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The hydrolysis process of pineapple leaf fibers has been carried out using sulfuric acid, nitric acid, bentonite catalyst, and activated bentonite catalyst. The sugar content of the hydrolysis product was identified using the phenol-sulfuric acid method by UV-Visible spectrophotometry. The disposal of pineapple leaf is a big problem even though it has high cellulose content (70–80%) and very promising to produce sugar by hydrolysis process. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effectiveness of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts related to sugar levels in pineapple leaf fiber. The variables in this study were the sampling time during the hydrolysis process at a temperature of 100 °C and the addition of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. The homogeneous catalysts were sulfuric acid and the nitric acid meanwhile heterogeneous catalyst was thermally activated bentonite and acid-activated bentonite. The results obtained highest sugar content reached at 150 minutes using chemical activated bentonite catalysts at 6.459 g/L and the addition of catalysts affected sugar yields, speed up the reaction, bentonite as a good catalyst, and gave good prospect for ethanol production in further process. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Cell-free systems have become a compelling choice for the prototyping of synthetic circuits. Many robust protocols for preparing cell-free systems are now available along with toolboxes designed for a variety of applications. Thus far, the production of cell-free extracts has often been decoupled from the production of functionalized proteins. Here, we leveraged a recent protocol for producing an E. coli-based cell-free expression system with two CRISPR-associated proteins, Csy4 and dCas9, expressed prior to harvest. We found that pre-expression did not affect the resulting extract performance, and the final concentrations of the endonucleases matched the level required for synthetic circuit prototyping. We demonstrated the benefits and versatility of dCas9 and Csy4 through the use of RNA circuitry based on a combination of single guide RNAs, small transcriptional activator RNAs, and toehold switches. For instance, we show that Csy4 processing increased 4-fold the dynamic range of a previously published AND-logic gate. Additionally, blending the CRISPR-enhanced extracts enabled us to reduce leakage in a multiple inputs gate, and to extend the type of Boolean functions available for RNA-based circuits, such as NAND-logic. Finally, we reported the use of simultaneous transcriptional and translational reporters in our RNA-based circuits. In particular, the AND-gate mRNA and protein levels were able to be independently monitored in response to transcriptional and translational activators. We hope this work will facilitate the adoption of advanced processing tools for RNA-based circuit prototyping in a cell-free environment.

The effect of low-temperature filamentary microplasma treatment on the anatomi-cal integrity of cell membranes of plant raw materials was studied. It is shown that microplasma treatment forms a through channels in the structure of plant materi-als and accelerate mass transfer process. The effect on the cell membrane of plant raw materials leads to a change in the capillary-porous structure with the for-mation of additional pores formed by microplasma discharge, oriented along the direction of the electric field strength. It was found that the dependence of the number of destroyed cells on the intensity of microplasma treatment is limited and decreases with longer processing of plant raw materials. According to the results of experimental studies, it was established that with microplasma treatment assis-tant, it is possible to control mass transfer processes which are important for the further processing of plant raw materials, such as drying and extraction

In this study, some land and soil properties were spatially evaluated with the help of 1/25.000 scaled digital soil maps belonging to Center of province in the Central Anatolia Region, Turkey. Land use capability, large soil groups, soil depths, erosion, slope and spatial distributions of current land uses were carried out in the research. Arc GIS 10.3.1 software, which is one of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, was used for spatial analysis. With a maximum of 262518 in the study area, VI. class lands. Class I cover an area of ​​247 . In terms of large soil groups, and soils are dominant and the area covered by these soils is 450187 . The least area was found to be reddish brown soils with 124 . It has been determined that the least area in the depth classes is A class (greater than 150 cm) soils. In the study area, it is the soil with the maximum C class (50-90 cm) depth. When the land was examined in terms of slope, it was determined that the land with the highest 3rd degree slope (12-20%) was formed. The research area consists of soil structure that can be exposed to the 2nd degree erosion class at most. When the current land uses are examined, it is the garden area with the least usage area in the region and the area it covers is 3400 . It has been observed that the most dry farming areas are located in the study area. It is thought that the results obtained as a result of the study will be the basis for the agricultural studies to be carried out in Center of province.

In Cognac, the musts are rich in grape solids and fermentations are usually run with turbidities ranging between 500 and 1500 NTU (nephelometric turbidity unit). These conditions, considered favourable for generating the desired organoleptic profiles of the final Eaux-de-vies, are unusual in winemaking, and, consequently, their impact on yeast metabolism is poorly understood. This study aims to better describe and understand the synthesis of fermentative aromas in such lipid-excess conditions, while integrating the effect of two other very important parameters: the initial concentration of assimilable nitrogen and the temperature of fermentation. To reach this objective, a Box-Behnken design was implemented to describe and model the simple effects of these factors as well as their interactions. Although the lipid concentration was very high, impacts on the production of fermentative aromas were observed. Indeed, high lipid levels promoted the synthesis of higher alcohols. Observing this effect was surprising because there is no metabolic connection between the anabolic pathways of production of these alcohols and the lipid pathway. This effect may be partly explained by impairment in the activity of alcohol acetyl transferases in the presence of lipids, which catalyse the conversion of higher alcohols into the corresponding esters. Therefore, in this study, the negative impact of turbidity was very significant on acetate esters related to the production of acetyl-CoA, which was the main molecule disturbed by the strong presence of lipids. Finally, and more surprisingly, lipid intake did not impact the synthesis of ethyl esters, which depended on the concentration of exogenous lipids. KEY POINTS: • Innovative work on the fermentation of white wine musts with very high lipid contents. • Precise fermentation management and monitoring in Cognac-making conditions. • Experimental design to study the impact of lipids, assimilable nitrogen and temperature on fermentative aroma synthesis.

Essential oils (EO) are volatile compounds with complex chemical compositions that are derived from the secondary metabolism of aromatic herbs. There are several applications of EO in the industrial and medical sectors. Basil (Ocimum sp.) is one of the most important EO-producing aromatic herbs. In this study, EO content (EOC) and linalool content (LC) in basil irrigated with reclaimed water were investigated. Plant development parameters, nutrient absorption and crude protein (CP) content were also evaluated. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, with five different treatments and five repetitions each. Compared with treatments only using water, the results of those with reclaimed water irrigation showed higher nutrient absorption, CP contents (in their foliar tissue), length of plant branches, foliar biomass weights, and EOC and LC. EOC reached up to 0.58% of the dry biomass and LC was up to 5.84% of EO mass. In practice, it is estimated that around 5.8 kg of EO and 0.34 kg of linalool can be obtained from one ton of dry basil biomass. HIGHLIGHTS Higher essential oil and linalool contents were obtained in plants irrigated with higher percentage of reclaimed water used.; Reclaimed water use resulted in the highest length of branches and biomass production of dry leaves, up to 30 cm and 28 g per plant, respectively.; Crude protein content in leaves increased proportionally to the percentage of reclaimed water used.; Approximately 5.8 kg of EO and 0.34 kg of linalool can be obtained per ton of basil dry mass.

