Betaine supplementation lowers plasma homocysteine levels in healthy men and women

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steenge, G.R.S.; Verhoef, P.; Katan, M.B.

2003-01-01

Elevated levels of plasma total homocysteine are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Betaine and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate can remethylate homocysteine into methionine via independent reactions. We determined the effect of daily betaine supplementation, compared with both folic

Are dietary choline and betaine intakes determinants of total homocysteine concentration?

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Elevated homocysteine concentrations are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and a decline in cognitive function. Intakes of choline and betaine, as methyl donors, may affect homocysteine concentrations. The objective was to examine whether choline and betaine intakes, assess...

Gbu Glycine Betaine Porter and Carnitine Uptake in Osmotically Stressed Listeria monocytogenes Cells

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Mendum, Mary Lou; Smith, Linda Tombras

2002-01-01

The food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes grows actively under high-salt conditions by accumulating compatible solutes such as glycine betaine and carnitine from the medium. We report here that the dominant transport system for glycine betaine uptake, the Gbu porter, may act as a secondary uptake system for carnitine, with a Km of 4 mM for carnitine uptake and measurable uptake at carnitine concentrations as low as 10 μM. This porter has a Km for glycine betaine uptake of about 6 μM. The dedicated carnitine porter, OpuC, has a Km for carnitine uptake of 1 to 3 μM and a Vmax of approximately 15 nmol/min/mg of protein. Mutants lacking either opuC or gbu were used to study the effects of four carnitine analogs on growth and uptake of osmolytes. In strain DP-L1044, which had OpuC and the two glycine betaine porters Gbu and BetL, triethylglycine was most effective in inhibiting growth in the presence of glycine betaine, but trigonelline was best at inhibiting growth in the presence of carnitine. Carnitine uptake through OpuC was inhibited by γ-butyrobetaine. Dimethylglycine inhibited both glycine betaine and carnitine uptake through the Gbu porter. Carnitine uptake through the Gbu porter was inhibited by triethylglycine. Glycine betaine uptake through the BetL porter was strongly inhibited by trigonelline and triethylglycine. These results suggest that it is possible to reduce the growth of L. monocytogenes under osmotically stressful conditions by inhibiting glycine betaine and carnitine uptake but that to do so, multiple uptake systems must be affected. PMID:12406761

Effects of betaine on lipopolysaccharide-induced memory impairment in mice and the involvement of GABA transporter 2

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Miwa Masaya

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Betaine (glycine betaine or trimethylglycine plays important roles as an osmolyte and a methyl donor in animals. While betaine is reported to suppress expression of proinflammatory molecules and reduce oxidative stress in aged rat kidney, the effects of betaine on the central nervous system are not well known. In this study, we investigated the effects of betaine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS-induced memory impairment and on mRNA expression levels of proinflammatory molecules, glial markers, and GABA transporter 2 (GAT2, a betaine/GABA transporter. Methods Mice were continuously treated with betaine for 13 days starting 1 day before they were injected with LPS, or received subacute or acute administration of betaine shortly before or after LPS injection. Then, their memory function was evaluated using Y-maze and novel object recognition tests 7 and 10-12 days after LPS injection (30 μg/mouse, i.c.v., respectively. In addition, mRNA expression levels in hippocampus were measured by real-time RT-PCR at different time points. Results Repeated administration of betaine (0.163 mmol/kg, s.c. prevented LPS-induced memory impairment. GAT2 mRNA levels were significantly increased in hippocampus 24 hr after LPS injection, and administration of betaine blocked this increase. However, betaine did not affect LPS-induced increases in levels of mRNA related to inflammatory responses. Both subacute administration (1 hr before, and 1 and 24 hr after LPS injection and acute administration (1 hr after LPS injection of betaine also prevented LPS-induced memory impairment in the Y-maze test. Conclusions These data suggest that betaine has protective effects against LPS-induced memory impairment and that prevention of LPS-induced changes in GAT2 mRNA expression is crucial to this ameliorating effect.

Determination of Betaine in Lycium Barbarum L. by High Performance Capillary Electrophoresis

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Liu, Haixing; Wang, Chunyan; Peng, Xuewei

2017-12-01

This paper presents the determination of betaine content in Lycium barbarum L. by high performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) method. The borax solution was chosen as buffer solution, and its concentration was 40 mmol at a constant voltage of 20kV and injecting pressure time of 10s at 20°C. Linearity was kept in the concent ration range of 0.0113∼1.45mg of betaine with correlation coefficient of 0.9. The recovery was in the range of 97.95%∼126% (n=4). The sample content of betaine was 29.3mg/g and RSD 6.4% (n=6). This method is specific, simple and rapid and accurate, which is suitable for the detection of the content of betaine in Lycium barbarum L.

Isolation of glycine betaine and proline betaine from human urine. Assessment of their role as osmoprotective agents for bacteria and the kidney.

OpenAIRE

Chambers, S T; Kunin, C M

1987-01-01

Human urine is osmoprotective for enteric bacteria, permitting E. coli to grow with high concentrations of NaCl and other salts and even higher concentrations of sucrose and mannitol but not urea. The active material in urine is soluble in methanol and is precipitated by ammonium reineckate at acid pH. Using gel filtration and high-pressure liquid chromatography, we have identified two major osmoprotective compounds in urine. One is glycine betaine; the other is proline betaine as demonstrate...

Variability of plasma and urine betaine in diabetes mellitus and its relationship to methionine load test responses: an observational study

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Lever Michael

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Since betaine is an osmolyte and methyl donor, and abnormal betaine loss is common in diabetes mellitus (>20% patients, we investigated the relationship between betaine and the post-methionine load rise in homocysteine, in diabetes and control subjects. The post-methionine load test is reported to be both an independent vascular risk factor and a measure of betaine sufficiency. Methods Patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 34 and control subjects (n = 17 were recruited. We measured baseline fasting plasma and 4-hour post-methionine load (L-methionine, 0.1 mg/kg body weight concentrations of homocysteine, betaine, and the betaine metabolite N,N-dimethylglycine. Baseline urine excretions of betaine, dimethylglycine and glucose were measured on morning urine samples as the ratio to urine creatinine. Statistical determinants of the post-methionine load increase in homocysteine were identified in multiple linear regression models. Results Plasma betaine concentrations and urinary betaine excretions were significantly (p p = 0.00014 and plasma dimethylglycine concentrations (p = 0.039 were also more variable. In diabetes, plasma betaine was a significant negative determinant (p  Conclusions Both high and low plasma betaine concentrations, and high and low urinary betaine excretions, are more prevalent in diabetes. The availability of betaine affects the response in the methionine load test. The benefits of increasing betaine intake should be investigated.

Suppression Effects of Betaine-Enriched Spinach on Hyperhomocysteinemia Induced by Guanidinoacetic Acid and Choline Deficiency in Rats

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Yi-Qun Liu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Betaine is an important natural component of rich food sources, especially spinach. Rats were fed diets with betaine or spinach powder at the same level of betaine for 10 days to investigate the dose-dependent effects of spinach powder supplementation on hyperhomocysteinemia induced by guanidinoacetic acid (GAA addition and choline deprivation. The GAA-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in rats fed 25% casein diet (25C was significantly suppressed by supplementation with betaine or spinach, and it was completely suppressed by taking 11.0% spinach supplementation. The choline deprivation-induced enhancement of plasma homocysteine concentration in rats fed 25% soybean protein diet (25S was markedly suppressed by 3.82% spinach. Supplementation with betaine or spinach partially prevented the effects of GAA on hepatic concentrations of methionine metabolites. The decrease in activity of betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT and cystathionine β-synthase (CBS in GAA-induced hyperhomocysteinemia was recovered by supplementation with betaine or spinach. Supplementation with betaine or spinach did not affect BHMT activity, whereas it partially restored CBS activity in choline-deprived 25S. The results indicated that betaine or spinach could completely suppress the hyperhomocysteinemia induced by choline deficiency resulting from stimulating the homocysteine removal by both remethylation and cystathionine formation.

Crystal structure of di-( N-methylmorpholine betaine)- L(+)-tartrate

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Dega-Szafran, Z.; Dutkiewicz, G.; Kosturkiewicz, Z.; Szafran, M.

2002-11-01

The crystal structure of di-( N-methylmorpholine betaine)- L(+)-tartrate has been determined by X-ray diffraction method. Crystals are orthorhombic, space group P2 12 12 1, a=9.580(1), b=12.208(1), c=18.677(1) Å, Z=4, R=0.037. The molecule of L(+)-tartaric acid appears in the extended form with the hydroxyl groups as well as carboxyl groups in anti positions. The molecule is involved in a number of the intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The COOH groups of the tartaric acid link two non-equivalent N-methylmorpholine betaine molecules by a short, intermolecular O-H⋯O bonds of the lengths 2.456(1) and 2.510(1) Å. The OH groups form two different bifurcated hydrogen bonds, the intramolecular with the CO oxygen atoms (2.641(2) and 2.638(2) Å) and the intermolecular (2.919(2) and 3.084(2) Å) with neighbouring tartaric acid molecules, and link complexes in the zigzag ribbon parallel to the x-axis. The morpholine rings of both betaine molecules are in chair conformation with methyl groups in an axial position and CH 2COO - substituents in an equatorial one. In the crystals and the PM3-optimized structures there is no symmetry, both in the tartrate and N-methylmorpholine betaine moieties. FTIR spectrum confirms the complex structure of the investigated molecule.

YehZYXW of Escherichia coli Is a Low-Affinity, Non-Osmoregulatory Betaine-Specific ABC Transporter.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Shenhui; Cressatti, Marisa; Mendoza, Kris E; Coumoundouros, Chelsea N; Plater, Samantha M; Culham, Doreen E; Kimber, Matthew S; Wood, Janet M

2015-09-22

Transporter-mediated osmolyte accumulation stimulates the growth of Escherichia coli in high-osmolality environments. YehZYXW was predicted to be an osmoregulatory transporter because (1) osmotic and stationary phase induction of yehZYXW is mediated by RpoS, (2) the Yeh proteins are homologous to the components of known osmoregulatory ABC transporters (e.g., ProU of E. coli), and (3) YehZ models based on the structures of periplasmic betaine-binding proteins suggested that YehZ retains key betaine-binding residues. The betaines choline-O-sulfate, glycine betaine, and dimethylsulfoniopropionate bound YehZ and ProX with millimolar and micromolar affinities, respectively, as determined by equilibrium dialysis and isothermal titration calorimetry. The crystal structure of the YehZ apoprotein, determined at 1.5 Å resolution (PDB ID: 4WEP ), confirmed its similarity to other betaine-binding proteins. Small and nonpolar residues in the hinge region of YehZ (e.g., Gly223) pack more closely than the corresponding residues in ProX, stabilizing the apoprotein. Betaines bound YehZ-Gly223Ser an order of magnitude more tightly than YehZ, suggesting that weak substrate binding in YehZ is at least partially due to apo state stabilization. Neither ProX nor YehZ bound proline. Assays based on osmoprotection or proline auxotrophy failed to detect YehZYXW-mediated uptake of proline, betaines, or other osmolytes. However, transport assays revealed low-affinity glycine betaine uptake, mediated by YehZYXW, that was inhibited at high salinity. Thus, YehZYXW is a betaine transporter that shares substrate specificity, but not an osmoregulatory function, with homologues like E. coli ProU. Other work suggests that yehZYXW may be an antivirulence locus whose expression promotes persistent, asymptomatic bacterial infection.

Effect of natural betaine on estimates of semen quality in mature AI boars during summer heat stress.

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Cabezón, F A; Stewart, K R; Schinckel, A P; Barnes, W; Boyd, R D; Wilcock, P; Woodliff, J

2016-07-01

This study evaluated the effect of supplemental dietary betaine at three concentrations (0.0%, 0.63% and 1.26%) on semen characteristics, quality and quality after storage on boars. The trial was conducted between 22 July and 1 October 2014 in a boar stud located in Oklahoma. Boars were blocked by age within genetic line and randomly allotted to receive 0% (CON, n (line T)=22, n (line L)=10), 0.63% (BET-0.63%, n (line T)=21, n (line L)=6) or 1.26% (BET-1.26%, n (line T)=23, n (line L)=7). The diets containing betaine were fed over 10 weeks, to ensure supplemental betaine product (96% betaine) daily intakes of 16.34 and 32.68g, for the BET-0.63% and BET-1.26% diets, respectively. Serum homocysteine concentrations were less for animals with betaine treatments (P=0.016). Rectal temperatures of the boars were unaffected by betaine diets. Betaine tended to increase total sperm in the ejaculates when collectively compared with data of the control animals (P=0.093). Sperm morphology analysis indicated there was a greater percent of sperm with distal midpiece reflex (P=0.009) and tail (P=0.035) abnormalities in boars fed the BET-1.26% than boars fed the BET-0.63% diet. Betaine concentration in the seminal plasma was greater in boars with betaine treatments, with animals being fed the 0.63% and 1.26% diets having 59.2% and 54.5% greater betaine concentrations in seminal plasma as compared with boars of the control group (P=0.046). In conclusion, betaine supplementation at 0.63% and 1.26% tended to increase sperm concentration in the ejaculates by 6% and 13%, respectively, with no negative impacts on semen quality when 0.63% of betaine was included in the diet. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of betaine supplementation and choline deficiency on folate deficiency-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in rats.

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Liu, Ying; Liu, Yi-qun; Morita, Tatsuya; Sugiyama, Kimio

2012-01-01

The effect of betaine status on folate deficiency-induced hyperhomocysteinemia was investigated to determine whether folate deficiency impairs homocysteine removal not only by the methionine synthase (MS) pathway but also by the betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT) pathway. For this purpose, we investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with betaine at a high level (1%) in rats fed a folate-deprived 10% casein diet (10C) and 20% casein diet (20C). We also investigated the effect of choline deprivation on folate deficiency-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in rats fed 20C. Supplementation of folate-deprived 10C and 20C with 1% betaine significantly suppressed folate deprivation-induced hyperhomocysteinemia, but the extent of suppression was partial or limited, especially in rats fed 10C, the suppression of plasma homocysteine increment being 48.5% in rats fed 10C and 69.7% in rats fed 20C. Although betaine supplementation greatly increased hepatic betaine concentration and BHMT activity, these increases did not fully explain why the effect of betaine supplementation was partial or limited. Folate deprivation markedly increased the hepatic concentration of N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG), a known inhibitor of BHMT, and there was a significant positive correlation between hepatic DMG concentration and plasma homocysteine concentration, suggesting that folate deficiency increases hepatic DMG concentration and thereby depresses BHMT reaction, leading to interference with the effect of betaine supplementation. Choline deprivation did not increase plasma homocysteine concentration in rats fed 20C, but it markedly enhanced plasma homocysteine concentration when rats were fed folate-deprived 20C. This indicates that choline deprivation reinforced folate deprivation-induced hyperhomocysteinemia. Increased hepatic DMG concentration was also associated with such an effect. These results support the concept that folate deficiency impairs homocysteine metabolism not only

Effects of dietary supplementation with betaine on a nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) mouse model.

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Kawakami, Sakura; Han, Kyu-Ho; Nakamura, Yumi; Shimada, Ken-ichiro; Kitano, Tomoko; Aritsuka, Tsutomu; Nagura, Taizo; Ohba, Kiyoshi; Nakamura, Kimihide; Fukushima, Michihiro

2012-01-01

The effects of betaine supplementation on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model mice were examined by measuring the accumulation of fat in the livers of NASH model mice compared to a control. Betaine from sugar beets was provided to the model mice as a dietary supplement. After 3 wk of dietary supplementation, there were no significant differences in body weight or liver weight between the groups. However, the liver to body weight ratio in the high-fat diet with betaine (HFB) group was significantly (pNASH model mice.

Synthesis of mesomeric betaine compounds with imidazolium-enolate structure

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Nina Gonsior

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The synthesis of a heterocyclic mesomeric betaine by quaternization reaction of 1-butylimidazole and tetrabromo-1,4-benzoquinone is presented. The structure was verified by means of X-ray single-crystal analysis, NMR and IR spectroscopy. Inclusion complexes of the heterocyclic mesomeric betaine with randomly methylated (1.8 β-cyclodextrin were investigated by UV–vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, the reaction conditions were applied to poly(vinylimidazole and 1,4-bis(1H-imidazol-1-ylbutane to obtain functionalized polymer networks and condensate polymers, respectively.

Higher Dietary Choline and Betaine Intakes Are Associated with Better Body Composition in the Adult Population of Newfoundland, Canada.

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Xiang Gao

Full Text Available Choline is an essential nutrient and betaine is an osmolyte and methyl donor. Both are important to maintain health including adequate lipid metabolism. Supplementation of dietary choline and betaine increase muscle mass and reduce body fat in animals. However, little data is available regarding the role of dietary choline and betaine on body composition in humans.To investigate the association between dietary choline and betaine intakes with body composition in a large population based cross-sectional study.A total of 3214 subjects from the CODING (Complex Disease in Newfoundland population: Environment and Genetics study were assessed. Dietary choline and betaine intakes were computed from the Willett Food Frequency questionnaire. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry following a 12-hour fast. Major confounding factors including age, sex, total calorie intake and physical activity level were controlled in all analyses.Significantly inverse correlations were found between dietary choline and betaine intakes, with all obesity measurements: total percent body fat (%BF, percent trunk fat (%TF, percent android fat (%AF, percent gynoid fat (%GF and anthropometrics: weight, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio in both women and men (r range from -0.13 to -0.47 for choline and -0.09 to -0.26 for betaine, p<0.001 for all. Dietary choline intake had stronger association than betaine. Moreover, obese subjects had the lowest dietary choline and betaine intakes, with overweight subjects in the middle, and normal weight subjects consumed the highest dietary choline and betaine (p<0.001. Vice versa, when subjects were ranked according to dietary choline and betaine intakes, subjects with the highest intake of both had the lowest %TF, %AF, %GF, %BF and highest %LM among the groups in both sexes.Our findings indicate that high dietary choline and betaine intakes are significantly associated with favorable body

Cocamidopropyl betaine.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, Sharon E; Amini, Sadegh

2008-01-01

Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) is an amphoteric synthetic detergent that has been increasingly used in cosmetics and personal hygiene products (eg, shampoos, contact lens solutions, toothpaste detergents, makeup removers, bath gels, skin care products, cleansers, liquid soaps, antiseptics, and gynecologic and anal hygiene products) because it induces relatively mild skin irritation. Delayed T-cell-mediated type IV hypersensitivity reactions to CAPB have been reported, and contact sensitization prevalence is estimated at between 3.0 and 7.2%. The increasing rates of sensitization led to CAPB's being named Allergen of the Year in 2004. Related impurities rendered during the manufacturing process (such as amidoamine and dimethylaminopropylamine) are thought to play a role in sensitization.

The Metabolic Burden of Methyl Donor Deficiency with Focus on the Betaine Homocysteine Methyltransferase Pathway

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Rima Obeid

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Methyl groups are important for numerous cellular functions such as DNA methylation, phosphatidylcholine synthesis, and protein synthesis. The methyl group can directly be delivered by dietary methyl donors, including methionine, folate, betaine, and choline. The liver and the muscles appear to be the major organs for methyl group metabolism. Choline can be synthesized from phosphatidylcholine via the cytidine-diphosphate (CDP pathway. Low dietary choline loweres methionine formation and causes a marked increase in S-adenosylmethionine utilization in the liver. The link between choline, betaine, and energy metabolism in humans indicates novel functions for these nutrients. This function appears to goes beyond the role of the nutrients in gene methylation and epigenetic control. Studies that simulated methyl-deficient diets reported disturbances in energy metabolism and protein synthesis in the liver, fatty liver, or muscle disorders. Changes in plasma concentrations of total homocysteine (tHcy reflect one aspect of the metabolic consequences of methyl group deficiency or nutrient supplementations. Folic acid supplementation spares betaine as a methyl donor. Betaine is a significant determinant of plasma tHcy, particularly in case of folate deficiency, methionine load, or alcohol consumption. Betaine supplementation has a lowering effect on post-methionine load tHcy. Hypomethylation and tHcy elevation can be attenuated when choline or betaine is available.

Variation of Polyphenols and Betaines in Aerial Parts of Young, Field-Grown Amaranthus Genotypes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Steffensen, Stine Krogh; Pedersen, H. A.; Labouriau, R.

2011-01-01

-trans-feruloyltyramine, N-trans-feruloyl-4-O-methyldopamine), and betaines (glycinebetaine, trigonelline) were determined. The variation in phytochemical content due to species and cultivation site was analyzed utilizing the multivariate statistical methods of principal component analysis (PCA) and graphical model (GM...... primarily by a higher content of trigonelline and the two hydroxycinnamyl amides in A. mantegazzianus. The GM showed that the quantities of the different analytes within each compound group were intercorrelated except in the case of the betaines. The betaines carried no information on each other...

Glycine Betaine and Proline Production in Eucalyptus Plant under NaCl Harassing Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, T. M.; Bano, A.; Ashraf, M. Y.

2015-01-01

An investigation has been carried out to study the production of Proline and Betaine by applying Abscisic acid (ABA) treatment under NaCl and water stressed conditions. The seeds of four provenances of Eucalyptus camaldulesnis were obtained from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (Provenance I), Punjab Forest Research Institute, Faisalabad (Provenance II), Bio-saline Research Station-I, Lahore (Provenance III) and Bio-saline Research Station-II of Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad (Provenance 1V). It was observed that Proline and Betaine accumulation increased significantly in all the provenances with increase in drought or salt stress, ABA alone and in combination with drought. Provenance II and III species remained successful in maintaining higher Proline and Betaine accumulation as compared to Provenances I and IV. From the results it can be concluded that ABA treatment remains successful in enhancing Proline and Betaine production and maintaining the physiological parameters necessary to enhance plant growth both under salt and in combination with drought condition. (author)

Betaine Phosphate (CH3)3N+CH2COO-.H3PO4 Modification Using D2O

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saryati; Ridwan; Deswita; Sugiantoro, Sugik

2002-01-01

Betaine fosfate (CH 3 ) 3 N + CH 2 COO - .H 3 PO 4 modification by using D 2 O has been studied. This modification was carried out by slowly evaporation the saturated Betaine phosphat in the D 2 O solution in the dry box at 40 o C, until the dry crystal were formed. Based on the NMR data, can be concluded that the exchange process with D has been runed well and Betaine phosphate-D (CH 3 ) 3 N + CH 2 COO - .H 3 PO 4 has been resulted. From the X-ray diffraction pattern data can be concluded that there are a deference in the crystal structure between Betaine phosphate and Betaine phosphate modification result. From the Differential Scanning Colorimeter (DSC) diagram at the range temperature from 30 o C to 250 o C, can be shown that the Betaine phosphate-H has two endothermic transition phase, at 99 o C with a very little adsorbed calor and at 221.50 o C with -26.75 cal/g. Modified Betaine phosphate has also two endothermic transition phase, at 99.86 o C with -1.94 cal/g and at 171.01 o C with -3.48 cal/g. It can be conclosed that the D atom substitution on the H atoms in Betaine phosphate, to change the crystal and the endothermic fase temperature and energy

Proximate Composition, and -Carnitine and Betaine Contents in Meat from Korean Indigenous Chicken

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Samooel Jung

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the proximate composition and l-carnitine and betaine content of meats from 5 lines of Korean indigenous chicken (KIC for developing highly nutritious meat breeds with health benefits from the bioactive compounds such as l-carnitine and betaine in meat. In addition, the relevance of gender (male and female and meat type (breast and thigh meat was examined. A total of 595 F1 progeny (black [B], grey-brown [G], red-brown [R], white [W], and yellow-brown [Y] from 70 full-sib families were used. The moisture, protein, fat, and ash contents of the meats were significantly affected by line, gender, and meat type (p<0.05. The males in line G and females in line B showed the highest protein and the lowest fat content of the meats. l-carnitine and betaine content showed effects of meat type, line, and gender (p<0.05. The highest l-carnitine content was found in breast and thigh meats from line Y in both genders. The breast meat from line G and the thigh meat from line R had the highest betaine content in males. The female breast and thigh meats showed the highest betaine content in line R. These data could be valuable for establishing selection strategies for developing highly nutritious chicken meat breeds in Korea.

Dietary Intake and Plasma Levels of Choline and Betaine in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Joanna C. Hamlin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abnormalities in folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism have been reported in many children with autism. Because inadequate choline and betaine can negatively affect folate metabolism and in turn downstream methylation and antioxidant capacity, we sought to determine whether dietary intake of choline and betaine in children with autism was adequate to meet nutritional needs based on national recommendations. Three-day food records were analyzed for 288 children with autism (ASDs who participated in the national Autism Intervention Research Network for Physical Health (AIR-P Study on Diet and Nutrition in children with autism. Plasma concentrations of choline and betaine were measured in a subgroup of 35 children with ASDs and 32 age-matched control children. The results indicated that 60–93% of children with ASDs were consuming less than the recommended Adequate Intake (AI for choline. Strong positive correlations were found between dietary intake and plasma concentrations of choline and betaine in autistic children as well as lower plasma concentrations compared to the control group. We conclude that choline and betaine intake is inadequate in a significant subgroup of children with ASDs and is reflected in lower plasma levels. Inadequate intake of choline and betaine may contribute to the metabolic abnormalities observed in many children with autism and warrants attention in nutritional counseling.

Effect of dimethylaminoethanol, an inhibitor of betaine production, on the disposition of choline in the rat kidney

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lohr, J.; Acara, M.

1990-01-01

The choline metabolite betaine has been shown to be an important organic osmoregulatory solute in the kidney. The isolated perfused rat kidney and kidney slice incubations were used to investigate the effect of 2-dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), a choline oxidase inhibitor, on the renal excretion and metabolism of choline. In the isolated perfused kidney, [ 14 C]choline, at an initial perfusate concentration of 300 microM, was effectively removed from the perfusate over 25 min, with nearly all the 14 C in the perfusate accounted for by betaine during the remainder of the 90-min perfusion. DMAE at concentrations of 3.0 or 5.0 mM significantly decreased the rate of removal of [ 14 C]choline from the perfusate and the rate of addition of [ 14 C]betaine to the perfusate, yet [14C]betaine remained the only metabolite of choline in perfusate and urine. In kidney tissue slice experiments, conversion of [ 14 C]choline to [ 14 C]betaine was found in cortical, outer medullary and inner medullary regions of rat kidney. DMAE at 5.0 mM significantly inhibited [ 14 C]betaine production in each of the three regions studied. These data show that DMAE is an effective inhibitor of betaine production by the kidney and, as such, may be an important agent for the study of osmoregulation by the kidney

Safety of betaine as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sjödin, Anders Mikael

2017-01-01

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on betaine as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97. The information provided on the composition, the specifications, the batch......-to-batch variability, stability and production process of the NF is sufficient and does not raise concerns about the safety of the NF. The NF is proposed to be used in foods intended to meet additional requirements for intense muscular effort with a maximum intake of 2.5 g/day of betaine for sports people above 10...... as not sufficient. However, the total exposure to betaine from the diet (about 830 mg/day) is not known to be associated with adverse effects. Moreover, no adverse effects on platelet counts were noted in human intervention studies with exposure levels of 4 g/day of betaine for up to 6 months. A significant...

Survival and psychomotor development with early betaine treatment in patients with severe methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Diekman, Eugene F; de Koning, Tom J; Verhoeven-Duif, Nanda M; Rovers, Maroeska M; van Hasselt, Peter M

2014-02-01

The impact of betaine treatment on outcome in patients with severe methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) deficiency is presently unclear. To investigate the effect of betaine treatment on development and survival in patients with severe MTHFR deficiency. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases between January 1960 and December 2012. Studies that described patients with severe MTHFR deficiency who received betaine treatment. We identified 15 case reports and case series, totaling 36 patients. Data included the following: (1) families with 2 or more patients with severe MTHFR deficiency, of whom at least 1 received betaine, or (2) single patients with severe MTHFR deficiency treated with betaine. To define severe MTHFR deficiency, methionine, homocysteine, MTHFR enzyme activity in fibroblasts, or mutations (in the MTHFR gene) had to be described as well as the effect of treatment (survival and/or psychomotor development). We compared the outcome in treated vs untreated patients and early- vs late-treated patients. Sensitivity analysis was performed to address definition of early treatment. To further assess the impact of treatment on mortality, we performed a subanalysis in families with at least 1 untreated deceased patient. Survival and psychomotor development. Eleven of 36 patients (31%) died. All deaths occurred in patients who did not receive treatment or in patients in whom treatment was delayed. In contrast, all 5 early-treated patients survived. Subgroup analysis of patients with deceased siblings-their genotypically identical controls-revealed that betaine treatment prevented mortality (P = .002). In addition, psychomotor development in surviving patients treated with betaine was normal in all 5 early-treated patients but in none of the 19 surviving patients with delayed treatment (P psychomotor development in patients with severe MTHFR deficiency, highlighting the importance of timely recognition through newborn screening.

Survival and Psychomotor Development With Early Betaine Treatment in Patients With Severe Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Deficiency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Diekman, Eugene F.; de Koning, Tom J.; Verhoeven-Duif, Nanda M.; Rovers, Maroeska M.; van Hasselt, Peter M.

IMPORTANCE The impact of betaine treatment on outcome in patients with severe methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) deficiency is presently unclear. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of betaine treatment on development and survival in patients with severe MTHFR deficiency. DATA SOURCES

Survival and psychomotor development with early betaine treatment in patients with severe methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Diekman, E.F.; Koning, T.J. de; Verhoeven-Duif, N.M.; Rovers, M.M.; Hasselt, P.M. van

2014-01-01

IMPORTANCE The impact of betaine treatment on outcome in patients with severe methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) deficiency is presently unclear. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of betaine treatment on development and survival in patients with severe MTHFR deficiency. DATA SOURCES

Effect of natural betaine and ractopamine HCl on whole-body and carcass growth in pigs housed under high ambient temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendoza, S M; Boyd, R D; Zier-Rush, C E; Ferket, P R; Haydon, K D; van Heugten, E

2017-07-01

Betaine is an osmolyte that helps to maintain water homeostasis and cell integrity, which is essential during heat stress. We hypothesized that supplemental betaine can improve growth during heat stress and may further improve the response to ractopamine. Two studies were conducted to determine: 1) the effects of betaine in combination with ractopamine; and 2) the optimum betaine level for late finishing pigs during heat stress. Heat stress was imposed by gradually increasing temperatures over 10 d to the target high temperature of 32°C. In Exp. 1, pigs ( = 1477, BW = 91.6 ± 3 kg) were assigned within BW blocks and sex to 1 of 4 diets arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial RCB design (68 pens; 20 to 23 pigs/pen). Treatments consisted of diets without or with ractopamine (5 mg/kg for 21 d followed by 8.8 mg/kg to market) and each were supplemented with either 0 or 0.2% of betaine. Betaine reduced ( ≤ 0.05) BW (123.1 vs. 124.3 kg), ADG (0.780 vs. 0.833 kg/d), and ADFI (2.800 vs. 2.918 kg/d), but did not impact carcass characteristics. Ractopamine increased ( treatments in a RCB design (100 pens; 20 to 24 pigs/pen). Treatments consisted of diets with 0, 0.0625, 0.125, 0.1875% of betaine, and a positive control diet with ractopamine, but not betaine. Betaine tended to decrease carcass yield quadratically ( = 0.076; 74.1, 73.5, 73.8, and 73.9 for 0, 0.0625, 0.125, 0.1875% of betaine, respectively), but did not impact other responses. Ractopamine improved ( stress makes it an important production technology.

Variability of plasma and urine betaine in diabetes mellitus and its relationship to methionine load test responses: an observational study

OpenAIRE

Lever, Michael; Slow, Sandy; McGregor, David O; Dellow, Warwick J; George, Peter M; Chambers, Stephen T

2012-01-01

Abstract Background Since betaine is an osmolyte and methyl donor, and abnormal betaine loss is common in diabetes mellitus (>20% patients), we investigated the relationship between betaine and the post-methionine load rise in homocysteine, in diabetes and control subjects. The post-methionine load test is reported to be both an independent vascular risk factor and a measure of betaine sufficiency. Methods Patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 34) and control subjects (n = 17) were recruited. We...

Betaine attenuates memory impairment after water-immersion restraint stress and is regulated by the GABAergic neuronal system in the hippocampus.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunisawa, Kazuo; Kido, Kiwamu; Nakashima, Natsuki; Matsukura, Takuya; Nabeshima, Toshitaka; Hiramatsu, Masayuki

2017-02-05

GABA mediated neuronal system regulates hippocampus-dependent memory and stress responses by controlling plasticity and neuronal excitability. Here, we demonstrate that betaine ameliorates water-immersion restraint stress (WIRS)-induced memory impairments. This improvement was inhibited by a betaine/GABA transporter-1 (GABA transporter-2: GAT2) inhibitor, NNC 05-2090. In this study, we investigated whether memory amelioration by betaine was mediated by the GABAergic neuronal system. Adult male mice were co-administered betaine and GABA receptor antagonists after WIRS. We also examined whether memory impairment after WIRS was attenuated by GABA receptor agonists. The memory functions were evaluated using a novel object recognition test 3-6 days after WIRS and/or the step-down type passive avoidance test at 7-8 days. The co-administration of the GABA A receptor antagonist bicuculline (1mg/kg) or the GABA B receptor antagonist phaclofen (10mg/kg) 1h after WIRS suppressed the memory-improving effects induced by betaine. Additionally, the administration of the GABA A receptor agonist muscimol (1mg/kg) or the GABA B receptor agonist baclofen (10mg/kg) 1h after WIRS attenuated memory impairments. These results were similar to the data observed with betaine. The treatment with betaine after WIRS significantly decreased the expression of GABA transaminase, and this effect was partially blocked by NNC 05-2090 in the hippocampus. WIRS caused a transient increase in hippocampal GABA levels and the changes after WIRS were not affected by betaine treatment in an in vivo microdialysis study. These results suggest that the beneficial effects of betaine may be mediated in part by changing the GABAergic neuronal system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, vibrational and quantum chemical investigations of hydrogen bonded complex betaine dihydrogen selenite

Science.gov (United States)

Arjunan, V.; Marchewka, Mariusz K.; Kalaivani, M.

2012-10-01

The molecular complex of betaine with selenious acid namely, betaine dihydrogen selenite (C5H13NO5Se, BDHSe) was synthesised by the reaction of betaine and SeO2 in a 1:1:1 solution of isopropanol, methanol and water. Crystals were grown from this solution by cooling to 253 K for few days. The complex was formed without accompanying proton transfer from selenious acid molecule to betaine. The complete vibrational assignments and analysis of BDHSe have been performed by FTIR, FT-Raman and far-infrared spectral studies. More support on the experimental findings was added from the quantum chemical studies performed with DFT (B3LYP) method using 6-311++G∗∗, 6-31G∗∗, cc-pVDZ and 3-21G basis sets. The structural parameters, energies, thermodynamic parameters and the NBO charges of BDHSe were determined by the DFT method. The 1H and 13C isotropic chemical shifts (δ ppm) of BDHSe with respect to TMS were also calculated using the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method and compared with the experimental data. SHG experiment was carried out using Kurtz-Perry powder technique. The efficiency of second harmonic generation for BDHSe was estimated relatively to KDP: deff = 0.97 deff (KDP).

Ameliorative effects of betaine and ascorbic acid administration to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SAM

2014-06-04

Jun 4, 2014 ... The production of broiler chickens under heat stress conditions results ... other poultry, including pigeons, ducks, guinea fowls and turkeys (Abdullahi ...... betaine on energy utilization in growing pigs - a review. Ann. Anim. Sci.

Trimethylamine N-oxide stabilizes proteins via a distinct mechanism compared with betaine and glycine

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yi-Ting; Manson, Anthony C.; DeLyser, Michael R.; Noid, William G.; Cremer, Paul S.

2017-01-01

We report experimental and computational studies investigating the effects of three osmolytes, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), betaine, and glycine, on the hydrophobic collapse of an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP). All three osmolytes stabilize collapsed conformations of the ELP and reduce the lower critical solution temperature (LSCT) linearly with osmolyte concentration. As expected from conventional preferential solvation arguments, betaine and glycine both increase the surface tension at the air–water interface. TMAO, however, reduces the surface tension. Atomically detailed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations suggest that TMAO also slightly accumulates at the polymer–water interface, whereas glycine and betaine are strongly depleted. To investigate alternative mechanisms for osmolyte effects, we performed FTIR experiments that characterized the impact of each cosolvent on the bulk water structure. These experiments showed that TMAO red-shifts the OH stretch of the IR spectrum via a mechanism that was very sensitive to the protonation state of the NO moiety. Glycine also caused a red shift in the OH stretch region, whereas betaine minimally impacted this region. Thus, the effects of osmolytes on the OH spectrum appear uncorrelated with their effects upon hydrophobic collapse. Similarly, MD simulations suggested that TMAO disrupts the water structure to the least extent, whereas glycine exerts the greatest influence on the water structure. These results suggest that TMAO stabilizes collapsed conformations via a mechanism that is distinct from glycine and betaine. In particular, we propose that TMAO stabilizes proteins by acting as a surfactant for the heterogeneous surfaces of folded proteins. PMID:28228526

Distinct Difference in Absorption Pattern in Pigs of Betaine Provided as a Supplement or Present Naturally in Cereal Dietary Fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedemann, Mette Skou; Theil, Peter Kappel; Lærke, Helle Nygaard

2015-01-01

high-fiber breads differing in amount and source of dietary fiber (two experiments, n = 6 pigs each). Plasma betaine peaked after 30 min when betaine was fed as a supplement, whereas it peaked after 120–180 min when high-fiber breads were fed. Plasma betaine showed no diet × time interaction after...... feeding with high-fiber breads, indicating that the absorption kinetic did not differ between fiber sources. The net absorption of choline was not affected by the experimental diets. In conclusion, betaine in cereal sources has to be liberated from the matrix prior to absorption, causing delayed...

Influence of foliar application of glycine betaine on gas exchange characteristics of cotton (gossypium Hirsutum L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makhdum, M.I.; Din, S.U.

2007-01-01

Water is the most limiting factor in cotton production and numerous efforts are being made to improve crop drought tolerance. A field study was conducted with the objectives to determine the effects of different application rates of glycine betaine in field grown cotton at Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan. Four levels of glycine betaine (0.0, 1.0, 3.0 and 6.0 kg ha-1) were applied at three physiological growth stages i.e. at squaring, first flower and peak flowering. Cotton cultivar CIM-448 was used as test crop. Results showed that crop sprayed with glycine betaine at the rate of 6.0 kg ha-1 maintained 120.0, 62.1, 69.7 and 35.5 percent higher net CO/sub 2/ assimilation rate (PN), transpiration rate (E), stomatal resistance (gs) and water use efficiency (PN/E), respectively over that of untreated crop. Crop spayed with glycine betaine at peak flowering stage maintained higher PN, E, gs and PN/E compared to at other stages of growth. (author)

Effect of betaine and arginine in lysine-deficient diets on growth, carcass traits, and pork quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Madeira, M S; Alfaia, C M; Costa, P; Lopes, P A; Martins, S V; Lemos, J P C; Moreira, O; Santos-Silva, J; Bessa, R J B; Prates, J A M

2015-10-01

Forty entire male pigs from a commercial crossbreed (Duroc × Large White × Landrace) were used to investigate the individual or combined effects of betaine and Arg supplementation in Lys-deficient diets on growth performance, carcass traits, and pork quality. Pigs with 59.9 ± 1.65 kg BW were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 dietary treatments ( = 8). The 5 dietary treatments were normal Lys and CP diet (0.51% Lys and 16% CP; control), reduced Lys and CP diet (0.35% Lys and 13% CP), reduced Lys and CP diet with betaine supplementation (0.33%), reduced Lys and CP diet with Arg supplementation (1.5%), and reduced Lys and CP diet with betaine and Arg supplementation (0.33% betaine and 1.5% Arg). Pigs were slaughtered at 92.7 ± 2.54 kg BW. The Lys-deficient diets (-35% Lys) increased intramuscular fat (IMF) content by 25% ( = 0.041) and meat juiciness by 12% ( = 0.041) but had a negative effect on growth performance ( pork acceptability. Arginine supplementation also increased ( = 0.003) meat tenderness. Differences in fatty acid composition of pork were not detected among dietary treatment groups. However, oleic acid was positively correlated ( meat. Data confirm that dietary CP reduction enhances pork eating quality but negatively affects pigs' growth performance. Moreover, it is suggested that betaine and Arg supplementation of Lys-deficient diets does not further increase IMF content but improves some pork sensory traits, including overall acceptability.

Betaine is as effective as folate at re-synthesizing methionine for protein synthesis during moderate methionine deficiency in piglets.

Science.gov (United States)

McBreairty, Laura E; Robinson, Jason L; Harding, Scott V; Randell, Edward W; Brunton, Janet A; Bertolo, Robert F

2016-12-01

Both folate and betaine (synthesized from choline) are nutrients used to methylate homocysteine to reform the amino acid methionine following donation of its methyl group; however, it is unclear whether both remethylation pathways are of equal importance during the neonatal period when remethylation rates are high. Methionine is an indispensable amino acid that is in high demand in neonates not only for protein synthesis, but is also particularly important for transmethylation reactions, such as creatine and phosphatidylcholine synthesis. The objective of this study was to determine whether supplementation with folate, betaine, or a combination of both can equally re-synthesize methionine for protein synthesis when dietary methionine is limiting. Piglets were fed a low methionine diet devoid of folate, choline, and betaine, and on day 6, piglets were supplemented with either folate, betaine, or folate + betaine (n = 6 per treatment) until day 10. [1- 13 C]-phenylalanine oxidation was measured as an indicator of methionine availability for protein synthesis both before and after 2 days of supplementation. Prior to supplementation, piglets had lower concentrations of plasma folate, betaine, and choline compared to baseline with no change in homocysteine. Post-supplementation, phenylalanine oxidation levels were 20-46 % lower with any methyl donor supplementation (P = 0.006) with no difference among different supplementation groups. Furthermore, both methyl donors led to similarly lower concentrations of homocysteine following supplementation (P folate to remethylate methionine for protein synthesis, as indicated by lower phenylalanine oxidation.

Hepatoprotective Effects of Betaine Against Oxidative Stress Induced by Levodopa and Benserazide in Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Alirezaei

2015-02-01

Results: The study results indicated that the treatment of rats with levodopa and benserazide significantly increased total homocysteine (tHcy in plasma of the LD/Ben. group in comparison with the other groups (p <0.05. tHcy concentration was also significantly higher in LD group in comparison with control, betaine and LD/Bet. groups. Lipid peroxidation (TBARS amount of liver increased significantly in LD/Ben. group when compared to the control group which this index decreased by betaine treatment. In contrast, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities in liver were significantly higher in the LD-treated rats as compared to the LD/Ben. group. Serumic dopamine concentration decreased significantly in LD/Ben.-treated rats in comparison with LD and LD/Bet. groups. Conclusion: Taken together, it seems that betaine acts as an antioxidant agent regarding decrease of LD/Ben.-induced oxidative stress and is able to decrease their oxidative effects in liver of rats.

Association between malnutrition and hyperhomocysteine in Alzheimer's disease patients and diet intervention of betaine.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jianying; Wen, Shiling; Zhou, Jing; Ding, Shuling

2017-09-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease, which is associated with malnutrition and hyperhomocysteine. The current study aimed to analyze the relationship between malnutrition and hyperhomocysteine in AD patients, and effects of diet intervention with betaine on the disease. The nutritional statuses of the AD patients were assessed by short form mini nutritional assessment (MNA-SF). The levels of Hcy, tau hyperphosphorylation, synaptic proteins, blood inflammatory factors were measured by enzymatic cycling assay, Western blot and ELISA. The cognitive function was measured by AD assessment scale (ADAS-cog). There was a significant difference in mental status between normal people and AD patients (Pmalnutrition was reported in a larger proportion of AD patients and high level of Hcy was closely associated with malnutrition. Betaine decreased the levels of phosphorylated tau, elevated PP2Ac activity and inhibited Aβ accumulation (Pmalnutrition and higher levels of Hcy. Betaine could restore Hcy expression to normal level in AD patient, which might ameliorate memory deficits. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Betaine-based heat transfer fluids as a natural solution for environmental, toxic and corrosion problems in heating and cooling systems; Betaine gebaseerde koudedragers als natuurlijke oplossing voor milieu-, toxiciteit- en corrosieproblemen in verwarming- en koelsystemen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jokinen, J. [Fortum Oil and Gas Oy, Porvoo (Finland); Willems, B.P.M. [Marketing and Technology Consult, Rijen (Netherlands)

2005-02-01

The reason for the study on the title subject was the environmental risk and toxicity of many conventional heat transfer fluids like glycols. Fluid toxicity and environmental risk in building systems and industrial use is becoming less acceptable. Alternative fluids have been sought from among salt solutions and vegetable oils. Still, those alternative materials are not very attractive. Main technical problems have been high viscosity and corrosion. A new possible alternative, a betaine-water solution was tested and developed for heat transfer purposes. Betaine (trimethyl glycine) is a by-product of the sugar industry. Therefore, betaine is completely non-toxic and also not harmful to the environment. Betaine is a renowned substance in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and medical industry. Adequate freezing protection is achieved with betaine concentration of 20-55% by weight. This solution was found to have other good qualities also; it has good heat transfer abilities, is not harmful to materials used in systems and has natural corrosion protection properties. The development work consisted of carefully measuring freeze protection and pipe burst protection with different betaine concentrations, measuring physical properties in the same circumstances and developing the additive package for enhanced corrosion protection. Field-testing was carried out for four years. Testing showed that a betaine-water solution has good thermodynamic properties to be used as a heat transfer fluid in the HVAC industry, with additional environmental-, non-toxic and corrosion properties. The concrete result was a trademark and patent protected new product for the industry. [Dutch] Warmteoverdracht wordt heden ten dage veelvuldig toegepast in zowel de industrie als in kantoren en gebouwen. Hoewel de warmteoverdrachttechnologie enorm is vooruitgegaan worden het potentieel en de voordelen van een zorgvuldig gekozen koudedrager vaak over het hoofd gezien. De selectie van de juiste

Ameliorative effects of betaine and ascorbic acid administration to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This review highlights the huge challenges heat stress pose to profitable production of broiler chickens during the hot-dry season. It also enumerates the negative effects of heat stress due to excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in broiler chickens. It emphasizes that administration of betaine and/or ascorbic ...

Measurement of concentrations of whole blood levels of choline, betaine, and dimethylglycine and their relations to plasma levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Awwad, Hussain Mohamad; Kirsch, Susanne H; Geisel, Juergen; Obeid, Rima

2014-04-15

We aimed at developing a method for the measurement of choline and its metabolites in whole blood (WB). After an extraction step, quantification of choline, betaine, and dimethylglycine (DMG) was performed using ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Plasma and WB metabolites were evaluated in a group of 61 elderly people. The calibration curves were linear (r(2)>0.997) for all compounds. The inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation for all analytes were 90% and the relative matrix effect were ≤4.0%. The median concentrations of choline, betaine, and DMG were 11.3, 27.8, and 5.9μmol/L in plasma and 66.6, 165, and 13.7μmol/L in WB, respectively. There were positive correlations between WB and plasma markers; for choline (r=0.42), betaine (r=0.61), and DMG (r=0.56) (all p≤0.001). The concentrations of betaine in WB and plasma were significantly higher in men than in women. The concentrations of WB choline and DMG did not differ significantly according to sex. In conclusion, we have established a reliable method for measuring choline metabolites in WB. The concentrations of WB choline, betaine, and DMG seem to reflect intracellular concentrations of these metabolites. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of dietary betaine supplementation on mRNA level of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Yomi

2012-03-22

Mar 22, 2012 ... of China. Accepted 3 January, 2012. Our aims are to determine the ... percentage of abdominal fat, ratio of liver to body weight, mRNA ... four diet groups with supplemented betaine of 0, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08%, respectively.

Overexpression of ALDH10A8 and ALDH10A9 Genes Provides Insight into Their Role in Glycine Betaine Synthesis and Affects Primary Metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Missihoun, Tagnon D; Willée, Eva; Guegan, Jean-Paul; Berardocco, Solenne; Shafiq, Muhammad R; Bouchereau, Alain; Bartels, Dorothea

2015-09-01

Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenases oxidize betaine aldehyde to glycine betaine in species that accumulate glycine betaine as a compatible solute under stress conditions. In contrast, the physiological function of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase genes is at present unclear in species that do not accumulate glycine betaine, such as Arabidopsis thaliana. To address this question, we overexpressed the Arabidopsis ALDH10A8 and ALDH10A9 genes, which were identified to code for betaine aldehyde dehydrogenases, in wild-type A. thaliana. We analysed changes in metabolite contents of transgenic plants in comparison with the wild type. Using exogenous or endogenous choline, our results indicated that ALDH10A8 and ALDH10A9 are involved in the synthesis of glycine betaine in Arabidopsis. Choline availability seems to be a factor limiting glycine betaine synthesis. Moreover, the contents of diverse metabolites including sugars (glucose and fructose) and amino acids were altered in fully developed transgenic plants compared with the wild type. The plant metabolic response to salt and the salt stress tolerance were impaired only in young transgenic plants, which exhibited a delayed growth of the seedlings early after germination. Our results suggest that a balanced expression of the betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase genes is important for early growth of A. thaliana seedlings and for salt stress mitigation in young seedlings. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of dietary betaine supplementation subjected to heat stress on milk performances and physiology indices in dairy cow.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, L; Ying, S J; An, W J; Lian, H; Zhou, G B; Han, Z Y

2014-09-12

This study aimed to determine whether feeding betaine to cows elevates their production performance during summer heat stress. Thirty-two lactating Holstein cows were randomly divided into 4 groups: the control group, which received a total mixed ration (TMR), and 3 experimental groups that received TMR blended with 10 g/day (group I), 15 g/day (group II), and 20 g/day (group III) betaine for 8 weeks. Milk and blood were sampled throughout the experimental period. The average maximum and minimum air temperatures were 28.3 and 24.1°C, respectively. The average temperature-humidity index was 78.6 units. The results showed that feeding betaine to cows increased feed intake, milk yield, milk lactose, milk protein, plasma cortisol, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde levels (Pcows increases their milk performance and improves their antioxidant capacity; these processes help relieve the cow from heat stress. In conclusion, supplementing dairy cows with 15 g/day betaine generated the most positive influence on performance and productivity, and hence caused the greatest reduction in heat stress.

Serum betaine is inversely associated with low lean mass mainly in men in a Chinese middle-aged and elderly community-dwelling population.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Bi-Xia; Zhu, Ying-Ying; Tan, Xu-Ying; Lan, Qiu-Ye; Li, Chun-Lei; Chen, Yu-Ming; Zhu, Hui-Lian

2016-06-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that betaine supplements increase lean body mass in livestock and improve muscle performance in human beings, but evidence for its effect on human lean mass is limited. Our study assessed the association of circulating betaine with lean mass and its composition in Chinese adults. A community-based study was conducted on 1996 Guangzhou residents (weight/mass: 1381/615) aged 50-75 years between 2008 and 2010. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect general baseline information. Fasting serum betaine was assessed using HPLC-MS. A total of 1590 participants completed the body composition analysis performed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry during a mean of 3·2 years of follow-up. After adjustment for age, regression analyses demonstrated a positive association of serum betaine with percentage of lean mass (LM%) of the entire body, trunk and limbs in men (all Pwomen (P=0·016). Each sd increase in serum betaine was associated with increases in LM% of 0·609 (whole body), 0·811 (trunk), 0·422 (limbs), 0·632 (arms) and 0·346 (legs) in men and 0·350 (trunk) in women. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the prevalence of lower LM% decreased by 17 % (whole body) and 14 % (trunk) in women and 23 % (whole body), 28 % (trunk), 22 % (arms) and 26 % (percentage skeletal muscle index) in men with each sd increment in serum betaine. Elevated circulating betaine was associated with a higher LM% and lower prevalence of lower LM% in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults, particularly men.

Study of the Effects of Betaine and/or C-Phycocyanin on the Growth of Lung Cancer A549 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rea Bingula

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effects of betaine, C-phycocyanin (C-PC, and their combined use on the growth of A549 lung cancer both in vitro and in vivo. When cells were coincubated with betaine and C-PC, an up to 60% decrease in viability was observed which is significant compared to betaine (50% or C-PC treatment alone (no decrease. Combined treatment reduced the stimulation of NF-κB expression by TNF-α and increased the amount of the proapoptotic p38 MAPK. Interestingly, combined treatment induced a cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase for ~60% of cells. In vivo studies were performed in pathogen-free male nude rats injected with A549 cells in their right flank. Their daily food was supplemented with either betaine, C-PC, both, or neither. Compared to the control group, tumour weights and volumes were significantly reduced in either betaine- or C-PC-treated groups and no additional decrease was obtained with the combined treatment. This data indicates that C-PC and betaine alone may efficiently inhibit tumour growth in rats. The synergistic activity of betaine and C-PC on A549 cells growth observed in vitro remains to be further confirmed in vivo. The reason behind the nature of their interaction is yet to be sought.

Inhibition of betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase causes hyperhomocysteinemia in mice

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Collinsová, Michaela; Straková, J.; Jiráček, Jiří; Garrow, T. A.

2006-01-01

Roč. 136, č. 6 (2006), s. 1493-1497 ISSN 0022-3166 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA4055302 Grant - others:NIH(US) DK52501 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : betaine * homocystein e * dimethylsulfoniopropionate Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 4.009, year: 2006

Distribution of /sup 14/C-labelled acrylamide and betaine in foetuses of rats, rabbits, beagle dogs and miniature pigs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikeda, G.J.; Miller, E.; Sapienza, P.P.; Michel, T.C.; King, M.T.; Turner, V.A.; Blumenthal, H.; Jackson, W.E.; Levin, S.

1983-02-01

(/sup 14/C)Acrylamide and (/sup 14/C)betaine hydrochloride were administered in a single iv dose to pregnant rats, rabbits, beagle dogs and miniature pigs late in gestation (1-2 days before expected parturition). Dosages used were 10 mg/kg for rats and 5 mg/kg for the other species. The compounds were allowed to equilibrate in the animal (for 1 hr in rats and for 2 hr in the other species); the dam was then killed and the foetuses were removed by caesarean section. Each foetus was weighed and analysed for radioactivity, either by homogenization of the whole foetus (rat and rabbit) or by determining separately the radioactivity in individual organs and tissues (dog and pig). Foetal uptake of the polar compound betaine hydrochloride was much lower than that of the more lipophilic acrylamide. The sex of the foetus did not appear to affect uptake of either compound. There were no significant differences in total uptake of isotope attributable to the position of the foetus within the uterus in any of the four species given either acrylamide or betaine. Similarly, uterine position did not affect the uptake of acrylamide or betaine by individual tissues of foetal dogs or pigs. Since the distributions of /sup 14/C-labelled acrylamide and betaine hydrochloride were essentially uniform throughout a litter, it would not be necessary to sample all of the members of a litter to obtain a representative picture of foetal distribution.

Betaine supplementation reduces congenital defects after prenatal alcohol exposure (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Karunamuni, Ganga; Gu, Shi; Doughman, Yong Qiu; Sheehan, Megan M.; Ma, Pei; Peterson, Lindsy M.; Linask, Kersti K.; Jenkins, Michael W.; Rollins, Andrew M.; Watanabe, Michiko

2016-03-01

Over 500,000 women per year in the United States drink during pregnancy, and 1 in 5 of this population also binge drink. As high as 20-50% of live-born children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) present with congenital heart defects including outflow and valvuloseptal anomalies that can be life-threatening. Previously we established a model of PAE (modeling a single binge drinking episode) in the avian embryo and used optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging to assay early-stage cardiac function/structure and late-stage cardiac defects. At early stages, alcohol/ethanol-exposed embryos had smaller cardiac cushions and increased retrograde flow. At late stages, they presented with gross morphological defects in the head and chest wall, and also exhibited smaller or abnormal atrio-ventricular (AV) valves, thinner interventricular septae (IVS), and smaller vessel diameters for the aortic trunk branches. In other animal models, the methyl donor betaine (found naturally in many foods such as wheat bran, quinoa, beets and spinach) ameliorates neurobehavioral deficits associated with PAE but the effects on heart structure are unknown. In our model of PAE, betaine supplementation led to a reduction in gross structural defects and appeared to protect against certain types of cardiac defects such as ventricular septal defects and abnormal AV valvular morphology. Furthermore, vessel diameters, IVS thicknesses and mural AV leaflet volumes were normalized while the septal AV leaflet volume was increased. These findings highlight the importance of betaine and potentially methylation levels in the prevention of PAE-related birth defects which could have significant implications for public health.

Choline and betaine intake and colorectal cancer risk in Chinese population: a case-control study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-Shan Lu

Full Text Available Few studies have examined the association of choline and betaine intake with colorectal cancer risk, although they might play an important role in colorectal cancer development because of their role as methyl donors. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between consumption of choline and betaine and colorectal cancer risk in a Chinese population.A case-control study was conducted between July 2010 and December 2013 in Guangzhou, China. Eight hundred and ninety consecutively recruited colorectal cancer cases were frequency matched to 890 controls by age (5-year interval and sex. Dietary information was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire by face-to-face interviews. The logistic regression model was used to estimate multivariate odds ratios (ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs. Total choline intake was inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk after adjustment for various lifestyle and dietary factors. The multivariate-adjusted OR was 0.54 (95%CI = 0.37-0.80, Ptrend <0.01 comparing the highest with the lowest quartile. No significant associations were observed for betaine or total choline+betaine intakes. For choline-containing compounds, lower colorectal cancer risk was associated with higher intakes of choline from phosphatidylcholine, glycerophosphocholine and sphingomyelin but not for free choline and phosphocholine. The inverse association of total choline intake with colorectal cancer risk was observed in both men and women, colon and rectal cancer. These inverse associations were not modified by folate intake.These results indicate that high intake of total choline is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Variation of betaine, N,N-dimethylglycine, choline, glycerophosphorylcholine, taurine and trimethylamine-N-oxide in the plasma and urine of overweight people with type 2 diabetes over a two-year period.

Science.gov (United States)

McEntyre, Christopher J; Lever, Michael; Chambers, Stephen T; George, Peter M; Slow, Sandy; Elmslie, Jane L; Florkowski, Christopher M; Lunt, Helen; Krebs, Jeremy D

2015-05-01

Plasma betaine concentrations and urinary betaine excretions have high test-retest reliability. Abnormal betaine excretion is common in diabetes. We aimed to confirm the individuality of plasma betaine and urinary betaine excretion in an overweight population with type 2 diabetes and compare this with the individuality of other osmolytes, one-carbon metabolites and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), thus assessing their potential usefulness as disease markers. Urine and plasma were collected from overweight subjects with type 2 diabetes at four time points over a two-year period. We measured the concentrations of the osmolytes: betaine, glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC) and taurine, as well as TMAO, and the one-carbon metabolites, N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG) and free choline. Samples were measured using tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Betaine showed a high degree of individuality (or test-retest reliability) in the plasma (index of individuality = 0.52) and urine (index of individuality = 0.45). Betaine in the plasma had positive and negative log-normal reference change values (RCVs) of 54% and -35%, respectively. The other osmolytes, taurine and GPC were more variable in the plasma of individuals compared to the urine. DMG and choline showed high individuality in the plasma and urine. TMAO was highly variable in the plasma and urine (log-normal RCVs ranging from 403% to -80% in plasma). Betaine is highly individual in overweight people with diabetes. Betaine, its metabolite DMG, and precursor choline showed more reliability than the osmolytes, GPC and taurine. The low reliability of TMAO suggests that a single TMAO measurement has low diagnostic value. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Effects of betaine intake on plasma homocysteine concentrations and consequences for health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Olthof, Margreet R.; Verhoef, P.

High plasma concentrations of homocysteine may increase risk of cardiovascular disease. Folic acid lowers plasma homocysteine by 25% maximally, because 5-methyltetrahydrofolate is a methyl donor in the remethylation of homocysteine to methionine. Betaine (trimethylglycine) is also a methyl donor in

Effects of Betaine Intake on Plasma Homocysteine Concentrations and Consequences for Health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Olthof, M.R.; Verhoef, P.

2005-01-01

High plasma concentrations of homocysteine may increase risk of cardiovascular disease. Folic acid lowers plasma homocysteine by 25% maximally, because 5-methyltetrahydrofolate is a methyl donor in the remethylation of homocysteine to methionine. Betaine (trimethylglycine) is also a methyl donor in

Betaines of Alfalfa 1

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Karl V.; Stringham, Kelly J.; Smith, David L.; Volenec, Jeffrey J.; Hendershot, Kerry L.; Jackson, Kimberly A.; Rich, Patrick J.; Yang, Wen-Ju; Rhodes, David

1991-01-01

Leaf tissue of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was found to contain prolinebetaine, pipecolatebetaine, hydroxyprolinebetaine, and glycinebetaine. As n-butyl esters, these chemical species exhibit molecular cations at mass/charge ratio (m/z) 200, 214, 216, and 174, respectively, when analyzed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The underivatized betaines exhibit protonated molecular ions at m/z 144, 158, 160, and 118, respectively, when analyzed by desorption chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Extensive (>45-fold) genotypic variation for hydroxyprolinebetaine level was identified in alfalfa. Because a significant inverse correlation between prolinebetaine and hydroxyprolinebetaine levels was observed among 15 alfalfa genotypes evaluated, it is possible that these compounds may be derived from a common intermediate. Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) contained prolinebetaine, but only traces of glycinebetaine, pipecolatebetaine, and hydroxyprolinebetaine. Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) lacked prolinebetaine, pipecolatebetaine, and hydroxyprolinebetaine, but contained appreciable levels of both glycinebetaine and trigonelline. Trigonelline was not detectable in the leaf tissue of any alfalfa genotype or cultivar evaluated. PMID:16668271

Quantification of acetylcholine, choline, betaine, and dimethylglycine in human plasma and urine using stable-isotope dilution ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirsch, Susanne H; Herrmann, Wolfgang; Rabagny, Yannick; Obeid, Rima

2010-12-15

Disorders in choline metabolism are related to disease conditions. We developed a stable-isotope dilution ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous quantification of acetylcholine (ACh), betaine, choline, and dimethylglycine (DMG). We used this method to measure concentrations of the analytes in plasma and urine in addition to other biological fluids after a protein precipitation by acetonitrile. The detection limits were between 0.35 nmol/L (for ACh in urine) and 0.34 μmol/L (for betaine in urine). ACh concentrations were not detectable in plasma. Intraassay and interassay coefficient of variation (CVs) were all DMG in cerebrospinal fluid (CV=12.44%). Mean recoveries in urine pool samples were between 99.2% and 103.9%. The urinary excretion of betaine, choline, and DMG was low, with approximately 50.0% higher excretion of choline in females compared to males. Median urinary excretion of ACh were 3.44 and 3.92 μmol/mol creatinine in males and females, respectively (p=0.689). Plasma betaine concentrations correlated significantly with urinary excretions of betaine (r=0.495, p=0.027) and choline (r=0.502, p=0.024) in females. Plasma choline concentrations correlated significantly with urinary excretion of ACh in males (r=0.419, p=0.041) and females (r=0.621, p=0.003). The new method for the simultaneous determination of ACh, betaine, choline, and DMG is sensitive, precise, and fast enough to be used in clinical investigations related to the methylation pathway. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Methionine kinetics in adult men: effects of dietary betaine on L-[2H3-methyl-1-13C]methionine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Storch, K.J.; Wagner, D.A.; Young, V.R.

1991-01-01

The effects of a daily 3-g supplement of betaine on kinetic aspects of L-[2H3-methyl-1-13C]methionine (MET) metabolism in healthy young adult men were explored. Four groups of four subjects each were given a control diet, based on an L-amino acid mixture supplying 29.5 and 21.9 mg.kg-1.d-1 of L-methionine and L-cystine for 4 d before the tracer study, conducted on day 5 during the fed state. Two groups received the control diet and two groups received the betaine supplement. Tracer was given intravenously (iv) or orally. The transmethylation rate of MET (TM), homocysteine remethylation (RM), and oxidation of methionine were estimated from plasma methionine labeling and 13C enrichment of expired air. RM tended to increase (P = 0.14) but the TM and methionine oxidation were significantly (P less than 0.05) higher after betaine supplementation when estimated with the oral tracer. No differences were detected with the intravenous tracer. Methionine concentration in plasma obtained from blood taken from subjects in the fed state was higher (P less than 0.01) with betaine supplementation. These results suggest that excess methyl-group intake may increase the dietary requirement for methionine

Synthesis and characterization of hydrophobically modified polymeric betaines

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Alexey Shakhvorostov

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Polymeric betaines containing long alkyl chains C12H25, C14H29, C16H33 and C18H37 were synthesized by Michael addition reaction of alkylaminocrotonates and methacrylic acid (MAA. They were characterized by FTIR, 13C NMR, DSC, DLS, GPC, cryo-TEM, viscometry and zeta-potential measurements. The polymers were fully soluble in DMF, THF and DMSO, partially dissolved in aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, o-xylene and formed colloid solutions in aqueous KOH. In aqueous KOH and DMSO solutions, hydrophobically modified polymeric betaines behaved as polyelectrolytes. The average hydrodynamic size and zeta potential of diluted aqueous solutions of hydrophobic polybetainess containing dodecyl-, tetradecyl-, hexadecyl-, and octadecyl groups were studied as a function of pH. Anomalous low values of the isoelectric point (IEP of amphoteric macromolecules were found to be in the range of pH 2.7-3.4. According to DLS data, the average size of macromolecules tends to decrease with dilution. Zeta-potential of amphoteric macromolecules in aqueous solution is much higher than that in DMSO. The cryo-TEM results revealed that in both aqueous KOH and DMSO media, the micron- and nanosized vesicles existed. The structural organization of vesicles in water and DMSO is discussed. The wax inhibition effect of hydrophobic polybetaines at a decrease of the pour point temperatures of high paraffinic oils was better in comparison with commercial available ethylene-vinylacetate copolymers (EVA.

Deacidification of palm oil using betaine monohydrate-based natural deep eutectic solvents.

Science.gov (United States)

Zahrina, Ida; Nasikin, Mohammad; Krisanti, Elsa; Mulia, Kamarza

2018-02-01

In the palm oil industry, the deacidification process is performed by steam stripping which causes the loss of most of palm oil's natural antioxidants due to high temperature. The liquid-liquid extraction process which is carried out at low temperature is preferable in order to preserve these compounds. The use of hydrated ethanol can reduce the losses of antioxidants, but the ability of this solvent to extract free fatty acids also decreases. Betaine monohydrate-based natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have extensive potential for this process. The selectivity of these NADES was determined to select a preferable solvent. The betaine monohydrate-glycerol NADES in a molar ratio of 1:8 was determined to be the preferred solvent with the highest selectivity. This solvent has an efficiency of palmitic acid extraction of 34.14%, and the amount of antioxidants can be preserved in the refined palm oil up to 99%. The compounds are stable during extraction. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Determination of Betaine in Fructus Lycii Using Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography with Evaporative Light Scattering Detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Hyun Du; Suh, Joon Hyuk; Kim, Jung Hyun; Lee, Hye Yeon; Eom, Han Young; Kim, Un Yong; Yang, Dong Hyug; Han, Sang Beom; Youm, Jeong Rok

2012-01-01

A simple new method was developed for the determination of betaine in Fructus Lycii using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection (HILIC-ELSD). Good chromatographic separation and reasonable betaine retention was achieved on a Kinetex HILIC column (2.1 x 100 mm, 2.6 μm) packed with fused-core particle. The mobile phase consisted of (A) acetonitrile and (B) 10 mM ammonium formate (pH 3.0)/acetonitrile (90/10, v/v). It was used with gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.7 mL/ min. The column temperature was set at 27.5 .deg. C and the injection volume was 10 μL. The ELSD drift tube temperature was 50 .deg. C and the nebulizing gas (nitrogen) pressure was 3.0 bar. Stachydrine, a zwitterionic compound, was used as an internal standard. Calibration curve over 10-250 μg/mL showed good linearity (R 2 > 0.9992) and betaine in the 70% methanol extract of Fructus Lycii was well separated from other peaks. Intra and inter-day precision ranged from 1.1 to 3.0% and from 2.4 to 5.3%, respectively, while intra- and inter-day accuracy ranged from 100.0 to 107.0% and from 94.3 to 103.9%, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 10 μg/mL and the recoveries were in the range of 98.2-102.7%. The developed HILIC-ELSD method was successfully applied to quantitatively determine the amount of betaine in fourteen Fructus Lycii samples from different locations, demonstrating that this method is simple, rapid, and suitable for the quality control of Fructus Lycii

Application of NMR-based metabonomics suggests a relationship between betaine absorption and elevated creatine plasma concentrations in catheterised sows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yde, Christian Clement; Westerhuis, Johan A.; Bertram, Hanne Christine S.

2012-01-01

of these metabolites from the small intestine. The LF diet resulted in a higher betaine concentration in the blood than the two high-fibre diets (P¼0·008). This leads to higher plasma concentrations of methionine (P¼0·0028) and creatine (P¼0·020) of endogenous origin. In conclusion, the use of NMR spectroscopy...... for measuring nutrient uptake in the present study elucidated the relationship between betaine uptake and elevated creatine plasma concentrations....

Postprandial plasma betaine and other methyl donor-related responses after consumption of minimally processed wheat bran or wheat aleurone, or wheat aleurone incorporated into bread.

Science.gov (United States)

Keaveney, Edel M; Price, Ruth K; Hamill, Lesley L; Wallace, Julie M W; McNulty, Helene; Ward, Mary; Strain, J J; Ueland, Per M; Molloy, Anne M; Piironen, Vieno; von Reding, Walter; Shewry, Peter R; Ward, Jane L; Welch, Robert W

2015-02-14

The bran and particularly the aleurone fraction of wheat are high in betaine and other physiological methyl donors, which may exert beneficial physiological effects. We conducted two randomised, controlled, cross-over postprandial studies to assess and compare plasma betaine and other methyl donor-related responses following the consumption of minimally processed bran and aleurone fractions (study A) and aleurone bread (study B). For both studies, standard pharmacokinetic parameters were derived for betaine, choline, folate, dimethylglycine (DMG), total homocysteine and methionine from plasma samples taken at 0, 0·5, 1, 2 and 3 h. In study A (n 14), plasma betaine concentrations were significantly and substantially elevated from 0·5 to 3 h following the consumption of both bran and aleurone compared with the control; however, aleurone gave significantly higher responses than bran. Small, but significant, increases were also observed in DMG measures; however, no significant responses were observed in other analytes. In study B (n 13), plasma betaine concentrations were significantly and substantially higher following consumption of the aleurone bread compared with the control bread; small, but significant, increases were also observed in DMG and folate measures in response to consumption of the aleurone bread; however, no significant responses were observed in other analytes. Peak plasma betaine concentrations, which were 1·7-1·8 times the baseline levels, were attained earlier following the consumption of minimally processed aleurone compared with the aleurone bread (time taken to reach peak concentration 1·2 v. 2·1 h). These results showed that the consumption of minimally processed wheat bran, and particularly the aleurone fraction, yielded substantial postprandial increases in plasma betaine concentrations. Furthermore, these effects appear to be maintained when aleurone was incorporated into bread.

