Search

A novel polysaccharide DG2 was obtained from the Dendrobium officinale endophytic fungus Fusarium solani DO7. The structural characterization and immunological activity of DG2 were investigated. Results showed that DG2 with the molecular weight of 152.8 kDa was composed of Galp, Manp, Glcp and Araf at a molar ratio of 4.3:1.9:2.8: 1.0. The main linkage types of DG2 were (1 → )-β-D-Glc, (1 → 4)-β-D-Glc, (1 → 3,6)-β-D-Gal and (1 → 6)-β-D-Gal, which demonstrated DG2 was a novel galactoglucan and different from other fungal and botanic polysaccharide. Furthermore, DG2 did not contain deoxynivalenol, and showed no direct toxicity to human embryonic kidney cells and RAW 264.7 cells. Meanwhile, DG2 could increase the TNF-α, IL-6 and iNOs mRNA expression levels of RAW264.7 cells, and further promote the production of TNF-α, IL-6 and NO. These results suggested DG2 could enhance macrophage-mediated immune responses and have the potential to be an attractive functional food supplement candidate for the hypoimmunity therapies.

Graphical abstract Highlights: • Fusarium solani DO7 was isolated from the stem of Dendrobium officinale. • A novel polysaccharide DG2 was isolated from F. solani DO7. • DG2 showed no toxicity to human embryonic kidney cells and RAW 264.7 cells. • DG2 possesses higher immune enhancement activity. • DG2 had good potential as functional food candidate. Abstract A novel polysaccharide DG2 was obtained from the Dendrobium officinale endophytic fungus Fusarium solani DO7. The structural characterization and immunological activity of DG2 were investigated. Results showed that DG2 with the molecular weight of 152.8 kDa was composed of Gal p , Man p , Glc p and Ara f at a molar ratio of 4.3:1.9:2.8: 1.0. The main linkage types of DG2 were (1 →)-β-D-Glc, (1 → 4)-β-D-Glc, (1 → 3,6)-β-D-Gal and (1 → 6)-β-D-Gal, which demonstrated DG2 was a novel galactoglucan and different from other fungal and botanic polysaccharide. Furthermore, DG2 did not contain deoxynivalenol, and showed no direct toxicity to human embryonic kidney cells and RAW 264.7 cells. Meanwhile, DG2 could increase the TNF-α, IL-6 and iNOs mRNA expression levels of RAW264.7 cells, and further promote the production of TNF-α, IL-6 and NO. These results suggested DG2 could enhance macrophage-mediated immune responses and have the potential to be an attractive functional food supplement candidate for the hypoimmunity therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, monodispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with an average diameter of 9.57 nm were efficiently and controllably biosynthesized by a reductase from Fusarium solani DO7 only in the presence of β-NADPH and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). The reductase responsible for AgNP formation in F. solani DO7 was further confirmed as 1,4-α-glucosidase. Meanwhile, based on the debate on the antibacterial mechanism of AgNPs, this study elucidated in further depth that antibacterial action of AgNPs was achieved by absorbing to the cell membrane and destabilizing the membrane, leading to cell death. Moreover, AgNPs could accelerate the catalytic reaction of 4−nitroaniline, and 86.9% of 4-nitroaniline was converted to p-phenylene diamine in only 20 min by AgNPs of controllable size and morphology. Our study highlights a simple, green, and cost-effective process for biosynthesizing AgNPs with uniform sizes and excellent antibacterial activity and catalytic reduction of 4-nitroaniline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of polysaccharides from microorganisms is of great importance. In this study, a new type of exopolysaccharide excreted by Fusarium merismoides A6 (FM-EPS) was isolated, and the extraction conditions were optimized using a response surface methodology (RSM). The extraction temperature at 0 °C, a precipitation time of 7.83 h, and an ethanol precipitation concentration of 77.64% were predicted and proved to be the best extraction conditions with the maximum extraction yield of 0.74 g/mL. Then, two fractions of F. merismoides A6 exopolysaccharides (FM-EPS1 and FM-EPS2) were obtained through DEAE Sepharose fast flow column chromatography. As indicated by monosaccharide composition analysis, both fractions mainly consisted of mannose, glucose, galactose, and ribose, with an average molecular weight of 5.14 × 10 4 and 6.50 × 10 4  g/mol, respectively. FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy indicated the FM-EPSs had both α- and β-glycosidic bonds. Moreover, the determination of antioxidant and antiproliferative activities in vitro proved that FM-EPSs had good antioxidant activities and antiproliferation activities. FM-EPS1 showed stronger antioxidant activities than FM-EPS2. FM-EPS2 showed antiproliferation activities on HeLa and HepG2 cells, while FM-EPS1 had no obvious antiproliferative activity. Therefore, FM-EPSs