Flavonoids enantiomer distribution in different parts of goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea L.), lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) and phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.)

Plant material is a rich source of valuable compounds such as flavanones. Their different forms influence bioavailability and biological activity, causing problems with the selection of plant material for specific purposes. The purpose of this research was to determine selected flavanone (eriodictyol, naringenin, liquiritigenin, and hesperetin) enantiomer contents in free form and bonded to glycosides by an RP‐UHPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS method. Different parts (stems, leaves, and flowers) of goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea L.), lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), and phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.) were used. The highest content of eriodictyol was found in goldenrod flowers (13.1 μg/g), where it occurred mainly as the (S)‐enantiomer, and the greatest proportion of the total amount was bonded to glycosides. The richest source of naringenin was found to be lucerne leaves (4.7 μg/g), where it was mainly bonded to glycosides and with the (S)‐enantiomer as the dominant form. Liquiritigenin was determined only in lucerne, where the flowers contained the highest amount (1.2 μg/g), with the (R)‐enantiomer as dominant aglycone form and the (S)‐enantiomer as the dominant glycosylated form. The highest hesperetin content was determined in phacelia leaves (0.38 μg/g), where it was present in the form of a glycoside and only as the (S)‐enantiomer. A comparison of the different analyte forms occurring in different plant parts was performed for the first time.     

Feeding graded levels of dried Sea buckthorn (Hippophaes rhamnoides) berries to broiler chickens

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of graded levels (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 g/kg) of dry Sea buckthorn (SB) berries on growth performance, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) development, jejunal histomorphology, bird antioxidant status and caecal short-chain fatty acid concentration when fed to female Ross 308 broiler chickens. In addition, expression of cytokine biomarker genes in the jejunum was evaluated. The five experimental diets were fed from 7 to 21 days age to 8 pens (two birds in each) following randomisation. Feeding SB did not influence bird growth performance (p > .05). There was a linear decrease in butyric, acetic and valeric acid concentrations in caecal digesta (p < .05) and a decrease (p < .05) in crypt depth. The expression of IFNG and CD40LG responded quadratically (p < .05), peaking at 6–9 g/kg dietary inclusion of SB, respectively. Other studied variables were not affected by dietary SB inclusion (p > .05). Feeding dry SB berries up to 12 g/kg of diet did not improve the zootechnical variables of healthy commercial-strain broilers in this study.     

Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Bacteriophage φ4D Lytic Against Enterococcus faecalis Strains

In recent years, Enterococcus faecalis has emerged as an important opportunistic nosocomial pathogen capable of causing dangerous infections. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel antibacterial agents to control this pathogen. Bacteriophages have very effective bactericidal activity and several advantages over other antimicrobial agents and so far, no serious or irreversible side effects of phage therapy have been described. The objective of this study was to characterize a novel virulent bacteriophage φ4D isolated from sewage. Electron microscopy revealed its resemblance to Myoviridae, with an isometric head (74 ± 4 nm) and a long contractile tail (164 ± 4 nm). The φ4D phage genome was tested using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and estimated to be 145 ± 2 kb. It exhibited short latent period (25 min) and a relatively small burst size (36 PFU/cell). Tests were conducted on the host range, multiplicities of infection (MOI), thermal stability, digestion of DNA by restriction enzymes, and proteomic analyses of this phage. The isolated phage was capable of infecting a wide spectrum of enterococcal strains. The results of these investigations indicate that φ4D is similar to other Myoviridae bacteriophages (for example φEF24C), which have been successfully used in phagotherapy.     

Design and visualization of second‐generation cyanoisoindole‐based fluorescent strigolactone analogs

Strigolactones (SLs) are a family of terpenoid allelochemicals that were recognized as plant hormones only a decade ago. They influence a myriad of both above‐ and below‐ground developmental processes, and are an important survival strategy for plants in nutrient‐deprived soils. A rapidly emerging approach to gain knowledge on hormone signaling is the use of traceable analogs. A unique class of labeled SL analogs was constructed, in which the original tricyclic lactone moiety of natural SLs is replaced by a fluorescent cyanoisoindole ring system. Biological evaluation as parasitic seed germination stimulant and hypocotyl elongation repressor proved the potency of the cyanoisoindole strigolactone analogs (CISAs) to be comparable to the commonly accepted standard GR24. Additionally, via a SMXL6 protein degradation assay, we provided molecular evidence that the compounds elicit SL‐like responses through the natural signaling cascade. All CISAs were shown to exhibit fluorescent properties, and the high quantum yield and Stokes shift of the pyrroloindole derivative CISA‐7 also enabled in vivo visualization in plants. In contrast to the previously reported fluorescent analogs, CISA‐7 displays a large similarity in shape and structure with natural SLs, which renders the analog a promising tracer to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of SLs in plants and fungi.     

