Tonoplast Lipid Composition and Proton Pump of Pineapple Fruit During Low-Temperature Storage and Blackheart Development

Vacuole represents a major storage organelle playing vital roles in pH homoeostasis and cellular detoxification. The chemical and functional properties of tonoplast in response to chilling temperature and their roles in chilling injury are largely unknown. In the current study, lipid composition of tonoplast and the activities of two vacuolar proton pumps, H⁺-ATPase (V-ATPase) and H⁺-pyrophosphatase (V-PPase), were investigated in accordance with the development of blackheart, a form of chilling injury in pineapple fruit (Ananas comosus). Chilling temperature at 10 °C for 1 week induced irreversible blackheart injury in concurrence with a substantial decrease in V-ATPase activity. By contrast, the activity was increased after 1 week at 25 °C. The activity of V-PPase was not changed under both temperatures. Level of total phospholipids of tonoplast decreased at 10 °C, but increased at 25 °C. There was no change at the level of total glycolipids under both temperatures. Thus, low temperature increased the ratio of total glycolipids vs. total phospholipids of tonoplast. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were the predominant phospholipids of tonoplast. Low temperature increased the relative level of phosphatidic acid but decreased the percentage of both phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. Unsaturated fatty acids accounted for over 60 % of the total tonoplast fatty acids, with C18:1 and C18:2 being predominant. Low temperature significantly decreased the percentage of C18:3. Modification of membrane lipid composition and its effect on the functional property of tonoplast at low temperature were discussed in correlation with their roles in the development of chilling injury in pineapple fruit.     

The Effect of Membrane Lipid Composition on the Formation of Lipid Ultrananodomains

Some lipid mixtures form membranes containing submicroscopic (nanodomain) ordered lipid domains (rafts). Some of these nanodomains are so small (radius <5 nm) that they cannot be readily detected with Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-labeled lipid pairs with large Ro. We define such domains as ultrananodomains. We studied the effect of lipid structure/composition on the formation of ultrananodomains in lipid vesicles using a dual-FRET-pair approach in which only one FRET pair had Ro values that were sufficiently small to detect the ultrananodomains. Using this approach, we measured the temperature dependence of domain and ultrananodomain formation for vesicles composed of various mixtures containing a high-T_m lipid (brain sphingomyelin (SM)) or dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC)), low-T_m lipid (dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) or 1-palmitoyl 2-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC)), and a lower (28 mol %) or higher (38 mol %) cholesterol concentration. For every lipid combination tested, the thermal stabilities of the ordered domains were similar, in agreement with our prior studies. However, the range of temperatures over which ultrananodomains formed was highly lipid-type dependent. Overall, vesicles that were closest to mammalian plasma membrane in lipid composition (i.e., with brain SM, POPC, and/or higher cholesterol) formed ultrananodomains in preference to larger domains over the widest temperature range. Relative to DPPC, the favorable effect of SM on ultrananodomain formation versus larger domains was especially large. In addition, the favorable effect of a high cholesterol concentration, and of POPC versus DOPC, on the formation of ultrananodomains versus larger domains was greater in vesicles containing SM than in those containing DPPC. We speculate that it is likely that natural mammalian lipids are tuned to maximize the tendency to form ultrananodomains relative to larger domains. The observation that domain size is more sensitive than domain formation to membrane composition has implications for how membrane domain properties may be regulated in vivo.     

Effect of Carbohydrate Composition of the Cytosol of Aspergillus niger Conidia on Their Viability During Storage

It is shown that the rate of sporogenesis, the appearance of low-molecular-weight thiols, and the activation of carbohydrate synthesis in spores adversely affected the viability of Aspergillus niger conidia during storage. Conversely the prevalence of trehalose over mannitol and the absence of glycerol, erythritol, and glucose in the carbohydrate composition facilitated the viability of conidia. The data obtained are discussed with regard to the biochemical criteria that may be used to characterize the quiescent state of fungi and retaining the viability of the inoculum.     

Lipid Composition of Bacillus cereus During Growth and Sporulation

The lipid composition of Bacillus cereus during growth and sporulation was examined. The total lipid extract accounted for 2 to 3% of the dry weight of the cells and consisted of neutral lipids (30 to 40%) and phospholipids (60 to 70%). Phospholipids were separated by thin-layer chromatography into eight components; phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl glycerol, and diphosphatidyl glycerol were the major phospholipids and accounted for over 90% of the total. Also identified was a diglycosyl diglyceride and an alanine ester of phosphatidyl glycerol. Diphosphatidyl glycerol was more difficult to extract than the other components in vegetative and stationary-phase cells, but became increasingly easy to extract during spore maturation, and during sporulation cellular levels increased. Phosphatidyl glycerol had a high turnover rate; it accounted for about 70% of the phospholipid synthesis throughout sporulation but only represented between 30 and 40% of the total phospholipid at any time. Phosphatidyl ethanolamine, on the other hand, accounted for about 20% of the synthesis but was the major phospholipid (50 to 60% of the total).     

