Structure-Dependent Photodegradation of Carotenoids Accelerated by Dimethyl Tetrasulfide under UVA Irradiation

Carotenoids are used in wide-ranging food applications, but they are susceptible to degradation by many factors including light. We examined the photodegradation of five kinds of carotenoids and three kinds of anthocyanins to clarify which structures of pigments were favorable to accelerated degradation by sulfides under UVA irradiation. Under UVA irradiation, crocetin and crocin were decomposed more rapidly in the presence of dimethyl tetrasulfide than in the absence of the sulfide, but not as rapidly as β-carotene, zeaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin were. However, cyanidin was decomposed more slowly in the presence of sulfide than in the absence of sulfide. Moreover, the photodegradation of kuromanin and keracyanin was not affected by the addition of a sulfide. We also examined the mechanism for this accelerated degradation. Normal hexane was more favorable to the photodegradation of β-carotene than methanol and ethanol. The accelerated degradation was inhibited by free radical scavengers, but enhanced by the addition of deuterium oxide. These results suggest that conjugated double bonds were favorable to the accelerated photodegradation by sulfide and that this reaction was mediated by free radicals.     

A Skin Color Mutation of Grapevine,from Black-Skinned Pinot Noir to White-Skinned Pinot Blanc,Is Caused by Deletion of the Functional VvmybA1 Allele

A white-wine grape, Pinot Blanc, is thought to be a white-skinned mutant of a red-wine grape, Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir was heterozygous for VvmybA1. One allele was the non-functional VvmybA1a, and the other was the functional VvmybA1c. In Pinot Blanc, however, only VvmybA1a was observed, and the amount of VvmybA1 DNA in Pinot Blanc was half that in Pinot Noir. These findings suggest that deletion of VvmybA1c from Pinot Noir resulted in Pinot Blanc.     

Differences in the floral anthocyanin content of violet–blue flowers of Vinca minor L. and V. major L. (Apocynaceae)

Two novel delphinidin 3-(tri or di)-glycoside-7-glycosides were isolated from the violet–blue flowers of Vinca minor L. and V. major L. (Family: Apocynaceae), and determined to be delphinidin 3-O-[2-O-(β-xylopyranosyl)-6-O-(α-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-galactopyranoside]-7-O-(α-rhamnopyranoside) [= delpphinidin 3-(2^G-xylosylrobinobioside)-7-rhamnoside] as major floral anthocyanin of V. minor and delphinidin 3-O-[6-O-(α-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-galactopyranoside]-7-O-(α-rhamnopyranoside) [= delpphinidin 3-robinobioside-7-rhamnoside] as major floral anthocyanin of V. major by chemical and spectroscopic methods. In addition, chlorogenic acid and kaempferol 3-O-[6-O-(α-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-galactopyranoside]-7-O-(α-rhamnopyranoside) [= kaempferol 3-robinobioside-7-rhamnoside (robinin)] were identified in these flowers. In this paper, the relation between the structure of floral anthocyanins and classification of Vinca species was discussed.     

紫娘喜荔枝果皮K、Ca和Mg含量变化对着色的影响

为探讨紫娘喜荔枝(Litchi chinensis)着色与果皮K、Ca和Mg含量变化的关系,以紫娘喜荔枝果皮为试材,通过对数据作典型性相关和一元指数函数回归分析,研究其K、Ca、Mg含量变化及其对叶绿素、花色素苷等含量的影响特点。结果表明:随着果皮不断转红,叶绿素含量呈显著下降趋势,而花色素苷含量却呈显著上升趋势;全K、水溶性K和全Ca、水溶性Ca含量分别呈下降和上升的趋势,水溶性Mg含量呈上升趋势,全Mg含量变化不显著,同期全K、Ca、Mg和水溶性K、Mg、Ca等含量分别呈依次递减趋势;花色素苷含量与全Ca和全K含量分别呈正和负相关的一元指数函数回归关系;叶绿素含量与水溶性Mg、全Ca和全K含量分别呈负、负和正相关一元指数函数回归关系。可见,全Ca含量较高是促进果皮转红的关键因素,研究结果可为制定紫娘喜荔枝合理施肥技术提供理论依据。     

Varietal Differences of Prokupac,Evita and Čokot Zemun Based on Their Anthocyanins Content in Grape Skin Extract

In this study, we have analyzed the anthocyanin composition of skin extracts of three red grape varieties Prokupac, Evita and Čokot Zemun in order to distinguish these cultivars based on their anthocyanin profile. Also, mechanical analysis of grape bunches and berries was performed. According to our results, seventeen anthocyanins were identified using LC/MS technique and quantitative differences were recorded using HPLC-DAD method. The highest content of total anthocyanins was obtained for Evita variety and the lowest one was recorded in Prokupac. Also, clear differences were observed in anthocyanins ratios. In comparison to Prokupac and Evita varieties, Čokot Zemun was characterized with a high content of coumaroyl derivatives of anthocyanin compounds, while high levels of acetylated derivatives were recorded in Prokupac. Data reported in this study represent a certain contribution to a database of mechanical properties and chemical composition of grape varieties originating from Balkan.     