Ultrasonographic imaging of ovarian morphology is used widely to inform reproductive health status in women. Metabolic disturbances induced by a negative energy balance (e.g., undernutrition) or positive energy balance (e.g., overnutrition, obesity) are known to drive or exacerbate reproductive dysfunction. Whether the utility of ultrasonographic metrics of ovarian morphology could be extended as biomarkers that detect and monitor the integration of metabolic and reproductive dysfunction is an emerging research area, and recent evidence is discussed. We note that unique variations in ovarian morphology emerge across the adiposity spectrum and highlight the potential for reproductive and metabolic “tipping points” upon which such morphological variations may be detected on ultrasonography.

Metabolomics is proving a useful approach for many of the main future goals in agronomy and food production such as sustainability/crop resilience, food quality, safety, storage, and nutrition. Targeted and/or untargeted small-molecule analysis, coupled to chemometric analysis, has already unveiled a great deal of the complexity of plant-based foods, but there is still 'dark matter' to be discovered. Moreover, state-of-the-art food metabolomics offers insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying sensorial and nutritional characteristics of foods and thus enables higher precision and speed. This review describes recent applications of food metabolomics from fork to farm and focuses on the opportunities these bring to continue food innovation and support the shift to plant-based foods.

Background l -theanine, the most represented non-proteinogenic amino acid in tea plants (Camellia sinensis), is extensively utilized as a food supplement and a pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic ingredient. Tea plants are major sources of l -theanine, however, successfully extracting l -theanine from plants is limited by environmental conditions. Furthermore, the chemical synthesis of l -theanine is inefficient owing to the coproduction of undesirable stereoisomers that affect downstream applications. To overcome these problems, microbial engineering processes based on enzymatic catalysis and fermentation have emerged as sustainable manufacturing approaches for l -theanine biosynthesis. Advantages of these processes include the availability of well-established microbial engineering tools and strategies and high production rates. Scope and approach In this review, we first introduced the natural biosynthetic pathway of l -theanine production and discussed the detailed microbial or enzymatic processes involved in l -theanine production. We then summarized the information from recently published studies on the production of l -theanine using microbial platforms, emphasizing the latest advances and most relevant process parameters in l -theanine biosynthesis. Key findings and conclusion As an alternative approach to the non-environmentally friendly and largely energy-consuming traditional methods, the microbial production of l -theanine is expected to be successfully utilized in various industrial applications.

At the post-transcriptional level, microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the regulation of gene expression, thereby influencing the outcome of many biological processes in insects, such as development, reproduction, metamorphosis, immunity, and insecticide resistance. The alteration of miRNA expression by mimic/agomir or inhibitor/antagomir via injection/feeding can lead to pest developmental abnormalities, death, or reduced pesticide resistance, indicating that miRNAs are potential targets for pest control. This review provides an overview of recent advances in understanding the regulatory roles of miRNA in agricultural and public health insect pest, and further highlights the potential of miRNAs as prospective targets in pest control.

Monascus pigments are the important natural additives in food industrial production. To obtain more economic pigments production processes, the present study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of using pomace resource as substrate for pigments production. Petri dish fermentation was designed to seek the optimal process parameters, and the value of red, yellow and total pigments per dry fermented substrate could achieve 654.6, 1268.1 and 1922.7 OD units/g, respectively. Shallow tray fermentation experiments were used for investigating the potential industrial production of pigments using potato pomace as sole carbon. The final total pigments of 200 g and 1000 g shallow tray experiments could reach 1886.9 and 1737.4 OD units/g. The results in this work indicating that potato pomace could be an efficient and low cost substrate for the production of Monascus pigments, and will supply a valuable reference for the comprehensive utilization of potato resources and seeking the economical natural pigments process.

Riboflavin is a commercially important compound in the food, pharmaceutical, chemical, and cosmetic industries. The down-regulation of expression levels of ribF, purA and guaC genes involved in the downstream or branch reactions of riboflavin biosynthesis pathway could direct more carbon flux to riboflavin accumulation. In this study, we made an attempt to fine-tune the expression levels of the 3 genes by using synthetic regulatory small RNA to enhance riboflavin production in Escherichia coli. Firstly, each of the 3 genes was knocking down by using 5 different sRNAs, respectively, and a highest increase of 50.2 % in riboflavin titer was achieved by using anti-ribF5 sRNA. Then this sRNA was further co-expressed with 5 anti-purA and 5 anti-guaC sRNAs to simultaneously knocking down 2 or 3 genes. Co-expression of anti-ribF5 and anti-guaC3 led to the highest riboflavin production of 1091.3 mg/L, which was further increased by 97.6 % compared to the base strain. Finally, the expression levels of anti-ribF5 and anti-guaC3 were further fine-tuned by using 4 different promoters. The best strain WY40, in which the two sRNAs were respectively expressed by PJ23100 and PJ23107 promoter, produced 1454.5 mg/L riboflavin with an increase of 163.4 % compared to the base strain. To our knowledge, it's the first study to enhance riboflavin synthesis by simultaneously regulating the expression levels of ribF, purA and guaC genes, which led to a highest yield of 0.147 g/g glucose among all reported riboflavin-producing strains.

Alcaligenaceae and Chromatiaceae were previously reported as the specific pollution bioindicators in the receiving river water contaminated by palm oil mill effluent (POME) final discharge. Considering the inevitable sensitivity of bacteria under environmental stresses, it is crucial to assess the survivability of both bacteria in the fluctuated environmental factors, proving their credibility as POME pollution bioindicators in the environment. In this study, the survivability of Alcaligenaceae and Chromatiaceae from facultative pond, algae (aerobic) pond and final discharge were evaluated under varying sets of temperature (25-40°C), pH (pH 7-9) and low/high total suspended solid (TSS) contents of POME collected during low/high crop seasons of oil palm, respectively. Following treatment, the viability status and compositions of the bacterial community were assessed using flow cytometry-based assay and high-throughput Illumina MiSeq, respectively, in correlation with the changes of physicochemical properties. The changes in temperature, pH and TSS indeed changed the physicochemical properties of POME. The functionality of bacterial cells was also shifted where the viable cells and high nucleic acid contents reduced at elevated levels of temperature and pH but increased at high TSS content. Interestingly, the Alcaligenaceae and Chromatiaceae continuously detected in the samples which accounted for more than 0.5% of relative abundance, with a positive correlation with biological oxygen demand (BOD5) concentration. Therefore, either Alcaligenaceae or Chromatiaceae or both could be regarded as the reliable and specific bacterial indicators to indicate the pollution in river water due to POME final discharge despite the fluctuations in temperature, pH and TSS.

