Fruit Juices of Etcho (Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum) and Giant Cardon (Pachycereus pringlei) are Sources of Health-Promoting Ingredients with Potential Anticancer Properties.

Mexico is one of the main diversification centers of cacti in the world, with more than 500 endemic species, most of which remain nutritionally and functionally uncharacterized. The columnar cacti of the genus Pachycereus comprise five underutilized endemic Mexican species, whose nutraceutical properties have only been studied in the P. weberi species. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional quality and bioactive properties of etcho (P. pecten-aboriginum) and giant cardon (P. pringlei) fruit. The physical, chemical, and nutritional composition of etcho and giant cardon fruits were characterized, as well as the profile and content of bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity (ABTS•+ and DPPH•), and antiproliferative capacity in cervical (HeLa) and breast cancer (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T-47D) cell lines. Our results suggest that etcho and giant cardon fruits are rich sources of essential nutrients and bioactive phytochemicals (including K, Mg, P, dietary fiber, polyphenolic compounds, vitamin C, betalains, and myo-inositol) with antioxidant and anticancer potential by inhibiting the proliferation of all evaluated cell lines with IC50 values in the range of 198 to 287 µg of gallic acid equivalents/mL. Therefore, etcho and giant cardon fruits could be used for nutraceutical purposes, and their consumption could promote health benefits.

Productive Performance, Physiological Variables, and Carcass Quality of Finishing Pigs Supplemented with Ferulic Acid and Grape Pomace under Heat Stress Conditions.

The effect of individual and combined supplementation of FA and GPM on physiological variables, productive performance, and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs under heat stress conditions were investigated. Forty Yorkshire × Duroc pigs (80.23 kg) were individually housed and randomly distributed into 4 groups under a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (n = 10): Control (basal diet, BD); FA, BD + 25 mg FA; GPM, BD with 2.5% GPM; and MIX, BD with 25 mg FA and 2.5% GPM. Additives were supplemented for 31 days. The inclusion of FA or GPM did not modify rectal temperature and respiratory rate. There was an effect of the interaction on FI, which increased when only GPM was supplemented, with respect to Control and MIX (p < 0.05). Average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion (FC) were not affected by treatments (p > 0.05). The inclusion of FA improved hot and cold carcass weight, while the addition of GPM decreased the marbling (p < 0.05) and tended to increase loin area (p < 0.10). GPM increased liver weight (p < 0.05). The addition of GPM and FA can improve some carcass characteristics under heat stress conditions. It is necessary to continue investigating different levels of inclusion of GPM and FA in finishing pigs' diets.

Chitosan Sensitivity of Fungi Isolated from Mango (Mangifera indica L.) with Anthracnose.

In Mexico, the mango crop is affected by anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum species. In the search for environmentally friendly fungicides, chitosan has shown antifungal activity. Therefore, fungal isolates were obtained from plant tissue with anthracnose symptoms from the state of Guerrero in Mexico and identified with the ITS and ß-Tub2 genetic markers. Isolates of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides complex were again identified with the markers ITS, Act, ß-Tub2, GADPH, CHS-1, CaM, and ApMat. Commercial chitosan (Aldrich, lot # STBF3282V) was characterized, and its antifungal activity was evaluated on the radial growth of the fungal isolates. The isolated anthracnose-causing species were C. chrysophilum, C. fructicola, C. siamense, and C. musae. Other fungi found were Alternaria sp., Alternaria tenuissima, Fusarium sp., Pestalotiopsis sp., Curvularia lunata, Diaporthe pseudomangiferae, and Epicoccum nigrum. Chitosan showed 78% deacetylation degree and a molecular weight of 32 kDa. Most of the Colletotrichum species and the other identified fungi were susceptible to 1 g L-1 chitosan. However, two C. fructicola isolates were less susceptible to chitosan. Although chitosan has antifungal activity, the interactions between species of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides complex and their effect on chitosan susceptibility should be studied based on genomic changes with molecular evidence.

Are Bacteriocins a Feasible Solution for Current Diverse Global Problems?

