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Sample records for sugar metabolism redox

  1. The ABA-INSENSITIVE-4 (ABI4) transcription factor links redox, hormone and sugar signaling pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foyer, Christine H; Kerchev, Pavel I; Hancock, Robert D

    2012-02-01

    The cellular reduction-oxidation (redox) hub processes information from metabolism and the environment and so regulates plant growth and defense through integration with the hormone signaling network. One key pathway of redox control involves interactions with ABSCISIC ACID (ABA). Accumulating evidence suggests that the ABA-INSENSITIVE-4 (ABI4) transcription factor plays a key role in transmitting information concerning the abundance of ascorbate and hence the ability of cells to buffer oxidative challenges. ABI4 is required for the ascorbate-dependent control of growth, a process that involves enhancement of salicylic acid (SA) signaling and inhibition of jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways. Low redox buffering capacity reinforces SA- JA- interactions through the mediation of ABA and ABI4 to fine-tune plant growth and defense in relation to metabolic cues and environmental challenges. Moreover, ABI4-mediated pathways of sugar sensitivity are also responsive to the abundance of ascorbate, providing evidence of overlap between redox and sugar signaling pathways.

  2. Metabolic Control of Redox and Redox Control of Metabolism in Plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernie, Alisdair R.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Significance: Reduction-oxidation (Redox) status operates as a major integrator of subcellular and extracellular metabolism and is simultaneously itself regulated by metabolic processes. Redox status not only dominates cellular metabolism due to the prominence of NAD(H) and NADP(H) couples in myriad metabolic reactions but also acts as an effective signal that informs the cell of the prevailing environmental conditions. After relay of this information, the cell is able to appropriately respond via a range of mechanisms, including directly affecting cellular functioning and reprogramming nuclear gene expression. Recent Advances: The facile accession of Arabidopsis knockout mutants alongside the adoption of broad-scale post-genomic approaches, which are able to provide transcriptomic-, proteomic-, and metabolomic-level information alongside traditional biochemical and emerging cell biological techniques, has dramatically advanced our understanding of redox status control. This review summarizes redox status control of metabolism and the metabolic control of redox status at both cellular and subcellular levels. Critical Issues: It is becoming apparent that plastid, mitochondria, and peroxisome functions influence a wide range of processes outside of the organelles themselves. While knowledge of the network of metabolic pathways and their intraorganellar redox status regulation has increased in the last years, little is known about the interorganellar redox signals coordinating these networks. A current challenge is, therefore, synthesizing our knowledge and planning experiments that tackle redox status regulation at both inter- and intracellular levels. Future Directions: Emerging tools are enabling ever-increasing spatiotemporal resolution of metabolism and imaging of redox status components. Broader application of these tools will likely greatly enhance our understanding of the interplay of redox status and metabolism as well as elucidating and

  3. Conditionally Pathogenic Gut Microbes Promote Larval Growth by Increasing Redox-Dependent Fat Storage in High-Sugar Diet-Fed Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whon, Tae Woong; Shin, Na-Ri; Jung, Mi-Ja; Hyun, Dong-Wook; Kim, Hyun Sik; Kim, Pil Soo; Bae, Jin-Woo

    2017-12-01

    Changes in the composition of the gut microbiota contribute to the development of obesity and subsequent complications that are associated with metabolic syndrome. However, the role of increased numbers of certain bacterial species during the progress of obesity and factor(s) controlling the community structure of gut microbiota remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate the inter-relationship between Drosophila melanogaster and their resident gut microbiota under chronic high-sugar diet (HSD) conditions. Chronic feeding of an HSD to Drosophila resulted in a predominance of resident uracil-secreting bacteria in the gut. Axenic insects mono-associated with uracil-secreting bacteria or supplemented with uracil under HSD conditions promoted larval development. Redox signaling induced by bacterial uracil promoted larval growth by regulating sugar and lipid metabolism via activation of p38a mitogen-activated protein kinase. The present study identified a new redox-dependent mechanism by which uracil-secreting bacteria (previously regarded as opportunistic pathobionts) protect the host from metabolic perturbation under chronic HSD conditions. These results illustrate how Drosophila and gut microbes form a symbiotic relationship under stress conditions, and changes in the gut microbiota play an important role in alleviating deleterious diet-derived effects such as hyperglycemia. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 1361-1380.

  4. Effects of bagging on sugar metabolism and the activity of sugar ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    To investigate the effects of bagging on sugar metabolism and the activity of sugar metabolism related enzymes in Qingzhong loquat fruit development, the contents of sucrose, glucose and soluble solids as well as the activities of sugar metabolism related enzymes were evaluated. The content of sucrose, glucose and ...

  5. [Effect of the medium redox potential on the growth and metabolism of anaerobic bacteria].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilian, A; Trchunian, A

    2008-01-01

    Based on the available literature data on a decrease in the redox potential of medium to low negative values and a decrease in pH during the growth of sugar-fermenting anaerobic bacteria, it was concluded that these processes cannot be described by the theory of redox potential. A theory was developed according to which the regulation of bacterial metabolism is accomplished through changes in the redox potential. The theory considers the redox potential as a factor determining the growth of anaerobic bacteria, which is regulated by oxidizers and reducers. The assumption is put forward that, under anaerobic conditions, bacteria are sensitive to changes in the redox potential and have a redox taxis. The effect of the redox potential on the transport of protons and other substances through membranes and the activity of membrane-bound enzymes, including the proton F1-F0-ATPase, whose mechanisms of action involve changes in the proton conductance of the membrane, the generation of proton-driving force, and dithiol-disulfide transitions in proteins was studied.

  6. Transcriptional and metabolic effects of glucose on Streptococcus pneumoniae sugar metabolism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura ePaixão

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Streptococcus pneumoniae is a strictly fermentative human pathogen that relies on carbohydrate metabolism to generate energy for growth. The nasopharynx colonised by the bacterium is poor in free sugars, but mucosa lining glycans can provide a source of sugar. In blood and inflamed tissues glucose is the prevailing sugar. As a result during progression from colonisation to disease S. pneumoniae has to cope with a pronounced shift in carbohydrate nature and availability. Thus, we set out to assess the pneumococcal response to sugars found in glycans and the influence of glucose (Glc on this response at the transcriptional, physiological and metabolic levels. Galactose (Gal, N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc and mannose (Man affected the expression of 8 to 14% of the genes covering cellular functions including central carbon metabolism and virulence. The pattern of end-products as monitored by in vivo 13C-NMR is in good agreement with the fermentation profiles during growth, while the pools of phosphorylated metabolites are consistent with the type of fermentation observed (homolactic vs. mixed and regulation at the metabolic level. Furthermore, the accumulation of α-Gal6P and Man6P indicate metabolic bottlenecks in the metabolism of Gal and Man, respectively. Glc added to cells actively metabolizing other sugar(s was readily consumed and elicited a metabolic shift towards a homolactic profile. The transcriptional response to Glc was large (over 5% of the genome. In central carbon metabolism (most represented category, Glc exerted mostly negative regulation. The smallest response to Glc was observed on a sugar mix, suggesting that exposure to varied sugars improves the fitness of S. pneumoniae. The expression of virulence factors was negatively controlled by Glc in a sugar-dependent manner. Overall, our results shed new light on the link between carbohydrate metabolism, adaptation to host niches and virulence.

  7. Transcriptional and metabolic effects of glucose on Streptococcus pneumoniae sugar metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paixão, Laura; Caldas, José; Kloosterman, Tomas G; Kuipers, Oscar P; Vinga, Susana; Neves, Ana R

    2015-01-01

    Streptococcus pneumoniae is a strictly fermentative human pathogen that relies on carbohydrate metabolism to generate energy for growth. The nasopharynx colonized by the bacterium is poor in free sugars, but mucosa lining glycans can provide a source of sugar. In blood and inflamed tissues glucose is the prevailing sugar. As a result during progression from colonization to disease S. pneumoniae has to cope with a pronounced shift in carbohydrate nature and availability. Thus, we set out to assess the pneumococcal response to sugars found in glycans and the influence of glucose (Glc) on this response at the transcriptional, physiological, and metabolic levels. Galactose (Gal), N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), and mannose (Man) affected the expression of 8 to 14% of the genes covering cellular functions including central carbon metabolism and virulence. The pattern of end-products as monitored by in vivo (13)C-NMR is in good agreement with the fermentation profiles during growth, while the pools of phosphorylated metabolites are consistent with the type of fermentation observed (homolactic vs. mixed) and regulation at the metabolic level. Furthermore, the accumulation of α-Gal6P and Man6P indicate metabolic bottlenecks in the metabolism of Gal and Man, respectively. Glc added to cells actively metabolizing other sugar(s) was readily consumed and elicited a metabolic shift toward a homolactic profile. The transcriptional response to Glc was large (over 5% of the genome). In central carbon metabolism (most represented category), Glc exerted mostly negative regulation. The smallest response to Glc was observed on a sugar mix, suggesting that exposure to varied sugars improves the fitness of S. pneumoniae. The expression of virulence factors was negatively controlled by Glc in a sugar-dependent manner. Overall, our results shed new light on the link between carbohydrate metabolism, adaptation to host niches and virulence.

  8. Metabolic and redox barriers in the skin exposed to drugs and xenobiotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korkina, Liudmila

    2016-01-01

    Growing exposure of human skin to environmental and occupational hazards, to numerous skin care/beauty products, and to topical drugs led to a biomedical concern regarding sustainability of cutaneous chemical defence that is essential for protection against intoxication. Since skin is the largest extra-hepatic drug/xenobiotic metabolising organ where redox-dependent metabolic pathways prevail, in this review, publications on metabolic processes leading to redox imbalance (oxidative stress) and its autocrine/endocrine impact to cutaneous drug/xenobiotic metabolism were scrutinised. Chemical and photo-chemical skin barriers contain metabolic and redox compartments: their protective and homeostatic functions. The review will examine the striking similarity of adaptive responses to exogenous chemical/photo-chemical stressors and endogenous toxins in cutaneous metabolic and redox system; the role(s) of xenobiotics/drugs and phase II enzymes in the endogenous antioxidant defence and maintenance of redox balance; redox regulation of interactions between metabolic and inflammatory responses in skin cells; skin diseases sharing metabolic and redox problems (contact dermatitis, lupus erythematosus, and vitiligo) Due to exceptional the redox dependence of cutaneous metabolic pathways and interaction of redox active metabolites/exogenous antioxidants with drug/xenobiotic metabolism, metabolic tests of topical xenobiotics/drugs should be combined with appropriate redox analyses and performed on 3D human skin models.

  9. Metabolic Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease: Bioenergetics, Redox Homeostasis and Central Carbon Metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anandhan, Annadurai; Jacome, Maria S; Lei, Shulei; Hernandez-Franco, Pablo; Pappa, Aglaia; Panayiotidis, Mihalis I; Powers, Robert; Franco, Rodrigo

    2017-07-01

    The loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and the accumulation of protein inclusions (Lewy bodies) are the pathological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is triggered by genetic alterations, environmental/occupational exposures and aging. However, the exact molecular mechanisms linking these PD risk factors to neuronal dysfunction are still unclear. Alterations in redox homeostasis and bioenergetics (energy failure) are thought to be central components of neurodegeneration that contribute to the impairment of important homeostatic processes in dopaminergic cells such as protein quality control mechanisms, neurotransmitter release/metabolism, axonal transport of vesicles and cell survival. Importantly, both bioenergetics and redox homeostasis are coupled to neuro-glial central carbon metabolism. We and others have recently established a link between the alterations in central carbon metabolism induced by PD risk factors, redox homeostasis and bioenergetics and their contribution to the survival/death of dopaminergic cells. In this review, we focus on the link between metabolic dysfunction, energy failure and redox imbalance in PD, making an emphasis in the contribution of central carbon (glucose) metabolism. The evidence summarized here strongly supports the consideration of PD as a disorder of cell metabolism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Sugar Metabolism in Hummingbirds and Nectar Bats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suarez, Raul K; Welch, Kenneth C

    2017-07-12

    Hummingbirds and nectar bats coevolved with the plants they visit to feed on floral nectars rich in sugars. The extremely high metabolic costs imposed by small size and hovering flight in combination with reliance upon sugars as their main source of dietary calories resulted in convergent evolution of a suite of structural and functional traits. These allow high rates of aerobic energy metabolism in the flight muscles, fueled almost entirely by the oxidation of dietary sugars, during flight. High intestinal sucrase activities enable high rates of sucrose hydrolysis. Intestinal absorption of glucose and fructose occurs mainly through a paracellular pathway. In the fasted state, energy metabolism during flight relies on the oxidation of fat synthesized from previously-ingested sugar. During repeated bouts of hover-feeding, the enhanced digestive capacities, in combination with high capacities for sugar transport and oxidation in the flight muscles, allow the operation of the "sugar oxidation cascade", the pathway by which dietary sugars are directly oxidized by flight muscles during exercise. It is suggested that the potentially harmful effects of nectar diets are prevented by locomotory exercise, just as in human hunter-gatherers who consume large quantities of honey.

  11. Sugar Metabolism in Hummingbirds and Nectar Bats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raul K. Suarez

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Hummingbirds and nectar bats coevolved with the plants they visit to feed on floral nectars rich in sugars. The extremely high metabolic costs imposed by small size and hovering flight in combination with reliance upon sugars as their main source of dietary calories resulted in convergent evolution of a suite of structural and functional traits. These allow high rates of aerobic energy metabolism in the flight muscles, fueled almost entirely by the oxidation of dietary sugars, during flight. High intestinal sucrase activities enable high rates of sucrose hydrolysis. Intestinal absorption of glucose and fructose occurs mainly through a paracellular pathway. In the fasted state, energy metabolism during flight relies on the oxidation of fat synthesized from previously-ingested sugar. During repeated bouts of hover-feeding, the enhanced digestive capacities, in combination with high capacities for sugar transport and oxidation in the flight muscles, allow the operation of the “sugar oxidation cascade”, the pathway by which dietary sugars are directly oxidized by flight muscles during exercise. It is suggested that the potentially harmful effects of nectar diets are prevented by locomotory exercise, just as in human hunter-gatherers who consume large quantities of honey.

  12. Engineering of sugar metabolism in Lactococcus lactis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pool, Weia Arianne

    2008-01-01

    Short English Summary Lactococcus lactis is a lactic acid bacterium used in the dairy industry. This thesis decribes the genetic engineering performed on the sugar metabolism of L. lactis. Besides our fundamental interest for sugar metabolism and its regulation in L. lactis, this project had the

  13. NAD(H) and NADP(H) Redox Couples and Cellular Energy Metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Wusheng; Wang, Rui-Sheng; Handy, Diane E; Loscalzo, Joseph

    2018-01-20

    The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + )/reduced NAD + (NADH) and NADP + /reduced NADP + (NADPH) redox couples are essential for maintaining cellular redox homeostasis and for modulating numerous biological events, including cellular metabolism. Deficiency or imbalance of these two redox couples has been associated with many pathological disorders. Recent Advances: Newly identified biosynthetic enzymes and newly developed genetically encoded biosensors enable us to understand better how cells maintain compartmentalized NAD(H) and NADP(H) pools. The concept of redox stress (oxidative and reductive stress) reflected by changes in NAD(H)/NADP(H) has increasingly gained attention. The emerging roles of NAD + -consuming proteins in regulating cellular redox and metabolic homeostasis are active research topics. The biosynthesis and distribution of cellular NAD(H) and NADP(H) are highly compartmentalized. It is critical to understand how cells maintain the steady levels of these redox couple pools to ensure their normal functions and simultaneously avoid inducing redox stress. In addition, it is essential to understand how NAD(H)- and NADP(H)-utilizing enzymes interact with other signaling pathways, such as those regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor, to maintain cellular redox homeostasis and energy metabolism. Additional studies are needed to investigate the inter-relationships among compartmentalized NAD(H)/NADP(H) pools and how these two dinucleotide redox couples collaboratively regulate cellular redox states and cellular metabolism under normal and pathological conditions. Furthermore, recent studies suggest the utility of using pharmacological interventions or nutrient-based bioactive NAD + precursors as therapeutic interventions for metabolic diseases. Thus, a better understanding of the cellular functions of NAD(H) and NADP(H) may facilitate efforts to address a host of pathological disorders effectively. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 251-272.

