scholarly journals Absence of Cyanotoxins in Llayta, Edible Nostocaceae Colonies from the Andes Highlands

Toxins ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Galetović ◽  
Joana Azevedo ◽  
Raquel Castelo-Branco ◽  
Flavio Oliveira ◽  
Benito Gómez-Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Food Ingredient ◽  
Chemical Methods ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Mcye Gene ◽  
Safe Food

Edible Llayta are cyanobacterial colonies consumed in the Andes highlands. Llayta and four isolated cyanobacteria strains were tested for cyanotoxins (microcystin, nodularin, cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxin and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine—BMAA) using molecular and chemical methods. All isolates were free of target genes involved in toxin biosynthesis. Only DNA from Llayta amplified the mcyE gene. Presence of microcystin-LR and BMAA in Llayta extracts was discarded by LC/MS analyses. The analysed Llayta colonies have an incomplete microcystin biosynthetic pathway and are a safe food ingredient.

scholarly journals MPI depletion enhances O-GlcNAcylation of p53 and suppresses the Warburg effect

eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nataly Shtraizent ◽  
Charles DeRossi ◽  
Shikha Nayar ◽  
Ravi Sachidanandam ◽  
Liora S Katz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Warburg Effect ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Cellular Proliferation ◽  
Metabolic Enzyme ◽  
Chemical Methods ◽  
Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Glycolytic Intermediate ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
The Warburg Effect

Rapid cellular proliferation in early development and cancer depends on glucose metabolism to fuel macromolecule biosynthesis. Metabolic enzymes are presumed regulators of this glycolysis-driven metabolic program, known as the Warburg effect; however, few have been identified. We uncover a previously unappreciated role for Mannose phosphate isomerase (MPI) as a metabolic enzyme required to maintain Warburg metabolism in zebrafish embryos and in both primary and malignant mammalian cells. The functional consequences of MPI loss are striking: glycolysis is blocked and cells die. These phenotypes are caused by induction of p53 and accumulation of the glycolytic intermediate fructose 6-phosphate, leading to engagement of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP), increased O-GlcNAcylation, and p53 stabilization. Inhibiting the HBP through genetic and chemical methods reverses p53 stabilization and rescues the Mpi-deficient phenotype. This work provides mechanistic evidence by which MPI loss induces p53, and identifies MPI as a novel regulator of p53 and Warburg metabolism.

scholarly journals Leishmania donovani Polyamine Biosynthetic Enzyme Overproducers as Tools To Investigate the Mode of Action of Cytotoxic Polyamine Analogs

2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 438-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigrid C. Roberts ◽  
Yuqui Jiang ◽  
Judith Gasteier ◽  
Benjamin Frydman ◽  
Laurence J. Marton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mode Of Action ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Leishmania Donovani ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Biosynthetic Enzymes ◽  
General Strategy ◽  
Biosynthetic Enzyme ◽  
High Level ◽  
Polyamine Analogs

ABSTRACT A number of anticancer and antiparasitic drugs are postulated to target the polyamine biosynthetic pathway and polyamine function, but the exact mode of action of these compounds is still being elucidated. To establish whether polyamine analogs specifically target enzymes of the polyamine pathway, a model was developed using strains of the protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani that overproduce each of the polyamine biosynthetic enzymes. Promastigotes overexpressing episomal constructs encoding ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (ADOMETDC), or spermidine synthase (SPDSYN) revealed robust overproduction of the corresponding polyamine biosynthetic enzyme. Polyamine pools, however, were either unchanged or only marginally affected, implying that regulatory mechanisms must exist. The ODC, ADOMETDC, and SPDSYN overproducer strains exhibited a high level of resistance to difluoromethylornithine, 5′-{[(Z)-4-amino-2-butenyl]methylamino}-5′-deoxyadenosine, and n-butylamine, respectively, confirming previous observations that these agents specifically target polyamine enzymes. Conversely, augmented levels of polyamine biosynthetic enzymes did not affect the sensitivity of L. donovani promastigotes to pentamidine, berenil, and mitoguazone, drugs that were postulated to target the polyamine pathway, implying alternative and/or additional targets for these agents. The sensitivities of wild-type and overproducing parasites to a variety of polyamine analogs were also tested. The polyamine enzyme-overproducing lines offer a rapid cell-based screen for assessing whether synthetic polyamine analogs exert their mechanism of action predominantly on the polyamine biosynthetic pathway in L. donovani. Furthermore, the drug resistance engendered by the amplification of target genes and the overproduction of the encoded protein offers a general strategy for evaluating and developing therapeutic agents that target specific proteins in Leishmania.