The application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in agricultural field is emerging and relatively new. In this work, a simple, cost-efficient, non-toxic and eco-friendly method for the green synthesis of ZnO NPs by Senna occidentalis leaf extract has been described. Techniques used to characterize nanoparticles (NPs) were X-ray diffractometer (XRD), UV visible spectroscopy, Particle size analyzer (PSA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this study, green synthesized ZnO NPs at 20-40 mg/l solution was used to prime aged seeds of early flowering homozygous mutant (BM6) of Pusa basmati (Oryza sativa), which enhanced germination performance and seedling vigor significantly as compared to zinc sulphate (ZnSO4) priming and conventional hydropriming. The effect of treatment was analyzed by measuring biophysical and biochemical parameter of germinating rice seeds. The seeds treated with ZnO NPs of 20 mg/l concentration showed more than 50 % stimulation in dry weight, relative water uptake of seeds and radicle length of seedling in comparison to other priming solution and control (hydro-primed). Significant growth was also observed in plumule length and fresh weight of seeds in ZnO NPs at 20 mg/l concentration in comparison to control and other priming treatments. At the same concentration of ZnO NPs, there was 23 % stimulation reported in total soluble sugar content and 45 % stimulation in amylase activity. There was also a substantial increase in antioxidant enzymes i.e. superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity. Seed priming represents an innovative user-friendly approach to enhance the germination rate, starch metabolic process and triggered zinc acquisition of rice aged seed as an alternative to the conventional priming method.

Dried parsley is regularly contaminated with foodborne pathogens, especially Salmonella. Application of contaminated ingredients in ready-to-eat dishes without further thermal treatment represents a considerable health risk. This study examined the suitability of pulsed light as a novel decontamination method of Salmonella in dried parsley, along with the impact on selected quality parameters (chlorophyll content, phenolic compounds, color, and odor) and product characters (temperature and water activity value). Samples were inoculated with one of three Salmonella isolates (Salmonella Cerro or one of two isolates of Salmonella Agona) at two contamination levels of 103 or 107 CFU/g and treated under various experimental factors, including distance to the light source and exposure time, resulting in fluences in the range of 1.8 to 19.9 J/cm2. At selected parameter settings (9.8 and 13.3 J/cm2), the effect of prolonged storage time (48 h) of inoculated samples before treatment on the reduction of Salmonella Cerro was examined. Samples treated at the same fluences were also stored for 35 days at 22 to 25°C. The three Salmonella isolates were significantly reduced by pulsed light (P < 0.05). Reduction factors ranged between 0.3 and 5.2 log CFU with varying sensitivities of the isolates. In general, increasing fluences (depending on exposure time and distance to the light source) resulted in increasing reductions of Salmonella. However, on closer examination, exposure time and distance to the light source had a varying influence on the reduction of the different Salmonella isolates. Decreasing reduction factors were observed by increasing the contamination level and prolonging the storage time of inoculated samples before treatment. No undesirable changes in quality parameters and sensory analysis were detectable at fluences of 9.8 and 13.3 J/cm2, indicating that pulsed light may be a suitable alternative for the decontamination of dried parsley. HIGHLIGHTS

Fungal liquefaction of coal is a promising technology to convert low rank coal into value-added products such as humic acids (HAs) that are extensively used as fertilizer. Use of Pakistani Thar lignite for humic acid extraction can promote agriculture industry in Pakistan. In this study, fifty-five fungal strains were isolated from Thar lignite and screened for their lignite solubilization efficiency. Isolates M13 and MI exhibited highest capacity for lignite solubilization and HA was extracted with 67.4 ± 4.3 percent (w/w) yield. Elemental analysis showed increased nitrogen (0.72–1.39 percent) and oxygen (41.7–48 percent), and decreased carbon (51.8–46.1 percent) and sulphur (1.18–0.73 percent) contents in bio-extracted HA (bHA) compared to chemically extracted HA (cHA). UV/Vis spectroscopy showed increased E4/E6 value from 5.6 ± 0.39 (cHA) to 6.28 ± 0.35 (bHA) indicating reduced molecular mass and aromaticity and increased bioactivity of molecule. FTIR analysis also confirmed these results. HPLC analysis of bHA and cHA showed typical choromatogram of humic acids. Enzyme activity staining indicated the presence of fungal cellulase and xylanase on SDS-PAGE gel. The degradation of lignite macromolecules by lignin degrading fungi is a complex process dependent on alkaline substances, chelators, surfactants and extracellular fungal enzymes.

The current study aims to synthesize and investigate the effects of Ferulic acid-copper(II) (FA-Cu) and Ferulic acid-Zinc(II) (FA-Zn) complexes on bone formation. The initial biocompatibility test and ALP activity assay showed that the FA-Cu and FA-Zn complexes have reached the optimum concentrations of 40 μM. An in-vitro, cellular level evaluation showed that these complexes promote the ALP activity and calcium deposition in osteoblasts. At the molecular level analysis, these complexes increased the osteoblast specific markers, Runx2 and type 1 collagen mRNAs and secretory protein levels of osteocalcin (OC) and osteonectin (ON). Also, the expression of the co-activator of osteoblast differentiation, TAZ increased and the effect of these complexes decreased the co-suppressor HDAC4. We tested the bone forming effect of these complexes in (1) zebrafish embryo bone development, (2) osteoblast distribution in scale, and (3) tail fracture models. FA-Cu and FA-Zn complex exposures have enhanced bone mineralization in zebrafish embryos' development, increased osteoblast distribution in adult zebrafish scales, and reinforced bone healing by increasing ossification at the injury site. In summary, our findings have shown that FA stimulates bone formation, and the complexes of FA-Cu and FA-Zn have further improved it.

Background Encapsulation technology for food bioactive components has gained momentum in the last decades and a series of compounds, such as phenolics, oils, and vitamins, have been successfully encapsulated using co-crystallization. Scope and approach The process of co-crystallization using sucrose is a flexible and economic process and includes preparation of supersaturated sucrose solution, addition of core material, uniform mixing, and heating up to the crystallization temperature. The resulted crystallization products have a porous structure with desired characteristics, such as solubility, hygroscopicity, and flowability. The use of co-crystallization is more common in the pharmaceutical industry than in the food industry, where a relative limited number of studies have been made reported. In general, many researchers have focused their efforts on optimization of encapsulation of food bioactive components by co-crystallization with sucrose. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of these efforts. Key finding and conclusions Phenolic and carotenoids extracts, oils and oleoresins, vitamins, minerals, glucose, and fructose have been successfully encapsulated with co-crystallization. Future studies should be focused on overcoming the gap between research and large-scale applications, optimizing existing technologies.

