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BACKGROUND: Little information is available on α‐ and β‐amylase activity and their associations with starch, sugars and other culinary qualities in sweetpotato. The present study aimed to assess sweetpotato storage root α‐ and β‐amylase activity in relation to starch, sugars, β‐carotene content and storage root flesh color. RESULTS: α‐ and β‐amylase activity (α‐AA and β‐AA) were assayed from a Tanzania (T) × Beauregard (B) genetic mapping population in their uncured (raw), cured and stored (approximately 11 weeks) forms during 2016 and 2017. Ceralpha and Betamyl methods, with modifications to suit a high‐throughput microplate assay format, were used to quantify α‐AA and β‐AA, respectively. Storage root dry matter, starch, glucose, fructose, sucrose and β‐carotene content were predicted using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy. There was little relationship (r2 = 0.02–0.08, P ≤ 0.05 in 2016 and r2 = 0.05–0.11, P ≤ 0.05 in 2017) between α‐AA and β‐AA. We observed negative linear associations between α‐AA and dry matter content and generally no correlations between β‐AA and dry matter content. β‐AA and sugars were weakly positively correlated. β‐AA and β‐carotene content were positively correlated (r = 0.3–0.4 in 2016 and 0.3–0.5 in 2017). CONCLUSION: Generally, the correlation coefficient for amylase enzyme activity and sugar components of storage roots at harvest increased after curing and during post‐harvest storage. The present study is a major step forward in sweetpotato breeding in terms of providing a better understanding of how α‐ and β‐amylase activity are inter‐associated with several culinary quality attributes. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variability in sugar content between raw and cooked sweetpotato storage roots impact nutritional and dietary importance with implications for consumer preference. High‐throughput phenotyping is required to breed varieties that satisfy consumer preferences. Results: Near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) calibration curves were developed for analysing sugars in baked storage roots using 147 genotypes from a population segregating for sugar content and other traits. The NIRS prediction curves had high coefficients of determination in calibration (R2c) of 0.96 (glucose), 0.93 (fructose), 0.96 (sucrose), and 0.96 (maltose). The corresponding coefficients of determination for cross‐validation (R2cv) were 0.92 (glucose), 0.89 (fructose), 0.96 (sucrose) and 0.93 (maltose) and were similar to the R2c for all sugars measured. The ratios of the standard deviation of the reference set to the standard error of cross‐validation were greater than three for all sugars. These results confirm the applicability of the NIRS curves in efficiently determining sugar content in baked sweetpotato storage roots. External validation was performed on an additional 70 genotypes. Coefficients of determination (r2) were 0.88 (glucose), 0.88 (fructose), 0.86 (sucrose) and 0.49 (maltose). The results were comparable to those found for the calibration and cross‐validation in fructose, glucose, and sucrose, but were moderate for maltose due to the low variability of maltose content in the population. Conclusions: NIRS can be used for screening sugar content in baked sweetpotato storage roots in breeding programs and can be used to assist with the development of improved sweetpotato varieties that better meet consumer preferences. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete utilization of different agricultural wastes is a great challenge before human society. The present study reports the valorization of rice straw for simultaneous production of reducing sugars and paper. The rice straw was first pre-extracted with water under different reaction conditions sequentially followed by papermaking. A maximum total reducing sugars (TRS) upto 12.38 % was extracted through aqueous pre-treatment. The pulped biomass was assessed for paper properties viz., tensile index, tear index, burst index, Kappa no. and brightness. For untreated rice straw tensile index, tear index and burst index were recorded within a range of 30.9–35.8 N m/g; 2.25–2.62 mN m2/g and 1.91–2.35 kN/g respectively where as it were ranged from 31.1 to 33.7 N m/g, 2.02–2.51 mN m2/g and 1.78–2.08 kN/g respectively for pretreated rice straw. Moreover, for untreated rice straw, kappa number and brightness were recorded in a range from 20.7 to 26.6 and 32.4 to 36.7 % ISO respectively, whereas for pre-treated rice straw it ranged from 19.1 to 26.3 and 31.6 to 35.5 % ISO respectively. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis and field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were further employed during the study. In overall, extraction of underutilized sugars prior to pulping may prove as an efficient route for apt utilization of sugars followed by papermaking in near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Legumes are vital food sources in global diets, especially in developing nations, offering affordability, nutrition, and sustainability. Legumes are rich bioactive compounds as well as in macro‐ and micro‐nutrients and help combat protein‐energy malnutrition. Fermentation is a food processing technique that enhances nutritional content, digestibility and overall composition, rendering fermented legumes like dawadawa, natto, tempeh, and kinema dietary sources worldwide. This simple process leads to significant perturbations in the numerous metabolites contained in legumes and subsequent fermented products. Such metabolites including bioactive constituents, vitamins, minerals, volatile compounds, lipids, amino acids, among others contribute to the flavour, aroma, nutritional value and health beneficial properties of fermented legume products. Modifications in these complex constituents might be somewhat challenging to investigate and understand thus necessitating a robust technique such as metabolomics. Metabolomics as an analytical approach can elucidate how fermentation alters the composition of fermented legumes revealing compositional changes, nutritional enhancements, and impacts of fermentation conditions and microbial metabolism. This review emphasises fermented legumes' dietary importance, the transformative role of fermentation, and the effectiveness of metabolomics in unravelling complex biochemical changes during legume fermentation, providing insights into nutritional, sensory and safety aspects of fermented legumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) infect host plants and obtain nutrients such as sugars for their own development. Therefore, inhibiting the nutrient supply to RKNs may be an effective method for alleviating root-knot nematode disease. At present, the pathway by which sucrose is unloaded from the phloem cells to giant cells (GCs) in root galls and which genes related to sugar metabolism and transport play key roles in this process are unclear. In this study, we found that sugars could be unloaded into GCs only from neighboring phloem cells through the apoplastic pathway. With the development of galls, the contents of sucrose, fructose and glucose in the galls and adjacent tissue increased gradually. SUT1, SUT2, SWEET7a, STP10, SUS3 and SPS1 may provide sugar sources for GCs, while STP1, STP2 and STP12 may transport more sugar to phloem parenchyma cells. At the early stage of Meloidogyne incognita infestation, the sucrose content in tomato roots and leaves increased, while the glucose and fructose contents decreased. SWEET7a, SPS1, INV-INH1, INV-INH2, SUS1 and SUS3 likely play key roles in root sugar delivery. These results elucidated the pathway of sugar unloading in tomato galls and provided an important theoretical reference for eliminating the sugar source of RKNs and preventing root-knot nematode disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Like other oviparous organisms, the gonotrophic cycle of mosquitoes is not complete until they have selected a suitable habitat to oviposit. In addition to the evolutionary constraints associated with selective oviposition behavior, the physiological demands relative to an organism's oviposition status also influence their nutrient requirement from the environment. Yet, studies that measure transmission potential (vectorial capacity or competence) of mosquito-borne parasites rarely consider whether the rates of parasite replication and development could be influenced by these constraints resulting from whether mosquitoes have completed their gonotrophic cycle. Methods: Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes were infected with Plasmodium berghei, the rodent analog of human malaria, and maintained on 1% or 10% dextrose and either provided oviposition sites ('oviposited' herein) to complete their gonotrophic cycle or forced to retain eggs ('non-oviposited'). Transmission potential in the four groups was measured up to 27 days post-infection as the rates of (i) sporozoite appearance in the salivary glands ('extrinsic incubation period' or EIP), (ii) vector survival and (iii) sporozoite densities. Results: In the two groups of oviposited mosquitoes, rates of sporozoite appearance and densities in the salivary glands were clearly dependent on sugar availability, with shorter EIP and higher sporozoite densities in mosquitoes fed 10% dextrose. In contrast, rates of appearance and densities in the salivary glands were independent of sugar concentrations in non-oviposited