  14. Unusual thiol-based redox metabolism of parasitic flukes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tripathi, Timir; Suttiprapa, Sutas; Sripa, Banchob

    2017-08-01

    Parasitic flukes are exposed to free radicals and, to a greater extent, reactive oxygen species (ROS) during their life cycle. Despite being relentlessly exposed to ROS released by activated immune cells, these parasites can survive for many years in the host. Cellular thiol-based redox metabolism plays a crucial role in parasite survival within their hosts. Evidence shows that oxidative stress and redox homeostasis maintenance are important clinical and pathobiochemical as well as effective therapeutic principles in various diseases. The characterization of redox and antioxidant enzymes is likely to yield good target candidates for novel drugs and vaccines. The absence of active catalase in fluke parasites offers great potential for the development of chemotherapeutic agents that act by perturbing the redox equilibrium of the cell. One of the redox-sensitive enzymes, thioredoxin glutathione reductase (TGR), has been accepted as a drug target against blood fluke infections, and related clinical trials are in progress. TGR is the sole enzyme responsible for Trx and GSH reduction in parasitic flukes. The availability of helminth genomes has accelerated the research on redox metabolism of flukes; however, significant achievements have yet to be attained. The present review summarizes current knowledge on the redox and antioxidant system of the parasitic flukes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Transcriptional and metabolic effects of glucose on Streptococcus pneumoniae sugar metabolism

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Paixão, Laura; Caldas, José; Kloosterman, Tomas G; Kuipers, Oscar P; Vinga, Susana; Neves, Ana R

    2015-01-01

    Streptococcus pneumoniae is a strictly fermentative human pathogen that relies on carbohydrate metabolism to generate energy for growth. The nasopharynx colonized by the bacterium is poor in free sugars, but mucosa lining glycans can provide a source of sugar. In blood and inflamed tissues glucose

  16. Pyruvate Kinase Triggers a Metabolic Feedback Loop that Controls Redox Metabolism in Respiring Cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grüning, N.M.; Rinnerthaler, M.; Bluemlein, K.; Mulleder, M.; Wamelink, M.M.C.; Lehrach, H.; Jakobs, C.A.J.M.; Breitenbach, M.; Ralser, M.

    2011-01-01

    In proliferating cells, a transition from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism is known as the Warburg effect, whose reversal inhibits cancer cell proliferation. Studying its regulator pyruvate kinase (PYK) in yeast, we discovered that central metabolism is self-adapting to synchronize redox metabolism

  17. Mechanisms of redox metabolism and cancer cell survival during extracellular matrix detachment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawk, Mark A; Schafer, Zachary T

    2018-01-16

    Non-transformed cells that become detached from the extracellular matrix (ECM) undergo dysregulation of redox homeostasis and cell death. In contrast, cancer cells often acquire the ability to mitigate programmed cell death pathways and recalibrate the redox balance to survive after ECM detachment, facilitating metastatic dissemination. Accordingly, recent studies of the mechanisms by which cancer cells overcome ECM detachment-induced metabolic alterations have focused on mechanisms in redox homeostasis. The insights into these mechanisms may inform the development of therapeutics that manipulate redox homeostasis to eliminate ECM-detached cancer cells. Here, we review how ECM-detached cancer cells balance redox metabolism for survival. Published under license by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  18. Sugar and metabolic health: is there still a debate?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, J Bernadette; Fielding, Barbara A

    2016-07-01

    There is considerable political and public awareness of new recommendations to reduce sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages in our diets. It is therefore timely to review the most recent changes in guidelines, with a focus on evidence for metabolic health, recent research in the area and gaps in our knowledge. Sufficient evidence links a high intake of sugar to dental caries and obesity, and high intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages in particular to increased risk of type 2 diabetes. This has led to the updating of dietary recommendations related to added sugars in the diet. The effects of specific sugars at usual intakes as part of an isoenergetic diet are less clear. The glycaemic response to food is complex and mediated by many factors, but sugar intake is not necessarily the major component. There are many challenges faced by healthcare professionals and government bodies in order to improve the health of individuals and nations through evidence-based diets. Sufficiently powered long-term mechanistic studies are still required to provide evidence for the effects of reducing dietary sugars on metabolic health. However, there are many challenges for research scientists in the implementation of these studies.

  19. Sugar and metabolic health: is there still a debate?

    OpenAIRE

    Moore, JB; Fielding, BA

    2016-01-01

    Purpose of review: There is considerable political and public awareness of new recommendations to reduce sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages in our diets. It is therefore timely to review the most recent changes in guidelines, with a focus on evidence for metabolic health, recent research in the area and gaps in our knowledge. Recent findings: Sufficient evidence links a high intake of sugar to dental caries and obesity, and high intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages in particular to increase...

  20. Polyethylenimine architecture-dependent metabolic imprints and perturbation of cellular redox homeostasis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hall, Arnaldur; Parhamifar, Ladan; Lange, Marina Krarup

    2015-01-01

    oxygen species (ROS). The differences in metabolic and redox imprints were further reflected in the transfection performance of the polycations, but co-treatment with the GSH precursor N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) counteracted redox dysregulation and increased the number of viable transfected cells...

  1. Dynamics of sugar-metabolic enzymes and sugars accumulation during watermelon (citrullus lanatus) fruit development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, H.

    2016-01-01

    We analyzed sugar accumulation and the activities of sugar-metabolic enzymes in ripening fruits of three cultivars of watermelon; a high-sugar type w2, a low-sugar type (w1), and their hybrid. In w2, the glucose and fructose contents were higher than the sucrose content in the earlier stage of fruit development, and fruit growth was accompanied by increases in glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents. The sucrose content increased substantially after 20 days after anthesis (DAA) and it was the main soluble sugar in mature fruit (sucrose: hexoses ratio, 0.71). In W, the fructose and glucose contents were significantly higher than the sucrose content in mature fruit (sucrose: hexoses ratio, 0.25). Comparing the two parent cultivars, sucrose was the most important factor affecting the total sugar content in mature fruit, although glucose and fructose also contributed to total sugar contents. The fructose and glucose contents in the fruit of F1 were mid-way between those of their parents, while the sucrose content was closer to that of W (sucrose:hexoses ratio in F1, 0.26). In the early stage of fruit development of W2, the activities of acid invertase and neutral invertase were higher than those of sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase. After 20 DAA, the acid invertase and neutral invertase activities decreased and those of sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase increased, leading to increased sucrose content. In W1, the activities of acid invertase and neutral invertase were higher than those of sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase at the early stage. The sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase activities were lower in W1 than in W2 at the later stages of fruit development. The patterns of sugar accumulation and sugar-metabolic enzyme activities during fruit development in F1 were similar to those in W1. (author)

  2. Dynamic analysis of sugar metabolism in different harvest seasons ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In pineapple fruits, sugar accumulation plays an important role in flavor characteristics, which varies according to the stage of fruit development. Metabolic changes in the contents of fructose, sucrose and glucose and reducing sugar related to the activities of soluble acid invertase (AI), neutral invertase (NI), sucrose ...

  3. The interplay between sulphur and selenium metabolism influences the intracellular redox balance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mapelli, Valeria; Hillestrøm, Peter René; Patil, Kalpesh

    2012-01-01

    oxidative stress response is active when yeast actively metabolizes Se, and this response is linked to the generation of intracellular redox imbalance. The redox imbalance derives from a disproportionate ratio between the reduced and oxidized forms of glutathione and also from the influence of Se metabolism...

  4. Metabolic impact of redox cofactor perturbations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hou, Jin; Lages, Nuno; Oldiges, M.

    2009-01-01

    to induce widespread changes in metabolism. We present a detailed analysis of the impact of perturbations in redox cofactors in the cytosol or mitochondria on glucose and energy metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to aid metabolic engineering decisions that involve cofactor engineering. We enhanced NADH...... oxidation by introducing NADH oxidase or alternative oxidase, its ATP-mediated conversion to NADPH using NADH kinase as well as the interconversion of NADH and NADPH independent of ATP by the soluble, non-proton-translocating bacterial transhydrogenase. Decreasing cytosolic NADH level lowered glycerol...

  5. Quantitative redox imaging biomarkers for studying tissue metabolic state and its heterogeneity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    He N. Xu

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available NAD+/NADH redox state has been implicated in many diseases such as cancer and diabetes as well as in the regulation of embryonic development and aging. To fluorimetrically assess the mitochondrial redox state, Dr. Chance and co-workers measured the fluorescence of NADH and oxidized flavoproteins (Fp including flavin–adenine–dinucleotide (FAD and demonstrated their ratio (i.e. the redox ratio is a sensitive indicator of the mitochondrial redox states. The Chance redox scanner was built to simultaneously measure NADH and Fp in tissue at submillimeter scale in 3D using the freeze-trap protocol. This paper summarizes our recent research experience, development and new applications of the redox scanning technique in collaboration with Dr. Chance beginning in 2005. Dr. Chance initiated or actively involved in many of the projects during the last several years of his life. We advanced the redox scanning technique by measuring the nominal concentrations (in reference to the frozen solution standards of the endogenous fluorescent analytes, i.e., [NADH] and [Fp] to quantify the redox ratios in various biological tissues. The advancement has enabled us to identify an array of the redox indices as quantitative imaging biomarkers (including [NADH], [Fp], [Fp]/([NADH]+[Fp], [NADH]/[Fp], and their standard deviations for studying some important biological questions on cancer and normal tissue metabolism. We found that the redox indices were associated or changed with (1 tumorigenesis (cancer versus non-cancer of human breast tissue biopsies; (2 tumor metastatic potential; (3 tumor glucose uptake; (4 tumor p53 status; (5 PI3K pathway activation in pre-malignant tissue; (6 therapeutic effects on tumors; (7 embryonic stem cell differentiation; (8 the heart under fasting. Together, our work demonstrated that the tissue redox indices obtained from the redox scanning technique may provide useful information about tissue metabolism and physiology status in normal

  6. Different exogenous sugars affect the hormone signal pathway and sugar metabolism in "Red Globe" (Vitis vinifera L.) plantlets grown in vitro as shown by transcriptomic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Juan; Li, Wenfang; Mi, Baoqin; Dawuda, Mohammed Mujitaba; Calderón-Urrea, Alejandro; Ma, Zonghuan; Zhang, Yongmei; Chen, Baihong

    2017-09-01

    Exogenously applied 2% fructose is the most appropriate carbon source that enhances photosynthesis and growth of grape plantlets compared with the same concentrations of sucrose and glucose. The role of the sugars was regulated by the expression of key candidate genes related to hormones, key metabolic enzymes, and sugar metabolism of grape plantlets ( Vitis vinifera L.) grown in vitro. The addition of sugars including sucrose, glucose, and fructose is known to be very helpful for the development of grape (V. vinifera L.) plantlets in vitro. However, the mechanisms by which these sugars regulate plant development and sugar metabolism are poorly understood. In grape plantlets, sugar metabolism and hormone synthesis undergo special regulation. In the present study, transcriptomic analyses were performed on grape (V. vinifera L., cv. Red Globe) plantlets in an in vitro system, in which the plantlets were grown in 2% each of sucrose (S20), glucose (G20), and fructose (F20). The sugar metabolism and hormone synthesis of the plantlets were analyzed. In addition, 95.72-97.29% high-quality 125 bp reads were further analyzed out of which 52.65-60.80% were mapped to exonic regions, 13.13-28.38% to intronic regions, and 11.59-28.99% to intergenic regions. The F20, G20, and S20 displayed elevated sucrose synthase (SS) activities; relative chlorophyll contents; Rubisco activity; and IAA and zeatin (ZT) contents. We found F20 improved the growth and development of the plantlets better than G20 and S20. Sugar metabolism was a complex process, which depended on the balanced expression of key potential candidate genes related to hormones (TCP15, LOG3, IPT3, ETR1, HK2, HK3, CKX7, SPY, GH3s, MYBH, AGB1, MKK2, PP2C, PYL, ABF, SnRK, etc.), key metabolic enzymes (SUS, SPS, A/V-INV, and G6PDH), and sugar metabolism (BETAFRUCT4 and AMY). Moreover, sugar and starch metabolism controls the generation of plant hormone transduction pathway signaling molecules. Our dataset advances our

  7. Transcriptome and selected metabolite analyses reveal points of sugar metabolism in jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Lisong; Wu, Gang; Hao, Chaoyun; Yu, Huan; Tan, Lehe

    2016-07-01

    Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., commonly known as jackfruit, produces the largest tree-borne fruit known thus far. The edible part of the fruit develops from the perianths, and contains many sugar-derived compounds. However, its sugar metabolism is poorly understood. A fruit perianth transcriptome was sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform, producing 32,459 unigenes with an average length of 1345nt. Sugar metabolism was characterized by comparing expression patterns of genes related to sugar metabolism and evaluating correlations with enzyme activity and sugar accumulation during fruit perianth development. During early development, high expression levels of acid invertases and corresponding enzyme activities were responsible for the rapid utilization of imported sucrose for fruit growth. The differential expression of starch metabolism-related genes and corresponding enzyme activities were responsible for starch accumulated before fruit ripening but decreased during ripening. Sucrose accumulated during ripening, when the expression levels of genes for sucrose synthesis were elevated and high enzyme activity was observed. The comprehensive transcriptome analysis presents fundamental information on sugar metabolism and will be a useful reference for further research on fruit perianth development in jackfruit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Melatonin redirects carbohydrates metabolism during sugar starvation in plant cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobylińska, Agnieszka; Borek, Sławomir; Posmyk, Małgorzata M

    2018-05-01

    Recent studies have shown that melatonin is an important molecule in plant physiology. It seems that the most important is that melatonin efficacy eliminates oxidative stress (direct and indirect antioxidant) and moreover induce plant stress reaction and switch on different defence strategies (preventively and interventively actions). In this report, the impact of exogenous melatonin on carbohydrate metabolism in Nicotiana tabacum L. line Bright Yellow 2 (BY-2) suspension cells during sugar starvation was examined. We analysed starch concentration, α-amylase and PEPCK activity as well as proteolytic activity in culture media. It has been shown that BY-2 cell treatment with 200 nM of melatonin improved viability of sugar-starved cells. It was correlated with higher starch content and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) activity. The obtained results revealed that exogenous melatonin under specific conditions (stress) can play regulatory role in sugar metabolism, and it may modulate carbohydrate concentration in etiolated BY-2 cells. Moreover, our results confirmed the hypothesis that if the starch is synthesised even in sugar-starved cells, it is highly probable that melatonin shifts the BY-2 cell metabolism on gluconeogenesis pathway and allows for synthesis of carbohydrates from nonsugar precursors, that is amino acids. These points to another defence strategy that was induced by exogenous melatonin applied in plants to overcome adverse environmental conditions. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Integration of Environmental and Developmental (or Metabolic) Control of Seed Mass by Sugar and Ethylene Metabolisms in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Lai-Sheng; Xu, Meng-Ke; Wan, Wen; Wang, Jing-Yi

    2018-04-04

    In higher plants, seed mass is an important to evolutionary fitness. In this context, seedling establishment positively correlates with seed mass under conditions of environmental stress. Thus, seed mass constitutes an important agricultural trait. Here, we show loss-of-function of YODA (YDA), a MAPKK Kinase, and decreased seed mass, which leads to susceptibility to drought. Furthermore, we demonstrate that yda disrupts sugar metabolisms but not the gaseous plant hormone, ethylene. Our data suggest that the transcription factor EIN3 (ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3), integral to both sugar and ethylene metabolisms, physically interacts with YDA. Further, ein3-1 mutants exhibited increased seed mass. Genetic analysis indicated that YDA and EIN3 were integral to a sugar-mediated metabolism cascade which regulates seed mass by maternally controlling embryo size. It is well established that ethylene metabolism leads to the suppression of drought tolerance by the EIN3 mediated inhibition of CBF1, a transcription factor required for the expression genes of abiotic stress. Our findings help guide the synthesis of a model predicting how sugar/ethylene metabolisms and environmental stress are integrated at EIN3 to control both the establishment of drought tolerance and the production of seed mass. Collectively, these insights into the molecular mechanism underpinning the regulation of plant seed size may aid prospective breeding or design strategies to increase crop yield.