scholarly journals Functional Analysis of Sterol O-Acyltransferase Involved in the Biosynthetic Pathway of Pachymic Acid in Wolfiporia cocos

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 143
Author(s):  
Wenjun Zhu ◽  
Ying Liu ◽  
Jing Tang ◽  
Heping Liu ◽  
Naliang Jing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acid Production ◽  
Chemical Structure ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Antioxidant Activities ◽  
Acid Synthesis ◽  
Active Components ◽  
Pachymic Acid ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass

Pachymic acid from Wolfiporia cocos possesses important medicinal values including anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, invigorating, anti-rejection, anti-tumor, and antioxidant activities. However, little is known about the biosynthetic pathway from lanostane to pachymic acid. In particular, the associated genes in the biosynthetic pathway have not been characterized, which limits the high-efficiency obtaining and application of pachymic acid. To characterize the synthetic pathway and genes involved in pachymic acid synthesis, in this study, we identified 11 triterpenoids in W. cocos using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and inferred the putative biosynthetic pathway from lanostane to pachymic acid based on analyzing the chemical structure of triterpenoids and the transcriptome data. In addition, we identified a key gene in the biosynthetic pathway encoding W. cocos sterol O-acyltransferase (WcSOAT), which catalyzes tumolusic acid to pachymic acid. The results show that silence of WcSOAT gene in W. cocos strain led to reduction of pachymic acid production, whereas overexpression of this gene increased pachymic acid production, indicating that WcSOAT is involved in pachymic acid synthesis in W. cocos and the biosynthesis of W. cocos pachymic acid is closely dependent on the expression of WcSOAT gene. In summary, the biosynthetic pathway of pachymic acid and the associated genes complement our knowledge on the biosynthesis of W. cocos pachymic acid and other triterpenoids, and also provides a reference for target genes modification for exploring high-efficiency obtaining of active components.

scholarly journals AG-205 Upregulates Enzymes Involved in Cholesterol Biosynthesis and Steroidogenesis in Human Endometrial Cells Independently of PGRMC1 and Related MAPR Proteins

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1472
Author(s):  
Charlotte Thieffry ◽  
Marie Van Wynendaele ◽  
Asena Aynaci ◽  
Mauriane Maja ◽  
Caroline Dupuis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Cholesterol Biosynthesis ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Endometrial Cell ◽  
Endometrial Cells ◽  
Warning Messages ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Cholesterol Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Related Proteins

An inappropriate response to progestogens in the human endometrium can result in fertility issues and jeopardize progestin-based treatments against pathologies such as endometriosis. PGRMC1 can mediate progesterone response in the breast and ovaries but its endometrial functions remain unknown. AG-205 is an alleged PGRMC1 inhibitor but its specificity was recently questioned. We added AG-205 in the cultures of two endometrial cell lines and performed a transcriptomic comparison. AG-205 significantly increased expression of genes coding enzymes of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway or of steroidogenesis. However, these observations were not reproduced with cells transfected with siRNA against PGRMC1 or its related proteins (MAPRs). Furthermore, AG-205 retained its ability to increase expression of selected target genes even when expression of PGRMC1 or all MAPRs was concomitantly downregulated, indicating that neither PGRMC1 nor any MAPR is required to mediate AG-205 effect. In conclusion, although AG-205 has attractive effects encouraging its use to develop therapeutic strategies, for instance against breast cancer, our study delivers two important warning messages. First, AG-205 is not specific for PGRMC1 or other MAPRs and its mechanisms of action remain unclear. Second, due to its effects on genes involved in steroidogenesis, its use may increase the risk for endometrial pathologies resulting from imbalanced hormones concentrations.

scholarly journals Transcriptome Analysis of Aconitum carmichaelii and Exploration of the Salsolinol Biosynthetic Pathway

