Synthesis of Broad-Specificity Activity-Based Probes for Exo-β-Mannosidases

Exo--mannosidases are a broad class of stereochemically retaining hydrolases that are essential for the breakdown of complex carbohydrate substrates found in all kingdoms of life. Yet the detection of exo--mannosidases...

Formulasi food bars berbahan baku koro pedang putih (Canavalia ensiformis) autoclaving - cooling

White jackbean is type of bean that grows in tropical and subtropical areas. White jackbean has large protein and complex carbohydrate content. The autoclaving - cooling process can be used to change starch into resistant starch in the white jackbe an flour through gelatinization and retrogradation processes. White jackbean flour treated with autoclaving – cooling process can be used as a raw material for the formulation of food bars. Currently food bars have been in great demand along with the needs to consume healthy and nutritious ready-to-eat food. This study aims to determine the appropriate formulation of white jack bean flour treated with autoclaving – cooling process to produce food bars with the best physical, chemical and organoleptic properties.The results showed that the best formulation is the formulation of white jackbean flour : wheat flour = 60 : 40 with 48.81% carbohydrate content, 14.87% protein content, 16.57% fat content, 17.07% moisture content, 2.68% ash content, 2269.3 gf breaking strength, 6.43 N texture, 79.59 color (L), 15.71 color (a), 17.21 color (b), 4.02 color organoleptic, 3.88 flavor organoleptic, 3.83 aroma organoleptic, 3.83 texture organoleptic. and 11,38% resistant starch content.

Phenotypic and genomic diversification in complex carbohydrate degrading human gut bacteria

Symbiotic bacteria are responsible for the majority of complex carbohydrate digestion in the human colon. Since the identities and amounts of dietary polysaccharides directly impact the gut microbiota, determining which microorganisms consume specific nutrients is central to defining the relationship between diet and gut microbial ecology. Using a custom phenotyping array, we determined carbohydrate utilization profiles for 354 members of the Bacteroidetes, a dominant saccharolytic phylum. There was wide variation in the numbers and types of substrates degraded by individual bacteria, but phenotype-based clustering grouped members of the same species indicating that each species performs characteristic roles. The ability to utilize dietary polysaccharides and endogenous mucin glycans was negatively correlated, suggesting exclusion between these niches. By analyzing related Bacteroides ovatus/xylanisolvens strains that vary in their ability to utilize mucin glycans, we addressed whether gene clusters that confer this complex, multi-locus trait are being gained or lost in individual strains. Pangenome reconstruction of these strains revealed a remarkably mosaic architecture in which genes involved in polysaccharide metabolism are highly variable and bioinformatics data provide evidence of interspecies gene transfer that might explain this genomic heterogeneity. Global transcriptomic analyses suggest that the ability to utilize mucin has been lost in some lineages of B. ovatus and B. xylanisolvens, which still harbor residual gene clusters that are involved in mucin utilization by strains that still actively express this phenotype. Our data provide insight into the breadth and complexity of carbohydrate metabolism in the microbiome and the underlying genomic events that shape these behaviors.

A U.S. survey of pre-operative carbohydrate-containing beverage use in colorectal enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs

Background Carbohydrate-containing drinks (CCD) are administered preoperatively in most enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs. It is not known which types of CCDs are used, e.g., simple vs. complex carbohydrate, and if the choice of drink differs in patients with diabetes. Methods A national survey was performed to characterize the use of preoperative CCDs within the context of adult colorectal ERAS programs. The survey had questions regarding the use of preoperative CCDs, the types of beverages used, and the timing of beverage administration. The survey was administered electronically to members of the American Society for Enhanced Recovery (ASER) and manually to participants at the 2018 Perioperative Quality and Enhanced Recovery Conference in San Francisco, CA. Results Responses were received from 78 unique hospitals with a colorectal ERAS program of which 68 (87.2%) reported administering a preoperative drink. Of these, 98.5%, 80.9%, and 60.3% of hospitals administered a beverage to patients without diabetes, patients with diabetes not taking insulin, and patients with diabetes taking insulin, respectively. Surprisingly, one third of programs that administered a beverage to patients with diabetes used a simple carbohydrate drink. Conclusions This survey finds a high use of CHO-containing beverages in colorectal ERAS programs. More than half of all programs administer a CHO-containing beverage to patients with diabetes, and surprisingly, there is significant use of simple carbohydrate beverages in patients with diabetes receiving insulin.

Alpha-Fetoprotein Binding Mucin and Scavenger Receptors: An Available Bio-Target for Treating Cancer

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) entrance into cancer cells is mediated by AFP receptors (AFPRs) and exerts malignant effects. Therefore, understanding the structure of AFPRs will facilitate the development of rational approaches for vaccine design, drug delivery, antagonizing immune suppression and diagnostic imaging to treat cancer effectively. Throughout the last three decades, the identification of universal receptors for AFP has failed due to their complex carbohydrate polymer structures. Here, we focused on the two types of binding proteins or receptors that may serve as AFPRs, namely, the A) mucin receptors family, and B) the scavenger family. We presented an informative review with detailed descriptions of the signal transduction, cross-talk, and interplay of various transcription factors which highlight the downstream events following AFP binding to mucin or scavenger receptors. We mainly explored the underlying mechanisms involved mucin or scavenger receptors that interact with AFP, provide more evidence to support these receptors as tumor AFPRs, and establish a theoretical basis for targeting therapy of cancer.

Sustainable drug release from polycaprolactone coated chitin-lignin gel fibrous scaffolds

Non-healing wounds have placed an enormous stress on both patients and healthcare systems worldwide. Severe complications induced by these wounds can lead to limb amputation or even death and urgently require more effective treatments. Electrospun scaffolds have great potential for improving wound healing treatments by providing controlled drug delivery. Previously, we developed fibrous scaffolds from complex carbohydrate polymers [i.e. chitin-lignin (CL) gels]. However, their application was limited by solubility and undesirable burst drug release. Here, a coaxial electrospinning is applied to encapsulate the CL gels with polycaprolactone (PCL). Presence of a PCL shell layer thus provides longer shelf-life for the CL gels in a wet environment and sustainable drug release. Antibiotics loaded into core–shell fibrous platform effectively inhibit both gram-positive and -negative bacteria without inducting observable cytotoxicity. Therefore, PCL coated CL fibrous gel platforms appear to be good candidates for controlled drug release based wound dressing applications.

Validation of a Rapid GC-MS Procedure for Quantitative Distinction between 3-O-Methyl- and 4-O-Methyl-Hexoses and Its Application to a Complex Carbohydrate Sample

Methylation of one hydroxyl group of monosaccharides occurs in some bacteria, fungi, worms, molluscs, and also in plants. Although knowledge on the exact functions of this process is missing, methylation is an option to modulate glycan structures thereby leading to new biological activities. In plants, methylated monosaccharides are often present in minor amounts and, therefore, overseen in analytical investigations. A special difficulty is the distinction between 3-O-methyl- and 4-O-methyl-hexoses, due to similar fragmentation patterns of methylated alditol acetates in gas-chromatography with mass spectrometric detection and, in the case of galactose, identical retention times due to symmetry. We, therefore, developed and validated an easy method for the quantitative distinction between 3-O-methyl- and 4-O-methyl-hexoses and showed its functionality by quantification of 3-O-methyl galactose in a high molecular weight polysaccharide mixture from the charophyte Spirogyra. A systematic search for methylated monosaccharides in different plant lineages may offer new insights in plant cell wall evolution.