  10. Concurrent metabolism of pentose and hexose sugars by the polyextremophile Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Brady D.; Apel, William A.; DeVeaux, Linda C.; Sheridan, Peter P.

    2017-08-03

    Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius is a thermoacidophilic bacterium capable of growth on sugars from plant biomass. Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) allows bacteria to focus cellular resources on a sugar that provides efficient growth, but also allows sequential, rather than simultaneous use when more than one sugar is present. The A. acidocaldarius genome encodes all components of CCR, but transporters encoded are multifacilitator superfamily and ATP-binding cassette type transporters, uncommon for CCR. Therefore, global transcriptome analysis of A. acidocaldarius grown on xylose or fructose was performed in chemostats, followed by attempted induction of CCR with glucose or arabinose. A. acidocaldarius grew while simultaneously metabolizing xylose and glucose, xylose and arabinose, and fructose and glucose, indicating CCR did not control carbon metabolism. Microarrays showed down-regulation of genes during growth on one sugar compared to two. Regulation occurred primarily in genes: 1) encoding regulators, 2) encoding enzymes for cell synthesis, and 3) encoding sugar transporters.

  11. Rare sugars, d-allulose, d-tagatose and d-sorbose, differently modulate lipid metabolism in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagata, Yasuo; Mizuta, Narumi; Kanasaki, Akane; Tanaka, Kazunari

    2018-03-01

    Rare sugars including d-allulose, d-tagatose, and d-sorbose are present in limited quantities in nature; some of these rare sugars are now commercially produced using microbial enzymes. Apart from the anti-obesity and anti-hyperglycaemic activities of d-allulose, effects of these sugars on lipid metabolism have not been investigated. Therefore, we aimed to determine if and how d-tagatose and d-sorbose modulate lipid metabolism in rats. After feeding these rare sugars to rats, parameters on lipid metabolism were determined. No diet-related effects were observed on body weight and food intake. Hepatic lipogenic enzyme activity was lowered by d-allulose and d-sorbose but increased by d-tagatose. Faecal fatty acid excretion was non-significantly decreased by d-allulose, but significantly increased by d-sorbose without affecting faecal steroid excretion. A trend toward reduced adipose tissue weight was observed in groups fed rare sugars. Serum adiponectin levels were decreased by d-sorbose relative to the control. Gene expression of cholesterol metabolism-related liver proteins tended to be down-regulated by d-allulose and d-sorbose but not by d-tagatose. In the small intestine, SR-B1 mRNA expression was suppressed by d-sorbose. Lipid metabolism in rats varies with rare sugars. Application of rare sugars to functional foods for healthy body weight maintenance requires further studies. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  12. Added sugars: Definitions, classifications, metabolism and health implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tailane SCAPIN

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The sugars added to foods have been featured in recent scientific research, including the publication of the World Health Organization recommendation to limit consumption of added sugars, based on studies on weight gain and dental caries. However, it is possible that there is evidence of an association between excessive consumption and other pathologies, but scientific studies have yet to investigate these associations. Moreover, there is no consensus on the descriptions and definitions of these sugars, with several terms and components used to designate them. In Brazil, there are few studies investigating added sugars, identifying a lack of discussion on this subject. This paper presents a literature review of sugars added to foods, from their definitions and classifications to the metabolism and health effects. The search was performed without limiting dates in the following databases: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed and SciELO, as well as in national and international official sites. Keywords in Portuguese and English related to sugars added to foods were used, in combination with terms related to systematic review and meta-analysis studies, in order to find research linking added sugars consumption with health damage. The literature indicates that there is a relationship between excessive consumption of added sugars and various health outcomes, including weight gain, type 2 diabetes Mellitus, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. The different descriptions of sugars in foods may confuse both food consumers and researchers, since each term includes different components. Thus, it is suggested to use the standardized term “added sugar” as the most suitable term for the broader population to understand, because it indicates that those sugars are not natural food components.

  13. Signaling Pathways Regulating Redox Balance in Cancer Metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Santis, Maria Chiara; Porporato, Paolo Ettore; Martini, Miriam; Morandi, Andrea

    2018-01-01

    The interplay between rewiring tumor metabolism and oncogenic driver mutations is only beginning to be appreciated. Metabolic deregulation has been described for decades as a bystander effect of genomic aberrations. However, for the biology of malignant cells, metabolic reprogramming is essential to tackle a harsh environment, including nutrient deprivation, reactive oxygen species production, and oxygen withdrawal. Besides the well-investigated glycolytic metabolism, it is emerging that several other metabolic fluxes are relevant for tumorigenesis in supporting redox balance, most notably pentose phosphate pathway, folate, and mitochondrial metabolism. The relationship between metabolic rewiring and mutant genes is still unclear and, therefore, we will discuss how metabolic needs and oncogene mutations influence each other to satisfy cancer cells' demands. Mutations in oncogenes, i.e., PI3K/AKT/mTOR, RAS pathway, and MYC, and tumor suppressors, i.e., p53 and liver kinase B1, result in metabolic flexibility and may influence response to therapy. Since metabolic rewiring is shaped by oncogenic driver mutations, understanding how specific alterations in signaling pathways affect different metabolic fluxes will be instrumental for the development of novel targeted therapies. In the era of personalized medicine, the combination of driver mutations, metabolite levels, and tissue of origins will pave the way to innovative therapeutic interventions.

  14. Sugar alcohols-induced oxidative metabolism in cotton callus culture

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Sugar alcohols (mannitol and sorbitol) may cause oxidative damage in plants if used in higher concentration. Our present experiment was undertaken to study physiological and metabolic responses in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) callus against mannitol and sorbitol higher doses. Both markedly declined mean values of ...

  15. Role of sugar uptake and metabolic intermediates on catabolite repression in Bacillus subtilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, J M; Thoms, B

    1977-01-01

    Many phosphorylated intermediates exert catabolite repression on the enzyme acetoin dehydrogenase in Bacillus subtilis. This was shown with strains that are blocked at different positions in central metabolism when they receive sugars that cannot be metabolized past enzymatic block(s). In the case of sorbitol, transport events were not involved in catabolite repression, for this sugar cannot repress acetoin dehydrogenase in a strain lacking sorbitol dehydrogenase but otherwise able to take up sorbitol. The presence of glucose did not markedly influence the uptake of acetoin. PMID:401492

  16. Improving metabolic efficiency of the reverse beta-oxidation cycle by balancing redox cofactor requirement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Junjun; Zhang, Xia; Zhou, Peng; Huang, Jiaying; Xia, Xiudong; Li, Wei; Zhou, Ziyu; Chen, Yue; Liu, Yinghao; Dong, Mingsheng

    2017-11-01

    Previous studies have made many exciting achievements on pushing the functional reversal of beta-oxidation cycle (r-BOX) to more widespread adoption for synthesis of a wide variety of fuels and chemicals. However, the redox cofactor requirement for the efficient operation of r-BOX remains unclear. In this work, the metabolic efficiency of r-BOX for medium-chain fatty acid (C 6 -C 10 , MCFA) production was optimized by redox cofactor engineering. Stoichiometric analysis of the r-BOX pathway and further experimental examination identified NADH as a crucial determinant of r-BOX process yield. Furthermore, the introduction of formate dehydrogenase from Candida boidinii using fermentative inhibitor byproduct formate as a redox NADH sink improved MCFA titer from initial 1.2g/L to 3.1g/L. Moreover, coupling of increasing the supply of acetyl-CoA with NADH to achieve fermentative redox balance enabled product synthesis at maximum titers. To this end, the acetate re-assimilation pathway was further optimized to increase acetyl-CoA availability associated with the new supply of NADH. It was found that the acetyl-CoA synthetase activity and intracellular ATP levels constrained the activity of acetate re-assimilation pathway, and 4.7g/L of MCFA titer was finally achieved after alleviating these two limiting factors. To the best of our knowledge, this represented the highest titer reported to date. These results demonstrated that the key constraint of r-BOX was redox imbalance and redox engineering could further unleash the lipogenic potential of this cycle. The redox engineering strategies could be applied to acetyl-CoA-derived products or other bio-products requiring multiple redox cofactors for biosynthesis. Copyright © 2017 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Redox Homeostasis in Plants under Abiotic Stress: Role of electron carriers, energy metabolism mediators and proteinaceous thiols

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhriti Kapoor

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Contemporaneous presence of both oxidized and reduced forms of electron carriers is mandatory in efficient flux by plant electron transport cascades. This requirement is considered as redox poising that involves the movement of electron from multiple sites in respiratory and photosynthetic electron transport chains to molecular oxygen. This flux triggers the formation of superoxide, consequently give rise to other reactive oxygen species (ROS under adverse environmental conditions like drought, high or low temperature, heavy metal stress etc. that plants owing during their life span. Plant cells synthesize ascorbate, an additional hydrophilic redox buffer, which protect the plants against oxidative challenge. Large pools of antioxidants also preside over the redox homeostasis. Besides, tocopherol is a liposoluble redox buffer, which efficiently scavenges the ROS like singlet oxygen. In addition, proteinaceous thiol members such as thioredoxin, peroxiredoxin and glutaredoxin, electron carriers and energy metabolism mediators phosphorylated (NADP and non-phosphorylated (NAD+ coenzyme forms interact with ROS, metabolize and maintain redox homeostasis.

  18. Fruit bats (Pteropodidae) fuel their metabolism rapidly and directly with exogenous sugars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amitai, O; Holtze, S; Barkan, S; Amichai, E; Korine, C; Pinshow, B; Voigt, C C

    2010-08-01

    Previous studies reported that fed bats and birds mostly use recently acquired exogenous nutrients as fuel for flight, rather than endogenous fuels, such as lipids or glycogen. However, this pattern of fuel use may be a simple size-related phenomenon because, to date, only small birds and bats have been studied with respect to the origin of metabolized fuel, and because small animals carry relatively small energy reserves, considering their high mass-specific metabolic rate. We hypothesized that approximately 150 g Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus Pteropodidae), which are more than an order of magnitude heavier than previously studied bats, also catabolize dietary sugars directly and exclusively to fuel both rest and flight metabolism. We based our expectation on the observation that these animals rapidly transport ingested dietary sugars, which are absorbed via passive paracellular pathways in the intestine, to organs of high energy demand. We used the stable carbon isotope ratio in exhaled CO(2) (delta(13)C(breath)) to assess the origin of metabolized substrates in 16 Egyptian fruit bats that were maintained on a diet of C3 plants before experiments. First, we predicted that in resting bats delta(13)C(breath) remains constant when bats ingest C3 sucrose, but increases and converges on the dietary isotopic signature when C4 sucrose and C4 glucose are ingested. Second, if flying fruit bats use exogenous nutrients exclusively to fuel flight, we predicted that delta(13)C(breath) of flying bats would converge on the isotopic signature of the C4 sucrose they were fed. Both resting and flying Egyptian fruit bats, indeed, directly fuelled their metabolism with freshly ingested exogenous substrates. The rate at which the fruit bats oxidized dietary sugars was as fast as in 10 g nectar-feeding bats and 5 g hummingbirds. Our results support the notion that flying bats, irrespective of their size, catabolize dietary sugars directly, and possibly exclusively, to

  19. Metabolic response of Pseudomonas putida during redox biocatalysis in the presence of a second octanol phase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blank, Lars M; Ionidis, Georgios; Ebert, Birgitta E; Bühler, Bruno; Schmid, Andreas

    2008-10-01

    A key limitation of whole-cell redox biocatalysis for the production of valuable, specifically functionalized products is substrate/product toxicity, which can potentially be overcome by using solvent-tolerant micro-organisms. To investigate the inter-relationship of solvent tolerance and energy-dependent biocatalysis, we established a model system for biocatalysis in the presence of toxic low logP(ow) solvents: recombinant solvent-tolerant Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E catalyzing the stereospecific epoxidation of styrene in an aqueous/octanol two-liquid phase reaction medium. Using (13)C tracer based metabolic flux analysis, we investigated the central carbon and energy metabolism and quantified the NAD(P)H regeneration rate in the presence of toxic solvents and during redox biocatalysis, which both drastically increased the energy demands of solvent-tolerant P. putida. According to the driven by demand concept, the NAD(P)H regeneration rate was increased up to eightfold by two mechanisms: (a) an increase in glucose uptake rate without secretion of metabolic side products, and (b) reduced biomass formation. However, in the presence of octanol, only approximately 1% of the maximally observed NAD(P)H regeneration rate could be exploited for styrene epoxidation, of which the rate was more than threefold lower compared with operation with a non-toxic solvent. This points to a high energy and redox cofactor demand for cell maintenance, which limits redox biocatalysis in the presence of octanol. An estimated upper bound for the NAD(P)H regeneration rate available for biocatalysis suggests that cofactor availability does not limit redox biocatalysis under optimized conditions, for example, in the absence of toxic solvent, and illustrates the high metabolic capacity of solvent-tolerant P. putida. This study shows that solvent-tolerant P. putida have the remarkable ability to compensate for high energy demands by boosting their energy metabolism to levels up to an order of

  20. Chromatin-Bound MDM2 Regulates Serine Metabolism and Redox Homeostasis Independently of p53.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riscal, Romain; Schrepfer, Emilie; Arena, Giuseppe; Cissé, Madi Y; Bellvert, Floriant; Heuillet, Maud; Rambow, Florian; Bonneil, Eric; Sabourdy, Frédérique; Vincent, Charles; Ait-Arsa, Imade; Levade, Thierry; Thibaut, Pierre; Marine, Jean-Christophe; Portais, Jean-Charles; Sarry, Jean-Emmanuel; Le Cam, Laurent; Linares, Laetitia K

    2016-06-16

    The mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) oncoprotein is recognized as a major negative regulator of the p53 tumor suppressor, but growing evidence indicates that its oncogenic activities extend beyond p53. Here, we show that MDM2 is recruited to chromatin independently of p53 to regulate a transcriptional program implicated in amino acid metabolism and redox homeostasis. Identification of MDM2 target genes at the whole-genome level highlights an important role for ATF3/4 transcription factors in tethering MDM2 to chromatin. MDM2 recruitment to chromatin is a tightly regulated process that occurs during oxidative stress and serine/glycine deprivation and is modulated by the pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) metabolic enzyme. Depletion of endogenous MDM2 in p53-deficient cells impairs serine/glycine metabolism, the NAD(+)/NADH ratio, and glutathione (GSH) recycling, impacting their redox state and tumorigenic potential. Collectively, our data illustrate a previously unsuspected function of chromatin-bound MDM2 in cancer cell metabolism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Mitochondrial Dysfunction Plus High-Sugar Diet Provokes a Metabolic Crisis That Inhibits Growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemppainen, Esko; George, Jack; Garipler, Görkem; Tuomela, Tea; Kiviranta, Essi; Soga, Tomoyoshi; Dunn, Cory D.; Jacobs, Howard T.

    2016-01-01

    The Drosophila mutant tko25t exhibits a deficiency of mitochondrial protein synthesis, leading to a global insufficiency of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. This entrains an organismal phenotype of developmental delay and sensitivity to seizures induced by mechanical stress. We found that the mutant phenotype is exacerbated in a dose-dependent fashion by high dietary sugar levels. tko25t larvae were found to exhibit severe metabolic abnormalities that were further accentuated by high-sugar diet. These include elevated pyruvate and lactate, decreased ATP and NADPH. Dietary pyruvate or lactate supplementation phenocopied the effects of high sugar. Based on tissue-specific rescue, the crucial tissue in which this metabolic crisis initiates is the gut. It is accompanied by down-regulation of the apparatus of cytosolic protein synthesis and secretion at both the RNA and post-translational levels, including a novel regulation of S6 kinase at the protein level. PMID:26812173

  2. Mitochondrial Dysfunction Plus High-Sugar Diet Provokes a Metabolic Crisis That Inhibits Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemppainen, Esko; George, Jack; Garipler, Görkem; Tuomela, Tea; Kiviranta, Essi; Soga, Tomoyoshi; Dunn, Cory D; Jacobs, Howard T

    2016-01-01

    The Drosophila mutant tko25t exhibits a deficiency of mitochondrial protein synthesis, leading to a global insufficiency of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. This entrains an organismal phenotype of developmental delay and sensitivity to seizures induced by mechanical stress. We found that the mutant phenotype is exacerbated in a dose-dependent fashion by high dietary sugar levels. tko25t larvae were found to exhibit severe metabolic abnormalities that were further accentuated by high-sugar diet. These include elevated pyruvate and lactate, decreased ATP and NADPH. Dietary pyruvate or lactate supplementation phenocopied the effects of high sugar. Based on tissue-specific rescue, the crucial tissue in which this metabolic crisis initiates is the gut. It is accompanied by down-regulation of the apparatus of cytosolic protein synthesis and secretion at both the RNA and post-translational levels, including a novel regulation of S6 kinase at the protein level.