Several pharmacological and biological activities of phenolic compounds have been reported in the literature. Some phenolic compounds have antibacterial properties, either alone or in combination with currently used antibiotics. With an increasing number of cases of bacterial infections caused by resistant bacteria, the search for more effective treatments has become critical. The goal of this study was to assess pyrogallol's ability to reverse bacterial resistance by inhibiting efflux pumps, as well as to validate its mechanism of interaction using computational dynamics. To determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of pyrogallol, broth microdilution tests were performed. The MIC reduction of tetracycline and ethidium bromide confirmed efflux pump inhibition. Pyrogallol showed direct activity against Staphylococcus aureus; however, the synergistic effect was observed only with the tested antibiotic, reducing its concentration from 128 μg/mL to 45.25 μg/mL, and this effect was not associated with efflux pump inhibition. According to molecular dynamics, this compound interacts with the surface of the bacterial membrane. However, more research is needed to identify potential mechanisms of interaction with existing antibiotics.

Omics tools offer the opportunity to characterize and trace traditional and industrial fermented foods. Bioinformatics, through machine learning, and other advanced statistical approaches, are able to disentangle fermentation processes and to predict the evolution and metabolic outcomes of a food microbial ecosystem. By assembling microbial artificial consortia, the biotechnological advances will also be able to enhance the nutritional value and organoleptics characteristics of fermented food, preserving, at the same time, the potential of autochthonous microbial consortia and metabolic pathways, which are difficult to reproduce. Preserving the traditional methods contributes to protecting the hidden value of local biodiversity, and exploits its potential in industrial processes with the final aim of guaranteeing food security and safety, even in developing countries.

Worldwide, the number of persons over the age of 65 years and those at risk of malnutrition (over and under) is growing, and the prevalence of diet-related chronic disease is at a record high. Pathologies that are linked to poor nutrition underlie the leading causes of death. Safe and effective strategies to improve human health outcomes are urgently required. Identification of nutrient needs for health outcomes has led to the development of food products, supplements, and dietary pattern recommendations. Application of these nutrient-based therapies have the potential to optimize clinical outcomes, such as tissue regeneration post-skeletal muscle trauma. However, despite progress in identifying nutrient needs there is often a delay in the utilization of products in clinical practice.

Dietary modification would be the most translatable, cost-efficient, and, likely, the safest approach available that can reduce the reliance on pharmaceutical treatments for treating acute or chronic neurological disorders. A wide variety of evidence suggests that the ketogenic diet (KD) could have beneficial effects in acute traumatic events, such as spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. Review of existing human and animal studies revealed that KD can improve motor neuro-recovery, gray matter sparing, pain thresholds, and neuroinflammation and decrease depression. Although the exact mechanism by which the KD provides neuroprotection is not fully understood, its effects on cellular energetics, mitochondria function and inflammation are likely to have a role.

Background Jew's ear is an important cultivated edible mushroom. It contains high levels of melanin, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, amino acids, ergosterol, and ascorbic acids, and a very lower level of fat. Various in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that Jew's ear exhibits numerous health-promoting properties. It is known to exhibit antioxidant properties to prevent free radical-induced oxidative damages; balance the blood glucose and lipid levels to alleviate diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity; stimulate macrophage and inflammatory cytokines to prevent inflammation; exhibit anti-cancer properties by stimulating cellular apoptosis and prevent gut microbial dysbiosis by stimulating the growth of healthy gut microbiota. Scope and approach The data regarding A. auricula-judae and its health-promoting effects was obtained through library databases and several electronic searches, such as Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, ResearchGate, and journal websites. Key findings and conclusions Our review presented a comprehensive insight into the chemical composition, health-promoting effects, and bioactive mechanisms of A. auricula-judae for the prevention of common diseases.

Growth on solid media as sessile cells is believed to increase the desiccation tolerance of Salmonella enterica. However, the reasons behind increased resistance have not been well explored. In addition, the same effect has not been examined for other foodborne pathogens such as pathogenic Escherichia coli or Listeria monocytogenes. The purpose of this research was twofold: first, to determine the role of oxygenation during growth on the desiccation resistance of S. enterica, E. coli, and L. monocytogenes, and second, to determine the effect of sessile versus planktonic growth on the desiccation resistance of these pathogens. Three different serotypes each of Salmonella, E. coli, and L. monocytogenes were cultured in Trypticase soy broth with 0.6% yeast extract (TSBYE), with (aerobic) shaking or on TSBYE with agar under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions and harvested in the stationary phase. After adding cell suspensions to cellulose filter disks, pathogen survival was determined by enumeration before drying (0 h) and after drying for 24 h. Results showed statistical differences in harvested initial populations before drying. For Salmonella, a correlation was found between high initial population and greater survival on desiccation (P = 0.05). In addition, statistical differences (P ≤ 0.05) between survival based on growth type were identified. However, differences found were not the same for the three pathogens, or between their serotypes. In general, Salmonella and E. coli desiccation resistance followed the pattern of aerobic agar media ≥ liquid media ≥ anaerobic agar media. For L. monocytogenes serotypes, resistance to desiccation was not statistically different based on mode of growth. These results indicate growth on solid media under aerobic conditions is not always necessary for optimal desiccation survival, but may be beneficial when the desiccation resistance of the test serotype is unknown. HIGHLIGHTS

Background Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an important bio-product used in pharmaceuticals and functional foods and as a precursor of the biodegradable plastic polyamide 4. Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) converts l-glutamate (l-Glu) into GABA via decarboxylation. Compared with other methods, develop a bioconversion platform to produce GABA is of considerable interest for industrial use. Results Three GAD genes were identified from three Bacillus strains and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The optimal reaction temperature and pH values for three enzymes were 40 °C and 5.0, respectively. Of the GADs, GADZ11 had the highest catalytic efficiency towards l-Glu (2.19 mM− 1 s− 1). The engineered E. coli strain that expressed GADZ11 was used as a whole-cell biocatalyst for the production of GABA. After repeated use 14 times, the cells produced GABA with an average molar conversion rate of 98.6% within 14 h. Conclusions Three recombinant GADs from Bacillus strains have been conducted functional identification. The engineered E. coli strain heterologous expressing GADZ1, GADZ11, and GADZ20 could accomplish the biosynthesis of l-Glu to GABA in a buffer-free reaction at a high l-Glu concentration. The novel engineered E. coli strain has the potential to be a cost-effective biotransformation platform for the industrial production of GABA.