Plastid-expressed betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase gene in carrot cultured cells, roots, and leaves confers enhanced salt tolerance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Shashi; Dhingra, Amit; Daniell, Henry

2004-09-01

Salinity is one of the major factors that limits geographical distribution of plants and adversely affects crop productivity and quality. We report here high-level expression of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) in cultured cells, roots, and leaves of carrot (Daucus carota) via plastid genetic engineering. Homoplasmic transgenic plants exhibiting high levels of salt tolerance were regenerated from bombarded cell cultures via somatic embryogenesis. Transformation efficiency of carrot somatic embryos was very high, with one transgenic event per approximately seven bombarded plates under optimal conditions. In vitro transgenic carrot cells transformed with the badh transgene were visually green in color when compared to untransformed carrot cells, and this offered a visual selection for transgenic lines. BADH enzyme activity was enhanced 8-fold in transgenic carrot cell cultures, grew 7-fold more, and accumulated 50- to 54-fold more betaine (93-101 micromol g(-1) dry weight of beta-Ala betaine and Gly betaine) than untransformed cells grown in liquid medium containing 100 mm NaCl. Transgenic carrot plants expressing BADH grew in the presence of high concentrations of NaCl (up to 400 mm), the highest level of salt tolerance reported so far among genetically modified crop plants. BADH expression was 74.8% in non-green edible parts (carrots) containing chromoplasts, and 53% in proplastids of cultured cells when compared to chloroplasts (100%) in leaves. Demonstration of plastid transformation via somatic embryogenesis utilizing non-green tissues as recipients of foreign DNA for the first time overcomes two of the major obstacles in extending this technology to important crop plants.

Umbilical choline and related methylamines betaine and dimethylglycine in relation to birth weight

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hogeveen, M.; Heijer, M. den; Semmekrot, B.A.; Sporken, J.M.J.; Ueland, P.M.; Blom, H.J.

2013-01-01

Background:Low birth weight (LBW) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality for the newborn and risk of chronic disease in adulthood. Choline plays an essential role in the integrity of cell membranes, methylation reactions, and memory development. We examined whether choline, betaine,

Insights into the interactions among Surfactin, betaines, and PAM: surface tension, small-angle neutron scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering study.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Jingwen; Liu, Fang; Garamus, Vasil M; Almásy, László; Handge, Ulrich A; Willumeit, Regine; Mu, Bozhong; Zou, Aihua

2014-04-01

The interactions among neutral polymer polyacrylamide (PAM) and the biosurfactant Surfactin and four betaines, N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (SDDAB), N-tetradecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (STDAB), N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (SHDAB), and N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethyl-2-ammonio-acetate (C12BE), in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) have been studied by surface tension measurements, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and rheological experiments. It has been confirmed that the length of alkyl chain is a key parameter of interaction between betaines and PAM. Differences in scattering contrast between X-ray and neutrons for surfactants and PAM molecules provide the opportunity to separately follow the changes of structure of PAM and surfactant aggregates. At concentrations of betaines higher than CMC (critical micelle concentration) and C2 (CMC of surfactant with the presence of polymer), spherical micelles are formed in betaines and betaines/PAM solutions. Transition from spherical to rod-like aggregates (micelles) has been observed in solutions of Surfactin and Surfactin/SDDAB (αSurfactin = 0.67 (molar fraction)) with addition of 0.8 wt % of PAM. The conformation change of PAM molecules only can be observed for Surfactin/SDDAB/PAM system. Viscosity values follow the structural changes suggested from scattering measurements i.e., gradually increases for mixtures PAM → Surfactin/PAM → Surfactin/SDDAB/PAM in PBS.

Osmotic Control of opuA Expression in Bacillus subtilis and Its Modulation in Response to Intracellular Glycine Betaine and Proline Pools

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Tamara; Wensing, Annette; Brosius, Margot; Steil, Leif; Völker, Uwe

2013-01-01

Glycine betaine is an effective osmoprotectant for Bacillus subtilis. Its import into osmotically stressed cells led to the buildup of large pools, whose size was sensitively determined by the degree of the osmotic stress imposed. The amassing of glycine betaine caused repression of the formation of an osmostress-adaptive pool of proline, the only osmoprotectant that B. subtilis can synthesize de novo. The ABC transporter OpuA is the main glycine betaine uptake system of B. subtilis. Expression of opuA was upregulated in response to both sudden and sustained increases in the external osmolarity. Nonionic osmolytes exerted a stronger inducing effect on transcription than ionic osmolytes, and this was reflected in the development of corresponding OpuA-mediated glycine betaine pools. Primer extension analysis and site-directed mutagenesis pinpointed the osmotically controlled opuA promoter. Deviations from the consensus sequence of SigA-type promoters serve to keep the transcriptional activity of the opuA promoter low in the absence of osmotic stress. opuA expression was downregulated in a finely tuned manner in response to increases in the intracellular glycine betaine pool, regardless of whether this osmoprotectant was imported or was newly synthesized from choline. Such an effect was also exerted by carnitine, an effective osmoprotectant for B. subtilis that is not a substrate for the OpuA transporter. opuA expression was upregulated in a B. subtilis mutant that was unable to synthesize proline in response to osmotic stress. Collectively, our data suggest that the intracellular solute pool is a key determinant for the osmotic control of opuA expression. PMID:23175650

pH-Specific structural speciation of the ternary V(V)-peroxido-betaine system: a chemical reactivity-structure correlation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabriel, C; Kioseoglou, E; Venetis, J; Psycharis, V; Raptopoulou, C P; Terzis, A; Voyiatzis, G; Bertmer, M; Mateescu, C; Salifoglou, A

2012-06-04

Vanadium involvement in cellular processes requires deep understanding of the nature and properties of its soluble and bioavailable forms arising in aqueous speciations of binary and ternary systems. In an effort to understand the ternary vanadium-H(2)O(2)-ligand interactions relevant to that metal ion's biological role, synthetic efforts were launched involving the physiological ligands betaine (Me(3)N(+)CH(2)CO(2)(-)) and H(2)O(2). In a pH-specific fashion, V(2)O(5), betaine, and H(2)O(2) reacted and afforded three new, unusual, and unique compounds, consistent with the molecular formulation K(2)[V(2)O(2)(O(2))(4){(CH(3))(3)NCH(2)CO(2))}]·H(2)O (1), (NH(4))(2)[V(2)O(2)(O(2))(4){(CH(3))(3)NCH(2)CO(2))}]·0.75H(2)O (2), and {Na(2)[V(2)O(2)(O(2))(4){(CH(3))(3)NCH(2)CO(2))}(2)]}(n)·4nH(2)O (3). All complexes 1-3 were characterized by elemental analysis; UV/visible, FT-IR, Raman, and NMR spectroscopy in solution and the solid state; cyclic voltammetry; TGA-DTG; and X-ray crystallography. The structures of 1 and 2 reveal the presence of unusual ternary dinuclear vanadium-tetraperoxido-betaine complexes containing [(V(V)═O)(O(2))(2)] units interacting through long V-O bonds. The two V(V) ions are bridged through the oxygen terminal of one of the peroxide groups bound to the vanadium centers. The betaine ligand binds only one of the two V(V) ions. In the case of the third complex 3, the two vanadium centers are not immediate neighbors, with Na(+) ions (a) acting as efficient oxygen anchors and through Na-O bonds holding the two vanadium ions in place and (b) providing for oxygen-containing ligand binding leading to a polymeric lattice. In 1 and 3, interesting 2D (honeycomb) and 1D (zigzag chains) topologies of potassium nine-coordinate polyhedra (1) and sodium octahedra (3), respectively, form. The collective physicochemical properties of the three ternary species 1-3 project the chemical role of the low molecular mass biosubstrate betaine in binding V

Dielectric properties in the vicinity of the ferroelectric phase transition in a mixed crystal of deuterated betaine phosphate{sub 0.03} betaine phosphite{sub 0.97}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banys, J.; Macutkevic, J.; Kajokas, A.; Brilingas, A.; Grigas, J. [Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 9, Vilnius 2040 (Lithuania); Klimm, C.; Voelkel, G. [Fakultaet fuer Physik und Geowissenschaften, Universitaet Leipzig, Linnestr. 5, 04103 Leipzig (Germany)

2004-02-01

The dielectric behaviour of ferroelectric hydrogen bonded deuterated betaine phosphate{sub 0.03} betaine phosphite{sub 0.97} (DBP{sub 0.03}DBPI{sub 0.97})is investigated in the region of the ferroelectric phase transition. Dielectric dispersion is investigated in the frequency range up to 12 GHz. The dielectric dynamics shows a critical slowing down. The frequency of the relaxational soft mode in the paraelectric phase varies according to the quasi-one-dimensional Ising model and decreases up to 0.31 GHz at the phase transition temperature (T{sub C}=272 K). The obtained activation energy for the deuteron flipping motion {delta}U=2.3kT{sub C}=0.054 eV shows the order-disorder character of the ferroelectric phase transition. The spontaneous polarisation, obtained from pyroelectric measurements, is also well explained using the quasi-one-dimensional Ising model. At low temperatures, the freezing phenomena in DBP{sub 0.03}DBPI{sub 0.97} revealed the complex dielectric permittivity behaviour characteristic for the transition into the dipolar glass state. The activation energy of this low temperature process was found to be E{sub b}=1297 K (0.041 eV) and the glass temperature was estimated to 73 K. (copyright 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Structure-activity study of new inhibitors of human betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vaněk, Václav; Buděšínský, Miloš; Kabeleová, Petra; Šanda, Miloslav; Kožíšek, Milan; Hančlová, Ivona; Mládková, Jana; Brynda, Jiří; Rosenberg, Ivan; Koutmos, M.; Garrow, T. A.; Jiráček, Jiří

2009-01-01

Roč. 52, č. 12 (2009), s. 3652-3665 ISSN 0022-2623 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0508 Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) LC06077; NIH(US) R01TW0052501 Program:LC Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : BHMT * betain * homocysteine * methionine * inhibitor Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 4.802, year: 2009

The Effect of Ethylene Glycol, Glycine Betaine, and Urea on Lysozyme Thermal Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Schwinefus, Jeffrey J.; Leslie, Elizabeth J.; Nordstrom, Anna R.

2010-01-01

The four-week student project described in this article is an extension of protein thermal denaturation experiments to include effects of added cosolutes ethylene glycol, glycine betaine, and urea on the unfolding of lysozyme. The transition temperatures and van't Hoff enthalpies for unfolding are evaluated for six concentrations of each cosolute,…

Effects of in ovo administration of betaine and choline on hatchability results, growth and carcass characteristics and immune response of broiler chickens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jafar Gholami

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The effect of in ovo administration of different levels of betaine and choline on egg hatchability, immune response, growth and carcass traits of broiler chickens was studied. Four thousand hatching eggs from Ross 308 broiler breeder layers, weighed individually, were incubated for 21 days in a commercial hatchery. At 12th day of incubation, 3456 fertilized eggs were randomly divided into 8 experimental groups of 3 replicates each (144 eggs per replicate: negative control (NC – not injected; positive control (PC – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water; Bet 0.25 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.25 mg soluble betaine; Bet 0.375 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.375 mg soluble betaine; Bet 0.50 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.50 mg soluble betaine; Chol 0.25 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.25 mg soluble choline; Chol 0.375 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.375 mg soluble choline; Chol 0.50 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.50 mg soluble choline. Among the hatched chickens, 360 males were randomly chosen (45 for each group and were grown up to 42nd day of age. The embryo mortality, pecked eggs, infected eggs and hatchability percentages were similar among the experimental groups. The betaine and choline treatments improved hatching weight and final weight of chickens, while reduced feed conversion ratio and abdominal fat percentage. No effect on carcass yield, and breast muscle, leg and wings percentages, as well as on immunoglobulin M (IgM, G (IgG, and total antibody (IgT titers was observed. The treatments had little effect on internal organs.

Development of green betaine-based deep eutectic solvent aqueous two-phase system for the extraction of protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Na; Wang, Yuzhi; Xu, Kaijia; Huang, Yanhua; Wen, Qian; Ding, Xueqin

2016-05-15

Six kinds of new type of green betaine-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been synthesized. Deep eutectic solvent aqueous two-phase systems (DES-ATPS) were established and successfully applied in the extraction of protein. Betaine-urea (Be-U) was selected as the suitable extractant. Single factor experiments were carried out to determine the optimum conditions of the extraction process, such as the salt concentration, the mass of DES, the separation time, the amount of protein, the temperature and the pH value. The extraction efficiency could achieve to 99.82% under the optimum conditions. Mixed sample and practical sample analysis were discussed. The back extraction experiment was implemented and the back extraction efficiency could reach to 32.66%. The precision experiment, repeatability experiment and stability experiment were investigated. UV-vis, FT-IR and circular dichroism (CD) spectra confirmed that the conformation of protein was not changed during the process of extraction. The mechanisms of extraction were researched by dynamic light scattering (DLS), the measurement of the conductivity and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). DES-protein aggregates and embraces phenomenon play considerable roles in the separation process. All of these results indicated that betaine-based DES-ATPS may provide a potential substitute new method for the separation of proteins. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Betaine on the Nuclear Fractal Dimension, Chromatin Texture, and Proliferative Activity in Hepatocytes in Mouse Model of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

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Vesković, Milena; Labudović-Borović, Milica; Zaletel, Ivan; Rakočević, Jelena; Mladenović, Dušan; Jorgačević, Bojan; Vučević, Danijela; Radosavljević, Tatjana

2018-04-01

The effects of betaine on hepatocytes chromatin architecture changes were examined by using fractal and gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) analysis in methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into groups: (1) Control: standard diet; (2) BET: standard diet and betaine supplementation through drinking water (solution 1.5%); (3) MCD group: MCD diet for 6 weeks; (4) MCD+BET: fed with MCD diet + betaine for 6 weeks. Liver tissue was collected for histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and determination of fractal dimension and GLCM parameters. MCD diet induced diffuse micro- and macrovesicular steatosis accompanied with increased Ki67-positive hepatocyte nuclei. Steatosis and Ki67 immunopositivity were less prominent in the MCD+BET group compared with the MCD group. Angular second moment (ASM) and inverse difference moment (IDM) (textural homogeneity markers) were significantly increased in the MCD+BET group versus the MCD group (pMCD and the control group was evident. Heterogeneity parameters, contrast, and correlation were significantly increased in the MCD group versus the control (pMCD group (pMCD diet-induced NAFLD by reducing fat accumulation and inhibiting hepatocyte proliferation. Betaine supplementation increased nuclear homogeneity and chromatin complexity with reduction of entropy, contrast, and correlation.

Co-ordinate expression of glycine betaine synthesis genes linked by the FMDV 2A region in a single open reading frame in Pichia pastoris.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Sanhong; Yao, Quanhong; Tao, Jianmin; Qiao, Yushan; Zhang, Zhen

2007-12-01

The genes encoding the two enzymes choline monooxygenase (CMO) and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) of glycine betaine synthesis in Suaeda salsa were cloned and fused with the 2A region of foot-and-mouth disease virus in a single open reading frame. The fused genes were placed under the control of the alcohol oxidase (AOX1) promoter in pPIC3B and transformed into P. pastoris GS115. The expression of the fused genes in P. pastoris and the ability of recombinant yeasts to tolerate environmental stresses were studied. The results showed that induced with 0.5% methanol for 96 h, the maximal activities of CMO and BADH in the tested recombinant yeasts were 45- and 44-fold higher than those in the control yeast transformed empty vector only, respectively; the content of glycine betaine in the recombinant yeasts was 28- to 35-fold higher than that in the control. The fused genes linked by 2A region of foot-and-mouth disease virus were expressed in P. pastoris successfully and the polyprotein was 'cleaved' to each functional protein. The yeasts transformed the fused genes, which were more resistant to salt, methanol, and high temperature stresses than the control as result of glycine betaine synthesis genes introduced.

Structure of choline oxidase in complex with the reaction product glycine betaine.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvi, Francesca; Wang, Yuan-Fang; Weber, Irene T; Gadda, Giovanni

2014-02-01

Choline oxidase from Arthrobacter globiformis, which is involved in the biosynthesis of glycine betaine from choline, has been extensively characterized in its mechanistic and structural properties. Despite the knowledge gained on the enzyme, the details of substrate access to the active site are not fully understood. The `loop-and-lid' mechanism described for the glucose-methanol-choline enzyme superfamily has not been confirmed for choline oxidase. Instead, a hydrophobic cluster on the solvent-accessible surface of the enzyme has been proposed by molecular dynamics to control substrate access to the active site. Here, the crystal structure of the enzyme was solved in complex with glycine betaine at pH 6.0 at 1.95 Å resolution, allowing a structural description of the ligand-enzyme interactions in the active site. This structure is the first of choline oxidase in complex with a physiologically relevant ligand. The protein structures with and without ligand are virtually identical, with the exception of a loop at the dimer interface, which assumes two distinct conformations. The different conformations of loop 250-255 define different accessibilities of the proposed active-site entrance delimited by the hydrophobic cluster on the other subunit of the dimer, suggesting a role in regulating substrate access to the active site.

Double-Headed Sulfur-Linked Amino Acids As First Inhibitors for Betaine-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase 2

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mládková, Jana; Vaněk, Václav; Buděšínský, Miloš; Elbert, Tomáš; Demianova, Zuzana; Garrow, T. A.; Jiráček, Jiří

2012-01-01

Roč. 55, č. 15 (2012), s. 6822-6831 ISSN 0022-2623 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/09/1919; GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/10/1277 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : betaine * homocysteine * methionine * BHMT * inhibitor Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 5.614, year: 2012

Prospective study on dietary intakes of folate, betaine, and choline and cardiovascular disease risk in women.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dalmeijer, G.W.; Olthof, M.R.; Verhoef, P.; Bots, M.L.; van der Schouw, Y.T.

2008-01-01

Objective: To investigate the association between dietary intakes of folate, betaine and choline and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Design: Prospective cohort study. Subjects: A total of 16165 women aged 49-70 years without prior CVD. Subjects were breast cancer screening participants in

Choline but not its derivative betaine blocks slow vacuolar channels in the halophyte Chenopodium quinoa: implications for salinity stress responses.

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Pottosin, Igor; Bonales-Alatorre, Edgar; Shabala, Sergey

2014-11-03

Activity of tonoplast slow vacuolar (SV, or TPC1) channels has to be under a tight control, to avoid undesirable leak of cations stored in the vacuole. This is particularly important for salt-grown plants, to ensure efficient vacuolar Na(+) sequestration. In this study we show that choline, a cationic precursor of glycine betaine, efficiently blocks SV channels in leaf and root vacuoles of the two chenopods, Chenopodium quinoa (halophyte) and Beta vulgaris (glycophyte). At the same time, betaine and proline, two major cytosolic organic osmolytes, have no significant effect on SV channel activity. Physiological implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of betaine, l-carnitine, and choline in human urine using a self-packed column and column-switching ion chromatography with nonsuppressed conductivity detection.

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Wei, Dan; Liu, Junwei; Guo, Ming; Zhu, Yan

2017-11-01

A simple method for the determination of betaine, l-carnitine, and choline in human urine was developed based on column-switching ion chromatography coupled with nonsuppressed conductivity detection by using a self-packed column. A pretreatment column (50 mm × 4.6 mm, id) packed with poly(glycidyl methacrylate-divinylbenzene) microspheres was used for the extraction and cleanup of analytes. Chromatographic separation was achieved within 10 min on a cationic exchange column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, id) using maleic anhydride modified poly(glycidyl methacrylate-divinylbenzene) as the particles for packing. The detection was performed by ion chromatography with nonsuppressed conductivity detection. Parameters including column-switching time, eluent type, flow rates of eluent, and interfering effects were optimized. Linearity (r 2 ≥ 0.99) was obtained for the concentration range of 0.50-100, 0.75-100, and 0.25-100 μg/mL for betaine, l-carnitine, and choline, respectively. Detection limits were 0.12, 0.20, and 0.05 μg/mL for betaine, l-carnitine, and choline, respectively. The intra- and interday accuracy and precision for all quality controls were within ±10.11%. Satisfactory recovery was observed between 92.5 and 105.0%. The validated method was successfully applied for the determination of betaine, l-carnitine, and choline in urine samples from healthy people. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Genetic impairments in folate enzymes increase dependence on dietary choline for phosphatidylcholine production at the expense of betaine synthesis.

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Ganz, Ariel B; Shields, Kelsey; Fomin, Vlad G; Lopez, Yusnier S; Mohan, Sanjay; Lovesky, Jessica; Chuang, Jasmine C; Ganti, Anita; Carrier, Bradley; Yan, Jian; Taeswuan, Siraphat; Cohen, Vanessa V; Swersky, Camille C; Stover, Julie A; Vitiello, Gerardo A; Malysheva, Olga V; Mudrak, Erika; Caudill, Marie A

2016-10-01

Although single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in folate-mediated pathways predict susceptibility to choline deficiency during severe choline deprivation, it is unknown if effects persist at recommended intakes. Thus, we used stable isotope liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methodology to examine the impact of candidate SNPs on choline metabolism in a long-term, randomized, controlled feeding trial among pregnant, lactating, and nonpregnant (NP) women consuming 480 or 930 mg/d choline (22% as choline-d 9 , with d 9 indicating a deuterated trimethyl amine group) and meeting folate-intake recommendations. Variants impairing folate metabolism, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801133, methionine synthase (MTR) rs1805087 [wild-type (WT)], MTR reductase (MTRR) rs1801394, and methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase-methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase-formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFD1) rs2236225, influenced choline dynamics, frequently through interactions with reproductive state and choline intake, with fewer genotypic alterations observed among pregnant women. Women with these variants partitioned more dietary choline toward phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis via the cytidine diphosphate (CDP)-choline pathway at the expense of betaine synthesis even when use of betaine as a methyl donor was increased. Choline intakes of 930 mg/d restored partitioning of dietary choline between betaine and CDP-PC among NP (MTHFR rs1801133 and MTR rs1805087 WT) and lactating (MTHFD1 rs2236225) women with risk genotypes. Overall, our findings indicate that loss-of-function variants in folate-metabolizing enzymes strain cellular PC production, possibly via impaired folate-dependent phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT)-PC synthesis, and suggest that women with these risk genotypes may benefit from choline intakes exceeding current recommendations.-Ganz, A. B., Shields, K., Fomin, V. G., Lopez, Y. S., Mohan, S., Lovesky, J., Chuang, J

Simple determination of betaine, l-carnitine and choline in human urine using self-packed column and column-switching ion chromatography with nonsuppressed conductivity detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Dan; Zhu, Yan; Guo, Ming

2018-02-01

A sequential online extraction, clean-up and separation system for the determination of betaine, l-carnitine and choline in human urine using column-switching ion chromatography with nonsuppressed conductivity detection was developed in this work. A self-packed pretreatment column (50 × 4.6 mm, i.d.) was used for the extraction and clean-up of betaine, l-carnitine and choline. The separation was achieved using self-packed cationic exchange column (150 × 4.6 mm, i.d.), followed by nonsuppressed conductivity detection. Under optimized experimental conditions, the developed method presented good analytical performance, with excellent linearity in the range of 0.60-100 μg mL -1 for betaine, 0.75-100 μg mL -1 for l-carnitine and 0.50-100 μg mL -1 for choline, with all correlation coefficients (R 2 ) >0.99 in urine. The limits of detection were 0.15 μg mL -1 for betaine, 0.20 μg mL -1 for l-carnitine and 0.09 μg mL -1 for choline. The intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision for all quality controls were within ±10.32 and ±9.05%, respectively. Satisfactory recovery was observed between 92.8 and 102.0%. The validated method was successfully applied to the detection of urinary samples from 10 healthy people. The values detected in human urine using the proposed method showed good agreement with the measurement reported previously. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Crystal and macular structure of 1:1 complex of N-methylmorpholine betaine with salicylic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartoszak-Adamska, E.; Dega-Szafran, Z.; Przedwojska, M.; Jaskolski, M.

2003-01-01

The structure of a 1:1 complexes of complex of N-methylmorpholine betaine (MMB) with salicylic acid (SAL) has been determined by a single crystal X-ray analysis. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group Pbca, with a 9.4702(6), b = 13.0559(7) and c = 45.226(2) A (at 140 K). The asymmetric unit is composed of two MMB + ·SAL - units (A and B) each formed by a short, nearly linear O-H...O hydrogen bond (2.542(2) and 2.474(2) A) between the carboxylic group of the betaine cation and carboxylate group of the anion. The salicylate anions form short intramolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds of 2. 472(2) and 2.525(2) A (O-H...O angles 160(2) and 149(2) o ) for anion A and B, respectively, between the ortho hydroxyl donor and the COO - group, but the carboxylate acceptor O atom is in each case different. The morpholine rings are in a chair conformation with the -CH 2 COOH group in equatorial and the methyl group in axial positions. FTIR, and 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra of the complex are discussed. (author)

Analogy tranzitního stavu jako inhibitory lidského enzymu betain:homocystein S-methyltransferasy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Netušilová, Hana; Buděšínský, Miloš; Rosenberg, Ivan; Jiráček, Jiří

2004-01-01

Roč. 98, č. 5 (2004), s. 295 ISSN 0009-2770. [Mezioborové setkání mladých biologů, biochemiků a chemiků /4./. 09.06.2004-12.06.2004, Žďárské vrchy] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/01/1166; GA AV ČR IAA4055302 Keywords : betain: homocystein e S-methyltransferase Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry

Effect of Folic Acid, Betaine, Vitamin B₆, and Vitamin B12 on Homocysteine and Dimethylglycine Levels in Middle-Aged Men Drinking White Wine.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajdl, Daniel; Racek, Jaroslav; Trefil, Ladislav; Stehlik, Pavel; Dobra, Jana; Babuska, Vaclav

2016-01-12

Moderate regular consumption of alcoholic beverages is believed to protect against atherosclerosis but can also increase homocysteine or dimethylglycine, which are putative risk factors for atherosclerosis. We aimed (1) to investigate the effect of alcohol consumption on vitamins and several metabolites involved in one-carbon metabolism; and (2) to find the most effective way of decreasing homocysteine during moderate alcohol consumption. Male volunteers (n = 117) were randomly divided into five groups: the wine-only group (control, 375 mL of white wine daily for one month) and four groups combining wine consumption with one of the supplemented substances (folic acid, betaine, and vitamins B12 or B₆). Significant lowering of homocysteine concentration after the drinking period was found in subjects with concurrent folate and betaine supplementation. Vitamin B12 and vitamin B₆ supplementation did not lead to a statistically significant change in homocysteine. According to a multiple linear regression model, the homocysteine change in the wine-only group was mainly determined by the interaction between the higher baseline homocysteine concentration and the change in dimethylglycine levels. Folate and betaine can attenuate possible adverse effects of moderate alcohol consumption. Dimethylglycine should be interpreted together with data on alcohol consumption and homocysteine concentration.

Halogenides of dimethylglycine in comparison with respective salts of glycine, sarcosine and betaine

Science.gov (United States)

Petrosyan, A. M.; Ghazaryan, V. V.; Giester, G.; Fleck, M.; Tylczyński, Z.; Wiesner, M.

2018-04-01

We investigated salts formation in the DMG(dimethylglycine)sbnd HClsbnd H2O, DMGsbnd HBrsbnd H2O and DMGsbnd HIsbnd H2O systems. In addition to previously known dimethylglycinium chloride (DMGH)Cl, we obtained and characterized (structurally and spectroscopically) the following crystals: (DMGH)Br, (DMGH)I as well as the first salts of DMG with dimeric (DMG⋯DMGH) cation: (DMG⋯DMGH)Cl, (DMG⋯DMGH)Br, (DMG⋯DMGH)I. Obtained results are compared with results of known or newly obtained respective salts of glycine, sarcosine (monomethylglycine) and betaine (trimethylglycine).

Experimental Electron Density Distribution in Two Cocrystals of Betaines with p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid

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Agata Owczarzak

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Experimental determination of electron density distribution in crystals by means of high-resolution X-ray diffraction allows, among others, for studying the details of intra- and inter-molecular interactions. In case of co-crystals, this method may help in finding the conditions of creating such species. The results of such analysis for two co-crystals containing betaines, namely trigonelline (TRG: nicotinic acid N-methylbetaine, IUPAC name: 1-methylpyridinium-3-carboxylate and N-methylpiperidine betaine (MPB: 1-methylpiperidinium-1-yl-carboxylate with p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA are reported. TRG-HBA crystallizes as a hydrate. For both of the co-crystals, high-quality diffraction data were collected up to sinθ/λ = 1.13 Å−1. Hansen-Coppens multipolar model was then applied for modelling the electron density distribution and Atoms-In-Molecules approach was used for detailed analysis of interactions in crystals. A number of intermolecular interactions was identified, ranging from strong O-H···O hydrogen bonds through C-H···O to C-H···π and π···π interactions. Correlations between the geometrical characteristics of the contacts and the features of their critical points were analyzed in detail. Atomic charges show that in zwitterionic species there are regions of opposite charges, rather than charges that are localized on certain atoms. In case of MPB-HBA, a significant charge transfer between the components of co-crystal (0.5 e was found, as opposed to TRG-HBA, where all of the components are almost neutral.

Choline and betaine intake and colorectal cancer risk in Chinese population: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Min-Shan; Fang, Yu-Jing; Pan, Zhi-Zhong; Zhong, Xiao; Zheng, Mei-Chun; Chen, Yu-Ming; Zhang, Cai-Xia

2015-01-01

Few studies have examined the association of choline and betaine intake with colorectal cancer risk, although they might play an important role in colorectal cancer development because of their role as methyl donors. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between consumption of choline and betaine and colorectal cancer risk in a Chinese population. A case-control study was conducted between July 2010 and December 2013 in Guangzhou, China. Eight hundred and ninety consecutively recruited colorectal cancer cases were frequency matched to 890 controls by age (5-year interval) and sex. Dietary information was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire by face-to-face interviews. The logistic regression model was used to estimate multivariate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Total choline intake was inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk after adjustment for various lifestyle and dietary factors. The multivariate-adjusted OR was 0.54 (95%CI = 0.37-0.80, Ptrend colorectal cancer risk was associated with higher intakes of choline from phosphatidylcholine, glycerophosphocholine and sphingomyelin but not for free choline and phosphocholine. The inverse association of total choline intake with colorectal cancer risk was observed in both men and women, colon and rectal cancer. These inverse associations were not modified by folate intake. These results indicate that high intake of total choline is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Quantifying why urea is a protein denaturant, whereas glycine betaine is a protein stabilizer

Science.gov (United States)

Guinn, Emily J.; Pegram, Laurel M.; Capp, Michael W.; Pollock, Michelle N.; Record, M. Thomas

2011-01-01

To explain the large, opposite effects of urea and glycine betaine (GB) on stability of folded proteins and protein complexes, we quantify and interpret preferential interactions of urea with 45 model compounds displaying protein functional groups and compare with a previous analysis of GB. This information is needed to use urea as a probe of coupled folding in protein processes and to tune molecular dynamics force fields. Preferential interactions between urea and model compounds relative to their interactions with water are determined by osmometry or solubility and dissected using a unique coarse-grained analysis to obtain interaction potentials quantifying the interaction of urea with each significant type of protein surface (aliphatic, aromatic hydrocarbon (C); polar and charged N and O). Microscopic local-bulk partition coefficients Kp for the accumulation or exclusion of urea in the water of hydration of these surfaces relative to bulk water are obtained. Kp values reveal that urea accumulates moderately at amide O and weakly at aliphatic C, whereas GB is excluded from both. These results provide both thermodynamic and molecular explanations for the opposite effects of urea and glycine betaine on protein stability, as well as deductions about strengths of amide NH—amide O and amide NH—amide N hydrogen bonds relative to hydrogen bonds to water. Interestingly, urea, like GB, is moderately accumulated at aromatic C surface. Urea m-values for protein folding and other protein processes are quantitatively interpreted and predicted using these urea interaction potentials or Kp values. PMID:21930943

Role of bundle helices in a regulatory crosstalk in the trimeric betaine transporter BetP.

Science.gov (United States)

Gärtner, Rebecca M; Perez, Camilo; Koshy, Caroline; Ziegler, Christine

2011-12-02

The Na(+)-coupled betaine symporter BetP regulates transport activity in response to hyperosmotic stress only in its trimeric state, suggesting a regulatory crosstalk between individual protomers. BetP shares the overall fold of two inverted structurally related five-transmembrane (TM) helix repeats with the sequence-unrelated Na(+)-coupled symporters LeuT, vSGLT, and Mhp1, which are neither trimeric nor regulated in transport activity. Conformational changes characteristic for this transporter fold involve the two first helices of each repeat, which form a four-TM-helix bundle. Here, we identify two ionic networks in BetP located on both sides of the membrane that might be responsible for BetP's unique regulatory behavior by restricting the conformational flexibility of the four-TM-helix bundle. The cytoplasmic ionic interaction network links both first helices of each repeat in one protomer to the osmosensing C-terminal domain of the adjacent protomer. Moreover, the periplasmic ionic interaction network conformationally locks the four-TM-helix bundle between the same neighbor protomers. By a combination of site-directed mutagenesis, cross-linking, and betaine uptake measurements, we demonstrate how conformational changes in individual bundle helices are transduced to the entire bundle by specific inter-helical interactions. We suggest that one purpose of bundle networking is to assist crosstalk between protomers during transport regulation by specifically modulating the transition from outward-facing to inward-facing state. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The self-organization and functional activity of binary system based on erucyl amidopropyl betaine - alkylated polyethyleneimine

Science.gov (United States)

Gaynanova, Gulnara A.; Valiakhmetova, Alsu R.; Kuryashov, Dmitry A.; Kudryashova, Yuliana R.; Lukashenko, Svetlana S.; Syakaev, Victor V.; Latypov, Shamil K.; Bukharov, Sergey V.; Bashkirtseva, Natalia Yu.; Zakharova, Lucia Ya.

2013-11-01

The self-organization in individual and binary aqueous solutions of a zwitterionic surfactant erucyl amidopropyl betaine and alkylated polyethyleneimine is carried out with a wide range of physical and chemical methods, including tensiometry, conductometry, dynamic light scattering, pH-metry, spectrophotometry, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The data obtained strongly support the formation of nanosized aggregates in the systems and provide information on their structure and probable morphological transitions. High solubilization capacity and data on the contact angle showed a possibility of the application of these systems as nanocontainers or oil wetting agents in the oil recovery.

The effects of water replacement by oral rehydration fluids with or without betaine supplementation on performance, acid-base balance, and water retention of heat-stressed broiler chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayed, M A M; Downing, J

2011-01-01

Exposing broilers to a high temperature increases water and electrolyte K(+) and Na(+) excretion, which negatively affects the heat dissipation capacity and acid-base homeostasis, resulting in losses in growth performance. In this experiment, the efficacy of providing oral rehydration therapy and betaine on growth performance, acid-base balance, and water and electrolyte retention was evaluated. A total of 432 one-day-old broiler chicks (Cobb) were allocated to 72 metabolic cages and reared to 31 d of age under standard conditions. From 32 to 41 d of age, chicks were exposed to heat stress (ambient temperature, 32°C) and high RH (80 to 100% RH) for 9 h daily. The ameliorative effects of a 3 × 3 factorial array of treatments administered via drinking water were evaluated in 8 replicates of 6 chicks per cage for each treatment. Two oral rehydration therapy (ORT) fluids, based on either citrate or bicarbonate salts, were added to tap water. In addition, betaine was added to tap water at an inclusion rate of 0, 500, or 1,000 mg/L to complete the array of 9 liquid-based treatments. Growth performance was assessed at 32, 35, and 41 d of age. From 32 to 35 d of age, chicks receiving ORT fluids exhibited improved growth performance, water balance, and electrolyte (K(+), Na(+)) retention. In addition, the physiological response to stress was attenuated, as indicated by lower heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios and blood glucose concentrations relative to the negative controls. The addition of betaine at an inclusion rate of 500 mg/L improved BW gain. From d 36 to 41, treatments did not significantly influence growth performance, which suggests that chicks receiving tap water were able to compensate and adapt to the heat-stress conditions. The results demonstrate that the beneficial effects of providing ORT fluids and 500 mg of betaine/L were observed only during the first 4 d of heat exposure. After this period, adaptation to the heat appears to occur, and none of the

Supplementation with Folic Acid, but Not Creatine, Increases Plasma Betaine, Decreases Plasma Dimethylglycine, and Prevents a Decrease in Plasma Choline in Arsenic-Exposed Bangladeshi Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Megan N; Howe, Caitlin G; Liu, Xinhua; Caudill, Marie A; Malysheva, Olga; Ilievski, Vesna; Lomax-Luu, Angela M; Parvez, Faruque; Siddique, Abu B; Shahriar, Hasan; Uddin, Mohammad N; Islam, Tariqul; Graziano, Joseph H; Gamble, Mary V

2016-05-01

Folic acid (FA) supplementation facilitates urinary excretion of arsenic, a human carcinogen. A better understanding of interactions between one-carbon metabolism intermediates may improve the ability to design nutrition interventions that further facilitate arsenic excretion. The objective was to determine if FA and/or creatine supplementation increase choline and betaine and decrease dimethylglycine (DMG). We conducted a secondary analysis of the Folic Acid and Creatine Trial, a randomized trial in arsenic-exposed Bangladeshi adults (n = 605, aged 24-55 y, 50.3% male) who received arsenic-removal water filters. We examined treatment effects of FA and/or creatine supplementation on plasma choline, betaine, and DMG concentrations, measured by LC-tandem mass spectrometry at baseline and at week 12. Group comparisons were between 1) 400 and 800 μg FA/d (FA400 and FA800, respectively) compared with placebo, 2) creatine (3 g/d) compared with placebo, and 3) creatine plus FA400 compared with FA400. Choline decreased in the placebo group (-6.6%; 95% CI: -10.2%, -2.9%) but did not change in the FA groups (FA400: 2.5%; 95% CI: -0.9%, 6.1%; FA800: 1.4%; 95% CI: -2.5%, 5.5%; P creatine treatment arms and their respective reference groups. Supplementation for 12 wk with FA, but not creatine, increases plasma betaine, decreases plasma DMG, and prevents a decrease in plasma choline in arsenic-exposed Bangladeshi adults. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01050556. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

New multilayer coating using quaternary ammonium chitosan and κ-carrageenan in capillary electrophoresis: application in fast analysis of betaine and methionine.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitali, Luciano; Della Betta, Fabiana; Costa, Ana Carolina O; Vaz, Fernando Antonio Simas; Oliveira, Marcone Augusto Leal; Vistuba, Jacqueline Pereira; Fávere, Valfredo T; Micke, Gustavo A

2014-06-01

The aim of this study was to develop a new multilayer coating with crosslinked quaternary ammonium chitosan (hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan; HACC) and κ-carrageenan for use in capillary electrophoresis. A new semi-permanent multilayer coating was formed using the procedure developed and the method does not require the presence of polymers in the background electrolyte (BGE). The new capillary multilayer coating showed a cathodic electroosmotic flow (EOF) of around 30×10(-9) m(2) V(-1) s(-1) which is pH-independent in the range of pH 2 to 10. The enhanced EOF at low pH obtained contributed significantly to the development of a fast method of separation. The multilayer coating was then applied in the development of a fast separation method to determine betaine and methionine in pharmaceutical formulations by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The BGE used to determine the betaine and methionine concentrations was composed of 10 mmol L(-1) tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane, 40 mmol L(-1) phosphoric acid and 10% (v/v) ethanol, at pH 2.1. A fused-silica capillary of 32 cm (50 µm ID×375 µm OD) was used in the experiments and samples and standards were analyzed employing the short-end injection procedure (8.5 cm effective length). The instrumental analysis time of the optimized method was 1.53 min (approx. 39 runs per hour). The validation of the proposed method for the determination of betaine and methionine showed good linearity (R(2)>0.999), adequate limit of detection (LOD <8 mg L(-1)) for the concentration in the samples and inter-day precision values lower than 3.5% (peak area and time migration). The results for the quantification of the amino acids in the samples determined by the CZE-UV method developed were statistically equal to those obtained with the comparative LC-MS/MS method according to the paired t-test with a confidence level of 95%. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extraction of vitexin from binahong (Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis) leaves using betaine - 1,4 butanediol natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES)

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Mulia, Kamarza; Muhammad, Fajri; Krisanti, Elsa

2017-03-01

The leaves of binahong (Anredera cordifolia (Ten) Steenis) contain flavonoids as bioactive substances that have efficacy to treat wounds and diseases caused by bacteria. One of the flavonoids contained in the leaves is 8-glucopyranosyl-4'5'7-trihydroxyflavone or vitexin. Conventional extraction of flavonoids from leaves of binahong has been developed and usually using non-friendly organic solvent. To overcome these problems, a Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NADES) is used to replace the conventional organic solvents, as it is an environmentally friendly, non-toxic and high boiling point solvent. In this study, a betaine-based NADES combined with 1,4-butanediol in 1:3 mole ratio was used as the extraction solvent. Vitexin in the extract was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using an HPLC. The extraction of vitexin from binahong leaves at room temperature (27 °C) for four hours give yield of 46 ppm, much lower than 200 ppm yield obtained after extraction at 55 °C for 90 minutes. This results showed that (a) NADES consisting of betaine and 1,4 butanediol is a promising green solvent for extraction of vitexin from binahong leaves, and, (b) the extraction can be performed above ambient temperature, as long as it does not exceed the degradation temperature of the bioactive compound extracted.

Downregulation of hepatic betaine:homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) expression in taurine-deficient mice is reversed by taurine supplementation in vivo.

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Jurkowska, Halina; Niewiadomski, Julie; Hirschberger, Lawrence L; Roman, Heather B; Mazor, Kevin M; Liu, Xiaojing; Locasale, Jason W; Park, Eunkyue; Stipanuk, Martha H

2016-03-01

The cysteine dioxygenase (Cdo1)-null and the cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (Csad)-null mouse are not able to synthesize hypotaurine/taurine by the cysteine/cysteine sulfinate pathway and have very low tissue taurine levels. These mice provide excellent models for studying the effects of taurine on biological processes. Using these mouse models, we identified betaine:homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) as a protein whose in vivo expression is robustly regulated by taurine. BHMT levels are low in liver of both Cdo1-null and Csad-null mice, but are restored to wild-type levels by dietary taurine supplementation. A lack of BHMT activity was indicated by an increase in the hepatic betaine level. In contrast to observations in liver of Cdo1-null and Csad-null mice, BHMT was not affected by taurine supplementation of primary hepatocytes from these mice. Likewise, CSAD abundance was not affected by taurine supplementation of primary hepatocytes, although it was robustly upregulated in liver of Cdo1-null and Csad-null mice and lowered to wild-type levels by dietary taurine supplementation. The mechanism by which taurine status affects hepatic CSAD and BHMT expression appears to be complex and to require factors outside of hepatocytes. Within the liver, mRNA abundance for both CSAD and BHMT was upregulated in parallel with protein levels, indicating regulation of BHMT and CSAD mRNA synthesis or degradation.

Acoustic and volumetric properties of betaine hydrochloride drug in aqueous D(+)-glucose and sucrose solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryshetti, Suresh; Gupta, Akash; Tangeda, Savitha Jyostna; Gardas, Ramesh L.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Density and speed of sound are measured for B.HCl drug in aq. D(+)-glucose and sucrose. • Solvation behavior of B.HCl drug studied in aqueous D(+)-glucose and sucrose. • Cosphere overlap model is used to understand the transfer partial molar volume. • Hepler’s constant indicated structure making ability of B.HCl drug in studied systems. - Abstract: The densities (ρ) and speeds of sound (u) of betaine hydrochloride (B.HCl) drug (0.01 to 0.06) mol · kg −1 in (0.10, 0.20 and 0.30) mol · kg −1 aqueous D(+)-glucose and sucrose solutions are reported as a function of temperature at T = (293.15 to 313.15) K and atmospheric pressure. The values of density (ρ) and speed of sound (u) are obtained with high precision. These values have been used to estimate the apparent molar volume (V 2,ϕ ), partial molar volume (V 2 ∞ ), transfer partial molar volume (Δ t V 2 ∞ ), apparent molar isentropic compressibility (K s,2,ϕ ), partial molar isentropic compressibility (K s,2 ∞ ), transfer partial molar compressibility (Δ t K s,2 ∞ ), hydration number (N H ), partial molar expansion (E 2 ∞ ) and Hepler’s constant (∂ 2 V 2 ∞ /∂T 2 ) P . Furthermore, pair (V AB and K AB ) and triplet (V ABB and K ABB ) interaction coefficients have been computed from the values of Δ t V 2 ∞ and Δ t K s,2 ∞ . The co-sphere overlap model is used to understand the values of Δ t V 2 ∞ and Δ t K s,2 ∞ . The positive values of (∂ 2 V 2 ∞ /∂T 2 ) P indicate structure making ability of betaine hydrochloride in aqueous D(+)-glucose and sucrose solutions at the temperatures and compositions investigated

Overaccumulation of glycine betaine makes the function of the thylakoid membrane better in wheat under salt stress

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Fengxia Tian

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. lines T1, T4, and T6 were genetically modified to increase glycine betaine (GB synthesis by introduction of the BADH (betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, BADH gene from mountain spinach (Atriplex hortensis L.. These transgenic lines and WT of wheat (T. aestivum L. were used to study the effect of increased GB synthesis on wheat tolerance to salt stress. Salt stress due to 200 mmol L−1 NaCl impaired the photosynthesis of the four wheat lines, as indicated by declines in net photosynthetic rate (Pn, stomatal conductance (Gs, maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm, and actual photochemical efficiency of PSII (ФPSII and an increase in intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci. In comparison with WT, the effect of salinity on the three transgenic lines was mild. Salt stress caused disadvantageous changes in lipids and their fatty acid compositions in the thylakoid membrane of the transgenic lines and WT. Under salt stress, the three transgenic lines showed slightly higher chlorophyll and carotenoid contents and higher Hill reaction activities and Ca2+-ATPase activity than WT. All the results suggest that overaccumulation of GB resulting from introduction of the BADH gene can enhance the salt tolerance of transgenic plants, especially in the protection of the components and function of thylakoid membranes, thereby making photosynthesis better. Changes in lipids and fatty acid compositions in the thylakoid membrane may be involved in the increased salt stress tolerance of the transgenic lines.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 Converts Plant-Derived Choline to Glycine Betaine for Osmoprotection during Pre- and Post-harvest Colonization of Injured Lettuce Leaves

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Russell A. Scott

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Plant injury is inherent to the production and processing of fruit and vegetables. The opportunistic colonization of damaged plant tissue by human enteric pathogens may contribute to the occurrence of outbreaks of foodborne illness linked to produce. Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EcO157 responds to physicochemical stresses in cut lettuce and lettuce lysates by upregulation of several stress response pathways. We investigated the tolerance of EcO157 to osmotic stress imposed by the leakage of osmolytes from injured lettuce leaf tissue. LC-MS analysis of bacterial osmoprotectants in lettuce leaf lysates and wound washes indicated an abundant natural pool of choline, but sparse quantities of glycine betaine and proline. Glycine betaine was a more effective osmoprotectant than choline in EcO157 under osmotic stress conditions in vitro. An EcO157 mutant with a deletion of the betTIBA genes, which are required for biosynthesis of glycine betaine from imported choline, achieved population sizes twofold lower than those of the parental strain (P < 0.05 over the first hour of colonization of cut lettuce in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP. The cell concentrations of the betTIBA mutant also were 12-fold lower than those of the parental strain (P < 0.01 when grown in hypertonic lettuce lysate, indicating that lettuce leaf cellular contents provide choline for osmoprotection of EcO157. To demonstrate the utilization of available choline by EcO157 for osmoadaptation in injured leaf tissue, deuterated (D-9 choline was introduced to wound sites in MAP lettuce; LC-MS analysis revealed the conversion of D9-choline to D-9 glycine betaine in the parental strain, but no significant amounts were observed in the betTIBA mutant. The EcO157 ΔbetTIBA-ΔotsBA double mutant, which is additionally deficient in de novo synthesis of the compatible solute trehalose, was significantly less fit than the parental strain after their co-inoculation onto injured lettuce leaves and

Study of betaine calcium chloride dihydrate (BCCD) by neutrons inelastic scattering; Etude du chlorure de betaine et de calcium dihydrate (BCCD) par diffusion inelastique de neutrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hlinka, J

1995-06-27

The aim of this work is to study the betaine calcium chloride dihydrate (BCCD) lattice dynamics by neutrons inelastic and coherent scattering. In the first part are summarized the main properties of the BCCD as they are determined in some previous experimental works. It has been more particularly emphasized on the structural and dynamical properties of this compound. The theoretical concepts used in incommensurate dielectric materials physics are given in the second part. They are at first introduced generally and then applied to BCCD. In the third part is described the experimental method used in this work : the neutrons inelastic scattering. The experimental results on the BCCD normal phase dynamics are then presented. These results and their interpretation allow to build up a semi-microscopic model introduced in the fifth part. The incommensurate lattice dynamics (at 20 K under the transition temperature towards the modulated phase) is studied in the last part. It has been shown that new aspects in relation to the previous works appear in BCCD. (O.L.). 121 refs., 25 figs., 5 tabs.

Study of betaine calcium chloride dihydrate (BCCD) by neutrons inelastic scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hlinka, J.

1995-01-01

The aim of this work is to study the betaine calcium chloride dihydrate (BCCD) lattice dynamics by neutrons inelastic and coherent scattering. In the first part are summarized the main properties of the BCCD as they are determined in some previous experimental works. It has been more particularly emphasized on the structural and dynamical properties of this compound. The theoretical concepts used in incommensurate dielectric materials physics are given in the second part. They are at first introduced generally and then applied to BCCD. In the third part is described the experimental method used in this work : the neutrons inelastic scattering. The experimental results on the BCCD normal phase dynamics are then presented. These results and their interpretation allow to build up a semi-microscopic model introduced in the fifth part. The incommensurate lattice dynamics (at 20 K under the transition temperature towards the modulated phase) is studied in the last part. It has been shown that new aspects in relation to the previous works appear in BCCD. (O.L.). 121 refs., 25 figs., 5 tabs

Foliar urea application affects nitric oxide burst and glycine betaine metabolism in two maize cultivars under drought

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, L.; Zhang, X.; Wang, K.; Zhao, Y.; Zhai, Y.; Gao, M.

2011-01-01

Foliar urea has been proved to act a better role in alleviation of the negative effects of drought stress (DS). However, the modulation mechanism of foliar urea are not conclusive in view of nitric oxide (NO) burst and glycine betaine metabolism and their relationship. Two maize ( Zea mays L.) cultivars (Zhengdan 958, JD958, Jundan 20, ZD20) were grown in hydroponic medium, which were treated with spraying of urea concentration of 15 g L/sup -1/ and two water regimes (non-stress and DS simulated by the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG, 15% w/v, MW 6000). The ten-day DS treatment increased betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) activity, choline content and nitric oxide (NO) content acted as the key enzyme, initial substrate and a nitrogenous signal substance respectively in GB synthesis metabolism, thus, induced to great GB accumulation. The accumulation of NO reached the summit earlier than that of GB. The more positive/less negative responses were recorded in JD958 as compared with ZD20 to DS. Addition of foliar ur ea could increase accumulation of choline and BADH activity as well as NO content, thereby, increase GB accumulation under DS. These positive effects of urea applying foliarly on all parameters measured were more pronounced in cultivar JD20 than those in ZD958 under drought. It is, therefore, concluded that increases of both BADH activity and choline content possibly resulted in enhancement of GB accumulation. Foliar urea application could provoke better GB accumulation by modulation of GB metabolism, possibly mediating by NO burst as a signal molecule during drought, especially in the drought sensitive maize cultivar. (author)

Improved tolerance to various abiotic stresses in transgenic sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas expressing spinach betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase.

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Weijuan Fan

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses are critical delimiters for the increased productivity and cultivation expansion of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas, a root crop with worldwide importance. The increased production of glycine betaine (GB improves plant tolerance to various abiotic stresses without strong phenotypic changes, providing a feasible approach to improve stable yield production under unfavorable conditions. The gene encoding betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH is involved in the biosynthesis of GB in plants, and the accumulation of GB by the heterologous overexpression of BADH improves abiotic stress tolerance in plants. This study is to improve sweet potato, a GB accumulator, resistant to multiple abiotic stresses by promoted GB biosynthesis. A chloroplastic BADH gene from Spinacia oleracea (SoBADH was introduced into the sweet potato cultivar Sushu-2 via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The overexpression of SoBADH in the transgenic sweet potato improved tolerance to various abiotic stresses, including salt, oxidative stress, and low temperature. The increased BADH activity and GB accumulation in the transgenic plant lines under normal and multiple environmental stresses resulted in increased protection against cell damage through the maintenance of cell membrane integrity, stronger photosynthetic activity, reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS production, and induction or activation of ROS scavenging by the increased activity of free radical-scavenging enzymes. The increased proline accumulation and systemic upregulation of many ROS-scavenging genes in stress-treated transgenic plants also indicated that GB accumulation might stimulate the ROS-scavenging system and proline biosynthesis via an integrative mechanism. This study demonstrates that the enhancement of GB biosynthesis in sweet potato is an effective and feasible approach to improve its tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses without causing phenotypic defects. This strategy for trait

Dissecting the Catalytic Mechanism of Betaine-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase Using Intrinsic Tryptophan Fluorescence and Site-Directed Mutagenesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, C.; Gratson, A.A.; Evans, J.C.; Jiracek, J.; Collinsova, M.; Ludwig, M.L.; Garrow, T.A. (ASCR); (UIUC); (Michigan)

2010-03-05

Betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT) is a zinc-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from glycine betaine (Bet) to homocysteine (Hcy) to form dimethylglycine (DMG) and methionine (Met). Previous studies in other laboratories have indicated that catalysis proceeds through the formation of a ternary complex, with a transition state mimicked by the inhibitor S-({delta}-carboxybutyl)-l-homocysteine (CBHcy). Using changes in intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence to determine the affinity of human BHMT for substrates, products, or CBHcy, we now demonstrate that the enzyme-substrate complex reaches its transition state through an ordered bi-bi mechanism in which Hcy is the first substrate to bind and Met is the last product released. Hcy, Met, and CBHcy bind to the enzyme to form binary complexes with K{sub d} values of 7.9, 6.9, and 0.28 {micro}M, respectively. Binary complexes with Bet and DMG cannot be detected with fluorescence as a probe, but Bet and DMG bind tightly to BHMT-Hcy to form ternary complexes with K{sub d} values of 1.1 and 0.73 {micro}M, respectively. Mutation of each of the seven tryptophan residues in human BHMT provides evidence that the enzyme undergoes two distinct conformational changes that are reflected in the fluorescence of the enzyme. The first is induced when Hcy binds, and the second, when Bet binds. As predicted by the crystal structure of BHMT, the amino acids Trp44 and Tyr160 are involved in binding Bet, and Glu159 in binding Hcy. Replacing these residues by site-directed mutagenesis significantly reduces the catalytic efficiency (V{sub max}/K{sub m}) of the enzyme. Replacing Tyr77 with Phe abolishes enzyme activity.

Serum metabolomics reveals betaine and phosphatidylcholine as potential biomarkers for the toxic responses of processed Aconitum carmichaelii Debx.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Yong; Ko, Joshua; Liu, Xinru; Lu, Cheng; Li, Jian; Xiao, Cheng; Li, Li; Niu, Xuyan; Jiang, Miao; He, Xiaojuan; Zhao, Hongyan; Zhang, Zhongxiao; Bian, Zhaoxiang; Yang, Zhijun; Zhang, Ge; Zhang, Weidong; Lu, Aiping

2014-07-29

We recently reported that processed Aconitum carmichaelii Debx (Bai-Fu-Pian in Chinese, BFP) elicits differential toxic responses in rats under various health conditions. The present study aimed to determine the graded toxicity of BFP so as to derive a safe therapeutic rationale in clinical practice. Sensitive and reliable biomarkers of toxicity were also identified, with the corresponding metabolic pathways being unveiled. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups (n = 6) and received oral administration of BFP extract (0.32, 0.64, 1.28 or 2.56 g kg(-1) per day) or an equal volume of drinking water (control) for 15 days. The metabolomic profiles of rat serum were analyzed by liquid chromatography quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS). Linear regression analysis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) were used to elucidate the differentiated altered metabolites and associated network relationships. Results from biochemical and histopathological examinations revealed that BFP could induce prominent toxicity in the heart, liver and kidneys at a dose of 2.56 g kg(-1) per day. Betaine up-regulation and phosphatidylcholine down-regulation were detected in the serum samples of drug-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner. In summary, betaine and phosphatidylcholine could be regarded as sensitive biomarkers for the toxic responses of BFP. Perturbations of RhoA signaling, choline metabolism and free radical scavenging were found to be partly responsible for the toxic effects of the herbal drug. Based on the metabolomics findings, we could establish a safe therapeutic range in the clinical use of BFP, with promising predictions of possible drug toxicity.

From betaines to anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes. Borane, gold, rhodium, and nickel complexes starting from an imidazoliumphenolate and its carbene tautomer

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Ming Liu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The mesomeric betaine imidazolium-1-ylphenolate forms a borane adduct with tris(pentafluorophenylborane by coordination with the phenolate oxygen, whereas its NHC tautomer 1-(2-phenolimidazol-2-ylidene reacts with (triphenylphosphinegold(I chloride to give the cationic NHC complex [Au(NHC2][Cl] by coordination with the carbene carbon atom. The anionic N-heterocyclic carbene 1-(2-phenolateimidazol-2-ylidene gives the complexes [K][Au(NHC−2], [Rh(NHC−3] and [Ni(NHC−2], respectively. Results of four single crystal analyses are presented.

Laying performance, digestibility and plasma hormones in laying hens exposed to chronic heat stress as affected by betaine, vitamin C, and/or vitamin E supplementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Attia, Youssef A; Abd El-Hamid, Abd El-Hamid E; Abedalla, Ahmed A; Berika, Marfat A; Al-Harthi, Mohammed A; Kucuk, Osman; Sahin, Kazim; Abou-Shehema, Baha M

2016-01-01

Heat stress had a negative effect on laying hens' performance, thus this research was to study the influences of betaine (Bet, 1000 mg/kg betaine), vitamin C (VC, 200 mg/kg ascorbic acid), and vitamin E (VE, 150 mg/kg α-Tocopherol acetate) and their possible combinations on egg production, digestibility of nutrients, plasma hormones and reproductive organs of dual-purpose hens exposed to chronic heat stress. Two hundred and eighty eight hens and thirty-six cocks from 32 to 48 weeks of age were divided into nine treatment groups of four replicates, each containing eight hens and one cock. One group was kept under thermo-natural condition and the eight others were kept under chronic heat stress (CHS). One of these eight was used as a negative control, while the others were supplemented with VC, VE and/or betaine and their possible combinations. Body weights, laying rate, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio in hens reared under CHS rooster without any supplementation during 32 to 48 weeks of impairment (P = 0.0052) were recorded. Hens reared under heat stress and fed a diet supplemented with either Bet, VC, VE or combination of the supplements increased production traits. However, hens supplemented with VC showed the greatest production traits. Plasma glucose, estradiol-17 (E2), progesterone (P4), tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) decreased in hens reared under CHS and fed a diet with no supplementation compared to the other treatments (P = 0.001). Liver weights, spleen weights, thyroid gland weights, ovary weights, oviduct weights and oviduct lengths were lowest in hens reared under CHS and fed a diet with no supplementation (P = 0.0480). In conclusion, dual purpose hens reared under CHS and supplemented with VC at 200 mg/kg diet and Bet at 1000 mg/kg enhanced the laying performance and combated CHS.

Supplementation with Folic Acid, but Not Creatine, Increases Plasma Betaine, Decreases Plasma Dimethylglycine, and Prevents a Decrease in Plasma Choline in Arsenic-Exposed Bangladeshi Adults123

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Megan N; Liu, Xinhua; Caudill, Marie A; Malysheva, Olga; Ilievski, Vesna; Lomax-Luu, Angela M; Parvez, Faruque; Siddique, Abu B; Shahriar, Hasan; Uddin, Mohammad N; Islam, Tariqul; Graziano, Joseph H; Gamble, Mary V

2016-01-01

Background: Folic acid (FA) supplementation facilitates urinary excretion of arsenic, a human carcinogen. A better understanding of interactions between one-carbon metabolism intermediates may improve the ability to design nutrition interventions that further facilitate arsenic excretion. Objective: The objective was to determine if FA and/or creatine supplementation increase choline and betaine and decrease dimethylglycine (DMG). Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the Folic Acid and Creatine Trial, a randomized trial in arsenic-exposed Bangladeshi adults (n = 605, aged 24–55 y, 50.3% male) who received arsenic-removal water filters. We examined treatment effects of FA and/or creatine supplementation on plasma choline, betaine, and DMG concentrations, measured by LC–tandem mass spectrometry at baseline and at week 12. Group comparisons were between 1) 400 and 800 μg FA/d (FA400 and FA800, respectively) compared with placebo, 2) creatine (3 g/d) compared with placebo, and 3) creatine plus FA400 compared with FA400. Results: Choline decreased in the placebo group (−6.6%; 95% CI: −10.2%, −2.9%) but did not change in the FA groups (FA400: 2.5%; 95% CI: −0.9%, 6.1%; FA800: 1.4%; 95% CI: −2.5%, 5.5%; P DMG was greater in the FA groups (FA400: −26.7%; 95% CI: −30.9%, −22.2%; FA800: −27.8%; 95% CI: −31.8%, −23.4%) than in the placebo group (−12.3%; 95% CI: −18.1%, −6.2%; P DMG did not differ between creatine treatment arms and their respective reference groups. Conclusion: Supplementation for 12 wk with FA, but not creatine, increases plasma betaine, decreases plasma DMG, and prevents a decrease in plasma choline in arsenic-exposed Bangladeshi adults. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01050556. PMID:27052531

A novel betaine type asphalt emulsifier synthesized and investigated by online FTIR spectrophotometric method

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Shi Laishun

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A novel betaine type asphalt emulsifier 3-(N,N,N-dimethyl acetoxy ammonium chloride-2-hydroxypropyl laurate was synthesized after three steps by the reaction of lauric acid, epichlorohydrin, dimethylamine and sodium chloroacetate. The optimum reaction conditions were obtained for the synthesis of the first step of 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl laurate. The esterification yield reaches 97.1% at the optimum conditions of reaction temperature 80ºC, reaction time 6 h, feedstock mole ratio of epichlorohydrin to lauric acid 1.5, mass ratio of catalyst to lauric acid 2%. The chemical structure of the product was characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR. The first synthesis step of 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl laurate was monitored by online FTIR technique. The by-product was detected by the online FTIR analysis. Based upon the experimental data, a plausible reaction mechanism was proposed for the reaction. The CMC of the objective product has a lower value of 7.4×10-4 mol/L. The surface tension at CMC is 30.85 mN/m. The emulsifier is a rapid-set asphalt emulsifier.

Enhancement mechanisms of short-time aerobic digestion for waste activated sludge in the presence of cocoamidopropyl betaine.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Siqing; Zhou, Yun; Eustance, Everett; Zhang, Zhiqiang

2017-10-18

Cocoamidopropyl betaine (CAPB), which is a biodegradable ampholytic surfactant, has recently been found to dramatically enhance the aerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) in short-time aerobic digestion (STAD) systems. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms in which CAPB enhances WAS aerobic digestion performance. Results showed that CAPB could dramatically enhance the solubilization of soluble proteins (PN), polysaccharides (PS), nucleic acids (NA) and humic-like substances (HS) in the STAD system within the initial 2 h. Then PN, PS and NA gradually decreased, while HS showed only minor decease. In addition, CAPB increased the proportion of low MW fractions (biodegradable. Specific oxygen uptake rates and dehydrogenase enzyme activity results indicated that CAPB markedly improved the aerobic microorganism activities. Microbial community analyses and principle coordinate analyses (PCoA) revealed that CAPB increased the proportion of some functional microorganisms, including Proteobacteria, Planctomycetales, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas and Aeromonas. The changes driven by CAPB could explain the enhanced performance of the STAD system for WAS aerobic treatment.

Maternal Folate Status and the BHMT c.716G>A Polymorphism Affect the Betaine Dimethylglycine Pathway during Pregnancy

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Jose M. Colomina

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The effect of the betaine: homocysteine methyltransferase BHMT c.716G>A (G: guanosine; A: adenosine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP on the BHMT pathway is unknown during pregnancy. We hypothesised that it impairs betaine to dimethylglycine conversion and that folate status modifies its effect. We studied 612 women from the Reus Tarragona Birth Cohort from ≤12 gestational weeks (GW throughout pregnancy. The frequency of the variant BHMT c.716A allele was 30.8% (95% confidence interval (CI: 28.3, 33.5. In participants with normal-high plasma folate status (>13.4 nmol/L, least square geometric mean [95% CI] plasma dimethylglycine (pDMG, µmol/L was lower in the GA (2.35 [2.23, 2.47] versus GG (2.58 [2.46, 2.70] genotype at ≤12 GW (p < 0.05 and in the GA (2.08 [1.97, 2.19] and AA (1.94 [1.75, 2.16] versus GG (2.29 [2.18, 2.40] genotypes at 15 GW (p < 0.05. No differences in pDMG between genotypes were observed in participants with possible folate deficiency (≤13.4 nmol/L (p for interactions at ≤12 GW: 0.023 and 15 GW: 0.038. PDMG was lower in participants with the AA versus GG genotype at 34 GW (2.01 [1.79, 2.25] versus 2.44 [2.16, 2.76] and at labour, 2.51 [2.39, 2.64] versus 3.00 [2.84, 3.18], (p < 0.01. Possible deficiency compared to normal-high folate status was associated with higher pDMG in multiple linear regression analysis (β coefficients [SEM] ranging from 0.07 [0.04], p < 0.05 to 0.20 [0.04], p < 0.001 in models from early and mid-late pregnancy and the AA compared to GG genotype was associated with lower pDMG (β coefficients [SEM] ranging from −0.11 [0.06], p = 0.055 to −0.23 [0.06], p < 0.001. Conclusion: During pregnancy, the BHMT pathway is affected by folate status and by the variant BHMT c.716A allele.

The role of lipids and salts in two-dimensional crystallization of the glycine-betaine transporter BetP from Corynebacterium glutamicum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsai, Ching-Ju; Ejsing, Christer S.; Shevchenko, Andrej

2007-01-01

The osmoregulated and chill-sensitive glycine-betaine transporter (BetP) from Corynebacterium glutamicum was reconstituted into lipids to form two-dimensional (2D) crystals. The sensitivity of BetP partly bases on its interaction with lipids. Here we demonstrate that lipids and salts influence...... crystal morphology and crystallinity of a C-terminally truncated BetP. The salt type and concentration during crystallization determined whether crystals grew in the form of planar-tubes, sheets or vesicles, while the lipid type influenced crystal packing and order. Three different lipid preparations...... for 2D crystallization were compared. Only the use of lipids extracted from C. glutamicum cells led to the formation of large, well-ordered crystalline areas. To understand the lipid-derived influence on crystallinity, lipid extracts from different stages of the crystallization process were analyzed...

Colina e betaína em rações purificadas na nutrição da tilápia do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus Choline and betaine in purified diets for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus

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Ivan Vieira

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Problemas metabólicos observados em produções intensivas de tilápias do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus têm sido relacionados à deficiência de colina nas rações. Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da suplementação dietética da colina na nutrição da espécie, rações purificadas contendo 0; 375; 750; 1.125; 1.500 ou 1.875 mg de cloreto de colina por kg, foram administradas ad libitum por 42 dias a tilápias do Nilo (5,09 ± 0,14 g, estocados em gaiolas de PVC atóxico (volume = 60 L, alojadas em caixas de polipropileno de 1000 L, em ambiente com condições controladas de temperatura e luminosidade, num delineamento experimental em blocos incompletos casualizados, com três parcelas por bloco (n=5. O ganho de peso (GDP e o índice de conversão alimentar (ICA de todos os tratamentos foram superiores ao controle. Não foram observadas diferenças para a quantidade de lipídios no fígado e tecido corporal, e sobrevivência (S%. Num segundo experimento, os peixes foram alimentados com rações suplementadas com 1.250 ou 2.500 mg de cloreto de colina por kg; ou 1.000; 2.000 ou 3.000 mg de betaína por kg. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas para S% e acúmulo de lipídeos hepáticos ou corporais; o ICA e GDP dos tratamentos suplementados com colina foram superiores aos dos tratamentos suplementados com betaína, mas não diferiram entre si. Níveis de suplementação superiores a 375 mg de cloreto de colina por kg de alimento melhoram o ICA e o GDP da tilápia do Nilo, mas a betaína não substitui efetivamente a colina em rações para a espécie.Metabolic problems detected in intensively raised Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus are credited to possible sub-supplementation of coline in commercial feeds. To investigate the utilization of choline and betaine as feed supplement for the Nile tilapia, groups of 10 fingerlings (5.09 ± 0.14 g stocked in 30 PVC cages (60 L, kept under controlled environmental conditions inside

Commensurately modulated 1/4 and 1/5 phases of deuterated betaine calcium chloride dihydrate: a neutron structural study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez, O.; Cousson, A.; Kiat, J.M.; Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, 92 - Chatenay-Malabry; Paulus, W.; Technische Hochschule Aachen; Ezpeleta, J.M.; Zuniga, F.J.

1999-01-01

The structures of the commensurate 1/4 and 1/5 phases of the displacively modulated compound D-BCCD [deuterated betaine (trimethylammonioacetate) calcium chloride dihydrate, i.e. (CD 3 ) 3 NCD 2 COOCaCl 2 (D 2 O) 2 or CaCl 2 x C 5 D 11 NO 2 x 2D 2 O] have been determined by single-crystal neutron diffraction at 100 and 68 K, respectively. The structural model of the 1/4 phase is found to be quite different from that obtained previously from X-ray diffraction data of the hydrogenated compound. This discrepancy comes from the fact that X-ray irradiation induces in this compound an unusual time-dependent decrease of the intensity of high-order satellite diffraction peaks. As a consequence and due to the commensurate nature of the phases investigated, X-ray diffraction failed to detect the large anharmonicity of the structural modulation which is clearly present in the two structures determined by neutron diffraction. (orig.)

A method comparison of a food frequency questionnaire to measure folate, choline, betaine, vitamin C and carotenoids with 24-h dietary recalls in women of reproductive age.

Science.gov (United States)

Coathup, V; Wheeler, S; Smith, L

2016-03-01

The objective of this study was to conduct a method comparison of a modified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), designed to estimate usual dietary intake of selected micronutrients and antioxidants including folate, choline, betaine, vitamin C and carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein, lycopene and β-cryptoxanthin) with 24-h dietary recalls (24-HR) in women of reproductive age. Sixty-four British women of reproductive age (18-40 years) were recruited in Oxford, UK and provided complete dietary data for analysis. We compared micronutrient estimates from the FFQ against estimates derived from three multiple-pass, 24-HR interviews, by evaluating Pearson's correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots. Median intakes of most nutrients were higher when measured by FFQ compared with 24-HR. Strong correlation coefficients were observed for folate (r=0.80) and choline (r=0.68), whereas moderate correlation coefficients were observed for vitamin C (0.50) and lycopene (0.43). Weak correlation coefficients were observed for betaine (0.39) and other carotenoids (r=0.26-0.38). Bland-Altman plots indicated that there was a large amount of variability in the FFQ estimates of nutrient intakes compared to those using 24-HR, particularly for carotenoids. The findings indicate that this FFQ estimated higher mean intakes for most nutrients. Pearson's correlation coefficients were comparable with previous research; however, the Bland-Altman plots suggest a high variability in mean nutrient estimates between the FFQ and 24-h. We recommend further investigation of the validity of this FFQ before use.

A novel, environmentally friendly sodium lauryl ether sulfate-, cocamidopropyl betaine-, cocamide monoethanolamine-containing buffer for MEKC on microfluidic devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoeman, Kurt W; Culbertson, Christopher T

2008-12-01

A new buffer has been developed for fast, high-efficiency separations of amino acids by MEKC. This buffer was more environmentally friendly than the most commonly used surfactant-containing buffers for MEKC separations. It used a commercially available dishwashing soap by Seventh Generation (Burlington, VT, USA), which contained three micelle-forming agents. The mixed micelles were composed of sodium lauryl ether sulfate (anionic), cocamidopropyl betaine (zwitterionic), and cocamide monoethanolamine (non-ionic). The optimized buffer contained 5.0% w/w Seventh Generation Free & Clear dishwashing soap, 10 mM sodium borate, and was completely void of organics. The lack of organics and the biodegradability of the surfactant molecules made this buffer more environmentally friendly than typical SDS-containing buffers. This new buffer also had a different selectivity and provided faster separations with higher separation efficiencies than SDS-based buffers. Fast separations of BODIPY FL labeled amino acids yielded peaks with separation efficiencies greater than 100,000 in less than 20 s.

