Tannase application in secondary enzymatic processing of inferior Tieguanyin oolong tea

Background: Inferior Tieguanyin oolong tea leaves were treated with tannase. The content and bioactivity of catechins in extracts from the treated tea leaves were investigated to assess the improvement in the quality of inferior Tieguanyin oolong tea. Results: Analysis showed that after treatment, the esterified catechin content decreased by 23.5%, whereas non-galloylated catechin and gallic acid contents increased by 15.3% and 182%, respectively. The extracts from tannase-treated tea leaves showed reduced ability to bind to BSA and decreased tea cream levels. The extracts also exhibited increased antioxidant ability to scavenge OH and DPPH radicals, increased ferric reducing power, and decreased inhibitory effects on pancreatic \u3b1-amylase and lipase activities. Conclusions: These results suggested that tannase treatment could improve the quality of inferior Tieguanyin oolong tea leaves

Advancing metabolic engineering of Yarrowia lipolytica using the CRISPR/Cas system

\ua9 2018, The Author(s). The oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica is widely used for the production of both bulk and fine chemicals, including organic acids, fatty acid-derived biofuels and chemicals, polyunsaturated fatty acids, single-cell proteins, terpenoids, and other valuable products. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly popular for metabolic engineering applications. Multiple gene manipulation tools including URA blast, Cre/LoxP, and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) have been developed for metabolic engineering in Y. lipolytica. However, the low efficiency and time-consuming procedures involved in these methods hamper further research. The emergence of the CRISPR/Cas system offers a potential solution for these problems due to its high efficiency, ease of operation, and time savings, which can significantly accelerate the genomic engineering of Y. lipolytica. In this review, we summarize the research progress on the development of CRISPR/Cas systems for Y. lipolytica, including Cas9 proteins and sgRNA expression strategies, as well as gene knock-out/knock-in and repression/activation applications. Finally, the most promising and tantalizing future prospects in this area are highlighted

Antitumor Efficacy and Mechanism in Hepatoma H22-Bearing Mice of Brucea javanica

Brucea javanica is a traditional herbal medicine in China, and its antitumor activities are of research interest. Brucea javanica oil, extracted with ether and refined with 10% ethyl alcohol from Brucea javanica seed, was used to treat hepatoma H22-bearing mice in this study. The antitumor effect and probable mechanisms of the extracted Brucea javanica oil were studied in H22-bearing mice by WBC count, GOT, GPT levels, and western blotting. The H22 tumor inhibition ratio of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g/kg bw Brucea javanica oil were 15.64%, 23.87%, and 38.27%. Brucea javanica oil could inhibit the involution of thymus induced by H22 tumor-bearing, but it could not inhibit the augmentation of spleen and liver. Brucea javanica oil could decrease the levels of WBC count and GOT and GPT in H22-bearing mice. The protein levels of GAPDH, Akt, TGF-β1, and α-SMA in tumor tissues decreased after being treated with Brucea javanica oil. Disturbing energy metabolism and neoplastic hyperplasia controlled by Akt and immunoregulation activity were its probable antitumor mechanisms in hepatoma H22-bearing mice

Inhibition of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 enhances hepatic mitochondrial biogenesis

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) regulates gene expression either transcriptionallyly by symmetric dimethylation of arginine residues on histones H4R3, H3R8 and H2AR3, or at the post-translational level by methylation of non-histone target proteins. While emerging evidence suggests that PRMT5 functions as an oncogene, its role in metabolic diseases is not well defined. We investigated the role of PRMT5 in promoting high fat-induced hepatic steatosis. High fat diet up-regulated PRMT5 levels in the liver, but not in other metabolically relevant tissues such as skeletal muscle or white and brown adipose tissue. This was associated with repression of master transcription regulators involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. In contrast, lentiviral shRNA-mediated reduction of PRMT5 significantly decreased PI3K/AKT signaling in mouse AML12 liver cells. PRMT5 knockdown or knockout decreased basal AKT phosphorylation, but boosted the expression of PPARalpha and PGC-1alpha with a concomitant increase of mitochondrial biogenesis. Moreover, by overexpressing an exogenous wild-type or enzyme-dead mutant PRMT5, or by inhibiting PRMT5 enzymatic activity with a small molecule inhibitor, we demonstrated that the enzymatic activity of PRMT5 is required for regulation of PPARalpha and PGC-1alpha expression and mitochondrial biogenesis. Our results suggest that targeting PRMT5 may have therapeutic potential for treatment of fatty liver. Biology, Inc