A novel β-glucosidase was purified from pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) seed by anion exchange chromatography and gel permeation chromatography, and its molecular mass was determined to be 42.8 kDa by gel permeation chromatography. The heterodimeric structure consisting of two subunits, free from disulfide bonds, was determined by native-PAGE analysis followed by zymography. The enzyme was maximally active at pH 4.0 and 70°C, and Vmax, Km, and kcat values were 0.078 units mg−1 protein, 2.22 mM, and 13.29 min−1, respectively, employing p-nitrophenyl-β- d -glucopyranoside as the substrate. The high content of glycine determined by amino acid analysis implies that the enzyme possesses flexible conformations and interacts with cell membranes and walls in nature. Circular dichroism studies revealed that the high stability of the enzyme within the pH range of 2.0–10.0 is due to its reversible pH-responsive characteristics for α-helix–antiparallel β-sheet interconversion.

Plants in nature are protected against insect herbivory by a wide variety of specialized metabolites. Although insect herbivores generally tolerate the defensive metabolites of their preferred host plants, the presence of additional chemical defenses in otherwise closely related plant species can nevertheless provide resistance. This chemical resistance to insect herbivory can be enhanced by genetic engineering to increase the production of endogenous defensive metabolites, modify existing biochemical pathways, or move the biosynthesis of entirely new classes of specialized metabolites into recipient plants. However, current plant genetic engineering strategies are limited by insufficient knowledge of the biosynthetic pathways of plant specialized metabolism, unintended side-effects that result from redirecting plant metabolism, inadequate transgene construction and delivery methods, and requirements for tissue-specific production of defensive metabolites to enhance herbivore resistance.

Measuring the dietary intakes of individuals for research and monitoring purposes is notoriously challenging and is subject to both random and systematic measurement error. In this review, the strengths and limitations of current methods to assess dietary and supplemental exposures are described. Traditional methods of dietary assessment include food records, food frequency questionnaires, 24-hour recalls, and screening tools; digital and mobile methods that leverage technology are available for these traditional methods. Ultimately, the choice of assessment method is dependent upon the research question, the study design, sample characteristics, and the size of the sample, to name just a few. Despite their challenges, dietary assessment tools are an important dimension of nutrition research and monitoring.

Ageing is associated with characteristic changes including a gradual decline of physiological functions, inflamm-aging, sarcopenia, and the associated onset of multiple diseases. Another factor potentially contributing to enhanced susceptibility to multiple diseases is aging-associated alteration in the gut microbiome. These alterations include a loss of commensals and gain of disease-associated pathobionts, and are accelerated by lifestyle factors like medication, reduced mobility and restricted diet. Several studies suggest that supplementation or modification of the habitual diet may help to address age-related frailty and comorbidities, aided by microbiota modulation. In this review, we comprehensively summarize recent investigations of microbiota alterations during aging and age-related diseases and the possibilities for altering the microbiome as a therapeutic approach.

Malnutrition affects millions of people globally, especially women, children, and other vulnerable populations. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were set in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet, and improve the lives and prospects of everyone by 2030. To achieve the SDG goals effective nutrition interventions and programs need to be efficiently delivered to those most in need. Nutrition directly affects 2 SDGs (2 and 3) and indirectly influences five others. In addition, almost all SDGs influence nutrition and thus attaining the SDG goals is also a pre-requisite to achieving the Global Nutrition targets set in 2012. Evidence-based nutrition interventions, for which there is strong evidence of their biological impact, have the potential to directly influence SDGs 2 and 3 if successfully delivered at scale in high-burden countries. Nevertheless, delivery of nutrition programs is a complex process, where policy, government commitment, adequate budget allocation, supplies and delivery systems, training of service providers, informed beneficiaries and program monitoring and evaluation all need to be in place and aligned with each other. Although in the past decade there has been progress in the SDGs that nutrition directly affects, many goals are still off-track, likely due to several pending gaps at policy-level, program-level, and intervention-level. To accelerate the progress toward reaching the SDG goals that are directly influenced by nutrition, countries need to be supported to successfully and sustainably deliver proven interventions and to scale-up and deliver new interventions in new and innovative ways, and the evidence base should be built in promising areas especially integrating (rather than prioritizing over each other) nutrition-specific and sensitive approaches.

Cold plasma is formed by the nonthermal ionization of gas into free electrons, ions, reactive atomic and molecular species, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This cold plasma can be used to alter the surface of solid and liquid foods, and it offers multiple advantages over traditional thermal treatments, such as no thermal damage and increased output variation (due to the various input parameters gas, power, plasma type, etc.). Cold plasma appears to have limited impact on the sensory and color properties, at lower power and treatment times, but there has been a statistically significant reduction in pH for most of the cold plasma treatments reviewed (p < 0.05). Carbohydrates (cross linking and glycosylation), lipids (oxidation), and proteins (secondary structure) are more significantly impacted due to cold plasma at higher intensities and longer treatment times. Although cold plasma treatments and food matrices can vary considerably, this review has identified the literary evidence of some of the influences and impacts of the vast array of cold plasma treatment parameters on the biomolecular and organoleptic properties of these foods. Due to the rapidly evolving nature of the field, we have also identified that authors prioritize the presentation of different information when publishing from different research areas. Therefore, we have proposed a number of key physical and chemical cold plasma parameters that should be considered for inclusion in all future publications in the field.

Background The search for preservation methods that can be used as alternatives to heat treatment is a significant issue in food quality. Utilization of plasma technology, a useful nonthermal technique, is encouraged in the food industry because of its effectiveness in preserving the natural aroma and flavor and antimicrobial activity. Scope and approach The cold plasma (CP) technique is used for food processing for enhancing antimicrobial activity, structural modification, decontamination of surfaces, and disinfection of food-processing instruments. Currently, a combination of CP with other promising approaches, such as nanotechnology applications, including nanofiber, nanoemulsion, nanoparticles, and nanoencapsulation, and emerging nonthermal technologies, including pulsed electric field (PEF), pulsed light (PL), and ultrasound, is gaining increased attention. In addition to its many advantages, CP is a low-cost method that can be an alternative to heat-based techniques used for the processing of food products. Therefore, application of CP technology in the food industry has been described in this review. Key findings and conclusions Demand for raw or non-heat-treated foods is increasing due to factors, such as the preference of consumers for healthy foods and the development of consumer awareness. However, plasma technology can be used to improve microbial quality and prevent rapid physical, chemical, and sensory changes. Studies have shown that CP application is effective in offering higher-quality products for consumption by extending the shelf life of foods. Positive results have been achieved in terms of both quality and microbial activity in different food groups with plasma technology. In addition to recently published articles, the combined hurdle effect of CP with other emerging novel technologies such as nanotechnology, pulsed electric field (PEF), pulsed light (PL), and ultrasound processing on food or food packaging materials could be further studied and used to ensure food safety. However, the high initial investment costs for CP need to be considered.

