Editorial to the special issue “lipidomics and neurodegenerative diseases”

The contribution of dysregulation of lipid signaling and metabolism to neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s is the focus of this special issue. Here, the matter of three reviews and one research article is summarized

Prospection and Evaluation of (Hemi) Cellulolytic Enzymes Using Untreated and Pretreated Biomasses in Two Argentinean Native Termites

Saccharum officinarum bagasse (common name: sugarcane bagasse) and Pennisetum purpureum (also known as Napier grass) are among the most promising feedstocks for bioethanol production in Argentina and Brazil. In this study, both biomasses were assessed before and after acid pretreatment and following hydrolysis with Nasutitermes aquilinus andCortaritermes fulviceps termite gut digestome. The chemical composition analysis of the biomasses after diluted acid pretreatment showed that the hemicellulose fraction was partially removed. The (hemi) cellulolytic activities were evaluated in bacterial culture supernatantsof termite gut homogenates grown in treated and untreated biomasses. In all cases, we detected significantly higher endoglucanase and xylanase activities using pretreated biomasses compared to untreated biomasses, carboxymethylcellulose and xylan. Several protein bands with (hemi) cellulolytic activity were detected in zymograms and two-dimensionalgel electrophoresis. Some proteins of these bands or spots were identified as xylanolytic peptides by mass spectrometry. Finally, the diversity of cultured cellulolytic bacterial endosymbionts associated to both Argentinean native termite species was analyzed. This study describes, for the first time, bacterial endosymbionts and endogenous (hemi) cellulases of two Argentinean native termites as well as their potential application in degradation of lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production.Fil: Ben Guerrero, Emiliano. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Arneodo Larochette, Joel Demián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola; ArgentinaFil: Bombarda Campanha, Raquel. Ministerio da Agricultura Pecuaria e Abastecimento de Brasil. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria; BrasilFil: Oliveira, Patrícia Abrão de. Ministerio da Agricultura Pecuaria e Abastecimento de Brasil. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria; BrasilFil: Labate, Mônica T. Veneziano. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Cataldi, Thaís Regiani. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Campos, Eleonora. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cataldi, Ángel Adrián. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Labate, Carlos A.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Rodrigues, Clenilson Martins. Ministerio da Agricultura Pecuaria e Abastecimento de Brasil. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria; BrasilFil: Talia, Paola Monica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Analysis of tomato glycoalkaloids by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) extracted from tomato leaves and berries (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were separated and identified using optimized reversed-phase liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization (ESI) and ion trap mass spectrometry (ITMS). The ESI source polarity and chromatographic conditions were evaluated. The ESI spectra contain valuable information, which includes the mass of SGAs, the mass of the aglycones, and several characteristic fragment ions. Cleavage at the interglycosidic bonds proximal to the aglycones is the most prominent process in the ESI process. A protonated molecule, [M+H]+, accompanied by a mixed adduct ion, [M+H+Na]2+, was observed for a-tomatine (i.e., m/z 1034.7 and 528.9) and dehydrotomatine (i.e., m/z 1032.6 and 527.9) in positive ion mode spectra. The structures of these tomato glycoalkaloids were confirmed using tandem mass spectrometry. The identification of a new a-tomatine isomer glycoalkaloid, named filotomatine (MW 1033), which shares a common tetrasaccharide structure (i.e., lycotretraose) with a-tomatine and dehydrotomatine, and soladulcidine as an aglycone, is described for the first time. It occurs in significant amounts in the extracts of wild tomato foliage. Multistage mass spectrometry both of the protonated molecules and of the doubly charged ions was used for detailed structural elucidation of SGAs. Key fragmentations and regularities in fragmentation pathways are described and the fragmentation mechanisms involved are propose

Interpreting the role of the striatum during multiple phases of motor learning

The synaptic pathways in the striatum are central to basal ganglia functions including motor control, learning and organization, action selection, acquisition of motor skills, cognitive function, and emotion. Here, we review the role of the striatum and its connections in motor learning and performance. The development of new techniques to record neuronal activity and animal models of motor disorders using neurotoxin, pharmacological, and genetic manipulations are revealing pathways that underlie motor performance and motor learning, as well as how they are altered by pathophysiological mechanisms. We discuss approaches that can be used to analyze complex motor skills, particularly in rodents, and identify specific questions central to understanding how striatal circuits mediate motor learning

