From <i>Epimedium</i> to Neuroprotection: Exploring the Potential of Wushanicaritin

Epimedium has been used for functional foods with many beneficial functions to human health. Wushanicaritin is one of the most important chemicals int Epimedium. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of wushanicaritin and potential underlying mechanisms. The results demonstrated that wushanicaritin possessed superior intercellular antioxidant activity compared to icaritin. Wushanicaritin, with an EC50 value of 3.87 μM, showed better neuroprotective effect than quercetin, a promising neuroprotection agent. Wushanicaritin significantly reversed lactate dehydrogenase release, reactive oxygen species generation, cell apoptosis, and mRNA expression related to cell apoptosis and oxidative defense, in glutamate-induced PC-12 cells. Wushanicaritin could also maintain the enzymatic antioxidant defense system and mitochondrial function. The suppression of caspase-3 activation and amelioration of mitochondrial membrane potential loss and nucleus morphology changes were involved in the antiapoptotic effect of wushanicaritin. These findings suggested that wushanicaritin possesses excellent intercellular antioxidant and neuroprotective activities, showing potential promise in functional foods

An intelligent network control system for plug-in electric vehicles and the associate communication mechanism

The development of an intelligent plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) network is an important research topic in the smart grid environment. An intelligent PEV network enables a flexible control of PEV charging and discharging activities and hence PEVs can be utilized as ancillary service providers in the power system concerned. Given this background, an intelligent PEV network architecture is first developed, and followed by detailed designs of its application layers, including the charging and discharging controlling system, mobility and roaming management, as well as communication mechanisms associated. The presented architecture leverages the philosophy in mobile communication network buildu

Sodium dichloroisocyanurate delays ripening and senescence of banana fruit during storage

Abstract Banana as a typical climacteric fruit soften rapidly, resulting in a very short shelf life after harvest. Sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) is reported to be an effectively antibacterial compound. Here, we investigated the effects of NaDCC on ripening and senescence of harvested banana fruit at physiological and molecular levels. Application of 200 mg L−1 NaDCC solution effectively inhibited the ripening and senescence of banana fruit after harvest. NaDCC treatment reduced greatly ethylene production rate and expressions of genes encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthetase, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase, ethylene-responsive transcription factor and EIN3-binding F-box protein. Meanwhile, NaDCC treatment down-regulated markedly the expressions of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase and pectinesterase genes. Furthermore, NaDCC treatment affected significantly the accumulation of ripening-related primary metabolites such as sugars and organic acids. Additionally, NaDCC treatment decreased the production of hydroxyl radical and increased 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, reducing power and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. In conclusion, NaDCC delayed effectively the ripening and senescence of harvested banana fruit via the reduced ethylene effect and enhanced antioxidant activity

Improved Growth of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus as well as Increased Antioxidant Activity by Biotransforming Litchi Pericarp Polysaccharide with Aspergillus awamori

This study was conducted to increase the bioactivity of litchi pericarp polysaccharides (LPPs) biotransformed by Aspergillus awamori. Compared to the non-A. awamori-fermented LPP, the growth effects of A. awamori-fermented LPP on Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus were four and two times higher after 3 days of fermentation, respectively. Increased 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and DNA protection activity of litchi pericarp polysaccharides were also achieved after A. awamori fermentation. Moreover, the relative content of glucose and arabinose in LPP after fermentation decreased from 58.82% to 22.60% and from 18.82% to 10.09%, respectively, with a concomitant increase in the relative contents of galactose, rhamnose, xylose, and mannose. Furthermore, lower molecular weight polysaccharides were obtained after A. awamori fermentation. It can be concluded that A. awamori was effective in biotransforming LPP into a bioactive mixture with lower molecular weight polysaccharides and higher antioxidant activity and relative galactose content

