ABSTRACT
Muscle atrophy with aging is closely associated with chronic systemic inflammation and lifestyle-related diseases. Here, we assessed whether dried tofu intake during 5-month interval walking training (IWT) enhanced increases in thigh muscle mass and strength and ameliorated susceptibility to inflammation in older women. Subjects (n = 32, ~ 65 years) who performed IWT for > 6 months participated in this study. They were randomly divided into 2 groups: IWT + placebo intake (PLG, n = 16; 108 kcal, 0.2 g protein, 5.5 g fat, and 14.4 g carbohydrate) and IWT + dried tofu intake (DTG, n = 16; 111 kcal, 9.6 g protein, 6.0 g fat, and 4.6 g carbohydrate). They were instructed to repeat ≥ 5 sets of fast and slow walking for 3 min each at ≥ 70 and 40% peak aerobic capacity for walking, respectively, per day for ≥ 4 days/week. Immediately after daily exercise, subjects were instructed to consume the supplements assigned to each group. In the DTG, after IWT, the methylation increased at 4/6 sites in the promoter region of the NFKB2 gene in the whole blood (all, P < 0.04), with an 18% increase in the average methylation of the 6 sites (P = 0.035). On the other hand, in the PLG, the increase occurred at only 2/6 sites, with no significant increase in the average methylation of the 6 sites. No significant differences were observed in increases in thigh muscle strength or cross-sectional area between the groups (all, P > 0.2). Altogether, dried tofu supplementation during IWT likely enhanced the methylation of the NFKB2 gene more than IWT alone, without detectably enhanced increases in thigh muscle strength or cross-sectional area.
Subject(s)
DNA Methylation/physiology , Dietary Supplements , Exercise/physiology , NF-kappa B p52 Subunit/genetics , Soy Foods , Walking/physiology , Aged , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Muscle Strength/physiology , Muscle, Skeletal/physiology , NF-kappa B p52 Subunit/metabolism , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γPGA), a polymer of glutamic acid, is a component of the viscosity substance of natto, a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis (natto). Here we investigate the effects of the cell wall lytic enzymes belonging to the D,L-endopeptidases (LytE, LytF, CwlO and CwlS) on γPGA production by B. subtilis (natto). γPGA levels in a cwlO disruptant were about twofold higher than that of the wild-type strain, whereas disruption of the lytE, lytF and cwlS genes had little effect on γPGA production. The molecular size of γPGA in the cwlO disruptant was larger than that of the wild-type strain. A complementary strain was constructed by insertion of the entire cwlO gene into the amyE locus of the CwlO mutant genome, and γPGA production was restored to wild-type levels in this complementary strain. These results indicated that the peptidoglycan degradation enzyme, CwlO, plays an important role in γPGA production and affects the molecular size of γPGA.
Subject(s)
Bacillus subtilis/enzymology , Bacillus subtilis/metabolism , Cell Wall/metabolism , Glutamic Acid/metabolism , N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase/metabolism , Bacillus subtilis/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/metabolism , Cell Wall/enzymology , Cell Wall/genetics , Endopeptidases/genetics , Endopeptidases/metabolism , Fermentation/physiology , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Molecular Weight , Mutagenesis, Insertional , Mutation , N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase/genetics , Peptidoglycan/metabolism , Polymers , Glycine max/chemistry , Glycine max/metabolism , Glycine max/microbiology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The serum total cholesterol concentration was significantly lower in the kori-tofu feeding group than in the soy protein isolate (SPI) group, except on the 28th day of the experiment. The high-molecular-weight fraction (HMF) content of the kori-tofu protein was significantly higher than that of SPI. This difference in the HMF content may have influenced the cholesterol-lowering effect of the protein.
Subject(s)
Food Handling/methods , Soy Foods , Soybean Proteins , Animals , Arteriolosclerosis/diet therapy , Arteriolosclerosis/prevention & control , Body Weight , Caseins/analysis , Cholesterol, HDL/blood , Food, Formulated , Hypercholesterolemia/diet therapy , Hypercholesterolemia/prevention & control , Male , Molecular Weight , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Soy Foods/analysis , Soybean Proteins/analysis , Soybean Proteins/therapeutic use , Triglycerides/bloodABSTRACT
The effects of cortex-lysis related genes with the pdaA, sleB, and cwlD mutations of Bacillus subtilis (natto) NAFM5 on sporulation and germination were investigated. Single or double mutations did not prevent normal sporulation, but did affect germination. Germination was severely inhibited by the double mutation of sleB and cwlD. The quality of natto made with the sleB cwlD double mutant was tested, and the amounts of glutamic acid and ammonia were very similar to those in the wild type. The possibility of industrial development of natto containing a reduced number of viable spores is presented.