Assay of riboflavin in sample wines by capillary zone electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence detection

To routinely assay the concentration of riboflavin (RF) in wines, a rapid and sensitive method was developed and evaluated. The method is based on a simple sample preparation, capillary zone electrophoretic separation and laser-induced fluorescence detection (CZE-LIF). Sample-preparation required only dilution and filtration. Under optimized conditions, the limit of detection of riboflavin was 0.5 mug/L, using a hydrodynamic sample introduction of 10 s at 54 mbar. The method was fully validated: the recovery of RF in wines was >95%. The concentrations of RF within the three sample types of Italian wines investigated here ranged from 69 to 151 mug/L with a mean value(+/-SD) of 112 +/- 25 mug/L, from 74 to 193 mug/L with a mean value of 115 +/- 45,ug/L, and from 156 to 292 mug/L with a mean value of 226 +/- 40 mug/L, for white, rose and red wines, respectively. Such an accurate and highly sensitive CZE-LIF method represents a powerful improvement over previous methods in terms of sensitivity, simplicity, and efficiency. It is well suited to satisfy the demands for accurate and sensitive detection with minimal sample preparation and cleanup

Establishing the occurrence of major and minorglucosinolates in Brassicaceae by LC-ESI-hybrid linearion-trap and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonancemass spectrometry

Glucosinolates (GLSs) are sulfur-rich plant secondary metabolites which occur in a variety of cruciferous vegetables and among various classes of them, genus Brassica exhibits a rich family of these phytochemicals at high, medium and low abundances. Liquid chromatography (LC) with electrospray ionization in negative ion mode (ESI-) coupled to a hybrid quadrupole lineariontrap (LTQ) and Fouriertransformioncyclotronresonancemass spectrometer (FTICRMS) was employed for the selective and sensitive determination of intact GLSs in crude sample extracts of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. Var. italica), cauliflower (B. oleracea L. Var. Botrytis) and rocket salad (Eruca sativa L.) with a wide range of contents. When LTQ and FTICR mass analyzers are compared, the magnitude of the limit of detection was ca. 5/6-fold lower with the FTICR MS. In addition, the separation and detection by LC–ESI-FTICR MS provides a highly selective assay platform for unambiguous identification of GLSs, which can be extended to lower abundance (minor) GLSs without significant interferences of other compounds in the sample extracts. The analysis of Brassicaceae species emphasized the presence of eight minor GLSs, viz. 1-methylpropyl-GLS, 2-methylpropyl-GLS, 2-methylbutyl-GLS, 3-methylbutyl-GLS, n-pentyl-GLS, 3-methylpentyl-GLS, 4-methylpentyl-GLS and n-hexyl-GLS. The occurrence of these GLSs belonging to the saturated aliphatic side chain families C4, C5 and C6, presumably formed by chain elongation of leucine, homoleucine and dihomoleucine as primary amino acid precursors, is described. Based on their retention behavior and tandem MS spectra, all these minor compounds occurring in plant extracts of B. oleracea L. Var. italica, B. oleracea L. Var. Botrytis and E. sativa L. were tentatively identified

Synthesis and matrix properties of α-cyano-5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienic acid (CPPA) for intact proteins analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

The effectiveness of a synthesized matrix, α-cyano-5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienic acid (CPPA), for protein analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in complex samples such as foodstuff and bacterial extracts, is demonstrated. Ultraviolet (UV) absorption along with laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) experiments were systematically conducted in positive ion mode under standard Nd:YLF laser excitation with the aim of characterizing the matrix in terms of wavelength absorption and proton affinity. Besides, the results for standard proteins revealed that CPPA significantly enhanced the protein signals, reduced the spot-to-spot variability and increased the spot homogeneity. The CPPA matrix was successful employed to investigate intact microorganisms, milk and seed extracts for protein profiling. Compared to conventional matrices such as sinapinic acid (SA), α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) and 4-chloro-α-cyanocinnamic acid (CClCA), CPPA exhibited better signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios and a uniform response for most examined proteins occurring in milk, hazelnut and in intact bacterial cells of E. coli. These findings not only provide a reactive proton transfer MALDI matrix with excellent reproducibility and sensitivity, but also contribute to extending the battery of useful matrices for intact protein analysis