mosquitoes, although both measures were slightly lower than in oviposited mosquitoes fed 10% dextrose. Vector survival was higher in non-oviposited mosquitoes. Conclusions: Costs to parasite fitness and vector survival were buffered against changes in nutritional availability from the environment in non-oviposited but not oviposited mosquitoes. Taken together, these results suggest vectorial capacity for malaria parasites may be dependent on nutrient availability and oviposition/gonotrophic status and, as such, argue for more careful consideration of this interaction when estimating transmission potential. More broadly, the complex patterns resulting from physiological (nutrition) and evolutionary (egg-retention) trade-offs described here, combined with the ubiquity of selective oviposition behavior, implies the fitness of vector-borne pathogens could be shaped by selection for these traits, with implications for disease transmission and management. For instance, while reducing availability of oviposition sites and environmental sources of nutrition are key components of integrated vector management strategies, their abundance and distribution are under strong selection pressure from the patterns associated with climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soluble sugar is one of the important characteristic metabolites contributing to the flavor quality of tea. However, little is known about the changes and metabolic pathways of sugar in summer–autumn black tea varieties during the solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum. Therefore, this study is aimed at investigating the effects of the solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum on soluble sugar metabolism in three summer–autumn black tea varieties. In this study, we combined targeted metabolomics technology, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and multivariate statistical analysis to reveal the metabolic rules of 13 different sugars in three varieties of summer–autumn black tea under the action of Ganoderma lucidum. Using multivariate statistical analysis, 8 common key sugar differential metabolites were selected from the three groups of samples: D-fructose, trehalose, lactose, maltose, D-galactose, glucose, L-rhamnose, and xylitol. The eight different sugars contributed to the quality difference between Ganoderma lucidum tea and black tea in this study. To better explore the patterns of sugar changes, the metabolic pathways of 13 different sugars were screened and analyzed. The result revealed that the solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum increased the sweet characteristics and decreased the bitter characteristics of the three summer–autumn black tea varieties. In addition, these results showed that the solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum could produce lactose in tea, reduce glucose and fructose contents, and increase xylitol content. The solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum can regulate soluble sugar metabolism in three summer–autumn black tea varieties, leading to an improvement in their quality. This study has potential practical significance for regulating the flavor quality of summer–autumn tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although structural information on sugars is wide, experimental studies on the oxidation products of sugars in the gas phase, free from solvent interactions, have been rarely reported. We present an experimental work on the changes in the structure and interactions of two products of glucose oxidation (D -glucono-1,5-lactone (GlcL) and D -glucurono-6,3-lactone (GlcurL)) with respect to their precursor. Features such as intramolecular interactions, ring puckering and tautomerism were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an innovative work on the green production of furfural using a covalent organic framework (COF), thereby expanding the range of catalysts in the furfural manufacturing industry and achieving efficient production of furfural from sustainable biomass-derived sugars. The research results will provide a theoretical basis for the green and sustainable production of furfural. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgal biomass can be utilized for the production of value-added chemicals and fuels. Within this research, Chlorella vulgaris biomass left behind after the extraction of lipids and proteins was converted to valuable sugars, organic acids and furanic compounds via hydrolysis/dehydration using dilute aqueous sulfuric acid as a homogeneous catalyst. Under mild conditions, i.e., low temperature and low sulfuric acid concentration, the main products of hydrolysis/dehydration were monomeric sugars (glucose and xylose) and furanic compounds (HMF, furfural) while under more intense conditions (i.e., higher temperature and higher acid concentration), organic acids (propionic, formic, acetic, succinic, lactic, levulinic) were also produced either directly from sugar conversion or via intermediate furans. As a second valorization approach, the residual microalgal biomass was converted to value-added sugar alcohols (sorbitol, glycerol) via hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis reactions over metallic ruthenium catalysts supported on activated carbons (5%Ru/C). It was also shown that a low concentration of sulfuric acid facilitated the conversion of biomass to sugar alcohols by initiating the hydrolysis of carbohydrates to monomeric sugars. Overall, this work aims to propose valorization pathways for a rarely utilized residual biomass towards useful compounds utilized as platform chemicals and precursors for the production of a wide variety of solvents, polymers, fuels, food ingredients, pharmaceuticals and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the impact of shade treatment on grape berries, 'Marselan' grape berries were bagged under different light transmission rates (100% (CK), 75% (A), 50% (B), 25% (C), 0% (D)). It was observed that this treatment delayed the ripening of the grape berries. The individual weight of the grape berries, as well as the content of fructose, glucose, soluble sugars, and organic acids in the berries, was measured at 90, 100, and 125 days after flowering (DAF90, DAF100, DAF125). The results revealed that shading treatment reduced the sugar content in grape berries; the levels of fructose and glucose were higher in the CK treatment compared to the other treatments, and they increased with the duration of the shading treatment. Conversely, the sucrose content exhibited the opposite trend. Additionally, as the weight of the grape berries increased, the content of soluble solids and soluble sugars in the berries also increased, while the titratable acidity decreased. Furthermore, 16 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the photosynthesis-antenna protein pathway from the transcriptome sequencing data. Correlation analysis revealed that the expression levels of genes VIT_08s0007g02190 (Lhcb4) and VIT_15s0024g00040 (Lhca3) were positively correlated with sugar content in the berries at DAF100, but negatively correlated at DAF125. qRT-PCR results confirmed the correlation analysis. This indicates that shading grape clusters inhibits the expression of genes in the photosynthesis-antenna protein pathway in the grape berries, leading to a decrease in sugar content. This finding contributes to a deeper understanding of the impact mechanisms of grape cluster shading on berry quality, providing important scientific grounds for improving grape berry quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a facile and environmentally friendly strategy was proposed for the production of reducing sugars from enzymatic hydrolysis of rubber wood by surfactant-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment. Compared with hydrothermal pretreatment, the addition of surfactants (Tween 40) significantly increased the reducing sugars concentration, the highest reducing sugars concentration was up to 22.47 g/L. After surfactant-assisted pretreatment, the crystallinity index of rubber wood hydrolysis residues increased and then decreased with the addition amount of Tween 40. The surfactant-assisted pretreated rubber wood featured high cellulose and hemicellulose conversion rates of 95.1% and 95.4% respectively, which was 122.2% and 41.1% higher than the hydrothermally pretreated rubber wood. It was also found that surfactant-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment had the same improvement effect on increasing the sugar production of other lignocellulose. The results showed that surfactant-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment is a promising and universal method for developing biomass-based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Soluble sugar content is a key component in controlling fruit flavor, and its accumulation in fruit is largely determined by sugar metabolism and transportation. When the diurnal temperature range is greater, the fleshy fruits accumulated more soluble sugars and become more sweeter. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this response remains largely unknown. In this study, we verified that low‐temperature treatment promoted soluble sugar accumulation in apple fruit and found that this was due to the upregulation of the Tonoplast Sugar Transporter genes MdTST1/2. A combined strategy using assay for transposase‐accessible chromatin (ATAC) sequencing and gene expression and cis‐acting elements analyses, we identified two C‐repeat Binding Factors, MdCBF1 and MdCBF2, that were induced by low temperature and that might be upstream transcription factors of MdTST1/2. Further studies established that MdCBF1/2 could bind to the promoters of MdTST1/2 and activate their expression. Overexpression of MdCBF1 or MdCBF2 in apple calli and fruit significantly upregulated MdTST1/2 expression and increased the concentrations of glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Suppression of MdTST1 and/or MdTST2 in an MdCBF1/2‐overexpression background abolished the positive effect of MdCBF1/2 on sugar accumulation. In addition, simultaneous silencing of MdCBF1/2 downregulated MdTST1/2 expression and apple fruits failed to accumulate more sugars under low‐temperature conditions, indicating that MdCBF1/2‐mediated sugar accumulation was dependent on MdTST1/2 expression. Hence, we concluded that the MdCBF1/2‐MdTST1/2 module is crucial for sugar accumulation in apples in response to low temperatures. Our findings provide mechanistic components coordinating the relationship between low temperature and sugar accumulation as well as new avenues to improve fruit quality. Significance Statement: This study showed that low temperature induced the expression levels of the transcription factors genes MdCBF1/2 in apple, which could bind to the promoters of the tonoplast sugar transporter genes MdTST1/2 and activate their expression, leading to Glc, Fru, and Suc accumulation at high concentrations in the vacuoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought and Pierce's disease are common throughout many grapevine-growing regions such as Mexico and the United States. Yet, how ongoing water deficits affect infections of Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce's disease, is poorly understood. Symptoms were observed to be significantly more severe in water-stressed plants one month after X. fastidiosa inoculation, and, in one experiment, titers were significantly lower in water-stressed than well-watered grapevines. Host chemistry examinations revealed overall amino acid and phenolic levels did not statistically differ due to water deficits, but sugar levels were significantly greater in water stressed than well-watered plants. Results highlight the need to especially manage Pierce's disease spread in grapevines experiencing drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyfluorinated carbohydrates have attracted attention in the last decades. This is due to the interesting properties of such organofluorines. What about the other halogens? Since the discovery of sucralose (a trichlorinated disaccharide) more than 50 years ago, only a handful of chlorinated, brominated, or iodinated carbohydrates have been reported. This review focuses on the synthesis of polyhalogenated carbohydrates, including sugar inter‐halides, but excluding polyfluorinated sugars. An overview of the current state of the art of their potential application is also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare sugars are known for their ability to suppress postprandial blood glucose levels. Therefore, oligosaccharides and disaccharides derived from rare sugars could potentially serve as functional sweeteners. A disaccharide [α-d-allopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-psicofuranoside] mimicking sucrose was synthesized from rare monosaccharides D-allose and D-psicose. Glycosylation using the intermolecular aglycon delivery (IAD) method was employed to selectively form 1,2-cis α-glycosidic linkages of the allopyranose residues. Moreover, β-selective psicofuranosylation was performed using a psicofuranosyl acceptor with 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl groups. This is the first report on the synthesis of non-reducing disaccharides comprising only rare d-sugars by IAD using protected ketose as a unique acceptor; additionally, this approach is expected to be applicable to the synthesis of functional sweeteners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent publications have shown the benefits of deacetylation disc-refining (DDR) as a pretreatment process to deconstruct biomass into sugars and lignin residues. Major advantages of DDR pretreatment over steam and dilute acid pretreatment are the removal of acetyl and lignin during deacetylation. DDR does not generate hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural which are commonly produced from steam and dilute acid pretreatments. Acetate, lignin, HMF, and furfural are known inhibitors during enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Another advantage of deacetylation is the production of lignin-rich black liquor, which can be upgraded to other bioproducts. Furthermore, due to the lack of sugar degradation during deacetylation, DDR has significantly less sugar loss than other pretreatment methods. Previous studies for DDR have primarily focused on corn stover, but lacked the investigative studies of other feedstocks. This study was designed to screen various DDR process conditions at pilot scale using three different feedstocks, including corn stover, poplar, and switchgrass. The impact of the pretreatment conditions was evaluated by testing hydrolysates for bioconversion to 2,3-butanediol. Pretreatment of biomass by DDR showed high-conversion-yields and 2,3-BDO fermentation production yields. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) of the pretreatment for biomass to sugar was also developed based on NREL's Aspen Model. This study shows that the cellulose and hemicellulose in poplar was more recalcitrant than herbaceous feedstocks which ultimately drove up the sugar cost. Switchgrass was also more recalcitrant than corn stover but less than poplar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeted metabolomics technology was used to accurately quantify the major sugars, organic acids and amino acids during the growth of Gannan navel orange. The results revealed significant variations in growth physiology and related metabolite characteristics at different growth stages. The weight of single fruit gradually increased and the fruit shape index slightly decreased. As the fruit matured sugars accumulated in large quantities, with sucrose having the highest content and fructose and glucose having comparable contents. Most of the organic acids were gradually degraded during fruit ripening, and the total organic acid content decreased, with citric acid dominating.accounting for more than 90% of the total of the six major organic acids. Aspartic acid was the main amino acid, while methionine, arginine and proline showed an upward trend. and the rest of the amino acids as a whole exhibited a downward trend. The sugar acid ratio first increased and then decreased, finally reached the optimal ratio range, indicating that the fruit continuously improved its flavour quality during the growth process. Correlation analysis revealed that the flavour profile substances during the growth process of Gannan navel orange included fructose,glucose.quinic acid, leucine, alanine glutamic acid and glycine, The metabolic network was constructed and the heat map analysis was conducted, showing significant variation in the expression of flavor-related metabolites in the flesh of Gannan navel orange at different growth stages, reflecting the influence of the growth period on growth metabolism and flavor quality. Besides studying the metabolic changes of the main flavour substances at different growth stages, this paper also carried out flavour evaluation and constructed metabolic networks of related metabolites, deepening the understanding of the characteristics of the nutrient and flavour effective components of Gannan navel oranges. This research is beneficial for developing functional navel orange products and capable of providing an important reference for navel orange breeding to improve the quality of the fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaerobic conditions in waterlogged soil affect germination rate significantly reducing rice yields. Under wet direct seeded condition, only limited availability of rice genotypes are suitable for anaerobic germination. So, there is an urgent need to identify rice genotypes for enhanced germination even under anoxic stress. Methods: Experiment was conducted in glass house, Department of Crop Physiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. In this study, 22 rice germplams with three replications were evaluated for seed and seedling traits underlying anaerobic germination tolerance. Main aim of this study is to explore the starch and sugar relation under anoxic stress and identifying tolerant genotypes for direct seeded rice cultivation. Result: Tolerant genotypes had early emergences, higher shoot and root length along with higher starch degradation and sugar accumulation under waterlogged condition. Cluster analysis revealed that Karuppukavuni, Kalanamak, CBMAS 14065 and Kodavilayan were identified as tolerant genotypes and suitable for wet direct seeded rice cultivation. Finally higher starch degradation coupled with higher accumulation of glucose and fructose were the key traits underlying anaerobic germination tolerance in tolerant genoytpes. Shoot length, root length and sucrose contents had higher genotypic coefficient of variance, phenotypic coefficient of variance coupled with high heritability indicating scope for enhancing anaerobic germination tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A confiscated package of street drugs was characterized