could be explored as potential antioxidant and anticancer agent applied in food, feed, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and chemical industries., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Β-glucans are polysaccharide macromolecules that can be found in the cell walls of molds, such as Rhizopus oryzae. They provide functional properties in food systems and have immunomodulatory activity, anticancer, and prebiotic effects; reduce triglycerides and cholesterol; and prevent obesity, among others benefits. Furthermore, potato starch production requires a large amount of water, which is usually discharged into the environment, creating problems in soils and bodies of water. The physical parameters to produce β-glucans were determined, liquid waste from potato starch processing was used and native Rhizopus oryzae was isolated and identified from cereal grains. The isolates grew quickly on the three types of agars used at 25 °C and 37 °C, and they did not grow at 45 °C. Rhizopus oryzae M10A1 produced the greatest amount of β-glucans after six days of culture at 30 °C, pH 6, a stirring rate of 150 rpm and a fermentation volume of 250 mL. By establishing the physical fermentation parameters and utilizing the liquid waste from potato starch, Rhizopus oryzae M10A1 yielded 397.50 mg/100 g of β-glucan was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food & Fermentation Industries is the property of Food & Fermentation Industries and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Endophytic fungi are important microbial resources for developing novel antibacterial and antifungal drugs to prevent and control crop diseases. Panax notoginseng has been used as a Chinese medicinal herb for a long time, as it has various bioactivities. However, information on endophytic fungi isolated from Panax notoginseng is rare. In this study, an endophytic fungus known as SQGX-6, which was later identified as the golden hair fungus Arcopilus aureus, was isolated from Panax notoginseng. SQGX-6 was extracted using ethyl acetate, and the active components of the fungus were identified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). The antifungal and antioxidant activities of the extract were determined and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. SQGX-6 and its extract inhibited the growth of Corn stalk rot (Fusarium graminearum), Corn southern leaf blight (Helminthosporium maydis), and Tomato gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) in vitro. The free radical scavenging rates for 2,2-Diphenyl-1-pyridinyl hydrazide (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, 3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic Acid Radical scavenging (ABTS) activity were also downregulated by the SQGX-6 extract. In vivo, the SQGX-6 extract inhibited the mycelial growth rates of the three aforementioned fungi and downregulated malondialdehyde (MDA) content and upregulated peroxidase (POD) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) content in fruits, leading to significant reduction in damage to cherry tomatoes caused by Botrytis cinerea. UHPLC-MS was performed to identify various active substances, including Alkaloids, Azoles, Benzofurans, Coumarins, Flavonoids, Organic acids, Phenols, and plant growth regulators contained in the extract. These results suggested that the endophytic fungus SQGX-6 of Panax notoginseng and its extract have excellent antifungal and antioxidant activities, and thus, it is an important microbial resource for the developing novel drugs against plant fungal infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chickpea is a globally cultivated legume, rich in vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, polyphenols, fatty acids, fibers, and flavonoids. Despite its nutritional benefits, chickpeas contain antinutritional factors that can hinder nutrient absorption. Therefore, we reviewed the various pretreatment methods to enhance chickpea protein's nutritional value and functional properties. Thermal and biochemical treatments and food applications of chickpea protein are thoroughly reviewed. The review revealed that the physical, thermal, and biochemical treatments were reported to be effective in reducing antinutritional factors and improving protein solubility, emulsifying capacity, and foaming properties. Chickpea proteins were used in cereals and bakery products to meet consumer demand. Encapsulation of chickpea protein enhances nutrient stability, and its inclusion in gluten-free products has different effects on the glycemic index, antioxidant activity, and overall acceptability. These findings highlight chickpea's potential to improve the nutritional and functional aspects of food products while offering health benefits to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Microbial communities that inhabit plants