This work aimed to study the effect of using anaerobically digested gelatin industry wastewater as a culture medium for the cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris microalgae in bubble column photobioreactors (PBRs). Batch experiments were carried out to determine the growth kinetics by inoculating microalgae in wastewater prepared with different dilutions and supplemented with Bold's Basal Medium (BBM). From the values of the saturation constants (KS = 50.25 mgN-NH4+·L−1) and substrate inhibition (KI = 28.12 mgN-NH4+·L−1) obtained in the adjustment to the Andrews kinetic model (R2 = 0.817), the PBRs achieved specific maximum growth rates (μmax) of 0.343 d−1, biomass productivity of 0.141 g·L−1·d−1, lipid content of 12.45%, lipid productivity of 17.63 mg·L−1·d−1 and instantaneous ammoniacal nitrogen consumption rates of 20.06 and 14.22 mg·L−1·d−1. The addition of wastewater to the culture medium provided an increase in biomass productivity of 57.45% in relation to the negative control. The results obtained demonstrate the high efficiency of C. vulgaris in the removal of nitrogenous compounds and the potential of using anaerobically digested gelatin industry wastewater in the production of microalgae biomass. HIGHLIGHTS The use of wastewater in bubble column photobioreactors (PBRs) provided a 57.45% increase in biomass productivity (PB).; Andrews model successfully predicted the growth kinetics of C. vulgaris in wastewater (R2 = 0.817).; Ammoniacal nitrogen (N-NHx) was preferred compared with nitrate (N-NO3) during the operation of photobioreactors.; The first-order decay model with residual successfully predicted the kinetics of nitrate (N-NO3) consumption.; Two first-order decay models with residuals in series better represented the ammoniacal nitrogen (N-NHx) depletion.

Background Rapid socio-economic development has allowed bakery products to gradually become a significant portion of people's daily diet throughout the world. However, microbial contamination and oxidation of lipids, as well as proteins in bakery products, may cause substantial economic losses and even threaten human health. The quality and safety properties of bakery products are highly dependent on packaging materials and technologies. Scope and approach The research into active packaging is a tremendous breakthrough towards solving these economic and safety problems while at the same time providing innovative methods to extend the shelf-life of bakery products. This article reviewed the factors affecting bakery products’ shelf-life and highlighted the different active packaging materials with myriad applications in bakery products, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, ethanol emitters and moisture absorbers packaging. Furthermore, consumer preferences towards active packaging, as well as the challenges and future trends in the development of active packaging in the bakery industry were also discussed. Key findings and conclusions By absorbing or releasing active compounds, active packaging systems can effectively delay or prevent microbial spoilage, reduce oxidation, and enhance the safety and quality of bakery products. Some innovative materials, such as stimuli-responsive antimicrobial materials, should be considered to successfully implement active packaging solutions in the bakery industry.

Food waste is a global issue costing roughly US$ 680 billion annually in industrialized countries. Food spoilage is a major contribution to food waste but artificial food preservatives are often not well accepted by the public. The use of natural alternatives to control spoilage is therefore of interest to the food industry. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum B21, originally isolated from a Vietnamese fermented meat product, produces an antimicrobial bacteriocin peptide which is pH and temperature stable and capable of inhibiting spoilage and pathogenic bacterial strains, including Listeria. In this study the sources of nitrogen and Tween are demonstrated to be essential for growth and bacteriocin production in L. plantarum B21. Conversely, carbohydrate source was not critical for bacteriocin production but was essential for growth. The bacteriocin was found to interact with cell membranes of target microorganisms resulting in cell leakage and subsequent cell death. This study provides insight into the growth conditions needed for the potential development of L. plantarum B21 as a natural biopreservative for food products.

Grain drying is a common process, due to its need for the maintenance of quality, but it is the activity with the highest energy demand among the postharvest stages. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different tempering times on the energy efficiency of drying process and maintenance of cell membrane integrity of maize grains harvested with moisture content at 0.34 ± 0.01 d.b. The grains were dried in an experimental fixed-bed dryer with control of temperature and air flow conditions. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with five tempering times (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 hours) and four repetitions, where zero corresponds to continuous drying, while the remaining times correspond to the intermittent dryings. The grains were dried at the temperature of 100 ºC and air flow of 15.4 m3 min-1 t-1 until reaching moisture content of 0.16 ± 0.03 d.b. For intermittent drying, the process was interrupted with 0.22 ± 0.02 d.b. and restarted after the tempering time. The increase of tempering time led to reductions in effective drying time, specific energy consumption, electrical conductivity and damage and increase in the drying rate and overall energy efficiency. Intermittent drying reduced the drying time, being 30.25% more efficient than continuous drying. RESUMO O processo de secagem de grãos é uma prática comum e necessária à manutenção da qualidade, porém é uma das atividades de maior demanda energética dentre as fases pós-colheita. Neste contexto, realizou-se este estudo com objetivo de avaliar os efeitos de diferentes períodos de repouso na eficiência energética do processo de secagem e manutenção da integridade das membranas dos grãos colhidos com teor de água de 0,34 ± 0,01 b.s. Os grãos foram secos em um secador experimental de camada fixa com controle de temperatura e fluxo de ar. O experimento foi montado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com cinco períodos de repouso (0, 4, 8, 12 e 16 horas) e quatro repetições, em que zero corresponde à secagem contínua e os demais à secagem intermitente. Os grãos foram secos a 100 ºC de temperatura e fluxo de ar de 15,4 m3 min-1 t-1 até atingir 0,16 ± 0,02 b.s. Para a secagem intermitente, o processo foi interrompido com 0,22 ± 0,03 b.s. e retomado após o período de repouso. O aumento do período de repouso diminuiu o tempo efetivo de secagem, consumo específico de energia, condutividade elétrica, danos da reação do iodo e aumentou a taxa de secagem e eficiência energética global. A secagem intermitente foi 30,25% mais eficiente que contínua.

β-1,3-oligoglucoside is widely used as a functional food additive and a physiologically active compound. To efficiently produce β-1,3-oligoglucosides through curdlan hydrolysis, the endo-β-1,3-glucanase gene from Trichoderma harzianum was expressed in Pichia pastoris KM71 for the first time in order to construct a high-yield endo-β-1,3-glucanase strain. Optimal conditions for cell culture and endo-β-1,3-glucanase induction were subsequently determined in shake flask experiments. Recombinant endo-β-1,3-glucanase activity was then evaluated in a 7 L bioreactor, reaching a maximum of 198.57 U/mL after of 118 h fermentation. The recombinant endo-β-1,3-glucanase optimally functioned at pH 5.5 and 50 °C in addition to being stable over a pH range of 4.0–6.0 and a temperature range of 30 °C – 50 °C. In addition, the expressed glucanase could efficiently hydrolyze scleroglucan and schizophyllan to produce branched oligoglucosides exhibiting different degrees of polymerization (DP 3–10) and structures. The high enzyme activity and specificity towards polysaccharides with β-1,3-linked glucose residues as primary chains renders recombinant endo-β-1,3-glucanase an ideal candidate enzyme for the industrial production of oligoglucosides.