Current Status of Foreign Rice Production and Processing

We reviewed the rice varieties, rice processing equipment and main processing technology development and research status of Japan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, the United States and several major foreign rice producers. The rice processing production situation of Iran, Brazil, Nigeria and Indonesia was illustrated. After the comparative analysis of domestic and foreign rice processing technology and equipment, we proposed the necessity of continuous research and development on moderate processing and milling process, aiming to provide reference for the rice processing industry in China

Metabolic Engineering of Yeast for the Production of 3-Hydroxypropionic Acid

The beta-hydroxy acid 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) is an attractive platform compound that can be used as a precursor for many commercially interesting compounds. In order to reduce the dependence on petroleum and follow sustainable development, 3-HP has been produced biologically from glucose or glycerol. It is reported that 3-HP synthesis pathways can be constructed in microbes such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Among these host strains, yeast is prominent because of its strong acid tolerance which can simplify the fermentation process. Currently, the malonyl-CoA reductase pathway and the β-alanine pathway have been successfully constructed in yeast. This review presents the current developments in 3-HP production using yeast as an industrial host. By combining genome-scale engineering tools, malonyl-CoA biosensors and optimization of downstream fermentation, the production of 3-HP in yeast has the potential to reach or even exceed the yield of chemical production in the future

A (Bi₂O₂)²⁺ layer as a significant carrier generator and transmission channel in CaBi₂Nb₂O₉ platelets for enhanced piezo-photo-catalytic performance

The low photocatalytic conversion efficiency, poor light absorption and high charge recombination rate of traditional semiconductor photocatalysts continues to be a significant research challenge. In this paper, by combining detailed experimental and modeling techniques, we report on the unique potential of CaBi2Nb2O9 (CBN) platelets that can couple both piezo- and photo- multi-field effects to overcome these issues and realize high-efficiency hydrogen production and dye degradation. The surface adsorption of OH− and dye molecules is improved as a result of the built-in electric field, thereby demonstrating an enhanced piezo- and photo-catalytic H2 production activity, with a high rate of 96.83 μmol g−1 h−1. The piezo-photocatalytic decomposition ratio for 100 mL RhB dye of 10 mg/L can reach up to 98.7 % in 32 min using only 0.05 mg of CBN platelets (k = 0.131 min−1). It is shown that the careful introduction of regularly arranged layers of (Bi2O2)2+ into the CBN platelet structure provides a high transport of photoelectrons via a pathway of (Bi2O2)2+ → (CaNb2O7)2− → CBN surface. The electron density distribution of Bi atoms is also found to be enriched on the facets of (020) and (200) crystal planes in the CBN platelets, which is beneficial to the oxidation reduction reaction. Furthermore, the large deformation of CBN platelet during the application of ultrasound leads to an increase of the piezo-induced built-in electric field to improve charge separation and migration. This work therefore provides a new perspective in the design and manufacture of advanced materials with enhanced piezo- and photo-catalytic performance by exploiting multi-field coupling effects.</p

A (Bi₂O₂)²⁺ layer as a significant carrier generator and transmission channel in CaBi₂Nb₂O₉ platelets for enhanced piezo-photo-catalytic performance

The low photocatalytic conversion efficiency, poor light absorption and high charge recombination rate of traditional semiconductor photocatalysts continues to be a significant research challenge. In this paper, by combining detailed experimental and modeling techniques, we report on the unique potential of CaBi2Nb2O9 (CBN) platelets that can couple both piezo- and photo- multi-field effects to overcome these issues and realize high-efficiency hydrogen production and dye degradation. The surface adsorption of OH− and dye molecules is improved as a result of the built-in electric field, thereby demonstrating an enhanced piezo- and photo-catalytic H2 production activity, with a high rate of 96.83 μmol g−1 h−1. The piezo-photocatalytic decomposition ratio for 100 mL RhB dye of 10 mg/L can reach up to 98.7 % in 32 min using only 0.05 mg of CBN platelets (k = 0.131 min−1). It is shown that the careful introduction of regularly arranged layers of (Bi2O2)2+ into the CBN platelet structure provides a high transport of photoelectrons via a pathway of (Bi2O2)2+ → (CaNb2O7)2− → CBN surface. The electron density distribution of Bi atoms is also found to be enriched on the facets of (020) and (200) crystal planes in the CBN platelets, which is beneficial to the oxidation reduction reaction. Furthermore, the large deformation of CBN platelet during the application of ultrasound leads to an increase of the piezo-induced built-in electric field to improve charge separation and migration. This work therefore provides a new perspective in the design and manufacture of advanced materials with enhanced piezo- and photo-catalytic performance by exploiting multi-field coupling effects.</p