are crucial for plant survival and well-being including growth in stressful environments. The medicinal plant, Dendrobium officinale grows in the barren soils of the Danxia Habitat. However, the microbiome composition and functional potential for growth of this plant in this environment are still unexplored., Methods and Results: In this study, we analysed the taxonomic and functional diversity of the D. officinale Microbiome by metagenomic sequencing of both rhizosphere and endosphere samples. A total of 155 phyla, 122 classes, 271 orders, 620 families and 2194 genera were identified from all samples. The rhizospheric microbes (DXRh) were mainly composed of Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria, while Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were the most dominant phyla in root endosphere (DXRo) and stem endosphere (DXS), respectively. Most of the dominant microbial communities had been reported to have diverse functional potentials that can help plant growth and development in stressful and nutrient-deprived ecological environmental. These include plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) such as Massilia, Pseudomonas, Bradyrhizobium, Klebsiella, Streptomyces, Leclercia, Paenibacillus, Frankia and Enterobacter in the DXRh, Tulasnella and Serendipita in the DXRo, Colletotrichum and Burkholderia in the DXS and Paraburkholderia, Rhizophagus and Acetobacter in endosphere. Analysis using the KEGG, eggNOG and CAZy databases showed that metabolic pathways such as carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, genetic information processing and environmental information processing are significantly abundant, which may be related to the survival, growth and development of D. officinale in a stressful environment., Conclusions: We speculated that the microbial community with diverse taxonomic structures and metabolic functions inhabiting in different niches of plants supports the survival and growth of D. officinale in the stressful environment of Danxia Habitat., Significance and Impact of the Study: This study provided an important data resource for microbes associated with D. officinale and theoretical foundation for further studies., (© 2022 Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Based on the concept of endophytic fungus, if endophytic fungus can produce the same or similar product as the host plant, which will get rid of the restrictions of farmland, seasonal and pest, the active product could be sustainably obtained. In this study, an endophytic fungus polysaccharide FP showing the similar structure with the host Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP) was sustainably and cost-effectively obtained under preferred reaction conditions with different C/N ratio. The FP with high yield up to 2.77 ± 0.51 g/L showed same monosaccharide composition with DOP as well as some host-plant-associated polysaccharides in published literatures. The main chain of FP was composed by →3,6)- β -L-Man-(1→, α -D-Glc-(1→, →4)- α -D-Glc-(1→, →3,6)- β -D-Gal-(1→, and →6)- β -D-Gal-(1→, while the side chain was α -D-Glc-(1→. Meanwhile, FP was confirmed as a safe polysaccharide with good antioxidant, antiglycation and immunomodulatory activities. Furthermore, TLR2 and TLR4 were confirmed as the membrane receptors of FP on RAW264.7 cells. Unlabelled Image • FP was sustainably obtained under preferred conditions with difference C/N ratio. • FP showed the similar structure with host Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide. • The production of FP got rid of the farmland, seasonal and pest limitation. • TLR2 and TLR4 were confirmed as the membrane receptors of FP on macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are an important source of bioactive compounds and have been used to isolate various bioactive compounds having industrial applications. The demand for plants derived bioactive molecules is increasing gradually. However, the extensive use of these plants to extract bioactive molecules has threatened many plant species. Moreover, extracting bioactive molecules from these plants is laborious, costly, and time‐consuming. So, some alternative sources and strategies are urgently needed to produce these bioactive molecules similar to that of plant origin. However, the interest in new bioactive molecules has recently shifted from plants to endophytic fungi because many fungi produce bioactive molecules similar to their host plant. Endophytic fungi live in mutualistic association within the healthy plant tissue without causing disease symptoms to the host plant. These fungi are a treasure house of novel bioactive molecules having broad pharmaceutical, industrial, and agricultural applications. The rapid increase in publications in this domain over the last three decades proves that natural product biologists and chemists are paying great