Field Performance of Xanthosoma sagittifolium L. Schott Minitubers Grown Under the Influence of Poultry Manure and NPK Fertilizers: Changes in Content of Some Secondary Metabolites

The response of white and red cultivar (cv) cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) minituber seeds to different rates of poultry manure (PM) and NPK (20:10:10) fertilizer was studied under field conditions in the 2017 cropping season on an experimental farm at Ngog Bibega, Mbankomo Sub-division, (outskirsts of Yaounde) Centre region, Cameroon. Treatment combinations comprising of three rates each of poultry manure (0, 20 and 30t ha-1) and NPK fertilizer (0, 120 and 150 kg ha-1) were factorized and fitted into a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Physico-chemical analysis of all treatment plots revealed clay loam textures and poultry manure treatment plots significantly (P<0.05) increased soil pH, organic content, total carbon and cation exchange capacity while NPK treatments significantly (p<0.05) increased available phosphorus compared to the control treatments. Poultry manure(30t ha-1) treatments significantly (P<0.05) enhanced plant height, leaf number and leaf area in both cultivars after 6 months of growth as compared to all other treatments. Under the same treatments of poultry manure (30t ha-1) the white cultivar plants recorded the most significant mean yield parameters after 9 months of growth. The average tuber number per plant (8), tuber weight (250g), tuber length (14cm) and tuber girth (18.5cm) compared to the red cultivar average yield parameters: tuber number per plant (5.7), tuber weight (124.7g), tuber length (8cm) and tuber girth (14.5cm). Biochemically the application of various treatments of poultry manure and NPK fertilizers significantly (P<0.05) influenced the changes observed in the secondary metabolites studied. Two months after planting, NPK (150kg ha-1) treatments showed the most significant phenolic content (1.22±0.13mg eq catechin.g-1 FW) and flavonoid content (1.08±0.16mg g-1 FW) in white cv cocoyam plants. After 6 months of growth, the poultry manure (30t ha-1) treatments recorded the most significant protein content (5.04±0.38mg eq BSA.g-1 FW) and peroxidase activity (4.89±1.36 UE min-1) in white cv cocoyam plants while red cv cocoyam plants had the most significant glucanase activity (9.33±1.17 mg eq glucose g-1 FW). NPK (150kg ha-1) treatments in white cv cocoyam plants recorded the most significant polyphenol oxidase activity (4.99±0.10 in D330 nm-1 min-1 UE-1 g-1 FW) 6 months after planting. Keywords: Xanthosoma sagittifolium L. Schott; Minitubers; cation exchange capacity; Poultry manure; NPK fertilizers; yield parameters and secondary metabolites. DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/9-20-05 Publication date:October 31st 201

Genome-Wide Transcriptional Analysis and Functional Validation Linked a Cluster of Epsilon Glutathione S-Transferases with Insecticide Resistance in the Major Malaria Vector Anopheles funestus across Africa

Resistance is threatening the effectiveness of insecticide-based interventions in use for malaria control. Pinpointing genes associated with resistance is crucial for evidence-based resistance management targeting the major malaria vectors. Here, a combination of RNA-seq based genome-wide transcriptional analysis and RNA-silencing in vivo functional validation were used to identify key insecticide resistance genes associated with DDT and DDT/permethrin cross-resistance across Africa. A cluster of glutathione-S-transferase from epsilon group were found to be overexpressed in resistant populations of Anopheles funestus across Africa including GSTe1 [Cameroon (fold change, FC: 2.54), Ghana (4.20), Malawi (2.51)], GSTe2 [Cameroon (4.47), Ghana (7.52), Malawi (2.13)], GSTe3 [Cameroon (2.49), Uganda (2.60)], GSTe4 in Ghana (3.47), GSTe5 [Ghana (2.94), Malawi (2.26)], GSTe6 [Cameroun (3.0), Ghana (3.11), Malawi (3.07), Uganda (3.78)] and GSTe7 (2.39) in Ghana. Validation of GSTe genes expression profiles by qPCR confirmed that the genes are differentially expressed across Africa with a greater overexpression in DDT-resistant mosquitoes. RNAi-based knock-down analyses supported that five GSTe genes are playing a major role in resistance to pyrethroids (permethrin and deltamethrin) and DDT in An. funestus, with a significant recovery of susceptibility observed when GSTe2, 3, 4, 5 and GSTe6 were silenced. These findings established that GSTe3, 4, 5 and 6 contribute to DDT resistance and should be further characterized to identify their specific genetic variants, to help design DNA-based diagnostic assays, as previously done for the 119F-GSTe2 mutation. This study highlights the role of GSTes in the development of resistance to insecticides in malaria vectors and calls for actions to mitigate this resistance

