Allelic Variation, Alternative Splicing and Expression Analysis of Psy1 Gene in Hordeum chilense Roem. et Schult

Background: The wild barley Hordeum chilense Roem. et Schult. is a valuable source of genes for increasing carotenoid content in wheat. Tritordeums, the amphiploids derived from durum or common wheat and H. chilense, systematically show higher values of yellow pigment colour and carotenoid content than durum wheat. Phytoene synthase 1 gene (Psy1) is considered a key step limiting the carotenoid biosynthesis, and the correlation of Psy1 transcripts accumulation and endosperm carotenoid content has been demonstrated in the main grass species. Methodology/Principal findings: We analyze the variability of Psy1 alleles in three lines of H. chilense (H1, H7 and H16) representing the three ecotypes described in this species. Moreover, we analyze Psy1 expression in leaves and in two seed developing stages of H1 and H7, showing mRNA accumulation patterns similar to those of wheat. Finally, we identify thirtysix different transcripts forms originated by alternative splicing of the 59 UTR and/or exons 1 to 5 of Psy1 gene. Transcripts function is tested in a heterologous complementation assay, revealing that from the sixteen different predicted proteins only four types (those of 432, 370, 364 and 271 amino acids), are functional in the bacterial system. Conclusions/Significance: The large number of transcripts originated by alternative splicing of Psy1, and the coexistence of functional and non functional forms, suggest a fine regulation of PSY activity in H. chilense. This work is the first analysis of H. chilense Psy1 gene and the results reported here are the bases for its potential use in carotenoid enhancement in duru

Handbook of Fruit and Vegetable Flavors

Acting as chemical messengers for olfactory cells, food flavor materials are organic compounds that give off a strong, typically pleasant smells. Handbook of Fruit and Vegetable Flavors explores the flavor science and technology of fruits and vegetables, spices, and oils by first introducing specific flavors and their commercialization, then detailing the technical aspects, including biology, biotechnology, chemistry, physiochemistry, processing, analysis, extraction, commodities, and requirements for application as food additives. With chapter authors representing more than ten different countries, this handy reference provides a comprehensive view of this evolving science

A Routine Method for the Extraction and HPLC-DAD Profiling of Major Plant and Food Carotenoids

Hornero-Méndez D. (2020) A Routine Method for the Extraction and HPLC-DAD Profiling of Major Plant and Food Carotenoids. In: Rodríguez-Concepción M., Welsch R. (eds) Plant and Food Carotenoids. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2083. Humana, New York, NYCarotenoids are ubiquitously present in Nature, and especially in plants and derived foods. The carotenoid profiling is necessary to understand relevant aspects in relation to their biochemistry and genetics, as well as their important roles on human health and animal ecophysiology. Here we propose a simple methodology for the routine extraction and efficient HPLC separation of the most common plant and food carotenoids from plant and animal origins.The author thanks to the Spanish Government (projects AGL2017-85368P and CaRed Network BIO2015-71703-REDT and BIO2017-90877-REDT) for financial support

Postharvest Heat Treatment for Olive Oil Debittering at the Industrial Scale

To enhance the debittering of olive oil, 500-kg olive fruit (Olea europaea L.) samples in duplicate from different olive cultivars and orchard locations in Spain (Manzanilla olive fruits from Villarrasa during the 2002/2003, 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 seasons, or from Dos Hermanas during the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 seasons, Picual olive fruits from Cabra during the 2004/2005 season and Verdial olives from Villarrasa during the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 seasons) were treated by dipping in hot water under different conditions (50–68 °C for 3 or 5 min), which had been previously determined based on laboratory-scale experiments, and subsequently processed for virgin olive oil extraction. Heat treatment produced a change in the intensity of the oil bitterness in all cases, increased the pigment content, decreased stability and reduced the sensory freshness of the oil. Although heat treatment reduced the phenolic content of the oil, this effect was not uniform among the different phenolic compounds and depended on the crop season and olive variety. Therefore, the determination of debittering conditions will require a series of preliminary laboratory-scale experiments.Peer reviewe