Mass spectrometric evidence for collisionally induced removal of H2 from monoanions of 10B nido-carborane derivatives investigated by electrospray ionization quadrupole linear ion trap and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Some newly synthesized 10B nido-carborane derivatives, i.e., 7,8-dicarba-nido-undecaborane monoanions ([7-Me-8-R-C2B9H10]-K+, R = H, butyl, hexyl, octyl and decyl), have been fully characterised and examined by electrospray ionization and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry with liquid chromatographic separation (LC/ESI-FTICR-MS). These boron-containing compounds exhibit abundant molecular ions ([M]−) at m/z 140.22631 [CB9H14]−, m/z 196.28883 [CB9H22]−, m/z 224.32032 [CB9H26]−, m/z 252.35133 [CB9H30]− and m/z 280.38354 [CB9H34]− at the normal tube lens voltage setting of −90 V, which was an instrumental parameter value selected in the tuning operation. Additional [M–nH2]− (n = 1−4) ions were observed in the mass spectra when higher tube lens voltages were applied, i.e., −140 V. High-resolution FTICR-MS data revealed the accurate masses of fragment ions, bearing either an even or an odd number of electrons. Collision-induced dissociation of the [M–nH2]− ions (n = 0–4) in the quadrupole linear ion trap (LTQ) analyzer confirmed the loss of hydrogen molecules from the molecular ions. It is suggested that the loss of H2 molecules from the alkyl chain is a consequence of the stabilization effect of the nido-carborane charged polyhedral skeleton

Lipidomics of the edible brown alga wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) by liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry

The lipidome of a brown seaweed commonly known as wakame (Undaria pinnatifida), which is grown and consumed around the world, including Western countries, as a healthy nutraceutical food or supplement, was here extensively examined. The study was focused on the characterization of phospholipids (PL) and glycolipids (GL) by liquid chromatography (LC), either hydrophilic interaction LC (HILIC) or reversed-phase LC (RPLC), coupled to electrospray ionization (ESI) and mass spectrometry (MS), operated both in high and in low-resolution mode. Through the acquisition of single (MS) and tandem (MS/MS) mass spectra more than 200 PL and GL of U. pinnatifida extracts were characterized in terms of lipid class, fatty acyl (FA) chain composition (length and number of unsaturations), and regiochemistry, namely 16 SQDG, 6 SQMG, 12 DGDG, 5 DGMG, 29 PG, 8 LPG, 19 PI, 14 PA, 19 PE, 8 PE, 38 PC, and 27 LPC. The FA (C16:0) was the most abundant saturated acyl chain, whereas the monounsaturated C18:1 and the polyunsaturated C18:2 and C20:4 chains were the prevailing ones. Odd-numbered acyl chains, i.e., C15:0, C17:0, C19:0, and C19:1, were also recognized. While SQDG exhibited the longest and most unsaturated acyl chains, C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3, in the sn-1 position of glycerol, they were preferentially located in the sn-2 position in the case of PL. The developed analytical approach might pave the way to extend lipidomic investigations also for other edible marine algae, thus emphasizing their potential role as a source of bioactive lipids

Bioactive Secoiridoids in Italian Extra-Virgin Olive Oils: Impact of Olive Plant Cultivars, Cultivation Regions and Processing

In the last two decades, phenolic compounds occurring in olive oils known as secoiridoids have attracted a great interest for their bioactivity. Four major olive oil secoiridoids, i.e., oleuropein and ligstroside aglycones, oleacin and oleocanthal, were previously characterized in our laboratory using reversed-phase liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization-Fourier transform-mass spectrometry (RPLC-ESI-FTMS). The same analytical approach, followed by multivariate statistical analysis (i.e., Principal Component Analysis), was applied here to a set of 60 Italian extra-virgin olive oils (EVOO). The aim was to assess the secoiridoid contents as a function of olive cultivars, place of cultivation (i.e., different Italian regions) and olive oil processing, in particular two- vs. three-phase horizontal centrifugation. As expected, higher secoiridoid contents were generally found in olive oils produced by two-phase horizontal centrifugation. Moreover, some region/cultivar-related trends were evidenced, as oleuropein and ligstroside aglycones prevailed in olive oils produced in Apulia (Southern Italy), whereas the contents of oleacin and oleocanthal were relatively higher in EVOO produced in Central Italy (Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria). A lower content of all the four secoiridoids was generally found in EVOO produced in Sicily (Southern Italy) due to the intrinsic low abundance of these bioactive compounds in cultivars typical of that region