Improving productivity and decreasing costs for biotherapeutic agents has been a focal driving force in the manufacturing of biologics. Advances in upstream processes have been continuously outpacing the ability for downstream operations to purify biologics, especially monoclonal antibodies. Continuous chromatography has several benefits for biologic purification including automated control, decreased labor, improved productivity, and more consistent product attributes. The goal of this study was to improve productivity and decrease costs associated with batch-mode and continuous purification processes. Productivities using cellulose nanofibers with a protein A ligand offer greater than 30-fold higher productivities than their resin-based equivalents using periodic countercurrent technology with multiple column chromatography. The smaller columns needed for convective mass transfer, faster processing times, and decreased costs allow for a more efficient mAb capture step. Additionally, high throughput purification (grams of mAbs/day) can be achieved from the scale-down model developed using periodic countercurrent technology. These advancements will help drive the evolution of downstream operations to manage the higher workloads due to increased upstream titers in a cost-effective manner.

Roots remain an understudied site of complex and important biological interactions mediating plant productivity. In grain and bioenergy crops, grass root specialized metabolites (GRSM) are central to key interactions, yet our basic knowledge of the chemical language remains fragmentary. Continued improvements in plant genome assembly and metabolomics are enabling large-scale advances in the discovery of specialized metabolic pathways as a means of regulating root-biotic interactions. Metabolomics, transcript coexpression analyses, forward genetic studies, gene synthesis and heterologous expression assays drive efficient pathway discoveries. Functional genetic variants identified through genome wide analyses, targeted CRISPR/Cas9 approaches, and both native and non-native overexpression studies critically inform novel strategies for bioengineering metabolic pathways to improve plant traits.

Typical traditional probiotics lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are gaining great interest to be developed as living diagnostics and therapeutics for improving human health. However, the mechanistic basis underlying their inherent health beneficial property remain incompletely understood which can slow down the translational pipeline in the functional food and pharmaceutical field. Efficient genome editing will advance the understanding of the molecular mechanism of the probiotics' physiological properties and their interaction with the host and the host microbiota, thereby further promote the development of next-generation designer probiotics with improved robustness and tailored functionalities. With the expansion of genome editing strategies such as CRISPR-Cas-based tools and IPSD assisted genome engineering as well as other synthetic biology technologies, the research and application of these health-promoting bacteria for the food and pharmaceutical industry will be further enhanced.

Background Black fungi (Auricularia auricula) was known as one of the major mushrooms grown and cultivated all over the world, especially northeast Asia. It has been proved that black fungi had tremendous biological functions, and thus was being remarked to be a potential ingredient for the functional food. Scope and approach This review comprises a comprehensive research for the isolation and characterization of bioactive components in black fungi and their potent physiological activities. Meanwhile, chemical and metabolic methodologies are introduced to clarify the specified mechanism and future challenges. Key findings and conclusions Integrated research results showed that black fungi contain some bioactive components such as polysaccharide, melanin and phenolic. According to origin and isolation method, the structural features of polysaccharide and melanin were significantly different. Health benefits such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antitumor and immunostimulation could be exerted with black fungi components and their derivatives. Besides, biological activity and physicochemical property of black fungi enabled the application in the drug delivery and food production. Detailed mechanisms confirmed that oxidative damage removal, immune signal transduction and gut microbiota enhancement supports the promising functionality. However, present research of black fungi still demands the more efficient extraction and purification including subcritical water, ohmic, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and two-phase partitioning. Challenges to some health benefits such as gut microbiota-immune, dosage suitable for clinical practice and especially structure-function relationship should also be worthwhile to increase the total functional value of black fungi.

Nanoparticles (NPs) possess specific physical and chemical features and they are capable enough to cross cellular barriers and show their effect on living organisms. Their capability to cross cellular barriers have been noticed for their application not only in medicine, electronics, chemical and physical sciences, but also in agriculture. In agriculture, nanotechnology can help to improve the growth and crop productivity by the use of various nanoscale products such as nanofertilizers, nanoherbicides, nanofungicides, nanopesticides etc. An optimized concentration of NPs can be administered by incubation of seeds, roots, pollen, isolated cells and protoplast, foliar spraying, irrigation with NPs, direct injection, hydroponic treatment and delivery by biolistics. Once NPs come in contact with plant cells, they are uptaken by plasmodesmatal or endocytosed pathways and translocated via apoplastic and / symplastic routes. Once beneficial NPs reach different parts of plants, they boost photosynthetic rate, biomass measure, chlorophyll content, sugar level, buildup of osmolytes and antioxidants. NPs also improve nitrogen metabolism, enhance chlorophyll as well as protein content and upregulate the expression of abiotic- and biotic stress-related genes. Herein, we review the state of art of different modes of application, uptake, transport and prospective beneficial role of NPs in stress management and crop improvement.

Application of plant-mediated Microbial fuel cell (PMFC) for bioelectricity production with food crop yield has not yet been appropriately investigated. This study aims to reveal the ability of two essential food plants: Amaranthus viridis (P1) and Triticum aestivum (P2), for sustainable bioenergy production and food harvest for 180 days consecutively. The study showed that the highest power density obtained from P2-PMFC was higher than the P1-PMFC, and the organic-rich nutrient called bioslurry in PMFCs shows twofold intensification in the electrochemical reaction. The main role of bioslurry (brown gold) as a magical organic-rich nutrient increases the plant growth and the activity of electrogenic bacteria in PMFCs. Thus the current density of P1 (114.52 ± 20.05 mA/m2) and P2 (185.23 ± 15.10 mA/m2) without bioslurry was increased with a maximum current density of 185.23 ± 15.10 mA/m2 (P1) and 291.23 ± 7.50 mA/m2 (P2) with bioslurry. The high content screening technique and scanning electron micrograph confirm the biofilm formation on the rhizosphere-anode region of both the plants. Culturable rhizosphere-anode region bacterial species were isolated in P1 and P2 PMFCs, and their electrogenic activity was confirmed using the single-chambered Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) through polarization test. The constructed phylogenetic tree for the 31 isolates concludes the diversity of all bacterial species, of which the phylum Firmicutes dominates in both PMFCs. The individual polarization curve efficiency of the isolates ranges from 7.62 to 194.45 mW/m2, and among the 31 isolates, Hydrogenophaga sp. JBP18, Pseudomonas aeruginosa JBP1, Ralstonia sp. JBP24, Ochrobactrum intermedium strain JBP22 and Bacillus safensis JBP6 were selected as potential electrogenic bacteria. Accordingly, this study might lead to the development of MFC technology for sustainable electricity production using food crop plants and determining more rhizosphere-anode electrogenic bacterial species in the future.