Molecular structure of hydrated complex of 1,4-dimethylpiperazine di-betaine with L-tartaric acid

Science.gov (United States)

Dega-Szafran, Z.; Katrusiak, A.; Szafran, M.

2008-12-01

1,4-Dimethylpiperazine di-betaine (DBPZ) forms a crystalline complex with L-tartaric acid (TA) and two and a half water molecules. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2 1. The piperazine has a chair conformation with the methyl groups in the equatorial positions and the axial CH 2COO substituents. One of the CH 2COO group is protonated and forms with the neighboring DBPZ molecule the COO sbnd H⋯OOC hydrogen bond of the length 2.476(3) Å, which links them into a chain. The semi-tartrate anions, form a chain through the symmetrical, short COO⋯H⋯OOC hydrogen bond of 2.464(3) Å. The crystals have a layer structure, where hydrogen-bonded sheets of TA and water molecules are separated by the chains of DBPZ; no H-bonds between water and DBPZ are present. In the optimized molecules in the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) approach, the tartaric acid interacts with the tartrate di-anions through the COO sbnd H⋯OOC hydrogen bonds of 2.506 Å, while the DBPZ has the same conformation as in the crystals. The FTIR spectrum of the solid complex is consistent with the X-ray results.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of recombinant betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (OsBADH2), a protein involved in jasmine aroma, from Thai fragrant rice (Oryza sativa L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuaprasert, Buabarn; Silprasit, Kun; Horata, Natharinee; Khunrae, Pongsak; Wongpanya, Ratree; Boonyalai, Nonlawat; Vanavichit, Apichart; Choowongkomon, Kiattawee

2011-01-01

Crystals of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 from rice (O. sativa L.) belonged to a C-centred orthorhombic space group and diffraceted X-rays to 2.6 Å resolution. Fragrant rice (Oryza sativa L.) betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (OsBADH2) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of fragrance aroma compounds. The extremely low activity of OsBADH2 in catalyzing the oxidation of acetaldehyde is believed to be crucial for the accumulation of the volatile compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) in many scented plants, including fragrant rice. Recombinant fragrant rice OsBADH2 was expressed in Escherichia coli as an N-terminal hexahistidine fusion protein, purified using Ni Sepharose affinity chromatography and crystallized using the microbatch method. Initial crystals were obtained within 24 h using 0.1 M Tris pH 8.5 with 30%(w/v) PEG 4000 and 0.2 M magnesium chloride as the precipitating agent at 291 K. Crystal quality was improved when the enzyme was cocrystallized with NAD + . Improved crystals were grown in 0.1 M HEPES pH 7.4, 24%(w/v) PEG 4000 and 0.2 M ammonium chloride and diffracted to beyond 2.95 Å resolution after being cooled in a stream of N 2 immediately prior to X-ray diffraction experiments. The crystals belonged to space group C222 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 66.03, b = 183.94, c = 172.28 Å. An initial molecular-replacement solution has been obtained and refinement is in progress

Interactions of glycine betaine with proteins: insights from volume and compressibility measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Shek, Yuen Lai; Chalikian, Tigran V

2013-01-29

We report the first application of volume and compressibility measurements to characterization of interactions between cosolvents (osmolytes) and globular proteins. Specifically, we measure the partial molar volumes and adiabatic compressibilities of cytochrome c, ribonuclease A, lysozyme, and ovalbumin in aqueous solutions of the stabilizing osmolyte glycine betaine (GB) at concentrations between 0 and 4 M. The fact that globular proteins do not undergo any conformational transitions in the presence of GB provides an opportunity to study the interactions of GB with proteins in their native states within the entire range of experimentally accessible GB concentrations. We analyze our resulting volumetric data within the framework of a statistical thermodynamic model in which each instance of GB interaction with a protein is viewed as a binding reaction that is accompanied by release of four water molecules. From this analysis, we calculate the association constants, k, as well as changes in volume, ΔV(0), and adiabatic compressibility, ΔK(S0), accompanying each GB-protein association event in an ideal solution. By comparing these parameters with similar characteristics determined for low-molecular weight analogues of proteins, we conclude that there are no significant cooperative effects involved in interactions of GB with any of the proteins studied in this work. We also evaluate the free energies of direct GB-protein interactions. The energetic properties of GB-protein association appear to scale with the size of the protein. For all proteins, the highly favorable change in free energy associated with direct protein-cosolvent interactions is nearly compensated by an unfavorable free energy of cavity formation (excluded volume effect), yielding a modestly unfavorable free energy for the transfer of a protein from water to a GB/water mixture.

The effect of dietary supplementation with rumen-protected methionine alone or in combination with rumen-protected choline and betaine on sheep milk and antioxidant capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsiplakou, E; Mavrommatis, A; Kalogeropoulos, T; Chatzikonstantinou, M; Koutsouli, P; Sotirakoglou, K; Labrou, N; Zervas, G

2017-10-01

This study investigated the effects of dietary inclusion of rumen-protected methionine alone or in combination with rumen-protected choline and betaine on: (i) milk yield, chemical composition and fatty acids (FA) profile and (ii) blood plasma glutathione transferase (GST) activity of periparturient ewes. Furthermore, the oxidative stress indicators for measuring total antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity [ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays] were also determined in plasma and milk of ewes. Thus, 45 ewes were divided into three equal groups. Each animal of the control group fed daily with a basal diet. The same diet was offered also in each animal of the other two groups. However, the concentrate fed to M group was supplemented with 2.5 g/kg rumen-protected methionine, while the concentrate fed to MCB group with 5 g/kg of a commercial product which contained a combination of methionine, choline and betaine, all three in rumen-protected form. The results showed that the M diet, compared with the control, increased significantly the ewe's milk fat and the total solids content. Likewise, a tendency for higher milk fat and total solids content in ewes fed the MCB diet was also observed. Both M and MCB diets had not noticeable impact on ewes milk FA profile. Significantly higher FRAP values in the blood plasma of ewes fed the MCB and in the milk of ewes fed with the M diet compared with the control were found. Additionally, significantly higher GST activity in the blood plasma of ewes fed the M diet, compared with the control, was observed. Moreover, a significant increase (by 20%) and a tendency for increase (by 16.72%) in the growth rate of lambs nursing ewes fed with M and MCB diets, respectively, compared to controls, were found. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Development of method for determination of Sodium monochloroacetate and sodium dichloroacetate in Cocoamido Propyl Betaine by gas chromatography: FID, ECD and MS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leao, Claudio; Redigolo, Marcelo Miyada; Amaral, Priscila Oliveira; Bustillos, Oscar Vega

2015-01-01

Cocoamide Propyl Betaine is a feedstock for consumer products of cosmetic and household segments. Sodium monochloroacetate and sodium dichloroacetate impurities are toxic, irritating and harmful to the environment and lower concentrations - parts per million level - are required in process control of producers and regulatory affairs. Regarding analytical test method, two conditions should be met: quantification limit, precision and accuracy should be appropriate; different techniques for gas chromatography - ECD, FID and MS - should be available, since for manufacturer is not so easy to keep electron capture detector by radioactive source Ni 63 due to government control and need of qualified radiological protection. The samples are obtained at manufacturers; for the analyte separation, treatment methodologies are employed by liquid-liquid extraction and solid phase extraction. Alternative detectors used in this study are: Flame Ionization and Mass Spectrometer with Electron Ionization. The validation process will be applied to methodology to ensure a selective, robust, accurate and reproducible analytical determination. (author)

Development of method for determination of Sodium monochloroacetate and sodium dichloroacetate in Cocoamido Propyl Betaine by gas chromatography: FID, ECD and MS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leao, Claudio; Redigolo, Marcelo Miyada; Amaral, Priscila Oliveira; Bustillos, Oscar Vega, E-mail: claudio.leao@usp.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Cocoamide Propyl Betaine is a feedstock for consumer products of cosmetic and household segments. Sodium monochloroacetate and sodium dichloroacetate impurities are toxic, irritating and harmful to the environment and lower concentrations - parts per million level - are required in process control of producers and regulatory affairs. Regarding analytical test method, two conditions should be met: quantification limit, precision and accuracy should be appropriate; different techniques for gas chromatography - ECD, FID and MS - should be available, since for manufacturer is not so easy to keep electron capture detector by radioactive source Ni 63 due to government control and need of qualified radiological protection. The samples are obtained at manufacturers; for the analyte separation, treatment methodologies are employed by liquid-liquid extraction and solid phase extraction. Alternative detectors used in this study are: Flame Ionization and Mass Spectrometer with Electron Ionization. The validation process will be applied to methodology to ensure a selective, robust, accurate and reproducible analytical determination. (author)

A new method for determination of cocamidopropyl betaine synthesized from coconut oil through spectral shift of Eriochrome Black T

Science.gov (United States)

Gholami, Ali; Golestaneh, Mahshid; Andalib, Zeinab

2018-03-01

Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) is a zwitterionic surfactant that is synthesized using coconut oil and usually supplied in form of an aqueous solution with 25-37% w/w. In this study, a novel method based on UV-visible spectroscopy is developed for an accurate determination of CAPB synthesized from coconut oil. Eriochrome Black T (EBT) as a specific color indicator was added to CAPB and a red shift and color change were observed. This shift leads in increasing wavelength selectivity of the method. The change in the color intensity depends on the concentration of CAPB. By measuring the absorbance of a solution containing CAPB, its concentration was measured. After optimizing all the effective parameters, CAPB was detected in commercial real samples. Using the proposed approach, limit of quantification (LOQ) and relative standard deviation (RSD) were obtained about 4.30 × 10- 5 M and 4.8% respectively. None of unreacted materials or by-products, which were produced in the synthesis of CAPB, showed any interference in the determination of CAPB. This shows that the proposed method is specific and accurate, and can potentially be used for quantitative determination of CAPB in commercial samples with satisfactory results.

Heat-induced formation of mepiquat by decarboxylation of pipecolic acid and its betaine derivative. Part 2: Natural formation in cooked vegetables and selected food products.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Yuan; Tarres, Adrienne; Bessaire, Thomas; Rademacher, Wilhelm; Stadler, Richard H; Delatour, Thierry

2017-08-01

Mepiquat (N,N-dimethylpiperidinium) is a plant growth regulator registered for use as its chloride salt in many countries on cereals and other crops. Recent model system studies have shown that natural chemicals present in crop plants, such as pipecolic acid and pipecolic acid betaine, may furnish mepiquat through different chemical pathways, when subjected to temperatures in the range of 200°C. In this study, we cooked raw vegetables that did not contain mepiquat to a palatable state using different traditional cooking methods, and detected mepiquat in 9 out of 11 oven-cooked vegetables, reaching up to 189μg/kg dry wt in oven-cooked broccoli. Commercial oven potato fries generated mepiquat during cooking, typically in the range of 20-60μg/kg. Only traces of mepiquat (cooked vegetables, including potatoes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ORF Alignment: NC_002945 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT ... ATP-BINDING PROTEIN ABC...TECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT ... ...CAA18080.1| POSSIBLE OSMOPROTECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE...osis H37Rv] emb|CAD95970.1| POSSIBLE ... OSMOPROTECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE

ORF Alignment: NC_002755 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT ... ATP-BINDING PROTEIN ABC...TECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT ... ...CAA18080.1| POSSIBLE OSMOPROTECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE...osis H37Rv] emb|CAD95970.1| POSSIBLE ... OSMOPROTECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE

ORF Alignment: NC_000962 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT ... ATP-BINDING PROTEIN ABC...TECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT ... ...CAA18080.1| POSSIBLE OSMOPROTECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE...osis H37Rv] emb|CAD95970.1| POSSIBLE ... OSMOPROTECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE

Investigations on ideal mode of cell disruption in extremely halophilic Actinopolyspora halophila (MTCC 263 for efficient release of glycine betaine and trehalose

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jayaranjan R. Kar

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Actinopolyspora halophila produces glycine betaine and trehalose intracellularly in considerable quantities. These biomolecules are commercially important as they have applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural sector. Development of an efficient cell disruption technique is an important step for the release of these biomolecules. In this study, various cell disruption methods such as chemical, enzymatic, physico-mechanical and physical methods were evaluated. Cell disruption by osmotic shock was found to be the best suited method for A. halophila which also has a potential to be industrially scaled up. Cell bursting pressure that is generated during osmotic shock in A. halophila was computed using Morse equation and was found to be π = 238.37 ± 29.54 atm or 2.35 ± 0.29 kPa. In addition, it was found that osmotic shock followed a first order release rate kinetics in A. halophila. The findings can be used for commercially important biomolecules from other halophilic and/or halotolerant microbes.

Homostachydrine (pipecolic acid betaine) as authentication marker of roasted blends of Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora (Robusta) beans.

Science.gov (United States)

Servillo, Luigi; Giovane, Alfonso; Casale, Rosario; Cautela, Domenico; D'Onofrio, Nunzia; Balestrieri, Maria Luisa; Castaldo, Domenico

2016-08-15

The occurrence of pipecolic acid betaine (homostachydrine) and its biosynthetic precursor N-methylpipecolic acid was detected for the first time in green coffee beans of Robusta and Arabica species. The analyses were conducted by HPLC-ESI tandem mass spectrometry and the metabolites identified by product ion spectra and comparison with authentic standards. N-methylpipecolic acid was found at similar levels in green coffee beans of Robusta and Arabica, whereas a noticeable difference of homostachydrine content was observed between the two green coffee bean species. Interestingly, homostachydrine content was found to be unaffected by coffee bean roasting treatment because of a noticeable heat stability, a feature that makes this compound a candidate marker to determine the content of Robusta and Arabica species in roasted coffee blends. To this end, a number of certified pure Arabica and Robusta green beans were analyzed for their homostachydrine content. Results showed that homostachydrine content was 1.5±0.5mg/kg in Arabica beans and 31.0±10.0mg/kg in Robusta beans. Finally, to further support the suitability of homostachydrine as quality marker of roasted blends of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, commercial samples of roasted ground coffee blends were analyzed and the correspondence between the derived percentages of Arabica and Robusta beans with those declared on packages by manufacturers was verified. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of two gene clusters and a transcriptional regulator required for Pseudomonas aeruginosa glycine betaine catabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Wargo, Matthew J; Szwergold, Benjamin S; Hogan, Deborah A

2008-04-01

Glycine betaine (GB), which occurs freely in the environment and is an intermediate in the catabolism of choline and carnitine, can serve as a sole source of carbon or nitrogen in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Twelve mutants defective in growth on GB as the sole carbon source were identified through a genetic screen of a nonredundant PA14 transposon mutant library. Further growth experiments showed that strains with mutations in two genes, gbcA (PA5410) and gbcB (PA5411), were capable of growth on dimethylglycine (DMG), a catabolic product of GB, but not on GB itself. Subsequent nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments with 1,2-(13)C-labeled choline indicated that these genes are necessary for conversion of GB to DMG. Similar experiments showed that strains with mutations in the dgcAB (PA5398-PA5399) genes, which exhibit homology to genes that encode other enzymes with demethylase activity, are required for the conversion of DMG to sarcosine. Mutant analyses and (13)C NMR studies also confirmed that the soxBDAG genes, predicted to encode a sarcosine oxidase, are required for sarcosine catabolism. Our screen also identified a predicted AraC family transcriptional regulator, encoded by gbdR (PA5380), that is required for growth on GB and DMG and for the induction of gbcA, gbcB, and dgcAB in response to GB or DMG. Mutants defective in the previously described gbt gene (PA3082) grew on GB with kinetics similar to those of the wild type in both the PAO1 and PA14 strain backgrounds. These studies provided important insight into both the mechanism and the regulation of the catabolism of GB in P. aeruginosa.

Glycine betaine and salicylic acid induced modification in productivity of two different cultivars of wheat grown under water stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heshmat S. Aldesuquy

2012-05-01

Full Text Available A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the beneficial effect of foliar application of glycine betaine (10mM, grain presoaking in salicylic acid (0.05 M and their interaction on drought tolerance of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cultivars (sensitive, Sakha 94 and resistant, Sakha 93. Water stress decreased wheat yield components (spike length, number of spikelets / main spike, 100 kernel weight, grain number / spike, grain yield / spike, grain yield / plant, straw yield / plant, crop yield / plant, harvest, mobilization and crop indices and the biochemical aspects of grains(grain biomass, carbohydrates, total protein, total phosphorus, ions content and amino acids in both wheat cultivars. The applied chemicals appeared to alleviate the negative effects of water stress on wheat productivity (particularly the sensitive one and the biochemical aspects of yielded grains. The effect was more pronounced with GB+SA treatment. This improvement would result from the repairing effect of the provided chemicals on growth and metabolism of wheat plants grown under water deficit condition. In response to the applied water stress and the used chemicals, the grain yield of the sensitive and resistant wheat cultivars was strongly correlated with all the estimated yield components (shoot length, spike length, plant height, main spike weight, number of spikelets per main spike, 100 kernel weight, grain number per spike, grain weight per plant, straw weight per plant, crop yield per plant, harvest, mobilization and crop indices.

Estresse salino associado à aplicação exógena de espermidina no acúmulo de glicina betaína em Guandu Salt stress associated to exogenous spermidine application on the accumulation of glycine betaine in pigeonpea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moacir Vinícius Pereira Destro

2008-01-01

Full Text Available O objetivo do presente trabalho foi verificar o efeito do estresse salino associado à aplicação exógena de espermidina (Spd nos genótipos de guandu, IAC Fava Larga e Caqui, no acúmulo de glicina betaína (GB, visando propor a sua utilização como marcador bioquímico-fisiológico à salinidade. O experimento foi instalado na Unesp, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, em Jaboticabal (SP, no período de outubro a novembro de 2005, conduzido em sala de crescimento, com irradiância de 190 µmol m-2 s-1, fotoperíodo de 12 horas, temperatura de 25ºC e U.R. de 40%. A semeadura foi realizada em areia estéril, com adequado suprimento hídrico. Após 10 dias, as plântulas foram transferidas para solução nutritiva por 20 dias para aclimatação. A seguir, as plântulas foram alocadas nos tratamentos, sendo utilizado o delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 2 x 2 x 4 com os fatores genótipos (IAC Fava Larga e Caqui, Spd (0,0 e 0,5 mM e estresse salino (0, 20, 60 e 80 mM de NaCl. Após 20 dias sob estresse, foram determinados os teores de GB. Pelos resultados obtidos, a GB pode ser indicada como um marcador bioquímico-fisiológico do estresse salino para o 'IAC Fava Larga'.This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of salt stress associated to exogenous spermidine (Spd application on the accumulation of glycine betaine in the pigeonpea genotypes IAC Fava Larga and Caqui. The use of this compatible osmolyte as a biochemical-physiological indicator of salinity was also evaluated. The experiment was carried out at Unesp, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, in Jaboticabal (SP, from October to November 2005, in a grow room with irradiance of 190 µmol m-2 s-1, photoperiod of 12 hours, temperature set to 25 ºC and the RH to 40%. Seeds were sowed in sterile sand with adequate water supply. After 10 days, seedlings were transferred to nutritive solution during 20 days for acclimation

Identification of Two Gene Clusters and a Transcriptional Regulator Required for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Glycine Betaine Catabolism▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Wargo, Matthew J.; Szwergold, Benjamin S.; Hogan, Deborah A.

2008-01-01

Glycine betaine (GB), which occurs freely in the environment and is an intermediate in the catabolism of choline and carnitine, can serve as a sole source of carbon or nitrogen in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Twelve mutants defective in growth on GB as the sole carbon source were identified through a genetic screen of a nonredundant PA14 transposon mutant library. Further growth experiments showed that strains with mutations in two genes, gbcA (PA5410) and gbcB (PA5411), were capable of growth on dimethylglycine (DMG), a catabolic product of GB, but not on GB itself. Subsequent nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments with 1,2-13C-labeled choline indicated that these genes are necessary for conversion of GB to DMG. Similar experiments showed that strains with mutations in the dgcAB (PA5398-PA5399) genes, which exhibit homology to genes that encode other enzymes with demethylase activity, are required for the conversion of DMG to sarcosine. Mutant analyses and 13C NMR studies also confirmed that the soxBDAG genes, predicted to encode a sarcosine oxidase, are required for sarcosine catabolism. Our screen also identified a predicted AraC family transcriptional regulator, encoded by gbdR (PA5380), that is required for growth on GB and DMG and for the induction of gbcA, gbcB, and dgcAB in response to GB or DMG. Mutants defective in the previously described gbt gene (PA3082) grew on GB with kinetics similar to those of the wild type in both the PAO1 and PA14 strain backgrounds. These studies provided important insight into both the mechanism and the regulation of the catabolism of GB in P. aeruginosa. PMID:17951379

NMR-based metabonomic studies reveal changes in the biochemical profile of plasma and urine from pigs fed high-fibre rye bread

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bertram, Hanne C; Bach Knudsen, Knud E; Serena, Anja

2006-01-01

could be ascribed to differences in the content of betaine and creatine/creatinine between the two diets, and LC-MS analyses verified a significantly lower content of creatinine in WGD urine samples compared with NWD urine samples. In conclusion, using an explorative approach, the present studies...... disclosed biochemical effects of a wholegrain diet on plasma betaine content and excretion of betaine and creatinine....

NMR-based metabonomic studies reveal changes in the biochemical profile of plasma and urine from pigs fed high fibre rye bread

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bertram, Hanne C.; Bach Knudsen, Knud E.; Serena, Anja

2006-01-01

could be ascribed to differences in the content of betaine and creatine/creatinine between the two diets, and LC-MS analyses verified a significantly lower content of creatinine in WGD urine samples compared with NWD urine samples. In conclusion, using an explorative approach, the present studies...... disclosed biochemical effects of a wholegrain diet on plasma betaine content and excretion of betaine and creatinine....

Sorption of Fluorotelomer Sulfonates, Fluorotelomer Sulfonamido Betaines, and a Fluorotelomer Sulfonamido Amine in National Foam Aqueous Film-Forming Foam to Soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Barzen-Hanson, Krista A; Davis, Shannon E; Kleber, Markus; Field, Jennifer A

2017-11-07

During fire-fighter training, equipment testing, and emergency responses with aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs), milligrams per liter concentrations of anionic, zwitterionic, and cationic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) enter the environment. Because the behavior of zwitterionic and cationic PFASs in the subsurface is unknown, batch sorption experiments were conducted using National Foam AFFF, which contains anionic fluorotelomer sulfonates (FtSs), zwitterionic fluorotelomer sulfonamido betaines (FtSaBs), and cationic 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamido amine (FtSaAm). Sorption of the FtSs, FtSaBs, and 6:2 FtSaAm to six soils with varying organic carbon, effective cation-exchange capacity, and anion-exchange capacity was evaluated to determine sorption mechanisms. Due to the poor recovery of the FtSaBs and 6:2 FtSaAm with published PFAS soil extraction methods, a new soil extraction method was developed to achieve good (90-100%) recoveries. The 6:2 FtSaAm was depleted from the aqueous phase in all but one soil, which is attributed to electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Sorption of the FtSs was driven by hydrophobic interactions, while the FtSaBs behave more like cations that strongly associate with the solid phase relative to groundwater. Thus, the sorption mechanisms of the FtSs, FtSaBs, and 6:2 FtSaAm are more complex than expected and cannot be predicted by bulk soil properties.

Effects of Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase-Transgenic Soybean on Phosphatase Activities and Rhizospheric Bacterial Community of the Saline-Alkali Soil

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Ying Nie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The development of transgenic soybean has produced numerous economic benefits; however the potential impact of root exudates upon soil ecological systems and rhizospheric soil microbial diversity has also received intensive attention. In the present study, the influence of saline-alkali tolerant transgenic soybean of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase on bacterial community structure and soil phosphatase during growth stages was investigated. The results showed that, compared with nontransgenic soybean as a control, the rhizospheric soil pH of transgenic soybean significantly decreased at the seedling stage. Compared to HN35, organic P content was 13.5% and 25.4% greater at the pod-filling stage and maturity, respectively. The acid phosphatase activity of SRTS was significantly better than HN35 by 12.74% at seedling, 14.03% at flowering, and 59.29% at podding, while alkaline phosphatase achieved maximum activity in the flowering stage and was markedly lower than HN35 by 13.25% at pod-filling. The 454 pyrosequencing technique was employed to investigate bacterial diversity, with a total of 25,499 operational taxonomic units (OTUs obtained from the 10 samples. Notably, the effect of SRTS on microbial richness and diversity of rhizospheric soil was marked at the stage of podding and pod-filling. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla among all samples. Compared with HN35, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was lower by 2.01%, 2.06%, and 5.28% at the stage of seedling, at pod-bearing, and at maturity. In genus level, the relative abundance of Gp6, Sphingomonas sp., and GP4 was significantly inhibited by SRTS at the stage of pod-bearing and pod-filling.

ORF Alignment: NC_000962 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available TECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) BINDING LIPOPROTEIN ... PROX [Mycoba... ... (strain H37RV) emb|CAA18081.1| POSSIBLE OSMOPROTECTANT ... (GLYCINE BETAINE/CARNITINE

Betaine

Science.gov (United States)

... dislocation of the lens of the eye, abnormal bone structure, osteoporosis (weak bones), blood clots, or decreased weight or rate of ... to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in ...

ORF Alignment: NC_002755 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available TECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) BINDING LIPOPROTEIN ... PROX [Mycoba...cterium bovis AF2122/97] emb|CAD95971.1| ... POSSIBLE OSMOPROTECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE

ORF Alignment: NC_002945 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available TECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) BINDING LIPOPROTEIN ... PROX [Mycoba...cterium bovis AF2122/97] emb|CAD95971.1| ... POSSIBLE OSMOPROTECTANT (GLYCINE ... BETAINE/CARNITINE

Gclust Server: 83174 [Gclust Server

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available OTECTANT (GLYCINE BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT ATP-BINDING PROTEIN ABC TRANSPORTER PROV 1 ...nce length 376 Representative annotation POSSIBLE OSMOPROTECTANT (GLYCINE BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLIN

Evaluation of dietary betaine in lactating Holstein cows subjected to heat stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, L W; Dunshea, F R; Allen, J D; Rungruang, S; Collier, J L; Long, N M; Collier, R J

2016-12-01

Betaine (BET), a natural, organic osmolyte, improves cellular efficiency by acting as a chaperone, refolding denatured proteins. To test if dietary BET reduced the effect of heat stress (HS) in lactating dairy cows, multiparous, lactating Holstein cows (n=24) were blocked by days in milk (101.4±8.6 d) and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 daily intakes of dietary BET: the control (CON) group received no BET, mid intake (MID) received 57mg of BET/kg of body weight, and high dose (HI) received 114mg of BET/kg of body weight. Cows were fed twice daily and BET was top-dressed at each feeding. Cows were milked 2 times/d and milk samples were taken daily for analysis. Milk components, yield, feed intake, and water intake records were taken daily. Rectal temperature and respiration rate were taken 3 times/d at 0600, 1400, and 1800h. Cows were housed in environmentally controlled rooms and were allowed acclimation for 7d at thermoneutral (TN) conditions with a mean temperature-humidity index of 56.6. Cows were then exposed to 7d of TN followed by 7d of HS represented by a temperature-humidity index of 71.5 for 14d. This was followed by a recovery period of 3d at TN. Dietary BET increased milk yield during the TN period. No differences were found between BET and CON in total milk production or milk composition during HS. The increase in water intake during HS was not as great for cows fed BET compared with controls. The cows on CON diets had higher p.m. respiration rate than both MID and HI BET during HS, but lower rectal temperature compared with BET. No difference was found in serum glucose during TN, but cows given HI had elevated glucose levels during HS compared with CON. No differences were found in serum insulin levels between CON and BET but an intake by environment interaction was present with insulin increasing in HI-treated lactating dairy cows during HS. The heat shock response [heat shock protein (HSP) 27 and HSP70] was upregulated in bovine mammary epithelial cells

Neutron scattering techniques for betaine calcium chloride dihydrate under applied external field (temperature, electric field and hydrostatic pressure); Etude par diffusion de neutrons du chlorure de calcium et de betaine dihydrate sous champ externe applique (temperature, champ electrique et pression hydrostatique)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hernandez, O

1997-11-17

We have studied with neutron scattering techniques betaine calcium chloride dihydrate (BCCD), a dielectric aperiodic crystal which displays a Devil`s staircase type phase diagram made up of several incommensurate and commensurate phases, having a range of stability very sensitive to temperature, electric field and hydrostatic pressure. We have measured a global hysteresis of {delta}(T) of about 2-3 K in the two incommensurate phases. A structural study of the modulated commensurate phases 1/4 and 1/5 allows us to evidence that the atomic modulation functions are anharmonic. The relevance of the modelization of the modulated structure by polar Ising pseudo-spins is then directly established. On the basis of group theory calculation in the four dimensional super-space, we interpret this anharmonic modulation as a soliton regime with respect to the lowest-temperature non modulated ferroelectric phase. The continuous character of the transition to the lowest-temperature non modulated phase and the diffuse scattering observed in this phase are accounted for the presence of ferroelectric domains separated by discommensurations. Furthermore, we have shown that X-rays induce in BCCD a strong variation with time of irradiation of the intensity of satellite peaks, and more specifically for third order ones. This is why the `X-rays` structural model is found more harmonic than the `neutron` one. Under electric field applied along the vector b axis, we confirm that commensurate phases with {delta} = even/odd are favoured and hence are polar along this direction. We have evidenced at 10 kV / cm two new higher order commensurate phases in the phase INC2, corroborating the idea of a `complete` Devil`s air-case phase diagram. A phenomenon of generalized coexistence of phases occurs above 5 kV / cm. We have characterized at high field phase transitions between `coexisting` phases, which are distinguishable from classical lock-in transitions. Under hydrostatic pressure, our results

Metabolome Analysis Reveals Betaine Lipids as Major Source for Triglyceride Formation, and the Accumulation of Sedoheptulose during Nitrogen-Starvation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

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Jennifer Popko

Full Text Available Oleaginous microalgae are considered as a promising resource for the production of biofuels. Especially diatoms arouse interest as biofuel producers since they are most productive in carbon fixation and very flexible to environmental changes in the nature. Naturally, triacylglycerol (TAG accumulation in algae only occurs under stress conditions like nitrogen-limitation. We focused on Phaeodactylum strain Pt4 (UTEX 646, because of its ability to grow in medium with low salinity and therefore being suited when saline water is less available or for wastewater cultivation strategies. Our data show an increase in neutral lipids during nitrogen-depletion and predominantly 16:0 and 16:1(n-7 accumulated in the TAG fraction. The molecular species composition of TAG suggests a remodeling primarily from the betaine lipid diacylglyceroltrimethylhomoserine (DGTS, but a contribution of the chloroplast galactolipid monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG cannot be excluded. Interestingly, the acyl-CoA pool is rich in 20:5(n-3 and 22:6(n-3 in all analyzed conditions, but these fatty acids are almost excluded from TAG. Other metabolites most obviously depleted under nitrogen-starvation were amino acids, lyso-phospholipids and tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle intermediates, whereas sulfur-containing metabolites as dimethylsulfoniopropionate, dimethylsulfoniobutyrate and methylsulfate as well as short acyl chain carnitines, propanoyl-carnitine and butanoyl-carnitine increased upon nitrogen-starvation. Moreover, the Calvin cycle may be de-regulated since sedoheptulose accumulated after nitrogen-depletion. Together the data provide now the basis for new strategies to improve lipid production and storage in Phaeodactylum strain Pt4.

Neutron scattering techniques for betaine calcium chloride dihydrate under applied external field (temperature, electric field and hydrostatic pressure)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez, O.

1997-01-01

We have studied with neutron scattering techniques betaine calcium chloride dihydrate (BCCD), a dielectric aperiodic crystal which displays a Devil's staircase type phase diagram made up of several incommensurate and commensurate phases, having a range of stability very sensitive to temperature, electric field and hydrostatic pressure. We have measured a global hysteresis of δ(T) of about 2-3 K in the two incommensurate phases. A structural study of the modulated commensurate phases 1/4 and 1/5 allows us to evidence that the atomic modulation functions are anharmonic. The relevance of the modelization of the modulated structure by polar Ising pseudo-spins is then directly established. On the basis of group theory calculation in the four dimensional super-space, we interpret this anharmonic modulation as a soliton regime with respect to the lowest-temperature non modulated ferroelectric phase. The continuous character of the transition to the lowest-temperature non modulated phase and the diffuse scattering observed in this phase are accounted for the presence of ferroelectric domains separated by discommensurations. Furthermore, we have shown that X-rays induce in BCCD a strong variation with time of irradiation of the intensity of satellite peaks, and more specifically for third order ones. This is why the 'X-rays' structural model is found more harmonic than the 'neutron' one. Under electric field applied along the vector b axis, we confirm that commensurate phases with δ = even/odd are favoured and hence are polar along this direction. We have evidenced at 10 kV / cm two new higher order commensurate phases in the phase INC2, corroborating the idea of a 'complete' Devil's air-case phase diagram. A phenomenon of generalized coexistence of phases occurs above 5 kV / cm. We have characterized at high field phase transitions between 'coexisting' phases, which are distinguishable from classical lock-in transitions. Under hydrostatic pressure, our results contradict

Effect of homocysteine-lowering nutrients on blood lipids: results from four randomised, placebo-controlled studies in healthy humans.

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Margreet R Olthof

2005-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Betaine (trimethylglycine lowers plasma homocysteine, a possible risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, studies in renal patients and in obese individuals who are on a weight-loss diet suggest that betaine supplementation raises blood cholesterol; data in healthy individuals are lacking. Such an effect on cholesterol would counteract any favourable effect on homocysteine. We therefore investigated the effect of betaine, of its precursor choline in the form of phosphatidylcholine, and of the classical homocysteine-lowering vitamin folic acid on blood lipid concentrations in healthy humans. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We measured blood lipids in four placebo-controlled, randomised intervention studies that examined the effect of betaine (three studies, n = 151, folic acid (two studies, n = 75, and phosphatidylcholine (one study, n = 26 on plasma homocysteine concentrations. We combined blood lipid data from the individual studies and calculated a weighted mean change in blood lipid concentrations relative to placebo. Betaine supplementation (6 g/d for 6 wk increased blood LDL cholesterol concentrations by 0.36 mmol/l (95% confidence interval: 0.25-0.46, and triacylglycerol concentrations by 0.14 mmol/l (0.04-0.23 relative to placebo. The ratio of total to HDL cholesterol increased by 0.23 (0.14-0.32. Concentrations of HDL cholesterol were not affected. Doses of betaine lower than 6 g/d also raised LDL cholesterol, but these changes were not statistically significant. Further, the effect of betaine on LDL cholesterol was already evident after 2 wk of intervention. Phosphatidylcholine supplementation (providing approximately 2.6 g/d of choline for 2 wk increased triacylglycerol concentrations by 0.14 mmol/l (0.06-0.21, but did not affect cholesterol concentrations. Folic acid supplementation (0.8 mg/d had no effect on lipid concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Betaine supplementation increased blood LDL cholesterol and triacylglycerol

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-TGUT-37-0449 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-TGUT-37-0449 ref|ZP_01867547.1| choline-glycine betaine transporter [Vibrio shilo...nii AK1] gb|EDL53771.1| choline-glycine betaine transporter [Vibrio shilonii AK1] ZP_01867547.1 0.021 24% ...

Elevated dimethylglycine in blood of children with congenital heart defects and their mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsayed, Ranwa; Al Quobaili, Faizeh; Srour, Samir; Geisel, Jürgen; Obeid, Rima

2013-08-01

Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) may be related to nutritional deficiencies affecting the methylation cycle. We aimed to study the metabolic markers of the betaine homocysteine methyl transferase (BHMT) pathway in children with CHD and their mothers compared to children without CHD and their mothers. Children with CHD (n=105, age DMG). Children with CHD had higher plasma SAM (131 vs. 100 nmol/L) and DMG (8.7 vs. 6.0 μmol/L) and lower betaine/DMG ratio (7.5 vs. 10.2) compared to the controls. Mothers of CHD children showed also higher DMG (6.1 vs. 4.1 µmol/L) and lower betaine/DMG ratio compared with the mothers of the controls. Higher SAM levels were related to higher cystathionine, MMA, betaine, choline, and DMG. MMA elevation in the patients was related to higher HCY, SAM, betaine and DMG. Elevated DMG in CHD children and their mothers compared to the controls can indicate upregulation of the BHMT pathway in this disease group. Nutritional factors are related to metabolic imbalance during pregnancy that may be related to worse birth outcome. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ligand binding and crystal structures of the substrate-binding domain of the ABC transporter OpuA.

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Justina C Wolters

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The ABC transporter OpuA from Lactococcus lactis transports glycine betaine upon activation by threshold values of ionic strength. In this study, the ligand binding characteristics of purified OpuA in a detergent-solubilized state and of its substrate-binding domain produced as soluble protein (OpuAC was characterized.The binding of glycine betaine to purified OpuA and OpuAC (K(D = 4-6 microM did not show any salt dependence or cooperative effects, in contrast to the transport activity. OpuAC is highly specific for glycine betaine and the related proline betaine. Other compatible solutes like proline and carnitine bound with affinities that were 3 to 4 orders of magnitude lower. The low affinity substrates were not noticeably transported by membrane-reconstituted OpuA. OpuAC was crystallized in an open (1.9 A and closed-liganded (2.3 A conformation. The binding pocket is formed by three tryptophans (Trp-prism coordinating the quaternary ammonium group of glycine betaine in the closed-liganded structure. Even though the binding site of OpuAC is identical to that of its B. subtilis homolog, the affinity for glycine betaine is 4-fold higher.Ionic strength did not affect substrate binding to OpuA, indicating that regulation of transport is not at the level of substrate binding, but rather at the level of translocation. The overlap between the crystal structures of OpuAC from L.lactis and B.subtilis, comprising the classical Trp-prism, show that the differences observed in the binding affinities originate from outside of the ligand binding site.

Betaine-induced assembly of neutral infinite columns and chains of linked silver(I) polyhedra with embedded acetylenediide.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiao-Li; Wang, Quan-Ming; Mak, Thomas C W

2005-03-18

Ten polymeric silver(I) double salts containing embedded acetylenediide: [(Ag2C2)2(AgCF3CO2)9(L1)3] (1), [(Ag2C2)2(AgCF3CO2)10(L2)3]H2O (2), [(Ag2C2)(AgCF3CO2)4(L3)(H2O)]0.75 H2O (3), [(Ag2C2)(1.5)(AgCF3CO2)7(L4)2] (4), [(Ag2C2)(AgCF3CO2)7(L5)2(H2O)] (5), [(Ag2C2) (AgC2F5CO2)7(L1)3(H2O)] (6), [(Ag2C2)(AgCF3CO2)7(L1)3(H2O)]2 H2O (7), [(Ag2C2)(AgC2F5CO2)6(L3)2] (8), [(Ag2C2)2(AgC2F5CO2)12(L4)2(H2O)4]H2O (9), and [(Ag2C2)(AgCF3CO2)6(L3)2(H2O)]H2O (10) have been isolated by varying the types of betaines, the perfluorocarboxylate ligands employed, and the reaction conditions. Single-crystal X-ray analysis has shown that 1-4 all have a columnar structure composed of fused silver(I) double cages, with C2(2-) species embedded in its stem and an exterior coat comprising anionic and zwitterionic carboxylates. For 5 and 6, single silver(I) cages are linked into a beaded chain through both types of carboxylate ligands. In 7, two different coordination modes of L1 connect the silver(I) polyhedra into a chain. For 8, the mu(2)-O,O' coordination mode of L3 connects the silver(I) double cages into a chain. Compound 9 exhibits a two-dimensional architecture generated from the cross-linkage of double cages by C2F5CO2-, L4, and [Ag2(C2F5CO2)2] units. Similar to 9, 10 is also a two-dimensional structure, which is formed by connecting the chains of linked double cages through [Ag2(CF3CO2)2] bridging.

DNA methylation potential: dietary intake and blood concentrations of one-carbon metabolites and cofactors in rural African women123

Science.gov (United States)

Dominguez-Salas, Paula; Moore, Sophie E; Cole, Darren; da Costa, Kerry-Ann; Cox, Sharon E; Dyer, Roger A; Fulford, Anthony JC; Innis, Sheila M; Waterland, Robert A; Zeisel, Steven H; Prentice, Andrew M; Hennig, Branwen J

2013-01-01

Background: Animal models show that periconceptional supplementation with folic acid, vitamin B-12, choline, and betaine can induce differences in offspring phenotype mediated by epigenetic changes in DNA. In humans, altered DNA methylation patterns have been observed in offspring whose mothers were exposed to famine or who conceived in the Gambian rainy season. Objective: The objective was to understand the seasonality of DNA methylation patterns in rural Gambian women. We studied natural variations in dietary intake of nutrients involved in methyl-donor pathways and their effect on the respective metabolic biomarkers. Design: In 30 women of reproductive age (18–45 y), we monitored diets monthly for 1 y by using 48-h weighed records to measure intakes of choline, betaine, folate, methionine, riboflavin, and vitamins B-6 and B-12. Blood biomarkers of these nutrients, S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), homocysteine, cysteine, and dimethylglycine were also assessed monthly. Results: Dietary intakes of riboflavin, folate, choline, and betaine varied significantly by season; the most dramatic variation was seen for betaine. All metabolic biomarkers showed significant seasonality, and vitamin B-6 and folate had the highest fluctuations. Correlations between dietary intakes and blood biomarkers were found for riboflavin, vitamin B-6, active vitamin B-12 (holotranscobalamin), and betaine. We observed a seasonal switch between the betaine and folate pathways and a probable limiting role of riboflavin in these processes and a higher SAM/SAH ratio during the rainy season. Conclusions: Naturally occurring seasonal variations in food-consumption patterns have a profound effect on methyl-donor biomarker status. The direction of these changes was consistent with previously reported differences in methylation of metastable epialleles. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01811641. PMID:23576045

Metabolite Profiles of Diabetes Incidence and Intervention Response in the Diabetes Prevention Program

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yong; Clish, Clary; Florez, Jose C.; Wang, Thomas J.; Gerszten, Robert E.

2016-01-01

Identifying novel biomarkers of type 2 diabetes risk may improve prediction and prevention among individuals at high risk of the disease and elucidate new biological pathways relevant to diabetes development. We performed plasma metabolite profiling in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a completed trial that randomized high-risk individuals to lifestyle, metformin, or placebo interventions. Previously reported markers, branched-chain and aromatic amino acids and glutamine/glutamate, were associated with incident diabetes (P diabetes, and increases in betaine at 2 years were also associated with lower diabetes incidence (P = 0.01). Our findings indicate betaine is a marker of diabetes risk among high-risk individuals both at baseline and during preventive interventions and they complement animal models demonstrating a direct role for betaine in modulating metabolic health. PMID:26861782

Study on osmoprotectant rhizobacteria to improve mung bean growth under drought stress

Science.gov (United States)

Maryani, Y.; Sudadi; Dewi, W. S.; Yunus, A.

2018-03-01

Climate change leads to irregular rainwater availability for crops and thus enhances drought stress. Furthermore, nowadays we face climate disadvantages such as long dry season, short rainy season and high air temperature caused by climate change. This research aimed at studying the ability of osmoprotectant rhizobacteria isolates to support mung bean growth under drought stress. The rhizobacteria were isolated from mung bean’s rhizosphere. The results showed that isolates of strain Al24-k and Ver5-k produced glycine betaine 9.6306 mg g‑1 cell, 1.7667 x 107 CFU g‑1 soil and 11.4870 mg g”1 cell, 1.9667 x 107 CFU g‑1 soil. The isolated rhizobacteria from mung bean’s rhizosphere under field capacity of soil moisture produced glycine betaine 6.8000 mg g‑1 cell, 1.2556 x 107 CFU g‑1 soil. Under 75% field capacity of soil moisture, isolates produced glycine betaine of 6.4059 mg g‑1 cell, 1.3111 x 107 CFU g‑1 soil, while under 50% from field capacity, the isolates produced glycine betaine of 7.4108 mg g‑1 cell, 1.6667 x 107 CFU g‑1 soil. The osmoprotectant rhizobacteria improved the resilience of mung bean to drought stress.

Changes in endogenous bioactive compounds of Korean native chicken meat at different ages and during cooking.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayasena, Dinesh D; Jung, Samooel; Bae, Young Sik; Kim, Sun Hyo; Lee, Soo Kee; Lee, Jun Heon; Jo, Cheorun

2014-07-01

This study aimed to examine the effect of bird age on the contents of endogenous bioactive compounds, including carnosine, anserine, creatine, betaine, and carnitine, in meat from a certified meat-type commercial Korean native chicken strain (KNC; Woorimatdag). Additionally, the effects of the meat type (breast or leg meat) and the state of the meat (raw or cooked) were examined. Cocks of KNC were raised under similar standard commercial conditions at a commercial chicken farm. At various ages (10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 wk), breast and leg meats from a total of 10 birds from each age group were obtained. Raw and cooked meat samples were then prepared separately and analyzed for bioactive compounds. The age of the KNC had a significant effect only on the betaine content. The breast meat of KNC had higher amounts of carnosine and anserine but had lower amounts of betaine and carnitine than the leg meat (P cooking (P cooking, whereas breast meat showed almost complete retention of betaine and carnitine. The results of this study provide useful and rare information regarding the presence, amounts, and determinants of endogenous bioactive compounds in KNC meat, which can be useful for selection and breeding programs, and also for popularizing indigenous chicken meat. © 2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahmut Doğru

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB and coconut diethanolamide (CDEA, which are manufactured from coconut oil, are widely used as chemical substances with surfactant property in shampoo, liquid soap and skin cleaners. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD may occur against these substances, especially cocamidopropyl betaine. ACD developing against these two substances is rarely seen in the literature. Here we reported a case of ACD caused by CABP and CDEA which admitted with complaints of redness,peeling and cracking of hands.

Quorum sensing regulates the osmotic stress response in Vibrio harveyi.

Science.gov (United States)

van Kessel, Julia C; Rutherford, Steven T; Cong, Jian-Ping; Quinodoz, Sofia; Healy, James; Bassler, Bonnie L

2015-01-01

Bacteria use a chemical communication process called quorum sensing to monitor cell density and to alter behavior in response to fluctuations in population numbers. Previous studies with Vibrio harveyi have shown that LuxR, the master quorum-sensing regulator, activates and represses >600 genes. These include six genes that encode homologs of the Escherichia coli Bet and ProU systems for synthesis and transport, respectively, of glycine betaine, an osmoprotectant used during osmotic stress. Here we show that LuxR activates expression of the glycine betaine operon betIBA-proXWV, which enhances growth recovery under osmotic stress conditions. BetI, an autorepressor of the V. harveyi betIBA-proXWV operon, activates the expression of genes encoding regulatory small RNAs that control quorum-sensing transitions. Connecting quorum-sensing and glycine betaine pathways presumably enables V. harveyi to tune its execution of collective behaviors to its tolerance to stress. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Analysis of the role of betL in contributing to the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes LO28.

Science.gov (United States)

Sleator, R D; Gahan CGM; O'Driscoll, B; Hill, C

2000-09-25

Survival of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in environments of elevated osmolarity and reduced temperature is attributed, at least in part, to the accumulation of the trimethylammonium compound glycine betaine. Previously we identified betL, a gene encoding the secondary glycine betaine transporter BetL, which we linked to the salt tolerance of Listeria. In this report, we demonstrate that betL, preceded by a consensus sigmaB-dependent promoter, is regulated by osmotic up-shock, at least in part at the level of transcription. Using allelic exchange mutagenesis we constructed an in-frame deletion in betL, and used this mutant to determine the role of BetL in contributing to the growth and survival of L. monocytogenes, both in a high risk food (Camembert cheese) and animal model. Our results indicate that while BetL plays an important role in glycine betaine mediated osmoprotection, mutating the gene does not significantly effect either the cryotolerance or virulence of the organism.

Molecular analysis of the biomass of a fluidized bed reactor treating synthetic vinasse at anaerobic and micro-aerobic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, Elisa; Lopes, Alexandre; Fdz-Polanco, María; Stams, Alfons J M; García-Encina, Pedro A

2012-03-01

The microbial communities (Bacteria and Archaea) established in an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor used to treat synthetic vinasse (betaine, glucose, acetate, propionate, and butyrate) were characterized by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and phylogenetic analysis. This study was focused on the competitive and syntrophic interactions between the different microbial groups at varying influent substrate to sulfate ratios of 8, 4, and 2 and anaerobic or micro-aerobic conditions. Acetogens detected along the anaerobic phases at substrate to sulfate ratios of 8 and 4 seemed to be mainly involved in the fermentation of glucose and betaine, but they were substituted by other sugar or betaine degraders after oxygen application. Typical fatty acid degraders that grow in syntrophy with methanogens were not detected during the entire reactor run. Likely, sugar and betaine degraders outnumbered them in the DGGE analysis. The detected sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) belonged to the hydrogen-utilizing Desulfovibrio. The introduction of oxygen led to the formation of elemental sulfur (S(0)) and probably other sulfur compounds by sulfide-oxidizing bacteria (γ-Proteobacteria). It is likely that the sulfur intermediates produced from sulfide oxidation were used by SRB and other microorganisms as electron acceptors, as was supported by the detection of the sulfur respiring Wolinella succinogenes. Within the Archaea population, members of Methanomethylovorans and Methanosaeta were detected throughout the entire reactor operation. Hydrogenotrophic methanogens mainly belonging to the genus Methanobacterium were detected at the highest substrate to sulfate ratio but rapidly disappeared by increasing the sulfate concentration.

Suppression of TNF-alpha production by S-adenosylmethionine in human mononuclear leukocytes is not mediated by polyamines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, J.; Parlesak, Alexandr; Sauter, S.

2006-01-01

precursors or metabolites [phosphatidylcholine, choline, betaine, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)] have a modulating effect on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production by endotoxin-stimulated human mononuclear leukocytes and whether SAM-dependent polyamines (spermidine, spermine) are mediators of SAM......-induced inhibition of TNF-alpha synthesis. Methionine and betaine had a moderate stimulatory effect on TNF-alpha production, whereas phosphatidylcholine (ID(50) 5.4 mM), SAM (ID(50) 131 microM), spermidine (ID(50) 4.5 microM) and spermine (ID(50) 3.9 microM) had a predominantly inhibitory effect. Putrescine did...

Investigating multiple candidate genes and nutrients in the folate metabolism pathway to detect genetic and nutritional risk factors for lung cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael D Swartz

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Folate metabolism, with its importance to DNA repair, provides a promising region for genetic investigation of lung cancer risk. This project investigates genes (MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, CBS, SHMT1, TYMS, folate metabolism related nutrients (B vitamins, methionine, choline, and betaine and their gene-nutrient interactions. METHODS: We analyzed 115 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and 15 nutrients from 1239 and 1692 non-Hispanic white, histologically-confirmed lung cancer cases and controls, respectively, using stochastic search variable selection (a Bayesian model averaging approach. Analyses were stratified by current, former, and never smoking status. RESULTS: Rs6893114 in MTRR (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10; 95% credible interval [CI]: 1.20-3.48 and alcohol (drinkers vs. non-drinkers, OR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.26-0.84 were associated with lung cancer risk in current smokers. Rs13170530 in MTRR (OR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.10-2.87 and two SNP*nutrient interactions [betaine*rs2658161 (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.19-0.88 and betaine*rs16948305 (OR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.30-0.91] were associated with lung cancer risk in former smokers. SNPs in MTRR (rs13162612; OR = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.11-0.58; rs10512948; OR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.41-0.90; rs2924471; OR = 3.31; 95% CI: 1.66-6.59, and MTHFR (rs9651118; OR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.43-0.95 and three SNP*nutrient interactions (choline*rs10475407; OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.11-2.42; choline*rs11134290; OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.27-0.92; and riboflavin*rs8767412; OR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.15-0.95 were associated with lung cancer risk in never smokers. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified possible nutrient and genetic factors related to folate metabolism associated with lung cancer risk, which could potentially lead to nutritional interventions tailored by smoking status to reduce lung cancer risk.

Effect of fluid velocity, temperature, and concentration of non-ionic surfactants on drag reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Sung-Hwan; Tae, Choon-Seob; Zaheeruddin, M.

2007-01-01

The drag reduction (DR) and heat transfer efficiency reduction (ER) of non-ionic surfactant as a function of fluid velocity, temperature, and surfactant concentration were investigated. Several types of new surfactants, which contain amine-oxide and betaine, were developed. An experimental apparatus consisting of two temperature controlled water storage tanks, pumps, test specimen pipe and the piping network, two flow meters, two pressure gauges, a heat exchanger, and data logging system was built. From the experimental results, it was concluded that existing alkyl ammonium surfactant (CTAC; cethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) had DR of 0.6-0.8 at 1000-2000 ppm concentration with fluid temperature ranging between 50 and 60 o C. However, the DR was very low when the fluid temperature was 70-80 o C. The new amine oxide and betaine surfactant (SAOB; stearyl amine oxide + betaine) had lower DR at fluid temperatures ranging between 50 and 60 o C compared with CTAC. However, with fluid temperature ranging between 70 and 80 o C the DR was 0.6-0.8 when the concentration level was between 1000 and 2000 ppm

Molecular analysis of the role of osmolyte transporters opuCA and betL in Listeria monocytogenes after cold and freezing stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Miladi, Hanene; Elabed, Hamouda; Ben Slama, Rihab; Rhim, Amel; Bakhrouf, Amina

2017-03-01

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen of humans and other animals. The striking ability to survive several stresses usually used for food preservation makes L. monocytogenes one of the biggest concerns to the food industry. This ubiquity can be partly explained by the ability of the organism to grow and persist at very low temperatures, a consequence of its ability to accumulate cryoprotective compound called osmolytes. A quantitative RT-PCR assay was used to measure mRNA transcript accumulation for the stress response genes opuCA and betL (encoding carnitine and betaine transporters, respectively) and the housekeeping gene 16S rRNA. Assays were conducted on mid-exponential phase L. monocytogenes cells exposed to conditions reflecting cold and freezing stress, conditions usually used to preserve foods. We showed that expression of the two cold-adapted genes encoded the transporters of the cryoprotectants carnitine and betaine in ATCC 19115 and the food-isolated L. monocytogenes S1 is induced after cold and freezing stress exposure. Furthermore, transcriptional analysis of the genes encoding opuCA and betL revealed that each transporter is induced to different degrees upon cold shock of L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 and S1. Our results confirm an increase in carnitine uptake at low temperatures more than in betaine after cold-shocked temperature compared to the non-stress control treatment. It was concluded the use of carnitine and betaine as cryoprotectants is essential for rapid induction of the tested stress response under conditions typically encountered during food preservation.

Stable symbiotic nitrogen fixation under water-deficit field conditions by a stress-tolerant alfalfa microsymbiont and its complete genome sequence.

Science.gov (United States)

Jozefkowicz, Cintia; Brambilla, Silvina; Frare, Romina; Stritzler, Margarita; Piccinetti, Carlos; Puente, Mariana; Berini, Carolina Andrea; Pérez, Pedro Reyes; Soto, Gabriela; Ayub, Nicolás

2017-12-10

We here characterized the stress-tolerant alfalfa microsymbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti B401. B401-treated plants showed high nitrogen fixation rates under humid and semiarid environments. The production of glycine betaine in isolated bacteroids positively correlated with low precipitation levels, suggesting that this compound acts as a critical osmoprotectant under field conditions. Genome analysis revealed that strain B401 contains alternative pathways for the biosynthesis and uptake of glycine betaine and its precursors. Such genomic information will offer substantial insight into the environmental physiology of this biotechnologically valuable nitrogen-fixing bacterium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Choline concentrations are lower in postnatal plasma of preterm infants than in cord plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernhard, Wolfgang; Raith, Marco; Kunze, Rebecca; Koch, Vera; Heni, Martin; Maas, Christoph; Abele, Harald; Poets, Christian F; Franz, Axel R

2015-08-01

Choline is essential to human development, particularly of the brain in the form of phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin and acetylcholine, for bile and lipoprotein formation, and as a methyl group donator. Choline is actively transported into the fetus, and maternal supply correlates with cognitive outcome. Interruption of placental supply may therefore impair choline homeostasis in preterm infants. Determination of postnatal plasma concentrations of choline and its derivatives betaine and dimethylglycine (DMG) in preterm infants compared to cord and maternal blood matched for postmenstrual age (PMA). We collected plasma of very low-birth-weight infants undergoing neonatal intensive care (n = 162), cord plasma of term and preterm infants (n = 176, 24-42-week PMA), serum of parturients (n = 36), and plasma of healthy premenopausal women (n = 40). Target metabolites were analyzed with tandem mass spectrometry and reported as median (25th/75th percentiles). Cord plasma choline concentration was 41.4 (31.8-51.2) µmol/L and inversely correlated with PMA. In term but not in preterm infants, cord plasma choline was lower in girls than in boys. Prenatal glucocorticoid treatment did not affect choline levels in cord plasma, whereas betaine was decreased and DMG increased. In parturients and non-pregnant women, choline concentrations were 14.1 (10.3-16.9) and 8.8 (5.7-11.2) µmol/L, respectively, whereas betaine was lowest in parturients. After delivery, preterm infant plasma choline decreased to 20.8 (16.0-27.6) µmol/L within 48 h. Betaine and DMG correlated with plasma choline in all groups. In preterm infants, plasma choline decreases to 50 % of cord plasma concentrations, reflecting choline undernourishment and postnatal metabolic adaptation, and potentially contributing to impaired outcome.

On the complexing of phosphoric acid vinyl esters with praseodymium (3) and europium (3) nitrates in acetonitrile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goryushko, A.G.; Gololobov, Yu.G.; Boldeskul, A.E.; Oganesyan, A.S.; Yartsev, V.G.

1990-01-01

By the methods of electron, IR and PMR spectroscopy interaction of vinyl esters of phosphoric acid with praseodymium (3) and europium (3) nitrates in acetonitrile solutions has been studied. It is shown that the character of metal-ligand interaction is determined by chemical nature of the ligands: for a compound of ionic structure partially covalent bond is formed, and for a compound of betaine structure the interaction has mainly dipole character. Addition of molecule with betaine structure to praseodymium nitrate causes a change in geometry of Pr 3+ close surrounding and increase in its coordination number. The possibility of formation of the complex with metal-ligand ratio equal to 1:3 is shown

Effect of drought and abscisic acid application on the osmotic adjustment of four wheat cultivars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iqbal, S.; Bano, A.

2010-01-01

The accumulation of osmolytes in leaf tissues and the abscisic acid-induced stomatal closure are well-recognized mechanisms associated with drought tolerance in crop plants. We determine the response in terms of osmotic potential and the contents of leaf proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugar at booting and grain filling stages of four wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars to drought and exogenously applied abscisic acid (ABA) in a pot study. Leaf sample were collected 3, 6 and 9 days after drought induction and at 48 and 72 h of re-watering (recovery). Marked decreases in osmotic potential associated with the accumulation of proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugars occurred under conditions of drought stress Accession 011320 was most sensitive to drought and showed the largest decrease in osmotic potential and least accumulation of proline, sugar and glycine betaine The inhibitory effects of drought stress were ameliorated by exogenous application of ABA. This ameliorating effect was more pronounced at the booting than at grain filling stage particularly in the sensitive accession 011320. Upon rewatering the recovery from drought stress was found to be greater in case of abscisic acid application. The leaf praline content is seen to be a suitable indicator for selecting drought-tolerant genotypes. (author)

Amino acid specificity of fibers of the facial/trigeminal complex innervating the maxillary barbel in the Japanese sea catfish, Plotosus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Caprio, John; Shimohara, Mami; Marui, Takayuki; Kohbara, Jun; Harada, Shuitsu; Kiyohara, Sadao

2015-12-01

The Japanese sea catfish, Plotosus japonicus, possesses taste and solitary chemoreceptor cells (SCCs) located on the external body surface that detect specific water-soluble substances. Here, we identify two major fiber types of the facial/trigeminal complex that transmit amino acid information to the medulla. Both single and few fiber preparations respond to amino acid stimulation in the 0.1 μM to mM range. One fiber type responds best to glycine and l-alanine (i.e. Gly/Ala fibers) whereas the other fiber type is best stimulated by l-proline and glycine betaine (hereafter referred to only as betaine) (i.e. Pro/Bet fibers). We demonstrate that betaine, which does not alter the pH of the seawater and therefore does not activate the animals' highly sensitive pH sensors (Caprio et al., Science 344:1154-1156, 2014), is sufficient to elicit appetitive food search behavior. We further show that the amino acid specificity of fibers of the facial/trigeminal complex in P. japonicus is different from that in Ariopsis felis (Michel and Caprio, J. Neurophysiol. 66:247-260, 1991; Michel et al., J. Comp. Physiol. A. 172:129-138, 1993), a representative member of the only other family (Ariidae) of extant marine catfishes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aracyl triflates for preparing fluorescent and UV absorbing derivatives of unreactive carboxylates, amines and other metabolites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Storer, Malina K. [Biochemistry Unit, Canterbury Health Laboratories, P.O. Box 151, Christchurch (New Zealand); Department of Pathology, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, Christchurch (New Zealand); Lever, Michael [Biochemistry Unit, Canterbury Health Laboratories, P.O. Box 151, Christchurch (New Zealand) and Department of Pathology, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, Christchurch (New Zealand)]. E-mail: michael.lever@chmeds.ac.nz

2006-02-03

Aracyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (triflate) reagents alkylate the unreactive carboxyl groups of betaines. The reagents also derivatise tertiary amines, amine oxides, phosphates and thioethers. A general derivatisation procedure is to dilute the sample with a polar aprotic organic solvent containing a trace of water, followed by adding an appropriate base and the aracyl triflate reagent. Limits of detection were 40 nM for glycine betaine (GB) and carnitine, 0.14 {mu}M for N,N-dimethylglycine, 70 nM for trimethylamine (TMA), and 5.9 {mu}M trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). Limits of detection were improved when derivatisation yield was optimised for different analytes by changing solvent, base and water content of the reaction mixture. Solvents used include acetonitrile, acetone, butanone, dimethoxyethane and dimethoxyethyl ether, with the presence of some water or alcohol tolerated. Suitable bases include the inorganic bases magnesium hydroxide, silver oxide and lithium phosphate. These bases are sparingly soluble in the reaction solvent so sustain weakly basic conditions during derivatisation and can be removed by centrifugation to stop the reaction. This is particularly important for betaine assays since the derivatives are base-sensitive. The information presented here can be used to develop assays for many metabolites using these versatile reagents.

Aracyl triflates for preparing fluorescent and UV absorbing derivatives of unreactive carboxylates, amines and other metabolites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Storer, Malina K.; Lever, Michael

2006-01-01

Aracyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (triflate) reagents alkylate the unreactive carboxyl groups of betaines. The reagents also derivatise tertiary amines, amine oxides, phosphates and thioethers. A general derivatisation procedure is to dilute the sample with a polar aprotic organic solvent containing a trace of water, followed by adding an appropriate base and the aracyl triflate reagent. Limits of detection were 40 nM for glycine betaine (GB) and carnitine, 0.14 μM for N,N-dimethylglycine, 70 nM for trimethylamine (TMA), and 5.9 μM trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). Limits of detection were improved when derivatisation yield was optimised for different analytes by changing solvent, base and water content of the reaction mixture. Solvents used include acetonitrile, acetone, butanone, dimethoxyethane and dimethoxyethyl ether, with the presence of some water or alcohol tolerated. Suitable bases include the inorganic bases magnesium hydroxide, silver oxide and lithium phosphate. These bases are sparingly soluble in the reaction solvent so sustain weakly basic conditions during derivatisation and can be removed by centrifugation to stop the reaction. This is particularly important for betaine assays since the derivatives are base-sensitive. The information presented here can be used to develop assays for many metabolites using these versatile reagents

Diffusion Profiles of Health Beneficial Components from Goji Berry (Lyceum barbarum Marinated in Alcohol and Their Antioxidant Capacities as Affected by Alcohol Concentration and Steeping Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Song

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The fruit (goji berry of Lycium barbarum, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in health diets due to its potential role in the prevention of chronic diseases. One of the most popular applications of goji berry is to make goji wine in China by steeping goji berry in grain liquor. However, how the steeping process affects antioxidant capacities and phytochemicals of goji berry is not yet fully understood. Therefore, to provide scientific data for the utilization of goji berry in the nutraceutical industry, the diffusion rate of betaine, β-carotene, phenolic compounds in goji berry and their antioxidant capacities affected by alcohol concentration and steeping time were determined by UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The results showed that low alcohol concentration (15% or 25% would promote the diffusion of betaine and increase antioxidant activity, while high concentration (55% or 65% would generally increase the diffusion of flavonoids and reduce antioxidant activity. The steeping time had no significant effect on the diffusion of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities. However, all goji berry wine steeped for 14 days with different alcohol concentrations exhibited the highest betaine concentration. Current findings provide useful information for the nutraceutical industries to choose proper steeping time and alcohol concentration to yield desired health promotion components from goji.

Diffusion Profiles of Health Beneficial Components from Goji Berry (Lyceum barbarum) Marinated in Alcohol and Their Antioxidant Capacities as Affected by Alcohol Concentration and Steeping Time

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yang; Xu, Baojun

2013-01-01

The fruit (goji berry) of Lycium barbarum, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in health diets due to its potential role in the prevention of chronic diseases. One of the most popular applications of goji berry is to make goji wine in China by steeping goji berry in grain liquor. However, how the steeping process affects antioxidant capacities and phytochemicals of goji berry is not yet fully understood. Therefore, to provide scientific data for the utilization of goji berry in the nutraceutical industry, the diffusion rate of betaine, β-carotene, phenolic compounds in goji berry and their antioxidant capacities affected by alcohol concentration and steeping time were determined by UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The results showed that low alcohol concentration (15% or 25%) would promote the diffusion of betaine and increase antioxidant activity, while high concentration (55% or 65%) would generally increase the diffusion of flavonoids and reduce antioxidant activity. The steeping time had no significant effect on the diffusion of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities. However, all goji berry wine steeped for 14 days with different alcohol concentrations exhibited the highest betaine concentration. Current findings provide useful information for the nutraceutical industries to choose proper steeping time and alcohol concentration to yield desired health promotion components from goji. PMID:28239094

Narrow-spectrum chemoreceptor cells in the walking legs of the lobster Homarus americanus: taste specialists

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Derby, C D; Atema, J

1982-01-01

The chemoreceptors in the legs of lobsters function in the localization and handling of food. By single-unit extracellular recording techniques, the specificity of single primary chemoreceptor cells is described here in detail. In contrast to what is known in vertebrates, narrow-spectrum chemoreceptors of several different types were found, each type responding with maximal sensitivity to only one of the following compounds: L-glutamate, L-glutamine, L-arginine, taurine, betaine, and ammonium chloride. Ammonium chloride sensitive cells were also highly specific. Other groups of narrow-spectrum cells - L-arginine, L-glutamine, taurine, and betaine sensitive chemoreceptors - showed equally strong specificity. These results indicate that the peripheral coding system in the legs of lobsters is based largely but perhaps not exclusively on narrow-spectrum chemoreceptor cells.

Influence of ultraviolet A radiation on osmolytes transport in human retinal pigment epithelial cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Da-Yang Wu

2014-04-01

Full Text Available AIM: To demonstrate that ultraviolet A(UVAinduces osmolytes accumulation in retinal pigment epithelial(RPEcells.METHODS: Under different experimental conditions such as UVA exposure, hyperosmotic stress condition and hypoosmotic stress condition, RPE cells were cultured for different time periods. The betaine /γ-amino- n-butyric acid(GABAtransporter, the sodium-dependent myoinositol transporter and the taurine transporter(TAUTmRNA were measured by quantitative PCR. The radioactive labeled osmolytes were measured to evaluate the level of osmolytes transportation. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that RPE expressed mRNA specific for the betaine/GABA transporter, for the sodium-dependent myoinositol transporter and for the TAUT. In comparison to norm osmotic(300mosmol/Lcontrols, a 3-5-fold induction of mRNA expression for the betaine/GABA transporter, the sodium-dependent myoinositol transporter and the TAUT was observed within 6-24h after hyperosmotic exposure(400mosmol/L. Expression of osmolyte transporters was associated with an increased uptake of radioactive labeled osmolytes. Conversely, hypoosmotic(200mosmol/Lstimulation induced significant efflux of these osmolytes. UVA significantly stimulated osmolyte uptake. Increased osmolyte uptake was associated with upregulation of mRNA steady-state levels for osmolyte transporters in irradiated cells.CONCLUSION: UVA induces osmolyte uptake in RPE. It is similar reaction to hyperosmotic stress. This suggests that osmolyte uptake response by UVA may be important to maintain homeostasis.

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Trimethylamine-N-Oxide Plasma Levels in Hemodialysis Patients: a Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Natália A; Stenvinkel, P; Bergman, P; Qureshi, A R; Lindholm, B; Moraes, C; Stockler-Pinto, M B; Mafra, D

2018-04-12

Components present in the diet, L-carnitine, choline, and betaine are metabolized by gut microbiota to produce metabolites such as trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) that appear to promote cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of probiotic supplementation for 3 months on plasma TMAO levels in CKD patients on hemodialysis (HD). A randomized, double-blind trial was performed in 21 patients [54.8 ± 10.4 years, nine men, BMI 26.1 ± 4.8 kg/m 2 , dialysis vintage 68.5 (34.2-120.7) months]. Ten patients were randomly allocated to the placebo group and 11 to the probiotic group [three capsules, totaling 9 × 10 13 colony-forming units per day of Streptococcus thermophilus (KB19), Lactobacillus acidophilus (KB27), and Bifidobacteria longum (KB31). Plasma TMAO, choline, and betaine levels were measured by LC-MS/MS at baseline and after 3 months. While TMAO did not change after probiotic supplementation, there was a significant increase in betaine plasma levels. In contrast, the placebo group showed a significant decrease in plasma choline levels. Short-term probiotic supplementation does not appear to influence plasma TMAO levels in HD patients. Long-term studies are needed to determine whether probiotics may affect TMAO production in CKD patients.

Dietary strategies to treat hyperhomocysteinaemia based on the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-01-13

Jan 13, 2014 ... of a methyl group and the purine base, adenine (from adenosine triphosphate or ..... rat liver betaine‑homocysteine methyltransferase gene expression and organization of the .... Betaine rescue of an animal model with.

Molecular analysis of the biomass of a fluidized bed reactor treating synthetic vinasse at anaerobic and micro-aerobic conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rodriguez, E.; Lopes, A.; Fdz-Polanco, M.; Stams, A.J.M.; Garcia Encina, P.A.

2012-01-01

The microbial communities (Bacteria and Archaea) established in an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor used to treat synthetic vinasse (betaine, glucose, acetate, propionate, and butyrate) were characterized by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and phylogenetic analysis. This study was

Coexistence of adult-onset actinic prurigo and shampoo dermatitis: A case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsung-Ju Lee

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Actinic prurigo is a rare and acquired idiopathic photodermatosis. It usually shows childhood onset and female predominance. Here, we present an unusual case of a male patient with coexistence of adult-onset actinic prurigo and shampoo-induced allergic contact dermatitis. He was initially diagnosed with actinic prurigo. However, after detailed examination of the distribution of the rash, careful collection of his history, and interpretation of the results of histopathologic analysis, photo test, patch test, and photopatch test, coexistence of adult-onset actinic prurigo and shampoo-induced allergic contact dermatitis associated with cocamidopropyl betaine was diagnosed. The rash improved after appropriate use of sunscreen and avoidance of shampoo containing this allergen. Dermatologists should be aware of the possibility of concurrent photodermatitis and contact dermatitis. Keywords: Actinic prurigo, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Contact dermatitis, Photosensitivity, Shampoo dermatitis

In vivo screening of five phytochemicals/extracts and a fungal immunomodulatory protein against colibacillosis in broilers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peek, H.W.; Halkes, S.B.A.; Tomassen, M.M.M.; Mes, J.J.; Landman, W.J.M.

