Effects of Germination on the Structure, Functional Properties, and In Vitro Digestibility of a Black Bean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) Protein Isolate.

The utilization of black beans as a protein-rich ingredient presents remarkable prospects in the protein food industry. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of germination treatment on the physicochemical, structural, and functional characteristics of a black bean protein isolate. The findings indicate that germination resulted in an increase in both the total and soluble protein contents of black beans, while SDS-PAGE demonstrated an increase in the proportion of 11S and 7S globulin subunits. After germination, the particle size of the black bean protein isolate decreased in the solution, while the absolute value of the zeta potential increased. The above results show that the stability of the solution was improved. The contents of ß-sheet and ß-turn gradually decreased, while the content of α-helix increased, and the fluorescence spectrum of the black bean protein isolate showed a red shift phenomenon, indicating that the structure of the protein isolate and its polypeptide chain were prolonged, and the foaming property, emulsification property and in vitro digestibility were significantly improved after germination. Therefore, germination not only improves functional properties, but also nutritional content.

Effect of germination in the form of paddy rice and brown rice on their phytic acid, GABA, γ-oryzanol, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity.

This study investigated the effect of paddy rice and brown rice germination on their phytic acid, phytase, GABA, γ-oryzanol, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity. The GABA content and phytase activity in the rice germinated in the form of paddy (GP) were respectively lower than those in the rice germinated in the form of brown rice (GBR), and the level of phytic acid in GP was higher than that in GBR during germination processes from 18 h to 72 h. However, the contents of total γ-oryzanol, free phenolic, total phenolic, free flavonoid and total flavonoid in GP were higher than those in GBR during germination processes (18-72 h). The antioxidant activities of DPPH and T-AOC in GP were respectively higher than those in the GBR during germination processes (18-72 h). These results demonstrated that GP produced more γ-oryzanol, phenolics, flavonoids content and higher antioxidant activities, but less GABA content than those in GBR. This work might be useful for the specific aim of choosing germination ways and for the development of wholegrain foods.

Arthroscopic Reconstruction of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament with a Ligament-advanced Reinforcement System and Hamstring Tendon Autograft: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: Both ligament-advanced reinforcement system (LARS) and hamstring tendon autograft can serve as grafts for posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction. However, few studies have compared the effectiveness of these two approaches. This study therefore aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of arthroscopic reconstruction of the PCL using either the LARS or hamstring tendon autograft. METHODS: A total of 36 patients who underwent PCL reconstruction were retrospectively analyzed. Within this cohort, 15 patients received a reconstruction using the LARS (LARS group) and 21 using the hamstring tendon autograft (HT group). RESULTS: The pre- and post-operative subjective scores and knee stability were evaluated and the patients were followed up for a period of 2 to 10.5 years (4.11±2.0 years on average). The last follow-up showed that functional scores and knee stability were significantly improved in both groups (P<0.05). Six months after operation, Lysholm scores and IKDC subjective scores were higher in the LARS group than in the HT group (P<0.05). Nonetheless, the last follow-up showed no significant differences in the functional scores or the posterior drawer test between the two groups (P>0.05). In the LARS and HT groups, 12 and 9 patients, respectively exhibited KT1000 values <3 mm, with the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05). In the HT group, the diameter of the four-strand hamstring tendon was positively correlated with height (P<0.05), which was 7.37±0.52 mm in males and 6.50±0.77 mm in females (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Both LARS and hamstring tendon approaches achieved good efficacy for PCL reconstruction, but patients in the LARS group exhibited faster functional recovery and better knee stability in the long term. LARS is especially suitable for those who hope to resume activities as early as possible.

The application of the starfish hatching enzyme for the improvement of scar and keloid based on the fibroblast-populated collagen lattice.

Various bioactivities of the starfish hatching enzyme (HE) including collagen gel contraction, MMPs activity, hydroxyproline release, and gene regulation based on the fibroblast-populated collagen lattice (FPCL) in three-dimensional medium were investigated for the improvement of scar and keloid. The starfish HE significantly inhibited the collagen gel contraction over 2 days of culture. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities were also identified by gelatin zymography and RT-PCR products with both HE and collagenase treatments, which resulted in the high amount of hydroxyproline release. The HE treatment on the FPCL significantly inhibited the fibroblast proliferation at 3 days of culture. The LPS-induced NO level and iNOS mRNA expression at low concentrations of HE presented a certain ability to inflammatory response. The COX-2 mRNA from the FPCL indicated no significant inflammation-mediated activity at 5 µg/mL of HE, whereas the cytokines of TNF-α and IL-1ß were significantly higher than those of the control. Hence, the starfish hatching enzyme can regulate the fibroblast-populated collagen gel conditions by the contraction, MMP production, inflammatory gene expression, etc. Therefore, the starfish HE could be a potential cosmeceutical to heal the scar and keloid tissue.

Structural identification and proteolytic effects of the hatching enzyme from starfish Asterias amurensis.