Partial characterization, antioxidative properties and hypolipidemic effects of oilseed cake of Allanblackia floribunda and Jatropha curcas

BACKGROUND: High fat diet is known to induce oxidative stress and abnormal changes in lipid metabolism. Many traditional plants have been shown to possess antioxidant and lipid-lowering activities, improving on oxidative status and lipid profile. In this paper, we characterized and examined the antioxidative properties of the oilseed cake of A. floribunda and J. curcas. We also evaluated their effect on lipid profile in the plasma and liver of experimental rats placed on a high fat diet. METHODS: For a partial characterization, the qualitative and quantitative analyses of storage proteins, dietary fibre and polyphenol content were evaluated. Four extracts (aqueous, ethanolic, methanolic and 0.1 N HCl) were evaluated for their antioxidant properties and scavenging activities. The effect on lipid profile was evaluated after the administration of the crude extracts to albino rats placed on a high fat diet. RESULTS: Our results showed that J. curcas contains 10 times more storage proteins than A. floribunda while A. floribunda contains twice as much total dietary fibre than J. curcas. An evaluation of the different families of storage proteins showed that J. curcas has glutelins as the major storage proteins in its seeds (61.65 mg/g d.m), followed by globulins (25.30 mg/g d.m) and albumins (18.30 mg/g d.m). The electrophoretic analyses revealed a diversity of bands at the level of the different families and for both species. The evaluation of the in vitro antioxidant activities showed that A. floribunda extracts had higher antioxidant properties. Although the composition of A. floribunda and J. curcas oilseed cake are different, they lowered serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and blood glucose level. CONCLUSION: These results show that the oilseed cake of A. floribunda and J. curcas possess antioxidant properties with an effect on blood glucose level and lipid profile

Amino acids, carbohydrates and heritability of resistance in Theobroma cacao/ Phythophtora megakarya interaction.

The black pod disease of cocoa (Theobroma cacao), caused by Phythophthora megakarya, is responsible for 80% loss of cocoa production in Cameroon. The principal method of ameliorating crop losses is through the use of black pod resistant and high productivity hybrid cocao clones. In order to assess the possible role of amino acids and carbohydrates in the defence of T. cacao against P. megakarya, comparative analyses (quantitative and qualitative) of sugars and amino acids were carried out on leaves of parental genotypes, ICS95, ICS84 and hybrids (families F25:♀ICS84 X ♂ICS95 and F30: ♀ICS95 X ♂ICS84 ). A reduction in soluble sugar contents of parental genotypes ICS84, ICS95 and 30% of hybrid genotypes was noted under conditions of infection. Qualitative analyses of sugars showed that most cases of infection were characterized by the disappearance of sucrose and the persistence of glucose. Amino acids content increased in 70% of genotypes after injury or infection. In parental tolerant clone ICS84 and hybrid genotypes F3011, F2551 and F2552, proline appeared solely during conditions of infection, suggesting its implication in the defence mechanism of T. cacao against P. megakarya. A significant positive relationship was observed between amino acid contents and the severity of necrosis. There was a very weak relationship between sugar and amino acid contents in parental genotype, and those of the progeny. PCA of the length of necrosis, sugar level, amino acids and phenolics showed that under infection, the increase in content of phenolic compound was concomitant with reduction in amino acid content

Inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammatory response by polysaccharide fractions of Khaya grandifoliola (C.D.C.) stem bark, Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schltr and Cymbopogon citratus Stapf leaves in raw 264.7 macrophages and U87 glioblastoma cells