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxia Yang ◽  
Ping Hu ◽  
Xianjian Zhou ◽  
Ping Wu ◽  
Xinxin Si ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptome Analysis ◽  
Theoretical Basis ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Shikimate Pathway ◽  
Biosynthesis Pathway ◽  
Alkaloid Biosynthesis ◽  
Diterpenoid Alkaloids ◽  
Protein Databases ◽  
Aconitum Carmichaelii

Abstract Background Aconitum carmichaelii has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating various diseases for several thousand years. The biosynthetic pathway of some alkaloids such as C19-diterpenoid alkaloids has been reported, but pathways in different varieties of A. carmichaelii remain unknown. Herein, we performed transcriptome analysis of varieties A. carmichaelii and characterized the biosynthetic pathway of salsolinol. The results expand our knowledge of alkaloids biosynthesis, and provide a theoretical basis for analysing differences in alkaloids biosynthesis patterns in different varieties. Results A total of 56 million raw reads (8.28 G) and 55 million clean reads (8.24 G) were obtained from two varieties (Z175 and R184) leaf transcriptomes, respectively, and 176,793 unigenes were annotated using six protein databases. This yielded 6,873 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the two varieties, of which 281 are involved in the salsolinol biosynthetic pathway, including 158 and 75 related to glycolysis and the shikimate pathway, respectively. Furthermore, 843 DEGs were found to be involved in the formation of C19-diterpenoid alkaloids, with 34 differed between the two varieties. These target genes were analysed to explore differences in C19-diterpenoid alkaloid biosynthesis in Z175 and R184. In addition, 322 DEGs encoding transcription factors potentially related to alkaloid accumulation were identified. Conclusions The biosynthesis pathway for C19-diterpenoid alkaloids and salsolinol included 34 and 24 DEGs in Z175 and R184, respectively. Thus, genes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis and accumulation differ between varieties. The mechanisms underlying the differences and their relevance require further exploration.

scholarly journals Introduction of Methods to Reduce and Remove Patulin from Food Products

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parisa ZIARATI ◽  
Faezeh SHIRKHAN ◽  
Mahdieh MOSTAFIDI ◽  
Maryam Tamaskani ZAHEDI ◽  
Barbara SAWICKA
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Study ◽  
Food Contamination ◽  
Treatment Control ◽  
Chemical Methods ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Processing Control ◽  
Safe Food ◽  
And Control ◽  
Physical And Chemical

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by different species of fungi of the genus Penicillium and Aspergillus, found in several species of fruit, and significant in apples. The purpose of this investigation is to the theoretical study of food contamination mechanisms by patulin and hazard of patulin for health. Various methods of determination of patulin and the possibility of reducing its level in apple-based products were analyzed. To reduce and remove patulin, several methods have been proposed that include post-harvest patulin control in products, pre-treatment control, and control by using physical and chemical methods, post-processing control such as packaging and using methods such as activated carbon or lactic acid bacteria. The standards and comparing the amount of patulin with them can be an important help in controlling this substance throughout the production processing of safe food.

scholarly journals Absolute Configuration and Body Part Distribution of the Alkaloid 6-epi-Monanchorin from the Marine Polychaete Chaetopterus variopedatus

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1601100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larisa K. Shubina ◽  
Tatyana N. Makarieva ◽  
Vladimir A. Denisenko ◽  
Pavel S. Dmitrenok ◽  
Sergey A. Dyshlovoy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Absolute Configuration ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Secondary Alcohol ◽  
Body Part ◽  
Green Microalgae ◽  
Chemical Methods ◽  
Chaetopterus Variopedatus ◽  
Marine Polychaete

As a result of the first study on secondary metabolites from the cosmopolitan bioluminescent marine tube polychaete Chaetopterus variopedatus, a new bicyclic guanidine alkaloid, 6- epi-monanchorin (1), along with the previously known monanchorin (2) were isolated. The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods, including a cleavage of the C1–O7 bond to obtain a secondary alcohol (3), which was used to determine the absolute configurations by Mosher's method. It was found that 1 and 2 were mainly accumulated in a secreted mucus special organ of the worm (food net), where green and blue-green microalgae were detected. A biosynthetic pathway to 6- epi-monanchorin and monanchorin from dietary polyenic fatty acid precursors was proposed.