by the usual mass spectral (MS) and FT–IR analyses. The confiscated powder material was highly crystalline and was found to consist of two very different species, accidentally of sizes convenient for X-ray diffraction. Thus, one each was selected and redundant complete sets of data were collected at 100 K using Cu Kα radiation. The selected crystals contained: (a) 1,2-diphenyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)ethanone hydrochloride hemihydrate or 1-(2-oxo-1,2-diphenylethyl)pyrrolidin-1-ium chloride hemihydrate, C18H20NO+ ·Cl-·0.5H2O, (I), a synthetic cathinone called ‘α-D2PV’, and (b) the sugar myo-inositol, C6H12O6, (II), probably the only instance in which the drug and its diluent have been fully characterized from a single confiscated sample. Moreover, the structural details of both are rather attractive showing: (i) interesting hydrogen bonding observed in pairwise interactions by the drug molecules, mediated by the chloride counter-anions and the waters of crystallization, and (ii) π–π interactions in the case of the phenyl rings of the drug which are of two different types, namely, π–π stacking and edge-to-π. Finally, the inositol crystallizes with Z′ = 2 and the resulting diastereoisomers were examined by overlay techniques [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants are often exposed to non-ideal conditions during their growth. The toxicity of heavy metals as abiotic stressors is a significant concern due to their harmful effects on plants. Glycine betaine (GB) is a potent compatible solute that helps plants resist abiotic stresses and plays a crucial role in alleviating them. This study aimed to determine the effective role of glycine betaine (0.5 and 1 mM) as a foliar treatment in sugar beet plants to cope with the toxicity of cadmium (50 mg/kg soil) and lead (100 mg/kg soil). The application of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in cultivation soil noticeably suppressed morphological growth attributes, such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, sugars, and proteins. At the same time, the aforementioned levels of heavy metals significantly increased the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (phenolics and proline) and enzymatic antioxidants (peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, polyphenol oxidase, and catalase) in the root and shoot tissues of sugar beet plants. In contrast, the use of glycine betaine as foliar treatment at 0.5 and 1 mM alleviated the adverse impacts of cadmium and lead by promoting the aforementioned attributes. Furthermore, the application of 1 mM GB was more effective in increasing the contents of phenolics in root by approximately 16% and 29%, phenolics in shoot by about 25% and 10%, peroxidase activity by about 82% and 116%, superoxide dismutase activity by about 56% and 47%, polyphenol oxidase activity by about 9% and 36%, catalase activity by about 19% and 25%, in cadmium- and lead-stressed plants, respectively. Additionally, it reduced the levels of proline in sugar beet tissues. Overall, the application of glycine betaine has the efficacy to counteract the adverse impacts of cadmium and lead toxicity on sugar beet plants by enhancing the metabolic indices as well as the non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Petrochemicals contribute to environmental issues, with concerns ranging from energy consumption and carbon emission to pollution. In contrast, microbial biorefineries offer eco-friendly alternatives. The solvent-tolerant Pseudomonasputida DOT-T1E serves as a suitable host for producing aromatic compounds, specifically l-phenylalanine and its derivative, 2-phenylethanol (2-PE), which find widespread applications in various industries. Results: This study focuses on enhancing 2-PE production in two l-phenylalanine overproducing strains of DOT-T1E, namely CM12-5 and CM12-5Δgcd (xylABE), which grow with glucose and glucose-xylose, respectively. To synthesize 2-PE from l-phenylalanine, these strains were transformed with plasmid pPE-1, bearing the Ehrlich pathway genes, and it was found higher 2-PE production with glucose (about 50–60 ppm) than with xylose (< 3 ppm). To understand the limiting factors, we tested the addition of phenylalanine and intermediates from the Ehrlich and shikimate pathways. The results identified intracellular l-phenylalanine as a key limiting factor for 2-PE production. To overcame this limitation, a chorismate mutase/prephenate dehydratase variant—insentive to feedback inhibition by aromatic amino acids—was introduced in the producing strains. This led to increased l-phenylalanine production and subsequently produced more 2-PE (100 ppm). Random mutagenesis of the strains also produced strains with higher l-phenylalanine titers and increased 2-PE production (up to 120 ppm). The improvements resulted from preventing dead-end product accumulation from shikimate and limiting the catabolism of potential pathway intermediates in the Ehrlich pathway. The study explored agricultural waste substrates, such as corn stover, sugarcane straw and corn-syrup as potential C sources. The best results were obtained using 2G substrates at 3% (between 82 and 100 ppm 2-PE), with glucose being the preferred sugar for 2-PE production among the monomeric sugars in these substrates. Conclusions: The findings of this study offer strategies to enhance phenylalanine production, a key substrate for the synthesis of aromatic compounds. The ability of P.putida DOT-T1E to thrive with various C-sources and its tolerance to substrates, products, and potential toxicants in industrial wastes, are highlighted. The study identified and overcome possible bottlenecks for 2-PE production. Ultimately, the strains have potential to become efficient microbial platforms for synthesizing 2-PE from agro-industrial waste materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The most prominent changes in pea (Pisum sativum L.) of sugars occurred within 96 h after germination. • Nano-selenium application promotes starch degradation, inhibit crude fiber synthesis, and a significant increase in total soluble sugar content. • 56 differentially expressed genes are screened related to sugar metabolism by transcriptome analysis of pea sprouts germinated by nano-selenium. • Hexokinase (HK) gene has the highest relative expression in the tissues of pea sprouts verified qRT-PCR. • Selenium-enriched pea sprouts are valuable as innovative health foods. Selenium, a beneficial trace element, plays a vital role in plant growth. In this study, the effects of nano-selenium on pea (Pisum sativum L.) germination were characterized. Nano-selenium application led to decreases in starch, crude fiber, and soluble polysaccharide contents, but a significant increase in total soluble sugar content. The most prominent changes in sugars occurred 96 h after germination commenced. The nano-selenium treatment significantly increased glucose content in roots, slightly decreased fructose content in the hypocotyl, and increased fructose content in roots and seed. Oligosaccharide content was higher in seed than in the hypocotyl and roots, with sucrose being the highest, followed by maltose. The transcriptome analysis of pea tissues at different stages of germination detected 56 differentially expressed genes related to sugar metabolism. The verification of expression of five selected key genes by qRT-PCR showed the hexokinase (HK) gene had the highest relative expression in the tissues of pea sprouts. There were significant differences in gene expression in the pea sprouts cultured with nano-selenium compared with the control group. Nano-selenium promoted the expression of genes associated with sugar metabolism in roots and seeds, promoted the synthesis of soluble sugars in the sprouts, accelerated the amylolysis, and inhibited cellulose synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study focuses primarily on the real‐time monitoring of reducing sugar levels throughout solid‐state ethanol fermentation. A predictive model for accurate quantification of reducing sugar levels will be formulated through a comprehensive analysis of near‐infrared spectra across different fermentation stages. Building a predictive model using Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), The spectral data was pre‐processed using the Standard Normal Variate (SNV) method, followed by feature band selection using the Genetic Algorithm (GA), resulting in the identification of 181 characteristic wavelengths. The resulting GA‐AdaBoost model has excellent performance metrics: Rc2 of 0.989, RMSEC of 0.393, Rp2 of 0.978, RMSEP of 0.640, RPD of 6.651 and RER of 0.142. Comparative evaluations against Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS), Successive Projection Algorithm (SPA), Uninformative Variable Elimination (UVE) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) consistently underscore the superior efficacy of the GA‐AdaBoost model. These results robustly confirm its reliability in accurately quantifying reducing sugars in solid‐state fermentation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Plants are simultaneously attacked by different pests that rely on sugars uptake from plants. An understanding of the role of plant sugar allocation in these multipartite interactions is limited.Here, we characterized the expression patterns of sucrose transporter genes and evaluated the impact of targeted transporter gene mutants and brown planthopper (BPH) phloem‐feeding and oviposition on root sugar allocation and BPH‐reduced rice susceptibility to Meloidogyne graminicola.We found that the sugar transporter genes OsSUT1 and OsSUT2 are induced at BPH oviposition sites. OsSUT2 mutants showed a higher resistance to gravid BPH than to nymph BPH, and this was correlated with callose deposition, as reflected in a different effect on M. graminicola infection. BPH phloem‐feeding caused inhibition of callose deposition that was counteracted by BPH oviposition. Meanwhile, this pivotal role of sugar allocation in BPH‐reduced rice susceptibility to M. graminicola was validated on rice cultivar RHT harbouring BPH resistance genes Bph3 and Bph17.In conclusion, we demonstrated that rice susceptibility to M. graminicola is regulated by BPH phloem‐feeding and oviposition on rice through differences in plant sugar allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficial Bacillus subtilis (BS) symbiosis could combat root pathogenesis, but it relies on root‐secreted sugars. Understanding the molecular control of sugar flux during colonization would benefit biocontrol applications. The SWEET (Sugar Will Eventually Be Exported Transporter) uniporter regulates microbe‐induced sugar secretion from roots; thus, its homologs may modulate sugar distribution upon BS colonization. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that gene transcripts of SWEET2, but not SWEET16 and 17, were significantly induced in seedling roots after 12 h of BS inoculation. Particularly, SWEET2‐β‐glucuronidase fusion proteins accumulated in the apical mature zone where BS abundantly colonized. Yet, enhanced BS colonization in sweet2 mutant roots suggested a specific role for SWEET2 to constrain BS propagation, probably by limiting hexose secretion. By employing yeast one‐hybrid screening and ectopic expression in Arabidopsis protoplasts, the transcription factor AHL29 was identified to function as a repressor of SWEET2 expression through the AT‐hook motif. Repression occurred despite immunity signals. Additionally, enhanced SWEET2 expression and reduced colonies were specifically detected in roots of BS‐colonized ahl29 mutant. Taken together, we propose that BS colonization may activate repression of AHL29 on SWEET2 transcription that would be enhanced by immunity signals, thereby maintaining adequate sugar secretion for a beneficial Bacillus association. Summary statement: Arabidopsis vacuolar SWEET2 transporter limits root sugar secretion upon colonization with beneficial Bacillus subtilis. The AT‐hook protein AHL29 binds to the SWEET2 promoter to repress its immunity‐induced expression, thereby promoting adequate carbon for a mutualistic association with Bacillus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of lignocellulosic residues as feedstocks for biofuels production represents an economic and ecofriendly option, since they are generated as byproducts or wastes from different industrial areas. Nevertheless, a pretreatment method aimed at eliminating the lignin content of these residues must be performed. This is required in order to increase cellulose bioavailability, which favors the production of reducing sugars through microbial or enzymatic attack. Some performed pretreatments can be classified as physical, chemical, and physicochemical methods. Although such methods are the most used pretreatments, they are expensive and generate or make use of harmful compounds. Biological methods, by the action of microorganisms or their enzymes for lignin content reduction, may be regarded as an alternative, being cheaper and more friendly to the environment than the aforementioned methods. However, until now, biological pretreatments have not shown the same yield as the previously mentioned methods in both sugar recovery and biofuel production. In that sense, the aim of this work is to review the efficiency of these methods, with the goal of clarifying their advantages and disadvantages for improvement of biofuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusions To investigate the relationship between socioenvironmental sugar promotion and geographical inequalities in the prevalence of dental caries amongst 5‐year‐olds living across small areas within England.Ecological data from the National Dental Epidemiology Programme (NDEP) 2018–2019, comprising information on the percentage of 5‐year‐olds with tooth decay (≥1 teeth that are decayed into dentine, missing due to decay, or filled), and untreated tooth decay (≥1 decayed but untreated teeth), in lower‐tier local authorities (LAs) of England. These were analysed for association with a newly developed Index of Sugar‐Promoting Environments Affecting Child Dental Health (ISPE‐ACDH). The index quantifies sugar‐promoting determinants within a child's environment and provides standardized scores for the index, and its component domains that is, neighbourhood‐, school‐ and family‐environment, with the highest scores representing the highest levels of sugar promotion in lower‐tier LAs (N = 317) of England. Linear regressions, including unadjusted models separately using index and each domain, and models adjusted for domains were built for each dental outcome.Participants lived across 272 of 317 lower‐tier LAs measured within the index. The average percentage of children with tooth decay and untreated tooth decay was 22.5 (SD: 8.5) and 19.6 (SD: 8.3), respectively. The mean index score was (0.1 [SD: 1.01]). Mean domain scores were: neighbourhood (0.02 [SD: 1.03]), school (0.1 [SD: 1.0]), and family (0.1 [SD: 0.9]). Unadjusted linear regressions indicated that the LA‐level percentage of children with tooth decay increased by 5.04, 3.71, 4.78 and 5.24 with increased scores of the index, and neighbourhood, school and family domains, respectively. An additional model, adjusted for domains, showed that this increased percentage predicted by neighbourhood domain attenuated to 1.37, and by family domain it increased to 6.33. Furthermore, unadjusted models indicated that the LA‐level percentage of children with untreated tooth decay increased by 4.72, 3.42, 4.45 and 4.97 with increased scores of the index, and neighbourhood, school, and family domains, respectively. The model, adjusted for domains, showed that this increased percentage predicted by neighbourhood domain attenuated to 1.24 and by family domain rose to 6.47. School‐domain was not significantly associated with either outcome in adjusted models.This study reveals that socioenvironmental sugar promotion, particularly within neighbourhood‐ and family‐environments, may contribute to geographical inequalities in dental caries in children. Further research involving data on individual‐level dental outcomes and confounders is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of cellulose generates cellooligomers, which function as damage-associated molecular patterns and activate immune and cell wall repair responses via the CELLOOLIGOMER RECEPTOR KINASE1 (CORK1). The most active cellooligomer for the induction of downstream responses is cellotriose, while cellobiose is around 100 times less effective. These short-chain cellooligomers are also metabolized after uptake into the cells. In this study, we demonstrate that CORK1 is mainly expressed in the vascular tissue of the upper, fully developed part of the roots. Cellooligomer/CORK1-induced responses interfere with chitin-triggered immune responses and are influenced by BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1-ASSOCIATED RECEPTOR KINASE1 and the receptor kinase FERONIA. The pathway also controls sugar transporter and metabolism genes and the phosphorylation state of these proteins. Furthermore, cellotriose-induced ROS production and WRKY30/40 expression are controlled by the sugar transporters SUCROSE-PROTON SYMPORTER1, SUGARS WILL EVENTUALLY BE EXPORTED TRANSPORTER11 (SWEET11), and SWEET12. Our data demonstrate that cellooligomer/CORK1 signaling is integrated into the pattern recognition receptor network and coupled to the primary sugar metabolism in Arabidopsis roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the role of sugar metabolism in desiccation-sensitive seeds, we performed a natural desiccation treatment on Phoebe chekiangensis seeds in a room and systematically analyzed the changes in seed germination, sugar compounds, malondialdehyde, and relative electrical conductivity during the seed desiccation. The results revealed that the initial moisture content of P. chekiangensis seed was very high (37.06%) and the seed was sensitive to desiccation, the germination percentage of the seed decreased to 5.33% when the seed was desiccated to 22.04% of moisture content, therefore, the seeds were considered recalcitrant. Based on the logistic model, we know that the moisture content of the seeds is 29.05% when the germination percentage drops to 50% and that it is desirable to keep the seed moisture content above 31.74% during ambient transportation. During seed desiccation, sucrose and trehalose contents exhibited increasing trends, and raffinose also increased during the late stage of desiccation, however, low levels of the non-reducing sugar accumulations may not prevent the loss of seed viability caused by desiccation. Glucose and fructose predominated among sugar compounds, and they showed a slight increase followed by a significant decrease. Their depletion may have contributed to the accumulation of sucrose and raffinose family oligosaccharides. Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between the accumulation of sucrose, trehalose, and soluble sugars, and the reduction in seed viability. Sucrose showed a significant negative correlation with glucose and fructose. Trehalose also exhibited the same pattern of correlation. These results provided additional data and theoretical support for understanding the mechanism of sugar metabolism in seed desiccation sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bread is the major waste product worldwide. It contains a considerable amount of starch, which is easily converted into sugars using enzymes. The aim of this study was to produce fermentable sugars from stale bread using barley malt as substitute of commercial enzymes. Methods: Response surface methodology based on Box-Behnken design was applied to optimize the parameters of enzymatic hydrolysis such as malt content (1.25, 2.5 and 3.75%), hydrolysis temperature (55, 62.5 and 70-C) and hydrolysis time (1, 1.5 and 2 h) to maximize fermentable sugars yield. Result: This study showed that malt content and hydrolysis temperature had a significant effect on fermentable sugars yield that increased with the increase in these two parameters. In contrast, hydrolysis time had no significant effect on fermentable sugars yield. The optimal parameters were 2.75% for malt content, 64.41-C for hydrolysis temperature and 1.31 h for hydrolysis time. At these optimal conditions, the fermentable sugars yield was at maximum reaching 63.21%. The results of this study suggested that barley malt could potentially be used to substitute commercial enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a detailed phytochemical investigation of compounds in the twigs of the mistletoe Loranthus europaeus Jacq., which belongs to the Loranthaceae family, is presented. Specimens were collected from the mistletoe L. europaeus growing on oak trees in the mainland of Greece. The alliance of oaks and mistletoes became a symbol of knowledge and strength for many centuries. Although numerous compounds of aerial tissues of other mistletoes, e.g., Viscum album, have been published, few studies have been conducted to investigate the metabolic and physiological traits of the hemiparasitic, deciduous Loranthus europaeus. LC-HRMS-based analysis led to a detailed characterization of ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts of the twigs of L. europaeus, which, to the best of our knowledge, exhibit enhanced antioxidant potential. Hence, twenty-four and twenty-six compounds were tentatively identified from the ethyl acetate and dichloromethane twigs' extracts, respectively; these compounds belong to fatty acids, flavonoids, and flavonoid glycosides. Also, chlorophyll, soluble sugar, starch, and lipid contents in the twigs of L. europaeus, which have not hitherto been published, were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi engage in symbiosis with more than 80% of terrestrial plants, enlarging root phosphorus (P) absorption volume by producing extensive extraradical hyphae (ERH) in the soil. In addition, AM fungi recruit and cooperate with soil bacteria to enhance soil organic P mobilization and improve fungal and plant fitness through hyphal exudates. However, the role of the dominant compounds in the hyphal exudates in enhancing organic P mobilization in the mycorrhizal pathway is still not well understood. In this study, we added sugars, i.e., glucose, fructose, and trehalose, which are detected in the hyphal exudates, to the hyphal compartments (HCs) that allowed the ERH of the AM fungus to grow or not. The results showed that in AM fungus-inoculated pots, adding three sugars at a concentration of 2 mmol C kg−1 soil significantly increased the phosphatase activity and facilitated the mobilization of organic P in the HCs. The addition of fructose at a concentration of 2 mmol C kg−1 soil was the most efficient in increasing the phosphatase activity and enhancing organic P mobilization. The released inorganic P was then absorbed by the ERH of the AM fungus. The enhanced mobilization of organic P was correlated with the increase in phoD gene number and the changing bacterial community in the presence of fungal hyphae. The sugar addition enriched the relative abundance of some bacterial taxa, e.g., Betaproteobacteriales. Our study suggested that the addition of the sugars by mycorrhizae could be a pivotal strategy in managing P uptake in agricultural production, potentially directing future practices to optimize plant–fungi–bacteria interactions for improved P use efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the application of different organic matter, UGmax soil conditioner and simplifications in potato cultivation on the content of dry matter, starch and sugars in tubers of the medium-early edible cultivar 'Satina' after harvest and after long-term storage. The highest dry matter (173.4 g kg−1) and starch (124.6 g kg−1 f. m.) content was obtained with the simultaneous application of a manure with soil conditioner at 100% mineral fertilization. In the case of sugars, the withdrawal of the soil conditioner from the crop proved most beneficial, for total sugars on the stubble intercrop (5.06 g kg−1 f. m.) and for reducing sugars (1.99 g kg−1 f. m.) in the case of straw treatment. Each protection reduction applied resulted in a significant reduction in starch content. In this regard, the withdrawal of herbicides with the simultaneous application of manure and UGmax proved most beneficial. Long-term storage of tubers caused a significant reduction in their quality in terms of dry matter and starch content (average by −3.6 and −2.3%, respectively) and an increase in total and reducing sugars (average by 11.8 and 9.6%, respectively). The decrease in dry matter and starch content was significantly influenced by the 50% reduction in NPK fertilization applied during the growing season, while the application of soil conditioner with full protection contributed to the increase in reducing sugars after storage at 28.9 pts%. Our research is in line with current trends of used potato cultivation technologies focused mainly on environmental protection, so the results of this study can provide a basis for validation for researchers currently engaged in such evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Platycladus orientalis is a coniferous gymnosperm tree species widely distributed in China and the fFar east of Russia. It has been widely introduced and cultivated in East and South Asia. Plant abscisic acid increases and affects stomatal behavior during soil drought, and prolonged drought-induced stomatal closure definitely affects the soluble sugar content of plants. We found significant correlations between gas exchange and abscisic acid content, as well as the soluble sugar content of Platycladus orientalis under different moisture conditions, as a result of increased drought stress in Platycladus orientalis due to ongoing global climate change. This helps us to reveal the mechanism of plant adaptation to drought–rehydration under different drought treatments. To uncover the internal mechanisms of various drought stress intensities affecting the soluble sugar content in organs and its regulation by endogenous abscisic acid (ABA), we selected the saplings of Platycladus orientalis, a typical tree species in the Beijing area, as our research subject. We investigated the correlation between tree soluble sugars and endogenous ABA in the organs (comprised of leaf, branch, stem, coarse root, and fine root) under two water treatments. One water treatment was defined as T1, which stopped watering until the potted soil volumetric water content (SWC) reached the wilting coefficient and then rewatered the sapling. The other water treatment, named T2, replenished 95% of the total water loss of one potted sapling every day and irrigated the above-mentioned sapling after its SWC reached the wilt coefficients. The results revealed that (1) the photosynthetic physiological parameters of P. orientalis were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) under fast and slow drought processes. The photosynthetic physiological parameters of P. orientalis in the fast drought–rehydration treatment group recovered faster relative to the slow drought–rehydration treatment group. (2) The fast and slow drought treatments significantly (p < 0.05) increased the ABA and soluble sugar contents in all organs. The roots of the P. orientalis exhibited higher sensitivity in ABA and soluble sugar content to changes in soil moisture dynamics compared to other organs. (3) ABA and soluble sugar content of P. orientalis showed a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) under fast and slow drought conditions. During the rehydration stage, the two were significantly correlated in the T2 treatment (p < 0.05). In summary, soil drought rhythms significantly affected the photosynthetic parameters, organ ABA, and soluble sugar content of P. orientalis. This study elucidates the adaptive mechanisms of P. orientalis plants to drought and rehydration under the above-mentioned two water drought treatments, offering theoretical insights for selecting and cultivating drought-tolerant tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco is a popular choice in Australia, with some people who smoke finding these products more attractive than factory-made cigarettes (FMC). Differences in visual and tactile properties and in the feel and taste of the smoke may contribute to this attractiveness. These differences may be driven by variation in tobacco constituents and wrapping paper