Lipid Auxotrophy and the Effect on Lipid Composition of Entamoeba invadens*†

SYNOPSIS. A medium for the axenic cultivation of Entamoeba invadens has been developed. Serum, an essential constituent of conventional media, has been replaced by a mixture of albumin, unsaturated fatty acids, Tween, and cholesterol to control the lipid composition of the medium. Entamoeba invadens requires both cholesterol and unsaturated fatty acids for growth. The fatty acid composition of the phospholipids of the ameba reflects that of the medium to a great extent, especially with regard to the unsaturated fatty acids. The amount of membrane bounded cholesterol depends on the cholesterol concentration in the medium.     

水稻储藏过程中淀粉黏度特性的变化

对水稻淀粉黏度特性特征值测定的统计分析表明：在避光自然温度储藏期间,不同类型稻谷淀粉黏度特征值均有明显的变化,各特征值在储藏1～5个月内变化较小,而6～7个月期间变化较大,大部分特征值变化差异达到显著或极显著水平。不同类型稻谷在储藏期间黏度特征值发生明显差异的时间点不同,粳糯类水稻品种在储藏期间发生明显差异的时间点明显早于粳稻和籼稻类。储藏时间与淀粉黏度特征值优化方程建立结果显示：与籼稻类品质变化关系密切的主要特征值为最高黏度（PKV）、崩解值（BDV）和峰值时间（PeT）,粳稻类为热浆黏度（HPV）、冷胶黏度（CPV）和回复值（CSV）,而粳糯类为PKV、BDV、CSV和起浆温度（PAT）。研究结果表明,通过RVA谱主要特征值来评价不同类型水稻品种稻谷耐储藏性具有可行性。     

Changes in the Lipid Composition and Fine Structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae During Ascus Formation

Eighty to ninety percent of vegetative cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae DCL 740 incubated in KCl-acetate medium form asci, the majority of which are four-spored. Ascospores are visible in asci after about 24 hr, and spore formation is complete after about 48 hr. The dry weight of the cells increases by about 75% during 48 hr of incubation, while the lipid content of the cells increases by a factor of four. The increase in lipid content is attributed mainly to an increased synthesis of sterol esters and triacylglycerols and to a lesser extent of phospholipids. The phospholipid and sterol compositions do not change appreciably, but there is a marked increase in the proportion of unsaturated fatty acid residues in ascan lipids. Uniformly labeled (14)C-acetate is incorporated mainly into sterol esters and triacylglycerols and phospholipids. Pulse-labeling by adding acetate-U-(14)C to sporulating cultures and harvesting after a further 6 hr of incubation reveal two main periods of acetate incorporation, namely between 0 and 18 hr, and between 24 and 30 hr. Electron micrographs of thin sections through developing asci show that the principal changes in fine structure occur between 18 and 24 hr and include the appearance of numerous electron-transparent vesicles which become aligned around the meiotic nucleus, and the laying down of extensive endoplasmic reticulum membranes. Changes in fine structure are discussed in relation to the alterations in lipid content and composition of asci.     

玉米胚芽降血脂作用的研究

玉米胚芽经提取精制得到粉状物(YF)。以含15％YF的饲料饲喂大、小鼠,可在短期内阻抑实验性高血脂大、小鼠血清总胆固醇(TC)的升高(P<0.01),并显著升高小鼠高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)含量(P<0.01),使TC-HDL-c/HDL-c显著降低(P<0.01)。对高血脂患者食用YF2个月的食疗观察表明,YF的降脂效果与动物实验一致,并且能使血浆卵磷脂酰基转移酶(LCAT)相对活性升高(P<0.05)。提示YF可能具有促进体内游离胆固醇(FC)转化为酯化胆固醇(EC),从而加速胆固醇从肝内移出的作用,对此尚需进一步研究。     

Fatty Acid Compositions of Rice Lipid and their Changes during Storage

Fatty acid composition of lipids from polished rice was studied by gas chromatography on the separated fractions, fat-by-hydrolysis, neutral fat, free fatty acid and phospholipid. After six months storage, fatty acids were released from neutral fat in the same proportion as they were combined in the neutral fat.     