2013-01-01

Five phytochemicals/extracts (an extract from Echinacea purpurea, a ß-glucan-rich extract from Shiitake, betaine [Betain™], curcumin from Curcuma longa [turmeric] powder, carvacrol and also a recombinant fungal immunomodulatory protein [FIP] from Ganoderma lucidum) cloned and expressed in

Bacterial Cryoprotectants

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

survive in the extremely cold climate of polar regions and high mountain .... The possibility of the involvement of betaine in regulation of membrane ... The products of the genes were identified and the term HSPs was coined in 1974. However ...

21 CFR 310.545 - Drug products containing certain active ingredients offered over-the-counter (OTC) for certain uses.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

..., powdered extract Betaine hydrochloride Bismuth subcarbonate Bismuth subgallate Black radish powder Blessed... Pineapple enzymes Plantago seed Potassium citrate Pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6) Riboflavin Rice... the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), for which an approved new drug application under...

Sequence Classification: 400201 [

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ECTANT (GLYCINE BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT INTEGRAL MEMBRANE PROTEIN ABC TRANSPORTER PROZ || http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/protein/15610892 ... ...Non-TMB TMH Non-TMB TMB TMB Non-TMB >gi|15610892|ref|NP_218273.1| POSSIBLE OSMOPROT

Sequence Classification: 390416 [

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ECTANT (GLYCINE BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT INTEGRAL MEMBRANE PROTEIN ABC TRANSPORTER PROW || http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/protein/31794927 ... ...Non-TMB TMH Non-TMB TMB TMB Non-TMB >gi|31794927|ref|NP_857420.1| POSSIBLE OSMOPROT

Sequence Classification: 390415 [

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ECTANT (GLYCINE BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT INTEGRAL MEMBRANE PROTEIN ABC TRANSPORTER PROZ || http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/protein/31794926 ... ...Non-TMB TMH Non-TMB TMB TMB Non-TMB >gi|31794926|ref|NP_857419.1| POSSIBLE OSMOPROT

Sequence Classification: 400202 [

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ECTANT (GLYCINE BETAINE/CARNITINE/CHOLINE/L-PROLINE) TRANSPORT INTEGRAL MEMBRANE PROTEIN ABC TRANSPORTER PROW || http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/protein/15610893 ... ...Non-TMB TMH Non-TMB TMB TMB Non-TMB >gi|15610893|ref|NP_218274.1| POSSIBLE OSMOPROT

Rapid NMR method for the quantification of organic compounds in thin stillage.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratanapariyanuch, Kornsulee; Shen, Jianheng; Jia, Yunhua; Tyler, Robert T; Shim, Youn Young; Reaney, Martin J T

2011-10-12

Thin stillage contains organic and inorganic compounds, some of which may be valuable fermentation coproducts. This study describes a thorough analysis of the major solutes present in thin stillage as revealed by NMR and HPLC. The concentration of charged and neutral organic compounds in thin stillage was determined by excitation sculpting NMR methods (double pulse field gradient spin echo). Compounds identified by NMR included isopropanol, ethanol, lactic acid, 1,3-propanediol, acetic acid, succinic acid, glycerophosphorylcholine, betaine, glycerol, and 2-phenylethanol. The concentrations of lactic and acetic acid determined with NMR were comparable to those determined using HPLC. HPLC and NMR were complementary, as more compounds were identified using both methods. NMR analysis revealed that stillage contained the nitrogenous organic compounds betaine and glycerophosphorylcholine, which contributed as much as 24% of the nitrogen present in the stillage. These compounds were not observed by HPLC analysis.

The importance of (early) folate status to primary and secondary coronary artery disease prevention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Muskiet, FAJ

2005-01-01

Folate, methionine, betaine, choline, zinc and Vitamins B-12, B-6 and B-2 are involved in one-carbon metabolism, which includes S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) substrated methylation. Inadequate enzyme activities and imbalances of substrates and cofactors in one-carbon metabolism, together referred to as

Ligand Binding and Crystal Structures of the Substrate-Binding Domain of the ABC Transporter OpuA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolters, Justina C.; Berntsson, Ronnie P-A.; Gul, Nadia; Karasawa, Akira; Thunnissen, Andy-Mark W. H.; Slotboom, Dirk-Jan; Poolman, Bert

2010-01-01

The ABC transporter OpuA from Lactococcus lactis transports glycine betaine upon activation by threshold values of ionic strength. In this study, the ligand binding characteristics of purified OpuA in a detergent-solubilized state and of its substrate-binding domain produced as soluble protein

Cadmium toxicity induced contrasting patterns of concentrations of free sarcosine, specific amino acids and selected microelements in two Noccaea species

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zemanová, Veronika; Pavlík, Milan; Pavlíková, D.

2017-01-01

Roč. 12, č. 5 (2017), č. článku e0177963. E-ISSN 1932-6203 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : ADENOSYL-L-METHIONINE * ABIOTIC STRESS * GLYCINE BETAINE Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 2.806, year: 2016

Liver receptor homolog-1 is a critical determinant of methyl-pool metabolism

Science.gov (United States)

Balance of labile methyl groups (choline, methionine, betaine, and folate) is important for normal liver function. Quantitatively, a significant use of labile methyl groups is in the production of phosphatidylcholines (PCs), which are ligands for the nuclear liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1). We stud...

Luminescent Surface Quaternized Carbon Dots

KAUST Repository

Bourlinos, Athanasios B.

2012-01-10

Thermal oxidation of a salt precursor made from the acid base combination of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane and betaine hydrochloride results in light-emitting surface quaternized carbon dots that are water-dispersible, display anion exchange properties, and exhibit uniform size/surface charge. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Physiological response of Pseudomonas putida S12 subjected to reduced water activity.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kets, E.P.W.; Bont, de J.A.M.; Heipieper, H.J.

1996-01-01

The effect of osmotic stress, given as decreased water activity (aw), on growth and the accumulation of potassium and the compatible solute betaine by Pseudomonas putida S12 was investigated. Reduced aw was imposed by addition of sodium chloride, sucrose, glycerol or polyethylene glycol to the

Materials Research Society Spring Meeting Symposium KK: Microbial Life on Surfaces: Biofilm-Material Interactions: Life at Interfaces. Held in San Francisco, California on 25-27 April 2011 (Abstracts)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-24

cases, virulent strains can cause for haemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), peritonitis, mastitis , septicemia and gram-negative pneumonia. E. coli...and betaine-modified rods exposed to 50% fetal bovine serum for 1, 30, 60, or 90 days were tested for antimicrobial/antibiofilm activity using the mCDC

Luminescent Surface Quaternized Carbon Dots

KAUST Repository

Bourlinos, Athanasios B.; Zbořil, Radek; Petr, Jan; Bakandritsos, Aristides; Krysmann, Marta; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

2012-01-01

Thermal oxidation of a salt precursor made from the acid base combination of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane and betaine hydrochloride results in light-emitting surface quaternized carbon dots that are water-dispersible, display anion exchange properties, and exhibit uniform size/surface charge. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Combined effect between two functional polymorphisms of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common epilepsy subtype with complex genetic structure. A recent study in four populations (Ireland, UK, Australia and Finland) reported an allelic association between betaine/GABA transporter-1 (-1 or 612) and mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis ...

The effect of some growth regulators on enzyme systems in irradiated barley grain using disinfestation doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bachman, S.

1973-01-01

Disinfestation doses of 20 to 100 krad may cause changes in the biological systems of barley grain and, therefore, may influence undesirably the technological quality of malted grain. The effect of some growth regulators on irradiated grain has been investigated. The experiments have been carried out on brewery barley var. Visa Breuns. Following growth-regulators were used: gibberellic acid (Polish preparation ''Gibrescol''), kinetin (6-furfurylo-aminopurin), CCC (2-chloroethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride), and betaine hydrochloride. By treating the irradiated barley with solutions of growth regulators it was possible to diminish the loss of enzyme activity. A ''regenerating'' effect of growth substances, mainly gibberellic acid and betain hydrochloride in 10 -4 M solutions, was observed. Amylolytic activity decreased immediately after irradiation but in samples treated with growth regulators it was higher than in those without regulators. The results may have a practical importance since gibberellic acid has just been introduced into the brewery industry. (F.J.)

Analysis of the Effects of δ-Tocopherol on RAW264.7 and K562 Cells Based on 1H NMR Metabonomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yang; Li, Hui; Geng, Yue

2018-01-31

δ-Tocopherol (δ-TOH) is a form of vitamin E with higher bioactivity. In this study, we studied the bioactivity of δ-TOH using the IC 50 of δ-TOH on RAW264.7 (80 μM) and K562 (110 μM) cells. We compared the differential metabolites from the cell lines with and without δ-TOH treatment by 1 H NMR metabonomics analysis. It was found that δ-TOH affected the protein biosynthesis, betaine metabolism, and urea cycle in various ways in both cell lines. Metabolic levels of the cell lines were changed after treatment with δ-TOH as differential metabolites were produced. The betaine level in RAW264.7 cells was reduced significantly, while the l-lactic acid level in K562 cells was significantly enhanced. The metabolic changes might contribute to the switch of the respiration pattern from aerobic respiration to anaerobic respiration in K562 cells. These results are helpful in further understanding the subtoxicity of δ-TOH.

[Plasma metabonomics of Guifu Dihuang Wan in the treatment of yang deficiency].

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Ya; Jing, Yuan; Chen, Jie-Yu; Li, Fei; Cheng, Jing-Ru; Bi, Jian-Lu; Luo, Ren; Zhao, Xiao-Shan

2016-11-20

To assess the effect of Guifu Dihuang Wan (GFDHW) in the treatment of yang deficiency and explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Sixty-two participants without diseases were randomized into control group (n=31) and experimental group (n=31) and were given lifestyle intervention additional GFDHW treatment for a month. NMR technology was used for metabonomics analysis. Intervention with GFDHW resulted in significantly decreased conversion scores of yang deficiency in the experimental group compared with the control group (P<0.005). The concentrations of lactate, valine, proline, arginine and 3-hydroxybutyrate were increased in the plasma of yang-deficient subjects after lifestyle intervention. GFDHW treatment with lifestyle intervention significantly increased the concentrations of lactate, valine, proline, arginine and 3-hydroxybutyrate and also the levels of alanine, glutamine, alpha glucose, isoleucine, betaine and propylene glycol. GFDHW treatment improves yang deficiency possibly by increasing the concentrations of alanine, glutamine, alpha glucose, isoleucine, betaine and propylene glycol and promoting energy metabolism of the body.

Maternal-fetal distribution studies of two radiolabeled compounds in miniature Hormel pigs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeda, G.J.; Michel, T.C.; Miller, E.; Sager, A.O.; Sapienza, P.P.

1986-01-01

Distribution patterns of two radiolabeled compounds were determined in miniature Hormel pigs and their litters late in pregnancy. Seven sows (45 fetuses) were administered (1- 14 C) acrylamide (5 mg/kg IV) and four sows (30 fetuses) were administered (N-methyl- 14 C) betaine (5 mg/kg IV). Acrylamide was distributed readily to both maternal and fetal tissues; a placental factor of 31% was calculated. A blood/brain factor was insignificant in sows and nonexistent in fetal pigs. The placental factor for betaine was calculated to be 97.8% for maternal and fetal tissues. The blood/brain factor was 89% in sows but nonexistent in fetuses. Maternal liver and kidney accounted for the highest levels of radioactivity for both compounds. Although placenta protects the minipig fetus to some degree from substances in maternal blood, the fetal brain is unprotected from possible injury or damage if a foreign substance enters the fetal blood stream

Different strategies of osmoadaptation in the closely related marine myxobacteria Enhygromyxa salina SWB007 and Plesiocystis pacifica SIR-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Amiri Moghaddam, Jamshid; Boehringer, Nils; Burdziak, Amal; Kunte, Hans-Jörg; Galinski, Erwin A; Schäberle, Till F

2016-02-03

Only a few myxobacteria are known to date which are classified as marine due to their salt-dependency. In this study, the salt tolerance mechanism of these bacteria was investigated. Therefore, a growth medium was designed, in which the mutated Escherichia coli strain BKA13 served as sole food source for the predatory, heterotrophic myxobacteria. This enabled measurement of the osmolytes without any background and revealed that the closely related strains Enhygromyxa salina SWB007 and Plesiocystis pacifica SIR-1 developed different strategies to handle salt stress. P. pacifica SIR-1, which was grown between 1-4 % NaCl, relies solely on the accumulation of amino acids, while E. salina SWB007, which was grown between 0.5-3 % NaCl, employs, beside betaine, hydroxyectoine as the major compatible solute. In accordance with this analysis, only in the latter strain a gene locus was identified which codes for genes corresponding to the biosynthesis of betaine, ectoine, and hydroxyectoine.

Bacterial Cryoprotectants

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

some tips to scientists striving to find a way to control food- borne pathogens that survive at low temperatures. ... cryoprotectant was first demonstrated in the food borne patho- gen Listeria monocytogenes. This organism ... culture plate, whereas no growth was detected under similar conditions without betaine. They also ...

Res Dec 07 Final 05-12-07

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

client1

2007-12-05

Dec 5, 2007 ... glycerol and aminoacids such as alanine and proline. They are believed to stabilize cellular proteins and membranes at low temperature and hence called cryoprotectants. The cryoprotec- tive role of glycine betaine (GB) in bacteria is beginning to be understood. Antifreeze Proteins: An Overview. Birds ...

Efficacy of osmoprotectants on prevention and treatment of murine dry eye.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wei; Zhang, Xin; Li, Jinyang; Wang, Yu; Chen, Qi; Hou, Chao; Garrett, Qian

2013-09-19

To evaluate the efficacy of osmoprotectants on prevention and treatment of dry eye in a murine model. Dry eye was induced in mice by using an intelligently controlled environmental system (ICES). Osmoprotectants betaine, L-carnitine, erythritol, or vehicle (PBS) were topically administered to eyes four times daily following two schedules: schedule 1 (modeling prevention): dosing started at the beginning of housing in ICES and lasted for 21 or 35 days; schedule 2 (modeling treatment): dosing started after ICES-housed mice developed dry eye (day 21), continuing until day 35. Treatment efficacy was evaluated for corneal fluorescein staining; corneal epithelial apoptosis by TUNEL and caspase-3 assays; goblet cell numbers by PAS staining; and expression of inflammatory mediators, TNF-α, IL-17, IL-6, or IL-1β by using RT-PCR on days 0, 14, 21, and/or 35. Compared with vehicle, prophylactic administration of betaine, L-carnitine, or erythritol significantly decreased corneal staining and expression of TNF-α and IL-17 on day 21 (schedule 1). Treatment of mouse dry eye with osmoprotectants significantly reduced corneal staining on day 35 compared with day 21 (schedule 2). Relative to vehicle, L-carnitine treatment of mouse dry eye for 14 days (days 21 to 35) resulted in a significant reduction in corneal staining, number of TUNEL-positive cells, and expression of TNF-α, IL-17, IL-6, or IL-1β, as well as significantly increased the number of goblet cells. Topical application of betaine, L-carnitine, or erythritol systematically limited progression of environmentally induced dry eye. L-carnitine can also reduce the severity of such dry-eye conditions.

Choline status and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 5 years of age in the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Strain, J J; McSorley, Emeir M; van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Kobrosly, Roni W; Bonham, Maxine P; Mulhern, Maria S; McAfee, Alison J; Davidson, Philip W; Shamlaye, Conrad F; Henderson, Juliette; Watson, Gene E; Thurston, Sally W; Wallace, Julie M W; Ueland, Per M; Myers, Gary J

2013-07-28

Choline is an essential nutrient that is found in many food sources and plays a critical role in the development of the central nervous system. Animal studies have shown that choline status pre- and postnatally can have long-lasting effects on attention and memory; however, effects in human subjects have not been well studied. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between plasma concentrations of free choline and its related metabolites in children and their neurodevelopment in the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study, an ongoing longitudinal study assessing the development of children born to mothers with high fish consumption during pregnancy. Plasma concentrations of free choline, betaine, dimethylglycine (DMG), methionine and homocysteine and specific measures of neurodevelopment were measured in 210 children aged 5 years. The children's plasma free choline concentration (9·17 (sd 2·09) μmol/l) was moderately, but significantly, correlated with betaine (r 0·24; P= 0·0006), DMG (r 0·15; P= 0·03), methionine (r 0·24; P= 0·0005) and homocysteine (r 0·19; P= 0·006) concentrations. Adjusted multiple linear regression revealed that betaine concentrations were positively associated with Preschool Language Scale – total language scores (β = 0·066; P= 0·04), but no other associations were evident. We found no indication that free choline concentration or its metabolites, within the normal physiological range, are associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in children at 5 years of age. As there is considerable animal evidence suggesting that choline status during development is associated with cognitive outcome, the issue deserves further study in other cohorts.

Mechanism of Osmotic Activation of the Quaternary Ammonium Compound Transporter (QacT) of Lactobacillus plantarum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Glaasker, Erwin; Heuberger, Esther H.M.L.; Konings, Wil N.; Poolman, Bert

1998-01-01

The accumulation of quaternary ammonium compounds in Lactobacillus plantarum is mediated via a single transport system with a high affinity for glycine betaine (apparent Km of 18 μM) and carnitine and a low affinity for proline (apparent Km of 950 μM) and other analogues. Mutants defective in the

Acute Liver Failure in a Deployed Soldier

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-13

including suggestions for reducrng the burden. to lhe Department a! Defense, ExecuUve Setv1ce Directorate (0704-01 aa)_ Respondents should be aware ...Prascnbed by ANSI Std. Z3g 18 Adobe Profes0<onal 7 0 Exhibit Brand Indicated Components Betaine Hydrochloride N,N-Dimethylglycine Fumaric Acid N

Dietary intake of S-(alpha-carboxybutyl)-DL-homocysteine induces hyperhomocysteinemia in rats

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Straková, J.; Williams, K. T.; Gupta, S.; Schalinske, K. L.; Kruger, W. D.; Rozen, R.; Jiráček, Jiří; Li, L.; Garrow, T. A.

2010-01-01

Roč. 30, č. 7 (2010), s. 492-500 ISSN 0271-5317 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/10/1277 Grant - others:NIH(US) DK52501 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : BHMT * homocysteine * rat * betaine Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 2.092, year: 2010

Why devote an entire issue to the topic of how nutrients in one-carbon metabolism play roles in modern medicine?

Science.gov (United States)

The vitamins that serve as essential co-factors in one-carbon metabolism-B2, B6, B9 (folate), and B12-have had a long and storied history in the field of medicine over the past two centuries, as have related intermediary metabolites such as methionine, homocysteine, betaine and choline. The megalobl...

Selective inhibition of aggregation/fibrillation of bovine serum albumin by osmolytes: Mechanistic and energetics insights.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moumita Dasgupta

Full Text Available Bovine serum albumin (BSA is an important transport protein of the blood and its aggregation/fibrillation would adversely affect its transport ability leading to metabolic disorder. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of fibrillation/aggregation of BSA and design of suitable inhibitor molecules for stabilizing its native conformation, are of utmost importance. The qualitative and quantitative aspects of the effect of osmolytes (proline, hydroxyproline, glycine betaine, sarcosine and sorbitol on heat induced aggregation/fibrillation of BSA at physiological pH (pH 7.4 have been studied employing a combination of fluorescence spectroscopy, Rayleigh scattering, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC, dynamic light scattering (DLS and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. Formation of fibrils by BSA under the given conditions was confirmed from increase in fluorescence emission intensities of Thioflavin T over a time period of 600 minutes and TEM images. Absence of change in fluorescence emission intensities of 8-Anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (ANS in presence of native and aggregated BSA signify the absence of any amorphous aggregates. ITC results have provided important insights on the energetics of interaction of these osmolytes with different stages of the fibrillar aggregates of BSA, thereby suggesting the possible modes/mechanism of inhibition of BSA fibrillation by these osmolytes. The heats of interaction of the osmolytes with different stages of fibrillation of BSA do not follow a trend, suggesting that the interactions of stages of BSA aggregates are osmolyte specific. Among the osmolytes used here, we found glycine betaine to be supporting and promoting the aggregation process while hydroxyproline to be maximally efficient in suppressing the fibrillation process of BSA, followed by sorbitol, sarcosine and proline in the following order of their decreasing potency: Hydroxyproline> Sorbitol> Sarcosine> Proline> Glycine betaine.

Structural and functional characterization of plant aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase from Pisum sativum with a broad specificity for natural and synthetic aminoaldehydes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Tylichová, M.; Kopečný, D.; Moréra, S.; Briozzo, P.; Lenobel, René; Snégaroff, J.; Šebela, M.

2010-01-01

Roč. 396, č. 4 (2010), s. 870-882 ISSN 0022-2836 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA522/08/0555; GA ČR GA301/08/1649 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase * betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase * NAD+ complex Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 4.008, year: 2010

Microbiota-dependent metabolite and cardiovascular disease marker trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is associated with monocyte activation but not platelet function in untreated HIV infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haissman, Judith M; Haugaard, Anna K; Ostrowski, Sisse R

2017-01-01

and combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) HIV infection. METHODS: TMAO and the pre-cursors betaine, choline, and carnitine were quantified by mass-spectrometry in plasma samples from a previously established cross-sectional cohort of 50 untreated and 50 cART treated HIV-infected individuals. Whole...... agonists, or with overall hypo- or hyperreactivity in untreated or treated HIV-infected individuals. In contrast, sCD14 a marker of both monocyte activation and microbial translocation was independently associated with TMAO in untreated HIV-infection (R = 0.381, P = 0.008). Lower levels of carnitine [32.......2 (28.4-36.8) vs. 38.2 (33.6-42.0), P = 0.001] and betaine [33.1 (27.3-43.4) vs.37.4 (31.5-48.7, P = 0.02], but similar TMAO levels [3.8 (2.3-6.1), vs. 2.9 μM (1.9-4.8) P = 0.15] were found in cART treated compared to untreated HIV-infected individuals, resulting in higher ratios of TMAO/carnitine [0...

Thermodynamic characteristics of the acid-base equilibria of ethylenediamine- N, N'-diglutaric acid in aqueous solutions using calorimetric data

Science.gov (United States)

Gridchin, S. N.; Nikol'skii, V. M.

2017-10-01

The enthalpies of reaction of betaine group neutralization of ethylenediamine- N, N'-diglutaric acid (H4L) at 298.15 K and at different values of ionic strength of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 (KNO3) is measured by direct calorimetry. The standard thermodynamic characteristics of the protolytic equilibria of H4L are calculated.

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Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Madhsudhan

Representatives of this class include certain amino acids (e.g. proline and glycine) and polyols (e.g. trehalose, sucrose and sorbitol), and the .... line study found that urea and betaine in growth medium penetrate Madine–Darby ..... (IP3), and a putative receptor tyrosine kinase; J. Clin. Invest. 97 1884–1889. Collins K D and ...

Betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase: zinc in a distorted barrel

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Evans, J. C.; Huddler, D. P.; Jiráček, Jiří; Castro, C.; Millian, N. S.; Garrow, T. A.; Ludwig, M. L.

2002-01-01

Roč. 10, - (2002), s. 1159-1171 ISSN 0969-2126 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAB4055003 Grant - others:NIH(US) GM16429; NIH(US) DK52501 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4055905 Keywords : homocysteine Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 6.030, year: 2002

Homogeneous Liquid–Liquid Extraction of Rare Earths with the Betaine—Betainium Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide Ionic Liquid System

Science.gov (United States)

Hoogerstraete, Tom Vander; Onghena, Bieke; Binnemans, Koen

2013-01-01

Several fundamental extraction parameters such as the kinetics and loading were studied for a new type of metal solvent extraction system with ionic liquids. The binary mixture of the ionic liquid betainium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and water shows thermomorphic behavior with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST), which can be used to avoid the slower mass transfer due to the generally higher viscosity of ionic liquids. A less viscous homogeneous phase and mixing on a molecular scale are obtained when the mixture is heated up above 55 °C. The influence of the temperature, the heating and cooling times, were studied for the extraction of neodymium(III) with betaine. A plausible and equal extraction mechanism is proposed in bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, nitrate, and chloride media. After stripping of the metals from the ionic liquid phase, a higher recovery of the ionic liquid was obtained by salting-out of the ionic liquid fraction lost by dissolution in the aqueous phase. The change of the upper critical solution temperature by the addition of HCl or betaine was investigated. In addition, the viscosity was measured below and above the UCST as a function of the temperature. PMID:24169434

Bacterial biodegradation of melamine-contaminated aged soil: influence of different pre-culture media or addition of activation material.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatakeyama, Takashi; Takagi, Kazuhiro

2016-08-01

This study aimed to investigate the biodegrading potential of Arthrobacter sp. MCO, Arthrobacter sp. CSP, and Nocardioides sp. ATD6 in melamine-contaminated upland soil (melamine: approx. 10.5 mg/kg dry weight) after 30 days of incubation. The soil sample used in this study had undergone annual treatment of lime nitrogen, which included melamine; it was aged for more than 10 years in field. When R2A broth was used as the pre-culture medium, Arthrobacter sp. MCO could degrade 55 % of melamine after 30 days of incubation, but the other strains could hardly degrade melamine (approximately 25 %). The addition of trimethylglycine (betaine) in soil as an activation material enhanced the degradation rate of melamine by each strain; more than 50 % of melamine was degraded by all strains after 30 days of incubation. In particular, strain MCO could degrade 72 % of melamine. When the strains were pre-cultured in R2A broth containing melamine, the degradation rate of melamine in soil increased remarkably. The highest (72 %) melamine degradation rate was noted when strain MCO was used with betaine addition.

Using NMR-Based Metabolomics to Evaluate Postprandial Urinary Responses Following Consumption of Minimally Processed Wheat Bran or Wheat Aleurone by Men and Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Ramandeep; Brennan, Lorraine; Price, Ruth K; Wallace, Julie M W; Strain, J J; Gibney, Mike J; Shewry, Peter R; Ward, Jane L; Garg, Lalit; Welch, Robert W

2016-02-17

Wheat bran, and especially wheat aleurone fraction, are concentrated sources of a wide range of components which may contribute to the health benefits associated with higher consumption of whole-grain foods. This study used NMR metabolomics to evaluate urine samples from baseline at one and two hours postprandially, following the consumption of minimally processed bran, aleurone or control by 14 participants (7 Females; 7 Males) in a randomized crossover trial. The methodology discriminated between the urinary responses of control, and bran and aleurone, but not between the two fractions. Compared to control, consumption of aleurone or bran led to significantly and substantially higher urinary concentrations of lactate, alanine, N-acetylaspartate acid and N-acetylaspartylglutamate and significantly and substantially lower urinary betaine concentrations at one and two hours postprandially. There were sex related differences in urinary metabolite profiles with generally higher hippurate and citrate and lower betaine in females compared to males. Overall, this postprandial study suggests that acute consumption of bran or aleurone is associated with a number of physiological effects that may impact on energy metabolism and which are consistent with longer term human and animal metabolomic studies that used whole-grain wheat diets or wheat fractions.

Synthesis of [methyl-14C]crotonobetaine from DL-[methyl-14C]carnitine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loester, H.; Seim, H.

1996-01-01

The causes of carnitine deficiency syndromes are not completely understood, but decomposition of L-carnitine in vivo is likely to be involved. Carnitine is metabolized to γ-butyrobetaine, and crotonobetaine is probably an intermediate in this pathway. To validate experimentally the precursor-product relationship between the three physiologically occuring γ-betaines - L-carnitine, crotonobetaine, γ-butyrobetaine - labelling with stable or radioactive isotopes became necessary. Methyl-labelled carnitine isomers (L(-)-, D(+)- or DL-) or γ-butyrobetaine can be easily synthesized by methylation of 4-amino-3-hydroxybutyric acid isomers or 4-aminobutyric acid, respectively. Because of problems with the 4-aminocrotonic acid, we synthesized labelled crotonbetaine from labelled carnitine. Thus, DL-[methyl- 14 C]carnitine was dehydrated by reaction with concentrated sulfuric acid. After removal of the latter the products were separated and purified by ion exchange chromatography on DOWEX 50 WX8 (200 - 400 mesh) and gradient elution with hydrochloric acid. In addition to the labelled main product [methyl- 14 C]crotonobetaine (yield about 50 %), [methyl- 14 C]glycine betaine and [methyl- 14 C]acetonyl-trimethylammonium (ATMA) were formed. The end products were identified by combined thin layer chromatography/autoradiography and quantified by liquid scintillation counting. (Author)

Effect of mammalian kidney osmolytes on the folding pathway of sheep serum albumin.

Science.gov (United States)

Dar, Mohammad Aasif; Islam, Asimul; Hassan, Md Imtaiyaz; Ahmad, Faizan

2017-04-01

Recently, we had published that urea-induced denaturation curves of optical properties of sheep serum albumin (SSA) are biphasic with a stable intermediate that has characteristics of molten globule (MG) state. In this study, we have extended the work by carrying out urea- and guanidinium chloride (GdmCl)-induced denaturations of SSA in the presence of naturally occurring mammalian kidney osmolytes, namely, sorbitol, myo-inositol and glycine betaine. We have observed that all these osmolytes (i) transform this biphasic transition into a co-operative, two-state transition and (ii) increase the stability of the protein in terms of midpoint of denaturation (C m ) and Gibbs free energy change in the absence of both denaturants (ΔG D 0 ). The relative effectiveness of different osmolytes on the stability of SSA follows the order: glycine betaine>myo-inositol>sorbitol. In this paper, we also report that kidney osmolytes destabilize MG state by shifting the equilibrium, native state↔MG state toward the left. This study will be helpful in understanding the existence of osmolytes in kidney and their role in folding of kidney proteins soaked with urea. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Innovations in Health Value and Functional Food Development of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

OpenAIRE

Graf, Brittany L.; Rojas-Silva, Patricio; Rojo, Leonel E.; Delatorre-Herrera, Jose; Baldeón, Manuel E.; Raskin, Ilya

2015-01-01

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd., Amaranthaceae) is a grain-like, stress-tolerant food crop that has provided subsistence, nutrition, and medicine for Andean indigenous cultures for thousands of years. Quinoa contains a high content of health-beneficial phytochemicals, including amino acids, fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, saponins, phytosterols, phytoecdysteroids, phenolics, betalains, and glycine betaine. Over the past 2 decades, numerous food and nutraceutical prod...

Aqueous biphasic systems formed by deep eutectic solvent and new-type salts for the high-performance extraction of pigments.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hongmei; Wang, Yuzhi; Zhou, Yigang; Chen, Jing; Wei, Xiaoxiao; Xu, Panli

2018-05-01

Deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of polypropylene glycol 400 (PPG 400) and tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) was combined with a series of new-type salts such as quaternary ammonium salts, amino acid and polyols to form Aqueous Biphasic Systems (ABSs). Phase-forming ability of the salts was investigated firstly. The results showed that polyols had a relatively weak power to produce phases within studied scopes. And the shorter of carbon chain length of salts, the easier to obtain phase-splitting. Then partitioning of three pigments in PPG 400/betaine-based ABSs was addressed to investigate the effect of pigments' hydrophobicity on extraction efficiency. It was found that an increase in hydrophobicity contributed to the migration of pigments in the DES-rich phase. On the other hand, with a decline in phase-forming ability of salts, the extraction efficiency of the whole systems started to go down gradually. Based on the results, selective separation experiment was conducted successfully in the PPG 400/betaine-based systems, including more than 93.00% Sudan Ⅲ in the top phase and about 80.00% sunset yellow FCF/amaranth in the bottom phase. Additionally, ABSs constructed by DES/betaine for partitioning amaranth were further utilized to explore the performances of influence factors and back extraction. It can be concluded that after the optimization above 98.00% amaranth was transferred into the top phase. And 67.98% amaranth can be transferred into the bottom phase in back-extraction experiment. At last, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were applied to probe into extraction mechanism. The results demonstrated that hydrophobicity played an important role in the separation process of pigments. Through combining with new-type DES, this work was devoted to introducing plentiful salts as novel compositions of ABSs and providing an eco-friendly extraction way for partitioning pigments, which boosted development of ABSs in the

Eggs early in complementary feeding increase choline pathway biomarkers and DHA: a randomized controlled trial in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Iannotti, Lora L; Lutter, Chessa K; Waters, William F; Gallegos Riofrío, Carlos Andres; Malo, Carla; Reinhart, Gregory; Palacios, Ana; Karp, Celia; Chapnick, Melissa; Cox, Katherine; Aguirre, Santiago; Narvaez, Luis; López, Fernando; Sidhu, Rohini; Kell, Pamela; Jiang, Xuntian; Fujiwara, Hideji; Ory, Daniel S; Young, Rebecca; Stewart, Christine P

2017-12-01

Background: Choline status has been associated with stunting among young children. Findings from this study showed that an egg intervention improved linear growth by a length-for-age z score of 0.63. Objective: We aimed to test the efficacy of eggs introduced early in complementary feeding on plasma concentrations of biomarkers in choline pathways, vitamins B-12 and A, and essential fatty acids. Design: A randomized controlled trial, the Lulun ("egg" in Kichwa) Project, was conducted in a rural indigenous population of Ecuador. Infants aged 6-9 mo were randomly assigned to treatment (1 egg/d for 6 mo; n = 80) and control (no intervention; n = 83) groups. Socioeconomic data, anthropometric measures, and blood samples were collected at baseline and endline. Household visits were made weekly for morbidity surveillance. We tested vitamin B-12 plasma concentrations by using chemiluminescent competitive immunoassay and plasma concentrations of choline, betaine, dimethylglycine, retinol, essential fatty acids, methionine, dimethylamine (DMA), trimethylamine, and trimethylamine- N -oxide (TMAO) with the use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Socioeconomic factors and biomarker concentrations were comparable at baseline. Of infants, 11.4% were vitamin B-12 deficient and 31.7% marginally deficient at baseline. In adjusted generalized linear regression modeling, the egg intervention increased plasma concentrations compared with control by the following effect sizes: choline, 0.35 (95% CI: 0.12, 0.57); betaine, 0.29 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.58); methionine, 0.31 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.60); docosahexaenoic acid, 0.43 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.73); DMA, 0.37 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.69); and TMAO, 0.33 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.58). No significant group differences were found for vitamin B-12, retinol, linoleic acid (LA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), or ratios of betaine to choline and LA to ALA. Conclusion: The findings supported our hypothesis that early introduction of eggs significantly

A synbiotic improves the immunity of white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei: Metabolomic analysis reveal compelling evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Truong-Giang; Cheng, Ann-Chang; Chi, Chia-Chun; Chiu, Kuo-Hsun; Liu, Chun-Hung

2018-05-18

In this study, we examined the synergistic effects of a diet-administered synbiotic comprising galactooligosaccharide (GOS) and the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum 7-40 on immune responses, immune-related gene expressions, and disease resistance to Vibrio alginolyticus in white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. To unravel the regulatory role of the synbiotic in activating the immune system of shrimp, 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic analysis were used to investigate hepatopancreas metabolites, then significantly altered metabolites were confirmed in both the hepatopancreas and plasma by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and spectrophotometric analysis. Shrimp were fed four experimental diets for 60 days, including a basal diet with no GOS or probiotic (control), 0.4% GOS (PRE), probiotic (PRO), and 0.4% GOS in combination with the probiotic (SYN). Results showed that the SYN diet significantly increased survival of L. vannamei 24 h after a V. alginolyticus injection. Immune parameters such as phenoloxidase activity, respiratory bursts, phagocytic activity and gene expressions, including prophenoloxidase I, serine proteinase, and peroxinectin, of shrimp fed the SYN diet significantly increased, compared to the other treatments and control. In addition, results from the 1 H NMR analysis revealed that 22 hepatopancreas metabolites were matched and identified between the SYN and control groups, among which three metabolites, i.e., inosine monophosphate (IMP), valine, and betaine, significantly increased in the SYN group. Confirmation using RP-HPLC and spectrophotometric methods showed that IMP presented high amounts in the hepatopancreas, but not in the plasma of shrimp; in contrast, valine and betaine metabolites were in high concentrations in both the hepatopancreas and plasma. Our results suggested that GOS and the probiotic had a synergistic effect on enhancing immunity and disease resistance of L. vannamei against

The regulation of non-coding RNA expression in the liver of mice fed DDC.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliva, Joan; Bardag-Gorce, Fawzia; French, Barbara A; Li, Jun; French, Samuel W

2009-08-01

Mallory-Denk bodies (MDBs) are found in the liver of patients with alcoholic and chronic nonalcoholic liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Diethyl 1,4-dihydro-2,4,6,-trimethyl-3,5-pyridinedicarboxylate (DDC) is used as a model to induce the formation of MDBs in mouse liver. Previous studies in this laboratory showed that DDC induced epigenetic modifications in DNA and histones. The combination of these modifications changes the phenotype of the MDB forming hepatocytes, as indicated by the marker FAT10. These epigenetic modifications are partially prevented by adding to the diet S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) or betaine, both methyl donors. The expression of three imprinted ncRNA genes was found to change in MDB forming hepatocytes, which is the subject of this report. NcRNA expression was quantitated by real-time PCR and RNA FISH in liver sections. Microarray analysis showed that the expression of three ncRNAs was regulated by DDC: up regulation of H19, antisense Igf2r (AIR), and down regulation of GTL2 (also called MEG3). S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) feeding prevented these changes. Betaine, another methyl group donor, prevented only H19 and AIR up regulation induced by DDC, on microarrays. The results of the SAMe and betaine groups were confirmed by real-time PCR, except for AIR expression. After 1 month of drug withdrawal, the expression of the three ncRNAs tended toward control levels of expression. Liver tumors that developed also showed up regulation of H19 and AIR. The RNA FISH approach showed that the MDB forming cells' phenotype changed the level of expression of AIR, H19 and GTL2, compared to the surrounding cells. Furthermore, over expression of H19 and AIR was demonstrated in tumors formed in mice withdrawn for 9 months. The dysregulation of ncRNA in MDB forming liver cells has been observed for the first time in drug-primed mice associated with liver preneoplastic foci and tumors.

Purity of targets prepared on Cu substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Méens, A.; Rossini, I.; Sens, J. C.

1993-09-01

The purity of several elemental self-supporting targets usually prepared by evaporation onto soluble Cu substrates has been studied. The targets were analysed by Rutherford backscattering and instrumental neutron activation analysis. Because of the high percentage of Cu observed in some Si targets, further measurements, including transmission electron microscopy, have been performed on Si targets deposited by e-gun bombardment onto Cu and ion-beam sputtering onto betaine.

Controlled immobilization of palladium nanoparticles in two different fluorinated polymeric aggregate cores and their application in catalysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kijima, Tetsushi; Javakhishvili, Irakli; Jankova Atanasova, Katja

2012-01-01

Fluoroalkyl end-capped betaine-type cooligomeric nanocomposites-immobilized palladium nanoparticles were prepared by the reactions of palladium chloride with sodium acetate in the presence of sodium chloride and the corresponding fluorinated cooligomers. Outer blocks of poly(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluoro....... These fluorinated nanocomposites-immobilized palladium nanoparticles were also applied to the catalysts for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction, and the different reactivity between these nanocomposites was observed....

The F309S mutation increases factor VIII secretion in human cell line

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Daianne Maciely Carvalho Fantacini

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: The capacity of a human cell line to secrete recombinant factor VIII with a F309S point mutation was investigated, as was the effect of the addition of chemical chaperones (betaine and sodium-4-phenylbutyrate on the secretion of factor VIII. METHODS: This work used a vector with a F309S mutation in the A1 domain to investigate FVIII production in the HEK 293 human cell line. Factor VIII activity was measured by chromogenic assay. Furthermore, the effects of chemical drugs on the culture were evaluated. RESULTS: The addition of the F309S mutation to a previously described FVIII variant increased FVIII secretion by 4.5 fold. Moreover, the addition of betaine or sodium-4-phenylbutyrate increased the secretion rate of FVIIIΔB proteins in HEK 293 cells, but the same effect was not seen for FVIIIΔB-F309S indicating that all the recombinant protein produced had been efficiently secreted. CONCLUSION: Bioengineering factor VIII expressed in human cells may lead to an efficient production of recombinant factor VIII and contribute toward low-cost coagulation factor replacement therapy for hemophilia A. FVIII-F309S produced in human cells can be effective in vivo.

Radiation-induced in vitro mutagenesis system for salt tolerance and other agronomic characters in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.

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Ashok A. Nikam

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Gamma ray-induced in vitro mutagenesis and selection for salt (NaCl tolerance were investigated in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.. Embryogenic callus cultures were irradiated (10 to 80 Gy and subjected to in vitro selection by exposure of irradiated callus to NaCl (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 mmol L− 1. Increasing NaCl concentrations resulted in growth reduction and increased membrane damage. Salt-selected callus lines were characterized by the accumulation of proline, glycine betaine, and Na+ and K+ concentration. Higher accumulation of proline and glycine betaine was observed in NaCl stressed callus irradiated at 20 Gy. Na+ concentration increased and K+ concentration decreased with increasing salt level. Irradiated callus showed 50–60% regeneration under NaCl stress, and in vitro-regenerated plants were acclimatized in the greenhouse, with 80–85% survival. A total of 138 irradiated and salt-selected selections were grown to maturity and their agronomic performance was evaluated under normal and saline conditions. Of these, 18 mutant clones were characterized for different agro-morphological characters and some of the mutant clones exhibited improved sugar yield with increased Brix%, number of millable canes, and yield. The result suggest that radiation-induced mutagenesis offers an effective way to enhance genetic variation in sugarcane.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a gene encoding the proline transporter protein in common bean(Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Jibao; Chen; Jing; Wu; Yunfeng; Lu; Yuannan; Cao; Hui; Zeng; Zhaoyuan; Zhang; Lanfen; Wang; Shumin; Wang

2016-01-01

As a typical compatible solute, proline is accumulated in plants under environmental stresses. Proline transporter(Pro T) plays an important role in proline distribution between plant organs. Using a candidate gene approach, we cloned a c DNA sequence for Pro T from common bean(Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and designated the gene Pv Pro T. The deduced amino acid sequence of Pv Pro T showed high similarity to Bet/Pro T proteins from other leguminous plants, and the highest similarity was observed with mothbean(Vigna aconitifolia L.) Vu Pro T.Relative quantification of the m RNA level of Pv Pro T using real-time PCR analysis showed that the Pv Pro T transcript level was higher in leaves than in stems and roots of common bean plants subjected to drought and salt stress. Under 20%(w/w) PEG-6000 treatment,drought-resistant plants expressed a higher level of Pv Pro T transcripts than droughtsensitive plants. Although heterologous expression of Pv Pro T in the Escherichia coli mutant mkh13 showed that Pv Pro T exhibited uptake activities for proline and betaine, no betaine content was detected in the common bean. These findings suggest that Pv Pro T plays an important role in the transportation of proline in common bean plants exposed to drought and salt stress.

Estimulantes alimentares para larvas de pacu Feeding stimulants for pacu lavae

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Marcelo Borges Tesser

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de investigar o efeito estimulante de cinco aminoácidos (alanina, arginina, glicina, histidina e lisina da betaína e de suas misturas sobre a taxa de ingestão de dieta microencapsulada durante o desenvolvimento larval de pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus. Os resultados da análise estatística comprovaram a existência de efeito significativo, tanto da idade das larvas como dos aminoácidos, sobre a taxa de ingestão. No entanto, não houve significância estatística para a interação dos dois fatores. A glicina, a lisina e a beta��na foram considerados bons estimuladores do comportamento alimentar de larvas de pacu.The present study aimed to investigate the stimulant effect of five amino acids (alanine, arginine, glycine, histidine and lysine from betaine and their mixtures on the ingestion rates of formulated diet during the larval development of pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus. The statistical results showed significant effect of age and treatment. However, no significant effect was observed for the interaction of both factors. Glycine, lysine and betaine are considered good stimulants of the pacu feeding behavior.

Study on rhizobium interaction with osmoprotectant rhizobacteria for improving mung bean yield

Science.gov (United States)

Maryani, Y.; Sudadi; Dewi, W. S.; Yunus, A.

2018-03-01

Gunungkidul has calcareous soil with limitations including calcareous stone, mostly hilly terrain, and shallow cultivated layer. Furthermore, nowadays we face the disadvantages climates such as long dry seasons, a short rainy season and high temperatures caused by climate change. Climate change leads to irregular rainwater availability for microbes and crops. Research in this field is currently needed as climate change affected directly on crop production, while we need to find the strategy to keep high productivity of the plant. This research aimed to determine the ability of osmoprotectant rhizobacteria and rhizobium to support mung bean yield. Osmoprotectant rhizobacteria were isolated and screened from the calcareous soil in Gunungkidul with disadvantageous climates such as a long dry season, a short rainy season and high temperature. This research was arranged in Completely Randomized Design. The result showed that osmoprotectant rhizobacteria isolate of strain Al24-k and Ver5-k can produce 9.6306 mg g‑1 cell of glycine betaine in a soil density 1.7667 x 107 CFU g‑1 and 11.4870 mg g‑1 cell of glycine betaine in a soil density 1.9667 x 107 CFU g‑1. Inoculation of isolates osmoprotectant rhizobacteria can support mung bean yield. Osmoprotectant rhizobacteria isolate did not effect rhizobium in mung bean rhizosphere.

A Protein Extract from Chicken Reduces Plasma Homocysteine in Rats

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Vegard Lysne

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to evaluate effects of a water-soluble protein fraction of chicken (CP, with a low methionine/glycine ratio, on plasma homocysteine and metabolites related to homocysteine metabolism. Male Wistar rats were fed either a control diet with 20% w/w casein as the protein source, or an experimental diet where 6, 14 or 20% w/w of the casein was replaced with the same amount of CP for four weeks. Rats fed CP had reduced plasma total homocysteine level and markedly increased levels of the choline pathway metabolites betaine, dimethylglycine, sarcosine, glycine and serine, as well as the transsulfuration pathway metabolites cystathionine and cysteine. Hepatic mRNA level of enzymes involved in homocysteine remethylation, methionine synthase and betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase, were unchanged, whereas cystathionine gamma-lyase of the transsulfuration pathway was increased in the CP treated rats. Plasma concentrations of vitamin B2, folate, cobalamin, and the B-6 catabolite pyridoxic acid were increased in the 20% CP-treated rats. In conclusion, the CP diet was associated with lower plasma homocysteine concentration and higher levels of serine, choline oxidation and transsulfuration metabolites compared to a casein diet. The status of related B-vitamins was also affected by CP.

Synthesis of [methyl-{sup 14}C]crotonobetaine from DL-[methyl-{sup 14}C]carnitine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loester, H.; Seim, H. [Leipzig Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry

1996-02-01

The causes of carnitine deficiency syndromes are not completely understood, but decomposition of L-carnitine in vivo is likely to be involved. Carnitine is metabolized to {gamma}-butyrobetaine, and crotonobetaine is probably an intermediate in this pathway. To validate experimentally the precursor-product relationship between the three physiologically occuring {gamma}-betaines - L-carnitine, crotonobetaine, {gamma}-butyrobetaine - labelling with stable or radioactive isotopes became necessary. Methyl-labelled carnitine isomers (L(-)-, D(+)- or DL-) or {gamma}-butyrobetaine can be easily synthesized by methylation of 4-amino-3-hydroxybutyric acid isomers or 4-aminobutyric acid, respectively. Because of problems with the 4-aminocrotonic acid, we synthesized labelled crotonbetaine from labelled carnitine. Thus, DL-[methyl-{sup 14}C]carnitine was dehydrated by reaction with concentrated sulfuric acid. After removal of the latter the products were separated and purified by ion exchange chromatography on DOWEX 50 WX8 (200 - 400 mesh) and gradient elution with hydrochloric acid. In addition to the labelled main product [methyl-{sup 14}C]crotonobetaine (yield about 50 %), [methyl-{sup 14}C]glycine betaine and [methyl-{sup 14}C]acetonyl-trimethylammonium (ATMA) were formed. The end products were identified by combined thin layer chromatography/autoradiography and quantified by liquid scintillation counting. (Author).

Induction of Osmoregulation and Modulation of Salt Stress in Acacia gerrardii Benth. by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Bacillus subtilis (BERA 71

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Abeer Hashem

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The role of soil microbiota in plant stress management, though speculated a lot, is still far from being completely understood. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to examine synergistic impact of plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, Bacillus subtilis (BERA 71, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF (Claroideoglomus etunicatum; Rhizophagus intraradices; and Funneliformis mosseae to induce acquired systemic resistance in Talh tree (Acacia gerrardii Benth. against adverse impact of salt stress. Compared to the control, the BERA 71 treatment significantly enhanced root colonization intensity by AMF, in both presence and absence of salt. We also found positive synergistic interaction between B. subtilis and AMF vis-a-vis improvement in the nutritional value in terms of increase in total lipids, phenols, and fiber content. The AMF and BERA 71 inoculated plants showed increased content of osmoprotectants such as glycine, betaine, and proline, though lipid peroxidation was reduced probably as a mechanism of salt tolerance. Furthermore, the application of bioinoculants to Talh tree turned out to be potentially beneficial in ameliorating the deleterious impact of salinity on plant metabolism, probably by modulating the osmoregulatory system (glycine betaine, proline, and phenols and antioxidant enzymes system (SOD, CAT, POD, GR, APX, DHAR, MDAHR, and GSNOR.

Exposure to the proton scavenger glycine under alkaline conditions induces Escherichia coli viability loss.

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Donna Vanhauteghem

Full Text Available Our previous work described a clear loss of Escherichia coli (E. coli membrane integrity after incubation with glycine or its N-methylated derivatives N-methylglycine (sarcosine and N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG, but not N,N,N-trimethylglycine (betaine, under alkaline stress conditions. The current study offers a thorough viability analysis, based on a combination of real-time physiological techniques, of E. coli exposed to glycine and its N-methylated derivatives at alkaline pH. Flow cytometry was applied to assess various physiological parameters such as membrane permeability, esterase activity, respiratory activity and membrane potential. ATP and inorganic phosphate concentrations were also determined. Membrane damage was confirmed through the measurement of nucleic acid leakage. Results further showed no loss of esterase or respiratory activity, while an instant and significant decrease in the ATP concentration occurred upon exposure to either glycine, sarcosine or DMG, but not betaine. There was a clear membrane hyperpolarization as well as a significant increase in cellular inorganic phosphate concentration. Based on these results, we suggest that the inability to sustain an adequate level of ATP combined with a decrease in membrane functionality leads to the loss of bacterial viability when exposed to the proton scavengers glycine, sarcosine and DMG at alkaline pH.

Exposure to the Proton Scavenger Glycine under Alkaline Conditions Induces Escherichia coli Viability Loss

Science.gov (United States)

Vanhauteghem, Donna; Janssens, Geert Paul Jules; Lauwaerts, Angelo; Sys, Stanislas; Boyen, Filip; Cox, Eric; Meyer, Evelyne

2013-01-01

Our previous work described a clear loss of Escherichia coli (E. coli) membrane integrity after incubation with glycine or its N-methylated derivatives N-methylglycine (sarcosine) and N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG), but not N,N,N-trimethylglycine (betaine), under alkaline stress conditions. The current study offers a thorough viability analysis, based on a combination of real-time physiological techniques, of E. coli exposed to glycine and its N-methylated derivatives at alkaline pH. Flow cytometry was applied to assess various physiological parameters such as membrane permeability, esterase activity, respiratory activity and membrane potential. ATP and inorganic phosphate concentrations were also determined. Membrane damage was confirmed through the measurement of nucleic acid leakage. Results further showed no loss of esterase or respiratory activity, while an instant and significant decrease in the ATP concentration occurred upon exposure to either glycine, sarcosine or DMG, but not betaine. There was a clear membrane hyperpolarization as well as a significant increase in cellular inorganic phosphate concentration. Based on these results, we suggest that the inability to sustain an adequate level of ATP combined with a decrease in membrane functionality leads to the loss of bacterial viability when exposed to the proton scavengers glycine, sarcosine and DMG at alkaline pH. PMID:23544135

Polyol concentrations in Aspergillus repens grown under salt stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelavkar, U P; Chhatpar, H S

1993-09-01

Na(+), K(+) and the ratio of Na(+)/K(+) were higher in cells of the halotolerant Aspergillus repens grown with 2 M NaCl than without NaCl. The osmolytes, proline, glycerol, betaine and glutamate, did not affect the Na(+)/K(+) ratio, nor the polyol content of cells under any conditions. The concentrations of polyols, consisting of glycerol, arabitol, erythritol and mannitol, changed markedly during growth, indicating that they have a crucial role in osmotic adaptation.

Efficient absorption of SO{sub 2} with low-partial pressures by environmentally benign functional deep eutectic solvents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Kai; Ren, Shuhang [State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029 (China); Hou, Yucui [Department of Chemistry, Taiyuan Normal University, Taiyuan, 030031 (China); Wu, Weize, E-mail: wzwu@mail.buct.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029 (China)

2017-02-15

Graphical abstract: Environmentally benign deep eutectic solvents (DESs) based on betaine or L-carnitine with ethylene glycol were designed with a function and used to efficiently capture SO{sub 2} with low partial pressures. - Highlights: • Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were designed with a function to absorb low-conc. SO{sub 2}. • Betaine(Bet) and L-carnitine(L-car) with a functional group were used as H-bond acceptor. • Bet + ethylene glycol (EG) DES and L-car + EG DES are environmentally benign. • L-car + EG DES can absorb 0.644 mol SO{sub 2} per mole L-car (0.37% SO{sub 2}). • L-car + EG DES is a promising absorbent for SO{sub 2} capture. - Abstract: Sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) emitted from the burning of fossil fuels is one of the main air contaminants. In this work, we found that environmentally benign solvents, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) could be designed with a function to absorb low-partial pressure SO{sub 2} from simulated flue gas. Two kinds of biodegradable functional DESs based on betaine (Bet) and L-carnitine (L-car) as hydrogen bond accepters (HBA) and ethylene glycol (EG) as a hydrogen bond donor (HBD) were prepared with mole ratios of HBA to HBD from 1:3 to 1:5, and they were investigated to absorb SO{sub 2} with different partial pressures at various temperatures. The results showed that the two DESs could absorb low-partial pressure SO{sub 2} efficiently. SO{sub 2} absorption capacities of the DESs with HBA/HBD mole ratio of 1:3 were 0.332 mol SO{sub 2}/mol HBA for Bet + EG DES and 0.820 mol SO{sub 2}/mol HBA for L-car + EG DES at 40 °C with a SO{sub 2} partial pressure of 0.02 atm. In addition, the regeneration experiments demonstrated that the absorption capacities of DESs did not change after five absorption and desorption cycles. Furthermore, the absorption mechanism of SO{sub 2} by DESs was studied by FT-IR, {sup 1}H NMR and {sup 13}C NMR spectra. It was found that there are strong acid–base interactions between SO{sub 2} and

Maternal intake of methyl-group donors affects DNA methylation of metabolic genes in infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Pauwels, Sara; Ghosh, Manosij; Duca, Radu Corneliu; Bekaert, Bram; Freson, Kathleen; Huybrechts, Inge; Langie, Sabine A S; Koppen, Gudrun; Devlieger, Roland; Godderis, Lode

2017-01-01

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and infant nutrition in the early postnatal period (lactation) are critically involved in the development and health of the newborn infant. The Maternal Nutrition and Offspring's Epigenome (MANOE) study was set up to assess the effect of maternal methyl-group donor intake (choline, betaine, folate, methionine) on infant DNA methylation. Maternal intake of dietary methyl-group donors was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Before and during pregnancy, we evaluated maternal methyl-group donor intake through diet and supplementation (folic acid) in relation to gene-specific ( IGF2 DMR, DNMT1 , LEP , RXRA ) buccal epithelial cell DNA methylation in 6 months old infants ( n  = 114) via pyrosequencing. In the early postnatal period, we determined the effect of maternal choline intake during lactation (in mothers who breast-fed for at least 3 months) on gene-specific buccal DNA methylation ( n  = 65). Maternal dietary and supplemental intake of methyl-group donors (folate, betaine, folic acid), only in the periconception period, was associated with buccal cell DNA methylation in genes related to growth ( IGF2 DMR), metabolism ( RXRA ), and appetite control ( LEP ). A negative association was found between maternal folate and folic acid intake before pregnancy and infant LEP (slope = -1.233, 95% CI -2.342; -0.125, p  = 0.0298) and IGF2 DMR methylation (slope = -0.706, 95% CI -1.242; -0.107, p  = 0.0101), respectively. Positive associations were observed for maternal betaine (slope = 0.875, 95% CI 0.118; 1.633, p  = 0.0241) and folate (slope = 0.685, 95% CI 0.245; 1.125, p  = 0.0027) intake before pregnancy and RXRA methylation. Buccal DNMT1 methylation in the infant was negatively associated with maternal methyl-group donor intake in the first and second trimester of pregnancy and negatively in the third trimester. We found no clear association between maternal choline intake

Efficient absorption of SO_2 with low-partial pressures by environmentally benign functional deep eutectic solvents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Kai; Ren, Shuhang; Hou, Yucui; Wu, Weize

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Environmentally benign deep eutectic solvents (DESs) based on betaine or L-carnitine with ethylene glycol were designed with a function and used to efficiently capture SO_2 with low partial pressures. - Highlights: • Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were designed with a function to absorb low-conc. SO_2. • Betaine(Bet) and L-carnitine(L-car) with a functional group were used as H-bond acceptor. • Bet + ethylene glycol (EG) DES and L-car + EG DES are environmentally benign. • L-car + EG DES can absorb 0.644 mol SO_2 per mole L-car (0.37% SO_2). • L-car + EG DES is a promising absorbent for SO_2 capture. - Abstract: Sulfur dioxide (SO_2) emitted from the burning of fossil fuels is one of the main air contaminants. In this work, we found that environmentally benign solvents, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) could be designed with a function to absorb low-partial pressure SO_2 from simulated flue gas. Two kinds of biodegradable functional DESs based on betaine (Bet) and L-carnitine (L-car) as hydrogen bond accepters (HBA) and ethylene glycol (EG) as a hydrogen bond donor (HBD) were prepared with mole ratios of HBA to HBD from 1:3 to 1:5, and they were investigated to absorb SO_2 with different partial pressures at various temperatures. The results showed that the two DESs could absorb low-partial pressure SO_2 efficiently. SO_2 absorption capacities of the DESs with HBA/HBD mole ratio of 1:3 were 0.332 mol SO_2/mol HBA for Bet + EG DES and 0.820 mol SO_2/mol HBA for L-car + EG DES at 40 °C with a SO_2 partial pressure of 0.02 atm. In addition, the regeneration experiments demonstrated that the absorption capacities of DESs did not change after five absorption and desorption cycles. Furthermore, the absorption mechanism of SO_2 by DESs was studied by FT-IR, "1H NMR and "1"3C NMR spectra. It was found that there are strong acid–base interactions between SO_2 and −COO"− on HBA.

What Have Metabolomics Approaches Taught Us About Type 2 Diabetes?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gonzalez-Franquesa, Alba; Burkart, Alison M; Isganaitis, Elvira

2016-01-01

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing worldwide, making identification of biomarkers for detection, staging, and effective prevention strategies an especially critical scientific and medical goal. Fortunately, advances in metabolomics techniques, together with improvements in bioinformatics....... Conversely, tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, betaine, and other metabolites decrease. Future studies will be required to fully integrate these and other findings into our understanding of diabetes pathophysiology and to identify biomarkers of disease risk, stage, and responsiveness to specific...

Use of polyamfolit complexes of ethyl-amino-crotonate/acrylic acid with surface-active materials for radionuclide extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabdyrakova, A.M.; Artem'ev, O.I.; Protskij, A.V.; Bimendina, L.A.; Yashkarova, M.G.; Orazzhanova, L.K.

2005-01-01

Pentifylline of betaine structure was synthesised on the basis of 3-aminocrotonate and acrylic acid. Polyamfolit composition and its complexes with anionic surface-active material (lauryl sulfate of sodium) were determined. It is revealed that complex formation occurs with [polyamfolit]:[surface active material]=1:1 ratio and is accompanied by significant reduce of system characteristics viscosity. The paper presents results of [polyamfolit]:[surface active material] complex apply experimental investigation for radionuclide directed migration in soil. (author)

(R,S)-3-Carb?oxy-2-(isoquinolinium-2-yl)propanoate monohydrate

OpenAIRE

Stilinovi?, Vladimir; Frkanec, Leo; Kaitner, Branko

2010-01-01

The title compound, C13H11NO4·H2O, is a monohydrate of a betaine exhibiting a positively charged N-substituted isoquinoline group and a deprotonated carboxyl group. In the crystal, molecules are connected via short O—H...O hydrogen bonds between protonated and deprotonated carboxyl groups into chains of either R or S enantiomers along [001]. These chains are additionally connected by hydrogen bonding between water molecules and the deprotonated carboxy groups of neighbourin...

Glutamate uptake is important for osmoregulation and survival in the rice pathogen Burkholderia glumae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongsung Kang

Full Text Available Bacteria exhibit an optimal growth rate in culture media with sufficient nutrients at an optimal temperature and pH. In addition, the concentration of solutes plays a critical role in bacterial growth and survival. Glutamate is known to be a major anionic solute involved in osmoregulation and the bacterial cell's response to changes in solute concentration. To determine how glutamate uptake is involved in osmoregulation in the rice bacterial pathogen Burkholderia glumae BGR1, we mutated the gltI gene encoding a periplasmic substrate binding protein of a glutamate transport system to abolish glutamate uptake, and monitored the growth of the gltI null mutant in Luria-Bertani medium. We found that the gltI null mutant showed a slower growth rate than the wild-type strain and experienced hyperosmotic stress resulting in water loss from the cytoplasm in stationary phase. When the incubation time was extended, the mutant population collapsed due to the hyperosmotic stress. The gltI null mutant exhibited loss of adaptability under both hypoosmotic and hyperosmotic stresses. The growth rate of the gltI null mutant was restored to the level of wild-type growth by exogenous addition of glycine betaine to the culture medium, indicating that glycine betaine is a compatible solute in B. glumae. These results indicate that glutamate uptake from the environment plays a key role in osmoregulation in B. glumae.

Simultaneous measurement of proline and related compounds in oak leaves by high-performance ligand-exchange chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for environmental stress studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Oufir, Mouhssin; Schulz, Nadine; Sha Vallikhan, Patan Shaik; Wilhelm, Eva; Burg, Kornel; Hausman, Jean-Francois; Hoffmann, Lucien; Guignard, Cedric

2009-02-13

A mass spectrometer was coupled to high-performance ligand-exchange liquid chromatography (HPLEC) for simultaneous analysis of stress associated solutes such as proline, hydroxyproline, methylproline, glycine betaine and trigonelline extracted from leaves of drought stressed oaks and an internal standard namely N-acetylproline. Methanol/chloroform/water extracts were analyzed using an Aminex HPX-87C column and specifically quantified by the positive ion mode of an electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) in single ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The recovery of N-acetyl proline added to oak leaf extracts ranged from 85.2 to 122.1% for an intra-day study. Standard calibration curves showed good linearity in the measured range from 0.3125 to 10micromolL(-1) with the lowest correlation coefficient of 0.99961 for trigonelline. The advantages of this alternative procedure, compared to previously published methods using fluorescence or amperometric detections, are the simultaneous and direct detection of osmoprotectants in a single chromatographic run, a minimal sample preparation, a good specificity and reduced limits of quantification, ranging from 0.1 to 0.6micromolL(-1). Fifty-six days of water deficit exposure resulted in increased foliar free proline levels (2.4-fold, P<0.001, 155micromolg(-1) FW) and glycine betaine contents (2.5-fold, P<0.05, 175micromolg(-1) FW) of drought stressed oak compared to control.

Inulin Supplementation Does Not Reduce Plasma Trimethylamine N-Oxide Concentrations in Individuals at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary Elizabeth Baugh

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM and increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Prebiotic supplementation has been purported to reduce TMAO production, but whether prebiotics reduce fasting or postprandial TMAO levels is unclear. Sedentary, overweight/obese adults at risk for T2DM (n = 18 were randomized to consume a standardized diet (55% carbohydrate, 30% fat with 10 g/day of either an inulin supplement or maltodextrin placebo for 6 weeks. Blood samples were obtained in the fasting state and hourly during a 4-h high-fat challenge meal (820 kcal; 25% carbohydrate, 63% fat; 317.4 mg choline, 62.5 mg betaine, 8.1 mg l-carnitine before and after the diet. Plasma TMAO and trimethylamine (TMA moieties (choline, l-carnitine, betaine, and γ-butyrobetaine were measured using isocratic ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS. There were no differences in fasting or postprandial TMAO or TMA moieties between the inulin and placebo groups at baseline (all p > 0.05. There were no significant changes in fasting or postprandial plasma TMAO or TMA moiety concentrations following inulin or placebo. These findings suggest that inulin supplementation for 6 weeks did not reduce fasting or postprandial TMAO in individuals at risk for T2DM. Future studies are needed to identify efficacious interventions that reduce plasma TMAO concentrations.

Contact sensitization to cosmetic series of allergens in a general population in Beijing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jian; Li, Lin-Feng

2014-03-01

Cosmetic allergic contact dermatitis (CACD) due to common cosmetic allergens in standard series has been extensively studied; however, the prevalence of contact allergy to other cosmetic allergens other than those in standard series is largely unknown. In this study, the frequency of contact sensitization to a European cosmetic series of allergens (Chemotechnique Diagnostics, Vellinge, Sweden) in healthy university student volunteers were detected in Beijing. Of 201 students studied, fifty-eight exhibited positive results, and 9 of them reported had cosmetics related dermatitis previously. The total positivity rate was not correlated to gender. The leading allergens were thimerosal (19.4%), shellac (3.0%), cocamidopropyl betaine (2.0%), hexamethylenetetramine (1.5%), dodecyl gallate (1.5%), hexahydro-1,3,5-tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)triazine (1.0%) and methyldibromo glutaronitrile (1.0%). The positivity rate of thimerosal patch test in men (9.8%) was lower than that of women (23.6%, P cosmetic allergens in men and women (P > 0.05, Chi square test). These results suggested that some cosmetic-related contact allergies may be missed by just testing patients with the European standard series or T.R.U.E. test system only, we recommend shellac, cocamidopropyl betaine, hexamethylenetetramine and dodecyl gallate as the additionally candidates for patch testing in patients with suspected CACD. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nutrition, One-Carbon Metabolism and Neural Tube Defects: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelei Li

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Neural tube defects (NTDs are a group of severe congenital malformations, induced by the combined effects of genes and the environment. The most valuable finding so far has been the protective effect of folic acid supplementation against NTDs. However, many women do not take folic acid supplements until they are pregnant, which is too late to prevent NTDs effectively. Long-term intake of folic acid–fortified food is a good choice to solve this problem, and mandatory folic acid fortification should be further promoted, especially in Europe, Asia and Africa. Vitamin B2, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, choline, betaine and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs can also reduce the NTD risk by interacting with the one-carbon metabolism pathway. This suggest that multivitamin B combined with choline, betaine and n-3 PUFAs supplementation may have a better protective effect against NTDs than folic acid alone. Genetic polymorphisms involved in one-carbon metabolism are associated with NTD risk, and gene screening for women of childbearing age prior to pregnancy may help prevent NTDs induced by the risk allele. In addition, the consumption of alcohol, tea and coffee, and low intakes of fruit and vegetable are also associated with the increased risk of NTDs, and should be avoided by women of childbearing age.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a gene encoding the proline transporter protein in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jibao Chen

2016-10-01

Full Text Available As a typical compatible solute, proline is accumulated in plants under environmental stresses. Proline transporter (ProT plays an important role in proline distribution between plant organs. Using a candidate gene approach, we cloned a cDNA sequence for ProT from common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. and designated the gene PvProT. The deduced amino acid sequence of PvProT showed high similarity to Bet/ProT proteins from other leguminous plants, and the highest similarity was observed with mothbean (Vigna aconitifolia L. VuProT. Relative quantification of the mRNA level of PvProT using real-time PCR analysis showed that the PvProT transcript level was higher in leaves than in stems and roots of common bean plants subjected to drought and salt stress. Under 20% (w/w PEG-6000 treatment, drought-resistant plants expressed a higher level of PvProT transcripts than drought-sensitive plants. Although heterologous expression of PvProT in the Escherichia coli mutant mkh13 showed that PvProT exhibited uptake activities for proline and betaine, no betaine content was detected in the common bean. These findings suggest that PvProT plays an important role in the transportation of proline in common bean plants exposed to drought and salt stress.

(R,S-3-Carboxy-2-(isoquinolinium-2-ylpropanoate monohydrate

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Vladimir Stilinović

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The title compound, C13H11NO4·H2O, is a monohydrate of a betaine exhibiting a positively charged N-substituted isoquinoline group and a deprotonated carboxyl group. In the crystal, molecules are connected via short O—H...O hydrogen bonds between protonated and deprotonated carboxyl groups into chains of either R or S enantiomers along [001]. These chains are additionally connected by hydrogen bonding between water molecules and the deprotonated carboxy groups of neighbouring molecules.

Table_S7.xls

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Arnold Emerson

... k=6, k=7, k=8. 4, 1, 1a2yA, Igg1-kappa d1.3 fv (light chain), PO4, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100. 5, 2, 1a4sA, Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, Nil. 6, 3, 1a5cA, Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase, Nil. 7, 4, 1a8mA, Tumor necrosis factor alpha, Nil. 8, 5, 1a30A, Hiv-1 protease, GLU-ASP-LEU, 100, 100, 100, 100, 62.5, 62.5.

Metabolomic study of plasma from female mink (Neovison vison) with low and high residual feed intake during restrictive and ad libitum feeding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedemann, Mette Skou; Damgaard, Birthe Marie

2012-01-01

was high during restrictive feeding, e.g. betaine, carnitine, and creatine. During ad libitum feeding the plasma level of metabolites that can be characterized as biomarkers of meat intake (creatinine, carnosine, 1- and 3 methylhistidine) was high. The plasma level of lysophosphatidylcholine species......Metabolite profiling may elucidate changes in metabolic pathways under various physiological or nutritional conditions. In the present study two groups of female mink characterized as having a high (16 mink) or low (14 mink) residual feed intake were investigated during restrictive and ad libitum...

(R,S)-3-Carb-oxy-2-(isoquinolinium-2-yl)propanoate monohydrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Stilinović, Vladimir; Frkanec, Leo; Kaitner, Branko

2010-05-22

The title compound, C(13)H(11)NO(4)·H(2)O, is a monohydrate of a betaine exhibiting a positively charged N-substituted isoquino-line group and a deprotonated carboxyl group. In the crystal, mol-ecules are connected via short O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between protonated and deprotonated carboxyl groups into chains of either R or S enanti-omers along [001]. These chains are additionally connected by hydrogen bonding between water mol-ecules and the deprotonated carb-oxy groups of neighbouring mol-ecules.