蔗糖调节拟南芥花青素的生物合成

为了探讨糖在花青素合成过程中的调节作用,采用蔗糖和其代谢糖（葡萄糖 和果糖）组合处理拟南芥幼苗.实验结果表明,60 mmol/L蔗糖处理显著提高拟南芥 幼苗的花青素、还原糖含量,并上调花青素合成相关基因（CHS, FLS-1, DFR, LDOX, BANYULS）的转录,对叶绿素含量和UGT78D2基因的转录无影响;20 mmol/L 葡萄糖+20 mmol/L果糖处理,对花青素、叶绿素和还原糖的含量无影响,对花青素 合成相关基因转录影响不一;20 mmol/L蔗糖+20 mmol/L葡萄糖+20 mmol/L果糖处 理后,花青素和还原糖含量介于前两个处理之间,也上调花青素合成相关基因的转 录;但和蔗糖处理组相比,上调UGT78D2基因转录,下调FLS-1基因转录.在不同处 理组之间,花青素含量变化和还原糖含量变化趋势相同,有可能糖在调节花青素 合成的同时也调节还原糖含量.因此,蔗糖既可以通过蔗糖特异信号途径,也可以 和其代谢糖通过其他途径共同调节拟南芥花青素的生物合成.     

Acyl-glucose-dependent glucosyltransferase catalyzes the final step of anthocyanin formation in Arabidopsis

The biosynthetic pathways that produce anthocyanins, the principal pigments for flower and leaf coloration in plants, have been extensively investigated. As a result, many of the enzymes involved in these pathways have been identified. Here, we make use of an inducible Arabidopsis thaliana system and demonstrate that the final step in the formation of the major anthocyanin molecule occurs via a glucosylation step catalyzed by acyl-glucose-dependent anthocyanin glucosyltransferase (AAGT). The glucosylation occurs at the 4-coumarate moiety of the anthocyanin molecule cyanidin 3-O-[2″-O-(2′″-O-(sinapoyl) xylosyl) 6″-O-(p-coumaroyl) glucoside] 5-O-[6″″-O-(malonyl) glucoside] leading to completion of the main anthocyanin structure, a reaction that has not previously been identified in studies of Arabidopsis anthocyanins. Earlier studies on flower AAGTs showed that they conjugate a glucose directly to the basic skeleton of anthocyanin. The present study provides the first evidence that an AAGT of Arabidopsis can conjugate a glucose to an acyl moiety of an anthocyanin modified with sugars and organic acids. The results from analyses of gene expression and of anthocyanin composition in a knock-out (KO) mutant and from a complementation test indicate that AtBGLU10 might encode this AAGT.     

MBW复合体在植物花青素合成途径中的研究进展

花青素是植物呈色的一种关键物质,它既能赋予植物丰富的色彩,又具有广泛的生物学功能,如抗氧化、抗紫外线、抗病虫害等。植物花青素生物合成途径由一系列结构基因和调节基因协同完成。结构基因表达受MYB、bHLH和WD40类转录因子以其组成的MBW复合体调控。综述了近年来MYB、bHLH和WD40类转录因子及MBW复合物在植物花青素合成中的功能研究进展,总结了花青素合成的各种生物过程和调控网络。     

Reduction of Ketopantoyl Lactone to D-(—)-Pantoyl Lactone by Microorganisms

The ability to reduce ketopantoyl lactone added to the culture medium to pantoyl lactone was surveyed in a variety of microorganisms. Many of the microorganisms including molds, yeasts, bacteria, actinomycetes and basidiomycetes exhibited this ability. The ratios of D-(—)- and L-(+)-isomers of the yielded pantoyl lactone, however, showed no relation to the genera or sources of strains. Among them, Rhodotorula minuta IFO 0920, Candida parapsilosis IFO 0708 and Aspergillus niger IFO 4415 were found to convert ketopantoyl lactone (45mg/ml) completely and almost specifically to D-(—)-pantoyl lactone. The main enzyme catalyzing this asymmetric reduction was suggested to be ketopantoyl lactone reductase (EC 1.1.1.168).