attention to the natural bioactive products from endophytic fungi. Though endophytes are source of novel bioactive molecules but there is need of advanced technologies like clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR‐associated protein 9 (CRISPR‐Cas9) and epigenetic modifiers to enhance the production of compounds having industrial applications. This review provides an overview of the various industrial applications of bioactive molecules produced by endophytic fungi and the rationale behind selecting specific plants for fungal endophyte isolation. Overall, this study presents the current state of knowledge and highlights the potential of endophytic fungi for developing alternative therapies for drug‐resistant infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last few decades, endophytes have attracted increased attention due to their ability to produce a plethora of bioactive secondary metabolites. These compounds not only help the endophytes to outcompete other plant-associated microbes or pathogens through quorum sensing, but also enable them to surmount the plant immune system. However, only a very few studies have described the interlink between various biochemical and molecular factors of host-microbe interactions involved in the production of these pharmacological metabolites. The peculiar mechanisms by which endophytes modulate plant physiology and metabolism through elicitors, as well as how they use transitional compounds of primary and secondary metabolism as nutrients and precursors for the synthesis of new compounds or enhancing existing metabolites, are still less understood. This study thus attempts to address the aspects of synthesis of such metabolites used in therapeutics by the endophytes in the light of their ecological significance, adaptation, and intercommunity interactions. Our study explores how endophytes adapt to the specific host environment, especially in medicinal plants that produce metabolites with pharmacological potential and simultaneously modulate host gene expression for the biosynthesis of these metabolites. We also discuss the differential interactions of fungal and bacterial endophytes with their hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial resistance has become one of the main motives in the worldwide race for undescribed antibacterial agents. The difficulties in the treatment of bacterial infections are a public health issue that increasingly highlights the need for antimicrobial agents. Endophytic microorganisms are a promising alternative in the search for drugs, due to the vast number of metabolites produced with unique characteristics and bioactive potential. This review highlights the importance of endophytic microorganisms as a source of secondary metabolites in the search for active molecules against bacteria of medical importance, with a special focus on gram-negative species. This fact is supported by the findings raised in this review, which brings an arsenal of 166 molecules with characterized chemical structures and their antibacterial activities. In addition, the low cost, ease of maintenance, and optimization-controlled fermentation conditions favor reproducibility in commercial scale. Given their importance, it is necessary to intensify the search for new molecules from endophytic microorganisms, and to increasingly invest in this very promising font. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stem lettuce is a medicinal and edible plant. The peels, accounting for 300-400 g kg -1 raw stem lettuce and containing polysaccharides 200 g kg -1 , are discarded as industrial waste, causing environment pollution and resource waste., Results: A polysaccharide named PPSL10-2 was obtained from the peels of stem lettuce after hot water extraction, and gradation with cascade ultrafiltration and purification using DEAE-Sepharose cellulose. The purity and molecular weight of PPSL10-2 is 96.10% and 2.2 × 10 4  Da respectively, as detected by high-performance gel permeation chromatography. PPSL10-2 was found to be an α-(1→4)-d-glucan that branched at O-6 with a terminal 1-linked α-d-Glcp as side chain, and devoid of helix conformation, which was characterized by monosaccharide composition analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Congo red test, scanning electron microscopy, methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, PPSL10-2 exhibited potent immune-enhancing effect by improving proliferation and phagocytosis, promoting the secretion of nitric oxide and cytokines, as well as the expression of related genes in RAW264.7 macrophages., Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggest that peels as an agricultural by-product of stem lettuce are good sources of polysaccharides, which could be developed as immunopotentiator for improving human health. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.)

