Theoretical Study On The Reaction Mechanism Of Gecl3ch2ch2cooh+h2o→gecl2ohch2ch2cooh+hcl

The mechanism and dynamical properties for the title reaction have been investigated theoretically. Three reaction pathways have been found. Geometries, vibrational frequencies, infra-red (IR) intensities and relative energies for various stationary points in the three reaction channels have been determined respectively. The corresponding rate constants at the B3LYP/6-31++G(2d,2p) level have been deduced over a wide temperature range of 200–2000 K by using canonical variational transition state theory with small curvature tunnelling effect. Solvent effects are taken into account via the Onsager model of self-constant reaction field at the same level of theory. This preliminary study shows that the complex formation is favoured by the use of water solvent.     

Liposomal Delivery Systems for Encapsulation of Ferrous Sulfate: Preparation and Characterization

Liposomal delivery systems for water-soluble bioactives were prepared using the pro-liposome and the microfluidization technologies. Iron, an essential micronutrient as ferrous sulfate and ascorbic acid, as an antioxidant for iron were encapsulated in the liposomes. Liposomes prepared by the microfluidization technology using 6% (w/w) concentration of the lipid encapsulated with ferrous sulfate and ascorbic acid had particle size distributions around 150 to 200 nm, whereas liposomes from the pro-liposome technology resulted in particle sizes of about 5 μm. The encapsulation efficiency of ferrous sulfate was 58% for the liposomes prepared by the microfluidization using 6% (w/w) lipid and 7.5% of ferrous sulfate concentrations, and it was 11% for the liposomes from pro-liposome technology using 1.5% (w/v) lipid and 15% of ferrous-sulfate concentration. Both the liposomes exhibited similar levels of oxidative stability, demonstrating the feasibility of microfluidization-based liposomal delivery systems for large-scale food/nutraceutical applications.     

Localization of 9- and 13-oxo-octadecadienoic acids in tomato fruit

We previously reported that the two peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α agonists, 9- and 13-oxo-octadecadienoic acids (oxo-ODAs), were found in the tomato fruit. However, their localization remains unknown. Herein, we showed that oxo-ODAs localize primarily in the fruit peel and their amount increases after the homogenization of the tomato fruit.     

Disentangling Two QTL on Porcine Chromosome 12 for Backfat Fatty Acid Composition

A previous study allowed the identification of two QTL regions at positions 11–34 cM (QTL1) and 68–76 cM (QTL2) on porcine chromosome SSC12 affecting several backfat fatty acids in an Iberian x Landrace F2 intercross. In the current study, different approaches were performed in order to better delimit the quoted QTL regions and analyze candidate genes. A new chromosome scan, using 81 SNPs selected from the Porcine 60KBeadChip and six previously genotyped microsatellites have refined the QTL positions. Three new functional candidate genes (ACOX1, ACLY, and SREBF1) have been characterized. Moreover, two putative promoters of porcine ACACA gene have also been investigated. New isoforms and 24 SNPs were detected in the four candidate genes, 19 of which were genotyped in the population. ACOX1 and ACLY SNPs failed to explain the effects of QTL1 on palmitic and gadoleic fatty acids. QTL2, affecting palmitoleic, stearic, and vaccenic fatty acids, maps close to the ACACA gene location. The most significant associations have been detected between one intronic (g.53840T > C) and one synonymous (c.5634T > C) ACACA SNPs and these fatty acids. Complementary analyses including ACACA gene expression quantification and association studies in other porcine genetic types do not support the expected causal effect of ACACA SNPs.     

Effect of N-chloroamino acids on the erythrocyte

Amino acids present in blood plasma may be targets for oxidation and chlorination by HOCl/OCl^?. N-Chloroamino acids have been reported to be less reactive, but more selective than HOCl/OCl^? in their reactions; therefore, they may act as secondary mediators of HOCl/OCl^?-induced injury. This study compared the effects of five N-chloroamino acids (AlaCl, LysCl, SerCl, AspCl and PheCl) on erythrocytes with the action of HOCl/OCl^?. The N-chloroamino acids differed in stability and reactivity. They had a weaker haemolytic action than HOCl/OCl^?; HOCl/OCl^?, AlaCl and PheCl increased osmotic fragility of erythrocytes at a concentration of 1 mm. Oxidation of glutathione, formation of protein-glutathione mixed disulphides and efflux of GSSG from erythrocytes were observed for erythrocytes treated with all the employed chloroderivatives, while increased oxidation of 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin was detected only after treatment of the cells with 1 mm HOCl/OCl^?, AlaCl and PheCl. Generally, the reactivity of at least some N-chloroamino acids may be not much lower with respect to HOCl/OCl^?.     