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are regarded as a prominent host for manufacturing therapeutic proteins. Although conventional strategies for generating recombinant proteins in CHO cells depend on the random integration of a gene of interest (GOI), these established techniques occasionally result in genetically heterogeneous cell lines, which causes diminished expression of the recombinant proteins in the long run. Production instability can be reduced by SSI and creates stable cell lines with a consistent expression of the GOI. In this experiment, we demonstrate the targeted incorporation of a reporter cassette in two PhiC31 pseudo attP sites of CHO cells exploiting the homology-directed repair (HDR) generated by the CRISPR/Cas9 platform. Genes encoding GFP and puromycin resistance marker were precisely inserted into these loci via CRISPR/Cas9. Stable cell lines were suitably produced following antibiotic selection. Junction PCR and fluorescence assay determined targeted integration and expression homogeneity of the reporter cassette, respectively. Taken together, our results indicate the possibility of these two PhiC31 pseudo attP sites as the target sites for site-specific integration of a transgene mediated by CRISPR/Cas9. Furthermore, higher knock-in efficiency and expression homogeneity was observed in the pseudo attP site associated with chromosome 6 compared to the pseudo attP site from chromosome 3.

The rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase gene (named pp1113), encoding a novel cold-adapted rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase, was cloned from Paenibacillus polymyxa. pp1113 was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli by inducing expression at 20 °C for 16 h. The pH and temperature optimums for the recombinant enzyme were 8.5 and 30 °C, respectively. As an SGNH-type acetylesterase, pp1113 demonstrated high activity against acetyl ester substrates and could maintain approximately 60 % activity at 0 °C.The specific activity of purified pp1113 was 65.95 U/mg (C2). The Km and Vmax values of purified pp1113 were 3.89 mM and 81.07 μmol/min, respectively. We obtained an R232L variant with improved thermal stability and catalytic activity through site-directed mutagenesis. T1/2 of R232L at 50 °C increased from less than 30 min to 6 h when compared to wild-type pp1113, and T1/2 extended to 8 h after immobilization. The R232L mutant improved the conversion rate of 0.1 M cinnamyl alcohol at 40 °C to 94 % in the reaction of synthesis of cinnamyl acetate. After purification, the R232L mutant was immobilized (pH 8.0 phosphate buffer 0.5 M, 20 h at 20 °C, protein loading reached 17 mg/g). This was the first report of the rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase gene obtained from Paenibacillus polymyxa with detailed enzymatic properties.

The pulp and paper industry in Indonesia is the tenth largest producer in the world, with Acacia and Eucalyptus as the main genera used for production; however, limited publications exist related to Eucalyptus growth models in Indonesia compared with other regions. Time-based models have been developed in which height, stand density, and basal area are predicted based on initial conditions and age. In contrast, a state–space approach utilizes the rate of change of these three state variables. Previous direct comparisons of these two approaches are generally limited. Consequently, the objective of this study was to compare two stand-level growth modeling approaches for Eucalyptus hybrid species on Sumatera (Sumatra) Island using both time-based and state–space methods. Our results indicate that dynamic models using either time-based or state–space approaches are adequate for predicting stand parameters to rotation age. A modified Bazukis matrix indicated that the behavior of both methods produced reliable predictions that were biologically reasonable in terms of stand development; however, the time-based approach provided better performance than the state–space approach on a variety of equivalence tests and goodness-of-fit statistics. Overall, the analysis highlights the advantages and disadvantages of these two commonly used, yet highly contrasting, stand-level growth modeling approaches, which need further consideration and evaluation.

Yeasts are anhydrobiotes that accumulate large amounts of trehalose, which is involved in the vitrification of the cytoplasm during drastic desiccation. The effect of devitrification, which can be induced by the transient exposure of desiccated yeasts to increased humidity or elevated temperature, on the survival of yeast has been studied. A glass transition temperature (Tg)/water activity (aw) diagram of yeast was constructed based on differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The survival rate of yeasts that were equilibrated at different relative humidities (RHs) and temperature values over their Tg range was measured. The results revealed a long period of cell preservation at an intermediate RH (55%), with 100% survival observed after 3 months, a loss of 1.24 log colony-forming units/g recorded after 1 year at 25 °C and full preservation of viability at 75 °C for 60 min and at 100 °C and 12% RH for up to 10 min. These findings led us to conclude that dried yeast can resist low or intermediate RH values and elevated temperatures in the devitrified state. Considering the thermal and humidity fluctuations occurring in the yeast environments, we hypothesized that the supercooled state, which occurs immediately above the Tg after rehydration or heating, is a protective state that is involved in the persistence of yeasts at intermediate humidity levels. KEY POINTS: • Yeast survival for months in a supercooled state is observed at room temperature. • Dried yeasts survive a 10-min exposure to 100 °C in the supercooled state. • The supercooled state is suitable for yeast preservation.

Crop plants have an innate capacity to acclimatize and survive myriad stresses in field conditions. This acclimatization to stress enhances crop stand in field and productivity of plant. Inter alia field crops withstand drought stress (hydropenia) by inducing synthesis or accumulation of osmolytes such as (i) proline and other amino acids, (ii) glycine betaine (GB), (iii) soluble carbohydrates, and (iv) reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system as intrinsic drought antagonizing molecules. Precise in vivo induction of osmolytes and their effect on ROS scavenging system in flax/linseed has not been elucidated. The investigation was carried out to identify a tolerant and susceptible cultivar of flax from a core collection of 53 core accessions and evaluate the role of compatible osmolytes in Linum usitatissimum under hydropenia. We screened eight morphometrically diverse flax genotypes in field under irrigated and un-irrigated condition and classified them as tolerant and susceptible genotypes. Further, we examined the effect of ex-foliar glycine betaine application - a signature molecule involved in drought tolerance, on selected tolerant and susceptible varieties. Our results showed stimulatory impact of glycine betaine on accumulation of ROS scavenging antioxidants, total soluble protein and on its own accumulation. While the ex-foliar application had no inhibitory effect on the growth of plants; accumulation of free proline, amino acids and carbohydrates are inhibited par se in flax. Our findings reveal, flax is a non-accumulator of glycine betaine and exogenous application of glycine betaine enhances its own levels during drought stress.