The development of effective technologies to cope with persistent and progressive global problems in human health and sustainable development has become an imperative worldwide challenge. The search for natural alternatives has led to the discovery of bacteriocins, which are potent protein antimicrobial compounds produced by most bacteria. The relevance of these molecules is evidenced by more than 4,500 papers published in the last decade in Scopus indexed journals highlighting their versatility and potential to impact various aspects of daily life, including the food industry, medicine, and agriculture. Bacteriocins have demonstrated antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and anticancer activities, and they also act as microbiota regulators and plant growth promoters. This mini-review aims to provide insights into the current state and emerging roles of bacteriocins, as well as their potential and limitations as feasible solutions against current diverse global problems.

Oligosaccharins as Elicitors of Defense Responses in Wheat.

Wheat is a highly relevant crop worldwide, and like other massive crops, it is susceptible to foliar diseases, which can cause devastating losses. The current strategies to counteract wheat diseases include global monitoring of pathogens, developing resistant genetic varieties, and agrochemical applications upon diseases' appearance. However, the suitability of these strategies is far from permanent, so other alternatives based on the stimulation of the plants' systemic responses are being explored. Plants' defense mechanisms can be elicited in response to the perception of molecules mimicking the signals triggered upon the attack of phytopathogens, such as the release of plant and fungal cell wall-derived oligomers, including pectin and chitin derivatives, respectively. Among the most studied cell wall-derived bioelicitors, oligogalacturonides and oligochitosans have received considerable attention in recent years due to their ability to trigger defense responses and enhance the synthesis of antipathogenic compounds in plants. Particularly, in wheat, the application of bioelicitors induces lignification and accumulation of polyphenolic compounds and increases the gene expression of pathogenesis-related proteins, which together reduce the severity of fungal infections. Therefore, exploring the use of cell wall-derived elicitors, known as oligosaccharins, stands as an attractive option for the management of crop diseases by improving plant readiness for responding promptly to potential infections. This review explores the potential of plant- and fungal-derived oligosaccharins as a practical means to be implemented in wheat crops.

Virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exposed to carvacrol: alterations of the Quorum sensing at enzymatic and gene levels.

The main goal of this study was to evaluate the inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factors and Quorum Sensing during exposure to carvacrol. P. aeruginosa (ATCC 10154) was exposed to carvacrol determining changes in biofilm development, motility, acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL) synthesis and relative expression of lasI/lasR. Docking analysis was used to determinate interactions between carvacrol with LasI and LasR proteins. P. aeruginosa produced 60% lower AHLs when exposed to carvacrol (1.9 mM) compared to control, without affecting cellular viability, indicating a reduction on the LasI synthase activity. AHL-C12, C6, and C4 were detected and related to biofilm development, motility, and pyocyanin production, respectively. The presence of carvacrol reduced the expression of lasR, without affecting lasI gen. Moreover, computational docking showed interactions of carvacrol with amino acids in the active site pocket of LasI (-5.6 kcal mol-1) and within the binding pocket of LasR (-6.7 kcal mol-1) of P. aeruginosa. These results demonstrated that virulence of P. aeruginosa was reduced by carvacrol, by inhibiting LasI activity with the concomitant reduction on the expression of lasR, biofilm and swarming motility. This study provides relevant information about the effect of carvacrol against quorum sensing to inhibit virulence factors of P. aeruginosa at enzymatic and gene levels. These findings can contribute to the development of natural anti-QS products, which can affect pathogenesis.

Quality and PR gene expression of table grapes treated with ozone and sulfur dioxide to control fungal decay.

BACKGROUND: Gaseous fumigants are commonly employed to control fungal decay of cold-stored grapes. So far it is not clear if these fumigants, besides the direct interaction against fungal structures, induce transcriptional responses of defensive markers. In order to contribute to understanding the mechanisms by which these fumigants exert their effect, we studied the influence of ozone (O3) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) on the decay caused by Botrytis cinerea, and the quality and expression of the defense-related genes chitinase, ß-1,3-glucanase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) in the table grape cultivars 'Redglobe' and 'Sugraone'. RESULTS: The application of SO2 or O3 delayed decay of both table grape cultivars caused by B. cinerea compared with the inoculated control. O3 treatments altered weight loss, firmness and shatter in both cultivars. Significant upregulation of chitinase and ß-1,3-glucanase were observed in SO2 -treated 'Redglobe' berries stored at 2 °C. O3 treatment transiently increased the expression of chitinase and PAL in 'Redglobe' and 'Sugraone' berries, respectively. CONCLUSION: Ozone and sulfur dioxide treatments can influence the expression patterns of PAL, chitinase and ß-1,3-glucanase to different extents in different grape cultivars and under different exposure conditions. The upregulation of these genes may be involved in the mechanism by which these fumigants inhibit the decay caused by pathogenic fungi.

