Combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolite data reveals extensive differences between black and brown nearly-isogenic soybean (Glycine max) seed coats enabling the identification of pigment isogenes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The <it>R </it>locus controls the color of pigmented soybean (<it>Glycine max</it>) seeds. However information about its control over seed coat biochemistry and gene expressions remains limited. The seed coats of nearly-isogenic black (<it>iRT</it>) and brown (<it>irT</it>) soybean (<it>Glycine max</it>) were known to differ by the presence or absence of anthocyanins, respectively, with genes for only a single enzyme (anthocyanidin synthase) found to be differentially expressed between isolines. We recently identified and characterized a UDP-glycose:flavonoid-3-<it>O</it>-glycosyltransferase (<it>UGT78K1</it>) from the seed coat of black (<it>iRT</it>) soybean with the aim to engineer seed coat color by suppression of an anthocyanin-specific gene. However, it remained to be investigated whether <it>UGT78K1 </it>was overexpressed with anthocyanin biosynthesis in the black (<it>iRT</it>) seed coat compared to the nearly-isogenic brown (<it>irT</it>) tissue.</p> <p>In this study, we performed a combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolite data to elucidate the control of the R locus over seed coat biochemistry and to identify pigment biosynthesis genes. Two differentially expressed late-stage anthocyanin biosynthesis isogenes were further characterized, as they may serve as useful targets for the manipulation of soybean grain color while minimizing the potential for unintended effects on the plant system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Metabolite composition differences were found to not be limited to anthocyanins, with specific proanthocyanidins, isoflavones, and phenylpropanoids present exclusively in the black (<it>iRT</it>) or the brown (<it>irT</it>) seed coat. A global analysis of gene expressions identified <it>UGT78K1 </it>and 19 other anthocyanin, (iso)flavonoid, and phenylpropanoid isogenes to be differentially expressed between isolines. A combined analysis of metabolite and gene expression data enabled the assignment of putative functions to biosynthesis and transport isogenes. The recombinant enzymes of two genes were validated to catalyze late-stage steps in anthocyanin biosynthesis <it>in vitro </it>and expression profiles of the corresponding genes were shown to parallel anthocyanin biosynthesis during black (<it>iRT</it>) seed coat development.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Metabolite composition and gene expression differences between black (<it>iRT</it>) and brown (<it>irT</it>) seed coats are far more extensive than previously thought. Putative anthocyanin, proanthocyanidin, (iso)flavonoid, and phenylpropanoid isogenes were differentially-expressed between black (<it>iRT</it>) and brown (<it>irT</it>) seed coats, and <it>UGT78K2 </it>and <it>OMT5 </it>were validated to code UDP-glycose:flavonoid-3-<it>O</it>-glycosyltransferase and anthocyanin 3'-<it>O</it>-methyltransferase proteins <it>in vitro</it>, respectively. Duplicate gene copies for several enzymes were overexpressed in the black (<it>iRT</it>) seed coat suggesting more than one isogene may have to be silenced to engineer seed coat color using RNA interference.</p

Transient Gastric Irritation in the Neonatal Rats Leads to Changes in Hypothalamic CRF Expression, Depression- and Anxiety-Like Behavior as Adults

A disturbance of the brain-gut axis is a prominent feature in functional bowel disorders (such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia) and psychological abnormalities are often implicated in their pathogenesis. We hypothesized that psychological morbidity in these conditions may result from gastrointestinal problems, rather than causing them.Functional dyspepsia was induced by neonatal gastric irritation in male rats. 10-day old male Sprague-Dawley rats received 0.1% iodoacetamide (IA) or vehicle by oral gavage for 6 days. At 8-10 weeks of age, rats were tested with sucrose preference and forced-swimming tests to examine depression-like behavior. Elevated plus maze, open field and light-dark box tests were used to test anxiety-like behaviors. ACTH and corticosterone responses to a minor stressor, saline injection, and hypothalamic CRF expression were also measured.Behavioral tests revealed changes of anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in IA-treated, but not control rats. As compared with controls, hypothalamic and amygdaloid CRF immunoreactivity, basal levels of plasma corticosterone and stress-induced ACTH were significantly higher in IA-treated rats. Gastric sensory ablation with resiniferatoxin had no effect on behaviors but treatment with CRF type 1 receptor antagonist, antalarmin, reversed the depression-like behavior in IA-treated ratsThe present results suggest that transient gastric irritation in the neonatal period can induce a long lasting increase in depression- and anxiety-like behaviors, increased expression of CRF in the hypothalamus, and an increased sensitivity of HPA axis to stress. The depression-like behavior may be mediated by the CRF1 receptor. These findings have significant implications for the pathogenesis of psychological co-morbidity in patients with functional bowel disorders

Different Localization Patterns of Anthocyanin Species in the Pericarp of Black Rice Revealed by Imaging Mass Spectrometry

