Influence of an insulating megaregolith on heat flow and crustal temperature structure of Mercury

Mercury is covered by a megaregolith layer, which constitutes a poor thermally conducting layer that must have an influence on the thermal state and evolution of the planet, although most thermal modeling or heat flow studies have overlooked it. In this work we have calculated surface heat flows and subsurface temperatures from the depth of thrust faults associated with several prominent lobate scarps on Mercury, valid for the time of the formation of these scarps, by solving the heat equation and taking into account the insulating effects of a megaregolith layer. We conclude that megaregolith insulation could have been an important factor limiting heat loss and therefore interior cooling and contraction of Mercury. As mercurian megaregolith properties are not very well known, we also analyze the influence of these properties on the results, and discuss the consequences of imposing the condition that the total radioactive heat production must be lower than the total surface heat loss (this is, the Urey ratio, Ur, must be lower than 1) in a cooling and thermally contracting planet such as Mercury at the time of scarp emplacement. Our results show that satisfying the condition of Ur < 1 implies that the average abundances of heat producing elements silicate layer is 0.4 times or less the average surface value, placing an upper bound on the bulk content of heat producing elements in Mercury’s interior

Wild edible plants as potential antioxidant or nutritional supplements for beverages minimally processed

Wild edible plants (WEP) with high antioxidant capacity, Rosa canina fruits, Quercus ballota acorns and Sanguisorba minor (young leaves and stems), were added to orange and kiwifruit juices for increase the nutritional properties. The addition of WEP to orange juice (OJ) and kiwifruit cremogenate (KC) does not affect, or it can even improve, some parameters of consumer's acceptance, although the mixtures increasing sweetness and intensifying the matrix colour without changing the tone are the best valued. The beverages minimally processed with higher TSS were the matrices fortified with Q. ballota, the same that were considered sweetest by the judges. The addition of WEP to OJ did not significantly change the levels of vitamin C (ascorbic acid plus dehydroascorbic acid). The addition of R. canina and S. minor increased the content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity in both matrices (OJ and KC) in more than 30%. Beverages with a high interest for consumers and with high antioxidant properties have been obtained

Chloroplast to chromoplast transition in tomato fruit: spectral confocalmicroscopy analyses of carotenoids and chlorophylls in isolated plastids and time-lapse recording on intact live tissue

During evolution, chromoplasts have emerged as plastid structures which accumulate pigments to facilitate flower pollination and seed dispersal of fleshy fruit. There is good evidence that chromoplasts derive from chloroplasts (Pyke, 2007), even if nobody has ever recorded this transition. Structural changes occurring during chloroplast to chromoplast transition have been described in fleshy fruit by electron microscopy primarily in tomato (Rosso, 1968; Harris and Spurr, 1969) and in bell pepper (Spurr and Harris, 1968). During the differentiation process controlled breakdown of chlorophyll and disruption of the thylakoid membrane occurred, concomitant with an increase in the aggregation of carotenoids. Different carotenoid-accumulating bodies have been described, including plastoglobules, crystalline and microfibrillar structures, and internal membranous structures

Metabolic and molecular events occurring during chromoplast biogenesis

Chromoplasts are nonphotosynthetic plastids that accumulate carotenoids. They derive from other plastid forms, mostly chloroplasts. The biochemical events responsible for the interconversion of one plastid form into another are poorly documented. However, thanks to transcriptomics and proteomics approaches, novel information is now available. Data of proteomic and biochemical analysis revealed the importance of lipid metabolism and carotenoids biosynthetic activities. The loss of photosynthetic activity was associated with the absence of the chlorophyll biosynthesis branch and the presence of proteins involved in chlorophyll degradation. Surprisingly, the entire set of Calvin cycle and of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathwaypersisted after the transition from chloroplast to chromoplast. The role of plastoglobules in the formation and organisation of carotenoid-containing structures and that of the Or gene in the control of chromoplastogenesis are reviewed. Finally, using transcriptomic data, an overview is given the expression pattern of a number of genes encoding plastid-located proteins during tomato fruit ripening