Development of first inhibitors for betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase 2

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mládková, J.; Vaněk, Václav; Elbert, Tomáš; Buděšínský, Miloš; Jiráček, Jiří

2012-01-01

Roč. 106, - (2012), s894-s894 ISSN 0009-2770. [EuCheMS Chemistry Congress /4./. 26.08.2012-30.08.2012, Prague] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : enzyme catalysis * inhibitors * alkylation Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry

Maternal Methyl-Group Donor Intake and Global DNA (HydroxyMethylation before and during Pregnancy

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Sara Pauwels

2016-08-01

Full Text Available It is still unclear to which extent methyl-group intake during pregnancy can affect maternal global DNA (hydroxylmethylation. Pregnancy methylation profiling and its link with methyl-group intake in a healthy population could enhance our understanding of the development of pregnancy related disorders. One hundred forty-eight women were enrolled in the MANOE (MAternal Nutrition and Offspring’s Epigenome study. Thiry-four women were enrolled before pregnancy and 116 during the first trimester of pregnancy. Global DNA (hydroxymethylation in blood using LC-MS/MS and dietary methyl-group intake (methionine, folate, betaine, and choline using a food-frequency questionnaire were estimated pre-pregnancy, during each trimester, and at delivery. Global DNA (hydroxymethylation levels were highest pre-pregnancy and at weeks 18–22 of pregnancy. We observed a positive relation between folic acid and global DNA methylation (p = 0.04 and hydroxymethylation (p = 0.04. A high intake of methionine pre-pregnancy and in the first trimester showed lower (hydroxymethylation percentage in weeks 11–13 and weeks 18–22, respectively. Choline and betaine intake in the first weeks was negatively associated with hydroxymethylation. Women with a high intake of these three methyl groups in the second and third trimester showed higher hyrdoxymethylation/methylation levels in the third trimester. To conclude, a time trend in DNA (hydroxymethylation was found and women with higher methyl-group intake showed higher methylation in the third trimester, and not in earlier phases of pregnancy.

Contact sensitization in Dutch children and adolescents with and without atopic dermatitis - a retrospective analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lubbes, Stefanie; Rustemeyer, Thomas; Sillevis Smitt, Johannes H; Schuttelaar, Marie Louise; Middelkamp-Hup, Maritza A

2017-03-01

Allergic contact dermatitis is known to occur in children with and without atopic dermatitis, but more data are needed on contact sensitization profiles in these two groups. To identify frequent allergens in children with and without atopic dermatitis suspected of having allergic contact dermatitis. A retrospective analysis of children aged 0-17 years patch tested between 1996 and 2013 was performed. Of all 1012 children tested because of suspected contact dermatitis, 46% developed one or more positive reactions, the proportions for children with (n = 526) and without (n = 395) atopic dermatitis being 48% and 47%, respectively. Children with atopic dermatitis reacted more often to lanolin alcohol (30% pet., p = 0.030), Amerchol L-101 (p = 0.030), and fragrances [fragrance mix I (p = 0.048) and Myroxylon pereirae (p = 0.005)]. Allergens outside the European baseline series that frequently gave positive reactions in these groups included cocamidopropyl betaine and Amerchol L-101. Reactivity to these allergens was significantly more common in atopic dermatitis children. Sensitization prevalences in children with and without atopic dermatitis were similar, but children with atopic dermatitis reacted significantly more often to lanolin alcohol and fragrances. Testing with additional series besides the European baseline series may be necessary, as reactions to, for example, cocamidopropyl betaine and Amerchol L-101 may otherwise be missed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemosensitivity of walking legs of the lobster Homarus americanus: neurophysiological response spectrum and thresholds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Derby, C D; Atema, J

1982-01-01

Responses of chemoreceptors in the walking legs of the lobster Homarus americanus to 35 individual compounds and 3 mixtures (prey odours and extracts) were studied using extracellular recording techniques. Compared against a standard mussel (Mytilus edulis) extract, these receptors were most sensitive to the amino acids L-glutamate, hydroxy-L-proline, L-aspartate, L-arginine, glycine, taurine, and L-alanine, as well as such other compounds as ammonium chloride, betaine, and the tripeptide glutathione. Most of these excitants are among those compounds most prevalent in the prey of lobsters.

(R,S)-3-Carb­oxy-2-(isoquinolinium-2-yl)propanoate monohydrate

Science.gov (United States)

Stilinović, Vladimir; Frkanec, Leo; Kaitner, Branko

2010-01-01

The title compound, C13H11NO4·H2O, is a monohydrate of a betaine exhibiting a positively charged N-substituted isoquino­line group and a deprotonated carboxyl group. In the crystal, mol­ecules are connected via short O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between protonated and deprotonated carboxyl groups into chains of either R or S enanti­omers along [001]. These chains are additionally connected by hydrogen bonding between water mol­ecules and the deprotonated carb­oxy groups of neighbouring mol­ecules. PMID:21579503

Metal-mediated aminocatalysis provides mild conditions: Enantioselective Michael addition mediated by primary amino catalysts and alkali-metal ions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthias Leven

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Four catalysts based on new amides of chiral 1,2-diamines and 2-sulfobenzoic acid have been developed. The alkali-metal salts of these betaine-like amides are able to form imines with enones, which are activated by Lewis acid interaction for nucleophilic attack by 4-hydroxycoumarin. The addition of 4-hydroxycoumarin to enones gives ee’s up to 83% and almost quantitative yields in many cases. This novel type of catalysis provides an effective alternative to conventional primary amino catalysis were strong acid additives are essential components.

Nopal feeding reduces adiposity, intestinal inflammation and shifts the cecal microbiota and metabolism in high-fat fed rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran-Ramos, Sofia; He, Xuan; Chin, Elizabeth L; Tovar, Armando R; Torres, Nimbe; Slupsky, Carolyn M; Raybould, Helen E

2017-01-01

Nopal is a cactus plant widely consumed in Mexico that has been used in traditional medicine to aid in the treatment of type-2 diabetes. We previously showed that chronic consumption of dehydrated nopal ameliorated hepatic steatosis in obese (fa/fa) rats; however, description of the effects on other tissues is sparse. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of nopal cladode consumption on intestinal physiology, microbial community structure, adipose tissue, and serum biochemistry in diet-induced obese rats. Rats were fed either a normal fat (NF) diet or a HF diet containing 4% of dietary fiber from either nopal or cellulose for 6 weeks. Consumption of nopal counteracted HF-induced adiposity and adipocyte hypertrophy, and induced profound changes in intestinal physiology. Nopal consumption reduced biomarkers of intestinal inflammation (mRNA expression of IL-6) and oxidative stress (ROS), modfied gut microbiota composition, increasing microbial diversity and cecal fermentation (SCFA), and altered the serum metabolome. Interestingly, metabolomic analysis of dehydrated nopal revealed a high choline content, which appeared to generate high levels of serum betaine, that correlated negatively with hepatic triglyceride (TAG) levels. A parallel decrease in some of the taxa associated with the production of trimethylamine, suggest an increase in choline absorption and bioavailability with transformation to betaine. The latter may partially explain the previously observed effect of nopal on the development of hepatic steatosis. In conclusion, this study provides new evidence on the effects of nopal consumption on normal and HF-diet induced changes in the intestine, the liver and systemic metabolism.

The relative abundance of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) among other zwitterions in branching coral at Heron Island, southern Great Barrier Reef.

Science.gov (United States)

Swan, Hilton B; Deschaseaux, Elisabeth S M; Jones, Graham B; Eyre, Bradley D

2017-07-01

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and eleven other target zwitterions were quantified in the branch tips of six Acropora species and Stylophora pistillata hard coral growing on the reef flat surrounding Heron Island in the southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS) was used for sample analysis with isotope dilution MS applied to quantify DMSP. The concentration of DMSP was ten times greater in A. aspera than A. valida, with this difference being maintained throughout the spring, summer and winter seasons. In contrast, glycine betaine was present in significantly higher concentrations in these species during the summer than the winter. Exposure of branch tips of A. aspera to air and hypo-saline seawater for up to 1 h did not alter the concentrations of DMSP present in the coral when compared with control samples. DMSP was the most abundant target zwitterion in the six Acropora species examined, ranging from 44-78% of all target zwitterions in A. millepora and A. aspera, respectively. In contrast, DMSP only accounted for 7% in S. pistillata, with glycine betaine and stachydrine collectively accounting for 88% of all target zwitterions in this species. The abundance of DMSP in the six Acropora species examined points to Acropora coral being an important source for the biogeochemical cycling of sulfur throughout the GBR, since this reef-building branching coral dominates the coral cover of the GBR. Graphical Abstract HILIC-MS extracted ion chromatogram showing zwitterionic metabolites from the branching coral Acropora isopora.

Bleaching effects of massecuite on some properties of crystallized sugar beet and milk chocolate bars produced.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadjadi, F Seyed; Honarvar, M; Kalbasi-Ashtari, A; Motaghian, P

2018-04-01

Four kinds of bleached, unbleached, second and third crystal sugars (BCS, UCS, SCS and TCS) were made from different massecuites in a sugar-beet factory, and their physiochemical (polarization, invert sugar, colorants, pH, ash and SO 2 ), microbiological and functional properties were measured. While the polarization of UCS, SCS and TCS were lower than BCS; their invert sucrose, colorants, pH and ash contents were significantly higher than BCS. The phenols and betaine of BCS, UCS, SCS, and TCS were 144, 401, 384 and 673 (mg/100 g); and 244, 791, 4662, and 6589 (mg/100 g); respectively. Whereas the phenol of milk chocolate bars (MCB) made with UCS, SCS, and TCS were only 10% higher than MCB completed with BCS; their betaine contents were substantially (up to 16 times) higher than the ones finished with BCS. Sensory evaluation showed that the MCB prepared with three sugars including UCS, SCS and TCS had significantly higher glossiness, brittleness, flavor and mouth feel than those made with BCS. The greater colorants, ash content and inverted sugars of UCS, SCS and TCS (in comparison with BCS) made considerable improvements in the glossiness, flavor and brittleness of MCB, respectively. BCS had 8 ppm of toxic sulfur; whereas, UCS, SCS and TCS had no detectable sulfur and significantly higher beneficial copper content than BCS. No pathogenic microorganism were detected in UCS, SCS, TCS or their subsequent MCB. Our results highly recommend using UCS, SCS and TCS instead of BCS in food products (such as MCB) due to their higher health benefits.

Nopal feeding reduces adiposity, intestinal inflammation and shifts the cecal microbiota and metabolism in high-fat fed rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofia Moran-Ramos

Full Text Available Nopal is a cactus plant widely consumed in Mexico that has been used in traditional medicine to aid in the treatment of type-2 diabetes. We previously showed that chronic consumption of dehydrated nopal ameliorated hepatic steatosis in obese (fa/fa rats; however, description of the effects on other tissues is sparse. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of nopal cladode consumption on intestinal physiology, microbial community structure, adipose tissue, and serum biochemistry in diet-induced obese rats. Rats were fed either a normal fat (NF diet or a HF diet containing 4% of dietary fiber from either nopal or cellulose for 6 weeks. Consumption of nopal counteracted HF-induced adiposity and adipocyte hypertrophy, and induced profound changes in intestinal physiology. Nopal consumption reduced biomarkers of intestinal inflammation (mRNA expression of IL-6 and oxidative stress (ROS, modfied gut microbiota composition, increasing microbial diversity and cecal fermentation (SCFA, and altered the serum metabolome. Interestingly, metabolomic analysis of dehydrated nopal revealed a high choline content, which appeared to generate high levels of serum betaine, that correlated negatively with hepatic triglyceride (TAG levels. A parallel decrease in some of the taxa associated with the production of trimethylamine, suggest an increase in choline absorption and bioavailability with transformation to betaine. The latter may partially explain the previously observed effect of nopal on the development of hepatic steatosis. In conclusion, this study provides new evidence on the effects of nopal consumption on normal and HF-diet induced changes in the intestine, the liver and systemic metabolism.

Dimethylglycine accumulates in uremia and predicts elevated plasma homocysteine concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

McGregor, D O; Dellow, W J; Lever, M; George, P M; Robson, R A; Chambers, S T

2001-06-01

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for atherosclerosis that is common in chronic renal failure (CRF), but its cause is unknown. Homocysteine metabolism is linked to betaine-homocysteine methyl transferase (BHMT), a zinc metalloenzyme that converts glycine betaine (GB) to N,N dimethylglycine (DMG). DMG is a known feedback inhibitor of BHMT. We postulated that DMG might accumulate in CRF and contribute to hyperhomocysteinemia by inhibiting BHMT activity. Plasma and urine concentrations of GB and DMG were measured in 33 dialysis patients (15 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and 18 hemodialysis), 33 patients with CRF, and 33 age-matched controls. Concentrations of fasting plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), red cell and serum folate, vitamins B(6) and B(12), serum zinc, and routine biochemistry were also measured. Groups were compared, and determinants of plasma tHcy were identified by correlations and stepwise linear regression. Plasma DMG increased as renal function declined and was twofold to threefold elevated in dialysis patients. Plasma GB did not differ between groups. The fractional excretion of GB (FE(GB)) was increased tenfold, and FED(MG) was doubled in CRF patients compared with controls. Plasma tHcy correlated positively with plasma DMG, the plasma DMG:GB ratio, plasma creatinine, and FE(GB) and negatively with serum folate, zinc, and plasma GB. In the multiple regression model, only plasma creatinine, plasma DMG, or the DMG:GB ratio was independent predictors of tHcy. DMG accumulates in CRF and independently predicts plasma tHcy concentrations. These findings suggest that reduced BHMT activity is important in the pathogenesis of hyperhomocysteinemia in CRF.

Comparative nontargeted profiling of metabolic changes in tissues and biofluids in high-fat diet-fed Ossabaw pig

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hanhineva, Kati; Barri, Thaer; Kolehmainen, Marjukka

2013-01-01

to reveal metabolite groups for generating new hypotheses of obesity-related metabolic disturbances produced in an animal model. A large spectrum of metabolites in the semi-polar region, including small water soluble molecules like betaine and dihydroxyindole, and a wide range of bile acids as well...... as various lipid species were detected. The high fat diet influenced metabolic homeostasis of Ossabaw pigs, especially the lipid metabolome, throughout all the analyzed sample types, including plasma, urine, bile, liver, pancreas, brain cortex, intestinal jejunum and proximal colon. However, even dramatic...... and lipids, thus pointing to the pathways of metabolism affected by the dietary treatment....

catena-Poly[[[diaquacopper(II]-μ-2,2′-{[p-phenylenebis(oxymethylene]bis(pyridinium-3,1-diyl}diacetate] dibromide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei-Cheng Pan

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The title centrosymmetric coordination polymer, {[Cu(C22H20N2O6(H2O2]Br2}n, formed by the reaction of the flexible double betaine ligand 2,2′-{[p-phenylenebis(oxymethylene]bis(pyridine-3,1-diyl}diacetic acid with CuBr2, contains a Cu(II atom (overline1 symmetry which is surrounded by two water molecules and bridged by two anions in a square-planar coordination. In the crystal, polymeric zigzag chains are linked via O—H...Br interactions, forming a two-dimensional network extending parallel to (011.

Beskrivelse af næringsstofomsætning med metabolomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedemann, Mette Skou

2010-01-01

I et forsøg med mink med lav eller høj foderkonvertering er der blevet taget blodprøver på tre tidspunkter. Blodprøverne er blevet taget i en periode, hvor minkene er blevet fodret restriktivt (en prøve) og i en periode med ad libitum fodring (to prøver). Blodprøverne blev analyseret ved hjælp af...... fra restriktivt fodrede mink end i plasma fra ad libitum fodrede mink - betain og carnitin. Derudover er der en lang række andre metabolitter, som også findes i forskellig koncentration som endnu ikke er identificeret....

Theoretical and Experimental Studies of N,N-Dimethyl-N'-Picryl-4,4'-Stilbenediamine.

Science.gov (United States)

Papper, Vladislav; Wu, Yuanyuan; Kharlanov, Vladimir; Sukharaharja, Ayrine; Steele, Terry W J; Marks, Robert S

2018-01-01

N,N-dimethyl-N'-picryl-4,4'-stilbenediamine (DMPSDA) was prepared, purified and crystallised in a form of black lustrous crystals, and its absorption and fluorescence spectra were recorded in cyclohexane, acetonitrile and dimethyl sulfoxide. Non-emissive intramolecular charge transfer state (ICT) was clearly observed in this molecule in all three solvents. Theoretical calculations demonstrating a betaine electronic structure of the trinitrophenyl group in the ground state of the molecule and a charge transfer nature of the long wavelength transition S 0  → S 1 supported the experimental observations of the ICT formation in the molecule.

Environmentally Benign and Permanent Modifications to Prevent Biofouling on Marine and Hydrokinetic Devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng Zhang

2012-04-19

Semprus Biosciences is developing environmentally benign and permanent modifications to prevent biofouling on Marine and Hydrokinetic (MHK) devices. Biofouling, including growth on external surfaces by bacteria, algae, barnacles, mussels, and other marine organisms, accumulate quickly on MHK devices, causing mechanical wear and changes in performance. Biofouling on crucial components of hydrokinetic devices, such as rotors, generators, and turbines, imposes substantial mass and hydrodynamic loading with associated efficiency loss and maintenance costs. Most antifouling coatings leach toxic ingredients, such as copper and tributyltin, through an eroding process, but increasingly stringent regulation of biocides has led to interest in the development of non-biocidal technologies to control fouling. Semprus Biosciences research team is developing modifications to prevent fouling from a broad spectrum of organisms on devices of all shapes, sizes, and materials for the life of the product. The research team designed and developed betaine-based polymers as novel underwater coatings to resist the attachment of marine organisms. Different betaine-based monomers and polymers were synthesized and incorporated within various coating formulations. The formulations and application methods were developed on aluminum panels with required adhesion strength and mechanical properties. The coating polymers were chemically stable under UV, hydrolytic and oxidative environments. The sulfobetaine formulations are applicable as nonleaching and stable underwater coatings. For the first time, coating formulations modified with highly packed sulfobetaine polymers were prepared and demonstrated resistance to a broad spectrum of marine organisms. Assays for comparing nonfouling performance were developed to evaluate protein adsorption and bacteria attachment. Barnacle settlement and removal were evaluated and a 60-day field test was performed. Silicone substrates including a commercial

NMR-based Metabolomics Analysis of Liver from C57BL/6 Mouse Exposed to Ionizing Radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Xiongjie [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352; State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Hu, Mary [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352; Zhang, Xu [State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, PR China; Hu, Jian Zhi [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352

2017-07-01

The health effects of exposing to ionizing radiation are attracting great interest in the space exploration community and patients considering radiotherapy. However, the impact to metabolism after exposure to high dose radiation has not yet been clearly defined in livers. In the present study, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) based metabolomics combined with multivariate data analysis are applied to study the changes of metabolism in the liver of C57BL/6 mouse after whole body exposure to either gamma (3.0 and 7.8 Gy) or proton (3.0 Gy) radiation. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projection to latent structures analysis (OPLS) are employed for classification and identification of potential biomarkers associated with gamma and proton irradiation. The results show that the radiation exposed groups can be well separated from the control group. At the same radiation dosage, the group exposed to proton radiation is well separated from the group exposed to gamma radiation, indicating different radiation sources induce different alterations based on metabolic profiling. Common to both gamma and proton radiation at the high radiation doses studied in this work, compared with the control groups the concentrations of choline, O-phosphocholine and trimethylamine N-oxide are decreased statistically, while those of glutamine, glutathione, malate, creatinine, phosphate, betaine and 4-hydroxyphenylacetate are statistically and significantly elevated after exposure to radiation. Since these altered metabolites are associated with multiple biological pathways, the changes suggest that the exposure to radiation induce abnormality in multiple biological pathways. In particular, metabolites such as 4-hydroxyphenylacetate, betaine, glutamine, choline and trimethylamine N-oxide may be good candidates of pre-diagnose biomarkers for ionizing radiation in liver.

Prevention of congenital defects induced by prenatal alcohol exposure (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehan, Megan M.; Karunamuni, Ganga; Pedersen, Cameron J.; Gu, Shi; Doughman, Yong Qiu; Jenkins, Michael W.; Watanabe, Michiko; Rollins, Andrew M.

2017-02-01

Over 500,000 women per year in the United States drink during pregnancy, and 1 in 5 of this population also binge drink. Up to 40% of live-born children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) present with congenital heart defects (CHDs) including life-threatening outflow and valvuloseptal anomalies. Previously we established a PAE model in the avian embryo and used optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging to assay looping-stage (early) cardiac function/structure and septation-stage (late) cardiac defects. Early-stage ethanol-exposed embryos had smaller cardiac cushions (valve precursors) and increased retrograde flow, while late-stage embryos presented with gross head/body defects, and exhibited smaller atrio-ventricular (AV) valves, interventricular septae, and aortic vessels. However, supplementation with the methyl donor betaine reduced gross defects, prevented cardiac defects such as ventricular septal defects and abnormal AV valves, and normalized cardiac parameters. Immunofluorescent staining for 5-methylcytosine in transverse embryo sections also revealed that DNA methylation levels were reduced by ethanol but normalized by co-administration of betaine. Furthermore, supplementation with folate, another methyl donor, in the PAE model appeared to normalize retrograde flow levels which are typically elevated by ethanol exposure. Studies are underway to correlate retrograde flow numbers for folate with associated cushion volumes. Finally, preliminary findings have revealed that glutathione, a key endogenous antioxidant which also regulates methyl group donation, is particularly effective in improving alcohol-impacted survival and gross defect rates. Current investigations will determine whether glutathione has any positive effect on PAE-related CHDs. Our studies could have significant implications for public health, especially related to prenatal nutrition recommendations.

Discovery of new enzymes and metabolic pathways using structure and genome context

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Suwen; Kumar, Ritesh; Sakai, Ayano; Vetting, Matthew W.; Wood, B. McKay; Brown, Shoshana; Bonanno, Jeffery B.; Hillerich, Brandan S.; Seidel, Ronald D.; Babbitt, Patricia C.; Almo, Steven C.; Sweedler, Jonathan V.; Gerlt, John A.; Cronan, John E.; Jacobson, Matthew P.

2014-01-01

Assigning valid functions to proteins identified in genome projects is challenging, with over-prediction and database annotation errors major concerns1. We, and others2, are developing computation-guided strategies for functional discovery using “metabolite docking” to experimentally derived3 or homology-based4 three-dimensional structures. Bacterial metabolic pathways often are encoded by “genome neighborhoods” (gene clusters and/or operons), which can provide important clues for functional assignment. We recently demonstrated the synergy of docking and pathway context by “predicting” the intermediates in the glycolytic pathway in E. coli5. Metabolite docking to multiple binding proteins/enzymes in the same pathway increases the reliability of in silico predictions of substrate specificities because the pathway intermediates are structurally similar. We report that structure-guided approaches for predicting the substrate specificities of several enzymes encoded by a bacterial gene cluster allowed i) the correct prediction of the in vitro activity of a structurally characterized enzyme of unknown function (PDB 2PMQ), 2-epimerization of trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline betaine (tHyp-B) and cis-4-hydroxy-D-proline betaine (cHyp-B), and ii) the correct identification of the catabolic pathway in which Hyp-B 2-epimerase participates. The substrate-liganded pose predicted by virtual library screening (docking) was confirmed experimentally. The enzymatic activities in the predicted pathway were confirmed by in vitro assays and genetic analyses; the intermediates were identified by metabolomics; and repression of the genes encoding the pathway by high salt was established by transcriptomics, confirming the osmolyte role of tHyp-B. This study establishes the utility of structure-guide functional predictions to enable the discovery of new metabolic pathways. PMID:24056934

Comparison of Outcomes for Normal Saline and an Antiseptic Solution for Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Paul J; Attinger, Christopher E; Oliver, Noah; Garwood, Caitlin; Evans, Karen K; Steinberg, John S; Lavery, Larry A

2015-11-01

Negative-pressure wound therapy with instillation is an adjunctive treatment that uses periodic instillation of a solution and negative pressure for a wide diversity of wounds. A variety of solutions have been reported, with topical antiseptics as the most frequently chosen option. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of normal saline versus an antiseptic solution for negative-pressure wound therapy with instillation for the adjunctive treatment of infected wounds. This was a prospective, randomized, effectiveness study comparing 0.9% normal saline versus 0.1% polyhexanide plus 0.1% betaine for the adjunctive treatment of infected wounds that required hospital admission and operative débridement. One hundred twenty-three patients were eligible, with 100 patients randomized for the intention-to-treat analysis and 83 patients for the per-protocol analysis. The surrogate outcomes measured were number of operative visits, length of hospital stay, time to final surgical procedure, proportion of closed or covered wounds, and proportion of wounds that remained closed or covered at the 30-day follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic profiles in the two cohorts except for a larger proportion of male patients (p = 0.004). There was no statistically significant difference in the surrogate outcomes with the exception of the time to final surgical procedure favoring normal saline (p = 0.038). The authors' results suggest that 0.9% normal saline may be as effective as an antiseptic (0.1% polyhexanide plus 0.1% betaine) for negative-pressure wound therapy with instillation for the adjunctive inpatient management of infected wounds. Therapeutic, II.

Dimethylglycine provides salt and temperature stress protection to Bacillus subtilis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bashir, Abdallah; Hoffmann, Tamara; Smits, Sander H J; Bremer, Erhard

2014-05-01

Glycine betaine is a potent osmotic and thermal stress protectant of many microorganisms. Its synthesis from glycine results in the formation of the intermediates monomethylglycine (sarcosine) and dimethylglycine (DMG), and these compounds are also produced when it is catabolized. Bacillus subtilis does not produce sarcosine or DMG, and it cannot metabolize these compounds. Here we have studied the potential of sarcosine and DMG to protect B. subtilis against osmotic, heat, and cold stress. Sarcosine, a compatible solute that possesses considerable protein-stabilizing properties, did not serve as a stress protectant of B. subtilis. DMG, on the other hand, proved to be only moderately effective as an osmotic stress protectant, but it exhibited good heat stress-relieving and excellent cold stress-relieving properties. DMG is imported into B. subtilis cells primarily under osmotic and temperature stress conditions via OpuA, a member of the ABC family of transporters. Ligand-binding studies with the extracellular solute receptor (OpuAC) of the OpuA system showed that OpuAC possesses a moderate affinity for DMG, with a Kd value of approximate 172 μM; its Kd for glycine betaine is about 26 μM. Docking studies using the crystal structures of the OpuAC protein with the sulfur analog of DMG, dimethylsulfonioacetate, as a template suggest a model of how the DMG molecule can be stably accommodated within the aromatic cage of the OpuAC ligand-binding pocket. Collectively, our data show that the ability to acquire DMG from exogenous sources under stressful environmental conditions helps the B. subtilis cell to cope with growth-restricting osmotic and temperature challenges.

Electrodeposition of compact zinc from the hydrophobic Brønsted acidic ionic liquid-based electrolytes and the study of zinc stability along with the acidity manipulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yi-Han; Yeh, Hsin-Wen; Lo, Nai-Chang; Chiu, Chen-Wei; Sun, I-Wen; Chen, Po-Yu

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Compact Zn with no crack is deposited from protic ionic liquid-based electrolytes. • The ionic liquid is composed of the protonated betaine ion. • This ionic liquid is hydrophobic and zinc oxide is soluble in it. • The effects of co-solvents, propylene carbonate and water, are studied. • The Zn stripping/deposition efficiency can be manipulated via acidity adjustment. - Abstract: Compact crystalline zinc was electrodeposited on stainless-steel electrode (SS) via potentiostatic/galvanostatic electrolysis from the hydrophobic Brønsted acidic ionic liquid, protonated betaine bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)imide (IL [Hbet][TFSI]), −based electrolytes containing ZnCl 2 or ZnO under argon or ambient air atmosphere. Approximate 10 wt% of propylene carbonate and water, respectively, were used as the co-solvents for [Hbet][TFSI] to form the IL-based electrolytes. The efficiency of zinc deposition/stripping, which is significantly affected by the Brønsted acidity of the IL-based electrolytes, was studied at glassy carbon electrode (GC) to evaluate the stability of the zinc electrodeposits along with the electrolyte acidity. The stability is very poor for the zinc electrodeposits obtained from ZnCl 2 solution. However, it increases with increasing the quantity of ZnO or urea in the electrolytes; the former neutralize the dissociable protons in [Hbet] cations to form water, and the latter may form H-bonding with [Hbet] or be protonated to form the weakly acidic cations [HUrea]. Both suppress the reaction between the Zn electrodeposits and protons. The stability of the Zn electrodeposits, therefore, can be improved via the manipulation of the IL acidity.

Radiolysis of D(+)-carnitine by 60Co-γ-radiation and formation of L(+)-β-methylcholine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loester, Heinz; Strack, Erich; Seim, Hermann

1986-01-01

The radiolysis of D(+)-carnitine by 60 Co-γ-radiation was examined to obtain optically active β-methylcholine. It was found that the radiolysis leads to a number of trimethylammonium bases but to no other betaines. (+)-β-Methylcholine and acetonyltrimethylammonium could be identified by means of common analytical methods. The amounts of methylamines formed by irradiation were very small. Racemization of the D(+)-carnitine did not occur during irradiation, L(-)-carnitine was not found when an enzymatical determination method was used. The fact that (+)-β-methylcholine was formed from D(+)-carnitine is pharmacologically important, because acetyl-L(+)-β-methylcholine has a strong interaction with muscarinic receptors. (author)

Rational production scheme for utilization of sugar-beet molasses in the alcohol industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malchenko, A L

1959-01-01

Continuously operating equipment is described and the mode of operation is presented. When processed under the described conditions, each long ton of fermented sugar-beet molasses will produce 315 l EtOH, 9.2 l ester-aldehyde fraction, 1 l fusel oil, 150 kg liquid CO/sub 2/, and 45 kg bakers' yeast. Each long ton of stillage will give 20 kg betaine-HCl, 15 to 20 kg glutamic acid, 17 kg glycerol, and 65 kg salt mixture which has approximately the following composition: K/sub 2/CO/sub 3/ 35, Na/sub 2/CO/sub 3/ 15, K/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ 5, and KCl 5 kg.

Specific potassium ion interactions facilitate homocysteine binding to betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mládková, Jana; Hladílková, Jana; Diamond, C. E.; Tryon, K.; Yamada, K.; Garrow, T. A.; Jungwirth, Pavel; Koutmos, M.; Jiráček, Jiří

2014-01-01

Roč. 82, č. 10 (2014), s. 2552-2564 ISSN 0887-3585 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/10/1277; GA ČR GBP208/12/G016 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : BHMT * homocysteine * potassium * crystal structure * molecular dynamics * simulations * enzyme kinetics Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.627, year: 2014

S-alkylated homocysteine derivatives: New inhibitors of human betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jiráček, Jiří; Collinsová, Michaela; Rosenberg, Ivan; Buděšínský, Miloš; Protivínská, Eva; Netušilová, Hana; Garrow, T. A.

2006-01-01

Roč. 49, č. 13 (2006), s. 3982-3989 ISSN 0022-2623 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA4055302 Grant - others:NIH(US) DK52501; NIH(US) R01TW0052501; IARS(US) 50-352 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : BHMT * S-alkylated homocystein e * inhibitor Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 5.115, year: 2006

Proton glass behaviour in a solid solution of gamma-irradiated deuterated betaine phosphate sub 0 sub . sub 1 sub 5 betaine phosphite sub 0 sub . sub 8 sub 5

CERN Document Server

Banys, J; Klimm, C; Voelkel, G; Kloepperpieper, A

1997-01-01

Measurements of the dielectric permittivity are reported for a deuterated solid solution of gamma-irradiated antiferroelectric (betainephosphate) sub 0 sub . sub 1 sub 5 ferroelectric (betainephosphite) sub 0 sub . sub 8 sub 5 at frequencies 20 H sub Z

Evaluation of toxicological effects induced by tributyltin in clam Ruditapes decussatus using high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy: Study of metabolic responses in heart tissue and detection of a novel metabolite.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanana, H; Simon, G; Kervarec, N; Cérantola, S

2014-01-01

Tributyltin (TBT) is a highly toxic pollutant present in many aquatic ecosystems. Its toxicity in mollusks strongly affects their performance and survival. The main purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms of TBT toxicity in clam Ruditapes decussatus by evaluating the metabolic responses of heart tissues, using high-resolution magic angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (HRMAS NMR), after exposure to TBT (10 -9 , 10 -6 and 10 -4 M) during 24 h and 72 h. Results show that responses of clam heart tissue to TBT exposure are not dose dependent. Metabolic profile analyses indicated that TBT 10 -6 M, contrary to the two other doses tested, led to a significant depletion of taurine and betaine. Glycine levels decreased in all clam groups treated with the organotin. It is suggested that TBT abolished the cytoprotective effect of taurine, betaine and glycine thereby inducing cardiomyopathie. Moreover, results also showed that TBT induced increase in the level of alanine and succinate suggesting the occurrence of anaerobiosis particularly in clam group exposed to the highest dose of TBT. Taken together, these results demonstrate that TBT is a potential toxin with a variety of deleterious effects on clam and this organotin may affect different pathways depending to the used dose. The main finding of this study was the appearance of an original metabolite after TBT treatment likely N-glycine-N'-alanine. It is the first time that this molecule has been identified as a natural compound. Its exact role is unknown and remains to be elucidated. We suppose that its formation could play an important role in clam defense response by attenuating Ca 2+ dependent cell death induced by TBT. Therefore this compound could be a promising biomarker for TBT exposure.

Choline Alleviates Parenteral Nutrition-Associated Duodenal Motility Disorder in Infant Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jie; Wu, Yang; Guo, Yonggao; Tang, Qingya; Lu, Ting; Cai, Wei; Huang, Haiyan

2016-09-01

Parenteral nutrition (PN) has been found to influence duodenal motility in animals. Choline is an essential nutrient, and its deficiency is related to PN-associated organ diseases. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the role of choline supplementation in an infant rat model of PN-associated duodenal motility disorder. Three-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed chow and water (controls), PN solution (PN), or PN plus intravenous choline (600 mg/kg) (PN + choline). Rats underwent jugular vein cannulation for infusion of PN solution or 0.9% saline (controls) for 7 days. Duodenal oxidative stress status, concentrations of plasma choline, phosphocholine, and betaine and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were assayed. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of c-Kit proto-oncogene protein (c-Kit) and membrane-bound stem cell factor (mSCF) together with the electrophysiological features of slow waves in the duodenum were also evaluated. Rats on PN showed increased reactive oxygen species; decreased total antioxidant capacity in the duodenum; reduced plasma choline, phosphocholine, and betaine; and enhanced serum TNF-α concentrations, which were reversed by choline intervention. In addition, PN reduced mRNA and protein expression of mSCF and c-Kit, which were inversed under choline administration. Moreover, choline attenuated depolarized resting membrane potential and declined the frequency and amplitude of slow waves in duodenal smooth muscles of infant rats induced by PN, respectively. The addition of choline to PN may alleviate the progression of duodenal motor disorder through protecting smooth muscle cells from injury, promoting mSCF/c-Kit signaling, and attenuating impairment of interstitial cells of Cajal in the duodenum during PN feeding. © 2015 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Insights into chemotaxonomic composition and carbon cycling of phototrophic communities in an artesian sulfur-rich spring (Zodletone, Oklahoma, USA), a possible analog for ancient microbial mat systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Bühring, S I; Sievert, S M; Jonkers, H M; Ertefai, T; Elshahed, M S; Krumholz, L R; Hinrichs, K-U

2011-03-01

Zodletone spring in Oklahoma is a unique environment with high concentrations of dissolved-sulfide (10 mm) and short-chain gaseous alkanes, exhibiting characteristics that are reminiscent of conditions that are thought to have existed in Earth's history, in particular the late Archean and early-to-mid Proterozoic. Here, we present a process-oriented investigation of the microbial community in two distinct mat formations at the spring source, (1) the top of the sediment in the source pool and (2) the purple streamers attached to the side walls. We applied a combination of pigment and lipid biomarker analyses, while functional activities were investigated in terms of oxygen production (microsensor analysis) and carbon utilization ((13)C incorporation experiments). Pigment analysis showed cyanobacterial pigments, in addition to pigments from purple sulfur bacteria (PSB), green sulfur bacteria (GSB) and Chloroflexus-like bacteria (CLB). Analysis of intact polar lipids (IPLs) in the source sediment confirmed the presence of phototrophic organisms via diacylglycerol phospholipids and betaine lipids, whereas glyceroldialkylglyceroltetraether additionally indicated the presence of archaea. No archaeal IPLs were found in the purple streamers, which were strongly dominated by betaine lipids. (13)C-bicarbonate- and -acetate-labeling experiments indicated cyanobacteria as predominant phototrophs in the source sediment, carbon was actively fixed by PSB/CLB/GSB in purple streamers by using near infrared light. Despite the presence of cyanobacteria, no oxygen could be detected in the presence of light, suggesting anoxygenic photosynthesis as the major metabolic process at this site. Our investigations furthermore indicated photoheterotrophy as an important process in both habitats. We obtained insights into a syntrophically operating phototrophic community in an ecosystem that bears resemblance to early Earth conditions, where cyanobacteria constitute an important contributor to

Cloning and Functional Analysis of Phosphoethanolamine Methyltransferase Promoter from Maize (Zea mays L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gai-Li Niu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Betaine, a non-toxic osmoprotectant, is believed to accumulate considerably in plants under stress conditions to maintain the osmotic pressure and promote a variety of processes involved in growth and development. Phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEAMT, a key enzyme for betaine synthesis, is reported to be regulated by its upstream promoter. In the present investigation, by using the transgenic approach, a 1048 bp long promoter region of ZmPEAMT gene from Zea mays was cloned and functionally characterized in tobacco. Computational analysis affirmed the existence of abiotic stress responsive cis-elements like ABRE, MYC, HST, LST etc., as well as pathogen, wound and phytohormone responsive motifs. For transformation in tobacco, four 5′-deletion constructs of 826 bp (P2, 642 bp (P3, 428 bp (P4 and 245 bp (P5 were constructed from the 1048 bp (P1 promoter fragment. The transgenic plants generated through a single event exhibited a promising expression of GUS reporter protein in the leaf tissues of treated with salt, drought, oxidative and cold stress as well as control plants. The GUS expression level progressively reduced from P1 to P5 in the leaf tissues, whereas a maximal expression was observed with the P3 construct in the leaves of control plants. The expression of GUS was noted to be higher in the leaves of osmotically- or salt-treated transgenic plants than that in the untreated (control plants. An effective expression of GUS in the transgenic plants manifests that this promoter can be employed for both stress-inducible and constitutive expression of gene(s. Due to this characteristic, this potential promoter can be effectively used for genetic engineering of several crops.

A pilot study of the effect of human breast milk on urinary metabolome analysis in infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoji, Hiromichi; Taka, Hikari; Kaga, Naoko; Ikeda, Naho; Kitamura, Tomohiro; Miura, Yoshiki; Shimizu, Toshiaki

2017-08-28

This study aimed to examine the nutritional effect of breast feeding on healthy term infants by using urinary metabolome analysis. Urine samples were collected from 19 and 14 infants at 1 and 6 months, respectively. Infants were separated into two groups: the breast-fed group receiving metabolome analysis was performed using capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOF/MS). A total of 29 metabolites were detected by CE-TOF/MS metabolome analysis in all samples. Urinary excretion of choline metabolites (choline base solution, N,N-dimethylglycine, sarcosine, and betaine) at 1 month were significantly (pmetabolome analysis by the CE-TOF/MS method is useful for assessing nutritional metabolism in infants.

Innovations in Health Value and Functional Food Development of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.).

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, Brittany L; Rojas-Silva, Patricio; Rojo, Leonel E; Delatorre-Herrera, Jose; Baldeón, Manuel E; Raskin, Ilya

2015-07-01

Quinoa ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd., Amaranthaceae) is a grain-like, stress-tolerant food crop that has provided subsistence, nutrition, and medicine for Andean indigenous cultures for thousands of years. Quinoa contains a high content of health-beneficial phytochemicals, including amino acids, fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, saponins, phytosterols, phytoecdysteroids, phenolics, betalains, and glycine betaine. Over the past 2 decades, numerous food and nutraceutical products and processes have been developed from quinoa. Furthermore, 4 clinical studies have demonstrated that quinoa supplementation exerts significant, positive effects on metabolic, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal health in humans. However, vast challenges and opportunities remain within the scientific, agricultural, and development sectors to optimize quinoa's role in the promotion of global human health and nutrition.

The development of a new class of inhibitors for betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pícha, Jan; Vaněk, Václav; Buděšínský, Miloš; Mládková, Jana; Garrow, T. A.; Jiráček, Jiří

2013-01-01

Roč. 65, July (2013), s. 256-275 ISSN 0223-5234 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/10/1277 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : BHMT * inhibitor * homocysteine * phosphonate * phosphinate * amino acid derivative * bioisostere * S-alkylated homocysteine Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 3.432, year: 2013

A novel metal-organic coordination polymer with unprecedented floor-like structural configuration consisting of two kinds of independent building blocks of triple- and double-stranded braids

Science.gov (United States)

Che, Yun-Xia; Luo, Feng; Zheng, Ji-Min

2007-02-01

This paper presents a novel and distinctive metal-organic compound, {[Cd 4(bet) 4Cl 6(H 2O) 4][Cd 2Cl 6]} n (bet=(CH 3) 3NCH 2CO 2, namely betaine) 1, assembled from two independent building blocks of triple- and double-stranded braids, and characterized by an unprecedented floor-like structural configuration. Furthermore, IR, element analysis, and TG-DTA were employed to characterize it. Compound 1 belongs to triclinic system, space group P-1, a = 6.704(2) Å, b = 9.338(3) Å, c = 20.056(7) Å, α = 101.409(5)°, β = 96.650(5)°, γ = 93.148(5)°, V = 1218.5(7) Å 3, Z = 1, R1 = 0.0340, ωR2 = 0.1017.

Similar metabolic responses in pigs and humans to breads with different contents and compositions of dietary fibers: a metabolomics study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kirstine Lykke; Hartvigsen, Merete; Hedemann, Mette Skou

2014-01-01

Background: In nutritional studies, pigs are often used as models for humans because of nutritional and physiologic similarities. However, evidence supporting similar metabolic responses to nutritional interventions is lacking. Objective: The objective was to establish whether pigs and humans...... respond similarly to a nutritional intervention. Using metabolomics, we compared the acute metabolic response to 4 test breads between conventional pigs (growing) and adult human subjects (with the metabolic syndrome). Design: Six catheterized pigs and 15 human subjects were tested in a randomized...... different basal metabolome concentrations in the plasma of pigs and humans. Humans had higher contents of phosphatidylcholines, oleic acid, and carnitine in plasma, possibly reflecting a higher intake of meats and fats. In pigs, betaine, choline, creatinine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine were higher...

A HILIC-UHPLC-MS/MS untargeted urinary metabonomics combined with quantitative analysis of five polar biomarkers on osteoporosis rats after oral administration of Gushudan.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiao; Huang, Yue; Sun, Jinghan; Wen, Yongqing; Qin, Feng; Zhao, Longshan; Xiong, Zhili

2018-01-01

A HILIC-UHPLC-MS/MS untargeted urinary metabonomic method combined with quantitative analysis of five potential polar biomarkers in rat urine was developed and validated, to further understand the anti-osteoporosis effect of Gushudan(GSD) and its mechanism on prednisolone-induced osteoporosis(OP) rats in this study. The metabolites were separated and identified on Waters BEH HILIC (2.1mm×100mm, 1.7μm) column using the Waters ACQUITY™ ultra performance liquid chromatography system (Waters Corporation, Milford, USA) coupled with a Micromass Quattro Micro™ API mass spectrometer (Waters Corp, Milford, MA, USA). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify potential biomarkers. Primary potential polar biomarkers including creatinine, taurine, betaine, hypoxanthine and cytosine, which were related to energy metabolism, lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism, were found in the untargeted metabonomic research. Moreover, these targeted biomarkers were further separated and quantified in multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) with positive ionization mode, using tinidazole as internal standard (I.S.). Good linearities (r>0.99) were obtained for all the analytes with the low limit of quantification from 1.00 to 12.8μg/mL. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the intra-day and inter-day precisions were within 15.0% and the accuracy ranged from -14.3% to 13.5%. The recovery was more than 85.0%. And the validated method was successfully applied to investigate the urine samples of the control group, prednisolone-induced osteoporosis model group and Gushudan-treatment group in rats. Compared to the control group, the level of creatinine, taurine, betaine, hypoxanthine and cytosine in the model group revealed a significant decrease trend (p<0.05), while the Gushudan-treatment group showed no statistically differences by an independent sample t-test. This paper provided a better understanding of the therapeutic effect and mechanism of GSD on prednisolone

Identification of a 3rd Na+ Binding Site of the Glycine Transporter, GlyT2.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nandhitha Subramanian

Full Text Available The Na+/Cl- dependent glycine transporters GlyT1 and GlyT2 regulate synaptic glycine concentrations. Glycine transport by GlyT2 is coupled to the co-transport of three Na+ ions, whereas transport by GlyT1 is coupled to the co-transport of only two Na+ ions. These differences in ion-flux coupling determine their respective concentrating capacities and have a direct bearing on their functional roles in synaptic transmission. The crystal structures of the closely related bacterial Na+-dependent leucine transporter, LeuTAa, and the Drosophila dopamine transporter, dDAT, have allowed prediction of two Na+ binding sites in GlyT2, but the physical location of the third Na+ site in GlyT2 is unknown. A bacterial betaine transporter, BetP, has also been crystallized and shows structural similarity to LeuTAa. Although betaine transport by BetP is coupled to the co-transport of two Na+ ions, the first Na+ site is not conserved between BetP and LeuTAa, the so called Na1' site. We hypothesized that the third Na+ binding site (Na3 site of GlyT2 corresponds to the BetP Na1' binding site. To identify the Na3 binding site of GlyT2, we performed molecular dynamics (MD simulations. Surprisingly, a Na+ placed at the location consistent with the Na1' site of BetP spontaneously dissociated from its initial location and bound instead to a novel Na3 site. Using a combination of MD simulations of a comparative model of GlyT2 together with an analysis of the functional properties of wild type and mutant GlyTs we have identified an electrostatically favorable novel third Na+ binding site in GlyT2 formed by Trp263 and Met276 in TM3, Ala481 in TM6 and Glu648 in TM10.

Metabolic profiling in Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) and young onset type 2 diabetes fails to detect robust urinary biomarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gloyn, Anna L; Faber, Johan H; Malmodin, Daniel; Thanabalasingham, Gaya; Lam, Francis; Ueland, Per Magne; McCarthy, Mark I; Owen, Katharine R; Baunsgaard, Dorrit

2012-01-01

It is important to identify patients with Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) as a molecular diagnosis determines both treatment and prognosis. Genetic testing is currently expensive and many patients are therefore not assessed and are misclassified as having either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Biomarkers could facilitate the prioritisation of patients for genetic testing. We hypothesised that patients with different underlying genetic aetiologies for their diabetes could have distinct metabolic profiles which may uncover novel biomarkers. The aim of this study was to perform metabolic profiling in urine from patients with MODY due to mutations in the genes encoding glucokinase (GCK) or hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 alpha (HNF1A), type 2 diabetes (T2D) and normoglycaemic control subjects. Urinary metabolic profiling by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and ultra performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to Q-TOF mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was performed in a Discovery set of subjects with HNF1A-MODY (n = 14), GCK-MODY (n = 17), T2D (n = 14) and normoglycaemic controls (n = 34). Data were used to build a valid partial least squares discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) model where HNF1A-MODY subjects could be separated from the other diabetes subtypes. No single metabolite contributed significantly to the separation of the patient groups. However, betaine, valine, glycine and glucose were elevated in the urine of HNF1A-MODY subjects compared to the other subgroups. Direct measurements of urinary amino acids and betaine in an extended dataset did not support differences between patients groups. Elevated urinary glucose in HNF1A-MODY is consistent with the previously reported low renal threshold for glucose in this genetic subtype. In conclusion, we report the first metabolic profiling study in monogenic diabetes and show that, despite the distinct biochemical pathways affected, there are unlikely to be robust urinary biomarkers which distinguish monogenic subtypes

Metabolic profiling in Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY and young onset type 2 diabetes fails to detect robust urinary biomarkers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna L Gloyn

Full Text Available It is important to identify patients with Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY as a molecular diagnosis determines both treatment and prognosis. Genetic testing is currently expensive and many patients are therefore not assessed and are misclassified as having either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Biomarkers could facilitate the prioritisation of patients for genetic testing. We hypothesised that patients with different underlying genetic aetiologies for their diabetes could have distinct metabolic profiles which may uncover novel biomarkers. The aim of this study was to perform metabolic profiling in urine from patients with MODY due to mutations in the genes encoding glucokinase (GCK or hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 alpha (HNF1A, type 2 diabetes (T2D and normoglycaemic control subjects. Urinary metabolic profiling by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR and ultra performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to Q-TOF mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS was performed in a Discovery set of subjects with HNF1A-MODY (n = 14, GCK-MODY (n = 17, T2D (n = 14 and normoglycaemic controls (n = 34. Data were used to build a valid partial least squares discriminate analysis (PLS-DA model where HNF1A-MODY subjects could be separated from the other diabetes subtypes. No single metabolite contributed significantly to the separation of the patient groups. However, betaine, valine, glycine and glucose were elevated in the urine of HNF1A-MODY subjects compared to the other subgroups. Direct measurements of urinary amino acids and betaine in an extended dataset did not support differences between patients groups. Elevated urinary glucose in HNF1A-MODY is consistent with the previously reported low renal threshold for glucose in this genetic subtype. In conclusion, we report the first metabolic profiling study in monogenic diabetes and show that, despite the distinct biochemical pathways affected, there are unlikely to be robust urinary biomarkers which distinguish monogenic

Multiprobe Spectroscopic Inverstigation of Molecular-level Behavior within Aqueous 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarkar, Abhra [Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi; Ali, Maroof [Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi; Baker, Gary A [ORNL; Tetin, Sergey Y. [Abbott Laboratories; Ruan, Qiaoqiao [Abbott Laboratories; Pandey, Siddharth [Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

2009-01-01

In this work, an array of molecular-level solvent featuressincluding solute-solvent/solvent-solvent interactions, dipolarity, heterogeneity, dynamics, probe accessibility, and diffusionswere investigated across the entire composition of ambient mixtures containing the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [bmim][BF4], and pH 7.0 phosphate buffer, based on results assembled for nine different molecular probes utilized in a range of spectroscopic modes. These studies uncovered interesting and unusual solvatochromic probe behavior within this benchmark mixture. Solvatochromic absorbance probessa watersoluble betaine dye (betaine dye 33), N,N-diethyl-4-nitroaniline, and 4-nitroanilineswere employed to determine ET (a blend of dipolarity/polarizability and hydrogen bond donor contributions) and the Kamlet-Taft indices * (dipolarity/polarizability), R (hydrogen bond donor acidity), and (hydrogen bond acceptor basicity) characterizing the [bmim][BF4] + phosphate buffer system. These parameters each showed a marked deviation from ideality, suggesting selective solvation of the individual probe solutes by [bmim][BF4]. Similar conclusions were derived from the responses of the fluorescent polarity-sensitive probes pyrene and pyrene-1-carboxaldehyde. Importantly, the fluorescent microfluidity probe 1,3-bis(1-pyrenyl)propane senses a microviscosity within the mixture that significantly exceeds expectations derived from simple interpolation of the behavior in the neat solvents. On the basis of results from this probe, a correlation between microviscosity and bulk viscosity was established; pronounced solvent-solvent hydrogen-bonding interactions were implicit in this behavior. The greatest deviation from ideal additive behavior for the probes studied herein was consistently observed to occur in the buffer-rich regime. Nitromethane-based fluorescence quenching of pyrene within the [bmim][BF4] + phosphate buffer system showed unusual compliance with a sphere

Methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase contributes to allergic airway disease.

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Kenneth R Eyring

Full Text Available Environmental exposures strongly influence the development and progression of asthma. We have previously demonstrated that mice exposed to a diet enriched with methyl donors during vulnerable periods of fetal development can enhance the heritable risk of allergic airway disease through epigenetic changes. There is conflicting evidence on the role of folate (one of the primary methyl donors in modifying allergic airway disease.We hypothesized that blocking folate metabolism through the loss of methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (Mthfr activity would reduce the allergic airway disease phenotype through epigenetic mechanisms.Allergic airway disease was induced in C57BL/6 and C57BL/6Mthfr-/- mice through house dust mite (HDM exposure. Airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR were measured between the two groups. Gene expression and methylation profiles were generated for whole lung tissue. Disease and molecular outcomes were evaluated in C57BL/6 and C57BL/6Mthfr-/- mice supplemented with betaine.Loss of Mthfr alters single carbon metabolite levels in the lung and serum including elevated homocysteine and cystathionine and reduced methionine. HDM-treated C57BL/6Mthfr-/- mice demonstrated significantly less airway hyperreactivity (AHR compared to HDM-treated C57BL/6 mice. Furthermore, HDM-treated C57BL/6Mthfr-/- mice compared to HDM-treated C57BL/6 mice have reduced whole lung lavage (WLL cellularity, eosinophilia, and Il-4/Il-5 cytokine concentrations. Betaine supplementation reversed parts of the HDM-induced allergic airway disease that are modified by Mthfr loss. 737 genes are differentially expressed and 146 regions are differentially methylated in lung tissue from HDM-treated C57BL/6Mthfr-/- mice and HDM-treated C57BL/6 mice. Additionally, analysis of methylation/expression relationships identified 503 significant correlations.Collectively, these findings indicate that the loss of folate as a methyl donor is a modifier of

Data on the role of accessible surface area on osmolytes-induced protein stabilization

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Safikur Rahman

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper describes data related to the research article “Testing the dependence of stabilizing effect of osmolytes on the fractional increase in the accessible surface area on thermal and chemical denaturations of proteins” [1]. Heat- and guanidinium chloride (GdmCl-induced denaturation of three disulfide free proteins (bovine cytochrome c (b-cyt-c, myoglobin (Mb and barstar in the presence of different concentrations of methylamines (sarcosine, glycine-betaine (GB and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO was monitored by [ϴ]222, the mean residue ellipticity at 222 nm at pH 7.0. Methylamines belong to a class of osmolytes known to protect proteins from deleterious effect of urea. This paper includes comprehensive thermodynamic data obtained from the heat- and GdmCl-induced denaturations of barstar, b-cyt-c and Mb.

Differential compartmentation of sucrose and gentianose in the cytosol and vacuoles of storage root protoplasts from Gentiana Lutea L.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, F; Wiemken, A

1982-12-01

The storage roots of perennial Gentiana lutea L.plants contain several sugars. The predominant carbohydrate reserve is gentianose (β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 ↔ 2)-β-D-fructofuranoside). Vacuoles were isolated from root protoplasts and purified through a betaine density gradient. The yield was about 75%. Gentianose and gentiobiose were localized to 100% in the vacuoles, fructose and glucose to about 80%, and sucrose to only about 50%. Taking the volumes of the vacuolar and extravacuolar (cytosolic) compartments into account it is inferred that gentianose is located exclusively in the vacuoles, whilst sucrose is much more concentrated in the cytosol where it may play a role as a cryoprotectant. The concentration of fructose and glucose appeared to be similar on both sides of the tonoplast.

Thermodynamics of interactions between organic ammonium ions and sulfonatocalixarenes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Lihua [Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Guo Dongsheng [Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Chen Yong [Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Liu Yu [Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)]. E-mail: yuliu@nankai.edu.cn

2006-04-01

Calorimetric titration and NMR experiments in aqueous phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) at 298.15 K have been done to determine the binding mode, complex stability constants and thermodynamics ({delta}G{sup o}, {delta}H{sup o}, and T{delta}S{sup o}) for 1:1 inclusion complexation of water-soluble calix[n]arenesulfonates (CnAS, n = 4 and 6) and thiacalix[4]arene tetrasulfonate (TCAS) with acethylcholine, carnitine, betaine and benzyltrimethylammonium ion. The results show the inclusion complexations are driven by enthalpy ({delta}H{sup o} < 0), accompanied by negative entropic changes ({delta}S{sup o} < 0). The binding affinities (C4AS > C6AS > TCAS) are discussed from the viewpoint of CH-{pi}/{pi}-{pi} interactions, electrostatic interactions and size/shape-fit relationship between host and guest.

Conserved ABC Transport System Regulated by the General Stress Response Pathways of Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrou, Julien; Willett, Jonathan W.; Czy; #380; , Daniel M.; Babnigg, Gyorgy; Kim, Youngchang; Crosson, Sean (UC)

2016-12-19

Brucella abortusσ^E1is an EcfG family sigma factor that regulates the transcription of dozens of genes in response to diverse stress conditions and is required for maintenance of chronic infection in a mouse model. A putative ATP-binding cassette transporter operon,bab1_0223-bab1_0226, is among the most highly activated gene sets in the σ^E1regulon. The proteins encoded by the operon resemble quaternary ammonium-compatible solute importers but are most similar in sequence to the broadly conserved YehZYXW system, which remains largely uncharacterized. Transcription ofyehZYXWis activated by the general stress sigma factor σ^SinEnterobacteriaceae, which suggests a functional role for this transport system in bacterial stress response across the classesAlphaproteobacteriaandGammaproteobacteria. We present evidence thatB. abortusYehZYXW does not function as an importer of known compatible solutes under physiological conditions and does not contribute to the virulence defect of a σ^E1-null strain. The solein vitrophenotype associated with genetic disruption of this putative transport system is reduced growth in the presence of high Li⁺ion concentrations. A crystal structure ofB. abortusYehZ revealed a class II periplasmic binding protein fold with significant structural homology toArchaeoglobus fulgidusProX, which binds glycine betaine. However, the structure

The study on Buthus martensii Karsch

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Ki-Rok, Kwon

2002-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: Through the literatures on the effects of Buthus martensii Karsch, we are finding out the clinical possibility and revealing the more effctive to intractable diseases. Method: We investigated the literatures of Oriental Medicine and experimental reports about Buthus martensii Karsch. Results: 1. The taste of Buthus martensii Karsch is salty, hot and toxic, and the effect of this is tetanus, headache, facial palsy and convulsion. 2. The venom of Buthus martensii Karsch is anaesthetic and toxic protein, composed of buthotoxin, lecithin, trimethylamine, betaine, taurine, cholesterol, stearic acid and palmitic acid and similar to the snake venom. 3. The pharmacological effects ofButhus martensii Karsch are anti-convulsion, depressor, anesthesia, anti-thrombosis and anti-cancer. 4. Symptoms of Buthotoxin poisoning are local pain, vomiting, fever, hypertension and palpitaion, and critical condition to Dyspnea, coma and death.

The role of glial cells in neuronal acetylcholine synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasa, P.

1986-01-01

This paper presents data on the role of glial cells in neuronal ACh synthesis. It is noted that central neurons fare better in cultures when in contact with non-neuronal cells, and especially glial cells. Since neither the fate of the Ch released from the glial cells nor the role of the contact between glial cells and neurons has yet been elucidated, the author investigates these phenomena. Glial cells from 14-day-old chickbrain were cultured for 14 days. ( 14 C) - choline incorporated into lipids, phosphocholine, betaine and ACh, as well as the free ( 14 C) -choline, were determined in the pure glial cell cultures after 24 h, and in the combined cultures after 7 days. The ( 14 C) - choline influx into the incubation medium and the uptake by the neurons were measured. Results are presented

The effectiveness of a course of the drug " Alakton " in the preparation of skilled wrestlers

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V.V. Sazonov

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose . The influence of the new domestic preparation on the performance of functional readiness and psychophysiological performance athletes. Material and methods . The study involved 12 qualified wrestlers (age 17-19 years with the written consent. The drug contains chelated magnesium glycinate cocarboxylase and betaine. Course reception - within seven days of shock microcycle. Results . Found that course reception has a positive impact on health and the special recovery processes athletes. Also found a positive effect on physiological indicators. The authentic reduction in travel time distance shuttle run 4 x 9 m, increase in the coefficient of special endurance, increase the number of repetitions in the test. Showed a reduction in the coefficient of restitution and increasing the number of shots (mill in this test. Conclusions . The data obtained suggest appropriate use of the drug in the practice of preparing skilled fighters.

A review of chemistry and biological activities of the genus Aerva--a desert plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Chawla, Payal; Chawla, Amit; Vasudeva, Neeru; Sharma, Surendra Kumar

2012-01-01

There are approximately 28 species of Aerva genus, but only a few species are medicinal of which A. persica, A. lanata and A. javanica are of great value. A number of flavonol glycosides (e.g., aervanone, kaempferol-3-galactoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside) have been reported from Aerva persica as major phytoconstituents and the minor constituents are β-cyanins (glycine betaine and trigonelline), sterols and carbohydrates. This plant is used as medicinal herb in several traditional systems of medicine all over the world, like diuretic, demulcent, purgative, emetic and tinder. Aerva plants are used to cure ulcer, lithiasis, dropsical affections, eye affection, toothache, headache, in disorders of abdomen and inflammation of internal organs. Roots and flowers are reported to possess hypoglycemic, antioxidant, anthelmintic, analgesic, antimalarial, antivenin activities and medicinal properties against rheumatism and kidney troubles.

Antioxidant gene expression and metabolic responses of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) after exposure to various concentrations of hexabromocyclododecane.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Yajuan; Xu, Xiangbo; Chen, Juan; Liang, Ruoyu; Zheng, Xiaoqi; Shi, Yajing; Wang, Yurong

2018-01-01

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), a ubiquitous suspected contaminant, is one of the world's most prominent brominated flame retardants (BFRs). In the present study, earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were exposed to HBCD. The expression of selected antioxidant enzyme genes was measured, and the metabolic responses were assessed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to identify the molecular mechanism of the antioxidant stress reaction and the metabolic reactions of earthworms to HBCD. A significant up-regulation (p  0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) of the metabolic responses showed that all groups could be clearly differentiated, and the highest concentration dose group was the most distant from the control group. Except for fumarate, the measured metabolites, which included adenosine triphosphate (ATP), valine, lysine, glycine, betaine and lactate, revealed significant (p earthworm exposure studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combining combinatorial chemistry and affinity chromatography: highly selective inhibitors of human betaine:homocysteine S-methyltransferase

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Collinsová, Michaela; Castro, C.; Garrow, T. A.; Yiotakis, A.; Dive, V.; Jiráček, Jiří

2003-01-01

Roč. 10, - (2003), s. 113-122 ISSN 1074-5521 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAB4055003 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4055905 Keywords : BHMT * inhibitor * phosphinic Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 6.129, year: 2003

Development of novel highly selective phosphinic pseudopeptide inhibitors of Zn-metalloenzyme betaine: homocysteine S-methyltransferase

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Collinsová, Michaela

2002-01-01

Roč. 96, č. 4 (2002), s. 210-211 ISSN 0009-2770. [Sigma-Aldrich konference mladých chemiků, biochemiků a molekulárních biologů. 22.05.2002-25.05.2002, Velké Meziříčí] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4055905 Keywords : phosphinic pseudopeptides Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry

Effects of hyperhomocysteinemia and betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase inhibition on hepatocyte metabolites and the proteome

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Selicharová, Irena; Kořínek, M.; Demianova, Zuzana; Chrudinová, Martina; Mládková, Jana; Jiráček, Jiří

2013-01-01

Roč. 1834, č. 8 (2013), s. 1596-1606 ISSN 1570-9639 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/10/1277 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : apolipoprotein * fibrinogen * one-carbon metabolism * S-Adenosylmethionine * two-dimensional electrophoresis Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 3.191, year: 2013

Compatible Solute Synthesis and Import by the Moderate Halophile Spiribacter salinus: Physiology and Genomics

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María J. León

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Members of the genus Spiribacter are found worldwide and are abundant in ecosystems possessing intermediate salinities between seawater and saturated salt concentrations. Spiribacter salinus M19-40 is the type species of this genus and its first cultivated representative. In the habitats of S. salinus M19-40, high salinity is a key determinant for growth and we therefore focused on the cellular adjustment strategy to this persistent environmental challenge. We coupled these experimental studies to the in silico mining of the genome sequence of this moderate halophile with respect to systems allowing this bacterium to control its potassium and sodium pools, and its ability to import and synthesize compatible solutes. S. salinus M19-40 produces enhanced levels of the compatible solute ectoine, both under optimal and growth-challenging salt concentrations, but the genes encoding the corresponding biosynthetic enzymes are not organized in a canonical ectABC operon. Instead, they are scrambled (ectAC; ectB and are physically separated from each other on the S. salinus M19-40 genome. Genomes of many phylogenetically related bacteria also exhibit a non-canonical organization of the ect genes. S. salinus M19-40 also synthesizes trehalose, but this compatible solute seems to make only a minor contribution to the cytoplasmic solute pool under osmotic stress conditions. However, its cellular levels increase substantially in stationary phase cells grown under optimal salt concentrations. In silico genome mining revealed that S. salinus M19-40 possesses different types of uptake systems for compatible solutes. Among the set of compatible solutes tested in an osmostress protection growth assay, glycine betaine and arsenobetaine were the most effective. Transport studies with radiolabeled glycine betaine showed that S. salinus M19-40 increases the pool size of this osmolyte in a fashion that is sensitively tied to the prevalent salinity of the growth medium

Growth stage-based modulation in physiological and biochemical attributes of two genetically diverse wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars grown in salinized hydroponic culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashraf, Muhammad Arslan; Ashraf, Muhammad

2016-04-01

Hydroponic experiment was conducted to appraise variation in the salt tolerance potential of two wheat cultivars (salt tolerant, S-24, and moderately salt sensitive, MH-97) at different growth stages. These two wheat cultivars are not genetically related as evident from randomized polymorphic DNA analysis (random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)) which revealed 28% genetic diversity. Salinity stress caused a marked reduction in grain yield of both wheat cultivars. However, cv. S-24 was superior to cv. MH-97 in maintaining grain yield under saline stress. Furthermore, salinity caused a significant variation in different physiological attributes measured at different growth stages. Salt stress caused considerable reduction in different water relation attributes of wheat plants. A significant reduction in leaf water, osmotic, and turgor potentials was recorded in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages. Maximal reduction in leaf water potential was recorded at the reproductive stage in both wheat cultivars. In contrast, maximal turgor potential was observed at the boot stage. Salt-induced adverse effects of salinity on different water relation attributes were more prominent in cv. MH-97 as compared to those in cv. S-24. Salt stress caused a substantial decrease in glycine betaine and alpha tocopherols. These biochemical attributes exhibited significant salt-induced variation at different growth stages in both wheat cultivars. For example, maximal accumulation of glycine betaine was evident at the early growth stages (vegetative and boot). However, cv. S-24 showed higher accumulation of this organic osmolyte, and this could be the reason for maintenance of higher turgor than that of cv. MH-97 under stress conditions. Salt stress significantly increased the endogenous levels of toxic ions (Na(+) and Cl(-)) and decreased essential cations (K(+) and Ca(2+)) in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages. Furthermore, K(+)/Na(+) and Ca(2+)/Na(+) ratios

Chernobyl seed project. Advances in the identification of differentially abundant proteins in a radio-contaminated environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Rashydov, Namik M; Hajduch, Martin

2015-01-01

Plants have the ability to grow and successfully reproduce in radio-contaminated environments, which has been highlighted by nuclear accidents at Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011). The main aim of this article is to summarize the advances of the Chernobyl seed project which has the purpose to provide proteomic characterization of plants grown in the Chernobyl area. We present a summary of comparative proteomic studies on soybean and flax seeds harvested from radio-contaminated Chernobyl areas during two successive generations. Using experimental design developed for radio-contaminated areas, altered abundances of glycine betaine, seed storage proteins, and proteins associated with carbon assimilation into fatty acids were detected. Similar studies in Fukushima radio-contaminated areas might complement these data. The results from these Chernobyl experiments can be viewed in a user-friendly format at a dedicated web-based database freely available at http://www.chernobylproteomics.sav.sk.

Intravenous supplementation of acetate, glucose or essential amino acids to an energy and protein deficient diet in lactating dairy goats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Safayi, S.; Nielsen, M. O.

2013-01-01

amino acid supply is suboptimal. Goats were fed a basal diet deficient in energy (90% of requirements) and protein (80% of requirements), and were randomly allocated to 4 treatments in a balanced 4 x 4 Latin square design. The treatments consisted of 4-d continuous intravenous infusions of isoosmotic...... and close to significantly by ACE, but not by GLU treatment. GLU reduced milk protein percentage compared to all other treatments. High milk protein yields on EM and ACE treatments were associated with higher arterial AVD for acetate and oxygen (not significant for ACE), and higher AVD also for beta......In the present experiment we aimed to study, if milk synthesis is more sensitive toward deficiency in supply of amino acids in early (EL) versus late lactation (LL), and if energy yielding substrates in the form of acetate (but not glucose) can contribute to sustain milk (protein) synthesis, when...

Preliminary X-ray analysis of twinned crystals of sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase from Halorhodospira halochoris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kallio, Juha Pekka; Jänis, Janne; Nyyssölä, Antti; Hakulinen, Nina; Rouvinen, Juha

2009-01-01

The crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase from H. halochoris is reported. Sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.157) is an enzyme from the extremely halophilic anaerobic bacterium Halorhodospira halochoris. This enzyme catalyzes the twofold methylation of sarcosine to betaine, with S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) as the methyl-group donor. This study presents the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of recombinant sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase produced in Escherichia coli. Mass spectroscopy was used to determine the purity and homogeneity of the enzyme material. Two different crystal forms, which initially appeared to be hexagonal and tetragonal, were obtained. However, on analyzing the diffraction data it was discovered that both crystal forms were pseudo-merohedrally twinned. The true crystal systems were monoclinic and orthorhombic. The monoclinic crystal diffracted to a maximum of 2.15 Å resolution and the orthorhombic crystal diffracted to 1.8 Å resolution

Using UCST ionic liquid as a draw solute in forward osmosis to treat high-salinity water

KAUST Repository

Zhong, Yujiang

2015-12-09

The concept of using a thermo-responsive ionic liquid (IL) with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) as a draw solute in forward osmosis (FO) was successfully demonstrated here experimentally. A 3.2 M solution of protonated betaine bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Hbet][Tf2N]) was obtained by heating and maintaining the temperature above 56°C. This solution successfully drew water from high-salinity water up to 3.0 M through FO. When the IL solution cooled to room temperature, it spontaneously separated into a water-rich phase and an IL-rich phase: the water-rich phase was the produced water that contained a low IL concentration, and the IL-rich phase could be used directly as the draw solution in the next cycle of the FO process. The thermal stability, thermal-responsive solubility and UV-vis absorption spectra of the IL were also studied in detail.

Taurine Protects Lens Epithelial Cells Against Ultraviolet B-Induced Apoptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dayang, Wu; Dongbo, Pang

2017-10-01

The massive uptake of compatible osmolytes is a self-protective response shared by lens exposed to hypertonic stress and ultraviolet stress. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of taurine against ultraviolet B-induced cytotoxicity in the lens epithelial cells. Real-time PCR was used to measure osmolytes transport. Radioimmunoassay was used to measure osmolytes uptake. Cell counting kit-8 assays were used to measure cellular viability. Flow cytometry analysis was used to measure apoptosis level. Compared with normotonic stress, hypertonic stress-induced osmolytes uptake into the lens epithelial cells such as betaine, myoinositol and taurine. UVB exposure increased osmolytes transporter mRNA expression together with osmolytes uptake. Moreover, taurine suppressed UVB-induced cell apoptosis in the lens epithelial cells significantly. The effect of compatible osmolyte taurine on cell survival rate may play an important role in cell resistance and adaption to UVB exposure.

Human multipotent adipose-derived stem cells differentiate into functional brown adipocytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elabd, Christian; Chiellini, Chiara; Carmona, Mamen

2009-01-01

adipose-derived stem (hMADS) cells exhibit a normal karyotype and high self-renewal ability; they are known to differentiate into cells that exhibit the key properties of human white adipocytes, that is, uncoupling protein two expression, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, lipolysis in response to beta......In contrast to the earlier contention, adult humans have been shown recently to possess active brown adipose tissue with a potential of being of metabolic significance. Up to now, brown fat precursor cells have not been available for human studies. We have shown previously that human multipotent......-agonists and atrial natriuretic peptide, and release of adiponectin and leptin. Herein, we show that, upon chronic exposure to a specific PPARgamma but not to a PPARbeta/delta or a PPARalpha agonist, hMADS cell-derived white adipocytes are able to switch to a brown phenotype by expressing both uncoupling protein one...