  3. Probing the redox metabolism in the strictly anaerobic, extremely thermophilic, hydrogen-producing Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus using amperometry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kostesha, Natalie; Willquist, Karin; Emnéus, Jenny

    2011-01-01

    Changes in the redox metabolism in the anaerobic, extremely thermophilic, hydrogen-forming bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus were probed for the first time in vivo using mediated amperometry with ferricyanide as a thermotolerant external mediator. Clear differences in the intracellul...... in the intracellular electron flow and to probe redox enzyme properties of a strictly anaerobic thermophile in vivo.......Changes in the redox metabolism in the anaerobic, extremely thermophilic, hydrogen-forming bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus were probed for the first time in vivo using mediated amperometry with ferricyanide as a thermotolerant external mediator. Clear differences in the intracellular...... the NADH-dependent lactate dehydrogenase, upon which more NADH was directed to membrane-associated enzymes for ferricyanide reduction, leading to a higher electrochemical signal. The method is noninvasive and the results presented here demonstrate that this method can be used to accurately detect changes...

  4. High-sugar intake does not exacerbate metabolic abnormalities or cardiac dysfunction in genetic cardiomyopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hecker, Peter A; Galvao, Tatiana F; O'Shea, Karen M; Brown, Bethany H; Henderson, Reney; Riggle, Heather; Gupte, Sachin A; Stanley, William C

    2012-05-01

    A high-sugar intake increases heart disease risk in humans. In animals, sugar intake accelerates heart failure development by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) can fuel ROS production by providing reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) for superoxide generation by NADPH oxidase. Conversely, G6PD also facilitates ROS scavenging using the glutathione pathway. We hypothesized that a high-sugar intake would increase flux through G6PD to increase myocardial NADPH and ROS and accelerate cardiac dysfunction and death. Six-week-old TO-2 hamsters, a non-hypertensive model of genetic cardiomyopathy caused by a δ-sarcoglycan mutation, were fed a long-term diet of high starch or high sugar (57% of energy from sucrose plus fructose). After 24 wk, the δ-sarcoglycan-deficient animals displayed expected decreases in survival and cardiac function associated with cardiomyopathy (ejection fraction: control 68.7 ± 4.5%, TO-2 starch 46.1 ± 3.7%, P sugar 58.0 ± 4.2%, NS, versus TO-2 starch or control; median survival: TO-2 starch 278 d, TO-2 sugar 318 d, P = 0.133). Although the high-sugar intake was expected to exacerbate cardiomyopathy, surprisingly, there was no further decrease in ejection fraction or survival with high sugar compared with starch in cardiomyopathic animals. Cardiomyopathic animals had systemic and cardiac metabolic abnormalities (increased serum lipids and glucose and decreased myocardial oxidative enzymes) that were unaffected by diet. The high-sugar intake increased myocardial superoxide, but NADPH and lipid peroxidation were unaffected. A sugar-enriched diet did not exacerbate ventricular function, metabolic abnormalities, or survival in heart failure despite an increase in superoxide production. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Motile hepatocellular carcinoma cells preferentially secret sugar metabolism regulatory proteins via exosomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jing; Lu, Shaohua; Zhou, Ye; Meng, Kun; Chen, Zhipeng; Cui, Yizhi; Shi, Yunfeng; Wang, Tong; He, Qing-Yu

    2017-07-01

    Exosomes are deliverers of critically functional proteins, capable of transforming target cells in numerous cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We hypothesize that the motility of HCC cells can be featured by comparative proteome of exosomes. Hence, we performed the super-SILAC-based MS analysis on the exosomes secreted by three human HCC cell lines, including the non-motile Hep3B cell, and the motile 97H and LM3 cells. More than 1400 exosomal proteins were confidently quantified in each MS analysis with highly biological reproducibility. We justified that 469 and 443 exosomal proteins represented differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the 97H/Hep3B and LM3/Hep3B comparisons, respectively. These DEPs focused on sugar metabolism-centric canonical pathways per ingenuity pathway analysis, which was consistent with the gene ontology analysis on biological process enrichment. These pathways included glycolysis I, gluconeogenesis I and pentose phosphate pathways; and the DEPs enriched in these pathways could form a tightly connected network. By analyzing the relative abundance of proteins and translating mRNAs, we found significantly positive correlation between exosomes and cells. The involved exosomal proteins were again focusing on sugar metabolism. In conclusion, motile HCC cells tend to preferentially export more sugar metabolism-associated proteins via exosomes that differentiate them from non-motile HCC cells. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Mitochondrial Dysfunction Plus High-Sugar Diet Provokes a Metabolic Crisis That Inhibits Growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esko Kemppainen

    Full Text Available The Drosophila mutant tko25t exhibits a deficiency of mitochondrial protein synthesis, leading to a global insufficiency of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. This entrains an organismal phenotype of developmental delay and sensitivity to seizures induced by mechanical stress. We found that the mutant phenotype is exacerbated in a dose-dependent fashion by high dietary sugar levels. tko25t larvae were found to exhibit severe metabolic abnormalities that were further accentuated by high-sugar diet. These include elevated pyruvate and lactate, decreased ATP and NADPH. Dietary pyruvate or lactate supplementation phenocopied the effects of high sugar. Based on tissue-specific rescue, the crucial tissue in which this metabolic crisis initiates is the gut. It is accompanied by down-regulation of the apparatus of cytosolic protein synthesis and secretion at both the RNA and post-translational levels, including a novel regulation of S6 kinase at the protein level.

  7. TCA Cycle Defects and Cancer: When Metabolism Tunes Redox State.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardaci, Simone; Ciriolo, Maria Rosa

    2012-01-01

    Inborn defects of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes have been known for more than twenty years. Until recently, only recessive mutations were described which, although resulted in severe multisystem syndromes, did not predispose to cancer onset. In the last ten years, a causal role in carcinogenesis has been documented for inherited and acquired alterations in three TCA cycle enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), fumarate hydratase (FH), and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), pointing towards metabolic alterations as the underlying hallmark of cancer. This paper summarizes the neoplastic alterations of the TCA cycle enzymes focusing on the generation of pseudohypoxic phenotype and the alteration of epigenetic homeostasis as the main tumor-promoting effects of the TCA cycle affecting defects. Moreover, we debate on the ability of these mutations to affect cellular redox state and to promote carcinogenesis by impacting on redox biology.

  8. TCA Cycle Defects and Cancer: When Metabolism Tunes Redox State

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone Cardaci

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Inborn defects of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle enzymes have been known for more than twenty years. Until recently, only recessive mutations were described which, although resulted in severe multisystem syndromes, did not predispose to cancer onset. In the last ten years, a causal role in carcinogenesis has been documented for inherited and acquired alterations in three TCA cycle enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH, fumarate hydratase (FH, and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH, pointing towards metabolic alterations as the underlying hallmark of cancer. This paper summarizes the neoplastic alterations of the TCA cycle enzymes focusing on the generation of pseudohypoxic phenotype and the alteration of epigenetic homeostasis as the main tumor-promoting effects of the TCA cycle affecting defects. Moreover, we debate on the ability of these mutations to affect cellular redox state and to promote carcinogenesis by impacting on redox biology.

  9. Vitamin K3 (menadione) redox cycling inhibits cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism and inhibits parathion intoxication

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jan, Yi-Hua [Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Richardson, Jason R., E-mail: jricha3@eohsi.rutgers.edu [Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Baker, Angela A. [Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Mishin, Vladimir [Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Heck, Diane E. [Department of Environmental Health Science, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY (United States); Laskin, Debra L. [Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Laskin, Jeffrey D., E-mail: jlaskin@eohsi.rutgers.edu [Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ (United States)

    2015-10-01

    Parathion, a widely used organophosphate insecticide, is considered a high priority chemical threat. Parathion toxicity is dependent on its metabolism by the cytochrome P450 system to paraoxon (diethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate), a cytotoxic metabolite. As an effective inhibitor of cholinesterases, paraoxon causes the accumulation of acetylcholine in synapses and overstimulation of nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors, leading to characteristic signs of organophosphate poisoning. Inhibition of parathion metabolism to paraoxon represents a potential approach to counter parathion toxicity. Herein, we demonstrate that menadione (methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, vitamin K3) is a potent inhibitor of cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of parathion. Menadione is active in redox cycling, a reaction mediated by NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase that preferentially uses electrons from NADPH at the expense of their supply to the P450s. Using human recombinant CYP 1A2, 2B6, 3A4 and human liver microsomes, menadione was found to inhibit the formation of paraoxon from parathion. Administration of menadione bisulfite (40 mg/kg, ip) to rats also reduced parathion-induced inhibition of brain cholinesterase activity, as well as parathion-induced tremors and the progression of other signs and symptoms of parathion poisoning. These data suggest that redox cycling compounds, such as menadione, have the potential to effectively mitigate the toxicity of organophosphorus pesticides including parathion which require cytochrome P450-mediated activation. - Highlights: • Menadione redox cycles with cytochrome P450 reductase and generates reactive oxygen species. • Redox cycling inhibits cytochrome P450-mediated parathion metabolism. • Short term administration of menadione inhibits parathion toxicity by inhibiting paraoxon formation.

  10. Vitamin K3 (menadione) redox cycling inhibits cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism and inhibits parathion intoxication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jan, Yi-Hua; Richardson, Jason R.; Baker, Angela A.; Mishin, Vladimir; Heck, Diane E.; Laskin, Debra L.; Laskin, Jeffrey D.

    2015-01-01

    Parathion, a widely used organophosphate insecticide, is considered a high priority chemical threat. Parathion toxicity is dependent on its metabolism by the cytochrome P450 system to paraoxon (diethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate), a cytotoxic metabolite. As an effective inhibitor of cholinesterases, paraoxon causes the accumulation of acetylcholine in synapses and overstimulation of nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors, leading to characteristic signs of organophosphate poisoning. Inhibition of parathion metabolism to paraoxon represents a potential approach to counter parathion toxicity. Herein, we demonstrate that menadione (methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, vitamin K3) is a potent inhibitor of cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of parathion. Menadione is active in redox cycling, a reaction mediated by NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase that preferentially uses electrons from NADPH at the expense of their supply to the P450s. Using human recombinant CYP 1A2, 2B6, 3A4 and human liver microsomes, menadione was found to inhibit the formation of paraoxon from parathion. Administration of menadione bisulfite (40 mg/kg, ip) to rats also reduced parathion-induced inhibition of brain cholinesterase activity, as well as parathion-induced tremors and the progression of other signs and symptoms of parathion poisoning. These data suggest that redox cycling compounds, such as menadione, have the potential to effectively mitigate the toxicity of organophosphorus pesticides including parathion which require cytochrome P450-mediated activation. - Highlights: • Menadione redox cycles with cytochrome P450 reductase and generates reactive oxygen species. • Redox cycling inhibits cytochrome P450-mediated parathion metabolism. • Short term administration of menadione inhibits parathion toxicity by inhibiting paraoxon formation.

  11. Redox signaling in plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foyer, Christine H; Noctor, Graham

    2013-06-01

    Our aim is to deliver an authoritative and challenging perspective of current concepts in plant redox signaling, focusing particularly on the complex interface between the redox and hormone-signaling pathways that allow precise control of plant growth and defense in response to metabolic triggers and environmental constraints and cues. Plants produce significant amounts of singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a result of photosynthetic electron transport and metabolism. Such pathways contribute to the compartment-specific redox-regulated signaling systems in plant cells that convey information to the nucleus to regulate gene expression. Like the chloroplasts and mitochondria, the apoplast-cell wall compartment makes a significant contribution to the redox signaling network, but unlike these organelles, the apoplast has a low antioxidant-buffering capacity. The respective roles of ROS, low-molecular antioxidants, redox-active proteins, and antioxidant enzymes are considered in relation to the functions of plant hormones such as salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and auxin, in the composite control of plant growth and defense. Regulation of redox gradients between key compartments in plant cells such as those across the plasma membrane facilitates flexible and multiple faceted opportunities for redox signaling that spans the intracellular and extracellular environments. In conclusion, plants are recognized as masters of the art of redox regulation that use oxidants and antioxidants as flexible integrators of signals from metabolism and the environment.

  12. Vanadate influence on metabolism of sugar phosphates in fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milan Žižić

    Full Text Available The biological and chemical basis of vanadium action in fungi is relatively poorly understood. In the present study, we investigate the influence of vanadate (V5+ on phosphate metabolism of Phycomyces blakesleeanus. Addition of V5+ caused increase of sugar phosphates signal intensities in 31P NMR spectra in vivo. HPLC analysis of mycelial phosphate extracts demonstrated increased concentrations of glucose 6 phosphate, fructose 6 phosphate, fructose 1, 6 phosphate and glucose 1 phosphate after V5+ treatment. Influence of V5+ on the levels of fructose 2, 6 phosphate, glucosamine 6 phosphate and glucose 1, 6 phosphate (HPLC, and polyphosphates, UDPG and ATP (31P NMR was also established. Increase of sugar phosphates content was not observed after addition of vanadyl (V4+, indicating that only vanadate influences its metabolism. Obtained results from in vivo experiments indicate catalytic/inhibitory vanadate action on enzymes involved in reactions of glycolysis and glycogenesis i.e., phosphoglucomutase, phosphofructokinase and glycogen phosphorylase in filamentous fungi.

  13. Sugar consumption, metabolic disease and obesity: The state of the controversy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanhope, Kimber L.

    2016-01-01

    The impact of sugar consumption on health continues to be a controversial topic. The objective of this review is to discuss the evidence and lack of evidence that allows the controversy to continue, and why resolution of the controversy is important. There are plausible mechanisms and research evidence that support the suggestion that consumption of excess sugar promotes the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) both directly and indirectly. The direct pathway involves the unregulated hepatic uptake and metabolism of fructose, which leads to liver lipid accumulation, dyslipidemia, decreased insulin sensitivity and increased uric acid levels. The epidemiological data suggest that these direct effects of fructose are pertinent to the consumption of the fructose-containing sugars, sucrose and HFCS, which are the predominant added sugars. Consumption of added sugar is associated with development and/or prevalence of fatty liver, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, hyperuricemia, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and many of these associations are independent of body weight gain or total energy intake. There are diet intervention studies in which human subjects exhibited increased circulating lipids and decreased insulin sensitivity when consuming high sugar compared with control diets. Most recently, our group has reported that supplementing the ad libitum diets of young adults with beverages containing 0, 10, 17.5 or 25% of daily energy requirement (Ereq) as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) increased lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and uric acid in a dose response manner. However, un-confounded studies conducted in healthy humans under a controlled, energy-balanced diet protocol that allow determination of the effects of sugar with diets that do not allow for body weight gain are lacking. Furthermore, there are recent reports that conclude that there are no adverse effects of consuming beverages

  14. Improving conversion yield of fermentable sugars into fuel ethanol in 1st generation yeast-based production processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gombert, Andreas K; van Maris, Antonius J A

    2015-06-01

    Current fuel ethanol production using yeasts and starch or sucrose-based feedstocks is referred to as 1st generation (1G) ethanol production. These processes are characterized by the high contribution of sugar prices to the final production costs, by high production volumes, and by low profit margins. In this context, small improvements in the ethanol yield on sugars have a large impact on process economy. Three types of strategies used to achieve this goal are discussed: engineering free-energy conservation, engineering redox-metabolism, and decreasing sugar losses in the process. Whereas the two former strategies lead to decreased biomass and/or glycerol formation, the latter requires increased process and/or yeast robustness. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Soil Metabolome and Metabolic Fate: Microbial Insights into Freshwater Tidal Wetland Redox Biogeochemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy Chowdhury, T.; Bramer, L.; Hoyt, D. W.; Kim, Y. M.; Metz, T. O.; McCue, L. A.; Jansson, J.; Bailey, V. L.

