Ginsenoside Re improves skin barrier function in HaCaT keratinocytes under normal growth conditions

Ginsenoside Re (Re), a major ginsenoside of ginseng, enhanced the cornified cell envelope (CE) formation in HaCaT keratinocytes under normal conditions. In HaCaT keratinocytes, Re was also able to upregulate filaggrin protein and caspase-14 activity in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings reasonably imply that Re possesses a desirable property of improving skin barrier function.     

Metabolomics investigation of flavonoid synthesis in soybean leaves depending on the growth stage

Soybean (Glycine max L.) leaves have unique nutraceutical and pharmacological benefits, and have been widely used as a source of healthy and functional food stuffs in Korea. In this study, we investigated the phytochemical metabolomic changes of soybean leaves depending on growth stages (maturation period) assessed based on UPLC–QTOF–MS analysis. Principal component analysis was carried out to trace the metabolite profiles of the phytochemicals from the vegetable stage (1D) through the seven reproductive stages (R1–R7). On the loading plot, significant changes in the contents of metabolites were found during the growth, and eight flavonoid kaempferol glycosides (2, 3, 6, 8, and 10), daidzein (14), genistein (17), and coumestrol (19) were evaluated as growth markers among the 19 isolated metabolites. The kaempferol glycosides were increasingly synthesized from the 1D to the R6 stage but decreased rapidly at stages R7–R8. The extensively synthesized daidzein and genistein were shown during seed growth in the pod (R5–R6), while coumestrol was increased significantly at stages R7–R8 (maturity period). The synthetic pathway of the flavonoids could be elucidated based on the concentration of the individual metabolites. These results demonstrate that the metabolite production changed depending on the growth stage; a possible pathway could be deduced using metabolomic analysis to provide information regarding physiological characterization and optimal harvesting time for crops.     

Spacers increase the accessibility of peptide ligands linked to the carboxyl terminus of adenovirus minor capsid protein IX

The efficiency and specificity of gene transfer with human adenovirus (hAd)-derived gene transfer vectors would be improved if the native viral tropism could be modified. Here, we demonstrate that the minor capsid protein IX (pIX), which is present in 240 copies in the Ad capsid, can be exploited as an anchor for heterologous polypeptides. Protein IX-deleted hAd5 vectors were propagated in hAd5 helper cells expressing pIX variants, with heterologous carboxyl-terminal extensions of up to 113 amino acids in length. The extensions evaluated consist of alpha-helical spacers up to 75 A in length and to which peptide ligands were fused. The pIX variants were efficiently incorporated into the capsids of Ad particles. On intact particles, the MYC-tagged-pIX molecules were readily accessible to anti-MYC antibodies, as demonstrated by electron microscopic analyses of immunogold-labeled virus particles. The labeling efficiency improved with increasing spacer length, suggesting that the spacers lift and expose the ligand at the capsid surface. Furthermore, we found that the addition of an integrin-binding RGD motif to the pIX markedly stimulated the transduction of coxsackievirus group B and hAd receptor-deficient endothelioma cells, demonstrating the utility of pIX modification in gene transfer. Our data demonstrate that the minor capsid protein IX can be used as an anchor for the addition of polypeptide ligands to Ad particles.     

Optimized production of lignolytic manganese peroxidase in immobilized cultures of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phanerochaete chrysosporium</Emphasis>

Manganese peroxidase (MnP) is a key enzyme involved in the lignolysis of white-rot fungi. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of immobilization and culture conditions on MnP production in cultures of Phanerochaete chrysosporium grown on polyurethane foam. Higher concentrations of foam and lower levels of spore inoculums resulted in the formation of scattered mycelial pellets, increased autolysis of chlamydospore-like cells (a reservoir of MnP), and a higher activity of MnP. Even though MnP was a secondary metabolite, the addition of 5 times more glucose and diammonium tartrate, as carbon and nitrogen sources, resulted in a 4 fold increase in the dry cell mass. However, MnP activity decreased under these conditions to less than half, due to the formation of increasingly dense pellets and the inhibited lysis of chlamydospore-like cells.     

Effects of prey mite species on life history of the phytoseiid predators Typhlodromalus manihoti and Typhlodromalus aripo

The effects of prey mite suitability on several demographic characteristics of phytoseiid predators and the relationship of these effects to the potential of phytoseiid predators to control herbivorous mite populations are well documented. Evidence has also accumulated in the last 20 years demonstrating that phytoseiid predators utilize herbivorous prey mite-induced plant volatiles as olfactory cues in locating their herbivorous mite prey, but less well established is the predictability of reproductive success from the ability of the predators to utilize olfactory cues to locate their prey, and how these processes are related to the success of the predators as biological control agents of the herbivorous mite. In this study, we determined in laboratory no choice experiments, the development, survivorship and fecundity of the two neotropical phytoseiid predators Typhlodromalus manihoti Moraes and T. aripo DeLeon when feeding on three herbivorous mites, including the key prey species Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar), and the two alternative prey species Oligonychus gossypii (Zacher) and Tetranychus urticae (Koch). Intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) of T. aripo was 2.1 fold higher on M. tanajoa as prey compared with T. urticae as prey, while it was almost nil on O. gossypii. For T. manihoti, r_m was 2.3 fold higher on M. tanajoa as prey compared with O. gossypii as prey, while reproduction was nil on T. urticae. An independent experiment on odor-related prey preference of the two predator species showed that T. manihoti and T. aripo preferred odors from M. tanajoa-infested leaves to odors from O. gossypii-infested leaves. Moreover, both predator species preferred odors from M. tanajoa-infested leaves over those from T. urticae-infested leaves. As reported here, life history of the two predatory mites matches odor-related prey preference if the key prey species is compared to the two inferior prey species. The implications of our findings for the persistence of T. manihoti and T. aripo and biological control of M. tanajoa in the cassava agroecosystem in Africa are discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.