Nanostructured liquid crystalline particles as an alternative delivery vehicle for plant agrochemicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Nadiminti, Pavani P; Dong, Yao D; Sayer, Chad; Hay, Phillip; Rookes, James E; Boyd, Ben J; Cahill, David M

2013-03-13

Agrochemical spray formulations applied to plants are often mixed with surfactants that facilitate delivery of the active ingredient. However, surfactants cause phytotoxicity and off-target effects in the environment. We propose the use of nanostructured liquid crystalline particles (NLCP) as an alternative to surfactant-based agrochemical delivery. For this, we have compared the application of commercial surfactants, di (2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate and alkyl dimethyl betaine, with NLCP made from phytantriol, at concentrations of 0.1%, 1% and 5% on the adaxial surface of leaves of four plant species Ttriticum aestivum (wheat), Zea mays (maize), Lupinus angustifolius (lupin), and Arabidopsis thaliana. In comparison with the application of surfactants there was less phytotoxicity on leaves of each species following treatment with NLCP. Following treatment of leaves with NLCP analysis of cuticular wax micromorphology revealed less wax solubilization in the monocot species. The results clearly show that there are advantages in the use of NLCP rather than surfactants for agrochemical delivery.

Bioaccumulation of Arsenic Species in Rays from the Northern Adriatic Sea

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Zdenka Šlejkovec

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The difference in arsenic concentration and speciation between benthic (Pteromylaeus bovinus, Myliobatis aquila and pelagic rays (Pteroplatytrygon violacea from the northern Adriatic Sea (Gulf of Trieste in relation to their size (age was investigated. High arsenic concentrations were found in both groups with tendency of more efficient arsenic accumulation in benthic species, particularly in muscle (32.4 to 362 µg·g−1 of total arsenic. This was attributed to species differences in arsenic access, uptake and retention. In liver most arsenic was present in a form of arsenobetaine, dimethylarsinic acid and arsenoipids, whereas in muscle mainly arsenobetaine was found. The good correlations between total arsenic/arsenobetaine and size reflect the importance of accumulation of arsenobetaine with age. Arsenobetaine is an analogue of glycine betaine, a known osmoregulator in marine animals and both are very abundant in mussels, representing an important source of food for benthic species P. bovinus and M. aquila.

Methylmalonic aciduria and propionic acidaemia studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iles, R A; Hind, A J; Chalmers, R A

1986-12-15

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to monitor changes in urinary metabolites in a patient with propionic acidaemia over a period of 10 months and in a patient with methylmalonic aciduria over a period of 11 days. Results could be obtained within 5-10 min of sample receipt. In the spectra on the patient with propionic acidaemia not only could fluctuations in 3-hydroxypropionate and propionylglycine excretion be followed, but also variations in creatine, glycine and betaine, which were often present at millimolar concentrations. The patient with methylmalonic aciduria had an acute episode of severe ketoacidosis during which the glycine excretion fell but creatine excretion rose and then fell on recovery from the episode. The changes in the creatine excretion may reflect disorders in intracellular energy supply. Nuclear magnetic resonance is a powerful technique for monitoring metabolic perturbations in the organic acidurias in 'real-time', allowing the planning and evaluation of therapy. (Auth.). 18 refs.; 4 figs.; 3 tabs.

EIF4A2 is a positional candidate gene at the 3q27 locus linked to type 2 diabetes in French families

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cheyssac, Claire; Dina, Christian; Leprêtre, Frédéric

2006-01-01

.01 at D3S3686, P = 0.0001) was identified in a set of French families. To assess genetic variation underlying both age-of-onset QTL and our previous type 2 diabetes linkage in a 3.87-Mb interval, we explored 36 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two biologically relevant candidate genes for glucose...... homeostasis, kininogen (KNG1), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4alpha2 (EIF4A2). Analysis of 148 families showed significant association of a frequent SNP, rs266714, located 2.47 kb upstream of EIF4A2, with familial type 2 diabetes (family-based association test, P = 0.0008) and early age......RNA translation and protein synthesis rate in pancreatic beta-cells, and our data indicates that EIF4A2 is downregulated by high glucose in rat beta-INS832/13 cells. The potential role of EIF4A2 in glucose homeostasis and its putative contribution to type 2 diabetes in the presence of metabolic stress...

Synergism and Physicochemical Properties of Anionic/Amphoteric Surfactant Mixtures with Nonionic Surfactant of Amine Oxide Type

Science.gov (United States)

Blagojević, S. M.; Pejić, N. D.; Blagojević, S. N.

2017-12-01

The physicochemical properties of initial formulation, that is anionic/amphoteric surfactants mixture SLES/AOS/CAB (sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), α-olefin sulfonates (AOS) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CAB) at ratio 80 : 15 : 5) with nonionic surfactant of amine oxide type (lauramine oxide (AO)) in various concentration (1-5%) were studied. To characterize the surfactants mixture, the critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension (γ), foam volume, biodegradability and irritability were determined. This study showed that adding of AO in those mixtures lowered both γ and CMC as well as enhanced SLES/AOS/CAB foaming properties, but did not significantly affect biodegradability and irritability of initial formulation. Moreover, an increase in AO concentration has a meaningful synergistic effect on the initial formulation properties. All those results indicates that a nonionic surfactant of amine oxide type significantly improves the performance of anionic/amphoteric mixed micelle systems, and because of that anionic/amphoteric/nonionic mixture can be used in considerably lower concentrations as a cleaning formulation.

Biomimetic honeycomb-patterned surface as the tunable cell adhesion scaffold.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shuangshuang; Lu, Xuemin; Hu, Ying; Lu, Qinghua

2015-01-01

Inspired by the typically adhesive behaviors of fish skin and Parthenocissus tricuspidata, two different decorations of polystyrene honeycomb membrane (PSHCM) prepared by the breath figure approach were carried out with poly(N-(3-Sulfopropyl)-N-(methacryloxyethyl)-N,N-dimethylammonium betaine)(polySBMA) to explore controllable bioadhesive surfaces. Casting and dip-coating were employed to graft polySBMA onto the plasma treated PSHCM. The polySBMA casted PSHCM showed a uniform covering layer on the PSHCM similar to the mucus layer of fish skin, presenting excellent antifouling properties. On the contrary, a dip-coated one showed the polySBMA aggregating on the honeycomb pore walls forming a large number of sucking disks such as the adhesive disks of the tendrils of P. tricuspidata, which remarkably boosts cell adhesion on substrates. Thus, bioadhesion could be regulated as desired by tuning the distribution of zwitterionic polymer on the honeycomb surface. The results may provide a new approach for the design of biomaterial surfaces.

Certain growth related attributes of micropropagated banana under different salinity levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haq, I.U.; Soomro, F.

2011-01-01

The effect of salinity (NaCl) was assessed on banana (Musa spp.) cv., Sindhri Banana (Basrai) propagating plantlets in aseptic condition. Four different NaCl levels [0 (control) 50, 100 and 150 mM] were maintained at shoot multiplication stage for 6-weeks. Salinity reduced the number of plantlets per explants and plant biomass significantly. A proportional relationship was observed for Na/sup +/ and Cl/sub -/ but K/sup +/, Ca/sup 2+/and NO/sub 3/ were observed to be inversely proportioned with NaCl stress. Similarly, total proteins as well as carbohydrate contents were decreased significantly. Increasing mode of secondary metabolites (proline, betaine contents and reducing sugars) were showing a negative relationship of saline stress with plant micro-propagation efficiency. Among photosynthetic pigments, total carotenoids were increased while chlorophyll contents (Chl a and b) decreased. Similarly, nitrate reductase activity also reduced. Overall, vegetative propagation of banana was affected significantly by NaCl stress under in-vitro conditions. (author)

Treatment of high-salinity chemical wastewater by indigenous bacteria--bioaugmented contact oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qiang; Wang, Mengdi; Feng, Jun; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Yuanyuan; Gu, Yanyan; Song, Cunjiang; Wang, Shufang

2013-09-01

A 90 m(3) biological contact oxidation system in chemical factory was bioaugmented with three strains of indigenous salt-tolerant bacteria. These three strains were screened from contaminative soil in situ. Their activity of growth and degradation was investigated with lab-scale experiments. Their salt-tolerant mechanism was confirmed to be compatible-solutes strategy for moderately halophilic bacteria, with amino acid and betaine playing important roles. The running conditions of the system were recorded for 150 days. The indigenous bacteria had such high suitability that the reactor got steady rapidly and the removal of COD maintained above 90%. It was introduced that biofilm fragments in sedimentation tank were inversely flowed to each reaction tank, and quantitative PCR demonstrated that this process could successfully maintain the bacterial abundance in the reaction tanks. In addition, the T-RFLP revealed that bioaugmented strains dominated over others in the biofilm. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of RNA extraction methods in Thai aromatic coconut water

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Nopporn Jaroonchon

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Many researches have reported that nucleic acid in coconut water is in free form and at very low yields which makes it difficult to process in molecular studies. Our research attempted to compare two extraction methods to obtain a higher yield of total RNA in aromatic coconut water and monitor its change at various fruit stages. The first method used ethanol and sodium acetate as reagents; the second method used lithium chloride. We found that extraction using only lithium chloride gave a higher total RNA yield than the method using ethanol to precipitate nucleic acid. In addition, the total RNA from both methods could be used in amplification of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase2 (Badh2 genes, which is involved in coconut aroma biosynthesis, and could be used to perform further study as we expected. From the molecular study, the nucleic acid found in coconut water increased with fruit age.

Methylmalonic aciduria and propionic acidaemia studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iles, R.A.; Hind, A.J.; Chalmers, R.A.

1986-01-01

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to monitor changes in urinary metabolites in a patient with propionic acidaemia over a period of 10 months and in a patient with methylmalonic aciduria over a period of 11 days. Results could be obtained within 5-10 min of sample receipt. In the spectra on the patient with propionic acidaemia not only could fluctuations in 3-hydroxypropionate and propionylglycine excretion be followed, but also variations in creatine, glycine and betaine, which were often present at millimolar concentrations. The patient with methylmalonic aciduria had an acute episode of severe ketoacidosis during which the glycine excretion fell but creatine excretion rose and then fell on recovery from the episode. The changes in the creatine excretion may reflect disorders in intracellular energy supply. Nuclear magnetic resonance is a powerful technique for monitoring metabolic perturbations in the organic acidurias in 'real-time', allowing the planning and evaluation of therapy. (Auth.)

Phylogeography, salinity adaptations and metabolic potential of the Candidate Division KB1 Bacteria based on a partial single cell genome.

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Lisa M Nigro

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Deep-sea hypersaline anoxic basins (DHABs and other hypersaline environments contain abundant and diverse microbial life that has adapted to these extreme conditions. The bacterial Candidate Division KB1 represents one of several uncultured groups that has been consistently observed in hypersaline microbial diversity studies. Here we report the phylogeography of KB1, its phylogenetic relationships to Candidate Division OP1 Bacteria, and its potential metabolic and osmotic stress adaptations based on a partial single cell amplified genome (SAG of KB1 from Orca Basin, the largest hypersaline seafloor brine basin in the Gulf of Mexico. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis – previously developed based on 14C incorporation experiments with mixed-species enrichments from Mediterranean seafloor brines - that KB1 has adapted its proteins to elevated intracellular salinity, but at the same time KB1 apparently imports glycine betaine; this compatible solute is potentially not limited to osmoregulation but could also serve as a carbon and energy source.

A thermolabile aldolase A mutant causes fever-induced recurrent rhabdomyolysis without hemolytic anemia.

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Asmaa Mamoune

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Aldolase A deficiency has been reported as a rare cause of hemolytic anemia occasionally associated with myopathy. We identified a deleterious homozygous mutation in the ALDOA gene in 3 siblings with episodic rhabdomyolysis without hemolytic anemia. Myoglobinuria was always triggered by febrile illnesses. We show that the underlying mechanism involves an exacerbation of aldolase A deficiency at high temperatures that affected myoblasts but not erythrocytes. The aldolase A deficiency was rescued by arginine supplementation in vitro but not by glycerol, betaine or benzylhydantoin, three other known chaperones, suggesting that arginine-mediated rescue operated by a mechanism other than protein chaperoning. Lipid droplets accumulated in patient myoblasts relative to control and this was increased by cytokines, and reduced by dexamethasone. Our results expand the clinical spectrum of aldolase A deficiency to isolated temperature-dependent rhabdomyolysis, and suggest that thermolability may be tissue specific. We also propose a treatment for this severe disease.

Lean Body Mass Harbors Sensing Mechanisms that Allow Safeguarding of Methionine Homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingenbleek, Yves

2017-09-20

Protein-depleted states generate allosteric inhibition of liver cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), which governs the first enzymatic step of the transsulfuration cascade, resulting in upstream accretion of homocysteine (Hcy) in body fluids. A similar Hcy increase may arise from normal hepatocytes undergoing experimentally-induced impairment of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHTM) activity or from components of lean body mass (LBM) submitted to any inflammatory disorder. LBM comprises a composite agglomeration of extrarenal tissues characterized by naturally occurring BHTM inactivity. As a result of cellular injury, LBM releases high concentrations of Hcy into the extracellular space, contrasting with the disruption of normal remethylation pathways. Hyperhomocysteinemia acts as a biomarker, reflecting the severity of insult and operating as an alarm signal. Elevated Hcy levels constitute a precursor pool recognized by a CBS coding region that reacts to meet increased methionine requirements in LBM tissues, using its enhanced production in hepatocytes. Preservation of methionine homeostasis benefits from its high metabolic priority and survival value.

Lean Body Mass Harbors Sensing Mechanisms that Allow Safeguarding of Methionine Homeostasis

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Yves Ingenbleek

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Protein-depleted states generate allosteric inhibition of liver cystathionine β-synthase (CBS, which governs the first enzymatic step of the transsulfuration cascade, resulting in upstream accretion of homocysteine (Hcy in body fluids. A similar Hcy increase may arise from normal hepatocytes undergoing experimentally-induced impairment of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHTM activity or from components of lean body mass (LBM submitted to any inflammatory disorder. LBM comprises a composite agglomeration of extrarenal tissues characterized by naturally occurring BHTM inactivity. As a result of cellular injury, LBM releases high concentrations of Hcy into the extracellular space, contrasting with the disruption of normal remethylation pathways. Hyperhomocysteinemia acts as a biomarker, reflecting the severity of insult and operating as an alarm signal. Elevated Hcy levels constitute a precursor pool recognized by a CBS coding region that reacts to meet increased methionine requirements in LBM tissues, using its enhanced production in hepatocytes. Preservation of methionine homeostasis benefits from its high metabolic priority and survival value.

The effect of selected supercritical CO2 plant extract addition on user properties of shower gels

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Vogt Otmar

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The formulations of washing cosmetics i.e. shower gels, containing extracts obtained during supercritical CO2 extraction process as active ingredient, were developed. The subject of the study was the analysis of the physicochemical and user properties of the obtained products. In the work supercritical CO2 extracts of black currant seeds, strawberry seeds, hop cones and mint leafs were used. The formulation contains a mixture of surfactants (disodium cocoamphodiacetate, disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, cocoamide DEA, cocoamidepropyl betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Various thickener agents were applied to the obtained desired rheological properties of the cosmetics. Among others, sorbitol acetal derivatives, methylhydroxypropylcellulose and C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer were used. For stable products, the effect of extracts addition (black currants seeds, strawberries seeds, mint and hops, obtained from supercritical CO2 extraction process on the cosmetics properties, such as pH, viscosity, detergency and foam ability, were determined. The obtained results showed that the extracts could be used as components of shower gels.

Osmolality, temperature, and membrane lipid composition modulate the activity of betaine transporter BetP in Corynebacterium glutamicum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ozcan, Nuran; Ejsing, Christer S.; Shevchenko, Andrej

2007-01-01

The gram-positive soil bacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum, a major amino acid-producing microorganism in biotechnology, is equipped with several osmoregulated uptake systems for compatible solutes, which is relevant for the physiological response to osmotic stress. The most significant carrier......P activity. We further correlated the change in BetP regulation properties in cells grown at different temperatures to changes in the lipid composition of the plasma membrane. For this purpose, the glycerophospholipidome of C. glutamicum grown at different temperatures was analyzed by mass spectrometry using...... quantitative multiple precursor ion scanning. The molecular composition of glycerophospholipids was strongly affected by the growth temperature. The modulating influence of membrane lipid composition on BetP function was further corroborated by studying the influence of artificial modulation of membrane...

Structure and performance of cationic assembly dispersed in amphoteric surfactants solution as a shampoo for hair damaged by coloring.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagahara, Yasuo; Nishida, Yuichi; Isoda, Masanori; Yamagata, Yoshifumi; Nishikawa, Naoki; Takada, Koji

2007-01-01

In recent years, hair coloring gains popularity as a trend of consumer's hair care. This coloring frequently damages hair. In response to this, a new shampoo-base was developed for repairing hair damaged by coloring. The new shampoo-base was prepared by dispersing cationic assembly in a solution of amphoteric surfactants. The mixture of behenyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (C22TAC) and behenyl alcohol (C22OH) was applied as the cationic assembly, which are dispersed in amido propyl betaine laurate (LPB) solution. LPB, which behaves as an amphoteric surfactant, was used as the wash-base. It was verified from the results on the measurements of DSC, calorimeter polarization, cryo-SEM and X-ray diffraction that the cationic assembly has a crystalline structure in the LPB solution. The new shampoo-base was highly efficient to change the color-damaged hair from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. The friction level of the hair washed with the new shampoo-base recovered to the same state as that of healthy hair. The exfoliation of cuticle was reduced after washing with the new shampoo-base.

Facile Synthesis of Calcium Carbonate Nanoparticles from Cockle Shells

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Kh. Nurul Islam

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A simple and low-cost method for the synthesis of calcium carbonate nanoparticles from cockle shells was described. Polymorphically, the synthesized nanoparticles were aragonites which are biocompatible and thus frequently used in the repair of fractured bone and development of advanced drug delivery systems, tissue scaffolds and anticarcinogenic drugs. The rod-shaped and pure aragonite particles of 30±5 nm in diameter were reproducibly synthesized when micron-sized cockle shells powders were mechanically stirred for 90 min at room temperature in presence of a nontoxic and nonhazardous biomineralization catalyst, dodecyl dimethyl betaine (BS-12. The findings were verified using a combination of analytical techniques such as variable pressure scanning electron microscopy (VPSEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD, and energy dispersive X-ray analyser (EDX. The reproducibility and low cost of the method suggested that it could be used in industry for the large scale synthesis of aragonite nanoparticles from cockle shells, a low cost and easily available natural resource.

Rapid detection of Piper yellow mottle virus and Cucumber mosaic virus infecting black pepper (Piper nigrum) by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP).

Science.gov (United States)

Bhat, A I; Siljo, A; Deeshma, K P

2013-10-01

The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for Piper yellow mottle virus and the reverse transcription (RT) LAMP assay for Cucumber mosaic virus each consisted of a set of five primers designed against the conserved sequences in the viral genome. Both RNA and DNA isolated from black pepper were used as a template for the assay. The results were assessed visually by checking turbidity, green fluorescence and pellet formation in the reaction tube and also by gel electrophoresis. The assay successfully detected both viruses in infected plants whereas no cross-reactions were recorded with healthy plants. Optimum conditions for successful amplification were determined in terms of the concentrations of magnesium sulphate and betaine, temperature, and duration. The detection limit for both LAMP and RT-LAMP was up to 100 times that for conventional PCR and up to one-hundredth of that for real-time PCR. The optimal conditions arrived at were validated by testing field samples of infected vines of three species from different regions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neuroprotective Actions of Dietary Choline

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Jan Krzysztof Blusztajn

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Choline is an essential nutrient for humans. It is a precursor of membrane phospholipids (e.g., phosphatidylcholine (PC, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and via betaine, the methyl group donor S-adenosylmethionine. High choline intake during gestation and early postnatal development in rat and mouse models improves cognitive function in adulthood, prevents age-related memory decline, and protects the brain from the neuropathological changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD, and neurological damage associated with epilepsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, and inherited conditions such as Down and Rett syndromes. These effects of choline are correlated with modifications in histone and DNA methylation in brain, and with alterations in the expression of genes that encode proteins important for learning and memory processing, suggesting a possible epigenomic mechanism of action. Dietary choline intake in the adult may also influence cognitive function via an effect on PC containing eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids; polyunsaturated species of PC whose levels are reduced in brains from AD patients, and is associated with higher memory performance, and resistance to cognitive decline.

An accurate and stable nitrate-selective electrode for the in situ determination of nitrate in agricultural drainage waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Goff, Thierry; Braven, Jim; Ebdon, Les; Chilcottt, Neil P; Scholefield, David; Wood, John W

2002-04-01

A field evaluation of a novel nitrate-ion selective electrode (ISE) was undertaken by continuous immersion over a period of 5 months in agricultural drainage weirs. The nitrate sensor N,N,N-triallyl leucine betaine was covalently attached to polystyrene-block-polybutadiene-block-polystyrene (SBS) using a free radical initiated co-polymerisation, to produce a rubbery membrane which was incorporated into a commercially available electrode body. A measurement unit was constructed comprising the nitrate-ISEs, a reference electrode and a temperature probe connected through a pre-amplifier to a data-logger and battery supply. A temperature correction algorithm was developed to accomodate the temperature changes encountered in the drainage weirs. The nitrate results obtained with the ISEs at hourly intervals compared very favourably (R2 = 0.99) with those obtained with laboratory automated chemical determinations made on contemporaneous samples of drainage in a concentration range 0.47-16 ppm nitrate-N. The ISEs did not require re-calibration and no deterioration in performance or fouling of the membrane surface was observed over four months of deployment.

Metabolomic analysis of alterations in lipid oxidation, carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism in dairy goats caused by exposure to Aflotoxin B1.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Jianbo; Huang, Shuai; Fan, Caiyun; Zheng, Nan; Zhang, Yangdong; Li, Songli; Wang, Jiaqi

2017-11-01

The purposes of this study were to investigate the systemic and characteristic metabolites in the serum of dairy goats induced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure and to further understand the endogenous metabolic alterations induced by it. A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabonomic approach was used to analyse the metabolic alterations in dairy goats that were induced by low doses of AFB1 (50 µg/kg DM). We found that AFB1 exposure caused significant elevations of glucose, citrate, acetate, acetoacetate, betaine, and glycine yet caused reductions of lactate, ketone bodies (acetate, β-hydroxybutyrate), amino acids (citrulline, leucine/isoleucine, valine, creatine) and cell membrane structures (choline, lipoprotein, N-acetyl glycoproteins) in the serum. These data indicated that AFB1 caused endogenous metabolic changes in various metabolic pathways, including cell membrane-associated metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, lipids, and amino acid metabolism. These findings provide both a comprehensive insight into the metabolic aspects of AFB1-induced adverse effects on dairy goats and a method for monitoring dairy animals exposed to low doses of AFB1.

A Possible Mechanism: Vildagliptin Prevents Aortic Dysfunction through Paraoxonase and Angiopoietin-Like 3

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Qian Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The collected data have revealed the beneficial effects of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4 inhibitors on the vascular endothelium, including vildagliptin. However, the involved mechanisms are not yet clear. In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following four groups: control, diabetic, diabetic + low-dose vildagliptin (10 mg/kg/d, and diabetic + high-dose vildagliptin (20 mg/kg/d. The diabetic model was created by feeding a high-fat diet for four weeks and injection of streptozotocin. Then, vildagliptin groups were given oral vildagliptin for twelve weeks, and the control and diabetic groups were given the same volume of saline. The metabolic parameters, endothelial function, and whole genome expression in the aorta were examined. After 12 weeks of treatment, vildagliptin groups showed significantly reduced blood glucose, blood total cholesterol, and attenuated endothelial dysfunction. Notably, vildagliptin may inhibit angiopoietin-like 3 (Angptl3 and betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (Bhmt expression and activated paraoxonase-1 (Pon1 in the aorta of diabetic rats. These findings may demonstrate the vasoprotective pathway of vildagliptin in vivo.

Origin and evolution of osmoregulatory mechanisms in blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) as a function of metabolic and structural complexity: Reflections of Precambrian paleobiology

Science.gov (United States)

Yopp, John H.; Tindall, Donald R.; Pavlicek, Kenneth

1987-01-01

Major accomplishments underlying the basic understanding of cyanobacterial resistance to salt tolerance and osmotic stress were made. The methodology proposed included: the tracing of the pathways of formation of osmoregulatory solutes by traditional methods involving C-14 labelled substrates; gas chromatography; amino acid analysis; X-ray analysis using scanning transmission electron microscopy; and most importantly, C-13 labelled substrates, followed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. It was found that the cyanobacteria employ a diversity of organic, osmoregulatory solutes. Osmoregulatory solutes were found to serve four functions: adjustment of water activity, noninhibition of enzymes; lowering of K sub m of enzymes to allow functioning at normal levels when the intracellular salt accumulates, and extending the pH optimum of enzymes as intracellular pH rises due to proton-potassium ion pump action during osmoregulation. Differences in osmoregulatory solutes may, but are not always, be attributed to differences in nutritional capabilities. The mechanism of osmoregulation and concomitant salt tolerance in halophilic cyanobacteria was elucidated. The activities of betaine and S-Adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase are discussed.

Biomarker identification and pathway analysis of preeclampsia based on serum metabolomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tingting; He, Ping; Tan, Yong; Xu, Dongying

2017-03-25

Preeclampsia presents serious risk of both maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Biomarkers for the detection of preeclampsia are critical for risk assessment and targeted intervention. The goal of this study is to screen potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of preeclampsia and to illuminate the pathogenesis of preeclampsia development based on the differential expression network. Two groups of subjects, including healthy pregnant women, subjects with preeclampsia, were recruited for this study. The metabolic profiles of all of the subjects' serum were obtained by liquid chromatography quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Correlation between metabolites was analyzed by bioinformatics technique. Results showed that the PC(14:0/00), proline betaine and proline were potential sensitive and specific biomarkers for preeclampsia diagnosis and prognosis. Perturbation of corresponding biological pathways, such as iNOS signaling, nitric oxide signaling in the cardiovascular system, mitochondrial dysfunction were responsible for the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. This study indicated that the metabolic profiling had a good clinical significance in the diagnosis of preeclampsia as well as in the study of its pathogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural Tube Defects, Folic Acid and Methylation

Science.gov (United States)

Imbard, Apolline; Benoist, Jean-François; Blom, Henk J.

2013-01-01

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are common complex congenital malformations resulting from failure of the neural tube closure during embryogenesis. It is established that folic acid supplementation decreases the prevalence of NTDs, which has led to national public health policies regarding folic acid. To date, animal studies have not provided sufficient information to establish the metabolic and/or genomic mechanism(s) underlying human folic acid responsiveness in NTDs. However, several lines of evidence suggest that not only folates but also choline, B12 and methylation metabolisms are involved in NTDs. Decreased B12 vitamin and increased total choline or homocysteine in maternal blood have been shown to be associated with increased NTDs risk. Several polymorphisms of genes involved in these pathways have also been implicated in risk of development of NTDs. This raises the question whether supplementation with B12 vitamin, betaine or other methylation donors in addition to folic acid periconceptional supplementation will further reduce NTD risk. The objective of this article is to review the role of methylation metabolism in the onset of neural tube defects. PMID:24048206

The effect of triazole induced photosynthetic pigments and biochemical constituents of Zea mays L. (Maize) under drought stress

Science.gov (United States)

Rajasekar, Mahalingam; Rabert, Gabriel Amalan; Manivannan, Paramasivam

2016-06-01

In this investigation, pot culture experiment was carried out to estimate the ameliorating effect of triazole compounds, namely Triadimefon (TDM), Tebuconazole (TBZ), and Propiconazole (PCZ) on drought stress, photosynthetic pigments, and biochemical constituents of Zea mays L. (Maize). From 30 days after sowing (DAS), the plants were subjected to 4 days interval drought (DID) stress and drought with TDM at 15 mg l-1, TBZ at 10 mg l-1, and PCZ at 15 mg l-1. Irrigation at 1-day interval was kept as control. Irrigation performed on alternative day. The plant samples were collected on 40, 50, and 60 DAS and separated into root, stem, and leaf for estimating the photosynthetic pigments and biochemical constituents. Drought and drought with triazole compounds treatment increased the biochemical glycine betaine content, whereas the protein and the pigments contents chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin decreased when compared to control. The triazole treatment mitigated the adverse effects of drought stress by increasing the biochemical potentials and paved the way to overcome drought stress in corn plant.

Recombination-assisted megaprimer (RAM) cloning

Science.gov (United States)

Mathieu, Jacques; Alvarez, Emilia; Alvarez, Pedro J.J.

2014-01-01

No molecular cloning technique is considered universally reliable, and many suffer from being too laborious, complex, or expensive. Restriction-free cloning is among the simplest, most rapid, and cost-effective methods, but does not always provide successful results. We modified this method to enhance its success rate through the use of exponential amplification coupled with homologous end-joining. This new method, recombination-assisted megaprimer (RAM) cloning, significantly extends the application of restriction-free cloning, and allows efficient vector construction with much less time and effort when restriction-free cloning fails to provide satisfactory results. The following modifications were made to the protocol:•Limited number of PCR cycles for both megaprimer synthesis and the cloning reaction to reduce error propagation.•Elimination of phosphorylation and ligation steps previously reported for cloning methods that used exponential amplification, through the inclusion of a reverse primer in the cloning reaction with a 20 base pair region of homology to the forward primer.•The inclusion of 1 M betaine to enhance both reaction specificity and yield. PMID:26150930

Synchronized Regulation of Different Zwitterionic Metabolites in the Osmoadaption of Phytoplankton

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Georg Pohnert

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The ability to adapt to different seawater salinities is essential for cosmopolitan marine phytoplankton living in very diverse habitats. In this study, we examined the role of small zwitterionic metabolites in the osmoadaption of two common microalgae species Emiliania huxleyi and Prorocentrum minimum. By cultivation of the algae under salinities between 16‰ and 38‰ and subsequent analysis of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP, glycine betaine (GBT, gonyol, homarine, trigonelline, dimethylsulfonioacetate, trimethylammonium propionate, and trimethylammonium butyrate using HPLC-MS, we could reveal two fundamentally different osmoadaption mechanisms. While E. huxleyi responded with cell size reduction and a nearly constant ratio between the major metabolites DMSP, GBT and homarine to increasing salinity, osmolyte composition of P. minimum changed dramatically. In this alga DMSP concentration remained nearly constant at 18.6 mM between 20‰ and 32‰ but the amount of GBT and dimethylsulfonioacetate increased from 4% to 30% of total investigated osmolytes. Direct quantification of zwitterionic metabolites via LC-MS is a powerful tool to unravel the complex osmoadaption and regulation mechanisms of marine phytoplankton.

Inventory of Fatty Acid Desaturases in the Pennate Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

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Lina-Juana Dolch

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The diatom Phaeodactylum is rich in very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs. Fatty acid (FA synthesis, elongation, and desaturation have been studied in depth in plants including Arabidopsis, but for secondary endosymbionts the full picture remains unclear. FAs are synthesized up to a chain length of 18 carbons inside chloroplasts, where they can be incorporated into glycerolipids. They are also exported to the ER for phospho- and betaine lipid syntheses. Elongation of FAs up to 22 carbons occurs in the ER. PUFAs can be reimported into plastids to serve as precursors for glycerolipids. In both organelles, FA desaturases are present, introducing double bonds between carbon atoms and giving rise to a variety of molecular species. In addition to the four desaturases characterized in Phaeodactylum (FAD2, FAD6, PtD5, PtD6, we identified eight putative desaturase genes. Combining subcellular localization predictions and comparisons with desaturases from other organisms like Arabidopsis, we propose a scheme at the whole cell level, including features that are likely specific to secondary endosymbionts.

Red and blue colouration of thermoluminescence from natural quartz sands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hashimoto, T; Hayashi, Y; Koyanagi, A; Yokosaka, K; Kimura, K

1986-01-01

Quartz extracts, from a pegmatite rock, volcanic ashes and beach sands, were exposed to X-rays or gamma-rays upto 8.8kGy. The irradiated sands were observed through a thermoluminescence colour image technique (abbreviated to TLCI by the authors) using highly sensitive colour photographic system. The quartz sands from volcanic ash layers, containing ..beta..-quartz (mineralized at high temperature), always indicate a red TLCI, whereas the quartz rocks from pegmatite origin and granite strata, containing ..cap alpha..-quartz (mineralized at low temperature), gave a typical blue TLCI, being consistent with the well known quartz TL colour. Quartz fractions from the beach sands showed a mixture of both red and blue TLCI, probably reflecting the respective mixtures of ..beta..-(in their origin) and ..cap alpha..-quartz fractions along the riverside area. The search using X-ray diffractometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis proved that the cause of distinctly different colourations was attributable to the impurity atoms: light rare earth elements (Eu and/or Sm) bringing on red TLCI, while structural defects yielding the blue TLCI).

Role of Nutrition in Alcoholic Liver Disease: Summary of the Symposium at the ESBRA 2017 Congress

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Kusum K. Kharbanda

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The symposium, “Role of Nutrition in Alcoholic Liver Disease”, was held at the European Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism Congress on 9 October 2017 in Crete, Greece. The goal of the symposium was to highlight recent advances and developments in the field of alcohol and nutrition. The symposium was focused on experimental and clinical aspects in relation to the role of different types of dietary nutrients and malnutrition in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD. The following is a summary of key research presented at this session. The speakers discussed the role of dietary fats and carbohydrates in the development and progression of alcohol-induced multi-organ pathology in animal models of ALD, analyzed novel nutrition-related therapeutics (specifically, betaine and zinc in the treatment of ALD, and addressed clinical relevance of malnutrition and nutrition support in ALD. This summary of the symposium will benefit junior and senior faculty currently investigating alcohol-induced organ pathology as well as undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students and fellows.

Quantification of homocysteine-related metabolites and the role of betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase in HepG2 cells

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kořínek, M.; Šístek, V.; Mládková, Jana; Mikeš, P.; Jiráček, Jiří; Selicharová, Irena

2013-01-01

Roč. 27, č. 1 (2013), s. 111-121 ISSN 0269-3879 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/10/1277 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : homocysteine * BHMT * LC-MS/MS * HepG2 * metabolites Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 1.662, year: 2013

NMR-based metabonomics reveals that plasma betaine increases upon intake of high-fiber rye buns in hypercholesterolemic pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bertram, Hanne Christine S.; Malmendal, Anders; Nielsen, Niels Chr

2009-01-01

fiber for 9-10 wk. Fasting plasma samples were collected 2 days before and after 8 and 12 days on the experimental diets, while postprandial samples taken after 58-67 days, and( 1)H NMR spectra were acquired on these. Principal component analysis on the obtained NMR spectra demonstrated clear effects...

Dietary Betaine Supplementation Increases Fgf21 Levels to Improve Glucose Homeostasis and Reduce Hepatic Lipid Accumulation in Mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ejaz, Asma; Martinez-Guino, Laura; Goldfine, Allison B

2016-01-01

Identifying markers of human insulin resistance may permit development of new approaches for treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes. To this end, we analyzed the fasting plasma metabolome in metabolically characterized human volunteers across a spectrum of insulin resistance. We demonstrate ...

Creation of antifouling microarrays by photopolymerization of zwitterionic compounds for protein assay and cell patterning.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiuhua; Wang, Huaixin; Wang, Yuanyuan; Gui, Taijiang; Wang, Ke; Gao, Changlu

2018-04-15

Nonspecific binding or adsorption of biomolecules presents as a major obstacle to higher sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility in microarray technology. We report herein a method to fabricate antifouling microarray via photopolymerization of biomimetic betaine compounds. In brief, carboxybetaine methacrylate was polymerized as arrays for protein sensing, while sulfobetaine methacrylate was polymerized as background. With the abundant carboxyl groups on array surfaces and zwitterionic polymers on the entire surfaces, this microarray allows biomolecular immobilization and recognition with low nonspecific interactions due to its antifouling property. Therefore, low concentration of target molecules can be captured and detected by this microarray. It was proved that a concentration of 10ngmL -1 bovine serum albumin in the sample matrix of bovine serum can be detected by the microarray derivatized with anti-bovine serum albumin. Moreover, with proper hydrophilic-hydrophobic designs, this approach can be applied to fabricate surface-tension droplet arrays, which allows surface-directed cell adhesion and growth. These light controllable approaches constitute a clear improvement in the design of antifouling interfaces, which may lead to greater flexibility in the development of interfacial architectures and wider application in blood contact microdevices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NMR-based metabonomic analysis of MnO-embedded iron oxide nanoparticles as potential dual-modal contrast agents

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jinquan; Zhou, Zijian; Feng, Jianghua; Cai, Shuhui; Gao, Jinhao; Chen, Zhong

2014-05-01

MnO-embedded iron oxide nanoparticles (MnIO-NPs) can be treated as potential dual-modal contrast agents. However, their overall bio-effects and potential toxicity remain unknown. In this study, the metabolic effects of MnIO-NPs (dosed at 1 and 5 mg Fe/kg) on Sprague-Dawley rats were investigated using metabonomic analysis, histopathological examination, and conventional biochemical analysis. The histological changes included a focal inflammation in the liver at high-dose and a slightly enlarged area of splenic white pulp after 48 h post-dose. Blood biochemical analysis showed that albumin, globulins, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen, and glucose changed distinctly compared to the control. The metabonomic analysis of body fluids (serum and urine) and tissues (liver, kidney, and spleen) indicated that MnIO-NPs induced metabolic perturbation in rats including energy, nucleotides, amino acids and phospholipid metabolisms. Besides, the variations of supportive nutrients: valine, leucine, isoleucine, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate), and nicotinamide, and the conjugation substrates: glycine, taurine, glutamine, glutathione, and methyl donors (formate, sarcosine, dimethylglycine, choline, and betaine) were involved in detoxification reaction of MnIO-NPs. The obtained information would provide identifiable ground for the candidate selection and optimization.

Azirinium ylides from α-diazoketones and 2H-azirines on the route to 2H-1,4-oxazines: three-membered ring opening vs 1,5-cyclization

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Nikolai V. Rostovskii

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Strained azirinium ylides derived from 2H-azirines and α-diazoketones under Rh(II-catalysis can undergo either irreversible ring opening across the N–C2 bond to 2-azabuta-1,3-dienes that further cyclize to 2H-1,4-oxazines or reversibly undergo a 1,5-cyclization to dihydroazireno[2,1-b]oxazoles. Dihydroazireno[2,1-b]oxazoles derived from 3-aryl-2H-azirines and 3-diazoacetylacetone or ethyl diazoacetoacetate are able to cycloadd to acetyl(methylketene generated from 3-diazoacetylacetone under Rh(II catalysis to give 4,6-dioxa-1-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-ene and/or 5,7-dioxa-1-azabicyclo[4.3.1]deca-3,8-diene-2-one derivatives. According to DFT calculations (B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p, the cycloaddition can involve two modes of nucleophilic attack of the dihydroazireno[2,1-b]oxazole intermediate on acetyl(methylketene followed by aziridine ring opening into atropoisomeric oxazolium betaines and cyclization. Azirinium ylides generated from 2,3-di- and 2,2,3-triaryl-substituted azirines give rise to only 2-azabuta-1,3-dienes and/or 2H-1,4-oxazines.

Development of Pre-Industrial Processes for the Preparation of Thin Film Coatings for Energy Applications; Desarrollo de Procesos Pre-Industriales para la Preparacion de Recubrimientos en Pelicula Delgada para Aplicaciones Energeticas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanz, C.; Guillen, C.; Gutierrez, M.T.

2005-07-01

Indium sulfide (In2S3) is an interesting candidate as buffer layer in heterojunction solar cells based on a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorbent layer. Modulated Flux Deposition (MFD) is a physical evaporation-type synthesis technique, specific for thin film synthesis, in which the substrate is exposed to the deposition of each element and heating in a sequential and cyclic way. This vacuum process allows a fine adjustment of the elemental vapor fluxes. In2S3 polycrystalline thin films were deposited on glass substrates by MFD. The influence of different deposition parameters (substrate temperature, both evaporation source temperatures, substrate angular velocity) on the composition, structure and optical properties were studied. All the obtained samples consisted in tetragonal Beta-In2S3 with high or total (103) preferential orientation. Quite thin layers (50-100 nm thick) have been achieved, with smoothed small grained microstructures. Respect to the sulfur supply, its reduction improved the crystallinity and decreased very slightly the bandgap energy. As conclusion, thin films with morphological and optical properties adequate to the mentioned application were archived decreasing the substrate temperature up to 310 C. (Author) 42 refs.

An efficient protocol for the Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Science.gov (United States)

Pratheesh, P T; Vineetha, M; Kurup, G Muraleedhara

2014-06-01

Algal-based recombinant protein production has gained immense interest in recent years. The development of algal expression system was earlier hindered due to the lack of efficient and cost-effective transformation techniques capable of heterologous gene integration and expression. The recent development of Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation method is expected to be the ideal solution for these problems. We have developed an efficient protocol for the Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Pre-treatment of Agrobacterium in TAP induction medium (pH 5.2) containing 100 μM acetosyringone and 1 mM glycine betaine and infection of Chlamydomonas with the induced Agrobacterium greatly improved transformation frequency. This protocol was found to double the number of transgenic events on selection media compared to that of previous reports. PCR was used successfully to amplify fragments of the hpt and GUS genes from transformed cells, while Southern blot confirmed the integration of GUS gene into the genome of C. reinhardtii. RT-PCR, Northern blot and GUS histochemical analyses confirm GUS gene expression in the transgenic cell lines of Chlamydomonas. This protocol provides a quick, efficient, economical and high-frequency transformation method for microalgae.

Single Oral Dose Toxicity Test of Blue Honeysuckle Concentrate in Mice

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sang-In; Choi, Seung-Hoon; Song, Chang-Hyun; Park, Soo-Jin; Shin, Yong-Kook; Han, Chang-Hyun; Lee, Young Joon; Ku, Sae-Kwang

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to obtain single oral dose toxicity information for concentrated and lyophilized powder of blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L., Caprifoliaceae; BHcL) in female and male ICR mice to aid in the process of developing natural origin medicinal ingredients or foods following proximate analysis and phytochemical profile measurement. The proximate analysis revealed that BHcL had an energy value of 3.80 kcal/g and contained 0.93 g/g of carbohydrate, 0.41 g/g of sugar, 0.02 g/g of protein, and 0.20 mg/g of sodium. BHcL did not contain lipids, including saturated lipids, trans fats, or cholesterols. Further, BHcL contained 4.54% of betaine, 210.63 mg/g of total phenols, 159.30 mg/g of total flavonoids, and 133.57 mg/g of total anthocyanins. Following administration of a single oral BHcL treatment, there were no treatment-related mortalities, changes in body weight (bw) or organ weight, clinical signs, necropsy or histopathological findings up to 2,000 mg/kg bw, the limited dosage for rodents of both sexes. We concluded that BHcL is a practically non-toxic material in toxicity potency. PMID:25874034

Bioprospecting of Marine Macrophytes Using MS-Based Lipidomics as a New Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Maciel, Elisabete; Costa Leal, Miguel; Lillebø, Ana Isabel; Domingues, Pedro; Domingues, Maria Rosário; Calado, Ricardo

2016-03-08

The marine environment supports a remarkable diversity of organisms which are a potential source of natural products with biological activities. These organisms include a wide variety of marine plants (from micro- to macrophytes), which have been used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. However, the biochemistry and biological activities of many of these macrophytes (namely macroalgae and halophytes, including seagrasses) are still far from being fully explored. Most popular bioactive components include polysaccharides, peptides, phenolics and fatty acids (FAs). Polar lipids (glycolipids, phospholipids and betaine lipids) are emerging as novel value-added bioactive phytochemicals, rich in n-3 FA, with high nutritional value and health beneficial effects for the prevention of chronic diseases. Polar lipids account various combinations of polar groups, fatty acyl chains and backbone structures. The polar lipidome of macrophytes is remarkably diverse, and its screening represents a significant analytical challenge. Modern research platforms, particularly mass spectrometry (MS)-based lipidomic approaches, have been recently used to address this challenge and are here reviewed. The application of lipidomics to address lipid composition of marine macrophytes will contribute to the stimulation of further research on this group and foster the exploration of novel applications.

Mechanisms of Response to Salt Stress in Oleander (Nerium oleander L.

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Dinesh Kumar

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Elucidating the mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance in different species will help to develop more resistant plant varieties, contributing to improve agricultural production in a climate change scenario. Basic responses to salt stress, dependent on osmolyte accumulation and activation of antioxidant systems, have been studied in Nerium oleander, a xerophytic species widely used as ornamental. Salt strongly inhibited growth, but the plants survived one-month treatments with quite high NaCl concentrations, up to 800 mM, indicating the the species is relatively resistant to salt stress, in addition to drought. Levels of proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugars increased only slightly in the presence of salt; however, soluble sugar absolute contents were much higher than those of the other osmolytes, suggesting a functional role of these compounds in osmotic adjustment, and the presence of constitutive mechanisms of response to salt stress. High salinity generated oxidative stress in the plants, as shown by the increase of malondialdehyde levels. Antioxidant systems, enzymatic and non-enzymatic, are generally activated in response to salt stress; in oleander, they do not seem to include total phenolics or flavonoids, antioxidant compounds which did not accumulate significantly in salt-trated plants

Hans Georg Trüper (1936–2016 and His Contributions to Halophile Research

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Aharon Oren

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Prof. Hans Georg Trüper, one of the most important scientists in the field of halophile research, passed away on 9 March 2016 at the age of 79. I here present a brief obituary with special emphasis on Prof. Trüper’s contributions to our understanding of the halophilic prokaryotes and their adaptations to life in hypersaline environments. He has pioneered the study of the halophilic anoxygenic phototrophic sulfur bacteria of the Ectothiorhodospira—Halorhodospira group. Some of the species he and his group isolated from hypersaline and haloalkaline environments have become model organisms for the study of the mechanisms of haloadaptation: the functions of three major organic compounds – glycine betaine, ectoine, and trehalose – known to serve as “compatible solutes” in halophilic members of the Bacteria domain, were discovered during studies of these anoxygenic phototrophs. Prof. Trüper’s studies of hypersaline alkaline environments in Egypt also led to the isolation of the first known extremely halophilic archaeon (Natronomonas pharaonis. The guest editors dedicate this special volume of Life to the memory of Prof. Hans Georg Trüper.

Characterization of five ECF sigma factors in the genome of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a.

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Poulami Basu Thakur

Full Text Available Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a, a bacterial pathogen of bean, utilizes large surface populations and extracellular signaling to initiate a fundamental change from an epiphytic to a pathogenic lifestyle. Extracytoplasmic function (ECF sigma (σ factors serve as important regulatory factors in responding to various environmental signals. Bioinformatic analysis of the B728a genome revealed 10 ECF sigma factors. This study analyzed deletion mutants of five previously uncharacterized ECF sigma factor genes in B728a, including three FecI-type ECF sigma factors (ECF5, ECF6, and ECF7 and two ECF sigma factors placed in groups ECF11 and ECF18. Transcriptional profiling by qRT-PCR analysis of ECF sigma factor mutants was used to measure expression of their associated anti-sigma and outer membrane receptor proteins, and expression of genes associated with production of extracellular polysaccharides, fimbriae, glycine betaine and syringomycin. Notably, the B728aΔecf7 mutant displayed reduced swarming and had decreased expression of CupC fimbrial genes. Growth and pathogenicity assays, using a susceptible bean host, revealed that none of the tested sigma factor genes are required for in planta growth and lesion formation.

Testing the ability of non-methylamine osmolytes present in kidney cells to counteract the deleterious effects of urea on structure, stability and function of proteins.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheeza Khan

Full Text Available Human kidney cells are under constant urea stress due to its urine concentrating mechanism. It is believed that the deleterious effect of urea is counteracted by methylamine osmolytes (glycine betaine and glycerophosphocholine present in kidney cells. A question arises: Do the stabilizing osmolytes, non-methylamines (myo-inositol, sorbitol and taurine present in the kidney cells also counteract the deleterious effects of urea? To answer this question, we have measured structure, thermodynamic stability (ΔG D (o and functional activity parameters (K m and k cat of different model proteins in the presence of various concentrations of urea and each non-methylamine osmolyte alone and in combination. We observed that (i for each protein myo-inositol provides perfect counteraction at 1∶2 ([myo-inositol]:[urea] ratio, (ii any concentration of sorbitol fails to refold urea denatured proteins if it is six times less than that of urea, and (iii taurine regulates perfect counteraction in a protein specific manner; 1.5∶2.0, 1.2∶2.0 and 1.0∶2.0 ([taurine]:[urea] ratios for RNase-A, lysozyme and α-lactalbumin, respectively.

Bioprospecting of Marine Macrophytes Using MS-Based Lipidomics as a New Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabete Maciel

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The marine environment supports a remarkable diversity of organisms which are a potential source of natural products with biological activities. These organisms include a wide variety of marine plants (from micro- to macrophytes, which have been used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. However, the biochemistry and biological activities of many of these macrophytes (namely macroalgae and halophytes, including seagrasses are still far from being fully explored. Most popular bioactive components include polysaccharides, peptides, phenolics and fatty acids (FAs. Polar lipids (glycolipids, phospholipids and betaine lipids are emerging as novel value-added bioactive phytochemicals, rich in n-3 FA, with high nutritional value and health beneficial effects for the prevention of chronic diseases. Polar lipids account various combinations of polar groups, fatty acyl chains and backbone structures. The polar lipidome of macrophytes is remarkably diverse, and its screening represents a significant analytical challenge. Modern research platforms, particularly mass spectrometry (MS-based lipidomic approaches, have been recently used to address this challenge and are here reviewed. The application of lipidomics to address lipid composition of marine macrophytes will contribute to the stimulation of further research on this group and foster the exploration of novel applications.

Incomplete turgor adjustment in Cladophora rupestrisunder fluctuating salinity regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Wiencke, Christian; Gorham, John; Tomos, Deri; Davenport, John

1992-04-01

Turgor pressure fluctuates strongly in Cladophora rupestrissubjected to low salinities and shows only a small tendency to readjust to the normal value in full seawater (incomplete turgor adjustment). This was revealed by direct turgor pressure measurements and by chemical analyses of osmotic solutes after exposure of upper and lower shore Cladophorato the different salinity regimes occurring in the intertidal zone or representing steady state osmotic acclimation. The main internal osmotic solutes were K +, Cl -, amino acids, NO 3-and glycine betaine. Na +, SO 42-and PO 43-were of less importance. The sum of the charges on the cations was similar to that for the anions. K +, Cl -and, to a lesser extent, amino acids were responsible for limited turgor pressure adjustment which did occur. The concentrations of the major osmotic solutes were influenced not only by salinity but also by light: those of amino acids and NO 3-were increased while those of K +and Cl -were decreased under illumination. Cladophorapopulations from the upper and lower shore differed in their ability to restore internal K +and Cl -levels on transfer to full seawater after long term exposure to low salinity. This may indicate ecotypic variation.

Peculiarities of One-Carbon Metabolism in the Strict Carnivorous Cat and the Role in Feline Hepatic Lipidosis

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Marica Bakovic

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Research in various species has indicated that diets deficient in labile methyl groups (methionine, choline, betaine, folate produce fatty liver and links to steatosis and metabolic syndrome, but also provides evidence of the importance of labile methyl group balance to maintain normal liver function. Cats, being obligate carnivores, rely on nutrients in animal tissues and have, due to evolutionary pressure, developed several physiological and metabolic adaptations, including a number of peculiarities in protein and fat metabolism. This has led to specific and unique nutritional requirements. Adult cats require more dietary protein than omnivorous species, maintain a consistently high rate of protein oxidation and gluconeogenesis and are unable to adapt to reduced protein intake. Furthermore, cats have a higher requirement for essential amino acids and essential fatty acids. Hastened use coupled with an inability to conserve certain amino acids, including methionine, cysteine, taurine and arginine, necessitates a higher dietary intake for cats compared to most other species. Cats also seemingly require higher amounts of several B-vitamins compared to other species and are predisposed to depletion during prolonged inappetance. This carnivorous uniqueness makes cats more susceptible to hepatic lipidosis.

BIOSTIMULANT EFFECT ON THE GROWTH AND PRODUCTION OF SHALLOT IN PEATLANDS

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Azri

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Biostimulant from seaweed extract contains nutrients, amino acids, cytokines, auksin, laminaran, fukoidan, alginat and betain which stimulate plant metabolism so as to increase growth and yield of plants. Some research results indicate that spraying biostimulant from seaweed in corn plant can increase shoots weight of 37 until 42 percent and root weight of 34 up to 45 percent. In this study biostimulan used enriched with elements S, Zn, Cu and Mn to meet the needs of onion plants. Research using Randomized Block Design consists of two factors that is seaweed and red onion varieties with five replication. Research treatment are: without giving of seaweed and giving of seaweed whereas shallot varieties used are Bima, Moujung, and Sumenep. Results showed that giving seaweed improved peatland fertility and increased shallot production. Biostimulant and real varieties increase the growth and production of shallots. Value of profit and value B/C ratio 2.37; 1.99 dan 1.11, then the utilization of biostimulant to increase the productivity of onion in peat land, onion cultivation of Bima and Moujung varieties is economically feasible to be applied by peatland farmers in West Kalimantan.

Eyelid Dermatitis: Contact Allergy to 3-(Dimethylamino)propylamine

Science.gov (United States)

Knopp, Eleanor; Watsky, Kalman

2014-01-01

We present the case of a 42-year-old woman with intractable eyelid dermatitis. Patch testing revealed sensitization to 3-(dimethylamino)propylamine (DMAPA). DMAPA is an important etiology of allergic contact dermatitis of the eyelids and face but is easily missed even with expanded-series patch testing. We also review the most common causative allergens in eyelid dermatitis cited in the literature over the past decade. DMAPA is a reagent used in the formation of cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB), a common additive to liquid soaps, shampoos, and other cleansing products because of its utility as a surfactant. Beginning in the 1980s, reports of allergy to CAPB surfaced in the literature. Ultimately, a majority of patch testing studies have shown that clinical allergy to CAPB-containing products actually reflects allergy to contaminant DMAPA in most cases. Amidoamine, another intermediate in the formation of CAPB, may also be implicated through a proposed mechanism of conversion to DMAPA in the skin. When patch-testing for eyelid and facial dermatitis, it is crucial to test with DMAPA directly, not just with CAPB; unlike commercial-grade CAPB, the CAPB in patch test kits is ultrapure and does not contain contaminant DMAPA. PMID:19134437

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) varieties adopt strongly contrasting strategies in response to drought.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogbaga, Chukwuma C; Stepien, Piotr; Johnson, Giles N

2014-10-01

Sorghum is one of the most drought tolerant crops but surprisingly, little is known about the mechanisms achieving this. We have compared physiological and biochemical responses to drought in two sorghum cultivars with contrasting drought tolerance. These closely related cultivars have starkly contrasting responses to water deficit. In the less tolerant Samsorg 40, drought induced progressive loss of photosynthesis. The more drought tolerant Samsorg 17 maintained photosynthesis, transpiration and chlorophyll content until the most extreme conditions. In Samsorg 40, there was a highly specific down-regulation of selected proteins, with loss of PSII and Rubisco but maintenance of PSI and cytochrome b6 f, allowing plants to maintain ATP synthesis. The nitrogen released allows for accumulation of glycine betaine and proline. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of specific reengineering of the photosynthetic apparatus in response to drought. In contrast, in Samsorg 17 we detected no substantial change in the photosynthetic apparatus. Rather, plants showed constitutively high soluble sugar concentration, enabling them to maintain transpiration and photosynthesis, even in extremely dry conditions. The implications for these strikingly contrasted strategies are discussed in relation to agricultural and natural systems. © 2014 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Case Report: A Case of Gait Disorder Due to Combined Methylmalonic Aciduria and Homocystinuria

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Firouzeh Sajedi

2000-10-01

Full Text Available This disorder is too rare that about 100 patients have been reported in the world. In this condition a liver enzyme (methylmalonyl CoA mutase which should carry out one of many thousands of chemical processes that turn protein into energy or body tissues is defective. Clinical presentation of this disorder in first months of life may be failure to thrive, lethargy, poor feeding, mental retardation and seizures. Late-onset manifestations include other neurologic findings e.g. dementia, myelopathy and gait disorder. Increases in levels of plasma methylmalonic acid and homocystine confirm the diagnosis. Unlike patients with classic homocystinuria, plasma level of methionine is normal in these patients. The patient was 13.5 years old girl that presented to us due to convulsion, losing the ability to walk, loosing appetite, developing urinary incontinence and showing intellectual regression. In a number of investigations, there was severe increasing in urinary and plasma levels of methylmalonic acid and homocysitine. The patient has commenced on treatment with high doses of vitamin B12, Betaine and Carbamazepine and also physiotherapy. Following the treatment marked improvement in neurologic and mental state appeared and also Methylmalonic acidemia and homocystinuria was controlled.

Metabolism of S-adenosylmethionine in rat hepatocytes: transfer of methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine by methyltransferase reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukada, K.; Abe, T.; Kuwahata, T.; Mitsui, K.

1985-01-01

Treatment of rats with a methionine diet leads not only to a marked increase of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase in liver, but also to the increase of glycine, guanidoacetate and betaine-homocysteine methyltransferases. The activity of tRNA methyltransferase decreased with the increased amounts of methionine in the diets. However, the activities of phospholipids and S-adenosylmethionine-homocysteine methyltransferases did not show any significant change. When hepatocarcinogenesis induced by 2-fluorenylacetamide progresses, the activities of glycine and guanidoacetate methyltransferases in rat liver decreased, and could not be detected in tumorous areas 8 months after treatment. The levels of S-adenosylmethionine in the liver also decreased to levels of one-fifth of control animals at 8 months. The uptake and metabolism of [methyl- 3 H]-methionine and -S-adenosylmethionine have been investigated by in vivo and isolated hepatocytes. The uptake of methionine and transfer of methyl group to phospholipid in the cells by methionine were remarkably higher than those by S-adenosylmethionine. These results indicate that phospholipids in hepatocytes accept methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine immediately, when it is synthesized from methionine, before mixing its pool in the cells. 39 references, 1 figure, 2 tables

Toxicological effects induced by cadmium in gills of Manila clam ruditapes philippinarum using NMR-based metabolomics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Linbao; Liu, Xiaoli; You, Liping; Zhou, Di [Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environment Processes, CAS, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environment Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai (China); The Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Yu, Junbao; Zhao, Jianmin; Wu, Huifeng [Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environment Processes, CAS, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environment Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai (China); Feng, Jianghua [Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen (China)

2011-11-15

Cadmium (Cd) has become an important heavy metal contaminant in the sediment and seawater along the Bohai Sea and been of great ecological risk due to its toxic effects to marine organisms. In this work, the toxicological effects caused by environmentally relevant concentrations (10 and 40 {mu}g L{sup -1}) of Cd were studied in the gill tissues of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum after exposure for 24, 48, and 96 h. Both low (10 {mu}g L{sup -1}) and high (40 {mu}g L{sup -1}) doses of Cd caused the disturbances in energy metabolism and osmotic regulation and neurotoxicity based on the metabolic biomarkers such as succinate, alanine, branched chain amino acids, betaine, hypotaurine, and glutamate in clam gills after 24 h of exposure. However, the recovery of toxicological effects of Cd after exposure for 96 h was obviously observed in clam to Cd exposures. Overall, these results indicated that NMR-based metabolomics was applicable to elucidate the toxicological effects of heavy metal contaminants in the marine bioindicator. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Peculiarities of one-carbon metabolism in the strict carnivorous cat and the role in feline hepatic lipidosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Verbrugghe, Adronie; Bakovic, Marica

2013-07-19

Research in various species has indicated that diets deficient in labile methyl groups (methionine, choline, betaine, folate) produce fatty liver and links to steatosis and metabolic syndrome, but also provides evidence of the importance of labile methyl group balance to maintain normal liver function. Cats, being obligate carnivores, rely on nutrients in animal tissues and have, due to evolutionary pressure, developed several physiological and metabolic adaptations, including a number of peculiarities in protein and fat metabolism. This has led to specific and unique nutritional requirements. Adult cats require more dietary protein than omnivorous species, maintain a consistently high rate of protein oxidation and gluconeogenesis and are unable to adapt to reduced protein intake. Furthermore, cats have a higher requirement for essential amino acids and essential fatty acids. Hastened use coupled with an inability to conserve certain amino acids, including methionine, cysteine, taurine and arginine, necessitates a higher dietary intake for cats compared to most other species. Cats also seemingly require higher amounts of several B-vitamins compared to other species and are predisposed to depletion during prolonged inappetance. This carnivorous uniqueness makes cats more susceptible to hepatic lipidosis.

The Applications to Increase Drought Tolerance of Plants

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İlkay Yavaş

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Terminal drought is a major threat that adversely affects crop growth and metabolism, and limits the yield. Water stress causes many morphological, physiological and biochemical changes in plants. Plant height, root length, leaf area, fresh and dry biomass are reduced under drought stress. Besides, water stress causes the reduction of relative water content, the closure of stomata and decrease in photosynthesis and chlorophyll content. Antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione reductase (GR, superoxide dismutase (SOD, peroxidase (POD, ascorbat peroxidase (ASC, glutatiton (GSH, catalase (CAT enzyme activities, the indicator of oxidative stress malondialdehyde (MDA and proline levels also changes in drought conditions. Nutrient uptake by plants is prevented or restricted before grain development stage during drought conditions. Therefore the application of plant nutrients followed by micronutrient remobilization within plant is great importance. Osmoprotectants (cytokinin, mannitol, abscisic acid, proline, glycine betaine, polyamine etc. detoxify adverse effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS and alleviate drought stress. Exogenous plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR application encourage plant growth by colonizing the plant root and increase plants’ resistance to water stress. Besides, the farmers can use conservation tillage system in dry periods.

Molecular adaptations to phosphorus deprivation and comparison with nitrogen deprivation responses in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Science.gov (United States)

Alipanah, Leila; Winge, Per; Rohloff, Jens; Najafi, Javad; Brembu, Tore; Bones, Atle M

2018-01-01

Phosphorus, an essential element for all living organisms, is a limiting nutrient in many regions of the ocean due to its fast recycling. Changes in phosphate (Pi) availability in aquatic systems affect diatom growth and productivity. We investigated the early adaptive mechanisms in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to P deprivation using a combination of transcriptomics, metabolomics, physiological and biochemical experiments. Our analysis revealed strong induction of gene expression for proteins involved in phosphate acquisition and scavenging, and down-regulation of processes such as photosynthesis, nitrogen assimilation and nucleic acid and ribosome biosynthesis. P deprivation resulted in alterations of carbon allocation through the induction of the pentose phosphate pathway and cytosolic gluconeogenesis, along with repression of the Calvin cycle. Reorganization of cellular lipids was indicated by coordinated induced expression of phospholipases, sulfolipid biosynthesis enzymes and a putative betaine lipid biosynthesis enzyme. A comparative analysis of nitrogen- and phosphorus-deprived P. tricornutum revealed both common and distinct regulation patterns in response to phosphate and nitrate stress. Regulation of central carbon metabolism and amino acid metabolism was similar, whereas unique responses were found in nitrogen assimilation and phosphorus scavenging in nitrogen-deprived and phosphorus-deprived cells, respectively.

Application of NMR-based metabonomics suggests a relationship between betaine absorption and elevated creatine plasma concentrations in catheterised sows.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yde, C.C.; Westerhuis, J.A.; Bertram, H.C.; Bach Knudsen, K.E.

2012-01-01

The objective of the present explorative study was to determine the absorption dynamics when feeding diets varying in types and levels of dietary fibre in a catheterised animal model. A total of six sows were fed a diet low in fibre (LF), a diet high in soluble fibre and a diet high in insoluble

Dissecting the Catalytic Mechanism of Betaine - Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase by Use of Intrinsic Tryptophan Fluorescence and Site-Directed Mutagenesis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Castro, C.; Gratson, A. A.; Evans, J. C.; Jiráček, Jiří; Collinsová, Michaela; Ludwig, M. L.; Garrow, T. A.

2004-01-01

Roč. 43, č. 18 (2004), s. 5341-5351 ISSN 0006-2960 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA4055302 Grant - others:NIH(US) GM16429; NIH(US) DK52501; Illinois Agricultural Experimental Station(US) ILLU-698-352 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4055905 Keywords : BHMT * CBHcy * fluorescence Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 4.008, year: 2004

Ergothioneine, histidine, and two naturally occurring histidine dipeptides as radioprotectors against gamma-irradiation inactivation of bacteriophages T4 and P22

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, P.E.; Hartman, Z.; Citardi, M.J.

1988-01-01

Bacteriophages P22, T4+, and T4os (osmotic shock-resistant mutant with altered capsids) were diluted in 0.85% NaCl and exposed to gamma irradiation (2.79 Gy/min) at room temperature (24 degrees C). T4+ was more sensitive to inactivation than was P22, and the T4os mutant was even more sensitive than T4+. Catalase exhibited a strong protective effect and superoxide dismutase a weaker protection, indicating that H 2 O 2 or some product derived therefrom was predominant in causing inactivation of plaque formation. Low but significant (0.1-0.3 mM) reduced glutathione (GSH) enhanced phage inactivation, but a higher (1 mM) GSH concentration protected. A similar effect was found for the polyamine, spermidine. In contrast, 0.1 mM L-ergothioneine (2-thiol-L-histidine betaine) exhibited strong protection and 1 mM afforded essentially complete protection. L-Ergothioneine is present in millimolar concentrations in some fungi and is conserved up to millimolar concentrations in critical tissues when consumed by man. L-Histidine and two histidine-containing dipeptides, carnosine and anserine, protected at a concentration of 1 mM, a level at which they are present in striated muscles of various animals

Active ingredients from natural botanicals in the treatment of obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, W-L; Zhu, L; Jiang, J-G

2014-12-01

Obesity is considered as a chronic disease that can induce a series of comorbidities and complications. Chinese medicine has long clinical experiences in the treatment of obesity. This review summarizes the natural products from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that are reported to have anti-obesity effects in the past two decades. Botanic TCM comprises 90% of total Chinese crude drugs, and generally contains various active ingredients, in which the effective anti-obesity ingredients identified can be divided into saponins, polysaccharides, alkaloids, polyphenols and others. Astragaloside IV, glycyrrhizin, macrostemonoside A, berberine, betaine, capsaicin, matrine, methyl piperate, piperine, rutaecarpine, asimilobine, epigallocatechingallate, magnolol, resveratrol, soybean-isoflavone, α-linolenic acid, emodin, geniposide, phillyrin, salidroside and ursolic acid are specified in this review, and their sources, models, efficacy are described. It is concluded that the mechanisms of these components for the treatment of obesity include: (i) suppression of appetite, increase of satiety, reduction of energy intake; (ii) reduction in the digestion and absorption of exogenous lipid; (iii) attenuation of the synthesis of endogenous lipid; (iv) promotion of the oxidation and expenditure of lipid and (v) improvement of lipid metabolism disorder. Authors believe that the effective compounds from TCM will provide an alternative and hopeful way for the treatment of obesity. © 2014 World Obesity.

Combined Metabonomic and Quantitative RT-PCR Analyses Revealed Metabolic Reprogramming Associated with Fusarium graminearum Resistance in Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

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Fangfang Chen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Fusarium head blight disease resulting from Fusarium graminearum (FG infection causes huge losses in global production of cereals and development of FG-resistant plants is urgently needed. To understand biochemistry mechanisms for FG resistance, here, we have systematically investigated the plant metabolomic phenotypes associated with FG resistance for transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana expressing a class-I chitinase (Chi, a Fusarium-specific recombinant antibody gene (CWP2 and fused Chi-CWP2. Plant disease indices, mycotoxin levels, metabonomic characteristics, and expression levels of several key genes were measured together with their correlations. We found that A. thaliana expressing Chi-CWP2 showed higher FG resistance with much lower disease indices and mycotoxin levels than the wild-type and the plants expressing Chi or CWP2 alone. The combined metabonomic and quantitative RT-PCR analyses revealed that such FG-resistance was closely associated with the promoted biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (phenylpropanoids, alkanoids and organic osmolytes (proline, betaine, glucose, myo-inositol together with enhanced TCA cycle and GABA shunt. These suggest that the concurrently enhanced biosyntheses of the shikimate-mediated secondary metabolites and organic osmolytes be an important strategy for A. thaliana to develop and improve FG resistance. These findings provide essential biochemical information related to FG resistance which is important for developing FG-resistant cereals.

Effects of Drought and Salinity on European Larch (Larix decidua Mill. Seedlings

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Ioana M. Plesa

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Larix decidua, the European larch, is not normally affected by drought or salinity in its natural habitats, but it may be when grown as an ornamental tree, by the widespread practice of winter de-icing of mountain roads with NaCl, and because of global warming-induced environmental changes. The responses of two-month-old larch seedlings to 30 days water deficit (withholding irrigation or salt stress (150 mM NaCl treatments were studied by determining stress-induced changes in several growth parameters and biochemical markers (ion and osmolyte contents, level of oxidative stress, activation of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems. Both treatments caused the inhibition of growth, degradation of photosynthetic pigments, a small increase in malondialdehyde (MDA, an oxidative stress biomarker, and the activation of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD, catalase (CAT, ascorbate peroxidase (APX, and glutathione reductase (GR. In all cases, salinity appeared to have stronger effects on the seedlings than water deficit. The presence of relatively high concentrations of glycine betaine, both in control and stressed plants, may represent a constitutive mechanism of defence against stress in European larch. Additionally, other responses were specific for salt stress and included the activation of K+ transport from roots to shoots and the accumulation of Pro as an osmoprotectant.

An Investigation into the Antiobesity Effects of Morinda citrifolia L. Leaf Extract in High Fat Diet Induced Obese Rats Using a 1H NMR Metabolomics Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Gooda Sahib Jambocus, Najla; Saari, Nazamid; Ismail, Amin; Mahomoodally, Mohamad Fawzi; Abdul Hamid, Azizah

2016-01-01

The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide, with high fat diet (HFD) as one of the main contributing factors. Obesity increases the predisposition to other diseases such as diabetes through various metabolic pathways. Limited availability of antiobesity drugs and the popularity of complementary medicine have encouraged research in finding phytochemical strategies to this multifaceted disease. HFD induced obese Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with an extract of Morinda citrifolia L. leaves (MLE 60). After 9 weeks of treatment, positive effects were observed on adiposity, fecal fat content, plasma lipids, and insulin and leptin levels. The inducement of obesity and treatment with MLE 60 on metabolic alterations were then further elucidated using a 1H NMR based metabolomics approach. Discriminating metabolites involved were products of various metabolic pathways, including glucose metabolism and TCA cycle (lactate, 2-oxoglutarate, citrate, succinate, pyruvate, and acetate), amino acid metabolism (alanine, 2-hydroxybutyrate), choline metabolism (betaine), creatinine metabolism (creatinine), and gut microbiome metabolism (hippurate, phenylacetylglycine, dimethylamine, and trigonelline). Treatment with MLE 60 resulted in significant improvement in the metabolic perturbations caused obesity as demonstrated by the proximity of the treated group to the normal group in the OPLS-DA score plot and the change in trajectory movement of the diseased group towards the healthy group upon treatment. PMID:26798649

Whole Blood PCR Amplification with Pfu DNA Polymerase and Its Application in Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Er-Ping; Wang, Yan; He, Xiao-Hui; Guan, Jun-Jie; Wang, Jin; Qin, Zheng-Hong; Sun, Wan-Ping

2015-11-01

Point-of-care genetic analysis may require polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to be carried out on whole blood. However, human blood contains natural inhibitors of PCR such as hemoglobin, immunoglobulin G, lactoferrin, and proteases, as well as anticoagulant agents, including EDTA and heparin that can reduce whole blood PCR efficiency. Our purpose was to develop a highly specific, direct whole blood single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis method based on allele-specific (AS) PCR that is mediated by Pfu DNA polymerase and phosphorothioate-modified AS primers. At high Mg(2+) concentrations, Pfu DNA polymerase efficiently amplified genomic DNA in a reaction solution containing up to 14% whole blood. Among the three anticoagulants tested, Pfu DNA polymerase showed the highest activity with sodium citrate. Meanwhile, Triton X-100 and betaine inhibited Pfu DNA polymerase activity in whole blood PCR, whereas trehalose had virtually no effect. These findings provided for the development of a low-cost, simple, and fast direct whole blood genotyping method that uses Pfu DNA polymerase combined with phosphorothioate AS primers for CYP2C9*3 and VKORC1(-1639) loci. With its high DNA amplification efficiency and tolerance of various blood conditions, Pfu DNA polymerase can be used in clinical laboratories to analyze SNPs in whole blood samples.

