Screening and evaluation of bamboo shoots: Comparing the content of trace elements from 100 species.

Hundreds of bamboo shoots have been reported to be edible, but the accumulation of trace elements and hazardous elements in bamboo shoots is poorly understood. Here, 100 bamboo species have been evaluated by screening elements including B, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and As in bamboo shoots using different assessment systems. Bamboo shoots displayed different morphological characteristics, and large differences were found in the concentration of elements. Most bamboo shoots were rich in Fe and Zn and low concentrations of hazardous elements, but the concentration of Cd and Pb exceeded the maximum permissible limits of tuber vegetables in some bamboo species. Different bamboo shoots were ranked differently in the four assessment systems, and the comprehensive evaluation assigned final scores to all 100 bamboo shoots. This study provides valuable recommendations for selecting high-quality bamboo shoots that are rich in trace elements nutrition while minimizing the potential for hazardous element accumulation.

A comparative evaluation of chemical composition and nutritional value of bamboo rice and major cereals reveals the potential utility of bamboo rice as functional food.

Bamboo rice refers to the edible seeds collected from bamboo plants, but the nutritional and chemical compositions of bamboo rice are unknown. Here, we evaluated the nutritional value of two types of bamboo seeds by comparing them to rice and wheat. The fiber, protein, and microelement contents were much higher in bamboo seeds than in rice and wheat seeds. The flavonoids content was 5- and 10-folds higher in Moso bamboo seeds than in rice and wheat seeds, respectively. Amino acid profiles exhibited that most of amino acids were abundant in bamboo seeds compared to rice and wheat seeds. While water-soluble B vitamins and fatty acids in bamboo seeds were similar to those in rice and wheat seeds. Accordingly, rice and wheat may thus be substituted by bamboo rice which is a potentially functional food. Its high flavonoid content may be further exploited by the food industry.

Physiological and transcriptomic characterization of cadmium toxicity in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), a non-timber forest species.

Cadmium pollution in Moso bamboo forests poses a potential threat to the sustainable development of the bamboo industry. However, the effects of cadmium toxicity on Moso growth and its mechanisms of adaptation to cadmium stress are poorly understood. In this study, the physiological and transcriptional response of Moso to cadmium stress was investigated in detail using Moso seedlings in a hydroponic system. Cadmium toxicity severely inhibited the growth of roots but had little effect on biomass accumulation in the aerial parts. Cadmium accumulation in roots and aerial parts increased as external cadmium increased, with cadmium mainly localized in the epidermis and pericycle cells in the roots. The uptake and root-to-shoot translocation of cadmium was stimulated, but the photosynthetic process was suppressed under cadmium stress. A total of 3469 differentially expressed genes were identified from the transcriptome profile and those involved in cadmium uptake, transportation and detoxification were analyzed as candidates for having roles in adaptation to cadmium stress. The results suggested that Moso is highly efficient in cadmium uptake, xylem loading and translocation, as well as having a high capacity for cadmium accumulation. This work also provided basic information on physiological and transcriptional responses of Moso to cadmium toxicity.

Mitochondrial genome of Parasinilabeo longicorpus provides insights into the phylogeny of Labeoninae.

Parasinilabeo longicorpus is an endemic species living in the karst regions of South China. In the present study, we firstly performed the complete mitogenome sequence of P. longicorpus (Cyprinidae: Labeoninae). Results showed that the mitogenome was 16,596 bp in length and contained 37 genes (i.e. 13 protein-coding, 22 transfer RNA, and two ribosomal RNA genes) and a single control region. The genetic arrangement and distribution of the mitogenome were consistent with that of other vertebrates. Phylogenetic analysis of the protein-coding genes indicated that Labeoninae species could be divided into three branches. Parasinilabeo longicorpus showed close evolutionary relationship with P. assimilis. This study should help to improve our understanding of the mitogenomes and phylogenetics of Labeoninae, and provide a foundation for further taxonomic, systematic, and genetic studies.