    2017-12-01

    Earth System Models predict climate extremes that will impact regional and global hydrology. Aquatic-terrestrial transition zones like wetlands will experience the immediate consequence of climate change as shifts in the magnitude and dynamics of hydrologic flow. Such fluctuating hydrology can alter the structure and function of the soil microbial populations that in turn will alter the nature and rate of biogeochemical transformations and significantly impact the carbon balance of the ecosystem. We tested the impacts of shifting hydrology on the soil microbiome and the role of antecedent moisture condition on redox active microbial processes in soils sampled from a tidal freshwater wetland system in the lower Columbia River, WA, USA. Our objectives were to characterize changes in the soil microbial community composition in response to soil moisture legacy effects, and to elucidate relationships between community response, geochemical signatures and metabolite profiles in this soil. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed significant decreases in bacterial abundance capable of anaerobic metabolism in response to drying, but quickly recovered to the antecedent moisture condition, as observed by redox processes. Metabolomics and biogeochemical process rates generated evidence for moisture-driven redox conditions as principal controls on the community and metabolic function. Fluctuating redox conditions altered terminal electron acceptor and donor availability and recovery strengths of these pools in soil such that a disproportionate release of carbon dioxide stemmed from alternative anaerobic degradation processes like sulfate and iron reduction in compared to methanogenesis. Our results show that anoxic conditions impact microbial communities in both permanently and temporarily saturated conditions and that rapid change in hydrology can increase substrate availability for both aerobic and anaerobic decomposition processes, including methanogenesis.

  16. Redox-based epigenetic status in drug addiction: a potential contributor to gene priming and a mechanistic rationale for metabolic intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trivedi, Malav S; Deth, Richard

    2014-01-01

    Alcohol and other drugs of abuse, including psychostimulants and opioids, can induce epigenetic changes: a contributing factor for drug addiction, tolerance, and associated withdrawal symptoms. DNA methylation is a major epigenetic mechanism and it is one of more than 200 methylation reactions supported by methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Levels of SAM are controlled by cellular redox status via the folate and vitamin B12-dependent enzyme methionine synthase (MS). For example, under oxidative conditions MS is inhibited, diverting its substrate homocysteine (HCY) to the trans sulfuration pathway. Alcohol, dopamine, and morphine, can alter intracellular levels of glutathione (GSH)-based cellular redox status, subsequently affecting SAM levels and DNA methylation status. Here, existing evidence is presented in a coherent manner to propose a novel hypothesis implicating the involvement of redox-based epigenetic changes in drug addiction. Further, we discuss how a "gene priming" phenomenon can contribute to the maintenance of redox and methylation status homeostasis under various stimuli including drugs of abuse. Additionally, a new mechanistic rationale for the use of metabolic interventions/redox-replenishers as symptomatic treatment of alcohol and other drug addiction and associated withdrawal symptoms is also provided. Hence, the current review article strengthens the hypothesis that neuronal metabolism has a critical bidirectional coupling with epigenetic changes in drug addiction exemplified by the link between redox-based metabolic changes and resultant epigenetic consequences under the effect of drugs of abuse.

  17. A Review of Excessive Sugar Metabolism on Oral and General Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chow, Kai Foo

    Stomatologists and dental practitioners, as they are called in different parts of the world according to tradition and history, are basically physicians who specialise in the study and treatment of diseases of the mouth and surrounding structures. They have always been outstanding in advocating the reduction of sugar consumption, mainly due to its direct connection to the pathogenesis of dental caries. Increasingly, it has come to the attention of researchers, epidemiologists and many healthcare workers and professionals that excessive consumption of sugar is also closely tied to the increase in tandem of our current major health issues like obesity, diabetes, heart, liver and kidney disease, and a host of other associated ailments. This development of current health crises throughout the world wherever traditional diets are replaced with modern fast food diets, which are usually packed with hidden, added refined sugars, is extremely troubling. It becomes all the more urgent and incumbent upon clinicians and stomatologists throughout the world to redouble their efforts to reduce and even eliminate the excessive consumption of added or extrinsic or secondary or hidden sugars to food and drinks. It will not only be to reduce dental caries, but also to reduce the many systemic and organ diseases associated with added sugars and which also exacerbate many oral diseases. This review is to give a basic history of sugar, the current understanding of sugar metabolism and the developing literature and research on the impact of sugar consumption on oral and overall health, as the mouth cannot be divorced from the body and vice versa. The author hopes to kick-start more research into this area that will result in various positive developments in the food and drink industry and persuade stakeholders to comprehensively address this universal health crisis that is closely tied to excessive consumption of added sugar in all its forms.

  18. Defects in mitophagy promote redox-driven metabolic syndrome in the absence of TP53INP1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seillier, Marion; Pouyet, Laurent; N'Guessan, Prudence; Nollet, Marie; Capo, Florence; Guillaumond, Fabienne; Peyta, Laure; Dumas, Jean-François; Varrault, Annie; Bertrand, Gyslaine; Bonnafous, Stéphanie; Tran, Albert; Meur, Gargi; Marchetti, Piero; Ravier, Magalie A; Dalle, Stéphane; Gual, Philippe; Muller, Dany; Rutter, Guy A; Servais, Stéphane; Iovanna, Juan L; Carrier, Alice

    2015-06-01

    The metabolic syndrome covers metabolic abnormalities including obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is characterized by insulin resistance resulting from both environmental and genetic factors. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) published in 2010 identified TP53INP1 as a new T2D susceptibility locus, but a pathological mechanism was not identified. In this work, we show that mice lacking TP53INP1 are prone to redox-driven obesity and insulin resistance. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the reactive oxygen species increase in TP53INP1-deficient cells results from accumulation of defective mitochondria associated with impaired PINK/PARKIN mitophagy. This chronic oxidative stress also favors accumulation of lipid droplets. Taken together, our data provide evidence that the GWAS-identified TP53INP1 gene prevents metabolic syndrome, through a mechanism involving prevention of oxidative stress by mitochondrial homeostasis regulation. In conclusion, this study highlights TP53INP1 as a molecular regulator of redox-driven metabolic syndrome and provides a new preclinical mouse model for metabolic syndrome clinical research. © 2015 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

  19. Pyridine nucleotides in regulation of cell death and survival by redox and non-redox reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novak Kujundžić, Renata; Žarković, Neven; Gall Trošelj, Koraljka

    2014-01-01

    Changes of the level and ratios of pyridine nucleotides determine metabolism- dependent cellular redox status and the activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) and sirtuins, thereby influencing several processes closely related to cell survival and death. Pyridine nucleotides participate in numerous metabolic reactions whereby their net cellular level remains constant, but the ratios of NAD+/NADP+ and NADH/NADPH oscillate according to metabolic changes in response to diverse stress signals. In non-redox reactions, NAD+ is degraded and quickly, afterward, resynthesized in the NAD+ salvage pathway, unless overwhelming activation of PARP-1 consumes NAD+ to the point of no return, when the cell can no longer generate enough ATP to accommodate NAD+ resynthesis. The activity of PARP-1 is mandatory for the onset of cytoprotective autophagy on sublethal stress signals. It has become increasingly clear that redox status, largely influenced by the metabolism-dependent composition of the pyridine nucleotides pool, plays an important role in the synthesis of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic sphingolipids. Awareness of the involvement of the prosurvival sphingolipid, sphingosine-1-phosphate, in transition from inflammation to malignant transformation has recently emerged. Here, the participation of pyridine nucleotides in redox and non-redox reactions, sphingolipid metabolism, and their role in cell fate decisions is reviewed.

  20. Sugar-starvation-induced changes of carbon metabolism in excised maize root tips

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dieuaide-Noubhani, M.; Canioni, P.; Raymond, P.

    1997-01-01

    Excised maize (Zea mays L.) root tips were used to study the early metabolic effects of glucose (Glc) starvation. Root tips were prelabeled with [1-13C]Glc so that carbohydrates and metabolic intermediates were close to steady-state labeling, but lipids and proteins were scarcely labeled. They were then incubated in a sugar-deprived medium for carbon starvation. Changes in the level of soluble sugars, the respiratory quotient, and the 13C enrichment of intermediates, as measured by 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, were studied to detect changes in carbon fluxes through glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Labeling of glutamate carbons revealed two major changes in carbon input into the tricarboxylic acid cycle: (a) the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase flux stopped early after the start of Glc starvation, and (b) the contribution of glycolysis as the source of acetyl-coenzyme A for respiration decreased progressively, indicating an increasing contribution of the catabolism of protein amino acids, fatty acids, or both. The enrichment of glutamate carbons gave no evidence for proteolysis in the early steps of starvation, indicating that the catabolism of proteins was delayed compared with that of fatty acids. Labeling of carbohydrates showed that sucrose turnover continues during sugar starvation, but gave no indication for any significant flux through gluconeogenesis

  1. Fat body glycogen serves as a metabolic safeguard for the maintenance of sugar levels in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamada, Takayuki; Habara, Okiko; Kubo, Hitomi; Nishimura, Takashi

    2018-03-14

    Adapting to changes in food availability is a central challenge for survival. Glucose is an important resource for energy production, and therefore many organisms synthesize and retain sugar storage molecules. In insects, glucose is stored in two different forms: the disaccharide trehalose and the branched polymer glycogen. Glycogen is synthesized and stored in several tissues, including in muscle and the fat body. Despite the major role of the fat body as a center for energy metabolism, the importance of its glycogen content remains unclear. Here, we show that glycogen metabolism is regulated in a tissue-specific manner under starvation conditions in the fruit fly Drosophila The mobilization of fat body glycogen in larvae is independent of Adipokinetic hormone (Akh, the glucagon homolog) but is regulated by sugar availability in a tissue-autonomous manner. Fat body glycogen plays a crucial role in the maintenance of circulating sugars, including trehalose, under fasting conditions. These results demonstrate the importance of fat body glycogen as a metabolic safeguard in Drosophila . © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  2. Redox-capacitor to connect electrochemistry to redox-biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Eunkyoung; Leverage, W Taylor; Liu, Yi; White, Ian M; Bentley, William E; Payne, Gregory F

    2014-01-07

    It is well-established that redox-reactions are integral to biology for energy harvesting (oxidative phosphorylation), immune defense (oxidative burst) and drug metabolism (phase I reactions), yet there is emerging evidence that redox may play broader roles in biology (e.g., redox signaling). A critical challenge is the need for tools that can probe biologically-relevant redox interactions simply, rapidly and without the need for a comprehensive suite of analytical methods. We propose that electrochemistry may provide such a tool. In this tutorial review, we describe recent studies with a redox-capacitor film that can serve as a bio-electrode interface that can accept, store and donate electrons from mediators commonly used in electrochemistry and also in biology. Specifically, we (i) describe the fabrication of this redox-capacitor from catechols and the polysaccharide chitosan, (ii) discuss the mechanistic basis for electron exchange, (iii) illustrate the properties of this redox-capacitor and its capabilities for promoting redox-communication between biology and electrodes, and (iv) suggest the potential for enlisting signal processing strategies to "extract" redox information. We believe these initial studies indicate broad possibilities for enlisting electrochemistry and signal processing to acquire "systems level" redox information from biology.

  3. Urinary sugars biomarker relates better to extrinsic than to intrinsic sugars intake in a metabolic study with volunteers consuming their normal diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tasevska, N; Runswick, S A; Welch, A A; McTaggart, A; Bingham, S A

    2009-05-01

    Sugars in diet are very difficult to measure because of the unreliability of self-reported dietary intake. Sucrose and fructose excreted in urine have been recently suggested as a biomarker for total sugars intake. To further characterize the use of this biomarker, we investigated whether urinary sugars correlated better to extrinsic compared to intrinsic sugars in the diet. Seven male and six female healthy participants were living for 30 days in a metabolic suite under strictly controlled conditions consuming their usual diet as assessed beforehand from four consecutive 7-day food diaries kept at home. During the 30-day study, all 24 h urine specimens were collected, validated for their completeness and analysed for sucrose and fructose. The mean total sugars intake in the group was 202+/-69 g day(-1). Daily intake of extrinsic, intrinsic and milk sugars contributed 60.1, 34.4 and 5.5%, to the total sugars intake, respectively. The individuals' 30-day mean sugars excretion levels were significantly correlated with the 30-day means of extrinsic sugars (r=0.84; Psugars intake (r=0.43; P=0.144). In the regression, only extrinsic sugars intake explained a significant proportion of the variability in sugars excretion (adjusted R(2)=0.64; P=0.001); daily excretion of 100 mg sucrose and fructose in urine predicted 124 g of extrinsic total sugars in the diet. Using fewer urinary and dietary measurements in the analysis did not change the overall trend of the findings. In this group of volunteers, sucrose and fructose in urine better correlated to extrinsic than to intrinsic sugars intake.

  4. Redox Biology in Neurological Function, Dysfunction, and Aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, Rodrigo; Vargas, Marcelo R

    2018-04-23

    Reduction oxidation (redox) reactions are central to life and when altered, they can promote disease progression. In the brain, redox homeostasis is recognized to be involved in all aspects of central nervous system (CNS) development, function, aging, and disease. Recent studies have uncovered the diverse nature by which redox reactions and homeostasis contribute to brain physiology, and when dysregulated to pathological consequences. Redox reactions go beyond what is commonly described as oxidative stress and involve redox mechanisms linked to signaling and metabolism. In contrast to the nonspecific nature of oxidative damage, redox signaling involves specific oxidation/reduction reactions that regulate a myriad of neurological processes such as neurotransmission, homeostasis, and degeneration. This Forum is focused on the role of redox metabolism and signaling in the brain. Six review articles from leading scientists in the field that appraise the role of redox metabolism and signaling in different aspects of brain biology including neurodevelopment, neurotransmission, aging, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and neurotoxicity are included. An original research article exemplifying these concepts uncovers a novel link between oxidative modifications, redox signaling, and neurodegeneration. This Forum highlights the recent advances in the field and we hope it encourages future research aimed to understand the mechanisms by which redox metabolism and signaling regulate CNS physiology and pathophysiology. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 00, 000-000.

  5. Redox signalling and mitochondrial stress responses; lessons from inborn errors of metabolism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Rikke K J; Cornelius, Nanna; Gregersen, Niels

    2015-01-01

    Mitochondria play a key role in overall cell physiology and health by integrating cellular metabolism with cellular defense and repair mechanisms in response to physiological or environmental changes or stresses. In fact, dysregulation of mitochondrial stress responses and its consequences...... in the form of oxidative stress, has been linked to a wide variety of diseases including inborn errors of metabolism. In this review we will summarize how the functional state of mitochondria -- and especially the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS), produced in connection with the respiratory...... chain -- regulates cellular stress responses by redox regulation of nuclear gene networks involved in repair systems to maintain cellular homeostasis and health. Based on our own and other's studies we re-introduce the ROS triangle model and discuss how inborn errors of mitochondrial metabolism...