Caracterización de una población de boca de dragón (Antirrhinummajus, L. 1753) transgénica

[SPA] El reloj circadiano es un mecanismo que proporciona ventajas adaptativas y está presente en todos los seres vivos. En plantas superiores, y según el modelo establecido en Arabidopsis thaliana, este reloj se divide en una serie de bucles siendo los más relevantes el bucle de la mañana formado por los genes LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY) y CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED I (CCAI) entre otros, y el de la noche, en el que destaca TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION1 (TOCI). Las plantas que presentan mutaciones en genes del reloj pueden mostrar fenotipo marcado como floración independiente del fotoperiodo o un tamaño inferior. En el presente trabajo, se estudian los posibles cambios fenotípicos en una población transgénica de Antirrhinum majus en la que se ha silenciado el gen AmLHY.[ENG] The circadian clock is a mechanism that provides adaptative advantages being present in all living organisms. In plants, this clock is divided into a series of loops being the most relevant morning loop formed by LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY) CLOCK ASSOCIATED CIRCADIAN I (CCAI) and night, which highlights TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION1 (TOCI). Plants that have mutations may show marked phenotype independent of photoperiod flowering or smaller. In this paper, the possible phenotypic changes are studied in a transgenic population of Antirrhinum majus where AmLHY was silence.Centro Universitario de la Defensa. Escuela de Turismo de Cartagena. Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Industrial UPCT. Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Telecomunicación (ETSIT). Escuela de Ingeniería de Caminos y Minas (EICM). Escuela de Arquitectura e Ingeniería de Edificación (ARQ&IDE). Parque Tecnológico de Fuente Álamo. Navantia. Campus Mare Nostrum. Estación Experimental Agroalimentaria Tomás Ferr

β-glucan from brewers spent yeast as a techno-functional food ingredient

Brewer’s spent yeast (BSY) is a by-product generated during beer production. After heat inactivation, large quantities of BSY are discarded or sold as a low-cost animal feed supplement. Fortunately, BSY can be a good source of valuable compounds such as β-glucan, which has several biological and techno-functional properties for application as a food ingredient. Practical application of β-glucan from BSY requires disruption cell wall and purification steps that significantly influences the yield, cost, biological, physic-chemical, and technological characteristics of this compound. This mini-review presents the use of BSY as a source of β-glucan, the available methods to extract it, and its biological and techno-functional properties.The authors acknowledge the CNPq, CAPES, FAPEG, IF Goiano and UFRJ by support. SS acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit, and by LABBELS—Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems, LA/P/0029/2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estimation of the depth of faulting in the northwest margin of Argyre basin (Mars) by structural analysis of lobate scarps

Lobate scarps are tectonic structures considered as the topographic expression of thrust faults. For this study we have chosen three large lobate scarps (Ogygis Rupes, Bosporos Rupes and a third unnamed one) located in Aonia Terra, in the southern hemisphere of Mars near the northwest margin of the Argyre impact basin. These lobate scarps strike parallel to the edge of Thaumasia in this area, showing a roughly arcuate to linear form and an asymmetric cross section with a steeply frontal scarp and a gently dipping back scarp. The asymmetry in the cross sections suggests that the three lobate scarps were generated by ESE-vergent thrust faults. Two complementary methods were used to analyze the faults underlying these lobate scarps based on Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter data and the Mars imagery available: (i) analyzing topographic profiles together with the horizontal shortening estimations from cross-cut craters to create balanced cross sections on the basis of thrust fault propagation folding [1]; (ii) using a forward mechanical dislocation method [2], which predicts fault geometry by comparing model outputs with real topography. The objective is to obtain fault geometry parameters as the minimum value for the horizontal offset, dip angle and depth of faulting of each underlying fault. By comparing the results obtained by both methods we estimate a preliminary depth of faulting value between 15 and 26 kilometers for this zone between Thaumasia and Argyre basin. The significant sizes of the faults underlying these three lobate scarps suggest that their detachments are located at a main rheological change. Estimates of the depth of faulting in similar lobate scarps on Mars or Mercury [3] have been associated with the depth of the brittle-ductile transition