Abstract Background Khaya grandifoliola (C.D.C.) stem bark, Cymbopogon citratus (Stapf) and Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schltr leaves are used in Cameroonian traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Several studies have been performed on the biological activities of secondary metabolites extracted from these plants. However, to the best of our knowledge, the anti-neuro inflammatory and protective roles of the polysaccharides of these three plants have not yet been elucidated. This study aimed at investigating potential use of K. grandifoliola, C. sanguinolenta and C. citratus polysaccharides in the prevention of chronic inflammation. Methods Firstly, the composition of polysaccharide fractions isolated from K. grandifoliola stem bark (KGF), C. sanguinolenta (CSF) and C. citratus (CCF) leaves was assessed. Secondly, the cytotoxicity was evaluated on Raw 264.7 macrophages and U87-MG glioblastoma cell lines by the MTT assay. This was followed by the in vitro evaluation of the ability of KGF, CSF and CCF to inhibit lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced overproduction of various pro-inflammatory mediators (NO, ROS and IL1β, TNFα, IL6, NF-kB cytokines). This was done in Raw 264.7 and U87-MG cells. Finally, the in vitro protective effect of KGF, CSF and CCF against LPS-induced toxicity in the U87-MG cells was evaluated. Results CCF was shown to mostly contain sugar and no polyphenol while KGP and CSP contained very few amounts of these metabolites (≤ 2%). The three polysaccharide fractions were non-toxic up to 100 μg.mL− 1. All the polysaccharides at 10 μg/mL inhibited NO production, but only KGF and CCF at 12.5 μg/mL down-regulated LPS-induced ROS overproduction. Finally, 100 μg/mL LPS reduced 50% of U87 cell viability, and pre-treatment with the three polysaccharides significantly increased the proliferation. Conclusion These results suggest that the polysaccharides of K. grandifoliola, C. citratus and C. sanguinolenta could be beneficial in preventing/treating neurodegenerative diseases in which neuroinflammation is part of the pathophysiology

Characterisation of cell wall polysaccharides, arabinogalactans-proteins (AGPs) and phenolics of Cola nitida, Cola acuminata and Garcinia kola seeds

International audienceMany Cola plant species are endemic to West and Central Africa. Cola acuminata and Cola nitida are used as masticatory when fresh, while the dried nuts are used for beverages and pharmaceutical purposes in Europe and North America. Garcinia kola seeds, that serve as a substitute for the true kola nuts, are used in African traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases, including colic, headache and liver cirrhosis. Seeds extracts of G. kola are also known for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiviral properties. To gain information on the chemical properties of the kolas, we have isolated and analyzed cell wall polysaccharides, arabinogalactan-proteins and phenolic substances from the seeds of the three kola species. The sugar composition of cell wall material of C. acuminata, C. nitida and G. kola revealed that Gal (up to 30%), Ara, GalA and Glc as the predominant monosaccharides, representing approximately 90% by mol of the total hydrolysable sugar present in this material. In Ammonium oxalate cell wall fraction, GalA was found to be the major sugar present in all kola species. In the alkali-soluble fraction, there were significant differences in the level of Glc and Gal. The level of Glc was high in C. acuminata and C. nitida while the level of Gal and Xyl were high in C. nitida and G. cola. Isolation and quantification of arabinogalactan-proteins demonstrate that G. kola seeds contained four to eight times more of these proteoglycans than the seeds of the other two species. Finally, analysis of soluble phenolic substances shows that caffeine and catechin were largely represented in C. acumina and C. nitida seeds, with caffeine accounting for 50% of all soluble phenolics. These findings indicate that the three Kola seeds are highly enriched in pectins and proteoglycans and that C. acuminata and C. nitida can be used as a possible source of caffeine and catechin

Enhanced poly(3-hydroxypropionate) production via β-alanine pathway in recombinant <i>Escherichia coli</i>

<div><p>Poly(3-hydroxypropionate) (P3HP) is a thermoplastic with great compostability and biocompatibility, and can be produced through several biosynthetic pathways, in which the glycerol pathway achieved the highest P3HP production. However, exogenous supply of vitamin B₁₂ was required to maintain the activity of glycerol dehydratase, resulting in high production cost. To avoid the addition of VB₁₂, we have previously constructed a P3HP biosynthetic route with β-alanine as intermediate, and the present study aimed to improve the P3HP production of this pathway. L-aspartate decarboxylase PanD was found to be the rate-limiting enzyme in the β-alanine pathway firstly. To improve the pathway efficiency, PanD was screened from four different sources (<i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>, <i>Pseudomonas fluorescens</i>, and <i>Corynebacterium glutamicum</i>). And PanD from <i>C</i>. <i>glutamicum</i> was found to have the highest activity, the P3HP production was improved in flask cultivation with this enzyme. To further improve the production, the host strain was screened and the culture condition was optimized. Under optimal conditions, production and content of P3HP reached to 10.2 g/L and 39.1% (wt/wt [cell dry weight]) in an aerobic fed-batch fermentation. To date, this is the highest P3HP production without VB₁₂.</p></div