Formation and distribution of food reserves during autumn and their subsequent utilization in jack pine

Five Pinus banksiana (Lamb.) seedlings were fed 50 μCi of 14CO2 (1 Ci = 37 GBq) per seedling in August and at 2-week intervals another set of five trees was fed until December for a total of 10 feedings. Trees of each set were sampled from January to June, in their dormant frost hardy phase and in their growing phase. Sampled trees were separated into needles, bark, xylem, and roots, freeze-dried, and ground. Samples of ground tissues were extracted sequentially for saponifiable and nonsaponifiable lipids, starch, lignin, hemicelluloses, and cellulose. Some protein, amino acids, and sugars were also extracted.In the dormant trees the total amount of 14C in the tissues decreased from August to December except for the needles where it increased towards December. Considerable amounts of 14C occurred in the structural components of the early feedings. The 14C distribution among the chemical components within the tissues was fairly similar over the entire feeding period except for an increase in root starch, xylem lipids, and sugars. No 14C occurred in the amino acids. A drastic reduction in 14C occurred with the onset of growth from all chemical components and little 14C occurred in the new growth.The photosynthate produced during the autumn contributes substantially more to respiration than to the buildup of reserves. In conifers the important forms of food reserves are carbohydrates and lipids. There is an increase in lipid synthesis in early fall which is chiefly restricted to the xylem. All tissue components of the tree are important for storage of food reserves but they are not of equal importance simultaneously. Food reserves do not play a direct role in wood formation of the secondary meristem which is dependent on current photosynthate. Some hemicelluloses appear to be a form of food reserve in trees.

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Nectar non-protein amino acids (NPAAs) do not change nectar palatability but enhance learning and memory in honey bees

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-90895-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Daniele Carlesso ◽

Stefania Smargiassi ◽

Elisa Pasquini ◽

Giacomo Bertelli ◽

David Baracchi

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Learning And Memory ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Feeding Preference ◽

Memory Retention ◽

Floral Nectar ◽

Olfactory Conditioning ◽

Specific Memory ◽

Protein Amino Acids ◽

Valuable Compounds

AbstractFloral nectar is a pivotal element of the intimate relationship between plants and pollinators. Nectars are composed of a plethora of nutritionally valuable compounds but also hundreds of secondary metabolites (SMs) whose function remains elusive. Here we performed a set of behavioural experiments to study whether five ubiquitous nectar non-protein amino acids (NPAAs: β-alanine, GABA, citrulline, ornithine and taurine) interact with gustation, feeding preference, and learning and memory in Apis mellifera. We showed that foragers were unable to discriminate NPAAs from water when only accessing antennal chemo-tactile information and that freely moving bees did not exhibit innate feeding preferences for NPAAs. Also, NPAAs did not alter food consumption or longevity in caged bees over 10 days. Taken together our data suggest that natural concentrations of NPAAs did not alter nectar palatability to bees. Olfactory conditioning assays showed that honey bees were more likely to learn a scent when it signalled a sucrose reward containing either β-alanine or GABA, and that GABA enhanced specific memory retention. Conversely, when ingested two hours prior to conditioning, GABA, β-alanine, and taurine weakened bees’ acquisition performances but not specific memory retention, which was enhanced in the case of β-alanine and taurine. Neither citrulline nor ornithine affected learning and memory. NPAAs in nectars may represent a cooperative strategy adopted by plants to attract beneficial pollinators.

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Protection of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) seedlings from salinity stress following seed priming with L-methionine and casein hydrolysate

Seed Science Research ◽

10.1017/s0960258520000409 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Keum-Ah Lee ◽

Youngnam Kim ◽

Hossein Alizadeh ◽

David W.M. Leung

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Amino Acids ◽

Salinity Stress ◽

Lolium Multiflorum ◽

Casein Hydrolysate ◽

Seed Priming ◽

Germination Percentage ◽

Italian Ryegrass ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Protein Amino Acids

Abstract Seed priming with water (hydropriming or HP) has been shown to be beneficial for seed germination and plant growth. However, there is little information on the effects of seed priming with amino acids and casein hydrolysate (CH) compared with HP, particularly in relation to early post-germinative seedling growth under salinity stress. In this study, Italian ryegrass seeds (Lolium multiflorum L.) were primed with 1 mM of each of the 20 protein amino acids and CH (200 mg l−1) before they were germinated in 0, 60 and 90 mM NaCl in Petri dishes for 4 d in darkness. Germination percentage (GP), radicle length (RL) and peroxidase (POD) activity in the root of 4-d-old Italian ryegrass seedlings were investigated. Generally, when the seeds were germinated in 0, 60 and 90 mM NaCl, there was no significant difference in GP of seeds among various priming treatments, except that a higher GP was observed in seeds of HP treatment compared with the non-primed seeds when incubated in 60 mM NaCl. When incubated in 60 and 90 mM NaCl, seedlings from seeds primed with L-methionine or CH exhibited greater RL (greater protection against salinity stress) and higher root POD activity than those from non-primed and hydro-primed seeds. Under salinity stress, there were higher levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the root of 4-d-old Italian ryegrass seedlings, a marker of oxidative stress, but seed priming with CH was effective in reducing the salinity-triggered increase in MDA content. These results suggest that priming with L-methionine or CH would be better than HP for the protection of seedling root growth under salinity stress and might be associated with enhanced antioxidative defence against salinity-induced oxidative stress.

