Differential gene expression provides leads to environmentally regulated soybean seed protein content

Soybean is an important global source of plant-based protein. A persistent trend has been observed over the past two decades that soybeans grown in western Canada have lower seed protein content than soybeans grown in eastern Canada. In this study, 10 soybean genotypes ranging in average seed protein content were grown in an eastern location (control) and three western locations (experimental) in Canada. Seed protein and oil contents were measured for all lines in each location. RNA-sequencing and differential gene expression analysis were used to identify differentially expressed genes that may account for relatively low protein content in western-grown soybeans. Differentially expressed genes were enriched for ontologies and pathways that included amino acid biosynthesis, circadian rhythm, starch metabolism, and lipid biosynthesis. Gene ontology, pathway mapping, and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping collectively provide a close inspection of mechanisms influencing nitrogen assimilation and amino acid biosynthesis between soybeans grown in the East and West. It was found that western-grown soybeans had persistent upregulation of asparaginase (an asparagine hydrolase) and persistent downregulation of asparagine synthetase across 30 individual differential expression datasets. This specific difference in asparagine metabolism between growing environments is almost certainly related to the observed differences in seed protein content because of the positive correlation between seed protein content at maturity and free asparagine in the developing seed. These results provided pointed information on seed protein-related genes influenced by environment. This information is valuable for breeding programs and genetic engineering of geographically optimized soybeans

The Fatty Acid Profile and Phenolic Composition of Descurainia sophia Seeds Extracted by Supercritical CO<inf>2</inf>

Oil and phenolics were extracted from Descurainia sophia (Sophia) seeds by a supercritical CO2 system. Extractions were conducted in two sequential steps, first using 100 % CO2

The therapeutic potential of quercetin in parkinson�s disease: Insights into its molecular and cellular regulation

Parkinson�s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). PD is a multifactorial disorder, with several different factors being suggested to play a synergistic pathophysiological role, including oxidative stress, autophagy, underlying pro-inflammatory events and neurotransmitters abnormalities. Overall, PD can be viewed as the product of a complex interaction of environmental factors acting on a given genetic background. The importance of this subject has gained more attention to discover novel therapies to prevent as well as treat PD. According to previous research, drugs used to treat PD have indicated significant limitations. Therefore, the role of flavonoids has been extensively studied in PD treatment. Quercetin, a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group, has been considered as a supplemental therapy for PD. Quercetin has pharmacological functions in PD by controlling different molecular pathways. Although few studies intended to evaluate the basis for the use of quercetin in the context of PD have been conducted so far, at present, there is very little evidence available addressing the underlying mechanisms of action. Various principal aspects of these treatment procedures remain unknown. Here, currently existing knowledge supporting the use of quercetin for the clinical management of PD has been reviewed. © 2020 Bentham Science Publishers

The therapeutic potential of quercetin in parkinson’s disease: Insights into its molecular and cellular regulation

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). PD is a multifactorial disorder, with several different factors being suggested to play a synergistic pathophysiological role, including oxidative stress, autophagy, underlying pro-inflammatory events and neurotransmitters abnormalities. Overall, PD can be viewed as the product of a complex interaction of environmental factors acting on a given genetic background. The importance of this subject has gained more attention to discover novel therapies to prevent as well as treat PD. According to previous research, drugs used to treat PD have indicated significant limitations. Therefore, the role of flavonoids has been extensively studied in PD treatment. Quercetin, a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group, has been considered as a supplemental therapy for PD. Quercetin has pharmacological functions in PD by controlling different molecular pathways. Although few studies intended to evaluate the basis for the use of quercetin in the context of PD have been conducted so far, at present, there is very little evidence available addressing the underlying mechanisms of action. Various principal aspects of these treatment procedures remain unknown. Here, currently existing knowledge supporting the use of quercetin for the clinical management of PD has been reviewed. © 2020 Bentham Science Publishers