Effect of Maternal Alcohol Consumption on the Lipid Composition of CNS in the Offspring

Maternal alcohol consumption at a level that does not affect calorie intake increases cholesterol concentration and content as well as incorporation of labeled glucose into cholesterol in the brain and spinal cord of newborn rat pups. Continued consumption of alcohol during lactation also affects the galactolipid concentration in the brain and spinal cord of pups at 21 days of age, and this increase seems mainly to be due to an increase in content of myelin lipids. Analysis of myelin shows that the concentration of phospholipids also increases in this fraction. The increase in incorporation of labeled glucose into these membrane lipids suggests an increase in the synthesis of these lipids, which prevents fluidization of the membrane by alcohol. That in the brainstem the increase in levels of cholesterol and galactolipids is higher than in other regions and that there is also an increase in content of sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine suggest that the brainstem needs better protection against fluidization.     

Effect of Storage Temperature on the Microbial Composition of Ready-to-Use Vegetables

Four different salad preparations were investigated from microbiological point of view: two were packaged in air and two under Modified Atmosphere. The samples were stored at 4 and 10 °C, and analysed at established times. Total bacterial count (TBC) was taken as the most relevant index to define their hygiene and quality at both temperatures. Lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and moulds were found only occasionally. In general, the most important factor was the packaging technique: TBC was lower when the product is packed under modified conditions. The packaging technique also influences the microbial population: Gram-negative aerobic rods are dominant in air-packaged products, whilst the presence of Enterobacteriaceae becomes important in salads packaged under Modified Atmosphere. Pseudomonas fluorescens, with all its biovars, was the most frequently found species amongst the aerobic isolates, whilst for the Enterobacteriaceae strains, there was no dominant species.     

Effect of Bacterial Infection on the Lipid Composition of Carp Blood Lymphocytes

The initial stage of bacterial infection is characterized by an increase in the level of total lipids and polyenoic fatty acids in membrane phospholipids of blood lymphocytes of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). In the fish infected with aeromonads, changes in the ratios of fatty acids in phospholipids are similar for either lymphocytes, liver, or whole blood. The extent to which these changes are pronounced depends on the original physiological status of the fish.     

The Effect of Temperature on the Lipid Composition of the Green Alga Botryococcus

The lipid composition of the green alga Botryococcus was studied at three different cultivation temperatures: suboptimal (18°C), optimal (25°C), and supraoptimal (32°C). Cultivation at the supraoptimal temperature was found to considerably inhibit the synthesis of nearly all intracellular lipids, except for triacylglycerides, and to influence their fatty acid composition. In particular, the content of trienoic fatty acids was significantly lower at the supraoptimal than at the optimal cultivation temperature. At the same time, the fatty acid composition of the extracellular lipids of the alga virtually did not depend on cultivation temperature.     

The Effect of Seasonal Shifts in Temperature on the Lipid Composition of Marine Macrophytes

The comparative study of lipid composition was carried out in four species of marine algae, Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis, Laminaria japonica, Sargassum pallidum, and Ulva fenestrata, as well as a higher plant grass wrack (Zostera marina). Plants were collected in the Japan Sea in spring at 2.9 and 5.5°C and in summer at 23°C. The main lipid components of membranes were determined, and the general patterns of the ratio of phospholipids (PL), glycolipids (GL), betaine (BL), and neutral (NL) lipids were discerned. The relative content of NL in all species (except A. tobuchiensis) was higher in summer. The level of triacylglycerols was as high as 18–37%. The content of individual classes of PL and GL varied between the spring and summer samples, the relative content of PL being higher in spring. In most species, the ratio of PL to GL decreased in summer. The content of free sterols did not depend on the season. The molar ratios of phosphatidylcholine and diacylglycerol-o-(hydroxymethyl)-(N,N,N-trimethyl)homoserine to free sterols varied from 0.9 to 1.7. The seasonal changes of lipid composition were apparently related to macrophyte adaptation to water temperature and to biology of their development.     

Lipid Composition of a Psychrophilic Marine Vibrio sp. During Starvation-Induced Morphogenesis

Qualitative and quantitative changes with time in phospholipids and fatty acids were examined after suspension of cells of a psychrophilic marine bacterium in nutrient-free artificial seawater at 5°C. Viability was maintained throughout the 21-day examination period, with plate counts and acridine orange direct counts indicating a slight increase in cell number. Gravimetric data, however, showed a significant decrease in bacterial biomass during the 3-week study. Levels of ATP per cell also decreased significantly (59%) during the starvation period. Since starvation (resulting in dormancy) is probably the typical physiological state of marine bacteria, estimation of bacterial density in marine waters by using ATP data obtained from log-phase cells is probably inaccurate. Total lipid phosphate decreased (65%) during the starvation period, with phosphatidylethanolamine showing the greatest loss. A large increase (57%) in the neutral lipid fraction was also detected, especially during the first week of starvation. A selective increase in palmitoleate at the expense of myristate was detected in the membrane lipids. The effects of these changes on membrane fluidity and the possible consequences for these cells in the marine environment are discussed.     

