Molecular Characterization of Indian Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Varieties for Cold - Induced Sweetening Using SSR Markers

Cold - induced sweetening developed during storage of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L .) at low temperature is a crucial factor influencing the processing quality of potato tubers and remains one of the principal concerns of potato processing industry . Developing CIS - resistant genotypes is the most effective method to cope with this stress . In this study , the genetic diversity of 11 Indian potato varieties with different reactions to CIS was assessed using 10 SSR primers . The primers detected a total of 42 alleles arranged in 44 different configurations , among which 37 alleles (88%) were polymorphic . The polymorphic information content (PIC) value of the SSR locus ranged from 0 . 473 to 0 . 787 thus indicating a high utility of these markers for study of genetic diversity in potato . A number of polymorphic fragments appeared to be specific to a given sugar - forming group . Primer Sti007 generated one fragment Sti007 131bp present only in all the high sugar - forming varieties . The dendrogram derived from Dice ’ s similarity coefficients among the 11 varieties could partially but efficiently differentiate close parents and sugar - forming groups among the varieties . These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of SSR markers to assess the genetic variation among potato cultivars in order to develop molecular markers associated with CIS to improve potato breeding programs

Estimating the number of children exposed to parental psychiatric disorders through a national health survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>Children whose parents have psychiatric disorders experience an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders, and have higher rates of developmental problems and mortality. Assessing the size of this population is important for planning of preventive strategies which target these children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>National survey data (CCHS 1.2) was used to estimate the number of children exposed to parental psychiatric disorders. Disorders were diagnosed using the World Psychiatric Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI) (12 month prevalence). Data on the number of children below 12 years of age in the home, and the relationship of the respondents with the children, was used to estimate exposure. Parent-child relations were identified, as was single parenthood. Using a design-based analysis, the number of children exposed to parental psychiatric disorders was calculated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Almost 570,000 children under 12 live in households where the survey respondent met criteria for one or more mood, anxiety or substance use disorders in the previous 12 months, corresponding to 12.1% of Canadian children under the age of 12. Almost 3/4 of these children have parents that report receiving no mental health care in the 12 months preceding the survey. For 17% of all Canadian children under age 12, the individual experiencing a psychiatric disorder is the only parent in the household.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The high number of children exposed causes major concern and has important implications. Although these children will not necessarily experience adversities, they possess an elevated risk of accidents, mortality, and of developing psychiatric disorders. We expect these estimates will promote further research and stimulate discussion at both health policy and planning tables.</p

Seed storage proteins as a protein marker for identification and characterization of QPM and normal maize inbred lines

Twenty Maize Inbreds Has Been Studied through Seed Storage Protein Markers for Approaching characterization among three groups of maize inbreds viz., low, intermediate and high lysine and tryptophan containing QPM and normal lines. SDS-PAGE of protein fractions showed variation into the three groups of maize inbreds. When comparing four fractions of total soluble proteins, they exhibit a range of variable bands some polypeptides were specifically express in QPM lines, could group the maize lines into two main clusters, QPM and normal maize lines. From these findings, it can be concluded that, the newly separated polypeptide protein bands could be used as a biochemical protein marker which indirectly help for the selection and development of QPM maize inbred lines. Thus, electrophoresis of protein fractions is useful to differentiate QPM and normal inbred lines based on variation in banding pattern

Effect of Storage Temperature on Carbohydrate Metabolism and Development of Cold‐Induced Sweetening in Indian Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Varieties

This study investigated the changes in carbohydrate metabolism in tubers of 11 Indian potato varieties stored at room temperature, 15C and 4C for 150 days to understand the development of cold-induced sweetening (CIS). Low-temperature storage negligibly influenced starch and maltose contents of the tubers but induced a significant increase of reducing sugars, total soluble sugars, fructose, glucose and hexoses : sucrose ratio, and a decrease of sucrose content was noticeable at 4C. A strong positive correlation was found between reducing sugars and total soluble sugars, and between fructose and glucose. The activity of β-amylase was considerably increased by storage at low temperature, and it weakly correlated with starch content. Also, the absence of maltose accumulation with increased β-amylase activity was observed. Acid invertase activity drastically rose at low temperature and strongly paralleled reducing sugars, glucose, fructose and hexose : sucrose ratio. The K. Jyoti variety was designated as CIS-tolerant and the K. Badshah variety as CIS-susceptible

Profiling of StvacINV1, BAM1 and INH2α Expressions in Relation to Acid Invertase and β-Amylase Activities During Development of Cold-Induced Sweetening in Indian Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Tubers

Cold-induced sweetening (CIS) characterized by reducing sugars (RS) accumulation during low temperature storage of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers remains a serious postharvest concern for the potato processing industry. Enzymes involved in carbohydrates metabolism and the genes modulating their activities are of paramount importance in the events associated with the development of CIS. Expression of vacuolar acid invertase gene StvacINV1, β-amylase gene BAM1 and invertase inhibitor gene INH2α and their consequence on acid invertase and β-amylase activities with resulting RS accumulation were followed in one CIS-tolerant (Kufri Jyoti) and one CIS-susceptible (Kufri Badshah) Indian potato varieties stored in cold conditions. Differential gene expression analysis showed that during cold storage, expression of StvacINV1 and BAM1 increased at low temperature and their transcripts were more expressed in the CIS-tolerant variety than the CIS-sensitive. Besides, correlation between BAM1 expression and β-amylase activity affirmed the hypothesis of several enzymes and pathways involved in starch degradation during cold storage of potato. Expression of invertase inhibitor gene INH2α however was higher in the CIS-tolerant variety than the CIS-sensitive. Correlating StvacINV1 and INH2α expressions with RS content and acid invertase activity established that post-translational regulation of acid invertase by the invertase inhibitor protein could be an important component of resistance to CIS

The role of short chain fatty acids in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis

Over the last 20 years there has been an increasing interest in the influence of the gastrointestinal tract on appetite regulation. Much of the focus has been on the neuronal and hormonal relationship between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. There is now mounting evidence that the colonic microbiota and their metabolic activity play a significant role in energy homeostasis. The supply of substrate to the colonic microbiota has a major impact on the microbial population and the metabolites they produce, particularly short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs are produced when non-digestible carbohydrates, namely dietary fibres and resistant starch, undergo fermentation by the colonic microbiota. Both the consumption of fermentable carbohydrates and the administration of SCFAs have been reported to result in a wide range of health benefits including improvements in body composition, glucose homeostasis, blood lipid profiles, and reduced body weight and colon cancer risk. However, published studies tend to report the effects that fermentable carbohydrates and SCFAs have on specific tissues and metabolic processes, and fail to explain how these local effects translate into systemic effects and the mitigation of disease risk. Moreover, studies have tended to investigate SCFAs collectively and neglect to report the effects associated with individual SCFAs. Here, we bring together the recent evidence and suggest an overarching model for the effects of SCFAs on one of their beneficial aspects: appetite regulation and energy homeostasis