Activity by Biotransforming Litchi Pericarp Polysaccharide with Aspergillus awamori

is study was conducted to increase the bioactivity of litchi pericarp polysaccharides (LPPs) biotransformed by Aspergillus awamori. Compared to the non-A. awamori-fermented LPP, the growth effects of A. awamori-fermented LPP on Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus were four and two times higher aer 3 days of fermentation, respectively. Increased 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and DNA protection activity of litchi pericarp polysaccharides were also achieved aer A. awamori fermentation. Moreover, the relative content of glucose and arabinose in LPP aer fermentation decreased from 58.82% to 22.60% and from 18.82% to 10.09%, respectively, with a concomitant increase in the relative contents of galactose, rhamnose, xylose, and mannose. Furthermore, lower molecular weight polysaccharides were obtained aer A. awamori fermentation. It can be concluded that A. awamori was effective in biotransforming LPP into a bioactive mixture with lower molecular weight polysaccharides and higher antioxidant activity and relative galactose content

Identification and Characterization of miR164-NAC Regulatory Modules in Banana

【Objective】This study aims to understand the roles of MIR164, NAC gene families and miR164-NAC regulatory modules in banana ripening and response to low temperature stress, so as to provide a theoretical basis for banana variety improvement and molecular breeding.【Method】'Brazil banana' was used as test material. Through high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis using miRBase, NCBI database and Clustal, TBtools, MCScanX and iTOL softwares, miR164 and NAC family members in banana were characterized, including their chromosomal location, structure, physical/ chemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, etc. Multiple miR164-NAC regulatory modules in bananas were identified through degradome sequencing and experimental validation combining transcriptome data. Next, the expression patterns of miR164-NAC regulatory modules during ripening and under cold stress were analyzed by small RNA northern blot and qRT-PCR.【Result】A total of six miR164 family members were identified in banana, of which four were located within the coding genes and two in the intergenic region. Phylogenetic analysis showed that several banana MIR164 precursors with high abundance were clustered together with papaya, suggesting that the origin of banana MIR164 gene family was closer to dicotyledonous plants. The banana genome encodes a total of 222 NAC members, unevenly distributed across all 11 chromosomes. A total of 134 homologous gene pairs were identified in these banana NACs, including 4 tandem repeats and 130 segment-replicating repeats, indicating that the main driving force of banana NAC genes evolution came from segmentreplicating events. Comparative phylogenetic analysis of all NAC proteins in banana, Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa divided this family into 23 subgroups, and transcriptome data revealed extensive redundancy and expression specificity of banana NAC genes. Physicochemical analysis showed that almost all banana NAC proteins were hydrophilic, and less than 15% were stable proteins. The miR164-NAC176/165 regulatory module in banana was verified, and the accumulation of miR164 in banana was induced by ethylene and gradually increased with fruit ripening, while the expression of MaNAC176/165 negatively regulated by miR164 in this module was gradually decreased during fruit ripening. Under the cold stress, miR164 was also obviously induced, resulting in the downregulation of its targets MaNAC176 and MaNAC165.【Conclusion】This study suggested that MaNAC176 and MaNAC165 may be transcriptional repressors of banana fruit ripening, while miR164 promotes ripening by negatively regulating MANAC176/165. This module may also be a key regulatory pathway of banana chilling injury. This study identified key miR164-NAC candidate modules in banana fruit ripening and cold stress response, which laid a foundation for subsequent gene cloning and functional analysis

Plant Prenylflavonoids and Prenyltransferases Related to their Biosynthesis

As the most widely distributed phenolic compounds in the plant kingdom, flavonoids play an integral role in plant reproduction and defense. Also, they represent many important quality traits of edible plants like color and antioxidants, and have a variety of biological activities beneficial to human health. To diversify the functions of synthesized flavonoids, plants have evolved various enzymes to perform structural modifications on different flavonoid backbones. One of these modifications is prenylation, which refers to the attachment of an isoprenoid moiety, most commonly a prenyl (C5) group. Numerous structure-activity analyses of prenylflavonoids have shown that isopentenyl substitutions at specific sites can significantly expand and enhance their chemical properties, bioactivities and potential health benefits. This review summarizes prenylflavonoids reported so far in all plant species and highlights the current knowledge on naturally occurring prenyltransferases from different biological sources that can act on plant flavonoids to synthesize prenylflavonoids. Most of them have strict flavonoid substrate- and regio-specificities, and they provide a valuable gene repository to facilitate the efficient scale-up production of flavonoids with specific prenylation patterns in cell factories. To truly achieve this goal, it is necessary to explore more diversified natural prenyltransferases, and to optimize the bioreactors system such as pathway regulation and modular co-culture engineering in the future.</p