Arsonoliposomes: Effect of Lipid Composition on Their Stability and Morphology

The influence of the lipid composition of arsonoliposomes on their membrane integrity was investigated to evaluate whether it is possible to combine their action with drugs that can be encapsulated in their aqueous interior. This was investigated by measuring the retention of vesicle-encapsulated calcein (100 mM) during incubation, in the absence and presence of serum proteins. Liposomes containing various concentrations of arsonolipid (with the palmitoyl side chain) as well as egg-lecithin (phosphatidylcholine, PC) and cholesterol (lipid/chol 2:1 mol:mol) were prepared. In some experiments, PC was replaced by the synthetic phospholipid DSPC. All PC/arsonoliposomes tested are stable after 24 h of incubation in buffer at 37°C. After incubation in the presence of serum proteins, arsonoliposomes that contain low amounts of arsonolipid (up to 5 mol% of the lipid content without cholesterol) are stable, whereas increased release of calcein is observed when vesicle arsonolipid concentration is raised (from 5 to 15 mol%). Further increase of arsonolipid content results in immediate decrease of calcein latency while the remaining calcein is rapidly released during incubation. DSPC/arsonoliposomes are comparably more stable, and membrane integrity is independent of the vesicle arsonolipid content, in the range investigated (15–40 mol% of the lipid content without cholesterol). Thereby, we conclude that more stable arsonoliposomes that incorporate high arsonolipid concentrations may be produced when PC is replaced by DSPC. The latter arsonoliposomes provide a system that may be used for combining arsonolipid activity with the activity of other drugs.     

青稞麸皮油脂肪酸成分分析及其对高血脂症大鼠脂质代谢的影响

为了开发利用资源丰富的青稞麸皮,分析了青稞麸皮油的脂肪酸组成并研究了其对高血脂症大鼠的降血脂作用.通过GC-MS分析,从青稞麸皮油中检测到了10种脂肪酸,并发现其亚油酸含量为75.08%.在青稞麸皮油降血脂实验中,选用24只雄性SD大鼠随机分为空白对照组、高脂模型组和青稞麸皮油组,除空白对照组饲喂普通饲料外,其余各组饲喂高脂饲料并进行干预实验比较.3周后,高脂模型组血清TC、TG、LDL-C和AI 4项指标均显著高于空白对照组(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),而HDL-C/TC显著降低(P＜0.05);青稞麸皮油组的血清TC、TG、LDL-C和AI 4项指标均显著低于高脂模型组(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),而HDL-C/TC显著升高(P＜0.05).结果表明青稞麸皮油对大鼠的高血脂症和动脉硬化的形成有明显的抑制作用,而造成这一结果的原因可能是青稞麸皮油中的高亚油酸含量.     

粳稻支链淀粉合成相关基因的遗传组成及其对品质的影响

摘要：淀粉的组成和结构是决定稻米品质的主要因素。利用17个淀粉合成相关基因位点的分子标记鉴定67个粳稻品种的淀粉合成相关基因的籼粳来源,检测表明67个品种均带粳型Wx基因,GBSSⅡ、SSⅡ-2和SSⅣ-1位点没有发生重组,其他13个支链淀粉合成相关基因位点有籼型等位基因的渗入,渗入频率在1.9%-46.27%之间,其中SSⅠ籼型等位基因渗入到粳稻品种中最高;逐步回归分析表明有7个基因对10个淀粉理化指标有效应,其中Isa对最高粘度、崩解值、回复值、消减值和峰值时间有效应,其它基因只对1-4个性状有明显的遗传效应。说明在支链淀粉合成相关基因座上籼粳等位基因已经发生了明显的分化,具有不同的遗传功能,为水稻优质品种培育提供了参考依据。     

Effect of Cytokinin 4-PU-30 on the Lipid Composition of Water Stressed Bean Plants

Fourteen days-old bean plants, grown on sand with Knop's nutrient solution were subjected to water stress (three days without irrigation). The stress led to a decrease in almost all lipid classes except phospholipids in the primary leaves. The content of palmitic acid increased, and that of the linolenic acid decreased. An increase of hexadecenoic acid in phospholipids was also observed. Rewatering for 24 h led to the recovery of the stressed plants including that of the photosynthetic apparatus, but the changes in the lipid composition were insignificant. The spraying of the plants before and after the water stress with 5 × 10-6 M solution of the phenylurea cytokinin 4-PU-30 alleviated negative effect of water stress on the lipid membrane composition permitting the plants to resist the harmful environment. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.