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Edible flowers are appreciated due to their aesthetic features, nutritional value and antioxidant properties. Tulbaghia simmleri Beauv. (Amaryllidaceae family) flowers are characterized by a pleasant garlic taste and are consumed both as fresh and dried products. The aim of this work was to assess the effect of chilling temperature (+4°C) on the visual quality, nutritional content, and aroma profile of T. simmleri flowers after two (T2) and six (T6) days of storage. Colorimetric analysis highlighted a reduction in petal brightness at T6 and hence their darkening, due to a significant increase in a* coordinate and the decrease in the b* one. Total polyphenols and flavonoids content remained unchanged until the end of the experiment, while total anthocyanins increased at T2. Flowers antioxidant activity (DPPH assay) decreased progressively during cold storage, while catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities increased. The aroma profile was analyzed by HSSPME associated with GCMS, underlining that fresh flowers were dominated by high content in monoterpenes (around 80%), with 1,8cineol as main compound (53.1%). Cold storage reduced this class of volatiles while sesquiterpenes and nonterpenes increased; between them, benzyl benzoate reached 12%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we report on the isolation and characterization, for the first time, of a complete 6511 by retrotransposon of sunflower. Considering its protein domain order and sequence similarity to other copia elements of dicotyledons, this retrotransposon was assigned to the copia retrotransposon superfamily and named HACRE1 (Helianthus annuus copialike retroelement 1). HACRE1 carries 5' and 3' long terminal repeats (LTRs) flanking an internal region of 4661 bp. The LTRs are identical in their sequence except for two deletions of 7 and 5 nucleotides in the 5' LTR. Based on the sequence identity of the LTRs, HACRE1 was estimated to have inserted within the last ~84 000 years. The isolated sequence contains a complete open reading frame with only one complete reading frame. The absence of nonsense mutations agrees with the very high sequence identity between LTRs, confirming that HACRE1 insertion is recent. The haploid genome of sunflower (inbred line HCM) contains about 160 copies of HACRE1. This retrotransposon is expressed in leaflets from 7-day-old plantlets under different light conditions, probably in relation to the occurrence of many putative light-related regulatory cis-elements in the LTRs. However, sequenced cDNAs show less variability than HACRE1 genomic sequences, indicating that only a subset of this family is expressed under these conditions. Key words: copia, Helianthus annuus, retrotransposon, sunflower. Dans ce travail, les auteurs decrivent pour la premiere fois l'isolement et la caracterisation d'un retrotransposon complet, long de 6511 pb, chez le tournesol. En fonction de l'ordre des domaines proteiques et de la similarite nucleotidique avec d'autres elements copia chez les dicotyledones, ce retrotransposon a ete assigne a la superfamille copia de retrotransposons et nomme HACRE1 (<< Helianthus annuus copia-like retroelement 1 >>). HACRE1 porte de longues repetitions terminales (LTR) en 5' et 3', lesquelles bordent un segment interne de 4661 pb. Les LTR sont identiques en ce qui a trait a leur sequence a l'exception de deux deletions, de 7 et 5 nucleotides, au sein du 5' LTR. En raison de l'identite des sequences LTR, les auteurs estiment que l'element HACRE1 se serait insere depuis moins de ~84 000 ans. La sequence isolee contient un cadre de lecture ouvert complet, avec un seul cadre de lecture complet. L'absence de mutations non-sens, tout comme la tres grande similarite des LTR, confirme que l'insertion de HACRE1 serait recente. Le genome haploide du tournesol (lignee fixee HCM) compte environ 160 copies de l'element HACRE1. Ce retrotransposon est exprime dans les jeunes feuilles chez des plantules de 7 jours dans diverses conditions d'eclairage, phenomene qui s'explique vraisemblablement par la presence, au sein des LTR, de plusieurs putatifs elements cis regules par la lumiere. Cependant, les ADNc sequences affichent moins de variabilite nucleotidique que les copies genomiques, ce qui suggere que seul un sous-ensemble des elements de cette famille est exprime dans ces conditions. Mots-cles : copia, Helianthus annuus, retrotransposon, tournesol., [Traduit par la Redaction] Introduction The repetitive component of the eukaryotic genome is largely composed of class I transposons or retroelements (REs). REs propagate via a 'copy and paste' mechanism [...]

Abstract Six isoflavones, daidzein (4',7,-dihydroxyisoflavone), genistein (4',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone), genistin (genistein 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside), isoprunetin (4',7-dihydroxy, 5-metoxyisoflavone), isoprunetin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, isoprunetin 4',7-di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and four flavones, luteolin (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone), luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, luteolin 4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, licoflavone C (4',5,7-trihydroxy,8-isoprenylflavone) were [...]

Abstract Dermatophytes are a group of keratinophilic and keratinolytic molds, some of which are responsible for ringworm. Among them Trichophyton equinum, which mostly infects equids, can cause extensive outbreaks in [...]

The olive fruit consists of a complex system of endogenous enzymes differently distributed in the whole fruit. Among all, the polyphenol oxidases are mainly located in the pit; therefore, its exclusion before the mechanical extraction of virgin olive oil could reduce the enzymes activity in the olive paste, preserving the antioxidant compounds from degradation. Moreover, the control and the reduction of the oxygen concentration during the malaxation phase can help to inhibit the activities of endogenous enzymes. In this context, the aim of this research work was to investigate the effectiveness of the application of argon as inert atmosphere during malaxation to produce extra virgin olive oils starting from destoned olives, according to a Hurdle Technology like approach. The results showed that the combination of the use of argon during malaxation together with the pitting process allowed obtaining better results from both oxidative and qualitative point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]