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The key amino acids of E protein involved in early flavivirus infection: viral entry

Virology Journal ◽

10.1186/s12985-021-01611-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tao Hu ◽

Zhen Wu ◽

Shaoxiong Wu ◽

Shun Chen ◽

Anchun Cheng

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Conformational Changes ◽

Viral Entry ◽

Envelope Protein ◽

Cell Attachment ◽

Envelope Proteins ◽

Infection Process ◽

Early Infection ◽

Protein Amino Acids ◽

Α Helix

AbstractFlaviviruses are enveloped viruses that infect multiple hosts. Envelope proteins are the outermost proteins in the structure of flaviviruses and mediate viral infection. Studies indicate that flaviviruses mainly use envelope proteins to bind to cell attachment receptors and endocytic receptors for the entry step. Here, we present current findings regarding key envelope protein amino acids that participate in the flavivirus early infection process. Among these sites, most are located in special positions of the protein structure, such as the α-helix in the stem region and the hinge region between domains I and II, motifs that potentially affect the interaction between different domains. Some of these sites are located in positions involved in conformational changes in envelope proteins. In summary, we summarize and discuss the key envelope protein residues that affect the entry process of flaviviruses, including the process of their discovery and the mechanisms that affect early infection.

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Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of genus Fritillaria—a review

Bulletin of the National Research Centre ◽

10.1186/s42269-021-00577-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ishrat Rashid ◽

Ubaid Yaqoob

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Nervous System ◽

Heart Diseases ◽

Burning Sensation ◽

Chest Injury ◽

Chemical Components ◽

Volatile Components ◽

Main Body ◽

Pharmaceutically Active Compounds ◽

Dynamic Components

Abstract Background Genus Fritillaria is one among the biggest genera of family Liliaceae comprising of around 130–165 species. Fritillaria is viewed as a significant genus and a source of significant pharmaceutically active compounds utilized in conventional drugs by folklore. Fritillaria is utilized worldwide as medication and food. Different chemically dynamic components separated from genus Fritillaria, their phytochemistry with structure and pharmacology of these compounds have been extensively reviewed. Main body Fritillaria is utilized for treatment of dyspepsia, chest injury, tuberculosis, cough, asthma, gout, bronchitis, dysuria, sinus, boils, stomatitis, malaria, insanity, anaemia, immunity promoter, remedy for child emaciation, fever, burning sensation, phthisis and broncho-asthma, heart diseases, dysfunction of breathing and nervous system, etc. Different chemical components isolated from genus Fritillaria include around 120 alkaloids, 15 terpenoids as well as saponins, glycosides, volatile components, nucleosides, amino acids, nucleobases, flavonoids, fatty acids and so forth. Conclusions Many Fritillaria species have been utilized in traditional Chinese medication on account of their effects of clearing heat, moistening the lung, alleviating cough, asthma, tumours, scrofula and so on. Fritillaria is utilized for treatment of dyspepsia, chest injury, tuberculosis, cough, asthma, gout, bronchitis, dysuria, sinus, boils, stomatitis, malaria, insanity, anaemia, immunity promoter, remedy for child emaciation, also for fever, burning sensation, phthisis and broncho-asthma, heart diseases, dysfunction of breathing and nervous system, etc.

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Ileal digestibility of protein and amino acids of feed peas with different trypsin inhibitor activity in pigs