A novel polysaccharide (PCPP‐1A) from Poria cocos peels was prepared and its structural characterization and biological activities were investigated in vitro. The optimized extraction conditions of PCPP that obtained by response surface methodology were liquid to solid ratio 24.19 ml/g, extraction time 5.54 h, and extraction temperature 100°C, with the highest yield of 0.71%. Moreover, the crude PCPP was further separated by anion‐exchange chromatography and gel permeation chromatography to obtain the purified PCPP‐1A. Structural characterization showed that PCPP‐1A had an average molecular weight of 45.38 kDa and was composed of mannose, glucuronic acid, glucose, galactose, and fucose in a molar ratio of 10.93:1.00:235.76:26.99:6.56. The results of NMR indicated that PCPP‐1A might possess pyranoid glucose connected by α‐type and β‐type glycosidic bonds. Furthermore, PCPP‐1A existed excellent potential on stimulating immune response of RAW264.7 cells and protecting AML‐12 cells against radiation. These results indicated that PCPP‐1A had underlying application value in the development of functional foods. Novelty impact statement: A novel polysaccharide (PCPP‐1A) from Poria cocos peels was prepared and its structural characterization and biological activities were investigated in vitro. These results indicated PCPP‐1A existed an excellent effect on stimulating immune response of RAW264.7 cells and protecting AML‐12 cells against radiation, which showed promising applications in the development of novel functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, the structural features and hypoglycemic effects of a polysaccharide Pan from the root of Panax notoginseng were investigated. The molecular weight of Pan was 8.27 kDa. Structural analysis indicated that Pan mainly consisted of →3)-β-L-Rhap-(1→, →3,6)-β-D-Galf-(1→ and →6)-β-D-Galf-(1→ residues with acetyl groups. Pan exhibited good antioxidant activity. Pan could slow down the body weight and the content of blood glucose in the high-fat diet-induced mice, further suppress GLUT-2 and SGLT-1 expression in the intestines, and enhance p-IRS and p-AMPK expression in the livers, finally exhibiting hypoglycemic effects. The results could supply a direction for further research on polysaccharides as components for the control of hyperglycemia induced by obesity and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial endophytes are ubiquitous and exist in each recognised plant species reported till date. Within the host plant, the entire community of microbes lives non-invasively within the active internal tissues without causing any harm to the plant. Endophytes interact with their host plant via metabolic communication enables them to generate signal molecules. In addition, the host plant's genetic recombination with endophytes helps them to imitate the host's physicochemical functions and develop identical active molecules. Therefore, when cultured separately, they begin producing the host plant phytochemicals. The fungal species Penicillium chrysogenum has portrayed the glory days of antibiotics with the invention of the antibiotic penicillin. Therefore, fungi have substantially supported social health by developing many bioactive molecules utilised as antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, immunomodulatory and anticancerous agents. But plant-related microbes have emanated as fountainheads of biologically functional compounds with higher levels of medicinal perspective in recent years. Researchers have been motivated by the endless need for potent drugs to investigate alternate ways to find new endophytes and bioactive molecules, which tend to be a probable aim for drug discovery. The current research trends with these promising endophytic organisms are reviewed in this review paper. Key points: • Identified 54 important bioactive compounds as agricultural relevance • Role of genome mining of endophytes and "Multi-Omics" tools in sustainable agriculture • A thorough description and graphical presentation of agricultural significance of plant endophytes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For developing the recycling of fruit by-products from kiwano, a polysaccharide was extracted from kiwano (Cucumis metuliferus) peels, namely Cucumis metuliferus peels polysaccharide (CMPP), with the aim of investigating the potential beneficial effects. The composition of polysaccharides was analyzed by chemical methods. RAW264.7 macrophages cells and the microbiota dynamics simulator (BFBL gut model) were used for