  6. Diglycosyl diselenides alter redox homeostasis and glucose consumption of infective African trypanosomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime Franco

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available With the aim to develop compounds able to target multiple metabolic pathways and, thus, to lower the chances of drug resistance, we investigated the anti-trypanosomal activity and selectivity of a series of symmetric diglycosyl diselenides and disulfides. Of 18 compounds tested the fully acetylated forms of di-β-D-glucopyranosyl and di-β-D-galactopyranosyl diselenides (13 and 15, respectively displayed strong growth inhibition against the bloodstream stage of African trypanosomes (EC50 0.54 μM for 13 and 1.49 μM for 15 although with rather low selectivity (SI < 10 assayed with murine macrophages. Nonacetylated versions of the same sugar diselenides proved to be, however, much less efficient or completely inactive to suppress trypanosome growth. Significantly, the galactosyl (15, and to a minor extent the glucosyl (13, derivative inhibited glucose catabolism but not its uptake. Both compounds induced redox unbalance in the pathogen. In vitro NMR analysis indicated that diglycosyl diselenides react with glutathione, under physiological conditions, via formation of selenenylsulfide bonds. Our results suggest that non-specific cellular targets as well as actors of the glucose and the redox metabolism of the parasite may be affected. These molecules are therefore promising leads for the development of novel multitarget antitrypanosomal agents. Keywords: Glutathione, Redox biosensor, Selenosugar, Trypanosome inhibition, Selenium NMR

  7. The Redox Proteome*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Go, Young-Mi; Jones, Dean P.

    2013-01-01

    The redox proteome consists of reversible and irreversible covalent modifications that link redox metabolism to biologic structure and function. These modifications, especially of Cys, function at the molecular level in protein folding and maturation, catalytic activity, signaling, and macromolecular interactions and at the macroscopic level in control of secretion and cell shape. Interaction of the redox proteome with redox-active chemicals is central to macromolecular structure, regulation, and signaling during the life cycle and has a central role in the tolerance and adaptability to diet and environmental challenges. PMID:23861437

  8. The redox mechanism for vascular barrier dysfunction associated with metabolic disorders: Glutathionylation of Rac1 in endothelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Jingyan; Weisbrod, Robert M; Shao, Di; Watanabe, Yosuke; Yin, Xiaoyan; Bachschmid, Markus M; Seta, Francesca; Janssen-Heininger, Yvonne M W; Matsui, Reiko; Zang, Mengwei; Hamburg, Naomi M; Cohen, Richard A

    2016-10-01

    Oxidative stress is implicated in increased vascular permeability associated with metabolic disorders, but the underlying redox mechanism is poorly defined. S-glutathionylation, a stable adduct of glutathione with protein sulfhydryl, is a reversible oxidative modification of protein and is emerging as an important redox signaling paradigm in cardiovascular physiopathology. The present study determines the role of protein S-glutathionylation in metabolic stress-induced endothelial cell permeability. In endothelial cells isolated from patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus, protein S-glutathionylation level was increased. This change was also observed in aortic endothelium in ApoE deficient (ApoE -/- ) mice fed on Western diet. Metabolic stress-induced protein S-glutathionylation in human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) was positively correlated with elevated endothelial cell permeability, as reflected by disassembly of cell-cell adherens junctions and cortical actin structures. These impairments were reversed by adenoviral overexpression of a specific de-glutathionylation enzyme, glutaredoxin-1 in cultured HAECs. Consistently, transgenic overexpression of human Glrx-1 in ApoE -/- mice fed the Western diet attenuated endothelial protein S-glutathionylation, actin cytoskeletal disorganization, and vascular permeability in the aorta. Mechanistically, glutathionylation and inactivation of Rac1, a small RhoGPase, were associated with endothelial hyperpermeability caused by metabolic stress. Glutathionylation of Rac1 on cysteine 81 and 157 located adjacent to guanine nucleotide binding site was required for the metabolic stress to inhibit Rac1 activity and promote endothelial hyperpermeability. Glutathionylation and inactivation of Rac1 in endothelial cells represent a novel redox mechanism of vascular barrier dysfunction associated with metabolic disorders. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Photorespiratory metabolism: genes, mutants, energetics, and redox signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foyer, Christine H; Bloom, Arnold J; Queval, Guillaume; Noctor, Graham

    2009-01-01

    Photorespiration is a high-flux pathway that operates alongside carbon assimilation in C(3) plants. Because most higher plant species photosynthesize using only the C(3) pathway, photorespiration has a major impact on cellular metabolism, particularly under high light, high temperatures, and CO(2) or water deficits. Although the functions of photorespiration remain controversial, it is widely accepted that this pathway influences a wide range of processes from bioenergetics, photosystem II function, and carbon metabolism to nitrogen assimilation and respiration. Crucially, the photorespiratory pathway is a major source of H(2)O(2) in photosynthetic cells. Through H(2)O(2) production and pyridine nucleotide interactions, photorespiration makes a key contribution to cellular redox homeostasis. In so doing, it influences multiple signaling pathways, particularly those that govern plant hormonal responses controlling growth, environmental and defense responses, and programmed cell death. The potential influence of photorespiration on cell physiology and fate is thus complex and wide ranging. The genes, pathways, and signaling functions of photorespiration are considered here in the context of whole plant biology, with reference to future challenges and human interventions to diminish photorespiratory flux.

  10. Overview on sugar metabolism and its control in Lactococcus lactis - The input from in vivo NMR

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Neves, AR; Pool, WA; Kok, J; Kuipers, OP; Santos, H; Neves, Ana Rute; Pool, Wietske A.

    The wide application of lactic acid bacteria in the production of fermented foods depends to a great extent on the unique features of sugar metabolism in these organisms. The relative metabolic simplicity and the availability of genetic tools made Lactococcus lactis the organism of choice to gain

  11. Clinical significance of determination of serum leptin, insulin levels and blood sugar in pregnant women with glucose metabolism disturbances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Suqing; Li Yusheng; Wang Lin; Chu Kaiqiu

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the changes of serum leptin, insulin levels and blood sugar contents in pregnant women with gestational glucose metabolism disturbances. Methods: Fasting and 3h after oral 50g glucose serum levels of leptin were measured with RIA in 36 pregnant women with glucose metabolism disturbances (gestational diabetes mellitus or gestational impaired glucose tolerance) and 34 controls. Also, fasting serum insulin levels (with CLIA) and blood sugar contents 1h after oral 50 glucose (with glucose oxidase method) were determined in all these subjects. Results: 1. Serum levels of leptin in pregnant women with glucose metabolism disturbances were 14.9 ± 4.3 μg/L (vs controls 9.8 ± 1.7 μg/L, P<0.01). 2. The serum levels of insulin and 1 h post - 50g glucose blood sugar contents in pregnant women with glucose metabolism disturbances were 12.9±4.3mU/L and 11.0±1.4mmol/L respectively, which were both significantly positively correlated with the serum leptin levels (r=0.835, r=0.758 respectively) (vs levels in controls: 8.45±3.0mU/L and 7.84±1.3mmol/L). Conclusion: Elevation of fasting serum levels of leptin was demonstrated in pregnant women with glucose metabolism disturbances and the level of leptin was positively correlated with that of insulin and blood sugar. (authors)

  12. Effect of long-term fertilization on humic redox mediators in multiple microbial redox reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Peng; Zhang, Chunfang; Wang, Yi; Yu, Xinwei; Zhang, Zhichao; Zhang, Dongdong

    2018-03-01

    This study investigated the effects of different long-term fertilizations on humic substances (HSs), humic acids (HAs) and humins, functioning as redox mediators for various microbial redox biotransformations, including 2,2',4,4',5,5'- hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153 ) dechlorination, dissimilatory iron reduction, and nitrate reduction, and their electron-mediating natures. The redox activity of HSs for various microbial redox metabolisms was substantially enhanced by long-term application of organic fertilizer (pig manure). As a redox mediator, only humin extracted from soils with organic fertilizer amendment (OF-HM) maintained microbial PCB 153 dechlorination activity (1.03 μM PCB 153 removal), and corresponding HA (OF-HA) most effectively enhanced iron reduction and nitrate reduction by Shewanella putrefaciens. Electrochemical analysis confirmed the enhancement of their electron transfer capacity and redox properties. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that C=C and C=O bonds, and carboxylic or phenolic groups in HSs might be the redox functional groups affected by fertilization. This research enhances our understanding of the influence of anthropogenic fertility on the biogeochemical cycling of elements and in situ remediation ability in agroecosystems through microorganisms' metabolisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Balancing cellular redox metabolism in microbial electrosynthesis and electro fermentation - A chance for metabolic engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kracke, Frauke; Lai, Bin; Yu, Shiqin; Krömer, Jens O

    2018-01-01

    More and more microbes are discovered that are capable of extracellular electron transfer, a process in which they use external electrodes as electron donors or acceptors for metabolic reactions. This feature can be used to overcome cellular redox limitations and thus optimizing microbial production. The technologies, termed microbial electrosynthesis and electro-fermentation, have the potential to open novel bio-electro production platforms from sustainable energy and carbon sources. However, the performance of reported systems is currently limited by low electron transport rates between microbes and electrodes and our limited ability for targeted engineering of these systems due to remaining knowledge gaps about the underlying fundamental processes. Metabolic engineering offers many opportunities to optimize these processes, for instance by genetic engineering of pathways for electron transfer on the one hand and target product synthesis on the other hand. With this review, we summarize the status quo of knowledge and engineering attempts around chemical production in bio-electrochemical systems from a microbe perspective. Challenges associated with the introduction or enhancement of extracellular electron transfer capabilities into production hosts versus the engineering of target compound synthesis pathways in natural exoelectrogens are discussed. Recent advances of the research community in both directions are examined critically. Further, systems biology approaches, for instance using metabolic modelling, are examined for their potential to provide insight into fundamental processes and to identify targets for metabolic engineering. Copyright © 2017 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Compartmentation of redox metabolism in malaria parasites.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian Kehr

    Full Text Available Malaria, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium, still represents a major threat to human health and welfare and leads to about one million human deaths annually. Plasmodium is a rapidly multiplying unicellular organism undergoing a complex developmental cycle in man and mosquito - a life style that requires rapid adaptation to various environments. In order to deal with high fluxes of reactive oxygen species and maintain redox regulatory processes and pathogenicity, Plasmodium depends upon an adequate redox balance. By systematically studying the subcellular localization of the major antioxidant and redox regulatory proteins, we obtained the first complete map of redox compartmentation in Plasmodium falciparum. We demonstrate the targeting of two plasmodial peroxiredoxins and a putative glyoxalase system to the apicoplast, a non-photosynthetic plastid. We furthermore obtained a complete picture of the compartmentation of thioredoxin- and glutaredoxin-like proteins. Notably, for the two major antioxidant redox-enzymes--glutathione reductase and thioredoxin reductase--Plasmodium makes use of alternative-translation-initiation (ATI to achieve differential targeting. Dual localization of proteins effected by ATI is likely to occur also in other Apicomplexa and might open new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

  15. Characterization of Sugar Contents and Sucrose Metabolizing Enzymes in Developing Leaves of Hevea brasiliensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinheng Zhu

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Sucrose-metabolizing enzymes in plant leaves have hitherto been investigated mainly in temperate plants, and rarely conducted in tandem with gene expression and sugar analysis. Here, we investigated the sugar content, gene expression, and the activity of sucrose-metabolizing enzymes in the leaves of Hevea brasiliensis, a tropical tree widely cultivated for natural rubber. Sucrose, fructose and glucose were the major sugars detected in Hevea leaves at four developmental stages (I to IV, with starch and quebrachitol as minor saccharides. Fructose and glucose contents increased until stage III, but decreased strongly at stage IV (mature leaves. On the other hand, sucrose increased continuously throughout leaf development. Activities of all sucrose-cleaving enzymes decreased markedly at maturation, consistent with transcript decline for most of their encoding genes. Activity of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS was low in spite of its high transcript levels at maturation. Hence, the high sucrose content in mature leaves was not due to increased sucrose-synthesizing activity, but more to the decline in sucrose cleavage. Gene expression and activities of sucrose-metabolizing enzymes in Hevea leaves showed striking differences compared with other plants. Unlike in most other species where vacuolar invertase predominates in sucrose cleavage in developing leaves, cytoplasmic invertase and sucrose synthase (cleavage direction also featured prominently in Hevea. Whereas SPS is normally responsible for sucrose synthesis in plant leaves, sucrose synthase (synthesis direction was comparable or higher than that of SPS in Hevea leaves. Mature Hevea leaves had an unusually high sucrose:starch ratio of about 11, the highest reported to date in plants.

  16. DsSWEET17, a Tonoplast-Localized Sugar Transporter from Dianthus spiculifolius, Affects Sugar Metabolism and Confers Multiple Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aimin Zhou

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Plant SWEETs (Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters affect the growth of plants by regulating the transport of sugar from source to sink and its intracellular transport between different organelles. In this study, DsSWEET17 from Dianthus spiculifolius was identified and characterized. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression of DsSWEET17 was affected by exogenous application of fructose and glucose as well as under salt, osmotic, and oxidation stress. Colocalization experiments showed that the DsSWEET17-GFP (green fluorescent protein fusion protein was localized to the FM4-64-labeled tonoplasts in Arabidopsis. Compared to the wild type, the transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing DsSWEET17 had longer roots, greater fresh weight, and a faster root growth upon exogenous application of fructose. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings had significantly higher fructose accumulation than was observed for the wild-type seedlings. The analysis of root length revealed that transgenic Arabidopsis had higher tolerance to salt, osmotic, and oxidative stresses. Taken together, our results suggest that DsSWEET17 may be a tonoplast sugar transporter, and its overexpression affects sugar metabolism and confers multiple stress tolerance in Arabidopsis.

  17. DsSWEET17, a Tonoplast-Localized Sugar Transporter from Dianthus spiculifolius, Affects Sugar Metabolism and Confers Multiple Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Aimin; Ma, Hongping; Feng, Shuang; Gong, Shufang; Wang, Jingang

    2018-05-24

    Plant SWEETs (Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters) affect the growth of plants by regulating the transport of sugar from source to sink and its intracellular transport between different organelles. In this study, DsSWEET17 from Dianthus spiculifolius was identified and characterized. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression of DsSWEET17 was affected by exogenous application of fructose and glucose as well as under salt, osmotic, and oxidation stress. Colocalization experiments showed that the DsSWEET17-GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion protein was localized to the FM4-64-labeled tonoplasts in Arabidopsis . Compared to the wild type, the transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing DsSWEET17 had longer roots, greater fresh weight, and a faster root growth upon exogenous application of fructose. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings had significantly higher fructose accumulation than was observed for the wild-type seedlings. The analysis of root length revealed that transgenic Arabidopsis had higher tolerance to salt, osmotic, and oxidative stresses. Taken together, our results suggest that DsSWEET17 may be a tonoplast sugar transporter, and its overexpression affects sugar metabolism and confers multiple stress tolerance in Arabidopsis .

  18. Transcript profiles uncover temporal and stress-induced changes of metabolic pathways in germinating sugar beet seeds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Windhövel Andrea

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background With a cultivation area of 1.75 Mio ha and sugar yield of 16.7 Mio tons in 2006, sugar beet is a crop of great economic importance in Europe. The productivity of sugar beet is determined significantly by seed vigour and field emergence potential; however, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying these traits. Both traits exhibit large variations within sugar beet germplasm that have been difficult to ascribe to either environmental or genetic causes. Among potential targets for trait improvement, an enhancement of stress tolerance is considered because of the high negative influence of environmental stresses on trait parameters. Extending our knowledge of genetic and molecular determinants of sugar beet germination, stress response and adaptation mechanisms would facilitate the detection of new targets for breeding crop with an enhanced field emergence potential. Results To gain insight into the sugar beet germination we initiated an analysis of gene expression in a well emerging sugar beet hybrid showing high germination potential under various environmental conditions. A total of 2,784 ESTs representing 2,251 'unigenes' was generated from dry mature and germinating seeds. Analysis of the temporal expression of these genes during germination under non-stress conditions uncovered drastic transcriptional changes accompanying a shift from quiescent to metabolically active stages of the plant life cycle. Assay of germination under stressful conditions revealed 157 genes showing significantly different expression patterns in response to stress. As deduced from transcriptome data, stress adaptation mechanisms included an alteration in reserve mobilization pathways, an accumulation of the osmoprotectant glycine betaine, late embryogenesis abundant proteins and detoxification enzymes. The observed transcriptional changes are supposed to be regulated by ABA-dependent signal transduction pathway. Conclusion This study

  19. Chloroplast Redox Poise

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steccanella, Verdiana

    the redox status of the plastoquinone pool and chlorophyll biosynthesis. Furthermore, in the plant cell, the equilibrium between redox reactions and ROS signals is also maintained by various balancing mechanisms among which the thioredoxin reductase-thioredoxin system (TR-Trx) stands out as a mediator......The redox state of the chloroplast is maintained by a delicate balance between energy production and consumption and is affected by the need to avoid increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Redox power and ROS generated in the chloroplast are essential for maintaining physiological...... metabolic pathways and for optimizing chloroplast functions. The redox poise of photosynthetic electron transport components like plastoquinone is crucial to initiate signaling cascades and might also be involved in key biosynthetic pathways such as chlorophyll biosynthesis. We, therefore, explored...