Wear of dentine in vitro by toothpaste abrasives and detergents alone and combined.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, C; Addy, M

2005-12-01

To measure in vitro the abrasion of dentine by toothpaste detergents and abrasives alone and combined. Detergents used were tego betain, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), adinol and pluronic diluted to 1% w/v. Abrasives were three artificial silicas, tixosil 73 and 123 and Zeodent 113, and calcium carbonate used at 2.5% w/v. Flat human dentine specimens were brushed with aqueous detergent solutions or abrasive slurries, detergent abrasive slurries and water for 20,000 brush strokes. Dentine loss was measured by non-contacting profilometry at 10,000 and 20,000 strokes. Silica particle size distribution was measured by laser deflection. Loss of dentine occurred with all detergents, abrasives and detergent abrasion combinations, but was not linear with number of brush strokes. Water appeared to remove the smear layer only, but all detergents exceeded the predicted smear layer thickness. The silica abrasives differed in abrasion properties despite similar particle size distribution. Different detergents modulated the abrasives actions in mainly positive or mainly negative directions. Detergents appear able to attack the dentine surface to produce wear. Abrasives vary considerably in wear produced under similar conditions. Detergents modulate the effect of abrasives in a way that may reflect the rheological properties of the mixture.

An Investigation into the Antiobesity Effects of Morinda citrifolia L. Leaf Extract in High Fat Diet Induced Obese Rats Using a 1H NMR Metabolomics Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Najla Gooda Sahib Jambocus

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide, with high fat diet (HFD as one of the main contributing factors. Obesity increases the predisposition to other diseases such as diabetes through various metabolic pathways. Limited availability of antiobesity drugs and the popularity of complementary medicine have encouraged research in finding phytochemical strategies to this multifaceted disease. HFD induced obese Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with an extract of Morinda citrifolia L. leaves (MLE 60. After 9 weeks of treatment, positive effects were observed on adiposity, fecal fat content, plasma lipids, and insulin and leptin levels. The inducement of obesity and treatment with MLE 60 on metabolic alterations were then further elucidated using a 1H NMR based metabolomics approach. Discriminating metabolites involved were products of various metabolic pathways, including glucose metabolism and TCA cycle (lactate, 2-oxoglutarate, citrate, succinate, pyruvate, and acetate, amino acid metabolism (alanine, 2-hydroxybutyrate, choline metabolism (betaine, creatinine metabolism (creatinine, and gut microbiome metabolism (hippurate, phenylacetylglycine, dimethylamine, and trigonelline. Treatment with MLE 60 resulted in significant improvement in the metabolic perturbations caused obesity as demonstrated by the proximity of the treated group to the normal group in the OPLS-DA score plot and the change in trajectory movement of the diseased group towards the healthy group upon treatment.

Dynamic regulation of hepatic lipid droplet properties by diet.

Science.gov (United States)

Crunk, Amanda E; Monks, Jenifer; Murakami, Aya; Jackman, Matthew; Maclean, Paul S; Ladinsky, Mark; Bales, Elise S; Cain, Shannon; Orlicky, David J; McManaman, James L

2013-01-01

Cytoplasmic lipid droplets (CLD) are organelle-like structures that function in neutral lipid storage, transport and metabolism through the actions of specific surface-associated proteins. Although diet and metabolism influence hepatic CLD levels, how they affect CLD protein composition is largely unknown. We used non-biased, shotgun, proteomics in combination with metabolic analysis, quantitative immunoblotting, electron microscopy and confocal imaging to define the effects of low- and high-fat diets on CLD properties in fasted-refed mice. We found that the hepatic CLD proteome is distinct from that of CLD from other mammalian tissues, containing enzymes from multiple metabolic pathways. The hepatic CLD proteome is also differentially affected by dietary fat content and hepatic metabolic status. High fat feeding markedly increased the CLD surface density of perilipin-2, a critical regulator of hepatic neutral lipid storage, whereas it reduced CLD levels of betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase, an enzyme regulator of homocysteine levels linked to fatty liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Collectively our data demonstrate that the hepatic CLD proteome is enriched in metabolic enzymes, and that it is qualitatively and quantitatively regulated by diet and metabolism. These findings implicate CLD in the regulation of hepatic metabolic processes, and suggest that their properties undergo reorganization in response to hepatic metabolic demands.

Silicon improves seed germination and alleviates drought stress in lentil crops by regulating osmolytes, hydrolytic enzymes and antioxidant defense system.

Science.gov (United States)

Biju, Sajitha; Fuentes, Sigfredo; Gupta, Dorin

2017-10-01

Silicon (Si) has been widely reported to have beneficial effect on mitigating drought stress in plants. However, the effect of Si on seed germination under drought conditions is still poorly understood. This research was carried out to ascertain the role of Si to abate polyethylene glycol-6000 mediated drought stress on seed germination and seedling growth of lentil. Results showed that drought stress significantly decreased the seed germination traits and increased the concentration of osmolytes (proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugars), reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion) and lipid peroxides in lentil seedlings. The activities of hydrolytic enzymes and antioxidant enzymes increased significantly under osmotic stress. The application of Si significantly enhanced the plants ability to withstand drought stress conditions through increased Si content, improved antioxidants, hydrolytic enzymes activity, decreased concentration of osmolytes and reactive oxygen species. Multivariate data analysis showed statistically significant correlations among the drought-tolerance traits, whereas cluster analysis categorised the genotypes into distinct groups based on their drought-tolerance levels and improvements in expression of traits due to Si application. Thus, these results showed that Si supplementation of lentil was effective in alleviating the detrimental effects of drought stress on seed germination and increased seedling vigour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Metabolic Effects of Aromatherapy in Human Volunteers

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Yinan Zhang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aromatherapy, a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM that uses essential oils through inhalation, is believed to enhance physical and spiritual conditions. Although clinical studies suggest that the use of essential oils may have therapeutic potential, evidence for the efficacy of aromatherapy in treating medical conditions remains poor, with a particular lack of studies employing rigorous analytical methods that capture its identifiable impact on human biology. Here, we report a comprehensive metabolomics study that reveals metabolic changes in people after exposed to aroma inhalation for 10 continuous days. In this study, the metabolic alterations in urine of 31 females with mild anxiety symptoms exposed to aerial diffusion of aromas were measured by GC-TOF-MS and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analyses. A significant alteration of metabolic profile in subjects responsive to essential oil was found, which is characterized by the increased levels of arginine, homocysteine, and betaine, as well as decreased levels of alcohols, carbohydrates, and organic acids in urine. Notably, the metabolites from tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle and gut microbial metabolism were significantly altered. This study demonstrates that the metabolomics approach can capture the subtle metabolic changes resulting from exposure to essential oils, which may lead to an improved mechanistic understanding of aromatherapy.

Effect of UV-A and UV-B irradiation on the metabolic profile of aqueous humor in rabbits analyzed by 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tessem, May-Britt; Bathen, Tone F; Cejková, Jitka; Midelfart, Anna

2005-03-01

This study was conducted to investigate metabolic changes in aqueous humor from rabbit eyes exposed to either UV-A or -B radiation, by using (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and unsupervised pattern recognition methods. Both eyes of adult albino rabbits were irradiated with UV-A (366 nm, 0.589 J/cm(2)) or UV-B (312 nm, 1.667 J/cm(2)) radiation for 8 minutes, once a day for 5 days. Three days after the last irradiation, samples of aqueous humor were aspirated, and the metabolic profiles analyzed with (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The metabolic concentrations in the exposed and control materials were statistically analyzed and compared, with multivariate methods and one-way ANOVA. UV-B radiation caused statistically significant alterations of betaine, glucose, ascorbate, valine, isoleucine, and formate in the rabbit aqueous humor. By using principal component analysis, the UV-B-irradiated samples were clearly separated from the UV-A-irradiated samples and the control group. No significant metabolic changes were detected in UV-A-irradiated samples. This study demonstrates the potential of using unsupervised pattern recognition methods to extract valuable metabolic information from complex (1)H NMR spectra. UV-B irradiation of rabbit eyes led to significant metabolic changes in the aqueous humor detected 3 days after the last exposure.

Overexpression of GmDREB1 improves salt tolerance in transgenic wheat and leaf protein response to high salinity

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Qiyan Jiang

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The transcription factor dehydration-responsive element binding protein (DREB is able to improve tolerance to abiotic stress in plants by regulating the expression of downstream genes involved in environmental stress resistance. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the salt tolerance of GmDREB1 transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and to evaluate its physiological and protein responses to salt stress. Compared with the wild type, the transgenic lines overexpressing GmDREB1 showed longer coleoptiles and radicles and a greater radicle number at the germination stage, as well as greater root length, fresh weight, and tiller number per plant at the seedling stage. The yield-related traits of transgenic lines were also improved compared with the wild type, indicating enhanced salt tolerance in transgenic lines overexpressing GmDREB1. Proteomics analysis revealed that osmotic- and oxidative-stress-related proteins were up-regulated in transgenic wheat leaves under salt stress conditions. Transgenic wheat had higher levels of proline and betaine and lower levels of malondialdehyde and relative electrolyte leakage than the wild type. These results suggest that GmDREB1 regulates the expression of osmotic- and oxidative-stress-related proteins that reduce the occurrence of cell injury caused by high salinity, thus improving the salt tolerance of transgenic wheat.

Phosphorus starvation induces membrane remodeling and recycling in Emiliania huxleyi.

Science.gov (United States)

Shemi, Adva; Schatz, Daniella; Fredricks, Helen F; Van Mooy, Benjamin A S; Porat, Ziv; Vardi, Assaf

2016-08-01

Nutrient availability is an important factor controlling phytoplankton productivity. Phytoplankton contribute c. 50% of the global photosynthesis and possess efficient acclimation mechanisms to cope with nutrient stress. We investigate the cellular response of the bloom-forming coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi to phosphorus (P) scarcity, which is often a limiting factor in marine ecosystems. We combined mass spectrometry, fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and gene expression analyses in order to assess diverse cellular features in cells exposed to P limitation and recovery. Early starvation-induced substitution of phospholipids in the cells' membranes with galacto- and betaine lipids. Lipid remodeling was rapid and reversible upon P resupply. The PI3K inhibitor wortmannin reduced phospholipid substitution, suggesting a possible involvement of PI3K- signaling in this process. In addition, P limitation enhanced the formation and acidification of membrane vesicles in the cytoplasm. Intracellular vesicles may facilitate the recycling of cytoplasmic content, which is engulfed in the vesicles and delivered to the main vacuole. Long-term starvation was characterized by a profound increase in cell size and morphological alterations in cellular ultrastructure. This study provides cellular and molecular basis for future ecophysiological assessment of natural E. huxleyi populations in oligotrophic regions. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

1H NMR-Based Metabolomic Analysis of Sub-Lethal Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Exposure to the Earthworm, Eisenia fetida, in Soil

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Myrna J. Simpson

2013-08-01

Full Text Available 1H NMR-based metabolomics was used to measure the response of Eisenia fetida earthworms after exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS in soil. Earthworms were exposed to a range of PFOS concentrations (five, 10, 25, 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg for two, seven and fourteen days. Earthworm tissues were extracted and analyzed by 1H NMR. Multivariate statistical analysis of the metabolic response of E. fetida to PFOS exposure identified time-dependent responses that were comprised of two separate modes of action: a non-polar narcosis type mechanism after two days of exposure and increased fatty acid oxidation after seven and fourteen days of exposure. Univariate statistical analysis revealed that 2-hexyl-5-ethyl-3-furansulfonate (HEFS, betaine, leucine, arginine, glutamate, maltose and ATP are potential indicators of PFOS exposure, as the concentrations of these metabolites fluctuated significantly. Overall, NMR-based metabolomic analysis suggests elevated fatty acid oxidation, disruption in energy metabolism and biological membrane structure and a possible interruption of ATP synthesis. These conclusions obtained from analysis of the metabolic profile in response to sub-lethal PFOS exposure indicates that NMR-based metabolomics is an excellent discovery tool when the mode of action (MOA of contaminants is not clearly defined.

Metabolic regulatory oscillations in intertidal green seaweed Ulva lactuca against tidal cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Vishal; Kushwaha, Hemant R

2017-11-27

The survival of wetland plant species largely relies on physiological adaptations essential for submergence and desiccation. Intertidal seaweeds, unlike terrestrial plants, have unique adaptations to submergence and can also sustain desiccation arising from tidal rhythms. This study determined the differential metabolic regulations in the inter-tidal seaweed species Ulva lactuca against the submergence and desiccation. During desiccation, the relative water content of the algal thalli declined with concomitant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation. Nevertheless, the trends reversed during recovery on re-submergence and attained homeostasis. Metabolite profiling of U. lactuca revealed desiccation induced balance in energy reserve utilization by adjusting carbohydrate metabolism and switch over to ammonia metabolism. Upon re-submergence, thalli showed an increase in fermentative metabolites, pyruvate-alanine conversion, and the GABA shunt. Prolonged submergence induced substrate level phosphorylation mediated sugar biosynthesis while continuing the alternative carbon flux through fermentative metabolism, an increase in osmoprotectants glycine and betaine, sulfur bearing compounds cysteine and hypotaurine, and phenolic compound coniferaldehyde. The determined metabolic regulations in U. lactuca for submergence tolerance provide insights into potential evolutionarily conserved protective mechanisms across the green lineage and also highlights the possible role of sulfur oxoforms as strong free radical scavengers.

Contents of lecithin and choline in crude drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamasaki, K; Kikuoka, M; Nishi, H; Kokusenya, Y; Miyamoto, T; Matsuo, M; Sato, T

1994-01-01

The determination of lecithin and choline in crude drugs was established by a combination of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detector (ECD) and enzyme reaction. Lecithin in crude drugs extracted with a mixture of chloroform-methanol (2:1) at room temperature was hydrolyzed by phospholipase D. The hydrolyzate was injected to HPLC, and choline was separated from impurities by reverse phase column. The choline was converted to betaine and hydrogen peroxide by passing through column packed with immobilized choline oxidase. This hydrogen peroxide was detected by ECD. The peak area of hydrogen peroxide derived from lecithin was proportional to the concentration of lecithin from 0.10 to 1.52 microgram/ml. Choline in crude drugs was extracted with ethanol under reflux and determined under the same HPLC conditions as lecithin. The peak area of hydrogen peroxide derived from choline was proportional to the concentration of choline from 0.01 to 0.45 microgram/ml. The contents of lecithin and choline in 31 kinds of crude drugs were determined by these established methods. The results showed that Cervi Parvum Cornu, Kokurozin, Foenigraeci Semen and Psoraleae Semen contained more lecithin than other crude drugs, while Angelicae Radix, Foenigraeci Semen, Psoraleae Semen, and especially Hippocampus were found to contain more choline than other crude drugs.

In silico assessment of the potential allergenicity of transgenes used for the development of GM food crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Ankita; Gaur, S N; Singh, B P; Arora, Naveen

2012-05-01

Genetically modified (GM) crops require allergenicity and toxicity assessment of the novel protein(s) to ensure complete safety to the consumers. These assessments are performed in accordance with the guidelines proposed by Codex (2003) and ICMR (2008). The guidelines recommend sequence homology analysis as a preliminary step towards allergenicity prediction, later in vitro experiments may be performed to confirm allergenicity. In the present study, an in silico approach is employed to evaluate the allergenic potential of six transgenes routinely used for the development of GM food crops. Among the genes studied, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and osmotin shares greater than 90% identity with Hev b 10 and Cap a 1w, respectively. Chitinase shares greater than 70% identity with allergens namely Pers a 1 and Hev b 11, and fungal chitinase showed significant IgE binding with 7 of 75 patients' sera positive to different food extracts. Glucanases (alfalfa, wheat) and glycine betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase gene share 50% homology with allergens like - Ole e 9, Cla h 10 and Alt a 10. The results demonstrate the allergenic potential of six genes and can serve as a guide for selection of transgenes to develop GM crops. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dietary N,N-dimethylglycine supplementation improves nutrient digestibility and attenuates pulmonary hypertension syndrome in broilers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalmar, I D; Cools, A; Buyse, J; Roose, P; Janssens, G P J

2010-12-01

N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG) is an intermediary metabolite in cellular choline and betaine metabolism. The present trial aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary DMG on nutrient digestibility and development of pulmonary hypertension syndrome in broilers. A total of 64 14-day-old broiler hens (Ross-308) were raised until age 40 days under cold environmental temperature conditions (15 °C) and were fed a high energy feed in order to incite pulmonary hypertension. Birds were randomly assigned to two groups of which each group had eight replicate pens of four birds each. Test diets contained 0 or 167 mg Na-DMG (Taminizer(®) D; Taminco N.V., Ghent, Belgium)/kg feed. N,N-dimethylglycine supplementation resulted in a significant improvement in apparent faecal digestibility of crude protein and nitrogen-free extract. Further, fulminant ascites was numerically lowered by DMG and incidence of pulmonary hypertension decreased significantly from 44.8% in the control group to 14.6% in the DMG group. Finally, fasted plasma level of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) was twofold in the control group in relation to the DMG group. In conclusion, these data demonstrate beneficial effects of DMG on digestibility of non-fat fractions, on fat metabolism and on progression towards broiler ascites syndrome. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Intergrated metabonomic study of the effects of Guizhi Fuling capsule intervention on primary dysmenorrheal using RP-UPLC-MS complementary with HILIC-UPLC-MS technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Lang; Meng, Zhaorui; Sun, Lan; Xiao, Wei; Zhao, Longshan; Xiong, Zhili

2018-02-01

Guizhi Fuling capsule (GFC), developed from the traditional Chinese prescription of Guizhi Fuling Wan, has been commonly used for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea (PD). However, the intervention effective mechanism in vivo has not been well elucidated. In this study, an integrated plasma metabonomic strategy based on RP-UPLC-MS coupled with HILIC-UPLC-MS technique has been developed to investigate the global therapeutic effects and intervention mechanisms of GFC on dysmenorrhea rats induced by oxytocin. The 20 potential biomarkers were identified and primarily related to sphingolipid metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism and energy metabolism. The results showed that the GFC has therapeutic effects on rats with dysmenorrhea via the regulation of multiple metabolic pathways. Some new potential biomarkers associated with primary dysmenorrhea such as phenylalanine, tryptophan, taurine, carnitine, betaine, creatine and creatinine have been discovered in this study for the first time. This study provides a metabonomic platform based on RP-UPLC-MS complementary to HILIC-UPLC-MS technique to investigate both nonpolar and polar compounds, so as to get a more comprehensive metabolite information to yield insight into the pathophysiology of PD and assessing the efficacy of GFC on PD rats. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects of six substances on the growth and freeze-drying of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, He; Huang, Jie; Shi, Xiaoyu; Li, Yichao; Liu, Yu

2017-01-01

The efficacy of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus as starter cultures for the dairy industry depends largely on the number of viable and active cells. Freeze-drying is the most convenient and successful method to preserve the bacterial cells. However, not all strains survived during freeze-drying. The effects of six substances including NaCl, sorbitol, mannitol, mannose, sodium glutamate, betaine added to the MRS medium on the growth and freeze-drying survival rate and viable counts of Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus were studied through a single-factor test and Plackett-Burman design. Subsequently, the optimum freeze-drying conditions of Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus were determined. Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus survival rates were up to the maximum of 42.7%, 45.4%, 23.6%, while the concentrations of NaCl, sorbitol, sodium glutamate were 0.6%, 0.15%, 0.09%, respectively. In the optimum concentration, the viable counts in broth is 6.1, 6.9, 5.13 (×108 CFU/mL), respectively; the viable counts in freeze-drying power are 3.09, 5.2, 2.7 (×1010 CFU/g), respectively. Three antifreeze factors including NaCl, sorbitol, sodium glutamate have a positive effect on the growth and freeze-drying of Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The results are beneficial for developing Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.

Deletion of the betaine-GABA transporter (BGT1; slc6a12) gene does not affect seizure thresholds of adult mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lehre, A C; Rowley, N M; Zhou, Y

2011-01-01

of the GAT1 by the clinically available anti-epileptic drug tiagabine has been an effective strategy for the treatment of some patients with partial seizures. Recently, the investigational drug EF1502, which inhibits both GAT1 and BGT1, was found to exert an anti-convulsant action synergistic...... to that of tiagabine, supposedly due to inhibition of BGT1. The present study addresses the role of BGT1 in seizure control and the effect of EF1502 by developing and exploring a new mouse line lacking exons 3-5 of the BGT1 (slc6a12) gene. The deletion of this sequence abolishes the expression of BGT1 mRNA. However......, homozygous BGT1-deficient mice have normal development and show seizure susceptibility indistinguishable from that in wild-type mice in a variety of seizure threshold models including: corneal kindling, the minimal clonic and minimal tonic extension seizure threshold tests, the 6Hz seizure threshold test...

Beneficial metabolic effects of 2',3',5'-tri-acetyl-N6- (3-hydroxylaniline adenosine in the liver and plasma of hyperlipidemic hamsters.

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Yang Sun

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical research of hyperlipidemia has been commonly pursued using traditional approaches. However, unbiased metabonomics attempts to explore the metabolic signature of hyperlipidemia in a high-throughput manner to understand pathophysiology of the disease process. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: As a new way, we performed (1H NMR-based metabonomics to evaluate the beneficial effects of 2',3',5'-tri-acetyl-N(6- (3-hydroxylaniline adenosine (WS070117 on plasma and liver from hyperlipidemic Syrian golden hamsters. Both plasma and liver profiles provided a clearer distinction between the control and hyperlipidemic hamsters. Compared to control animals, hyperlipidemic hamsters showed a higher content of lipids (triglyceride and cholesterol, lactate and alanine together with a lower content of choline-containing compounds (e.g., phosphocholine, phosphatidylcholine, and glycerophosphocholine and betaine. As a result, metabonomics-based findings such as the PCA and OPLS-DA plotting of metabolic state and analysis of potential biomarkers in plasma and liver correlated well to the assessment of biochemical assays, Oil Red O staining and in vivo ultrasonographic imaging suggesting that WS070117 was able to regulate lipid content and displayed more beneficial effects on plasma and liver than simvastatin. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This work demonstrates the promise of applying (1H NMR metabonomics to evaluate the beneficial effects of WS070117 which may be a good drug candidate for hyperlipidemia.

Comparative analysis of membrane lipids in psychrophilic and mesophilic freshwater dinoflagellates

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Andrea eAnesi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Here we report the lipid profiles of ten dinoflagellate species originating from different freshwater habitats and grown at 4, 13 or 20°C akin to their natural occurrence. Lipids were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-ElectroSpray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry in positive and negative ion modes. Besides the well-studied monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG lipids, our study revealed the presence of intact molecular lipid species of trigalactosyldiacylglycerols (TGDG, betaine diacylglyceryl-carboxyhydroxymethylcholine (DGCC, sulfolipid sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerols (SQDG and phospholipids, in particular phosphatidylcholine (PC, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE and phosphatidylglycerol (PG.In multivariate ordination, the freshwater dinoflagellates studied could be distinguished into two groups based on their lipid profiles. Peridinium aciculiferum, Borghiella dodgei, B. tenuissima and Tovellia coronata belonged to group 1 while Ceratium cornutum, Gymnodinium palustre, Jadwigia applanata, P. cinctum, P. willei and P. gatunense belonged to group 2. Indicator species analysis evidenced that group 1 was characterized by 36:9 MGDG and 36:9 DGDG and group 2 by 38:9 and 38:10 MGDG, 38:9 and 38:10 DGDG and 34:1 SQDG. We suggest that the grouping of dinoflagellates indicated their range of temperature tolerance. Furthermore, non-thylakoid lipids were linked to dinoflagellate phylogeny based on the large ribosomal sub-unit (28S LSU rather than their temperature tolerance. Thus certain lipids better reflected habitat adaptation while other lipids better reflected genetic diversity.

GABA Shunt in Durum Wheat

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Petronia Carillo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Plant responses to salinity are complex, especially when combined with other stresses, and involve many changes in gene expression and metabolic fluxes. Until now, plant stress studies have been mainly dealt only with a single stress approach. However, plants exposed to multiple stresses at the same time, a combinatorial approach reflecting real-world scenarios, show tailored responses completely different from the response to the individual stresses, due to the stress-related plasticity of plant genome and to specific metabolic modifications. In this view, recently it has been found that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA but not glycine betaine (GB is accumulated in durum wheat plants under salinity only when it is combined with high nitrate and high light. In these conditions, plants show lower reactive oxygen species levels and higher photosynthetic efficiency than plants under salinity at low light. This is certainly relevant because the most of drought or salinity studies performed on cereal seedlings have been done in growth chambers under controlled culture conditions and artificial lighting set at low light. However, it is very difficult to interpret these data. To unravel the reason of GABA accumulation and its possible mode of action, in this review, all possible roles for GABA shunt under stress are considered, and an additional mechanism of action triggered by salinity and high light suggested.

Silica-Based Sol-Gel Coating on Magnesium Alloy with Green Inhibitors

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Vinod Upadhyay

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In this work, the performances of several natural organic inhibitors were investigated in a sol-gel system (applied on the magnesium alloy Mg AZ31B substrate. The inhibitors were quinaldic acid (QDA, betaine (BET, dopamine hydrochloride (DOP, and diazolidinyl urea (DZU. Thin, uniform, and defect-free sol-gel coatings were prepared with and without organic inhibitors, and applied on the Mg AZ31B substrate. SEM and EDX were performed to analyze the coating surface properties, the adhesion to the substrate, and the thickness. Electrochemical measurements, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS and anodic potentiodynamic polarization scan (PDS, were performed on the coated samples to characterize the coatings’ protective properties. Also, hydrogen evolution measurement—an easy method to measure magnesium corrosion—was performed in order to characterize the efficiency of coating protection on the magnesium substrate. Moreover, scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET measurements were performed to examine the efficiency of the coatings loaded with inhibitors in preventing and containing corrosion events in defect areas. From the testing results it was observed that the formulated sol-gel coatings provided a good barrier to the substrate, affording some protection even without the presence of inhibitors. Finally, when the inhibitors’ performances were compared, the QDA-doped sol-gel was able to contain the corrosion event at the defect.

Comparative Effects of Salt Stress and Extreme pH Stress Combined on Glycinebetaine Accumulation, Photosynthetic Abilities and Growth Characters of Two Rice Genotypes

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Suriyan CHA-UM

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Glycinebetaine (Glybet accumulation, photosynthetic efficiency and growth performance in indica rice cultivated under salt stress and extreme pH stress were investigated. Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH activity and Glybet accumulation in the seedlings of salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive rice varieties grown under saline and acidic conditions peaked after treatment for 72 h and 96 h, respectively, and were higher than those grown under neutral pH and alkaline salt stress. A positive correlation was found between BADH activity and Glybet content in both salt-tolerant (r2 = 0.71 and salt-sensitive (r2 = 0.86 genotypes. The chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and total carotenoids contents in the stressed seedlings significantly decreased under both acidic and alkaline stresses, especially in the salt-sensitive genotype. Similarly, the maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm, photon yield of PSII (ΦPSII, non-photochemical quenching (NPQ and net photosynthetic rate (Pn in the stressed seedlings were inhibited, leading to overall growth reduction. The positive correlations between chlorophyll a content and Fv/Fm, total chlorophyll content and ΦPSII, ΦPSII and Pn as well as Pn and leaf area in both salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive genotypes were found. Saline acidic and saline alkaline soils may play a key role affecting vegetative growth prior to the reproductive stage in rice plants.

Salt Stress Induced Changes in the Exoproteome of the Halotolerant Bacterium Tistlia consotensis Deciphered by Proteogenomics.

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Carolina Rubiano-Labrador

Full Text Available The ability of bacteria to adapt to external osmotic changes is fundamental for their survival. Halotolerant microorganisms, such as Tistlia consotensis, have to cope with continuous fluctuations in the salinity of their natural environments which require effective adaptation strategies against salt stress. Changes of extracellular protein profiles from Tistlia consotensis in conditions of low and high salinities were monitored by proteogenomics using a bacterial draft genome. At low salinity, we detected greater amounts of the HpnM protein which is involved in the biosynthesis of hopanoids. This may represent a novel, and previously unreported, strategy by halotolerant microorganisms to prevent the entry of water into the cell under conditions of low salinity. At high salinity, proteins associated with osmosensing, exclusion of Na+ and transport of compatible solutes, such as glycine betaine or proline are abundant. We also found that, probably in response to the high salt concentration, T. consotensis activated the synthesis of flagella and triggered a chemotactic response neither of which were observed at the salt concentration which is optimal for growth. Our study demonstrates that the exoproteome is an appropriate indicator of adaptive response of T. consotensis to changes in salinity because it allowed the identification of key proteins within its osmoadaptive mechanism that had not previously been detected in its cell proteome.

Transcriptomic and functional analysis of NaCl-induced stress in Enterococcus faecalis.

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Margrete Solheim

Full Text Available The robust physiology of Enterococcus faecalis facilitates tolerance to various stresses. We here report the transcriptional response of E. faecalis V583 to growth in the presence of 6.5% NaCl. Among the early responses observed was an immediate down-regulation of mscL, accompanied by an up-regulation of genes predicted to be involved in uptake of extracellular potassium and glycine betaine. The high NaCl concentration also induced expression of chaperons and cell envelope related traits, such as the enterococcal polysaccharide antigen (epa locus. Functional genetic analysis revealed reduced salt stress resistance in both epaB and epaE mutants. The reduced salt resistance phenotype associated with the epaB mutant was restored by complementation, hence demonstrating a role of Epa in the physiological robustness of E. faecalis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Epa confers increased resistance towards multiple cell envelope stress-inducing factors. Accordingly, these findings delineate a potential link between the robust nature of E. faecalis and its ability to perform as a human pathogen, and provide a new perspective on the mechanisms by which Epa contributes to virulence. Notably, the high NaCl concentration also resulted in strict repression of the gelE-sprE operon and impaired gelatinase activity. We demonstrate that NaCl antagonize the GBAP-pheromone dependent induction in a concentration dependent manner.

Phytochemical Characterization of Low Molecular Weight Constituents from Marshmallow Roots (Althaea officinalis) and Inhibiting Effects of the Aqueous Extract on Human Hyaluronidase-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Sendker, Jandirk; Böker, Ines; Lengers, Isabelle; Brandt, Simone; Jose, Joachim; Stark, Timo; Hofmann, Thomas; Fink, Careen; Abdel-Aziz, Heba; Hensel, Andreas

2017-02-24

Extract RE was obtained from the roots of Althaea officinalis in a yield of 8.1%, related to the dried plant material, by extraction with MeOH-H 2 O (1:1), followed by precipitation with EtOH to remove high molecular weight constituents. Phytochemical investigation of RE revealed the presence of N-phenylpropenoyl-l-amino acid amides 1-5, 8% glycine betaine 6, about 9% total amino acids with proline as the main compound, and about 61% mono- and oligomeric carbohydrates with sucrose as the main compound. Further fractionation revealed the presence of a hypolaetin diglycoside (12) and four hypolaetin glycosides (7-9 and 11) with O-sulfocarbohydrate moieties; additionally, 4'-O-methylisoscutellarein-8-O-β-d-(3″-O-sulfo)glucuronopyranoside (10) and the diglycosylated coumarin haploperoside D (13) were identified. The hypolaetin-O-sulfoglycosides 7-10 are new natural products. RE inhibited the enzymatic activity of surface-displayed human hyaluronidase-1 on Escherichia coli F470 cells with an IC 50 of 7.7 mg/mL. RE downregulated mRNA expression of hyal-1 in HaCaT keratinocytes at 125 and 250 μg/mL, respectively. These data contribute to a deeper phytochemical understanding of marshmallow root extracts and to the positive influence of extracts used for therapy of irritated and inflamed buccal tissue and cough.

A metabonomic evaluation of the monocrotaline-induced sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conotte, R.; Colet, J.-M.

2014-01-01

The main curative treatment of colorectal cancer remains the surgery. However, when metastases are suspected, surgery is followed by a preventive chemotherapy using oxaliplatin which, unfortunately, may cause liver sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS). Such hepatic damage is barely detected during or after chemotherapy due to a lack of effective diagnostic procedures, but liver biopsy. The primary objective of the present study was to identify potential early diagnosis biomarkers of SOS using a metabonomic approach. SOS was induced in rats by monocrotaline, a prototypical toxic substance. 1 H NMR spectroscopy analysis of urine samples collected from rats treated with monocrotaline showed significant metabolic changes as compared to controls. During a first phase, cellular protective mechanisms such as an increased synthesis of GSH (reduced taurine) and the recruitment of cell osmolytes in the liver (betaine) were seen. In the second phase, the disturbance of the urea cycle (increased ornithine and urea reduction) leading to the depletion of NO, the alteration in the GSH synthesis (increased creatine and GSH precursors (glutamate, dimethylglycine and sarcosine)), and the liver necrosis (decrease taurine and increase creatine) all indicate the development of SOS. - Highlights: • Urine metabonomic profiles of SOS have been identified. • Urine osmoprotectants and anti-oxidants indicated an initial liver protection. • Liver necrosis was demonstrated by increased urine levels of taurine and creatine. • NO depletion was suggested by changes in ornithine and urea

Synthesis of polymer gel electrolyte with high molecular weight poly(methyl methacrylate)-clay nanocomposite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meneghetti, Paulo; Qutubuddin, Syed; Webber, Andrew

2004-01-01

Polymer nanocomposite gel electrolytes consisting of high molecular weight poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA-clay nanocomposite, ethylene carbonate (EC)/propylene carbonate (PC) as plasticizer, and LiClO 4 electrolyte are reported. Montmorillonite clay was ion exchanged with a zwitterionic surfactant (octadecyl dimethyl betaine) and dispersed in methyl methacrylate, which was then polymerized to synthesize PMMA-clay nanocomposites. The nanocomposite was dissolved in a mixture of EC/PC with LiClO 4 , heated and pressed to obtain polymer gel electrolyte. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the gels indicated intercalated clay structure with d-spacings of 2.85 and 1.40 nm. In the gel containing plasticizer, the clay galleries shrink suggesting intercalation rather than partial exfoliation observed in the PMMA-clay nanocomposite. Ionic conductivity varied slightly and exhibited a maximum value of 8 x 10 -4 S/cm at clay content of 1.5 wt.%. The activation energy was determined by modeling the conductivity with a Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher expression. The clay layers are primarily trapped inside the polymer matrix. Consequently, the polymer does not interact significantly with LiClO 4 electrolyte as shown by FTIR. The presence of the clay increased the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the gel as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The PMMA nanocomposite gel electrolyte shows a stable lithium interfacial resistance over time, which is a key factor for use in electrochemical applications

Cobalamin C deficiency in an adolescent with altered mental status and anorexia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmandar, Maria H; Bawcom, Amanda; Romano, Mary E; Hamid, Rizwan

2014-12-01

Although cobalamin (cbl) C deficiency is the most common inherited disorder of vitamin B12 metabolism, the late-onset form of the disease can be difficult to recognize because it has a broad phenotypic spectrum. In this report, we describe an adolescent female exposed to unknown illicit substances and sexual abuse who presented with psychosis, anorexia, seizures, and ataxia. The patient's diagnosis was delayed until a metabolic workup was initiated, revealing hyperhomocysteinemia, low normal plasma methionine, and methylmalonic aciduria. Ultimately, cblC deficiency was confirmed when molecular testing showed compound heterozygosity for mutations (c.271dupA and c.482G>A) in the MMACHC gene. This diagnosis led to appropriate treatment with hydroxocobalamin, betaine, and folate, which resulted in improvement of her clinical symptoms and laboratory values. This patient demonstrates a previously unrecognized presentation of late-onset cblC deficiency. Although neuropsychiatric symptoms are common in late-onset disease, seizures and cerebellar involvement are not. Furthermore, anorexia has not been previously described in these patients. This case emphasizes that inborn errors of metabolism should be part of the differential diagnosis for a teenager presenting with altered mental status, especially when the diagnosis is challenging or neurologic symptoms are unexplained. Correct diagnosis of this condition is important because treatment is available and can result in clinical improvement.(1.) Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Analysis and comparison of fragrant gene sequence in some rice cultivars

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Karami Noushafarin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available It is known that the fragrant trait in rice (Oryza sativa L. is largely controlled by fgr gene on chromosome 8 and it has been specified that the existence of an 8 bp deletion and three single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP in exon 7 is effective on this trait. In this study, sequence alignment analysis of fgr exon7 on chromosome 8 for 11 different fragrant and non-fragrant cultivars revealed that 5 aromatic rice cultivars carried 3 SNPs and 8 bp deletion in exon7 which terminates prematurely at a TAA stop codon. However, 5 of the non-aromatics showed a sequence identical to the published Nipponbare, being non-fragrant Japonica variety sequence. An exception among them was Bejar, which had 8 bp deletion and 3SNPs but it was non-aromatic. Sequencing can determine nucleotide alignment of a gene and give beneficial information about gene function. In silico prediction showed proteins sequences alignment of fgr gene for Khazar and Domsiah genotypes were different. Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase complete enzyme belongs to Khazar non-fragrant genotype that has complete length and 503 amino acids while non-functional BADH2 enzyme for Domsiah fragrant genotype has 251 amino acids that result in accumulate 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP and produces aroma in fragrant genotypes.

Dietary salecan reverts partially the metabolic gene expressions and NMR-based metabolomic profiles from high-fat-diet-induced obese rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qi; Li, Minghui; Yang, Xiao; Xu, Xi; Wang, Junsong; Zhang, Jianfa

2017-09-01

Previous studies suggest that dietary salecan (a water-soluble β-glucan) effectively reduces high-fat-diet-induced adiposity through disturbing bile-acid-promoted emulsification in mice. However, the effects of salecan on metabolic genes and metabolites involved in lipid accumulation are mostly unknown. Here, we confirmed that dietary 3% and 6% salecan for 4 weeks markedly decreased fat accumulation in liver and adipose tissue in high-fat-diet rats, displaying a decrease in mRNA levels of SREBP1-C, FAS, SCD1 and ACC1 involved in de novo lipogenesis and a reduction of levels of GPAT1, DGAT1 and DGAT2 related to triglyceride synthesis. Dietary salecan also increased the mRNA levels of PPARα and CYP7A1, which are related to fatty acid oxidation and cholesterol decomposition, respectively. In the 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomic analysis, both the serum and liver metabolite profiles differed among the control groups, and the metabolic profiles of the salecan groups were shifted toward that of the low-fat-diet group. Metabolites analysis showed that salecan significantly increased hepatic glutathione and betaine levels which are related to regulation of cellular reactive oxygen species. These data demonstrate that dietary salecan not only disturbed fat digestion and absorption but also influenced lipid accumulation and metabolism in diet-induced obesity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Osmotic heat engine using thermally responsive ionic liquids

KAUST Repository

Zhong, Yujiang

2017-07-11

The osmotic heat engine (OHE) is a promising technology for converting low grade heat to electricity. Most of the existing studies have focused on thermolytic salt systems. Herein, for the first time, we proposed to use thermally responsive ionic liquids (TRIL) that have either an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) or lower critical solution temperature (LCST) type of phase behavior as novel thermolytic osmotic agents. Closed-loop TRIL-OHEs were designed based on these unique phase behaviors to convert low grade heat to work or electricity. Experimental studies using two UCST-type TRILs, protonated betaine bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide ([Hbet][Tf2N]) and choline bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Choline][Tf2N]) showed that (1) the specific energy of the TRIL-OHE system could reach as high as 4.0 times that of the seawater and river water system, (2) the power density measured from a commercial FO membrane reached up to 2.3 W/m2, and (3) the overall energy efficiency reached up to 2.6% or 18% of the Carnot efficiency at no heat recovery and up to 10.5% or 71% of the Carnet efficiency at 70% heat recovery. All of these results clearly demonstrated the great potential of using TRILs as novel osmotic agents to design high efficient OHEs for recovery of low grade thermal energy to work or electricity.

Allergic contact dermatitis caused by cocamide diethanolamine.

Science.gov (United States)

Mertens, Sarien; Gilissen, Liesbeth; Goossens, An

2016-07-01

Cocamide DEA (CAS no. 68603-42-9) is a non-ionic surfactant frequently used in industrial, household and cosmetic products for its foam-producing and stabilizing properties. Contact allergy has been reported quite rarely in the past, but recently several cases were published, raising the question of an increase in the frequency of allergic dermatitis caused by this substance. To describe cocamide DEA-allergic patients and their characteristics observed in our department. Medical charts of patients, investigated between 1990 and December 2015, were retrospectively reviewed for cocamide DEA-allergy. Demographic characteristics and patch test results were analyzed. Out of 1767 patients tested, 18 (1%) presented with an allergic reaction to cocamide DEA, all of them at least with hand dermatitis. Twelve patients had (past) occupational exposure to cocamide DEA. Out of the 18 patients, 15 showed (most often) multiple positive reactions and 7 also suffered from atopic dermatitis. Cocamide DEA allergy is relatively rare, despite frequent use, and an increasing trend was not observed. Reactions to cocamidopropyl betaine and cocamide MEA only occurred in some of the subjects tested. Shampoos and liquid hand soaps/cleansers dominated as sources of exposure. All patients presented with an impaired skin barrier due to atopic and/or previous contact dermatitis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pediatric Contact Dermatitis Registry Inaugural Case Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldenberg, Alina; Mousdicas, Nico; Silverberg, Nanette; Powell, Douglas; Pelletier, Janice L; Silverberg, Jonathan I; Zippin, Jonathan; Fonacier, Luz; Tosti, Antonella; Lawley, Leslie; Wu Chang, Mary; Scheman, Andrew; Kleiner, Gary; Williams, Judith; Watsky, Kalman; Dunnick, Cory A; Frederickson, Rachel; Matiz, Catalina; Chaney, Keri; Estes, Tracy S; Botto, Nina; Draper, Michelle; Kircik, Leon; Lugo-Somolinos, Aida; Machler, Brian; Jacob, Sharon E

2016-01-01

Little is known about the epidemiology of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in US children. More widespread diagnostic confirmation through epicutaneous patch testing is needed. The aim was to quantify patch test results from providers evaluating US children. The study is a retrospective analysis of deidentified patch test results of children aged 18 years or younger, entered by participating providers in the Pediatric Contact Dermatitis Registry, during the first year of data collection (2015-2016). One thousand one hundred forty-two cases from 34 US states, entered by 84 providers, were analyzed. Sixty-five percent of cases had one or more positive patch test (PPT), with 48% of cases having 1 or more relevant positive patch test (RPPT). The most common PPT allergens were nickel (22%), fragrance mix I (11%), cobalt (9.1%), balsam of Peru (8.4%), neomycin (7.2%), propylene glycol (6.8%), cocamidopropyl betaine (6.4%), bacitracin (6.2%), formaldehyde (5.7%), and gold (5.7%). This US database provides multidisciplinary information on pediatric ACD, rates of PPT, and relevant RPPT reactions, validating the high rates of pediatric ACD previously reported in the literature. The registry database is the largest comprehensive collection of US-only pediatric patch test cases on which future research can be built. Continued collaboration between patients, health care providers, manufacturers, and policy makers is needed to decrease the most common allergens in pediatric consumer products.

Volatiles and Nonvolatiles in Flourensia campestris Griseb. (Asteraceae), How Much Do Capitate Glandular Trichomes Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Piazza, Leonardo A; López, Daniela; Silva, Mariana P; López Rivilli, Marisa J; Tourn, Mónica G; Cantero, Juan J; Scopel, Ana L

2018-03-01

The distribution and ultrastructure of capitate glandular trichomes (GTs) in Flourensia species (Asteraceae) have been recently elucidated, but their metabolic activity and potential biological function remain unexplored. Selective nonvolatile metabolites from isolated GTs were strikingly similar to those found on leaf surfaces. The phytotoxic allelochemical sesquiterpene (-)-hamanasic acid A ((-)-HAA) was the major constituent (ca. 40%) in GTs. Although GTs are quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs)-accumulating species, glycine betaine was not found in GTs; it was only present in the leaf mesophyll. Two (-)-HAA accompanying surface secreted products: compounds 4-hydroxyacetophenone (piceol; 1) and 2-hydroxy-5-methoxyacetophenone (2), which were isolated and fully characterized (GC/MS, NMR), were present in the volatiles found in GTs. The essential oils of fresh leaves revealed ca. 33% monoterpenes, 26% hydrocarbon- and 30% oxygenated sesquiterpenes, most of them related to cadinene and bisabolene derivatives. Present results suggest a main role of GTs in determining the volatile and nonvolatile composition of F. campestris leaves. Based on the known activities of the compounds identified, it can be suggested that GTs in F. campestris would play key ecological functions in plant-pathogen and plant-plant interactions. In addition, the strikingly high contribution of compounds derived from cadinene and bisabolene pathways, highlights the potential of this species as a source of high-valued bioproducts. © 2018 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Optimization process condition for deacidification of palm oil by liquid-liquid extraction using NADES (Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent)

Science.gov (United States)

Israyandi, Zahrina, Ida; Mulia, Kamarza

2017-03-01

One of many steps in palm oil refining process is deacidification which aims to separate free fatty acids and other compounds from the oil. The deacidification process was using a green solvent, known as NADES, that consisted of betaine monohydrate and propionic acid at molar ratio of 1:8. In this study, the process conditions were optimized using the response surface method (RSM) through central composite design in order to predict the maximum distribution coefficient of palmitic acid. The obtained regression equation of the basic model for optimization was: y = 0.717 + 0.003x1 + 0.043 x2 + 0.148x3 - 0.005 x1x1 - 0.030 x2x2 + 0.047 x3x3 - 0.008 x1x2 + 0.008 x1x3 + 0.033 x2x3. The independent variables are x1 ≡ temperature (40, 60, 80 °C), x2≡ amount of palmitic acid in the palm oil (2, 5, 8 %) and x3 ≡ mass ratios of oil to NADES (1:2, 1:1, 2:1). The optimum process condition found was temperature of 62.3°C, palmitic acid content of 8%, and NADES to palm oil mass ratio of 1:2, resulting in the maximum distribution coefficient of 0.96.

A novel approach for UV-patterning with binary polymer brushes.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lifu; Nakaji-Hirabayashi, Tadashi; Kitano, Hiromi; Ohno, Kohji; Saruwatari, Yoshiyuki; Matsuoka, Kazuyoshi

2018-01-01

A mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of an initiator (3-(2-bromo-2-isobutyryloxy)propyl triethoxysilane) for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and an agent (6-(triethoxysilyl)hexyl 2-(((methylthio)carbonothioyl)thio)-2-phenylacetate) for reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was constructed on the surface of a silicon wafer or glass plate by a silane coupling reaction. When a UV light at 254nm was irradiated at the mixed SAM through a photomask, the surface density of the bromine atom at the end of BPE in the irradiated region was drastically reduced by UV-driven scission of the BrC bond, as observed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Consequently, the surface-initiated (SI)-ATRP of 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate (EHMA) was used to easily construct the poly(EHMA) (PEHMA) brush domain. Subsequently, SI-RAFT polymerization of a zwitterionic vinyl monomer, carboxymethyl betaine (CMB), was performed. Using the sequential polymerization, the PCMB and PEHMA brush domains on the solid substrate could be very easily patterned. Patterning proteins and cells with the binary polymer brush is expected because the PCMB brush indicated strong suppression of protein adsorption and cell adhesion, and the PEHMA brush had non-polar properties. This technique is very simple and useful for regulating the shape and size of bio-fouling and anti-biofouling domains on solid surfaces. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tyrosinase inhibition due to interaction of homocyst(e)ine with copper: the mechanism for reversible hypopigmentation in homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Reish, O; Townsend, D; Berry, S A; Tsai, M Y; King, R A

1995-01-01

Deficiency of cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) is a genetic disorder of transsulfuration resulting in elevated plasma homocyst(e)ine and methionine and decreased cysteine. Affected patients have multisystem involvement, which may include light skin and hair. Reversible hypopigmentation in treated homocystinuric patients has been infrequently reported, and the mechanism is undefined. Two CBS-deficient homocystinuric patients manifested darkening of their hypopigmented hair following treatment that decreased plasma homocyst(e)ine. We hypothesized that homocyst(e)ine inhibits tyrosinase, the major pigment enzyme. The activity of tyrosinase extracted from pigmented human melanoma cells (MNT-1) that were grown in the presence of homocysteine was reduced in comparison to that extracted from cells grown without homocysteine. Copper sulfate restored homocyst(e)ine-inhibited tyrosinase activity when added to the culture cell media at a proportion of 1.25 mol of copper sulfate per 1 mol of DL-homocysteine. Holo-tyrosinase activity was inhibited by adding DL-homocysteine to the assay reaction mixture, and the addition of copper sulfate to the reaction mixture prevented this inhibition. Other tested compounds, L-cystine and betaine did not affect tyrosinase activity. Our data suggest that reversible hypopigmentation in homocystinuria is the result of tyrosinase inhibition by homocyst(e)ine and that the probable mechanism of this inhibition is the interaction of homocyst(e)ine with copper at the active site of tyrosinase. Images Figure 1 PMID:7611281

Comparison of closely related, uncultivated Coxiella tick endosymbiont population genomes reveals clues about the mechanisms of symbiosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsementzi, Despina; Castro Gordillo, Juan; Mahagna, Mustafa; Gottlieb, Yuval; Konstantinidis, Konstantinos T

2018-05-01

Understanding the symbiotic interaction between Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE) and their tick hosts is challenging due to lack of isolates and difficulties in tick functional assays. Here we sequenced the metagenome of a CLE population from wild Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks (CRs) and compared it to the previously published genome of its close relative, CLE of R. turanicus (CRt). The tick hosts are closely related sympatric species, and their two endosymbiont genomes are highly similar with only minor differences in gene content. Both genomes encode numerous pseudogenes, consistent with an ongoing genome reduction process. In silico flux balance metabolic analysis (FBA) revealed the excess production of L-proline for both genomes, indicating a possible proline transport from Coxiella to the tick. Additionally, both CR genomes encode multiple copies of the proline/betaine transporter, proP gene. Modelling additional Coxiellaceae members including other tick CLE, did not identify proline as an excreted metabolite. Although both CRs and CRt genomes encode intact B vitamin synthesis pathway genes, which are presumed to underlay the mechanism of CLE-tick symbiosis, the FBA analysis indicated no changes for their products. Therefore, this study provides new testable hypotheses for the symbiosis mechanism and a better understanding of CLE genome evolution and diversity. © 2018 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Strategy of metabolic phenotype modulation in Portunus trituberculatus exposed to low salinity.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Yangfang; An, Yanpeng; Li, Ronghua; Mu, Changkao; Wang, Chunlin

2014-04-16

Extreme low salinity influences normal crab growth, morphogenesis, and production. Some individuals of swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus have, however, an inherent ability to adapt to such a salinity fluctuation. This study investigated the dynamic metabolite alterations of two P. trituberculatus strains, namely, a wild one and a screened (low-salinity tolerant) one in response to low-salinity challenge by combined use of NMR spectroscopy and high-throughput data analysis. The dominant metabolites in crab muscle were found to comprise amino acids, sugars, carboxylic acids, betaine, trimethylamine-N-oxide, 2-pyridinemethanol, trigonelline, and nucleotides. These results further showed that the strategy of metabolic modulation of P. trituberculatus after low-salinity stimulus includes osmotic rebalancing, enhanced gluconeogenesis from amino acids, and energy accumulation. These metabolic adaptations were manifested in the accumulation of trimethylamine-N-oxide, ATP, 2-pyridinemethanol, and trigonelline and in the depletion of the amino acid pool as well as in the fluctuation of inosine levels. This lends support to the fact that the low-salinity training accelerates the responses of crabs to low-salinity stress. These findings provide a comprehensive insight into the mechanisms of metabolic modulation in P. trituberculatus in response to low salinity. This work highlights the approach of NMR-based metabonomics in conjunction with multivariate data analysis and univariate data analysis in understanding the strategy of metabolic phenotype modulation against stressors.

Structure elucidation of metabolite x17299 by interpretation of mass spectrometric data.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qibo; Ford, Lisa A; Evans, Anne M; Toal, Douglas R

2017-01-01

A major bottleneck in metabolomic studies is metabolite identification from accurate mass spectrometric data. Metabolite x17299 was identified in plasma as an unknown in a metabolomic study using a compound-centric approach where the associated ion features of the compound were used to determine the true molecular mass. The aim of this work is to elucidate the chemical structure of x17299, a new compound by de novo interpretation of mass spectrometric data. An Orbitrap Elite mass spectrometer was used for acquisition of mass spectra up to MS 4 at high resolution. Synthetic standards of N,N,N -trimethyl-l-alanyl-l-proline betaine (l,l-TMAP), a diastereomer, and an enantiomer were chemically prepared. The planar structure of x17299 was successfully proposed by de novo mechanistic interpretation of mass spectrometric data without any laborious purification and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis. The proposed structure was verified by deuterium exchanged mass spectrometric analysis and confirmed by comparison to a synthetic standard. Relative configuration of x17299 was determined by direct chromatographic comparison to a pair of synthetic diastereomers. Absolute configuration was assigned after derivatization of x17299 with a chiral auxiliary group followed by its chromatographic comparison to a pair of synthetic standards. The chemical structure of metabolite x17299 was determined to be l,l-TMAP.

Trimethylamine N-Oxide: The Good, the Bad and the Unknown

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Manuel T. Velasquez

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO is a small colorless amine oxide generated from choline, betaine, and carnitine by gut microbial metabolism. It accumulates in the tissue of marine animals in high concentrations and protects against the protein-destabilizing effects of urea. Plasma level of TMAO is determined by a number of factors including diet, gut microbial flora and liver flavin monooxygenase activity. In humans, a positive correlation between elevated plasma levels of TMAO and an increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events and death is reported. The atherogenic effect of TMAO is attributed to alterations in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism, activation of inflammatory pathways and promotion foam cell formation. TMAO levels increase with decreasing levels of kidney function and is associated with mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. A number of therapeutic strategies are being explored to reduce TMAO levels, including use of oral broad spectrum antibiotics, promoting the growth of bacteria that utilize TMAO as substrate and the development of target-specific molecules with varying level of success. Despite the accumulating evidence, it is questioned whether TMAO is the mediator of a bystander in the disease process. Thus, it is important to undertake studies examining the cellular signaling in physiology and pathological states in order to establish the role of TMAO in health and disease in humans.

Growth Inhibition of Sporomusa ovata by Incorporation of Benzimidazole Bases into Cobamides

Science.gov (United States)

Mok, Kenny C.

2013-01-01

Phenolyl cobamides are unique members of a class of cobalt-containing cofactors that includes vitamin B12 (cobalamin). Cobamide cofactors facilitate diverse reactions in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Phenolyl cobamides are structurally and chemically distinct from the more commonly used benzimidazolyl cobamides such as cobalamin, as the lower axial ligand is a phenolic group rather than a benzimidazole. The functional significance of this difference is not well understood. Here we show that in the bacterium Sporomusa ovata, the only organism known to synthesize phenolyl cobamides, several cobamide-dependent acetogenic metabolisms have a requirement or preference for phenolyl cobamides. The addition of benzimidazoles to S. ovata cultures results in a decrease in growth rate when grown on methanol, 3,4-dimethoxybenzoate, H2 plus CO2, or betaine. Suppression of native p-cresolyl cobamide synthesis and production of benzimidazolyl cobamides occur upon the addition of benzimidazoles, indicating that benzimidazolyl cobamides are not functionally equivalent to the phenolyl cobamide cofactors produced by S. ovata. We further show that S. ovata is capable of incorporating other phenolic compounds into cobamides that function in methanol metabolism. These results demonstrate that S. ovata can incorporate a wide range of compounds as cobamide lower ligands, despite its preference for phenolyl cobamides in the metabolism of certain energy substrates. To our knowledge, S. ovata is unique among cobamide-dependent organisms in its preferential utilization of phenolyl cobamides. PMID:23417488

Excess of methyl donor in the perinatal period reduces postnatal leptin secretion in rat and interacts with the effect of protein content in diet.

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Fanny Giudicelli

Full Text Available Methionine, folic acid, betaine and choline interact in the one-carbon metabolism which provides methyl groups for methylation reactions. An optimal intake of these nutrients during pregnancy is required for successful completion of fetal development and evidence is growing that they could be involved in metabolic long-term programming. However, the biological pathways involved in the action of these nutrients are still poorly known. This study investigated the interaction between methyl donors and protein content in maternal diet during the preconceptual, pregnancy and lactation periods and the consequences on the rat offspring in the short and long term. Methyl donor supplementation reduced leptin secretion in offspring, whereas insulin levels were mostly affected by protein restriction. The joint effect of protein restriction and methyl donor excess strongly impaired postnatal growth in both gender and long term weight gain in male offspring only, without affecting food intake. In addition, rats born from protein restricted and methyl donor supplemented dams gained less weight when fed a hypercaloric diet. Methylation of the leptin gene promoter in adipose tissue was increased in methyl donor supplemented groups but not affected by protein restriction only. These results suggest that maternal methyl donor supplementation may influence energy homeostasis in a gender-dependent manner, without affecting food intake. Moreover, we showed that macronutrients and micronutrients in maternal diet interact to influence the programming of the offspring.

Purifikace a stabilizace lidské betain-homo-cystein S-methyltransferasy 2 a vývoj jejích prvních inhibitorů

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mládková, Jana; Vaněk, Václav; Elbert, Tomáš; Buděšínský, Miloš; Jiráček, Jiří

2013-01-01

Roč. 107, č. 5 (2013), s. 427-428 ISSN 0009-2770. [Mezioborové setkání mladých biologů, biochemiků a chemiků /13./. 14.5.2013-17.5.2013, Žďár nad Sázavou] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/10/1277 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : metaloenzyme * methylmethionine * methionine * transition-state analogs * oligomerization Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry

Pharmacological Identification of a Guanidine-Containing β-Alanine Analogue with Low Micromolar Potency and Selectivity for the Betaine/GABA Transporter 1 (BGT1)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-Khawaja, Anas Mohammad Ali; Petersen, Jette Gellert; Damgaard, Maria

2014-01-01

of the amino group in β-alanine or GABA, a series of compounds was generated, and their pharmacological activity assessed at human GAT subtypes. Using a cell-based [(3)H]GABA uptake assay, several selective inhibitors at human BGT1 were identified. The guanidine-containing compound 9 (2-amino-1......,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid hydrochloride) displayed more than 250 times greater potency than the parent compound β-alanine at BGT1 and is thus the most potent inhibitor reported to date for this subtype (IC50 value of 2.5 µM). In addition, compound 9 displayed about 400, 16 and 40 times lower inhibitory...

The effect of temperature on the efficiency of aerobic biodegradation of sugar beet distillery stillage: Removal of pollution load and biogens

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K. Lutosławski

Full Text Available Abstract Beet stillage is a high-strength effluent from the production of ethanol from sugar beet. A large annual volume of sugar beet stillage requires finding new effective ways for its utilization. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of temperature on the efficiency of aerobic biodegradation of beet stillage. Biodegradation was carried out for 168 hours in a stirred-tank reactor with a working volume of 5 L at 27°C, 36°C, 45°C, 54°C and 63°C. All experiments were performed at uncontrolled pH, aeration of 1.0 vvm and of 900 rpm. The effectiveness of biodegradation was determined by the extent of removal of SCODsum (COD determined after suspended solids separation and theoretical COD of betaine, BOD5 and TOC. Studies have shown that, under mesophilic conditions, the extents of reduction of SCODsum, BOD5 and TOC were statistically significantly (p≤0.05 higher than under thermophilic conditions. Within the range of 27-36°C, the highest reduction in SCODsum (79.2-79.9%, BOD5 (98.4-99% and TOC (76.1-77.3% was obtained. Additionally, at the temperature of 36°C, the highest reduction in total nitrogen (56.4% and total phosphorus (58% was achieved. Aerobic biodegradation allows for efficient treatment of sugar beet distillery stillage (preferably at 36°C.

Evaluations of the trans-sulfuration pathway in multiple liver toxicity studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnackenberg, Laura K.; Chen Minjun; Sun, Jinchun; Holland, Ricky D.; Dragan, Yvonne; Tong Weida; Welsh, William; Beger, Richard D.

2009-01-01

Drug-induced liver injury has been associated with the generation of reactive metabolites, which are primarily detoxified via glutathione conjugation. In this study, it was hypothesized that molecules involved in the synthesis of glutathione would be diminished to replenish the glutathione depleted through conjugation reactions. Since S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is the primary source of the sulfur atom in glutathione, UPLC/MS and NMR were used to evaluate metabolites involved with the transulfuration pathway in urine samples collected during studies of eight liver toxic compounds in Sprague-Dawley rats. Urinary levels of creatine were increased on day 1 or day 2 in 8 high dose liver toxicity studies. Taurine concentration in urine was increased in only 3 of 8 liver toxicity studies while SAMe was found to be reduced in 4 of 5 liver toxicity studies. To further validate the results from the metabonomic studies, microarray data from rat liver samples following treatment with acetaminophen was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Some genes involved in the trans-sulfuration pathway, including guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase, glycine N-methyltransferase, betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase and cysteine dioxygenase were found to be significantly decreased while methionine adenosyl transferase II, alpha increased at 24 h post-dosing, which is consistent with the SAMe and creatine findings. The metabolic and transcriptomic results show that the trans-sulfuration pathway from SAMe to glutathione was disturbed due to the administration of heptatotoxicants

Toxicological effects of benzo(a)pyrene, DDT and their mixture on the green mussel Perna viridis revealed by proteomic and metabolomic approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Qinqin; Chen, Hao; Li, Yuhu; Zhou, Hailong; Han, Qian; Diao, Xiaoping

2016-02-01

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) are persistent organic pollutants and environmental estrogens (EEs) with known toxicity towards the green mussel, Perna viridis. In this study, the toxic effects of BaP (10 µg/L) and DDT (10 µg/L) and their mixture were assessed in green mussel gills with proteomic and metabolomic approaches. Metabolic responses indicated that BaP mainly caused disturbance in osmotic regulation by significantly decrease in branched chain amino acids, dimethylamine and dimethylglycine in gills of male green mussels after exposure for 7 days. DDT mainly caused disturbance in osmotic regulation and energy metabolism by differential alteration of betaine, dimethylamine, dimethylglycine, amino acids, and succinate in gills of male green mussels. However, the mixture of BaP and DDT didn't show obvious metabolite changes. Proteomic analysis showed different protein expression profiles between different treatment groups, which demonstrated that BaP, DDT and their mixture may have different modes of action. Proteomic responses revealed that BaP induced cell apoptosis, disturbance in protein digestion and energy metabolism in gills of green mussels, whereas DDT exposure altered proteins that were associated with oxidative stress, cytoskeleton and cell structure, protein digestion and energy metabolism. However, the mixture of BaP and DDT affected proteins related to the oxidative stress, cytoskeleton and cell structure, protein biosynthesis and modification, energy metabolism, growth and apoptosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative transcriptome analysis on the alteration of gene expression in ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis larvae associated with salinity change

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Xin-Jiang LU

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis fish, which are an amphidromous species distributed in East Asia, live in brackish water (BW during their larval stage and in fresh water (FW during their adult stage. In this study, we found that FW-acclimated ayu larvae exhibited a slower growth ratio compared with that of BW-acclimated larvae. However, the mechanism underlying FW acclimation on growth suppression is poorly known. We employed transcriptome analysis to investigate the differential gene expression of FW acclimation by RNA sequencing. We identified 158 upregulated and 139 downregulated transcripts in FW-acclimated ayu larvae compared with that in BW-acclimated larvae. As determined by Gene Ontology annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway mapping, functional annotation of the genes covered diverse biological functions and processes, and included neuroendocrinology, osmotic regulation, energy metabolism, and the cytoskeleton. Transcriptional expression of several differentially expressed genes in response to FW acclimation was further confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR. In accordance with transcriptome analysis, iodothyronine deiodinase (ID, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC, betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase 1(BHMT, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase B (aldolase B, tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT, and Na+-K+ ATPase (NKA were upregulated after FW acclimation. Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of b-type natriuretic peptide (BNP and transgelin were downregulated after FW acclimation. Our data indicate that FW acclimation reduced the growth rate of ayu larvae, which might result from the expression alteration of genes related to endocrine hormones, energy metabolism, and direct osmoregulation.

Decontamination of metals, pentachlorophenol, and polychlorined dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans polluted soil in alkaline conditions using an amphoteric biosurfactant.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynier, Nicolas; Blais, Jean-François; Mercier, Guy; Besner, Simon

2014-01-01

In this paper, flotation in acidic conditions and alkaline leaching soil washing processes were compared to decontaminate four soils with variable contamination with metals, pentachlorophenol (PCP), and polychlorodibenzo dioxins and furans (PCDD/F). The measured concentrations of the four soils prior treatment were between 50 and 250 mg/kg for As, 35 and 220mg/kg for Cr, 80 and 350mg/kg for Cu, and 2.5 and 30mg/kg for PCP. PCDD/F concentrations reached 1394, 1375, 3730, and 6289ng/kg for F1, S1, S2, and S3 soils, respectively. The tests were carried out with masses of 100g of soil (fraction 0-2 mm) in a 2 L beaker or in a 1 L flotation cell. Soil flotation in sulphuric acid for 1 h at 60 degreeC with three flotation cycles using the surfactant cocamidopropyl betaine (BW) at 1% allows the solubilization of metals and PCP with average removal yields of 85%, 51%, 90%, and 62% for As, Cr, Cu, and PCP, respectively. The alkaline leaching for 2 h at 80 degreeC solubilizes As, Cr, Cu, and PCP with average removal yields of 60%, 32%, 77%, and 87%, respectively. Tests on PCDD/F solubilization with different surfactants were carried out in combination with the alkaline leaching process. PCDD/F removal yields of 25%, 72%, 70%, and 74% for F1, S1, S2, and S3 soils, respectively, were obtained using the optimized conditions.

Distribution and metabolism of quaternary amines in salt marshes

Science.gov (United States)

King, Gary M.

1985-01-01

Quaternary amines such as glycine betaine (GBT) are common osmotically active solutes in much of the marine biota. GBT is accumulated by various bacteria, algae, higher plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates in response to salinity or water stresses; in some species, GBT occurs at tens to hundreds of millimolar concentrations and can account for a significant fraction of total nitrogen. Initial studies suggest that GBT is readily converted to two potential methane precursors, trimethylamine (TMA) and acetate, in anoxic sediments. TMA is apparently the most important methane precursor in surface sediments containing sulfate reducing bacteria. In salt marshes, the bulk of the methane formed may be due to the metabolism of TMA rather than other substrates. Current research is focussed on testing this hypothesis and on determining the role of quaternary amino osmoregulatory solutes in methane fluxes from marine environments. Preliminary studies have dealt with several problems: (1) determination of GBT concentrations in the dominant flora and fauna of salt marshes; (2) synthesis of radiolabelled GBT for metabolic studies; and (3) determination of fates of BGT in marine sediments using radiotracers. Both GC and HPLC techniques have been used to assay GBT concentrations in plant and animal tissues. S. alterniflora is probably the only significant source of GBT (and indirectly of methane) since the biomass and distribution of most other species is limited. Current estimates suggest that S. alterniflora GBT could account for most of the methane efflux from salt marshes.

Effect of water activity and protective solutes on growth and subsequent survival to air-drying of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Champagne, Claude P; Raymond, Yves; Simon, Jean-Paul

2012-08-01

Probiotic cultures of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus acidophilus were grown in media having water activities (a (w)) adjusted between 0.99 and 0.94 with NaCl or with a mixture of glycerol and sucrose in order to find conditions of osmotic stress which would still allow for good growth. Cultures grown at a (w) = 0.96 or 0.99 were then recovered by centrifugation, added to a sucrose-phosphate medium and air-dried. In some assays, a 2-h osmotic stress was applied to the cell concentrate prior to air-drying. Assays were also carried out where betaine, glutamate and proline (BGP) supplements were added as protective compounds to the growth or drying media. For most strains, evidence of osmotic stress and benefits of BGP supplementation on growth occurred at a (w) = 0.96. Growing the cells in complex media adjusted at a (w) = 0.96 did not enhance their subsequent survival to air-drying, but applying the 2-h osmotic stress did. Addition of the BGP supplements to the growth medium or in the 2-h stress medium did not enhance survival to air-drying. Furthermore, addition of BGP to a sucrose-phosphate drying medium reduced survival of the cultures to air-drying. This study provides preliminary data for producers of probiotics who wish to use air-drying in replacement of freeze-drying for the stabilization of cultures.

Silymarin as a Natural Antioxidant: An Overview of the Current Evidence and Perspectives

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Peter F. Surai

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Silymarin (SM, an extract from the Silybum marianum (milk thistle plant containing various flavonolignans (with silybin being the major one, has received a tremendous amount of attention over the last decade as a herbal remedy for liver treatment. In many cases, the antioxidant properties of SM are considered to be responsible for its protective actions. Possible antioxidant mechanisms of SM are evaluated in this review. (1 Direct scavenging free radicals and chelating free Fe and Cu are mainly effective in the gut. (2 Preventing free radical formation by inhibiting specific ROS-producing enzymes, or improving an integrity of mitochondria in stress conditions, are of great importance. (3 Maintaining an optimal redox balance in the cell by activating a range of antioxidant enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidants, mainly via Nrf2 activation is probably the main driving force of antioxidant (AO  action of SM. (4 Decreasing inflammatory responses by inhibiting NF-κB pathways is an emerging mechanism of SM protective effects in liver toxicity and various liver diseases. (5 Activating vitagenes, responsible for synthesis of protective molecules, including heat shock proteins (HSPs, thioredoxin and sirtuins and providing additional protection in stress conditions deserves more attention. (6 Affecting the microenvironment of the gut, including SM-bacteria interactions, awaits future investigations. (7 In animal nutrition and disease prevention strategy, SM alone, or in combination with other hepatho-active compounds (carnitine, betaine, vitamin B12, etc., might have similar hepatoprotective effects as described in human nutrition.

Rapid induction of lipid droplets in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella vulgaris by Brefeldin A.

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Sangwoo Kim

Full Text Available Algal lipids are the focus of intensive research because they are potential sources of biodiesel. However, most algae produce neutral lipids only under stress conditions. Here, we report that treatment with Brefeldin A (BFA, a chemical inducer of ER stress, rapidly triggers lipid droplet (LD formation in two different microalgal species, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella vulgaris. LD staining using Nile red revealed that BFA-treated algal cells exhibited many more fluorescent bodies than control cells. Lipid analyses based on thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography revealed that the additional lipids formed upon BFA treatment were mainly triacylglycerols (TAGs. The increase in TAG accumulation was accompanied by a decrease in the betaine lipid diacylglyceryl N,N,N-trimethylhomoserine (DGTS, a major component of the extraplastidic membrane lipids in Chlamydomonas, suggesting that at least some of the TAGs were assembled from the degradation products of membrane lipids. Interestingly, BFA induced TAG accumulation in the Chlamydomonas cells regardless of the presence or absence of an acetate or nitrogen source in the medium. This effect of BFA in Chlamydomonas cells seems to be due to BFA-induced ER stress, as supported by the induction of three homologs of ER stress marker genes by the drug. Together, these results suggest that ER stress rapidly triggers TAG accumulation in two green microalgae, C. reinhardtii and C. vulgaris. A further investigation of the link between ER stress and TAG synthesis may yield an efficient means of producing biofuel from algae.