A comparison of biodegradation of phenol and homologous compounds by Pseudomonas vesicularis and Staphylococcus sciuri strains

Pseudomonas vesicularis and Staphylococcus sciuri were isolated as dominant strains from phenol-acclimated activated sludge. P. vesicularis was an efficient degrader of phenol, catechol, p-cresol, sodium benzoate and sodium salicylate in a single substrate system. Under similar conditions S. sciuri degraded only phenol and catechol from among aromatic compounds that were tested. Cell-free extracts of P. vesicularis grown on phenol (376 mg l(-1)), sodium benzoate (576 mg l(-1)) and sodium salicylate (640 mg l(-1)) showed catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activity initiating an extradiol (meta) splitting pathway. The degradative intradiol (ortho) pathway as a result of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase synthesis was induced in P. vesicularis cells grown on catechol (440 mg l(-1)) orp-cresol (432 mg l(-1)). Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase and the ortho-cleavage has been also reported in S. sciuri cells capable of degrading phenol (376 mg l(-1)) or catechol (440 mg l(-1)). In cell-free extracts of S. sciuri no meta-cleavage enzyme activity was detected. These results demonstrated that gram-positive S. sciuri strain was able to effectively metabolize some phenols as do many bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas but have a different capacity for degrading of these compounds.     

Possible Association between Suicide Committed under Influence of Ethanol and a Variant in the AUTS2 Gene

Background

rs6943555 in AUTS2 has been shown to modulate ethanol consumption. We hypothesized that rs6943555 might be associated with completed suicide.

Methods

We genotyped rs6943555 in 625 completed suicides and 3861 controls using real-time TaqMan Allelic Discrimination Assay. All individuals were Polish Caucasians.

Results

We detected an association between suicide and rs6943555 A allele (OR = 1.17, P = 0.018 for allelic comparison, OR = 1.24, P = 0.013 for dominant, and OR = 1.18, P = 0.020 for co-dominant model of inheritance). The association remained significant after adjusting for age and gender (co-dominant: P = 0.002 and dominant model: P = 0.001). After stratifying suicides according to blood ethanol concentration (BAC≤ 20 mg/dl and BAC > 20 mg/dl) the association remained significant only for cases who committed suicide under influence of alcohol (co-dominant: OR  =  1.37, P = 0.004 and dominant model: OR = 1.45, P = 0.006). To validate this finding we genotyped another cohort of 132 cases. We reproduced the association between rs6943555 A allele and suicide under influence of ethanol (allelic comparison: OR = 1.55, P = 0.023; co-dominant : OR = 1.54, P = 0.031; dominant model: OR = 1.84, P = 0.015). Analyzing pooled suicides with BAC >20 mg/dl (N = 300) we found the association of rs6943555 A allele not only vs. controls (allelic OR = 1.41, P = 0.00029) but also vs. cases with BAC ≤ 20 mg/dl (N = 449, allelic OR = 1.33, P = 0.019).

Conclusions

In our study rs6943555 A allele is associated with suicide committed after drinking ethanol shortly before death. The rs6943555 A allele may be linked to adverse emotional reaction to ethanol, which could explain the association with lower consumption in general population as well as the predisposition to suicide under influence of ethanol.     

A Matter of Balance: Role of Neurexin and Neuroligin at the Synapse

Neurexins and neuroligins are synaptic cell adhesion molecules. Neurexins are primary located on the presynaptic membrane, whereas neuroligins are strictly postsynaptic proteins. Since their discovery, the knowledge of neurexins and neuroligins has expanded, implicating them in various neuronal processes, including the differentiation, maturation, stabilization, and plasticity of both inhibitory and excitatory synapses. Here, we review the most recent results regarding the structure and function of these cell adhesion molecules.     

SIRT1 Polymorphism,Long-Term Survival and Glucose Tolerance in the General Population

Mutations that increase activity of Sir2 (silent information regulator 2) are associated with extended lifespan of yeast, fruit flies and worms. SIRT1, the human homolog of Sir2, that controls numerous physiological processes including the glucose metabolism, is considered a candidate gene for predicting variation in human lifespan. Whereas the role of Sir2 has been extensively investigated in model organisms, less is known about the relation between SIRT1 and lifespan in humans. In the current study we included 1,390 subjects from a general population-based cohort with 18 years of follow-up to investigate associations between variation in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SIRT1 gene and human survival. Additionally in 535 male subjects with available data we investigated associations between SIRT1 and glucose tolerance. Carriers of the minor allele of rs12778366 had a significantly reduced mortality risk compared to the wild types: Hazard Ratio 0.69 (95% CI 0.50 to 0.96; p = 0.025). The directions of the effect were the same in females and males, never and ever smokers and the effect was significantly protective in overweight/obese subjects. Carriers of the minor allele of SNP rs12778366 had better glucose tolerance indicated by 0.34 mmol/l lower glucose levels compared to wild type subjects (p = 0.03). This study shows that SIRT1 affects human long-term survival and therefore may be an important factor in modulating lifespan not only in lower organisms, but also in humans.