Post-harvest control of gray mold in table grapes using volatile sulfur compounds from Allium sativum.

BACKGROUND: This study proposes the use of volatile sulfur compounds derived from garlic (Allium sativum) extracts applied via gas for the control of Botrytis cinerea, which causes post-harvest disease in table grapes. The effects of the volatile compounds emitted by garlic extract and sodium metabisulfite on conidia germination of B. cinerea were evaluated in vitro to assess their effectiveness at controlling grey mold on grapes stored at different temperatures. RESULTS: Diallyl disulfide, diallyl trisulfide and allicin were identified and quantified in a garlic extract using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The volatile compounds emitted by the garlic extract in the form of allicin and diallyl trisulfide inhibited conidia germination of B. cinerea in vitro and significantly reduced the lesion diameters on stored grapes, which were similar to the effects of sodium metabisulfite, while the diallyl disulfide did not have any effect. The sulfhydryl groups of cysteine or reduced glutathione completely reversed the antifungal effect of these compounds. CONCLUSION: The antifungal activity that allicin and diallyl trisulfide, which are the volatile compounds emitted by a garlic extract, exerted on conidia germination of B. cinerea may be considered as an alternative for the control of gray mold in table grapes after harvest.

Pectin-derived oligosaccharides increase color and anthocyanin content in Flame Seedless grapes.

BACKGROUND: Grapes grown in warm weather do not develop a desirable red color and require the use of products to enhance berry color. Pectin-derived oligosaccharides (PDOs) have been shown to have a role in various responses including plant defense, growth and development. In this work a mixture of PDOs with 3-20 degrees of polymerization was applied to Vitis vinifera cv. Flame Seedless grapes under field conditions and compared to the effects of ethephon (an ethylene-releasing compound). The effect of treatments on grape color, anthocyanin content and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) mRNA levels was evaluated. RESULTS: PDOs treatment increased berry color measured by the Color Index of Red Grapes (CIRG) and anthocyanin content, compared to ethephon and untreated berries (control); 1.5, 1 and 0.5 mg mL⁻¹ PDOs increased berry color by 30%, 27% and 26%, respectively, when compared to control berries. Levels of PAL mRNA accumulating in berries treated with PDOs were elevated within the first 24 h of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: PDOs enhanced the color and anthocyanin content of Flame Seedless grape berries possibly due by the induction of PAL mRNA expression. The results demonstrated that PDOs can be used to improve fruit quality aspects such as berry skin color.

Fungicidal potential of methoxylated flavones from citrus for in vitro control of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, causal agent of anthracnose disease in tropical fruits.

Four polymethoxylated flavones (3,5,6,7,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone, 5,6,7,8,4'-pentamethoxyflavone and 5,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone) were isolated and characterized from cold-pressed orange oil. Their antifungal activities were evaluated against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz) Penz & Sacc, a major plant pathogen of fruits that causes significant damage to crops in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions. Methoxylated flavones were effective in inhibiting mycelial growth of the fungus. As flavone concentration increased, mycelial growth decreased. 5,6,7,8,3',4'-Hexamethoxyflavone completely inhibited the growth of Cgloeosporioides at a concentration of 100 microg ml(-1).

Effect of pectic oligomers on physiological responses of chilling injury in discs excised from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.).

The effect of pectic oligomers (OG) on ethylene biosynthesis, electrolyte leakage (EL), and CO(2) production was studied in discs excised from zucchini fruit (Cucurbita pepo L.) and stored at 20 or 2.5 degrees C. At 20 degrees C, OG enhanced ethylene biosynthesis and had a transient effect on decreasing EL, but showed little effect on respiratory rate; both the amount and size of the oligomer were important in changing both ethylene synthesis and EL. At 2.5 degrees C, OG increased both ethylene biosynthesis and respiratory rate with a maximum effect at 100 microg of oligomer and peaking at 6 h; shorter oligomers demonstrated an even greater effect on ethylene biosynthesis, but differences were smaller in respiratory rate. EL at 2.5 degrees C was affected most by 1 microg of OG and by monomeric galacturonic acid, with transient increases that peaked at 8 h. We suggest a signaling role for OG in the early steps of cold acclimation or chilling injury.