Characteristics of the tomato chromoplast revealed by proteomic analysis

Chromoplasts are non-photosynthetic specialized plastids that are important in ripening tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum) since, among other functions, they are the site of accumulation of coloured compounds. Analysis of the proteome of red fruit chromoplasts revealed the presence of 988 proteins corresponding to 802 Arabidopsis unigenes, among which 209 had not been listed so far in plastidial databanks. These data revealed several features of the chromoplast. Proteins of lipid metabolism and trafficking were well represented, including all the proteins of the lipoxygenase pathway required for the synthesis of lipid-derived aroma volatiles. Proteins involved in starch synthesis co-existed with several starch-degrading proteins and starch excess proteins. Chromoplasts lacked proteins of the chlorophyll biosynthesis branch and contained proteins involved in chlorophyll degradation. None of the proteins involved in the thylakoid transport machinery were discovered. Surprisingly, chromoplasts contain the entire set of Calvin cycle proteins including Rubisco, as well as the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (OxPPP). The present proteomic analysis, combined with available physiological data, provides new insights into the metabolic characteristics of the tomato chromoplast and enriches our knowledge of non-photosynthetic plastids

Diel pattern of circadian clock and storage protein gene expression in leaves and during seed filling in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

Background Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an important source of protein supply for animal and human nutrition. The major storage globulins VICILIN and LEGUMIN (LEG) are synthesized from several genes including LEGA, LEGB, LEGJ and CVC (CONVICILIN). The current hypothesis is that the plant circadian core clock genes are conserved in a wide array of species and that primary metabolism is to a large extent controlled by the plant circadian clock. Our aim was to investigate a possible link between gene expression of storage proteins and the circadian clock. Results We identified cowpea orthologues of the core clock genes VunLHY, VunTOC1, VunGI and VunELF3, the protein storage genes VunLEG, VunLEGJ, and VunCVC as well as nine candidate reference genes used in RT-PCR. ELONGATION FACTOR 1-A (ELF1A) resulted the most suitable reference gene. The clock genes VunELF3, VunGI, VunTOC1 and VunLHY showed a rhythmic expression profile in leaves with a typical evening/night and morning/midday phased expression. The diel patterns were not completely robust and only VungGI and VungELF3 retained a rhythmic pattern under free running conditions of darkness. Under field conditions, rhythmicity and phasing apparently faded during early pod and seed development and was regained in ripening pods for VunTOC1 and VunLHY. Mature seeds showed a rhythmic expression of VunGI resembling leaf tissue under controlled growth chamber conditions. Comparing time windows during developmental stages we found that VunCVC and VunLEG were significantly down regulated during the night in mature pods as compared to intermediate ripe pods, while changes in seeds were non-significant due to high variance. The rhythmic expression under field conditions was lost under growth chamber conditions. Conclusions The core clock gene network is conserved in cowpea leaves showing a robust diel expression pattern except VunELF3 under growth chamber conditions. There appears to be a clock transcriptional reprogramming in pods and seeds compared to leaves. Storage protein deposition may be circadian regulated under field conditions but the strong environmental signals are not met under artificial growth conditions. Diel expression pattern in field conditions may result in better usage of energy for protein storage.This work was supported by the 7th Research Framework Programme of the European Union “Eurolegume (Enhancing of Legumes Growing in Europe through Sustainable Cropping for Protein Supply for Food and Feed)” FP7– 613781. The funding body had no role in the experimental design, analysis or results shown in the manuscript

On the thermo-mechanical structure of the Martian lithosphere: the role of the crust

An adequate knowledge of thermal and rheological properties of crust and mantle is fundamental for deciphering and understanding the thermal state and interior evolution of a planetary body. Previously, indirect methods have been used to calculate heat flows for Mars. A commonly used indirect method is based on the relation between the thermal state of lithospheric rocks and their mechanical strength, usually related through the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere or from the depth to the brittle–ductile transition beneath large thrust faults. The so-obtained heat flows are valid for the time when the lithosphere was loaded or faulted, and therefore when deduced from regions deformed in different ages provides information on the thermal evolution of Mars