  20. Blocking hexose entry into glycolysis activates alternative metabolic conversion of these sugars and upregulates pentose metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khosravi, Claire; Battaglia, Evy; Kun, Roland S.; Dalhuijsen, Sacha; Visser, Jaap; Aguilar-Pontes, Maria V.; Zhou, Miamiao; Heyman, Heino M.; Kim, Young-Mo; Baker, Scott E.; de Vries, Ronald P.

    2018-03-22

    Background: Plant biomass is the most abundant carbon source for many fungal species. In the biobased industry fungi are used to produce lignocellulolytic enzymes to degrade agricultural waste biomass. Here we evaluated if it would be possible to create an Aspergillus nidulans strain that releases but does not metabolize hexoses from plant biomass. For this purpose, metabolic mutants were generated that were impaired in glycolysis, by using hexokinase (hxkA) and glucokinase (glkA) negative strains. To prevent repression of enzyme production due to the hexose accumulation, strains were generated that combined these mutations with a deletion in creA, the repressor involved in regulating preferential use of different carbon catabolic pathways. Results: Phenotypic analysis revealed reduced growth for the hxkA1 glkA4 mutant on wheat bran. However, hexoses did not accumulate during growth of the mutants on wheat bran, suggesting that glucose metabolism is re-routed towards alternative carbon catabolic pathways. The creAΔ4 mutation in combination with preventing initial phosphorylation in glycolysis resulted in better growth than the hxkA/glkA mutant and an increased expression of pentose catabolic and pentose phosphate pathway genes. This indicates that the reduced ability to use hexoses as carbon sources created a shift towards the pentose fraction of wheat bran as a major carbon source to support growth. Conclusion: Blocking the direct entry of hexoses to glycolysis activates alternative metabolic conversion of these sugars in A. nidulans during growth on plant biomass, but also upregulates conversion of other sugars, such as pentoses.

  1. Sugar utilization patterns and respiro-fermentative metabolism in the baker's yeast Torulaspora delbrueckii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alves-Araújo, C; Pacheco, A; Almeida, M J; Spencer-Martins, I; Leão, C; Sousa, M J

    2007-03-01

    The highly osmo- and cryotolerant yeast species Torulaspora delbrueckii is an important case study among the non-Saccharomyces yeast species. The strain T. delbrueckii PYCC 5321, isolated from traditional corn and rye bread dough in northern Portugal, is considered particularly interesting for the baking industry. This paper reports the sugar utilization patterns of this strain, using media with glucose, maltose and sucrose, alone or in mixtures. Kinetics of growth, biomass and ethanol yields, fermentation and respiration rates, hydrolase activities and sugar uptake rates were used to infer the potential applied relevance of this yeast in comparison to a conventional baker's strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results showed that both maltase and maltose transport in T. delbrueckii were subject to glucose repression and maltose induction, whereas invertase was subject to glucose control but not dependent on sucrose induction. A comparative analysis of specific sugar consumption rates and transport capacities suggests that the transport step limits both glucose and maltose metabolism. Specific rates of CO(2) production and O(2) consumption showed a significantly higher contribution of respiration to the overall metabolism in T. delbrueckii than in S. cerevisiae. This was reflected in the biomass yields from batch cultures and could represent an asset for the large-scale production of the former species. This work contributes to a better understanding of the physiology of a non-conventional yeast species, with a view to the full exploitation of T. delbrueckii by the baking industry.

  2. Analyzing redox balance in a synthetic yeast platform to improve utilization of brown macroalgae as feedstock

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C.A. Contador

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Macroalgae have high potential to be an efficient, and sustainable feedstock for the production of biofuels and other more valuable chemicals. Attempts have been made to enable the co-fermentation of alginate and mannitol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae to unlock the full potential of this marine biomass. However, the efficient use of the sugars derived from macroalgae depends on the equilibrium of cofactors derived from the alginate and mannitol catabolic pathways. There are a number of strong metabolic limitations that have to be tackled before this bioconversion can be carried out efficiently by engineered yeast cells.An analysis of the redox balance during ethanol fermentation from alginate and mannitol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae using metabolic engineering tools was carried out. To represent the strain designed for conversion of macroalgae carbohydrates to ethanol, a context-specific model was derived from the available yeast genome-scale metabolic reconstructions. Flux balance analysis and dynamic simulations were used to determine the flux distributions. The model indicates that ethanol production is determined by the activity of 4-deoxy-l-erythro-5-hexoseulose uronate (DEHU reductase (DehR and its preferences for NADH or NADPH which influences strongly the flow of cellular resources. Different scenarios were explored to determine the equilibrium between NAD(H and NADP(H that will lead to increased ethanol yields on mannitol and DEHU under anaerobic conditions. When rates of mannitol dehydrogenase and DehRNADH tend to be close to a ratio in the range 1–1.6, high growth rates and ethanol yields were predicted. The analysis shows a number of metabolic limitations that are not easily identified through experimental procedures such as quantifying the impact of the cofactor preference by DEHU reductase in the system, the low flux into the alginate catabolic pathway, and a detailed analysis of the redox balance. These results show that

  3. Mitochondrial redox biology and homeostasis in plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noctor, Graham; De Paepe, Rosine; Foyer, Christine H

    2007-03-01

    Mitochondria are key players in plant cell redox homeostasis and signalling. Earlier concepts that regarded mitochondria as secondary to chloroplasts as the powerhouses of photosynthetic cells, with roles in cell proliferation, death and ageing described largely by analogy to animal paradigms, have been replaced by the new philosophy of integrated cellular energy and redox metabolism involving mitochondria and chloroplasts. Thanks to oxygenic photosynthesis, plant mitochondria often operate in an oxygen- and carbohydrate-rich environment. This rather unique environment necessitates extensive flexibility in electron transport pathways and associated NAD(P)-linked enzymes. In this review, mitochondrial redox metabolism is discussed in relation to the integrated cellular energy and redox function that controls plant cell biology and fate.

  4. Modular design of metabolic network for robust production of n-butanol from galactose-glucose mixtures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Hyun Gyu; Lim, Jae Hyung; Jung, Gyoo Yeol

    2015-01-01

    Refactoring microorganisms for efficient production of advanced biofuel such as n-butanol from a mixture of sugars in the cheap feedstock is a prerequisite to achieve economic feasibility in biorefinery. However, production of biofuel from inedible and cheap feedstock is highly challenging due to the slower utilization of biomass-driven sugars, arising from complex assimilation pathway, difficulties in amplification of biosynthetic pathways for heterologous metabolite, and redox imbalance caused by consuming intracellular reducing power to produce quite reduced biofuel. Even with these problems, the microorganisms should show robust production of biofuel to obtain industrial feasibility. Thus, refactoring microorganisms for efficient conversion is highly desirable in biofuel production. In this study, we engineered robust Escherichia coli to accomplish high production of n-butanol from galactose-glucose mixtures via the design of modular pathway, an efficient and systematic way, to reconstruct the entire metabolic pathway with many target genes. Three modular pathways designed using the predictable genetic elements were assembled for efficient galactose utilization, n-butanol production, and redox re-balancing to robustly produce n-butanol from a sugar mixture of galactose and glucose. Specifically, the engineered strain showed dramatically increased n-butanol production (3.3-fold increased to 6.2 g/L after 48-h fermentation) compared to the parental strain (1.9 g/L) in galactose-supplemented medium. Moreover, fermentation with mixtures of galactose and glucose at various ratios from 2:1 to 1:2 confirmed that our engineered strain was able to robustly produce n-butanol regardless of sugar composition with simultaneous utilization of galactose and glucose. Collectively, modular pathway engineering of metabolic network can be an effective approach in strain development for optimal biofuel production with cost-effective fermentable sugars. To the best of our

  5. Redox system and phospholipid metabolism in the kidney of hypertensive rats after FAAH inhibitor URB597 administration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michał Biernacki

    2018-05-01

    In conclusion, because URB597 disturbed the kidney redox system and phospholipid ROS-dependent and enzymatic-dependent metabolism, the administration of this inhibitor may enhance kidney disorders depending on model of hypertension, but may also cause kidney disturbances in control rats. Therefore, further studies are warranted.

  6. Redox Regulation of Mitochondrial Function

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handy, Diane E.

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Redox-dependent processes influence most cellular functions, such as differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Mitochondria are at the center of these processes, as mitochondria both generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that drive redox-sensitive events and respond to ROS-mediated changes in the cellular redox state. In this review, we examine the regulation of cellular ROS, their modes of production and removal, and the redox-sensitive targets that are modified by their flux. In particular, we focus on the actions of redox-sensitive targets that alter mitochondrial function and the role of these redox modifications on metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, receptor-mediated signaling, and apoptotic pathways. We also consider the role of mitochondria in modulating these pathways, and discuss how redox-dependent events may contribute to pathobiology by altering mitochondrial function. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 16, 1323–1367. PMID:22146081

  7. Perturbations of amino acid metabolism associated with glyphosate-dependent inhibition of shikimic acid metabolism affect cellular redox homeostasis and alter the abundance of proteins involved in photosynthesis and photorespiration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivancos, Pedro Diaz; Driscoll, Simon P; Bulman, Christopher A; Ying, Liu; Emami, Kaveh; Treumann, Achim; Mauve, Caroline; Noctor, Graham; Foyer, Christine H

    2011-09-01

    The herbicide glyphosate inhibits the shikimate pathway of the synthesis of amino acids such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. However, much uncertainty remains concerning precisely how glyphosate kills plants or affects cellular redox homeostasis and related processes in glyphosate-sensitive and glyphosate-resistant crop plants. To address this issue, we performed an integrated study of photosynthesis, leaf proteomes, amino acid profiles, and redox profiles in the glyphosate-sensitive soybean (Glycine max) genotype PAN809 and glyphosate-resistant Roundup Ready Soybean (RRS). RRS leaves accumulated much more glyphosate than the sensitive line but showed relatively few changes in amino acid metabolism. Photosynthesis was unaffected by glyphosate in RRS leaves, but decreased abundance of photosynthesis/photorespiratory pathway proteins was observed together with oxidation of major redox pools. While treatment of a sensitive genotype with glyphosate rapidly inhibited photosynthesis and triggered the appearance of a nitrogen-rich amino acid profile, there was no evidence of oxidation of the redox pools. There was, however, an increase in starvation-associated and defense proteins. We conclude that glyphosate-dependent inhibition of soybean leaf metabolism leads to the induction of defense proteins without sustained oxidation. Conversely, the accumulation of high levels of glyphosate in RRS enhances cellular oxidation, possibly through mechanisms involving stimulation of the photorespiratory pathway.

  8. Redox Impact on Starch Biosynthetic Enzymes in Arabidopsis thaliana

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skryhan, Katsiaryna

    Summary The thesis provides new insight into the influence of the plant cell redox state on the transient starch metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana with a focus on starch biosynthetic enzymes. Two main hypotheses forms the basis of this thesis: 1) photosynthesis and starch metabolism are coordina......Summary The thesis provides new insight into the influence of the plant cell redox state on the transient starch metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana with a focus on starch biosynthetic enzymes. Two main hypotheses forms the basis of this thesis: 1) photosynthesis and starch metabolism...... are coordinated by the redox state of the cell via post-translational modification of the starch metabolic enzymes containing redox active cysteine residues and these cysteine residues became cross-linked upon oxidation providing a conformational change leading to activity loss; 2) cysteine residues...... of chloroplast enzymes can play a role not only in enzyme activity and redox sensitivity but also in protein folding and stability upon oxidation. Several redox sensitive enzymes identified in this study can serve as potential targets to control the carbon flux to and from starch during the day and night...

  9. Metabolic engineering pathways for rare sugars biosynthesis, physiological functionalities, and applications-a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilal, Muhammad; Iqbal, Hafiz M N; Hu, Hongbo; Wang, Wei; Zhang, Xuehong

    2017-06-29

    Biomolecules like rare sugars and their derivatives are referred to as monosaccharides particularly uncommon in nature. Remarkably, many of them have various known physiological functions and biotechnological applications in cosmetics, nutrition, and pharmaceutical industries. Also, they can be exploited as starting materials for synthesizing fascinating natural bioproducts with significant biological activities. Regrettably, most of the rare sugars are quite expensive, and their synthetic chemical routes are both limited and economically unfeasible due to expensive raw materials. On the other hand, their production by enzymatic means often suffers from low space-time yields and high catalyst costs due to hasty enzyme denaturation/degradation. In this context, biosynthesis of rare sugars with industrial importance is receiving renowned scientific attention, across the globe. Moreover, the utilization of renewable resources as energy sources via microbial fermentation or microbial metabolic engineering has appeared a new tool. This article presents a comprehensive review of physiological functions and biotechnological applications of rare ketohexoses and aldohexoses, including D-psicose, D-tagatose, L-tagatose, D-sorbose, L-fructose, D-allose, L-glucose, D-gulose, L-talose, L-galactose, and L-fucose. Novel in-vivo recombination pathways based on aldolase and phosphatase for the biosynthesis of rare sugars, particularly D-psicose and D-sorbose using robust microbial strains are also deliberated.

  10. Redox sensor proteins for highly sensitive direct imaging of intracellular redox state.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiura, Kazunori; Nagai, Takeharu; Nakano, Masahiro; Ichinose, Hiroshi; Nakabayashi, Takakazu; Ohta, Nobuhiro; Hisabori, Toru

    2015-02-13

    Intracellular redox state is a critical factor for fundamental cellular functions, including regulation of the activities of various metabolic enzymes as well as ROS production and elimination. Genetically-encoded fluorescent redox sensors, such as roGFP (Hanson, G. T., et al. (2004)) and Redoxfluor (Yano, T., et al. (2010)), have been developed to investigate the redox state of living cells. However, these sensors are not useful in cells that contain, for example, other colored pigments. We therefore intended to obtain simpler redox sensor proteins, and have developed oxidation-sensitive fluorescent proteins called Oba-Q (oxidation balance sensed quenching) proteins. Our sensor proteins derived from CFP and Sirius can be used to monitor the intracellular redox state as their fluorescence is drastically quenched upon oxidation. These blue-shifted spectra of the Oba-Q proteins enable us to monitor various redox states in conjunction with other sensor proteins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Sugar Allocation to Metabolic Pathways is Tightly Regulated and Affects the Virulence of Streptococcus mutans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miki Kawada-Matsuo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Bacteria take up and metabolize sugar as a carbohydrate source for survival. Most bacteria can utilize many sugars, including glucose, sucrose, and galactose, as well as amino sugars, such as glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine. After entering the cytoplasm, the sugars are mainly allocated to the glycolysis pathway (energy production and to various bacterial component biosynthesis pathways, including the cell wall, nucleic acids and amino acids. Sugars are also utilized to produce several virulence factors, such as capsule and lipoteichoic acid. Glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase (GlmS and glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase (NagB have crucial roles in sugar distribution to the glycolysis pathway and to cell wall biosynthesis. In Streptococcus mutans, a cariogenic pathogen, the expression levels of glmS and nagB are coordinately regulated in response to the presence or absence of amino sugars. In addition, the disruption of this regulation affects the virulence of S. mutans. The expression of nagB and glmS is regulated by NagR in S. mutans, but the precise mechanism underlying glmS regulation is not clear. In Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, the mRNA of glmS has ribozyme activity and undergoes self-degradation at the mRNA level. However, there is no ribozyme activity region on glmS mRNA in S. mutans. In this review article, we summarize the sugar distribution, particularly the coordinated regulation of GlmS and NagB expression, and its relationship with the virulence of S. mutans.