Effect of biotic and abiotic elicitors on production of betulin and betulinic acid in the hairy root culture of Betula pendula Roth

Abstract

Betulin (B) and betulinic acid (BA) are two triterpenoids with a wide range of biological and medicinal activities in different organs of Betula pendula. This research aimed to increase the accumulation of B and BA in the hairy root culture of B. pendula by seven biotic and abiotic elicitors. Hairy root was induced in the stem’s inner bark of B. pendula using the C58C1 strain in the WPM (Woody Plant Medium). The effects of different concentrations of elicitors and different time of root harvest in hairy root culture of B. pendula showed that highest level of growth index (GI), B, and BA was acquired in treated hairy roots with chitosan (CTS), chlorocholine chloride (CCC) and chitosan nano-fiber (CTS NF). Highest GI of B. pendula hairy roots was 13 that was obtained in the roots treated with CTS 150?mg l^?1 on the 8th day. The highest content of BA was 1.3?mg g^?1 DW after treatment with 1?mg l^?1CCC on the 4th and 6th days and 200?mg l^?1CTS NF on the 10th day. The highest B content (0.94?mg g^?1DW) was obtained in the treated hairy root by 2?mg l^?1 CCC after 4 and 6?days.     

Structure of a Peptidal Antibiotic P168 Produced by Paecilomyces lilacinus (Thom) Samson

( + )-α-Kainic acid (1) was synthesized by starting from a building block, N-Boc-3-acetoxyallylglycine ethyl ester (2). The key intermediate, a methyl 4-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)prenylamino]-5-hydroxy-2-pentenoate derivative (9), was prepared from 2 in eight synthetic steps. After converting 10 into a methyl ester (11), intramolecular ene-carbocyclization of 11 gave a pyrrolidine derivative (12), which was converted to 1 in a moderate yield.     

Aging bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells have altered membrane glycerophospholipid composition and functionality

Human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSC) are increasingly used in advanced cellular therapies. The clinical use of hMSCs demands sequential cell expansions. As it is well established that membrane glycerophospholipids (GPL) provide precursors for signaling lipids that modulate cellular functions, we studied the effect of the donor''s age and cell doublings on the GPL profile of human bone marrow MSC (hBMSC). The hBMSCs, which were harvested from five young and five old adults, showed clear compositional changes during expansion seen at the level of lipid classes, lipid species, and acyl chains. The ratio of phosphatidylinositol to phosphatidylserine increased toward the late-passage samples. Furthermore, 20:4n-6-containing species of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine accumulated while the species containing monounsaturated fatty acids (FA) decreased during passaging. Additionally, in the total FA pool of the cells, 20:4n-6 increased, which happened at the expense of n-3 polyunsaturated FAs, especially 22:6n-3. The GPL and FA correlated with the decreased immunosuppressive capacity of hBMSCs during expansion. Our observations were further supported by alterations in the gene expression levels of several enzymes involved in lipid metabolism and immunomodulation. The results show that extensive expansion of hBMSCs harmfully modulates membrane GPLs, affecting lipid signaling and eventually impairing functionality.     

A Cysteine Endopeptidase (“Dionain”) Is Involved in the Digestive Fluid of Dionaea muscipula (Venus’s Fly-trap)

The carnivorous plant Dionaea muscipula (Venus’s flytrap) secretes proteinases into the digestive fluid to digest prey proteins. In this study, we obtained evidence that the digestive fluid contains a cysteine endopeptidase, presumably belonging to the papain family, through inhibitor studies and partial amino acid sequencing of the major SDS–PAGE band protein. The name “dionain” is proposed for the enzyme.