Black rice (Oryza sativa L. Japonica) contains high levels of anthocyanins in the pericarp and is considered an effective health-promoting food. Several studies have identified the molecular species of anthocyanins in black rice, but information about the localization of each anthocyanin species is limited because methodologies for investigating the localization such as determining specific antibodies to anthocyanin, have not yet been developed Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) is a suitable tool for investigating the localization of metabolites. In this study, we identified 7 species of anthocyanin monoglycosides and 2 species of anthocyanin diglycosides in crude extracts from black rice by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) analysis. We also analyzed black rice sections by MALDI-IMS and found 2 additional species of anthocyanin pentosides and revealed different localization patterns of anthocyanin species composed of different sugar moieties. Anthocyanin species composed of a pentose moiety (cyanidin-3-O-pentoside and petunidin-3-O-pentoside) were localized in the entire pericarp, whereas anthocyanin species composed of a hexose moiety (cyanidin-3-O-hexoside and peonidin-3-O-hexoside) were focally localized in the dorsal pericarp. These results indicate that anthocyanin species composed of different sugar moieties exhibit different localization patterns in the pericarp of black rice. This is the first detailed investigation into the localization of molecular species of anthocyanins by MALDI-IMS

Illness perceptions mediate the relationship between bowel symptom severity and health-related quality of life in IBS patients

PURPOSE: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder with a large negative impact on HRQOL. The present study examines whether severity of bowel symptoms is directly related to HRQOL, and/or indirectly, mediated by the patients’ illness perceptions. METHODS: Patients were recruited from an IBS support group (N = 123), and data were collected online. HRQOL was measured with the Quality of Life Measure for Persons with IBS and illness perceptions with the brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Mediation models were tested using the bootstrapping procedure developed by Hayes. RESULTS: Irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity is directly related to total HRQOL and its subscales; after entering the mediator variables (i.e. the patients’ illness perceptions) into the model, this direct association remained only significant for total HRQOL. The relationship between bowel symptom severity and total HRQOL was partially mediated by illness perceptions, and its relationship with each of the HRQOL subscales was fully mediated by the patients’ illness perceptions. Perceived consequences were a mediator of the relationship between bowel symptom severity, total HRQOL as well as its subscales, with the exception of Sexuality. CONCLUSIONS: Bowel symptom severity not only has a direct relationship with HRQOL, but also an indirect relationship via the patients’ cognitive and emotional representations of their illness. In order to better understand this relationship, future research should not only include illness perceptions but also assess cognitive and behavioural coping responses. Clinicians wanting to improve patients’ HRQOL should not only focus on the patients’ symptoms, but also on their illness beliefs and coping responses

25th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting: CNS-2016

Abstracts of the 25th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting: CNS-2016 Seogwipo City, Jeju-do, South Korea. 2–7 July 201

N2O decomposition over wet- and solid-exchanged Fe-ZSM-5 catalysts

The N2O decomposition activity of Fe-ZSM-5 strongly depends on the iron content and the preparation methods, including wet (WIE) and solid state ion exchanges (SSIE). The state of Fe species formed on the surface of a series of Fe-ZSM-5 catalysts containing a variety of Fe contents with respect to the preparation method and their role for N2O decomposition activity have been systematically examined. The general trend for the decomposition activity of Fe-ZSM-5-SSIE is higher than that of Fe-ZSM-5-WIE, indicating the formation of a distinctive local structure of Fe on the catalyst surface during the course of the ion-exchange procedure. Based upon the Fourier transformed Fe K-edge EXAFS spectra for the series of Fe-ZSM-5-SSIE and -WIE catalysts, most of the Fe species on the surface of Fe-ZSM-5-SSIE with high Fe loading are well dispersed in the form of oxygen-bridged binuclear Fe species. The turnover frequency (TOF) for N2O decomposition under dry and wet conditions has been confirmed assuming that Fe-ZSM-5-SSIE samples with Fe/Al = 0.20 and Fe/Al = 0.65 only contain mononuclear and binuclear Fe species, respectively, as active reaction species on their surface. The high performance of Fe-ZSM-5-SSIE may be mainly due to the formation of the binuclear Fe species onto its surface during the preparation of the catalyst. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.X1133sciescopu

Effect of hydrocarbon slip on NO removal activity of CuZSM5, FeZSM5 and V2O5/TiO2 catalysts by NH3

The effect of C3H6 on the deNO(x) activity of CuZSM5, FeZSM5 and V2O5/TiO2 catalysts by NH3 has been examined. The catalytic NO removal activity decreased by the continuous inclusion of C3H6 into the reactor feed gas stream. The higher the feed concentration of C3H6, the more severe the retardation of the catalyst activity. The primary cause for the inhibition is the competitive adsorption of NH3 and C3H6 onto the catalyst surface and the useless consumption of NH3 by the side reaction, including the NH3 oxidation and ammoxidation reactions during the course of NH3/SCR reaction with C3H6. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.X111830sciescopu