scholarly journals Fractionation and Purification of Bioactive Compounds Obtained from a Brewery Waste Stream

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Letricia Barbosa-Pereira ◽  
Ainara Pocheville ◽  
Inmaculada Angulo ◽  
Perfecto Paseiro-Losada ◽  
Jose M. Cruz
Keyword(s):  
Solid Phase ◽  
Natural Antioxidants ◽  
Additive Functional ◽  
Food Ingredient ◽  
Organoleptic Characteristics ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Solvent Residues ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industries ◽  
Safe Food

The brewery industry generates waste that could be used to yield a natural extract containing bioactive phenolic compounds. We compared two methods of purifying the crude extract—solid-phase extraction (SPE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)—with the aim of improving the quality of the final extract for potential use as safe food additive, functional food ingredient, or nutraceutical. The predominant fractions yielded by SPE were the most active, and the fraction eluted with 30% (v/v) of methanol displayed the highest antioxidant activity (0.20 g L−1), similar to that of BHA. The most active fraction yielded by SFE (EC50of 0.23 g L−1) was obtained under the following conditions: temperature 40°C, pressure 140 bar, extraction time 30 minutes, ethanol (6%) as a modifier, and modifier flow 0.2 mL min−1. Finally, we found that SFE is the most suitable procedure for purifying the crude extracts and improves the organoleptic characteristics of the product: the final extract was odourless, did not contain solvent residues, and was not strongly coloured. Therefore, natural extracts obtained from the residual stream and purified by SFE can be used as natural antioxidants with potential applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.

scholarly journals Physicochemical Properties, Nutritional and Sensory Quality of “Batuan” [Garcinia binucao (Blco.) Choisy] Fruits

2013 ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Quevedo ◽  
Antonio Laurena ◽  
Florinia Merca
Keyword(s):  
Physicochemical Properties ◽  
Sensory Evaluation ◽  
Sodium Content ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
State University ◽  
Food Ingredient ◽  
Nutrient Contents ◽  
Calcium Magnesium ◽  
Safe Food ◽  
Hedonic Scale

The physicochemical properties and nutritional profile of the different parts and stages of maturity of “batuan” [ (Blco.) Choisy] fruits in the Visayas State University (VSU) were determined using standard analytical methods to validate their use as a safe food ingredient. Sensory evaluation on the acceptability of the dry, powdered “batuan” fruits as souring agent in fish stew dish was also conducted. Proximate composition, physicochemical properties and nutrient composition between parts and fruit maturity varied to some level. The pulp which constituted the biggest part of the fruit and the immature ones contained high moisture and acidity that decreased as the fruit matured. Ash, protein, sugar, starch, total carbohydrates, total soluble solids, and sodium content were low in “batuan” fruits. The seeds contained high crude fat, crude protein, and tannin. “Batuan” fruits were also found high in vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and trace levels of zinc, copper and manganese. Crude fiber and vitamin A were concentrated in the peel, pulp and ripe fruit. Based on the 9-point Hedonic scale for sensory evaluation, the fresh and the dry, powdered “batuan” fruits were comparable to one another in terms of color, mouth feel, taste and general acceptability as souring agent for fish stew. Results showed that “batuan” fruits have good physicochemical properties and nutrient contents which are comparable or even higher than some conventional fruits used as souring agents. The powdered “batuan” fruit is a potential ready-touse souring agent for domestic consumption, food industry, and other applications.

scholarly journals L-theanine as a promising agent on brain health-promoting foods – A review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Wang ◽  
Yafeng Zheng ◽  
Chi-Tang Ho ◽  
Juqing Huang ◽  
Xuefang Guan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Functional Foods ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Social Competition ◽  
Food Ingredient ◽  
Protein Amino Acid ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Safe Food

With the aging of the population and the growing pressure of social competition, brain-related neurodegenerative diseases and mental disorders increasingly affect our quality of life and place a huge burden on health systems around world. L-theanine is a unique non-protein amino acid from tea leave, and now commercially available as a safe food ingredient in the market. This review summarizes the studies on the effects of L-theanine on various mental and brain conditions, including mental stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression, poor learning ability and memory, neurodegenerative diseases, and discusses its potential application in functional foods for brain health.

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