[Hyperhomocysteinemia in coronary artery diseases. Apropos of a study on 102 patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Blacher, J; Montalescot, G; Ankri, A; Chadefaux-Vekemans, B; Benzidia, R; Grosgogeat, Y; Kamoun, P; Thomas, D

1996-10-01

Homocystein is at the crossroads of the metabolic pathways of sulphuric amino acids. Homocystinuria is a congenital autosomal recessive disease, usually related to cystathionine beta-synthetase deficiency. Children with homozygotic forms of the disease have early vascular complications which represent the main cause of death. Moderately elevated serum homocystein levels are related to two major genetic factors (heterozygotic cystathionine beta-synthetase deficiency and mutation of the 5-10 methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase) and several minor, genetic and non-genetic factors (folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 and betain deficiencies). Previous studies have suggested that hyperhomocysteinaemia could be a cardiovascular risk factor. This study was based on 222 subjects including 102 consecutive patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease and 120 control subjects without vascular disease. No relationship was observed between serum homocystein concentrations and the classical cardiovascular risk factors. Coronary patients had higher average homocystein concentrations than control subjects (11.27 +/- 0.52 vs 8.77 +/- 0.31 mumol/l); p 15.67 mumol/l) was higher in the coronary group (15.7%) than in the controls (2.5%). A significant relationship was also observed between homocystein concentrations and the severity of the coronary disease (defined by a coronary score) and the number of diseased vascular territories. These results underline the relationship between homocystein and vascular risk, especially that of coronary artery disease. The treatment of hyperhomocysteinaemia by folic acid supplements is effective in correcting plasma levels, without side effects and at a relatively low cost.

Physiological Response of Lactobacillus plantarum to Salt and Nonelectrolyte Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Glaasker, Erwin; Tjan, Frans S. B.; Ter Steeg, Pieter F.; Konings, Wil N.; Poolman, Bert

1998-01-01

In this report, we compared the effects on the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum of raising the medium molarity by high concentrations of KCl or NaCl and iso-osmotic concentrations of nonionic compounds. Analysis of cellular extracts for organic constituents by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that salt-stressed cells do not contain detectable amounts of organic osmolytes, whereas sugar-stressed cells contain sugar (and some sugar-derived) compounds. The cytoplasmic concentrations of lactose and sucrose in growing cells are always similar to the concentrations in the medium. By using the activity of the glycine betaine transport system as a measure of hyperosmotic conditions, we show that, in contrast to KCl and NaCl, high concentrations of sugars (lactose or sucrose) impose only a transient osmotic stress because external and internal sugars equilibrate after some time. Analysis of lactose (and sucrose) uptake also indicates that the corresponding transport systems are neither significantly induced nor activated directly by hyperosmotic conditions. The systems operate by facilitated diffusion and have very high apparent affinity constants for transport (>50 mM for lactose), which explains why low sugar concentrations do not protect against hyperosmotic conditions. We conclude that the more severe growth inhibition by salt stress than by equiosmolal concentrations of sugars reflects the inability of the cells to accumulate K+ (or Na+) to levels high enough to restore turgor as well as deleterious effects of the electrolytes intracellularly. PMID:9721316

Accumulation of Dissolved DMSP by Marine Bacteria and its Degradation Via Bacterivory

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Wolfe, Gordon V.

1996-01-01

Several bacterial isolates enriched from seawater using complex media were able to accumulate dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) from media into cells over several hours without degrading it. Uptake only occurred in metabolically active cells, and was repressed in some strains by the presence of additional carbon sources. Accumulation was also more rapid in osmotically-stressed cells, suggesting DMSP is used as an osmotic solute. Uptake could be blocked by inhibitors of active transport systems (2,4-dinitrophenol, azide, arsenate) and of protein synthesis (chloramphenicol). Some structural analogs such as glycine betaine and S-methyl methionine also blocked DMSP uptake, suggesting that the availability of alternate organic osmolytes may influence DMSP uptake. Stresses such as freezing, heating, or osmotic down shock resulted in partial release of DMSP back to the medium. One strain which contained a DMSP-lyase was also able to accumulate DMSP, and DMS was only produced in the absence of alternate carbon sources. Bacteria containing DMSP were prepared as prey for bacterivorous ciliates and flagellates, to examine the fate of the DMSP during grazing. In all cases, predators metabolized the DMSP in bacteria. In some cases, DMS was produced, but it is not clear if this was due to the predators or to associated bacteria in the non-axenic grazer cultures. Bacterivores may influence DMSP cycling by either modulating populations of DMSP-metabolizing bacteria, or by metabolizing DMSP accumulated by bacterial prey.

Screening for drought tolerance in cultivars of the ornamental genus Tagetes (Asteraceae

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Raluca Cicevan

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Drought tolerance was evaluated in twelve cultivars of three ornamental Tagetes species (T. patula, T. tenuifolia and T. erecta. A stress treatment was performed by completely stopping watering of plants maintained in controlled greenhouse conditions. After three weeks, several plant growth parameters (stem length (SL, fresh weight (FW and water content (WC, photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids (Car, osmolytes (proline (Pro, glycine betaine (GB and total soluble sugars (TSS, an oxidative stress maker (malondialdehyde (MDA and antioxidants (total phenolic compounds (TPC and total flavonoids (TF were measured. Considerable differences in the evaluated traits were found among the control and drought-stressed plants. Drought stress generally caused a marked reduction in plant growth and carotenoid pigments, and an increase in soluble solutes and oxidative stress. For most cultivars, proline levels in stressed plants increased between 30 and 70-fold compared to the corresponding controls. According to the different measured parameters, on average T. erecta proved to be more tolerant to drought than T. patula and T. tenuifolia. However, a considerable variation in the tolerance to drought was found within each species. The traits with greater association to drought tolerance as well as the most tolerant cultivars could be clearly identified in a principal components analysis (PCA. Overall, our results indicate that drought tolerant cultivars of Tagetes can be identified at early stages using a combination of plant growth and biochemical markers.

Prevention of congenital defects induced by prenatal alcohol exposure (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehan, Megan M.; Karunamuni, Ganga; Pedersen, Cameron J.; Gu, Shi; Doughman, Yong Qiu; Jenkins, Michael W.; Watanabe, Michiko; Rollins, Andrew M.

2017-02-01

Nearly 2 million women in the United States alone are at risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy, including more than 600,000 who binge drink. Even low levels of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can lead to a variety of birth defects, including craniofacial and neurodevelopmental defects, as well as increased risk of miscarriages and stillbirths. Studies have also shown an interaction between drinking while pregnant and an increase in congenital heart defects (CHD), including atrioventricular septal defects and other malformations. We have previously established a quail model of PAE, modeling a single binge drinking episode in the third week of a woman's pregnancy. Using optical coherence tomography (OCT), we quantified intraventricular septum thickness, great vessel diameters, and atrioventricular valve volumes. Early-stage ethanol-exposed embryos had smaller cardiac cushions (valve precursors) and increased retrograde flow, while late-stage embryos presented with gross head/body defects, and exhibited smaller atrio-ventricular (AV) valves, interventricular septum, and aortic vessels. We previously showed that supplementation with the methyl donor betaine reduced gross defects, improved survival rates, and prevented cardiac defects. Here we show that these preventative effects are also observed with folate (another methyl donor) supplementation. Folate also appears to normalize retrograde flow levels which are elevated by ethanol exposure. Finally, preliminary findings have shown that glutathione, a crucial antioxidant, is noticeably effective at improving survival rates and minimizing gross defects in ethanol-exposed embryos. Current investigations will examine the impact of glutathione supplementation on PAE-related CHDs.

Novel green algal isolates from the Egyptian hyper-arid desert oases: a polyphasic approach with a description of Pharao desertorum gen. et sp. nov. (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta).

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Saber, Abdullah A; Fučíková, Karolina; McManus, Hilary A; Guella, Graziano; Cantonati, Marco

2018-03-30

The biodiversity of terrestrial algae is still grossly understudied, and African deserts in particular are barely touched in this respect. Here, four coccoid green algae from oases in the Western Desert of Egypt were characterized using a combination of morphotaxonomic, ecological and 18S rDNA data, with additional carotenoid and lipid analyses for two of the strains. Three strains were identified as affiliated with known taxa: Mychonastes sp., Asterarcys sp. (first report of this genus from a desert soil), and Stichococcus cf. deasonii. The fourth strain is proposed to represent a new cryptic genus Pharao gen. nov., with the type species P. desertorum sp. nov. The new taxon is sister to the clade of uncharacterized North American desert strains of Radiococcaceae (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta). The pigment profile of P. desertorum gen. et sp. nov. revealed carotenoids and chlorophylls typical of green algae. Bioorganic analysis showed a complex lipidome based on phospho- (PC), galacto- (MGDG and DGDG), betaine- (DGTS), and sulfoquinovosyl- (SQDG) membrane lipids, besides significant amounts of storage neutral lipids such as diacyl- (DAG) and triacylglycerols (TAG). The presence of saturated alkyl chains within all the membrane lipid classes in P. desertorum and Asterarcys sp. appears to reflect the need to maintain membrane fluidity and viscosity. In summary, African deserts likely still harbor new taxa to be described, and lipidomic analyses of such taxa may provide clues about their ability to survive in the extremely harsh desert habitats. © 2018 Phycological Society of America.

Metabolic responses of Haliotis diversicolor to Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jie; Shi, Yanyan; Cai, Shuhui; Feng, Jianghua

2017-01-01

Vibrio parahemolyticus is a devastating bacterial pathogen that often causes outbreak of vibriosis in abalone Haliotis diversicolor. Elucidation of metabolic mechanisms of abalones in responding to V. parahemolyticus infection is essential for controlling the epidemic. In this work, 1 H NMR-based metabolomic techniques along with correlation and network analyses are used to investigate characteristic metabolites, as well as corresponding disturbed pathways in hepatopancreas and gill of H. diversicolor after V. parahemolyticus infection for 48 h. Results indicate that obvious gender- and tissue-specific metabolic responses are induced. Metabolic responses in female abalones are more clearly observed than those in males, which are primarily manifested in the accumulation of branched-chain amino acids and the depletion of organic osmolytes (homarine, betaine and taurine) in the infected gills of female abalones, as well as in the depletion of glutamate, branched-chain and aromatic amino acids in the infected hepatopancreases of female abalones. Moreover, based on major metabolic functions of the characteristic metabolites, we have found that V. parahemolyticus infection not only cause the disturbance in energy metabolism, nucleotide metabolism and osmotic balance, but also induce oxidative stress, immune stress and neurotoxic effect in different tissues with various mechanisms. Our study provides details of metabolic responses of abalones to V. parahemolyticus infection and will shed light on biochemical defence mechanisms of male and female hosts against pathogen infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A bHLH gene from Tamarix hispida improves abiotic stress tolerance by enhancing osmotic potential and decreasing reactive oxygen species accumulation.

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Ji, Xiaoyu; Nie, Xianguang; Liu, Yujia; Zheng, Lei; Zhao, Huimin; Zhang, Bing; Huo, Lin; Wang, Yucheng

2016-02-01

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) leucine-zipper transcription factors play important roles in abiotic stress responses. However, their specific roles in abiotic stress tolerance are not fully known. Here, we functionally characterized a bHLH gene, ThbHLH1, from Tamarix hispida in abiotic stress tolerance. ThbHLH1 specifically binds to G-box motif with the sequence of 'CACGTG'. Transiently transfected T. hispida plantlets with transiently overexpressed ThbHLH1 and RNAi-silenced ThbHLH1 were generated for gain- and loss-of-function analysis. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines overexpressing ThbHLH1 were generated to confirm the gain- and loss-of-function analysis. Overexpression of ThbHLH1 significantly elevates glycine betaine and proline levels, increases Ca(2+) concentration and enhances peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities to decrease reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Additionally, ThbHLH1 regulates the expression of the genes including P5CS, BADH, CaM, POD and SOD, to activate the above physiological changes, and also induces the expression of stress tolerance-related genes LEAs and HSPs. These data suggest that ThbHLH1 induces the expression of stress tolerance-related genes to improve abiotic stress tolerance by increasing osmotic potential, improving ROS scavenging capability and enhancing second messenger in stress signaling cascades. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Metazoan Remaining Genes for Essential Amino Acid Biosynthesis: Sequence Conservation and Evolutionary Analyses

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Igor R. Costa

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Essential amino acids (EAA consist of a group of nine amino acids that animals are unable to synthesize via de novo pathways. Recently, it has been found that most metazoans lack the same set of enzymes responsible for the de novo EAA biosynthesis. Here we investigate the sequence conservation and evolution of all the metazoan remaining genes for EAA pathways. Initially, the set of all 49 enzymes responsible for the EAA de novo biosynthesis in yeast was retrieved. These enzymes were used as BLAST queries to search for similar sequences in a database containing 10 complete metazoan genomes. Eight enzymes typically attributed to EAA pathways were found to be ubiquitous in metazoan genomes, suggesting a conserved functional role. In this study, we address the question of how these genes evolved after losing their pathway partners. To do this, we compared metazoan genes with their fungal and plant orthologs. Using phylogenetic analysis with maximum likelihood, we found that acetolactate synthase (ALS and betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT diverged from the expected Tree of Life (ToL relationships. High sequence conservation in the paraphyletic group Plant-Fungi was identified for these two genes using a newly developed Python algorithm. Selective pressure analysis of ALS and BHMT protein sequences showed higher non-synonymous mutation ratios in comparisons between metazoans/fungi and metazoans/plants, supporting the hypothesis that these two genes have undergone non-ToL evolution in animals.

Comparative transcriptome analysis on the alteration of gene expression in ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) larvae associated with salinity change.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xin-Jiang; Zhang, Hao; Yang, Guan-Jun; Li, Ming-Yun; Chen, Jiong

2016-05-18

Ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) fish, which are an amphidromous species distributed in East Asia, live in brackish water (BW) during their larval stage and in fresh water (FW) during their adult stage. In this study, we found that FW-acclimated ayu larvae exhibited a slower growth ratio compared with that of BW-acclimated larvae. However, the mechanism underlying FW acclimation on growth suppression is poorly known. We employed transcriptome analysis to investigate the differential gene expression of FW acclimation by RNA sequencing. We identified 158 upregulated and 139 downregulated transcripts in FW-acclimated ayu larvae compared with that in BW-acclimated larvae. As determined by Gene Ontology annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway mapping, functional annotation of the genes covered diverse biological functions and processes, and included neuroendocrinology, osmotic regulation, energy metabolism, and the cytoskeleton. Transcriptional expression of several differentially expressed genes in response to FW acclimation was further confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR. In accordance with transcriptome analysis, iodothyronine deiodinase (ID), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase 1(BHMT), fructose-bisphosphate aldolase B (aldolase B), tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT), and Na(+)-K(+) ATPase (NKA) were upregulated after FW acclimation. Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of b-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and transgelin were downregulated after FW acclimation. Our data indicate that FW acclimation reduced the growth rate of ayu larvae, which might result from the expression alteration of genes related to endocrine hormones, energy metabolism, and direct osmoregulation.

Valorization of Lipids from Gracilaria sp. through Lipidomics and Decoding of Antiproliferative and Anti-Inflammatory Activity

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Elisabete da Costa

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The lipidome of the red seaweed Gracilaria sp., cultivated on land-based integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA system, was assessed for the first time using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC–MS and MS/MS. One hundred and forty-seven molecular species were identified in the lipidome of the Gracilaria genus and distributed between the glycolipids classes monogalactosyl diacylglyceride (MGDG, digalactosyl diacylglyceride (DGDG, sulfoquinovosyl monoacylglyceride (SQMG, sulfoquinovosyl diacylglyceride (SQDG, the phospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC, lyso-PC, phosphatidylglycerol (PG, lyso-PG, phosphatidylinositol (PI, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE, phosphatic acid (PA, inositolphosphoceramide (IPC, and betaine lipids monoacylglyceryl- and diacylglyceryl-N,N,N-trimethyl homoserine (MGTS and DGTS. Antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects promoted by lipid extract of Gracilaria sp. were evaluated by monitoring cell viability in human cancer lines and by using murine macrophages, respectively. The lipid extract decreased cell viability of human T-47D breast cancer cells and of 5637 human bladder cancer cells (estimated half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 of 12.2 μg/mL and 12.9 μg/mL, respectively and inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO evoked by the Toll-like receptor 4 agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS on the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 (35% inhibition at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. These findings contribute to increase the ranking in the value-chain of Gracilaria sp. biomass cultivated under controlled conditions on IMTA systems.

Contact Dermatitis Associated With Skin Cleansers: Retrospective Analysis of North American Contact Dermatitis Group Data 2000-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Warshaw, Erin M; Goodier, Molly C; DeKoven, Joel G; Maibach, Howard I; Taylor, James S; Sasseville, Denis; Belsito, Donald V; Fowler, Joseph F; Fransway, Anthony F; DeLeo, Vincent A; Marks, James G; Pratt, Melanie D; Mathias, Toby; Zirwas, Matthew J; Zug, Kathryn A

There is limited information regarding contact dermatitis (CD) associated with skin cleansers (SCs). The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of allergic patch test (APT) reactions and irritant CD (ICD) associated with SCs. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was performed using North American Contact Dermatitis Group data, 2000-2014. Of 32,945 tested patients, 1069 (3.24%) had either APT reaction or ICD associated with SCs. Of these, 692 (64.7%) had APT reaction only, 350 (32.7%) had ICD only, and 27 (2.5%) had both. Individuals with APT reaction and/or ICD were more likely to have occupationally related skin disease (relative risk [RR] = 3.8 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 3.3-4.5] for APT reaction and 10.0 [95% CI = 8.2-12.2] for ICD, respectively, P dermatitis (RR = 1.3 [95% CI = 1.1-1.6], P ≤ 0.001). Irritant CD was strongly associated with hand dermatitis (RR = 6.2 [95% CI = 5.2-7.3], P < 0.0001). More than 50 allergens were associated with SCs including quaternium-15 (11.2%), cocamidopropyl betaine (9.5%), methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (8.4%), coconut diethanolamide (7.9%), fragrance mix I (7.7%), Myroxylon pereirae (5.9%), 4-chloro-3,5-xylenol (5.8%), amidoamine (5.5%), and formaldehyde (4.4%). Many allergens, especially preservatives and surfactants, were associated with SCs. Most cases involved the hands and were occupationally related.

A metabonomic evaluation of the monocrotaline-induced sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) in rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conotte, R.; Colet, J.-M., E-mail: jean-marie.colet@umons.ac.be

2014-04-15

The main curative treatment of colorectal cancer remains the surgery. However, when metastases are suspected, surgery is followed by a preventive chemotherapy using oxaliplatin which, unfortunately, may cause liver sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS). Such hepatic damage is barely detected during or after chemotherapy due to a lack of effective diagnostic procedures, but liver biopsy. The primary objective of the present study was to identify potential early diagnosis biomarkers of SOS using a metabonomic approach. SOS was induced in rats by monocrotaline, a prototypical toxic substance. {sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy analysis of urine samples collected from rats treated with monocrotaline showed significant metabolic changes as compared to controls. During a first phase, cellular protective mechanisms such as an increased synthesis of GSH (reduced taurine) and the recruitment of cell osmolytes in the liver (betaine) were seen. In the second phase, the disturbance of the urea cycle (increased ornithine and urea reduction) leading to the depletion of NO, the alteration in the GSH synthesis (increased creatine and GSH precursors (glutamate, dimethylglycine and sarcosine)), and the liver necrosis (decrease taurine and increase creatine) all indicate the development of SOS. - Highlights: • Urine metabonomic profiles of SOS have been identified. • Urine osmoprotectants and anti-oxidants indicated an initial liver protection. • Liver necrosis was demonstrated by increased urine levels of taurine and creatine. • NO depletion was suggested by changes in ornithine and urea.

Bacterial Survival under Extreme UV Radiation: A Comparative Proteomics Study of Rhodobacter sp., Isolated from High Altitude Wetlands in Chile

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Vilma Pérez

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Salar de Huasco, defined as a polyextreme environment, is a high altitude saline wetland in the Chilean Altiplano (3800 m.a.s.l., permanently exposed to the highest solar radiation doses registered in the world. We present here the first comparative proteomics study of a photoheterotrophic bacterium, Rhodobacter sp., isolated from this remote and hostile habitat. We developed an innovative experimental approach using different sources of radiation (in situ sunlight and UVB lamps, cut-off filters (Mylar, Lee filters and a high-throughput, label-free quantitative proteomics method to comprehensively analyze the effect of seven spectral bands on protein regulation. A hierarchical cluster analysis of 40 common proteins revealed that all conditions containing the most damaging UVB radiation induced similar pattern of protein regulation compared with UVA and visible light spectral bands. Moreover, it appeared that the cellular adaptation of Rhodobacter sp. to osmotic stress encountered in the hypersaline environment from which it was originally isolated, might further a higher resistance to damaging UV radiation. Indeed, proteins involved in the synthesis and transport of key osmoprotectants, such as glycine betaine and inositol, were found in very high abundance under UV radiation compared to the dark control, suggesting the function of osmolytes as efficient reactive oxygen scavengers. Our study also revealed a RecA-independent response and a tightly regulated network of protein quality control involving proteases and chaperones to selectively degrade misfolded and/or damaged proteins.

With a pinch of extra salt-Did predatory protists steal genes from their food?

Science.gov (United States)

Czech, Laura; Bremer, Erhard

2018-02-01

The cellular adjustment of Bacteria and Archaea to high-salinity habitats is well studied and has generally been classified into one of two strategies. These are to accumulate high levels either of ions (the "salt-in" strategy) or of physiologically compliant organic osmolytes, the compatible solutes (the "salt-out" strategy). Halophilic protists are ecophysiological important inhabitants of salt-stressed ecosystems because they are not only very abundant but also represent the majority of eukaryotic lineages in nature. However, their cellular osmostress responses have been largely neglected. Recent reports have now shed new light on this issue using the geographically widely distributed halophilic heterotrophic protists Halocafeteria seosinensis, Pharyngomonas kirbyi, and Schmidingerothrix salinarum as model systems. Different approaches led to the joint conclusion that these unicellular Eukarya use the salt-out strategy to cope successfully with the persistent high salinity in their habitat. They accumulate various compatible solutes, e.g., glycine betaine, myo-inositol, and ectoines. The finding of intron-containing biosynthetic genes for ectoine and hydroxyectoine, their salt stress-responsive transcription in H. seosinensis, and the production of ectoine and its import by S. salinarum come as a considerable surprise because ectoines have thus far been considered exclusive prokaryotic compatible solutes. Phylogenetic considerations of the ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthetic genes of H. seosinensis suggest that they have been acquired via lateral gene transfer by these bacterivorous Eukarya from ectoine/hydroxyectoine-producing food bacteria that populate the same habitat.

With a pinch of extra salt—Did predatory protists steal genes from their food?

Science.gov (United States)

Czech, Laura

2018-01-01

The cellular adjustment of Bacteria and Archaea to high-salinity habitats is well studied and has generally been classified into one of two strategies. These are to accumulate high levels either of ions (the “salt-in” strategy) or of physiologically compliant organic osmolytes, the compatible solutes (the “salt-out” strategy). Halophilic protists are ecophysiological important inhabitants of salt-stressed ecosystems because they are not only very abundant but also represent the majority of eukaryotic lineages in nature. However, their cellular osmostress responses have been largely neglected. Recent reports have now shed new light on this issue using the geographically widely distributed halophilic heterotrophic protists Halocafeteria seosinensis, Pharyngomonas kirbyi, and Schmidingerothrix salinarum as model systems. Different approaches led to the joint conclusion that these unicellular Eukarya use the salt-out strategy to cope successfully with the persistent high salinity in their habitat. They accumulate various compatible solutes, e.g., glycine betaine, myo-inositol, and ectoines. The finding of intron-containing biosynthetic genes for ectoine and hydroxyectoine, their salt stress–responsive transcription in H. seosinensis, and the production of ectoine and its import by S. salinarum come as a considerable surprise because ectoines have thus far been considered exclusive prokaryotic compatible solutes. Phylogenetic considerations of the ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthetic genes of H. seosinensis suggest that they have been acquired via lateral gene transfer by these bacterivorous Eukarya from ectoine/hydroxyectoine-producing food bacteria that populate the same habitat. PMID:29394244

Pharmacological Characterization of [3H]ATPCA as a Substrate for Studying the Functional Role of the Betaine/GABA Transporter 1 and the Creatine Transporter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-Khawaja, Anas; Haugaard, Anne S; Marek, Ales

2018-01-01

for BGT1 among the four GATs (Km and Vmax values of 21 µM and 3.6 nmol ATPCA/(min×mg protein), respectively), but was also found to be a substrate for the creatine transporter (CreaT). In experiments with mouse cortical cell cultures, we observed a Na(+)H-dependent [(3)HH]ATPCA uptake in neurons...

Assessment of clam ruditapes philippinarum as Heavy metal bioindicators using NMR-based metabolomics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Xiaoli; Zhang, Linbao; You, Liping [Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environment Processes, CAS, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environment Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai (China); The Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Yu, Junbao; Cong, Ming; Wang, Qing; Li, Fei; Li, Lianzhen; Zhao, Jianmin; Li, Chenghua; Wu, Huifeng [Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environment Processes, CAS, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environment Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai (China)

2011-08-15

There are mainly distributed three pedigrees (White, Liangdao Red, and Zebra) of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum in Yantai population along the Bohai marine and coast. However, the biological differences to environmental stressors have been ignored in toxicology studies, which could lead to the distortion of biological interpretations of toxicological effects induced by environmental contaminants. In this study, we applied a system biology approach, metabolomics to compare the metabolic profiles in digestive gland from three pedigrees of clam and characterize and compare the metabolic responses induced by mercury in clam digestive gland tissues to determine a sensitive pedigree of clam as a preferable bioindicator for metal pollution monitoring and toxicology research. The most abundant metabolites, respectively, included branched-chain amino acids, alanine, and arginine in White samples, glutamate, dimethylglycine, and glycine in Zebra clams and acetylcholine, betaine, glucose, and glycogen in Liangdao Red clams. After 48 h exposure of 20 {mu}g L{sup -1} Hg{sup 2+}, the metabolic profiles from the three pedigrees of clams showed differentially significant changes in alanine, glutamate, succinate, taurine, hypotaurine, glycine, arginine, glucose, etc. Our findings indicate the toxicological effects of mercury exposure in Manila clams including the neurotoxicity, disturbances in energetic metabolisms and osmoregulation in the digestive glands and suggest that Liangdao Red pedigree of clam could be a preferable bioindicator for the metal pollution monitoring based on the more sensitive classes of metabolic changes from digestive glands compared with other two (White and Zebra) pedigrees of clams. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Metabolic responses of the isopod Porcellionides pruinosus to nickel exposure assessed by (1)H NMR metabolomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Nuno G C; Saborano, Raquel; Morgado, Rui; Cardoso, Diogo N; Rocha, Cláudia M; Soares, Amadeu M V M; Loureiro, Susana; Duarte, Iola F

2016-03-30

This work aimed at characterizing the metabolome of the isopod Porcellionides pruinosus and at assessing its variations over 14 days under laboratory culture conditions and upon exposure to the contaminant metal Nickel (Ni). The spectral profiles obtained by (1)H NMR spectroscopy were thoroughly assigned and subjected to multivariate analysis in order to highlight consistent changes. Over 50 metabolites could be identified, providing considerable new knowledge on the metabolome of these model organisms. Several metabolites changed non-linearly with Ni dose and exposure time, showing distinct variation patterns for initial (4 days) and later time points (7 and 14 days). In particular, at day 4, several amino acids were increased and sugars were decreased (compared to controls), whereas these variations were inverted for longer exposure, possibly reflecting earlier and more intensive moulting. Other variations, namely in betaines and choline-containing compounds, were suggested to relate with osmoregulation and detoxification mechanisms. Ni also had a marked effect on several nucleotides (increased upon exposure) and a moderate impact on lipids (decreased upon exposure). Overall, this study has provided new information on the Ni-induced metabolic adaptations of the P. pruinosus isopod, paving the way for improved mechanistic understanding of how these model organisms handle soil contamination. This study provided, for the first time to our knowledge, a detailed picture of the NMR-detectable metabolome of terrestrial isopods and of its fluctuations in time and upon exposure to the contaminant metal Nickel. Several time- and dose-dependent changes were highlighted, providing mechanistic insight into how these important model organisms handle Ni contamination.

Mode selectivity in the intramolecular cyclization of ketenimines bearing N-acylimino units: a computational and experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alajarín, Mateo; Sánchez-Andrada, Pilar; Vidal, Angel; Tovar, Fulgencio

2005-02-18

[reaction: see text] The mode selectivity in the intramolecular cyclization of a particular class of ketenimines bearing N-acylimino units has been studied by ab initio and DFT calculations. In the model compounds the carbonyl carbon atom and the keteniminic nitrogen atom are linked either by a vinylic or an o-phenylene tether. Two cyclization modes have been analyzed: the [2+2] cycloaddition furnishing compounds with an azeto[2,1-b]pyrimidinone moiety and a 6pi-electrocyclic ring closure leading to compounds enclosing a 1,3-oxazine ring. The [2+2] cycloaddition reaction takes place via a two-step process with formation of a zwitterionic intermediate, which has been characterized as a cross-conjugated mesomeric betaine. The 6pi-electrocyclic ring closure occurs via a transition state whose pseudopericyclic character has been established on the basis of its magnetic properties, geometry, and NBO analysis. The 6pi-electrocyclic ring closure is energetically favored over the [2+2] cycloaddition, although the [2+2] cycloadducts are the thermodynamically controlled products. A quantitative kinetic analysis predicts that 1,3-oxazines would be the kinetically controlled products, but they should transform rapidly and totally into the [2+2] cycloadducts at room temperature. In the experimental study, a number of N-acylimino-ketenimines, in which both reactive functions are supported on an o-phenylene scaffold, have been successfully synthesized in three steps starting from 2-azidobenzoyl chloride. These compounds rapidly convert into azeto[2,1-b]quinazolin-8-ones in moderate to good yields as a result of a formal [2+2] cycloaddition.

Piriformospora indica inoculation alleviates the adverse effect of NaCl stress on growth, gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.).

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Ghorbani, A; Razavi, S M; Ghasemi Omran, V O; Pirdashti, H

2018-03-25

Salinity is now an increasingly serious environmental issue that affects the growth and yield of many plants. In the present work, the influence of inoculation with the symbiotic fungus, Piriformospora indica, on gas exchange, water potential, osmolyte content, Na/K ratio and chlorophyll fluorescence of tomato plants under three salinity levels (0, 50, 100 and 150 mm NaCl) and three time periods (5, 10 and 15 days after exposure to salt) was investigated. Results indicate that P. indica inoculation improved growth parameters of tomato under salinity stress. This symbiotic fungus significantly increased photosynthetic pigment content under salinity, and more proline and glycine betaine accumulated in inoculated roots than in non-inoculated roots. P. indica further significantly improved K + content and reduced Na + level under salinity treatment. After inoculation with the endophytic fungus, leaf physiological parameters, such as water potential, net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration, were all higher under the salt concentrations and durations compared with controls without P. indica. With increasing salt level and salt treatment duration, values of F 0 and qP increased but F m , F v /F m , F' v /F' m and NPQ declined in the controls, while inoculation with P. indica improved these values. The results indicate that the negative effects of NaCl on tomato plants were alleviated after P. indica inoculation, probably by improving physiological parameters such as water status and photosynthesis. © 2018 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

NMR-based metabonomic study of the sub-acute toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in rats after oral administration

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Bu, Qian; Yan, Guangyan; Deng, Pengchi; Peng, Feng; Lin, Hongjun; Xu, Youzhi; Cao, Zhixing; Zhou, Tian; Xue, Aiqin; Wang, Yanli; Cen, Xiaobo; Zhao, Ying-Lan

2010-03-01

As titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are widely used commercially, their potential toxicity on human health has attracted particular attention. In the present study, the oral toxicological effects of TiO2 NPs (dosed at 0.16, 0.4 and 1 g kg - 1, respectively) were investigated using conventional approaches and metabonomic analysis in Wistar rats. Serum chemistry, hematology and histopathology examinations were performed. The urine and serum were investigated by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) using principal components and partial least squares discriminant analysis. The metabolic signature of urinalysis in TiO2 NP-treated rats showed increases in the levels of taurine, citrate, hippurate, histidine, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), citrulline, α-ketoglutarate, phenylacetylglycine (PAG) and acetate; moreover, decreases in the levels of lactate, betaine, methionine, threonine, pyruvate, 3-D-hydroxybutyrate (3-D-HB), choline and leucine were observed. The metabonomics analysis of serum showed increases in TMAO, choline, creatine, phosphocholine and 3-D-HB as well as decreases in glutamine, pyruvate, glutamate, acetoacetate, glutathione and methionine after TiO2 NP treatment. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were elevated and mitochondrial swelling in heart tissue was observed in TiO2 NP-treated rats. These findings indicate that disturbances in energy and amino acid metabolism and the gut microflora environment may be attributable to the slight injury to the liver and heart caused by TiO2 NPs. Moreover, the NMR-based metabolomic approach is a reliable and sensitive method to study the biochemical effects of nanomaterials.

NMR-based metabonomic study of the sub-acute toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in rats after oral administration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bu Qian; Lin Hongjun; Xu Youzhi; Cao Zhixing; Zhou Tian; Zhao Yinglan; Yan Guangyan; Cen Xiaobo; Deng Pengchi; Peng Feng; Xue Aiqin; Wang Yanli

2010-01-01

As titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) are widely used commercially, their potential toxicity on human health has attracted particular attention. In the present study, the oral toxicological effects of TiO 2 NPs (dosed at 0.16, 0.4 and 1 g kg -1 , respectively) were investigated using conventional approaches and metabonomic analysis in Wistar rats. Serum chemistry, hematology and histopathology examinations were performed. The urine and serum were investigated by 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) using principal components and partial least squares discriminant analysis. The metabolic signature of urinalysis in TiO 2 NP-treated rats showed increases in the levels of taurine, citrate, hippurate, histidine, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), citrulline, α-ketoglutarate, phenylacetylglycine (PAG) and acetate; moreover, decreases in the levels of lactate, betaine, methionine, threonine, pyruvate, 3-D-hydroxybutyrate (3-D-HB), choline and leucine were observed. The metabonomics analysis of serum showed increases in TMAO, choline, creatine, phosphocholine and 3-D-HB as well as decreases in glutamine, pyruvate, glutamate, acetoacetate, glutathione and methionine after TiO 2 NP treatment. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were elevated and mitochondrial swelling in heart tissue was observed in TiO 2 NP-treated rats. These findings indicate that disturbances in energy and amino acid metabolism and the gut microflora environment may be attributable to the slight injury to the liver and heart caused by TiO 2 NPs. Moreover, the NMR-based metabolomic approach is a reliable and sensitive method to study the biochemical effects of nanomaterials.

NMR-Based Metabolic Profiling of Field-Grown Leaves from Sugar Beet Plants Harbouring Different Levels of Resistance to Cercospora Leaf Spot Disease

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Yasuyo Sekiyama

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Cercospora leaf spot (CLS is one of the most serious leaf diseases for sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. worldwide. The breeding of sugar beet cultivars with both high CLS resistance and high yield is a major challenge for breeders. In this study, we report the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR-based metabolic profiling of field-grown leaves for a subset of sugar beet genotypes harbouring different levels of CLS resistance. Leaves were collected from 12 sugar beet genotypes at four time points: seedling, early growth, root enlargement, and disease development stages. 1H-NMR spectra of foliar metabolites soluble in a deuterium-oxide (D2O-based buffer were acquired and subjected to multivariate analyses. A principal component analysis (PCA of the NMR data from the sugar beet leaves shows clear differences among the growth stages. At the later time points, the sugar and glycine betaine contents were increased, whereas the choline content was decreased. The relationship between the foliar metabolite profiles and resistance level to CLS was examined by combining partial least squares projection to latent structure (PLS or orthogonal PLS (OPLS analysis and univariate analyses. It was difficult to build a robust model for predicting precisely the disease severity indices (DSIs of each genotype; however, GABA and Gln differentiated susceptible genotypes (genotypes with weak resistance from resistant genotypes (genotypes with resistance greater than a moderate level before inoculation tests. The results suggested that breeders might exclude susceptible genotypes from breeding programs based on foliar metabolites profiled without inoculation tests, which require an enormous amount of time and effort.

Antiseptic mouthwashes could worsen xerostomia in patients taking polypharmacy.

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Chevalier, Marlene; Sakarovitch, Charlotte; Precheur, Isabelle; Lamure, Julie; Pouyssegur-Rougier, Valerie

2015-05-01

Polypharmacy is a common cause of xerostomia. This study aimed to investigate whether xerostomia could be an adverse drug event of mouthwashes, when they are used for longer than 2 weeks by patients taking polypharmacy. This cross-sectional observational study included 120 hospitalized patients (60 middle-aged and 60 elderly patients), taking polypharmacy (≥4 drugs daily) and at risk of drug-induced xerostomia. Xerostomia was assessed by questioning participants. A total of 62.5% of patients complained of xerostomia. In the middle-aged group (mean age=44.0 (8.7) years; 35.0% women) xerostomia seemed independently associated to mouthwashes, at the limit of significance (OR=5.00, 95% CI=0.99-25.3, p=0.052). Active principles in mouthwashes were mainly quaternary ammonium compounds (91.9%). Mouthwashes may disturb the healthy balance of the biofilm moisturizing the oral mucosa. The biofilm contains mucins, salivary glycoproteins with oligosaccharides side chains able to sequester water and endogenous bacteria surrounded by a glycocalyx. Oral bacteria are fully susceptible to quaternary ammonium (chlorhexidine, hexetidine, cetylpyridinium chloride) and to other antiseptics used in mouthwashes, such as betain, resorcin, triclosan, essential oils and alcohol. However, caregivers currently recommend such dental plaque control products to patients suffering from xerostomia in order to reduce the risk of caries and periodontitis. This study is the first report that use of antiseptic mouthwashes for more than 2 weeks could worsen xerostomia in patients taking polypharmacy. Oral care protocols should avoid this iatrogenic practice, particularly when xerostomia alters the quality-of-life and worsens malnutrition.

The influence of synthetic food additives and surfactants on the body weight of larvae of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae

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V. O. Martynov

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The broad spectrum of negative effects of food additives and surfactants on living organisms and the environment in general indicate a necessity of a detailed study on this issue. The aim of this article is to evaluate the impact of food additives and surfactants in a concentration of 350 mg/kg of fodder on the body weight of third age Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae larvae. A significant change in the body weight of T. molitor larvae was observed when they consumed a diet containing 350 mg/kg of sodium glutamate, sodium cyclamate and sodium benzoate. We observed a tendency towards increase in body weight after addition of the food colouring Allura Red, saccharin, benzoic acid, betaine, emulsifying wax, AOS and SLES, and also we observed a decrease in body weight after addition of Tartrazine and Indigo Carmine in the same concentration. Out of the 18 tested food additives, 3 significantly stimulated an increase in the body weight of third age T. molitor larvae, and 3 manifested the same effect at the level of tendency (stimulated an increase in mass on average by 43–58% over the 14-day experiment, and 2 caused decrease in the body weight of larvae. Also, the 4 studied surfactants manifested a tendency towards increase in the body weight of T. molitor. This study on the impact of food additives and surfactants on organisms of insects is of great significance for protecting rare species of insects.

Metabolic reprogramming of the urea cycle pathway in experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension rats induced by monocrotaline.

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Zheng, Hai-Kuo; Zhao, Jun-Han; Yan, Yi; Lian, Tian-Yu; Ye, Jue; Wang, Xiao-Jian; Wang, Zhe; Jing, Zhi-Cheng; He, Yang-Yang; Yang, Ping

2018-05-11

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare systemic disorder associated with considerable metabolic dysfunction. Although enormous metabolomic studies on PAH have been emerging, research remains lacking on metabolic reprogramming in experimental PAH models. We aim to evaluate the metabolic changes in PAH and provide new insight into endogenous metabolic disorders of PAH. A single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline (MCT) (60 mg kg - 1 ) was used for rats to establish PAH model. Hemodynamics and right ventricular hypertrophy were adopted to evaluate the successful establishment of PAH model. Plasma samples were assessed through targeted metabolomic profiling platform to quantify 126 endogenous metabolites. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was used to discriminate between MCT-treated model and control groups. Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis was adapted to exploit the most disturbed metabolic pathways. Endogenous metabolites of MCT treated PAH model and control group were well profiled using this platform. A total of 13 plasma metabolites were significantly altered between the two groups. Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis highlighted that a disruption in the urea cycle pathway may contribute to PAH onset. Moreover, five novel potential biomarkers in the urea cycle, adenosine monophosphate, urea, 4-hydroxy-proline, ornithine, N-acetylornithine, and two candidate biomarkers, namely, O-acetylcarnitine and betaine, were found to be highly correlated with PAH. The present study suggests a new role of urea cycle disruption in the pathogenesis of PAH. We also found five urea cycle related biomarkers and another two candidate biomarkers to facilitate early diagnosis of PAH in metabolomic profile.

Regulation of homocysteine metabolism and methylation in human and mouse tissues

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Chen, Natalie C.; Yang, Fan; Capecci, Louis M.; Gu, Ziyu; Schafer, Andrew I.; Durante, William; Yang, Xiao-Feng; Wang, Hong

2010-01-01

Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism involves multiple enzymes; however, tissue Hcy metabolism and its relevance to methylation remain unknown. Here, we established gene expression profiles of 8 Hcy metabolic and 12 methylation enzymes in 20 human and 19 mouse tissues through bioinformatic analysis using expression sequence tag clone counts in tissue cDNA libraries. We analyzed correlations between gene expression, Hcy, S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) levels, and SAM/SAH ratios in mouse tissues. Hcy metabolic and methylation enzymes were classified into two types. The expression of Type 1 enzymes positively correlated with tissue Hcy and SAH levels. These include cystathionine β-synthase, cystathionine-γ-lyase, paraxonase 1, 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, betaine:homocysteine methyltransferase, methionine adenosyltransferase, phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferases and glycine N-methyltransferase. Type 2 enzyme expressions correlate with neither tissue Hcy nor SAH levels. These include SAH hydrolase, methionyl-tRNA synthase, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate:Hcy methyltransferase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, DNA methyltransferase 1/3a, isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferases, and histone-lysine N-methyltransferase. SAH is the only Hcy metabolite significantly correlated with Hcy levels and methylation enzyme expression. We established equations expressing combined effects of methylation enzymes on tissue SAH, SAM, and SAM/SAH ratios. Our study is the first to provide panoramic tissue gene expression profiles and mathematical models of tissue methylation regulation.—Chen, N. C., Yang, F., Capecci, L. M., Gu, Z., Schafer, A. I., Durante, W., Yang, X.-F., Wang, H. Regulation of homocysteine metabolism and methylation in human and mouse tissues. PMID:20305127

Survival, mobility, and membrane-bound enzyme activities of freshwater planarian, Dugesia japonica, exposed to synthetic and natural surfactants.

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Li, Mei-Hui

2012-04-01

Surfactants are a major class of emerging pollutants widely used in large quantities in everyday life and commonly found in surface waters worldwide. Freshwater planarian was selected to examine the effects of different surfactants by measuring mortality, mobility, and membrane-bound enzyme activities. Among the 10 surfactants tested, the acute toxicities of betaine and polyethylene glycol (PEG-200) to planarians were relatively low, with a median lethal concentration (LC50) greater than 10,000 mg/L. The toxicity to planarians of the other eight surfactants based on 48-h LC50 could be arranged in the descending order of cetylpyridinum chloride (CPC) > 4-tert-octylphenol (4-tert-OP) > ammonium lauryl sulfate > benzalkonium chloride > saponin > sodium lauroylsarcosinate > dioctyl sulfosuccinate > dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB). Both CPC and 4-tert-OP were very toxic to planarians, with 48-h LC50 values <1 mg/L. The median effective concentrations (EC50s) of planarian mobility were in the 0.1 to 50 mg/L range and were in the same range as the 24-h LC50 of planarians exposed to different surfactants, except for DTAB. In addition, significant inhibition of cholinesterase activity activities was found in planarians exposed to 4-tert-OP at 2.5 and 5 mg/L and to saponin at 10 mg/L after 2-h treatments. This result suggests that planarian mobility responses can be used as an alternative indicator for acute toxicity of surfactants after a very short exposure period. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Crystal Structure of an L-Carnitine Complex with Pyrogallol[4]arene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujisawa, I; Takeuchi, D; Kitamura, Y; Okamoto, R; Aoki, K

2012-01-01

L-Carnitine is essential for the transport of long-chain fatty acids from cytosol into mitochondria for generating metabolic energy. The survey of crystal structures of carnitine-containing proteins in the Protein Data Bank reveals that carnitine can take several conformations with the quarternary trimethylammonium terminal being always bound to aromatic residues through cation-π interactions in acyltransferases or carnitine-binding proteins. In order to demonstrate the importance of cation-π interaction as a carnitine recognition mechanism in the artificial receptor-ligand system that mimics the carnitine-binding sites, we have determined the crystal structure of a complex formed between L-carnitine and pyrogallol[4]arene (pyrogallol cyclic tetramer: PCT) as a carnitine receptor, 2PCT·2(L-carnitine)·4EtOH. There form two crystallographically independent monomeric [PCT·L-carnitine] substructures, which further form an obliquely arranged capsule-like dimeric [PCT·L-carnitine] 2 structure through a pair of O-H (PCT)···O (L-carnitine) hydrogen bonds. This is the first report of PCT complex with chiral molecules. In each of the two monomeric [PCT·L-carnitine] substructures, the L-carnitine molecule takes the elongated form with an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl group and the carboxylate oxygen, and the cationic trimethylammonium moiety is incorporated into the cavity of the bowl-shaped PCT molecule through cation-π interactions. These features are similar to those at the D-carnitine-binding site in the crystal structure of the glycine betaine/carnitine/choline-binding protein complex.

Validation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Estimating Micronutrient Intakes in an Urban US Sample of Multi-Ethnic Pregnant Women.

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Brunst, Kelly J; Kannan, Srimathi; Ni, Yu-Ming; Gennings, Chris; Ganguri, Harish B; Wright, Rosalind J

2016-02-01

To validate the Block98 food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for estimating antioxidant, methyl-nutrient and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) intakes in a pregnant sample of ethnic/racial minority women in the United States (US). Participants (n = 42) were from the Programming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms study. Total micronutrient intakes from food and supplements was ascertained using the modified Block98 FFQ and two 24-h dietary recalls collected at random on nonconsecutive days subsequent to completion of the FFQ in mid-pregnancy. Correlation coefficients (r) corrected for attenuation from within-person variation in the recalls were calculated for antioxidants (n = 7), methyl-nutrients (n = 8), and PUFAs (n = 2). The sample was largely ethnic minorities (38 % Black, 33 % Hispanic) with 21 % being foreign born and 41 % having less than or equal to a high school degree. Significant and adequate deattenuated correlations (r ≥ 0.40) for total dietary intakes of antioxidants were observed for vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc. Reasonable deattenuated correlations were also observed for methyl-nutrient intakes of vitamin B6, betaine, iron, and n:6 PUFAs; however, they did not reach significance. Most women were classified into the same or adjacent quartiles (≥70 %) for total (dietary + supplements) estimates of antioxidants (5 out of 7) and methyl-nutrients (4 out of 5). The Block98 FFQ is an appropriate dietary method for evaluating antioxidants in pregnant ethnic/minorities in the US; it may be less efficient in measuring methyl-nutrient and PUFA intakes.

Biodegradation of bilge water: Batch test under anaerobic and aerobic conditions and performance of three pilot aerobic Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBRs) at different filling fractions.

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Vyrides, Ioannis; Drakou, Efi-Maria; Ioannou, Stavros; Michael, Fotoula; Gatidou, Georgia; Stasinakis, Athanasios S

2018-07-01

The bilge water that is stored at the bottom of the ships is saline and greasy wastewater with a high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) fluctuations (2-12 g COD L -1 ). The aim of this study was to examine at a laboratory scale the biodegradation of bilge water using first anaerobic granular sludge followed by aerobic microbial consortium (consisted of 5 strains) and vice versa and then based on this to implement a pilot scale study. Batch results showed that granular sludge and aerobic consortium can remove up to 28% of COD in 13 days and 65% of COD removal in 4 days, respectively. The post treatment of anaerobic and aerobic effluent with aerobic consortium and granular sludge resulted in further 35% and 5% COD removal, respectively. The addition of glycine betaine or nitrates to the aerobic consortium did not enhance significantly its ability to remove COD from bilge water. The aerobic microbial consortium was inoculated in 3 pilot (200 L) Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBRs) under filling fractions of 10%, 20% and 40% and treated real bilge water for 165 days under 36 h HRT. The MBBR with a filling fraction of 40% resulted in the highest COD decrease (60%) compared to the operation of the MBBRs with a filling fraction of 10% and 20%. GC-MS analysis on 165 day pointed out the main organic compounds presence in the influent and in the MBBR (10% filling fraction) effluent. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic Variation in Choline-Metabolizing Enzymes Alters Choline Metabolism in Young Women Consuming Choline Intakes Meeting Current Recommendations

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Ariel B. Ganz

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in choline metabolizing genes are associated with disease risk and greater susceptibility to organ dysfunction under conditions of dietary choline restriction. However, the underlying metabolic signatures of these variants are not well characterized and it is unknown whether genotypic differences persist at recommended choline intakes. Thus, we sought to determine if common genetic risk factors alter choline dynamics in pregnant, lactating, and non-pregnant women consuming choline intakes meeting and exceeding current recommendations. Women (n = 75 consumed 480 or 930 mg choline/day (22% as a metabolic tracer, choline-d9 for 10–12 weeks in a controlled feeding study. Genotyping was performed for eight variant SNPs and genetic differences in metabolic flux and partitioning of plasma choline metabolites were evaluated using stable isotope methodology. CHKA rs10791957, CHDH rs9001, CHDH rs12676, PEMT rs4646343, PEMT rs7946, FMO3 rs2266782, SLC44A1 rs7873937, and SLC44A1 rs3199966 altered the use of choline as a methyl donor; CHDH rs9001 and BHMT rs3733890 altered the partitioning of dietary choline between betaine and phosphatidylcholine synthesis via the cytidine diphosphate (CDP-choline pathway; and CHKA rs10791957, CHDH rs12676, PEMT rs4646343, PEMT rs7946 and SLC44A1 rs7873937 altered the distribution of dietary choline between the CDP-choline and phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT denovo pathway. Such metabolic differences may contribute to disease pathogenesis and prognosis over the long-term.

A label-free silicon quantum dots-based photoluminescence sensor for ultrasensitive detection of pesticides.

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Yi, Yinhui; Zhu, Gangbing; Liu, Chang; Huang, Yan; Zhang, Youyu; Li, Haitao; Zhao, Jiangna; Yao, Shouzhuo

2013-12-03

Sensitive, rapid, and simple detection methods for the screening of extensively used organophosphorus pesticides and highly toxic nerve agents are in urgent demand. A novel label-free silicon quantum dots (SiQDs)-based sensor was designed for ultrasensitive detection of pesticides. This sensing strategy involves the reaction of acetylcholine chloride (ACh) with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to form choline that is in turn catalytically oxidized by choline oxidase (ChOx) to produce betaine and H2O2 which can quench the photoluminescence (PL) of SiQDs. Upon the addition of pesticides, the activity of AChE is inhibited, leading to the decrease of the generated H2O2, and hence the PL of SiQDs increases. By measuring the increase in SiQDs PL, the inhibition efficiency of pesticide to AChE activity was evaluated. It was found that the inhibition efficiency was linearly dependent on the logarithm of the pesticides concentration. Consequently, pesticides, such as carbaryl, parathion, diazinon, and phorate, were determined with the SiQDs PL sensing method. The lowest detectable concentrations for carbaryl, parathion, diazinon, and phorate reached 7.25 × 10(-9), 3.25 × 10(-8), 6.76 × 10(-8), and 1.9 × 10(-7) g/L, respectively, which were much lower than those previously reported. The detecting results of pesticide residues in food samples via this method agree well with those from high-performance liquid chromatography. The simple strategy reported here should be suitable for on-site pesticides detection, especially in combination with other portable platforms.

Ecological significance of compatible solute accumulation by micro-organisms: from single cells to global climate.

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Welsh, D T

2000-07-01

The osmoadaptation of most micro-organisms involves the accumulation of K(+) ions and one or more of a restricted range of low molecular mass organic solutes, collectively termed 'compatible solutes'. These solutes are accumulated to high intracellular concentrations, in order to balance the osmotic pressure of the growth medium and maintain cell turgor pressure, which provides the driving force for cell extension growth. In this review, I discuss the alternative roles which compatible solutes may also play as intracellular reserves of carbon, energy and nitrogen, and as more general stress metabolites involved in protection of cells against other environmental stresses including heat, desiccation and freezing. Thus, the evolutionary selection for the accumulation of a specific compatible solute may not depend solely upon its function during osmoadaptation, but also upon the secondary benefits its accumulation provides, such as increased tolerance of other environmental stresses prevalent in the organism's niche or even anti-herbivory or dispersal functions in the case of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). In the second part of the review, I discuss the ecological consequences of the release of compatible solutes to the environment, where they can provide sources of compatible solutes, carbon, nitrogen and energy for other members of the micro-flora. Finally, at the global scale the metabolism of specific compatible solutes (betaines and DMSP) in brackish water, marine and hypersaline environments may influence global climate, due to the production of the trace gases, methane and dimethylsulfide (DMS) and in the case of DMS, also couple the marine and terrestrial sulfur cycles.

Micropolarity and Hydrogen-Bond Donor Ability of Environmentally Friendly Anionic Reverse Micelles Explored by UV/Vis Absorption of a Molecular Probe and FTIR Spectroscopy.

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Girardi, Valeria R; Silber, Juana J; Falcone, Ruben Darío; Correa, N Mariano

2018-03-19

In the present work we show how two biocompatible solvents, methyl laurate (ML) and isopropyl myristate (IPM), can be used as a less toxic alternative to replace the nonpolar component in a sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelles (RMs) formulation. In this sense, the micropolarity and the hydrogen-bond ability of the interface were monitored through the use of the solvatochromism of a molecular probe (1-methyl-8-oxyquinolinium betaine, QB) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Our results demonstrate that the micropolarity sensed by QB in ML RMs is lower than in IPM RMs. Additionally, the water molecules form stronger H-bond interactions with the polar head of AOT in ML than in IPM. By FTIR was revealed that more water molecules interact with the interface in ML/AOT RMs. On the other hand, for AOT RMs generated in IPM, the weaker water-surfactant interaction allows the water molecules to establish hydrogen bonds with each other trending to bulk water more easily than in ML RMs, a consequence of the dissimilar penetration of nonpolar solvents into the interfacial region. The penetration process is strongly controlled by the polarity and viscosity of the external solvents. All of these results allow us to characterize these biocompatible systems, providing information about interfacial properties and how they can be altered by changing the external solvent. The ability of the nontoxic solvent to penetrate or not into the AOT interface produces a new interface with attractive properties. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of the psychrotolerant acetogen strain SyrA5 and the emended description of the species Acetobacterium carbinolicum.

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Paarup, Maiken; Friedrich, Michael W; Tindall, Brian J; Finster, Kai

2006-01-01

A psychrotolerant, obligate anaerobic, acetogenic bacterium designated strain SyrA5 was isolated from black anoxic sediment of a brackish fjord. Cells were Gram-positive, non-sporeforming rods. The isolate utilized H(2)/CO(2), CO, fructose, glucose, ethanol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, pyruvate, lactate, betaine and the methyl-groups of several methoxylated benzoic derivatives such as syringate, trimethoxybenzoate and vallinate. The optimum temperature for growth was 29 degrees C, whilst slow growth occurred at 2 degrees C. The strain grew optimally with NaCl concentrations below 2.7% (w/v), but growth occurred up to 4.3% (w/v) NaCl. Growth was observed in the range from pH 5.9 to 8.5, optimum at pH 8. The G+C content was 44.1 mol%. Based upon 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and DNA-DNA reassociation studies, the organism was classified in the genus Acetobacterium. Strain SyrA5 shared a 16S rRNA sequence similarity with A. carbinolicum of 100%, a fthfs gene (which codes for the N5,N10 tetrahydrofolate synthetase) sequence identity of 98.5-98.7% (amino acid sequence similarities were 99.4-100%) and a RNA-DNA hybridization homology of 64-68%. Despite a number of phenotypic differences between strain SyrA5 and A. carbinolicum we propose including strain SyrA5 as a subspecies of A. carbinolicum for which we propose the name Acetobacterium carbinolicum subspecies kysingense. The type strain is SyrA5 (=DSM 16427(T), ATCC BAA-990).

Assessment of the Influence of Soil Characteristics and Hydrocarbon Fuel Cocontamination on the Solvent Extraction of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances.

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Mejia-Avendaño, Sandra; Munoz, Gabriel; Sauvé, Sébastien; Liu, Jinxia

2017-02-21

Sites impacted by the use of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) present elevated concentrations of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The characterization of the PFAS contamination at such sites may be greatly complicated by the presence of hydrocarbon cocontaminants and by the large variety of PFAS potentially present in AFFFs. In order to further a more comprehensive characterization of AFFF-contaminated soils, the solvent extraction of PFAS from soil was studied under different conditions. Specifically, the impact of soil properties (textural class, organic matter content) and the presence of hydrocarbon contamination (supplemented in the form of either diesel or crude oil) on PFAS recovery performance was evaluated for two extraction methods [methanol/sodium hydroxide (MeOH/NaOH) and methanol/ammonium hydroxide (MeOH/NH 4 OH)]. While both methods performed satisfactorily for perfluoroalkyl acids and fluorotelomer sulfonates, the extraction of newly identified surfactants with functionalities such as betaine and quaternary ammonium was improved with the MeOH/NaOH based method. The main factors that were found to influence the extraction efficiency were the soil properties; a high organic matter or clay content was observed to negatively affect the recovery of the newly identified compounds. While the MeOH/NaOH solvent yielded more efficient recovery rates overall, it also entailed the disadvantage of presenting higher detection limits and substantial matrix effects at the instrumental analysis stage, requiring matrix-matched calibration curves. The results discussed herein bear important implications for a more comprehensive and reliable environmental monitoring of PFAS components at AFFF-impacted sites.

Specific lysosomal transport of small neutral amino acids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pisoni, R.L.; Flickinger, K.S.; Thoene, J.G.; Christensen, H.N.

1986-01-01

Studies of amino acid exodus from lysosomes have allowed us previously to describe transport systems specific for cystine and another for cationic amino acids in fibroblast lysosomes. They are now able to study amino acid uptake into highly purified fibroblast lysosomes obtained by separating crude granular fraction on gradients formed by centrifugation in 35% isoosmotic Percoll solutions. Analog inhibition and saturation studies indicate that L-[ 14 C]proline (50 μM) uptake by fibroblast lysosomes at 37 0 C in 50 mM citrate/tris pH 7.0 buffer containing 0.25 M sucrose is mediated by two transport systems, one largely specific for L-proline and the other for which transport is shared with small neutral amino acids such as alanine, serine and threonine. At 7 mM, L-proline inhibits L-[ 14 C]proline uptake almost completely, whereas ala, ser, val, thr, gly, N-methylalanine and sarcosine inhibit proline uptake by 50-65%. The system shared by alanine, serine and threonine is further characterized by these amino acids strongly inhibiting the uptakes of each other. Lysosomal proline transport is selective for the L-isomer of the amino acid, and is scarcely inhibited by 7 mM arg, glu, asp, leu, phe, his, met, (methylamino) isobutyrate, betaine or N,N-dimethylglycine. Cis or trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline inhibit proline uptake only slightly. In sharp contrast to the fibroblast plasma membrane in which Na + is required for most proline and alanine transport, lysosomal uptake of these amino acids occurs independently of Na +

Metabolic profiling studies on the toxicological effects of realgar in rats by 1H NMR spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Lai; Liao Peiqiu; Wu Huifeng; Li Xiaojing; Pei Fengkui; Li Weisheng; Wu Yijie

2009-01-01

The toxicological effects of realgar after intragastrical administration (1 g/kg body weight) were investigated over a 21 day period in male Wistar rats using metabonomic analysis of 1 H NMR spectra of urine, serum and liver tissue aqueous extracts. Liver and kidney histopathology examination and serum clinical chemistry analyses were also performed. 1 H NMR spectra and pattern recognition analyses from realgar treated animals showed increased excretion of urinary Kreb's cycle intermediates, increased levels of ketone bodies in urine and serum, and decreased levels of hepatic glucose and glycogen, as well as hypoglycemia and hyperlipoidemia, suggesting the perturbation of energy metabolism. Elevated levels of choline containing metabolites and betaine in serum and liver tissue aqueous extracts and increased serum creatine indicated altered transmethylation. Decreased urinary levels of trimethylamine-N-oxide, phenylacetylglycine and hippurate suggested the effects on the gut microflora environment by realgar. Signs of impairment of amino acid metabolism were supported by increased hepatic glutamate levels, increased methionine and decreased alanine levels in serum, and hypertaurinuria. The observed increase in glutathione in liver tissue aqueous extracts could be a biomarker of realgar induced oxidative injury. Serum clinical chemistry analyses showed increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase as well as increased levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, indicating slight liver and kidney injury. The time-dependent biochemical variations induced by realgar were achieved using pattern recognition methods. This work illustrated the high reliability of NMR-based metabonomic approach on the study of the biochemical effects induced by traditional Chinese medicine

Synopsis of the 48 annual meeting of the Lake Cumberland Biological Transport Group and the second biannual meeting of the Pendrin Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Dossena, Silvia; Nofziger, Charity; Morabito, Rossana; Adragna, Norma C; Paulmichl, Markus

2013-01-01

Ion transporters are the molecular basis for ion homeostasis of the cell and the whole organism. The anion exchanger pendrin is only one of a number of examples where a complete or partial loss of function and/or deregulation of expression of ion transporters may lead or contribute to pathological conditions in humans. A complete understanding of the function of ion transporters in health and disease may pave the way for the identification of new and focused therapeutic approaches. Exchange of knowledge and connectivity between the experts in the feld of transport physiology is essential in facing these challenging tasks. The Lake Cumberland Biological Transport Group and the Pendrin Consortium are examples of scientific forums where investigators combine their efforts towards a better understanding of molecular pathophysiology of ion transport. This issue discusses the versatility of ion transporters involved in the regulation of cellular volume and other functions, such as the solute carrier (SLC) 12A gene family members SLC12A4-7, encoding the Na(+)-independent cation-chloride cotransporters commonly known as the K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporters KCC1-4, and the betaine/γ-aminobutyric acid transport system (BGT1, SLC6A12), just to name a few. The issue further addresses the pathophysiology of intestinal and respiratory epithelia and related therapeutic tools and techniques to investigate interactions between proteins and proteins and small compounds. Finally, the current knowledge and new findings on the expression, regulation and function of pendrin (SLC26A4) in the inner ear, kidney, airways and blood platelets are presented. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Synopsis of the 48th Annual Meeting of the Lake Cumberland Biological Transport Group and the Second Biannual Meeting of the Pendrin Consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Dossena

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Ion transporters are the molecular basis for ion homeostasis of the cell and the whole organism. The anion exchanger pendrin is only one of a number of examples where a complete or partial loss of function and/or deregulation of expression of ion transporters may lead or contribute to pathological conditions in humans. A complete understanding of the function of ion transporters in health and disease may pave the way for the identification of new and focused therapeutic approaches. Exchange of knowledge and connectivity between the experts in the feld of transport physiology is essential in facing these challenging tasks. The Lake Cumberland Biological Transport Group and the Pendrin Consortium are examples of scientific forums where investigators combine their efforts towards a better understanding of molecular pathophysiology of ion transport. This issue discusses the versatility of ion transporters involved in the regulation of cellular volume and other functions, such as the solute carrier (SLC 12A gene family members SLC12A4-7, encoding the Na+-independent cation-chloride cotransporters commonly known as the K+-Cl- cotransporters KCC1-4, and the betaine/γ-aminobutyric acid transport system (BGT1, SLC6A12, just to name a few. The issue further addresses the pathophysiology of intestinal and respiratory epithelia and related therapeutic tools and techniques to investigate interactions between proteins and proteins and small compounds. Finally, the current knowledge and new findings on the expression, regulation and function of pendrin (SLC26A4 in the inner ear, kidney, airways and blood platelets are presented.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 converts plant-derived choline to glycine betaine for osmoprotection during pre- and post-harvest colonization of injured lettuce leaves

Science.gov (United States)

The opportunistic colonization of damaged plant tissue by human enteric pathogens may contribute to the occurrence of outbreaks of foodborne illness linked to produce. E. coli O157:H7 (EcO157) responds to physicochemical stresses in cut lettuce and lettuce lysates by upregulation of several stress r...

NMR-based metabonomic study of the sub-acute toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in rats after oral administration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bu Qian; Lin Hongjun; Xu Youzhi; Cao Zhixing; Zhou Tian; Zhao Yinglan [State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Yan Guangyan; Cen Xiaobo [National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Deng Pengchi [Analytical and Testing Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Peng Feng [Department of Thoracic Oncology of Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Xue Aiqin [Institute of Bioengineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University Road 2, Xiasha, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Wang Yanli, E-mail: alancenxb@sina.com [Tianjin Children' s Hospital, Tianjin 300074 (China)

2010-03-26

As titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO{sub 2} NPs) are widely used commercially, their potential toxicity on human health has attracted particular attention. In the present study, the oral toxicological effects of TiO{sub 2} NPs (dosed at 0.16, 0.4 and 1 g kg{sup -1}, respectively) were investigated using conventional approaches and metabonomic analysis in Wistar rats. Serum chemistry, hematology and histopathology examinations were performed. The urine and serum were investigated by {sup 1}H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) using principal components and partial least squares discriminant analysis. The metabolic signature of urinalysis in TiO{sub 2} NP-treated rats showed increases in the levels of taurine, citrate, hippurate, histidine, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), citrulline, {alpha}-ketoglutarate, phenylacetylglycine (PAG) and acetate; moreover, decreases in the levels of lactate, betaine, methionine, threonine, pyruvate, 3-D-hydroxybutyrate (3-D-HB), choline and leucine were observed. The metabonomics analysis of serum showed increases in TMAO, choline, creatine, phosphocholine and 3-D-HB as well as decreases in glutamine, pyruvate, glutamate, acetoacetate, glutathione and methionine after TiO{sub 2} NP treatment. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were elevated and mitochondrial swelling in heart tissue was observed in TiO{sub 2} NP-treated rats. These findings indicate that disturbances in energy and amino acid metabolism and the gut microflora environment may be attributable to the slight injury to the liver and heart caused by TiO{sub 2} NPs. Moreover, the NMR-based metabolomic approach is a reliable and sensitive method to study the biochemical effects of nanomaterials.

Analysis of 17 neurotransmitters, metabolites and precursors in zebrafish through the life cycle using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos-Fandila, A; Vázquez, E; Barranco, A; Zafra-Gómez, A; Navalón, A; Rueda, R; Ramírez, M

2015-09-15

An ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the identification and quantification of neurotransmitters, metabolites and precursors at different stages in zebrafish life was developed. Betaine, glutamine, glutamic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid, phosphocholine, glycerophosphocholine, cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine, choline, acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, tyrosine, epinephrine, tryptophan, 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid and agmatine were selected as analytes. The method consisted of a simple deproteinization of samples using methanol and formic acid, subsequent injection onto the chromatographic equipment and quantification with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer detector using an electrospray ionization interface in positive mode. Limits of detection ranged from 0.02 to 11ngmL(-1) and limits of quantification from 0.1 to 38ngmL(-1), depending on the analyte. The method was validated according to US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) guideline for bioanalytical assays. Precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (%RSD), was lower than 15% in all cases, and the determination coefficient (R(2)) was equal or higher than 99.0% with a residual deviation for each calibration point lower than ±25%. Mean recoveries were between 85% and 115%. The method was applied to determine of these compounds in zebrafish from early stages of development to adulthood and showed the time-course of neurotransmitters and others neurocompounds through the life cycle. The possibility of measuring up to 17 compounds related with the main neurotransmitter systems in a simple analytical method will complement and reinforce the use of zebrafish in multiple applications in the field of neurosciences. The proposed method will facilitate future studies related with brain development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inefficient preparatory fMRI-BOLD network activations predict working memory dysfunctions in patients with schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anja eBaenninger

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Patients with schizophrenia show abnormal dynamics and structure of temporally coherent networks (TCNs assessed using fMRI, which undergo adaptive shifts in preparation for a cognitively demanding task. During working memory (WM tasks, patients with schizophrenia show persistent deficits in TCNs as well as EEG indices of WM. Studying their temporal relationship during WM tasks might provide novel insights into WM performance deficits seen in schizophrenia.Simultaneous EEG-fMRI data were acquired during the performance of a verbal Sternberg WM task with two load levels (load 2 & load 5 in 17 patients with schizophrenia and 17 matched healthy controls. Using covariance mapping, we investigated the relationship of the activity in the TCNs before the memoranda were encoded and EEG spectral power during the retention interval. We assessed four TCNs – default mode network (DMN, dorsal attention network (dAN, left and right working memory networks (WMNs – and three EEG bands – theta, alpha, and beta.In healthy controls, there was a load dependent inverse relation between DMN and frontal-midline theta power and an anti-correlation between DMN and dAN. Both effects were not significantly detectable in patients. In addition, healthy controls showed a left-lateralized load-dependent recruitment of the WMNs. Activation of the WMNs was bilateral in patients, suggesting more resources were recruited for successful performance on the WM task.Our findings support the notion of schizophrenia patients showing deviations in their neurophysiological responses before the retention of relevant information in a verbal WM task. Thus, treatment strategies as neurofeedback targeting pre-states could be beneficial as task performance relies on the preparatory state of the brain.

In vitro mutagenesis and selection for salinity tolerance and other agronomic characters in sugarcane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaidya, E.R.; Patade, V.Y.; Patil, V.D.; Suprasanna, P.; Bapat, V.A.

2006-01-01

Full text: Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. Hybrids) is a highly polyploid plant (2n=36-170) grown in different parts of the world from the tropics to subtropics, and accounts for around 60% of the world's sugar. It is also one of the important cash crops in many developing/developed countries, with a high trade value. In this study, in vitro mutagenesis was employed in the selection of salt tolerance in popular sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivars CoC- 671, Co 86032 and Co 94012. Embryogenic callus cultures were subjected to gamma irradiation at different doses (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50). Radio sensitivity estimation indicated that 20 Gy irradiated cultures exhibited almost 50 per cent survival response. Relative growth rate and cell mass accumulation were recorded after irradiation and 30 days of post- irradiation culture. The plants regenerated from the calli irradiated at 20, 30 and 40 Gy were hardened and field planted to study their performance. The embryogenic callus cultures were also exposed to inhibitory levels of NaCl (42.8, 85.6, 128.3, 171.1, 213.9, 256.7 mM). The biochemical responses to the salt stress were studied in terms of proline, glycine betaine accumulation, membrane stability and cell viability. The variegated plants were also observed following gamma irradiation and were analyzed by different molecular markers (RAPD and Ac homologous transposons). The salt selected plants were further field evaluated and the desirable clones are now being evaluated in the second generation for their genetic stability. The proper evaluation of these induced variants with desirable traits may prove useful for cultivation under stress conditions