in vitro study. The result showed that CMPP mainly consists of glucuronic acid, arabinose, galactose and rhamnose. By intervening with RAW264.7 cells, CMPP promoted cell proliferation and showed immune-enhancing activity, which significantly (p < 0.05) induced the release of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) at a concentration of 50 μg/mL. In addition, CMPP had an impact on the composition of the gut bacteria, increasing the growth of Akkermansia, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Feacalibacterium, and Roseburia. During the intake period, acetic, butyric and propionic acids were all increased, especially (p < 0.05) in the descending colon. Moreover, a decrease in ammonia concentration (10.17 ± 0.50 mM in the ascending colon, 13.21 ± 1.54 mM in the transverse colon and 13.62 ± 0.45 mM in the descending colon, respectively) was observed. In summary, CMPP can be considered as a pectin, showed immunological activity and function of gut microbiota modulation. This study could be the scientific basis of developing kiwano peels as beneficial to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Four neutral polysaccharides (ESBP1-1, ESBP1-2, ESBP2-1 and ESBP3-1) were successfully purified from the water extracted crude polysaccharides of Erythronium sibiricum bulbs through the combination of DEAE Sepharose CL-6B and Sephadex G-100 chromatography; their average molecular weights were 1.3 × 104, 1.7 × 104, 9.4 × 105 and 4.1 × 105 Da, respectively. Monosaccharide component analysis indicated that ESBP1-1 and ESBP1-2 were mainly composed of glucose (Glc). ESBP2-1 was composed of Glc, galactose (Gal) and arabinose, with a molar ratio of 24.3:1.1:1, whereas ESBP3-1 comprised Glc and Gal at a molar ratio of 14.8:1. In-vitro study showed that all of the four polysaccharides were able to considerably promote the proliferation and neutral red phagocytosis of RAW 264.7 macrophage cell. They could also stimulate the production of the cell lines' secretory molecules [nitric oxide, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)] in a dose-dependent manner. However, ESBP1-2 was not included in IL-1β. Overall, these results suggested that polysaccharides from E. sibiricum bulbs can be developed as immunomodulatory ingredients for complementary medicines or functional foods. However, further animal or clinical studies are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant microbiomes are not only diverse, but also appear to host a vast pool of secondary metabolites holding great promise for bioactive natural products and drug discovery. Yet, most microbes within plants appear to be uncultivable, and for those that can be cultivated, their metabolic potential lies largely hidden through regulatory silencing of biosynthetic genes. The recent explosion of powerful interdisciplinary approaches, including multi-omics methods to address multi-trophic interactions and artificial intelligence-based computational approaches to infer distribution of function, together present a paradigm shift in high-throughput approaches to natural product discovery from plant-associated microbes. Arguably, the key to characterizing and harnessing this biochemical capacity depends on a novel, systematic approach to characterize the triggers that turn on secondary metabolite biosynthesis through molecular or genetic signals from the host plant, members of the rich 'in planta' community, or from the environment. This review explores breakthrough approaches for natural product discovery from plant microbiomes, emphasizing the promise of deep learning as a tool for endophyte bioprospecting, endophyte biochemical novelty prediction, and endophyte regulatory control. It concludes with a proposed pipeline to harness global databases (genomic, metabolomic, regulomic, and chemical) to uncover and unsilence desirable natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Modern Food Science & Technology is the property of Editorial Office of Modern Food Science & Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Leucocalocybe mongolica (S. Imai) is a well-known edible medicinal mushroom. Polysaccharides extracted from L. mongolica show several pharmacological properties. Owing to increased predation and desertification, wild L. mongolica populations are declining and becoming increasingly rare. Microbial fermentation is emerging as a suitable alternative to obtain bioactive compounds from this mushroom. In this study, polysaccharides were isolated from the solid-state fermentation of L. mongolica (LMPs) and their anti-tumor activities were investigated. Treatment with LMPs significantly inhibited the growth of hepatoma H22 tumors after cell transplantation in mice. Notably, LMP treatment protected the spleen and the thymus against tumor-induced damage. Furthermore, LMP administration significantly increased the serum levels of the cytokines interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-2, while simultaneously decreasing the serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, the TUNEL assay, immunohistochemistry and western blotting indicated that the in vivo anti-tumor activity of LMP was achieved by promoting apoptosis and inhibiting angiogenesis. In summary, this study revealed that LMPs markedly suppressed the tumor growth of H22-transplanted tumors in vivo at least partly by enhancing the immune response, inducing apoptosis and inhibiting angiogenesis. These findings highlight LMP as a potential low-cost anti-tumor drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides are complex macromolecules long regarded as energetic storage resources or as components of plant and fungal cell walls. They have also been described as plant mucilages or microbial exopolysaccharides. The development of glycosciences has led to a partial and difficult deciphering of their other biological functions in living organisms. The objectives of glycobiochemistry and glycobiology are currently to correlate some structural features of polysaccharides with some biological responses in the producing organisms or in another one. In this context, the literature focusing on bioactive polysaccharides has increased exponentially during the last two decades, being sometimes very optimistic for some new applications of bioactive polysaccharides, notably in the medical field. Therefore, this review aims to examine bioactive polysaccharide, taking a critical look of the different biological activities reported by authors and the reality of the market. It focuses also on the chemical, biochemical, enzymatic, and physical modifications of these biopolymers to optimize their potential as bioactive agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure, antioxidant activity and hypoglycemic activity in vitro of a novel homogeneous polysaccharide from Tricholoma matsutake (Tmp) were investigated. Structural features suggested that Tmp was consisted of arabinose (Ara), mannose (Man), glucose (Glc) and galactose (Gal) with a molar ratio of 1.9:13.6:42.7:28.3, respectively, with a molecular weight of 72.14 kDa. The structural chain of Tmp was confirmed to contain →2,5)-α-l-Arabinofuranose (Araf)-(1→, →3,5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, β-d-Glucopyranose (Glcp)-(1→, α-d-Mannopyranose (Manp)-(1→, α-d-Galacopyranose (Galp)-(1→, →4)-β-d-Galp-(1→, →3)-β-d-Glcp-(1→, →3)-α-d-Manp-(1→, →6)-3-O-Methyl (Me)-α-d-Manp-(1→, →6)-α-d-Galp-(1→, →3,6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→, →6)-α-d-Manp-(1→ residues. Furthermore, Tmp possessed strong antioxidant activity and showed the strong inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities. Then, a further evaluation found that there was a dramatic improvement in the glucose consumption, glycogen synthesis and the activities of pyruvate kinase and hexokinase when the insulin-resistant-human hepatoma cell line (IR-HepG2) was treated with Tmp. The above results indicated that Tmp had good hypoglycemic activity and also exhibited great potentials in in terms of dealing with type 2 diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compound 2,5-di(hydroxymethyl)furan (DHMF) is a high-value chemical block that can be synthesized from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a platform chemical that results from the dehydration of biomass-derived carbohydrates. In this work, the HMF biotransformation capability of different Fusarium species was evaluated, and F. striatum was selected to produce DHMF. The effects of the inoculum size, glucose concentration and pH of the media over DHMF production were evaluated by a 23 factorial design. A substrate feeding approach was found suitable to overcome the toxicity effect of HMF towards the cells when added at high concentrations (>75 mM). The process was successfully scaled-up at bioreactor scale (1.3 L working volume) with excellent DHMF production yields (95%) and selectivity (98%). DHMF was purified from the reaction media with high recovery and purity by organic solvent extraction with ethyl acetate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]