用多糖含量高的宣木瓜,应适宜于7月上旬或中旬采收。     

基于形态性状的甘薯核心种质取样策略研究

选取15%的总体取样比例,采用2种分组方法、3种组内取样量比例和2种组内个体选择方法,分析了476份广西甘薯种质资源的18个农艺性状数据,构建出13个甘薯初级核心种质样本。为确定这些样本的代表性,分别与总体进行了5个指标的比较,包括表型保留比例、表型频率方差、遗传多样性指数、变异系数、极差符合率。结果表明,按资源类型分组优于按来源地分组;组内取样量以对数法代表性最好,简单比例法的代表性其次,平方根法最差;在个体选择中,最小距离逐步取样法优于随机法。因此,按资源类型分组,再按对数比例法确定组内取样量,通过最小距离逐步取样法选择个体是甘薯核心种质构建的最佳取样策略。     

云南甘薯病毒的检测及主要病毒的多样性分析

[目的]明确云南甘薯病毒的种类,并对主要病毒进行遗传多样性分析.[方法]利用PCR/RT-PCR技术,对采自云南16个县、市的279个甘薯样品进行扩增、测序,对所得序列应用分子生物学软件MEGA 5进行系统发育分析.[结果]除普洱和祥云的样品中未检测到任何病毒外,其余14个县、市的123个甘薯样品中共检测到甘薯褪绿斑病毒(SPCFV)、甘薯羽状斑驳病毒(SPFMV)、甘薯卷叶病毒(SPLCV)、甘薯C病毒(SPVC)、甘薯G病毒(SPVG)和甘薯病毒2号(SPV2)等6种病毒.其中SPVG的检出率最高,达39.1％,为云南甘薯病毒的优势种,SPFMV和SPVC的检出率分别为26.9％和24.7％,而SPLCV检出率最低,仅为0.4％.在所检测的样品中未发现甘薯褪绿矮化病毒(SPCSV)和甘薯轻斑驳病毒(SPMMV).云南甘薯病毒多数为2-5种病毒复合侵染,占总样品数的31.9％,其中2-3种病毒复合侵染现象最为常见,单一病毒侵染占总样品数的12.2％.检出率比较低的SPCFV、SPLCV和SPV2未发现单独侵染现象.[结论]云南甘薯上发生的SPFMV分离物存在EA株系和O株系,未发现RC株系,另有两个分离物同EA、O、RC之间的亲缘关系均较远,有可能是一个新的株系;SPVC和SPVG分离物均可分为3个不同的组,大部分SPVG云南分离物属于Ⅰ组.     

Comparative life cycle assessment of three biohydrogen pathways

A life cycle assessment was performed to quantify and compare the energetic and environmental performances of hydrogen from wheat straw (WS-H₂), sweet sorghum stalk (SSS-H₂), and steam potato peels (SPP-H₂). Inventory data were derived from a pilot plant. Impacts were assessed using the impact 2002+ method. When co-product was not considered, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were 5.60 kg CO_2eq kg⁻¹ H₂ for WS-H₂, 5.32 kg CO_2eq kg⁻¹ H₂ for SSS-H₂, and 5.18 kg CO_2eq kg⁻¹ H₂ for SPP-H₂. BioH₂ pathways reduced GHG emissions by 52-56% compared to diesel and by 54-57% compared to steam methane reforming production of H₂. The energy ratios (ER) were also comparable: 1.08 for WS-H₂, 1.14 for SSS-H₂ and 1.17 for SPP-H₂. A shift from SPP-H₂ to WS-H₂ would therefore not affect the ER and GHG emissions of these BioH₂ pathways. When co-product was considered, a shift from SPP-H₂ to WS-H₂ or SSS-H₂ decreased the ER, while increasing the GHG emissions significantly. Co-product yield should be considered when selecting BioH₂ feedstocks.     

营养保健甘薯汁制备工艺的优化

目的：优化营养保健甘薯汁的制备工艺。方法：本研究以甘薯为原料,在加酶量、作用时间、反应温度、pH及底物浓度五个单因素试验的基础上采用响应面分析法,以甘薯浆中还原糖量为评价指标,对耐高温α-淀粉酶酶解甘薯浆中淀粉的最佳工艺进行了研究,并利用统计学方法建立了耐高温α-淀粉酶酶解甘薯浆中淀粉的二次多项数学模型。结果：最佳酶解条件为：加酶量480U／g,作用时间90min,反应温度77℃,pH值6．0,底物浓度2．6g／10ml。结论：在最佳酶解条件下,甘薯中还原糖最大估计值为13．97345％。实测值为（13．968±0．05）％。     

甜高粱种质资源在新疆的多样性表现及聚类分析

采用多样性指数、变异系数和聚类分析等方法,对国内外72份甜高粱种质资源24个性状进行遗传多样性研究。结果表明,14个质量性状中粒色的遗传多样性指数最高为1.6333,幼苗色和结实形式的遗传多样性指数最低为0,平均为0.7460;10个数量性状中穗长、茎粗、锤度、单穗粒重、单株秆重、出汁率、千粒重、株高、穗重、生育期都存在较大的变异,变异系数幅度为7.85%～53.01%,各性状多样性指数均较大,平均2.0061;穗长的多样性指数最大,为2.1383,生育期多样性指数最小,为1.7331,表明新疆现有甜高粱资源拥有丰富的遗传多样性。聚类分析将72份资源划分为四大类。