Hatching enzyme (HE) is secreted from the blastula stage during fertilization and can cleave the egg membrane. The structural identification and proteolytic effects on the collagen and fibrinogen were investigated in this study. Approximate 20 kDa of Asn-linked oligosaccharides were attached to the HE. Five peptide fragments of the starfish HE were homogenous to those of the coat matrix protein of starfish Patiria pectinifera. Amino acids of the starfish HE consisted of mainly Leu (10.0%), Asp (12.5%), and Glu (12.8%). Collagenolytic and fibrinolytic activities of the starfish HE were weaker than those of collagenase and α-chymotrypsin. The degree values of hydrolysis for collagenase and α- chymotrypsin were significantly higher than those of HE in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The peptide mappings of the starfish HE on the collagenolysis (110.7, 84.7, and 20.8 kDa) and fibrinogenolysis (34, 30, and 29 kDa) were different from those of collagenase and α-chymotrypsin. Based on the proteolytic effects on the collagen and fibrinogen, the starfish hatching enzyme might have the potential application to remove the matrix composition in scar or keloid tissue.

A novel hatching enzyme from starfish Asterias amurensis: purification, characterization, and cleavage specificity.

Hatching enzyme (HE) is of importance to degrade egg membrane to let the larvae be free. HE was purified and characterized from starfish blastula. The specific activity and the purification ratio of the purified HE with 110.9 kDa of molecular weight were 449.62 U/mg and 7.42-fold, respectively. Its optimal pH and temperature for activity were pH 8.0 and 30 °C, respectively. This enzyme was relatively stable in the range of pH 4.0-6.0 and 30-40 °C. This enzyme was inhibited by ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid, and also done moderately by Leupeptin, tosyl-lysine chloromethyl ketone, tosyl-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone, and phenyl-methanesulfonyl fluoride. Zn(2+) ion activated HE activity strongly and recovered the EDTA-pretreated activity more than did Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and Cu(2+). Based on the results above, the starfish HE was classified as a zinc metallo- and trypsin-like serine protease. The values of Km, Vmax, and Kcat of the starfish HE on dimethyl casein were 0.31 mg/ml, 0.17 U/ml, and 122.70 s(-1), respectively, whereas 1.09 mg/ml, 0.12 U/ml, and 771.98 s(-1) on type I collagen. Therefore, the starfish HE could be a potential cosmeceutical because of its strong cleavage specificity on type I collagen.

[Distribution and activity of marine bacterioplankton at frequent HAB area of East China Sea].

The distribution, activity and community structure of bacterioplankton in surface water were investigated at frequent harmful algae blooms (HABs) area in East China Sea (28 degrees-30.7 degrees N) from April to May, 2006. The abundance of bacterioplankton was determined by using the DAPI (4, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) direct count (DDC) method. The beta-glucosidase and aminopeptidase activity were measured with fluorogenic model substrates. And the bacterial community structure was analyzed by PCR-DGGE. Results showed that bacterial abundance in northern of the sampling area was much more than that in southern of the sampling area. It ranged from 5.85 x 10(4) cells x mL(-1) to 9.26 x 10(5) cells x mL(-1). And there was the highest value area outer the costal of Zhou Shan Island. The average aminopeptidase activity was 3.6 times of beta-glucosidase activity which was 0. 023 micromol x (L x h) (-1) in this area. The beta-glucosidase activity in >5 microm fraction contributed 47.4% of the total, and that of the aminopeptidase activity was 44.24% of the total. Bacterial extracellular enzyme activity had a higher average value in southern of the sampling area. This indicated that the bacterial activity had no direct relationship with bacterial abundance. Bacterial diversity and community structure differed from each sampling station. There were more divers in northern sampling area. The results suggested that the human being activity and continental inputting organic matters played a key role on the distribution of bacterial abundance. The distribution of bacterial extracellular enzyme activity was mainly affected by the Taiwan warm current. And it was the complicated unknown factors that caused the difference of the bacterial community structure and diversity from each sampling station. Obviously, it needed further work to enhance the knowledge of the ecological function of the bacterioplankton at frequent HABs area of the coastal water in East China Sea.

[Methods for the identification of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events and progress in related fields].

Horizontal gene transfer is the gene exchange between different organisms or different organelles, which occurs frequently in prokaryotes. Many newly identified horizontal transfer events in eukaryotes indicates that it is a common phenomenon in all organisms. This paper describes the concept of horizontal gene transfer, the standard for judging a horizontal gene transfer events, the character, the mode, the way of horizontal gene transfer, and its impact on gene and genome evolution. The analyses of phylogenetic tree, base composition, selection pressure, intron sequence comparison, inserted special sequence, and biased nucleotide substitution are the most common methods used in previous researches. Evidence accumulated demonstrated that transposable sequences are most likely undergoing horizontal transferring. Transformation, conjugation, and transduction are the main forms of horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes, but no clear clue was related with the mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in eukaryotes. Horizontal gene transfer plays a special role in genetic, genomic, and the biological evolution.