Frozen baguette bread dough I. Rheological behavior during storage

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of frozen dough storage period on the rheological behavior of baguette bread doughs. A uniaxial compression rheological technique was used to measure strain hardening index (SHI) of the doughs and use as a prediction of the bread baking quality. Three types of flours were used to prepare the bread doughs, and the doughs were stored frozen (−18 °C) up to 45 days. All flour doughs at different frozen storage period showed shear thinning behavior, since extensional viscosity decreased with increasing strain rate, after sharp initial rise. The biaxial extensional viscosity decreased with increased frozen storage period, irrespective of flour type. The results also showed similar trends for SHI values. The SHI ranged from 1 to 2, and the doughs with weaker gluten strength possessed the lower SHI values. The flour with the lowest protein content, wet gluten and sedimentation values, produced dough with the lowest SHI values, irrespective of frozen dough storage period. The results of this study revealed that the SHI has a promising potential to be used for assessing the quality of frozen dough during storage, even for flour samples having similar protein content and strength

Effects of region and cultivar on alkylresorcinols content and composition in wheat bran and their antioxidant activity

This study evaluated the effects of cultivar and region on the composition of alkylresorcinols (ARs) of 24 wheat bran samples from 6 cultivars grown in four locations (Bath, Nairn, Palmerstone and Ridgetown) in Ontario (ON), Canada, using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Total phenolic content (TPC) of wheat bran extracts was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteau method and the antioxidant activity of wheat bran extracts was measured by 2, 2-Dipheny-1-picryhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The highest ARs content (μg/g) was found in cultivars Emmit (1522), Harvard (1305), Warthog (1170), and Superior (853), grown in Ridgetown. The relative saturated and unsaturated ARs (%) were 89 and 11, respectively. Total ARs content, their composition, TPC and antioxidant activity of wheat bran extracts were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by location and cultivar and their interaction. TPC, %DPPHdis, and ORAC values for different wheat bran sample extracts ranged from 3 to 58 (mg FAE/g), 5 to 68 (%), and 6 to 94 (μmol TE/g), respectively. Our work provides a detailed examination of region and cultivar effects on potential of ARs in wheat bran and the results can be used for screening and breeding purposes

Impact of supercritical CO2 and traditional solvent extraction systems on the extractability of alkylresorcinols, phenolic profile and their antioxidant activity in wheat bran

SC-CO2 and traditional solvent methods were used to extract alkylresorcinols (ARs) in wheat bran (WB) cultivars. WB soluble free, soluble conjugated and bound phenolics were separated by alkaline hydrolysis. Also, the effects of extraction solvents on antioxidant activity were investigated by using three different solvents. The HPLC results showed that the AR content was higher in acetone extracts compared to the SC-CO2. Using ethanol as a co-solvent yielded higher ARs, especially in collector-2 for hard red WB (HRWB) (57.8 mg/100g) and soft red WB (SRWB) (37.8 mg/100g). Ten phenolic acids and six flavonoids were detected in phenolic fractions which ferulic acid was the predominant and mostly found in bound fractions. Two-way ANOVA showed that cultivar, solvent and their interactions had significantly (P < 0.05) different effects on TPC, DPPH, and ORAC values. The best solvents for ORAC, DPPH, and TPC assays were acidified ethanol, 100% acetone, and 50% acetone, respectively

Phenolic profile and antioxidant activity from non-toxic Mexican Jatropha curcas L. shell methanolic extracts

Jatropha curcas seed shells are the by-product obtained during oil extraction process. Recently, its chemical composition has gained attention since its potential applications. The aim of this study was to identify phenolic compounds profile from a non-toxic J. curcas shell from Mexico, besides, evaluate J. curcas shell methanolic extract (JcSME) antioxidant activity. Free, conjugate and bound phenolics were fractionated and quantified (606.7, 193.32 and 909.59 μg/g shell, respectively) and 13 individual phenolic compounds were detected by HPLC. The radical-scavenging activity of JcSME was similar to Trolox and ascorbic acid by DPPH assay whi