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4141/a99-075 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 80 (4) ◽

pp. 643-652 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

F. Grosjean ◽

C. Jondreville ◽

I. Williatte-Hazouard ◽

F. Skiba ◽

B. Carrouée ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Trypsin Inhibitor ◽

Crude Protein ◽

Trypsin Inhibitor Activity ◽

Rectal Anastomosis ◽

Inhibitor Activity ◽

Ileal Digestibility ◽

Physical Chemical ◽

Protein Amino Acids ◽

Weight Proportion

Ileal digestibility of protein and amino acids was measured in pigs fed 13 round, tannin-free peas samples and related to the following physical, chemical and biological characteristics of these samples: thousand-seed weight, proportion of hulls, starch, fibre, crude protein, ether extract and ash contents, trypsin inhibitor activity and trypsin inhibitor activity per unit of crude protein (TIAP). Each pea sample was included in a diet containing starch, sucrose, minerals and vitamins and fed to four barrows (50 to 100 kg) fitted with an end-to-end ileo-rectal anastomosis. Standardised ileal protein and amino acid digestibilities, except for alanine of peas decreased linearly with increasing TIAP (P < 0.01) and was not affected by fiber content. For example standardized ileal digestibilities values (%) decreased by −0.1975, −0.1617, −0.2171, −0.2630, −0.2029 and −0.3536 per unit of TIAP (expressed in unit of trypsin inhibited per milligram crude protein), respectively, for crude protein and lysine, threonine, methionine, cystine and tryptophan. Key words: Peas, trypsin inhibitor activity, standardised ileal digestibilities, protein, amino acids, pig

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A working hypothesis on the interdependent genesis of nucleotide bases, protein amino acids, and primitive genetic code

Origins of Life ◽

10.1007/bf00931385 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 197-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Fujio Egami

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Genetic Code ◽

Working Hypothesis ◽

Protein Amino Acids ◽

Nucleotide Bases

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Free protein amino acids of some Mediterranean Siphonales

Biochemical Systematics and Ecology ◽

10.1016/0305-1978(84)90005-x ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 19-21

Author(s):

Lorenzo de Napoli ◽

Ernesto Fattorusso ◽

Luciano Mayol ◽

Ettore Novellino

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Free Protein ◽

Protein Amino Acids

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BIOSYNTHESIS IN ISOLATED ACETABULARIA CHLOROPLASTS

The Journal of Cell Biology ◽

10.1083/jcb.54.2.279 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 279-294 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

David C. Shephard ◽

Wendy B. Levin

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Protein Synthesis ◽

Amino Acid ◽

Technical Problems ◽

Hydrolyzed Protein ◽

Protein Amino Acids ◽

Amino Acid Labeling ◽

Labeling Pattern

The ability of chloroplasts isolated from Acetabulana mediterranea to synthesize the protein amino acids has been investigated. When this chloroplast isolate was presented with 14CO2 for periods of 6–8 hr, tracer was found in essentially all amino acid species of their hydrolyzed protein Phenylalanine labeling was not detected, probably due to technical problems, and hydroxyproline labeling was not tested for The incorporation of 14CO2 into the amino acids is driven by light and, as indicated by the amount of radioactivity lost during ninhydrin decarboxylation on the chromatograms, the amino acids appear to be uniformly labeled. The amino acid labeling pattern of the isolate is similar to that found in plastids labeled with 14CO2 in vivo. The chloroplast isolate did not utilize detectable amounts of externally supplied amino acids in light or, with added adenosine triphosphate (ATP), in darkness. It is concluded that these chloroplasts are a tight cytoplasmic compartment that is independent in supplying the amino acids used for its own protein synthesis. These results are discussed in terms of the role of contaminants in the observed synthesis, the "normalcy" of Acetabularia chloroplasts, the synthetic pathways for amino acids in plastids, and the implications of these observations for cell compartmentation and chloroplast autonomy.

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Assessment and determination of lyoprotectant for survival of freeze-dried Lactobacillus rhamnosus

Acta Universitatis Cibiniensis Series E Food Technology ◽

10.1515/aucft-2016-0009 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 105-113

Author(s):

Zongcheng Miao ◽

Yang Zhao ◽

Xiaoping Huo

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Fractional Factorial Design ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Lactobacillus Rhamnosus ◽

Fractional Factorial ◽

Practical Application ◽

Steepest Ascent ◽

Freeze Dried ◽

Viable Bacteria

Abstract Currently research of lactic acid bacteria focus primarily on the functional probiotics, which are major beneficial biota in the gastrointestinal tract, have been industrial manufactured. Probiotics confer health benefits on the host need adequate amounts. However, the absence of data makes it difficult to ensure the maintenance biological activities and population of probiotic. In this research, a fractional factorial design and steepest ascent experiment were used to analyze the influence of lyoprotectant as carbohydrates, prebiotics and amino acids on the survival of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus. The results indicated a maximum survival rate and population of viable bacteria of L. rhamnosus to be 55.84 % and 1.60 ×1011 CFU/g after freeze-dried by using a combination of 10 g/100mL Sucrose, 2.5 g/100mL Isomaltooligosaccharide, 12 g/100mL Hydroxyproline. To a large extent, the survival and viability were dependent on the cryoprotectant used and make probiotics more attractive from a practical application in industrial viewpoint.

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