permeability. However, to date, there has been no comparison of RYO and FMC products on the Australian market. Aims and Methods Chemical constituents, pH, flavorants, and paper permeability were compared in unburned RYO tobacco and tobacco from FMC. RYO and FMC products from matched brands were compared, as were products from the most popular FMC and RYO brands on the Australian market in 2018. Results RYO tobacco had higher moisture and humectant content (glycerol and propylene glycol) than FMC tobacco. RYO tobacco also had higher amounts of total and reducing sugars and lower nicotine when comparing the most popular brands. RYO papers were less permeable than FMC papers. Both RYO and FMC tobacco contained many chemicals identified as flavorants, including fourteen with known potential health risks. For most measured constituents and flavorants, RYO tobaccos had more in common with other RYO than FMC, with the commonalities remaining even when matched brands were compared. Conclusions Higher levels of moisture, humectants, and sugars in Australian RYO tobacco compared to FMC may be increasing attractiveness of RYO by reducing the harsh taste of the smoke and increasing the moist feel of the tobacco. Implications While price is the main factor driving the use of RYO tobacco, some people who smoke find these products more attractive. This study has shown that Australian RYO tobacco contains higher amounts of glycerol, propylene glycol, and sugars than FMC. These chemicals may be improving the taste of the tobacco, as well as creating a moist feel that is falsely perceived as indicating that the tobacco is "fresh" and "less chemically." Ironically, it may be that higher amounts of some added chemicals in RYO contribute to false perceptions of a more natural and less harmful product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of a sweet sorghum cultivar influences the recovery of sugars from the bagasse during pretreatment. The sugars recovered are used in applications for conversion to high-value products such as alcohols, organic acids, and other fuels and chemicals. The severity of the pretreatment used plays a crucial role in the yield and quality of the sugars that can be recovered. Therefore, a strategic approach was taken to lower the severity of the pretreatment process to a combined severity factor (CSF) value of 0.48, whilst maintaining a high level of total-sugar recovery (i.e. 68% (w/w) and higher). This was achieved by screening 23 sweet sorghum cultivars for high-performance characteristics at low-severity conditions and optimizing the pretreatment process conditions. The pretreatment conditions included time, temperature, and acid concentration ranges of 5 to 60 min, 150 to 210 oC, and 0.00–0.96% (w/w) H2SO4, respectively. Cultivar AP6 was identified as the best performer, producing the highest total sugar yield of 78.17%. A reduction in total by-product formation from 4.79 to 2.79 g/100 g biomass was also observed. Three preferred cultivars selected for pilot scale pretreatment using steam explosion resulted in maximum total sugar recoveries that exceeded 80% (w/w). Cultivar selection provides an opportunity to utilize sweet sorghum bagasse that will liberate sugars at desired yields while reducing the generation of by-products by implementing low severity pretreatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people, accounting for 4.6% of the healthcare expenditure. Common oral diseases include dental caries and periodontal disease, associated with biofilms formed by cariogenic pathogens. Epidemiological studies associate carbohydrates with these diseases due to the sugars metabolized by cariogenic pathogens. This review focuses on dental caries and periodontal pathogens, quorum sensing, lectin–carbohydrate interactions, and various sugar molecules. Cariogenic sugars significantly influence biofilms by enhancing pathogen adhesion, viability, and gene expressions associated with biofilm formation. Moreover, lectin–carbohydrate interactions contribute to biofilm stability. Disrupting these interactions is a potential strategy for oral disease prevention. The use of nanoparticles, such as quantum dots, provides novel insights into lectin–sugar interactions and the development of inhibitors. Additionally, nanomaterials like calcium phosphate nanoparticles neutralize acids and inhibit microbial growth. This overview emphasizes understanding the relationships between oral diseases, microbial communities, and sugars to devise preventive and therapeutic strategies against oral diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The composition and abundance of soluble sugars in mature pear (Pyrus) fruit are important for its acceptance by consumers. However, our understanding of the genes responsible for soluble sugar accumulation remains limited. In this study, a S1‐group member of bZIP gene family, PbrbZIP15, was characterized from pear genome through the combined analyses of metabolite and transcriptome data followed by experimental validation. PbrbZIP15, located in nucleus, was found to function in fructose, sucrose, and total soluble sugar accumulation in pear fruit and calli. After analyzing the expression profiles of sugar‐metabolism‐related genes and the distribution of cis‐acting elements in their promoters, the glucose isomerase 1 gene (PbrXylA1), whose corresponding protein catalyzed the isomerization of glucose and fructose in vitro, was identified as a downstream target gene of PbrbZIP15. PbrbZIP15 could directly bind to the G‐box element in PbrXylA1 promoter and activate its transcription, as evidenced by chromatin immunoprecipitation‐quantitative PCR, yeast one‐hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and dual‐luciferase assay. PbrXylA1, featuring a leucine‐rich signal peptide in its N‐terminal, was localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. It was validated to play a significant role in fructose, sucrose, and total soluble sugar accumulation in pear fruit and calli, which was associated with the upregulated fructose/glucose ratio. Further studies revealed a positive correlation between the sucrose content and the expression levels of several sucrose‐biosynthesis‐related genes (PbrFRK3/8, PbrSPS1/3/4/8, and PbrSPP1) in PbrbZIP15‐/PbrXylA1‐transgenic fruit/calli. In conclusion, our results suggest that PbrbZIP15‐induced soluble sugar accumulation during pear development is at least partly attributed to the activation of PbrXylA1 transcription. Significance Statement: The composition and abundance of soluble sugars in mature pear fruit are important for its acceptance by consumers, but our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying soluble sugar accumulation remains limited. Our findings suggest that PbrbZIP15 and its target gene PbrXylA1 participate in glucose isomerization and thus alter the composition and abundance of soluble sugars, ultimately resulting in the sweetness improvement in pear, making them potential targets for molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a fractionation and valorisation scheme for vine shoots is proposed for biofuel and lignin production. This agricultural waste was fractionated by acid/organosolv sequential pretreatment. In the first step, acid pretreatment was optimised at 150ºC and 1.2% H 2 SO 4 to release hemicellulosic sugars, of which 76% could be recovered. This sugar stream was co-fermented by E. coli with an ethanol yield higher than 98% after detoxification with resins or NH 4 OH. The solid obtained under optimal acid pretreatment conditions was delignified by organosolv treatment, and a delignification rate of 43% was reached at 180ºC. This substrate with 83% enzymatic digestibility was bio-converted into ethanol by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation, with a yield of 76%. Additionally, lignin was recovered from the organosolv liquor, aiming for the full valorisation of the biomass, which showed a syringyl/guaiacyl ratio of 0.92 by nuclear magnetic resonance, complying with the data provided for Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and confirming the aromaticity of this fraction for further valorisation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the synthesis and evaluation of saponins with all-nitrogenated sugars (ANS). Aminosugars, a class of modified carbohydrates, have been found in aminoglycosides but have limitations. The creation of artificial aminosugars, such as ANS, offers new possibilities for drug development. Saponins, derived from steroids and triterpenoids, have various biological activities and their sugar moiety plays a critical role. The article describes the synthesis of various ANS-saponin derivatives and their cytotoxicity, showing that ANS-saponins induce apoptosis. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: Small molecular sugars have gained substantial attention as common food additives for anti‐retrogradation of starch. However, the effect of small molecular sugars on the pasting and retrogradation behaviours of starchy foods with complex components is different from that of native starch owing to the interaction between different components. In this study, the pasting and retrogradation behaviours of Mesona chinensis polysaccharide/starch complexes combined with different sugars (trehalose, glucose, sucrose and lactose) were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), texture profile analysis (TPA), rapid viscometer analysis (RVA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). SEM showed that the complex gel systems with various sugars exhibited smoother lamellar surfaces and profiles than those of the control group after refrigeration. RVA and DSC demonstrated that the addition of sugars significantly affected the pasting of the composite gel system. TPA, FT‐IR, XRD and SEM revealed that glucose, sucrose and lactose effectively inhibited the retrogradation of the composite gel system and that glucose was a candidate for inhibition of the retrogradation of the complex gel system. Additionally, the water separation of the composite gel system with sugars was lower than that of the control group after five cycles of alternating freezing and thawing, indicating that the sugars improved the freeze‐thaw stability of the composite gel system. These results provide a theoretical direction for the use of additives in the retrogradation of starchy foods containing multiple components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Impacts of Maillard reaction on bitterness, physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities of salmon frame protein hydrolysates (PH) and its plastein (PT) using ribose or glucosamine (Glx) were investigated. PT showed higher bitterness than PH after Maillard reaction, regardless of sugars and concentrations used (P < 0.05). PH (10%) and 4% Glx heated at 120 °C for 120 min yielded Maillard reaction products (MRPs) with the least bitterness (score: 5.89) as compared to control sample (P < 0.05). Browning intensity and lightness of aforesaid sample were directly and inversely proportional to treatment time, respectively. MRPs (10% PH with 4% Glx) showed the increased DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities (37.06 and 45.65 μmol TE g−1, respectively) up to 60 min (P < 0.05). Moreover, bitterness score of MRPS heated for 60 min was reduced from 9.37 (PH) to 1.44 ascertained by decrease in hydrophobic amino acid contents (P < 0.05). Therefore, Maillard reaction could be used as a promising means to lower bitterness of salmon frame PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of high yielding cowpea varieties coupled with good taste and rich in essential minerals can promote consumption and thus nutrition and profitability. The sweet taste of cowpea grain is determined by its sugar content, which comprises mainly sucrose and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) including raffinose and stachyose. However, GOS are indigestible and their fermentation in the colon can produce excess intestinal gas, causing undesirable bloating and flatulence. In this study, we aimed to examine variation in grain sugar and mineral concentrations, then map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and estimate genomic-prediction (GP) accuracies for possible application in breeding. Grain samples were collected from a multi-parent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) population grown in California during 2016–2017. Grain sugars were assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Grain minerals were determined by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry and combustion. Considerable variation was observed for sucrose (0.6–6.9%) and stachyose (2.3–8.4%). Major QTLs for sucrose (QSuc.vu-1.1), stachyose (QSta.vu-7.1), copper (QCu.vu-1.1) and manganese (QMn.vu-5.1) were identified. Allelic effects of major sugar QTLs were validated using the MAGIC grain samples grown in West Africa in 2017. GP accuracies for minerals were moderate (0.4–0.58). These findings help guide future breeding efforts to develop mineral-rich cowpea varieties with desirable sugar content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and efficient one-pot synthetic protocol has been developed for the synthesis of 3-arylamino-2-polyhydroxyalkyl-substituted indoles by using unprotected sugars and aromatic amines. The protocol is simple to carry out with high yields under mild reaction conditions, and has atom economy with a good substrate scope and functional group tolerance, providing a new alternative route for the synthesis of structurally diverse indole derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugar in the natural state contains fibers, vitamins, and minerals, but these are absent in commonly used white sugar. Icing sugar is prepared by mixing corn starch and sugar and is used for confections. White and icing sugars, however, have been implicated in causing the rapid rise of several chronic diseases, e.g., diabetics, hence face slow market strangulation. It is possible that by potentiating the inherent sweetness of sugars, intake can be reduced, and thereby, the pronicity and risk of chronic diseases will also be reduced. In fact this is a present challenge to multi‐faculty science. It subjects the white and icing sugars to 2–6 µm mid‐infrared (mid‐IR) ray generated through recently invented mid‐IR generating atomizer (MIRGA). This technique enhances the sweetness, and thereby, 15%–30% reduce the sugar quantity requirement in prepared recipes. This method is found to be safe and economical, saves resources and chance for better health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although extraction of polysaccharides to convert reducing sugars (RS) from microalgae by acid or alkali pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis has been extensively studied, few reports exploring the use of high hydrostatic pressure processing (HHP) and ultrasonication (US) as emerging technologies for the extraction of sugars from microalgae biomass exist. Thus, the present study was conducted to determine the effects of mixotrophic growth and stress conditions (NaNO3 and CO2 concentration and light intensity) on RS and protein accumulation in the unicellular green alga Chlorella vulgaris in addition to optimization of the effectiveness of the sequential applications of HHP and US with dilute acid as well as simultaneous enzymatic saccharification on the production of RS from microalga cells. High light intensity, high CO2 concentration and limited nitrogen concentration promoted RS production. The maximum protein content (0.0683 mg g‒1) was achieved at 0.3 g l‒1 NaNO3 concentration, 7000 μmol photons m‒2 s‒1 and 6 l min‒1 CO2 concentration. The highest RS content of C. vulgaris after 48 h enzymatic saccharification (583.86 ± 13.23 mg g‒1) was obtained at 1% (w/w) acid concentration and 80% amplitude for 30 min with 79.4% RS yield. Combined US-assisted dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis were also found to be more effective than HHP assisted dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification. Therefore, microalgal biomass can be considered a suitable renewable feedstock used in fermentation. The cultivation period of Chlorella vulgaris was reduced from 25 days to 14 days using mixotrophic growing conditions. Mixotrophic conditions enhanced reducing sugar productivity. Novel extraction techniques enhanced the extraction of reducing sugar from microalgae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acids and sugars, along with the thermal processing, are considered the main parameters to control acrylamide formation in fried potatoes. To evaluate which of these parameters had the greatest influence, 10 synthetic potato‐starch‐based models formulated in different amino acid and/or sugar combinations and three potato cultivars were assigned. High‐performance‐liquid chromatography and gas chromatography flame‐ionized‐detectors were applied to quantify amino acids, sugars, and acrylamide. Results showed that reducing sugars and sucrose significantly increased acrylamide formation amongst all potato samples. Synthetic potato models Asn‐GFS contained the highest amount of acrylamide compared to Glu‐Fru and real potatoes (Agria and Kennebec). Thus, sugars were considered critical factors for acrylamide formation in potatoes and remained the most practical way of reducing its production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is a widely available and sustainable energy resource that can be directly or indirectly converted to biofuels and value-added bioproducts. In such LCB conversion, enzymatic saccharification is commonly regarded as a green alternative to chemical hydrolysis due to less energy-intensive, less toxic, and more environment-benign for efficient fermentable sugar recovery. However, enzymatic saccharification faces substantial challenges, since the complex polymeric matrices of LCB necessitates a variety of enzymes for complete and adequate saccharification. Empirical evidence on enzymatic saccharification has paved the way for optimizing the processes and design for enhancing the performance in LCB. This review examines the enzymatic saccharification of LCB, focusing on the important parameters affecting the process, such as pH, temperature, agitation, enzyme/substrate loading, residence time, and the enzymes required to degrade various LCB components. Various strategies have been reported to improve the performance in saccharification and to address the non-productive adsorption of enzymes. A preliminary economic competency valuation of enzyme-derived fermentable sugars is proposed. Wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse and corn stalk appear, in this case, to be the most economic competent LCBs for commercial enzyme-derived fermentable sugar production. Lastly, practical challenges and future research directions on the enzymatic saccharification of LCB are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]