  12. Identification of candidate genes involved in the sugar metabolism and accumulation during pear fruit post-harvest ripening of 'Red Clapp's Favorite' (Pyrus communis L.) by transcriptome analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Long; Chen, Yun; Wang, Suke; Xue, Huabai; Su, Yanli; Yang, Jian; Li, Xiugen

    2018-01-01

    Pear ( Pyrus spp.) is a popular fruit that is commercially cultivated in most temperate regions. In fruits, sugar metabolism and accumulation are important factors for fruit organoleptic quality. Post-harvest ripening is a special feature of 'Red Clapp's Favorite'. In this study, transcriptome sequencing based on the Illumina platform generated 23.8 - 35.8 million unigenes of nine cDNA libraries constructed using RNAs from the 'Red Clapp's Favorite' pear variety with different treatments, in which 2629 new genes were discovered, and 2121 of them were annotated. A total of 2146 DEGs, 3650 DEGs, 1830 DEGs from each comparison were assembled. Moreover, the gene expression patterns of 8 unigenes related to sugar metabolism revealed by qPCR. The main constituents of soluble sugars were fructose and glucose after pear fruit post-harvest ripening, and five unigenes involved in sugar metabolism were discovered. Our study not only provides a large-scale assessment of transcriptome resources of 'Red Clapp's Favorite' but also lays the foundation for further research into genes correlated with sugar metabolism.

  13. GlmS and NagB regulate amino sugar metabolism in opposing directions and affect Streptococcus mutans virulence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miki Kawada-Matsuo

    Full Text Available Streptococcus mutans is a cariogenic pathogen that produces an extracellular polysaccharide (glucan from dietary sugars, which allows it to establish a reproductive niche and secrete acids that degrade tooth enamel. While two enzymes (GlmS and NagB are known to be key factors affecting the entrance of amino sugars into glycolysis and cell wall synthesis in several other bacteria, their roles in S. mutans remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the roles of GlmS and NagB in S. mutans sugar metabolism and determined whether they have an effect on virulence. NagB expression increased in the presence of GlcNAc while GlmS expression decreased, suggesting that the regulation of these enzymes, which functionally oppose one another, is dependent on the concentration of environmental GlcNAc. A glmS-inactivated mutant could not grow in the absence of GlcNAc, while nagB-inactivated mutant growth was decreased in the presence of GlcNAc. Also, nagB inactivation was found to decrease the expression of virulence factors, including cell-surface protein antigen and glucosyltransferase, and to decrease biofilm formation and saliva-induced S. mutans aggregation, while glmS inactivation had the opposite effects on virulence factor expression and bacterial aggregation. Our results suggest that GlmS and NagB function in sugar metabolism in opposing directions, increasing and decreasing S. mutans virulence, respectively.

  14. Molybdate:sulfate ratio affects redox metabolism and viability of the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barros, M.P.; Hollnagel, H.C.; Glavina, A.B.; Soares, C.O.; Ganini, D.; Dagenais-Bellefeuille, S.; Morse, D.; Colepicolo, P.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Molybdenum (Mo) is a key micronutrient for nitrogen and redox metabolism in many microalgae. •Molybdate and (more abundant) sulfate anions compete for uptake, although proper mechanism is still obscure. •Higher concentrations of molybdate in culture medium diminish sulfur content in L. polyedrum. •Mo toxicity was monitored as a function of [Mo]:[sulfate] ratios in L. polyedrum and was linked to oxidative stress. •Induction of xanthine oxidase activity and/or depletion of thiol-dependent antioxidants are suggested as plausible mechanisms to explain Mo toxicity in dinoflagellates. -- Abstract: Molybdenum is a transition metal used primarily (90% or more) as an additive to steel and corrosion-resistant alloys in metallurgical industries and its release into the environment is a growing problem. As a catalytic center of some redox enzymes, molybdenum is an essential element for inorganic nitrogen assimilation/fixation, phytohormone synthesis, and free radical metabolism in photosynthesizing species. In oceanic and estuarine waters, microalgae absorb molybdenum as the water-soluble molybdate anion (MoO 4 2− ), although MoO 4 2− uptake is thought to compete with uptake of the much more abundant sulfate anion (SO 4 2− , approximately 25 mM in seawater). Thus, those aspects of microalgal biology impacted by molybdenum would be better explained by considering both MoO 4 2− and SO 4 2− concentrations in the aquatic milieu. This work examines toxicological, physiological and redox imbalances in the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum that have been induced by changes in the molybdate:sulfate ratios. We prepared cultures of Lingulodinium polyedrum grown in artificial seawater containing eight different MoO 4 2− concentrations (from 0 to 200 μM) and three different SO 4 2− concentrations (3.5 mM, 9.6 mM and 25 mM). We measured sulfur content in cells, the activities of the three major antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase

  15. Redox-based Epigenetic status in Drug Addiction: Potential mediator of drug-induced gene priming phenomenon and use of metabolic intervention for symptomatic treatment in drug addiction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malav Suchin Trivedi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Alcohol and other drugs of abuse, including psychostimulants and opioids, can induce epigenetic changes: a contributing factor for drug addiction, tolerance and associated withdrawal symptoms. DNA methylation is the major epigenetic mechanism and it is one of more than 200 methylation reactions supported by methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM. The levels of SAM are controlled by cellular redox status via the folate and vitamin B12-dependent enzyme methionine synthase (MS, for example; under oxidative conditions MS is inhibited, diverting its substrate homocysteine (HCY to the transsulfuration pathway. Alcohol, dopamine and morphine, can alter intracellular levels of glutathione (GSH-based cellular redox status, subsequently affecting S-adenosylmethionine (SAM levels and DNA methylation status. In this discussion, we compile this and other existing evidence in a coherent manner to present a novel hypothesis implicating the involvement of redox-based epigenetic changes in drug addiction. Next, we also discuss how gene priming phenomenon can contribute to maintenance of redox and methylation status homeostasis under various stimuli including drugs of abuse. Lastly, based on our hypothesis and some preliminary evidence, we discuss a mechanistic explanation for use of metabolic interventions / redox-replenishers as symptomatic treatment of alcohol addiction and associated withdrawal symptoms. Hence, the current review article strengthens the hypothesis that neuronal metabolism has a critical bidirectional coupling with epigenetic changes in drug addiction and we support this claim via exemplifying the link between redox-based metabolic changes and resultant epigenetic consequences under the effect of drugs of abuse.

  16. Mitochondrial Dysfunction Plus High-Sugar Diet Provokes a Metabolic Crisis That Inhibits Growth

    OpenAIRE

    Kemppainen, Esko; George, Jack; Garipler, G?rkem; Tuomela, Tea; Kiviranta, Essi; Soga, Tomoyoshi; Dunn, Cory D.; Jacobs, Howard T.

    2016-01-01

    The Drosophila mutant tko(25t) exhibits a deficiency ofmitochondrial protein synthesis, leading to a global insufficiency of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. This entrains an organismal phenotype of developmental delay and sensitivity to seizures induced bymechanical stress. We found that the mutant phenotype is exacerbated in a dose-dependent fashion by high dietary sugar levels. tko(25t) larvae were found to exhibit severe metabolic abnormalities that were further accentuated by h...

  17. TEMPOL increases NAD+ and improves redox imbalance in obese mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mayumi Yamato

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Continuous energy conversion is controlled by reduction–oxidation (redox processes. NAD+ and NADH represent an important redox couple in energy metabolism. 4-Hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (TEMPOL is a redox-cycling nitroxide that promotes the scavenging of several reactive oxygen species (ROS and is reduced to hydroxylamine by NADH. TEMPOL is also involved in NAD+ production in the ascorbic acid–glutathione redox cycle. We utilized the chemical properties of TEMPOL to investigate the effects of antioxidants and NAD+/NADH modulators on the metabolic imbalance in obese mice. Increases in the NAD+/NADH ratio by TEMPOL ameliorated the metabolic imbalance when combined with a dietary intervention, changing from a high-fat diet to a normal diet. Plasma levels of the superoxide marker dihydroethidium were higher in mice receiving the dietary intervention compared with a control diet, but were normalized with TEMPOL consumption. These findings provide novel insights into redox regulation in obesity.

  18. Vitamin K3 (menadione) redox cycling inhibits cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism and inhibits parathion intoxication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jan, Yi-Hua; Richardson, Jason R; Baker, Angela A; Mishin, Vladimir; Heck, Diane E; Laskin, Debra L; Laskin, Jeffrey D

    2015-10-01

    Parathion, a widely used organophosphate insecticide, is considered a high priority chemical threat. Parathion toxicity is dependent on its metabolism by the cytochrome P450 system to paraoxon (diethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate), a cytotoxic metabolite. As an effective inhibitor of cholinesterases, paraoxon causes the accumulation of acetylcholine in synapses and overstimulation of nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors, leading to characteristic signs of organophosphate poisoning. Inhibition of parathion metabolism to paraoxon represents a potential approach to counter parathion toxicity. Herein, we demonstrate that menadione (methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, vitamin K3) is a potent inhibitor of cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of parathion. Menadione is active in redox cycling, a reaction mediated by NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase that preferentially uses electrons from NADPH at the expense of their supply to the P450s. Using human recombinant CYP 1A2, 2B6, 3A4 and human liver microsomes, menadione was found to inhibit the formation of paraoxon from parathion. Administration of menadione bisulfite (40mg/kg, ip) to rats also reduced parathion-induced inhibition of brain cholinesterase activity, as well as parathion-induced tremors and the progression of other signs and symptoms of parathion poisoning. These data suggest that redox cycling compounds, such as menadione, have the potential to effectively mitigate the toxicity of organophosphorus pesticides including parathion which require cytochrome P450-mediated activation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Determining the control circuitry of redox metabolism at the genome-scale.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen Federowicz

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Determining how facultative anaerobic organisms sense and direct cellular responses to electron acceptor availability has been a subject of intense study. However, even in the model organism Escherichia coli, established mechanisms only explain a small fraction of the hundreds of genes that are regulated during electron acceptor shifts. Here we propose a qualitative model that accounts for the full breadth of regulated genes by detailing how two global transcription factors (TFs, ArcA and Fnr of E. coli, sense key metabolic redox ratios and act on a genome-wide basis to regulate anabolic, catabolic, and energy generation pathways. We first fill gaps in our knowledge of this transcriptional regulatory network by carrying out ChIP-chip and gene expression experiments to identify 463 regulatory events. We then interfaced this reconstructed regulatory network with a highly curated genome-scale metabolic model to show that ArcA and Fnr regulate >80% of total metabolic flux and 96% of differential gene expression across fermentative and nitrate respiratory conditions. Based on the data, we propose a feedforward with feedback trim regulatory scheme, given the extensive repression of catabolic genes by ArcA and extensive activation of chemiosmotic genes by Fnr. We further corroborated this regulatory scheme by showing a 0.71 r(2 (p<1e-6 correlation between changes in metabolic flux and changes in regulatory activity across fermentative and nitrate respiratory conditions. Finally, we are able to relate the proposed model to a wealth of previously generated data by contextualizing the existing transcriptional regulatory network.

  20. A Novel Sugar Transporter from Dianthus spiculifolius, DsSWEET12, Affects Sugar Metabolism and Confers Osmotic and Oxidative Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Aimin; Ma, Hongping; Feng, Shuang; Gong, Shufang; Wang, Jingang

    2018-02-07

    Plant SWEETs (sugars will eventually be exported transporters) play a role in plant growth and plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present study, DsSWEET12 from Dianthus spiculifolius was identified and characterized. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that DsSWEET12 expression was induced by sucrose starvation, mannitol, and hydrogen peroxide. Colocalization experiment showed that the DsSWEET12-GFP fusion protein was localized to the plasma membrane, which was labeled with FM4-64 dye, in Arabidopsis and suspension cells of D. spiculifolius . Compared to wild type plants, transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing DsSWEET12 have longer roots and have a greater fresh weight, which depends on sucrose content. Furthermore, a relative root length analysis showed that transgenic Arabidopsis showed higher tolerance to osmotic and oxidative stresses. Finally, a sugar content analysis showed that the sucrose content in transgenic Arabidopsis was less than that in the wild type, while fructose and glucose contents were higher than those in the wild type. Taken together, our results suggest that DsSWEET12 plays an important role in seedling growth and plant response to osmotic and oxidative stress in Arabidopsis by influencing sugar metabolism.

  1. Perturbations of Amino Acid Metabolism Associated with Glyphosate-Dependent Inhibition of Shikimic Acid Metabolism Affect Cellular Redox Homeostasis and Alter the Abundance of Proteins Involved in Photosynthesis and Photorespiration1[W][OA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivancos, Pedro Diaz; Driscoll, Simon P.; Bulman, Christopher A.; Ying, Liu; Emami, Kaveh; Treumann, Achim; Mauve, Caroline; Noctor, Graham; Foyer, Christine H.

    2011-01-01

    The herbicide glyphosate inhibits the shikimate pathway of the synthesis of amino acids such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. However, much uncertainty remains concerning precisely how glyphosate kills plants or affects cellular redox homeostasis and related processes in glyphosate-sensitive and glyphosate-resistant crop plants. To address this issue, we performed an integrated study of photosynthesis, leaf proteomes, amino acid profiles, and redox profiles in the glyphosate-sensitive soybean (Glycine max) genotype PAN809 and glyphosate-resistant Roundup Ready Soybean (RRS). RRS leaves accumulated much more glyphosate than the sensitive line but showed relatively few changes in amino acid metabolism. Photosynthesis was unaffected by glyphosate in RRS leaves, but decreased abundance of photosynthesis/photorespiratory pathway proteins was observed together with oxidation of major redox pools. While treatment of a sensitive genotype with glyphosate rapidly inhibited photosynthesis and triggered the appearance of a nitrogen-rich amino acid profile, there was no evidence of oxidation of the redox pools. There was, however, an increase in starvation-associated and defense proteins. We conclude that glyphosate-dependent inhibition of soybean leaf metabolism leads to the induction of defense proteins without sustained oxidation. Conversely, the accumulation of high levels of glyphosate in RRS enhances cellular oxidation, possibly through mechanisms involving stimulation of the photorespiratory pathway. PMID:21757634

  2. Molybdate:sulfate ratio affects redox metabolism and viability of the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barros, M.P., E-mail: marcelo.barros@cruzeirodosul.edu.br [Postgraduate Program in Health Science (Environmental Chemistry), CBS, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, 08060070 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Hollnagel, H.C. [Pós-Graduação, Faculdade Mario Schenberg, 06710500 Cotia, SP (Brazil); Glavina, A.B. [Postgraduate Program in Health Science (Environmental Chemistry), CBS, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, 08060070 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Soares, C.O. [Postgraduate Program in Health Science (Environmental Chemistry), CBS, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, 08060070 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo (IQ-USP), São Paulo (Brazil); Ganini, D. [Postgraduate Program in Health Science (Environmental Chemistry), CBS, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, 08060070 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Free Radical Metabolism Group, Laboratory of Toxicology and Pharmacology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States); Dagenais-Bellefeuille, S.; Morse, D. [Departement de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H1X 2B2 (Canada); Colepicolo, P. [Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo (IQ-USP), São Paulo (Brazil)

    2013-10-15

    Highlights: •Molybdenum (Mo) is a key micronutrient for nitrogen and redox metabolism in many microalgae. •Molybdate and (more abundant) sulfate anions compete for uptake, although proper mechanism is still obscure. •Higher concentrations of molybdate in culture medium diminish sulfur content in L. polyedrum. •Mo toxicity was monitored as a function of [Mo]:[sulfate] ratios in L. polyedrum and was linked to oxidative stress. •Induction of xanthine oxidase activity and/or depletion of thiol-dependent antioxidants are suggested as plausible mechanisms to explain Mo toxicity in dinoflagellates. -- Abstract: Molybdenum is a transition metal used primarily (90% or more) as an additive to steel and corrosion-resistant alloys in metallurgical industries and its release into the environment is a growing problem. As a catalytic center of some redox enzymes, molybdenum is an essential element for inorganic nitrogen assimilation/fixation, phytohormone synthesis, and free radical metabolism in photosynthesizing species. In oceanic and estuarine waters, microalgae absorb molybdenum as the water-soluble molybdate anion (MoO{sub 4}{sup 2−}), although MoO{sub 4}{sup 2−} uptake is thought to compete with uptake of the much more abundant sulfate anion (SO{sub 4}{sup 2−}, approximately 25 mM in seawater). Thus, those aspects of microalgal biology impacted by molybdenum would be better explained by considering both MoO{sub 4}{sup 2−} and SO{sub 4}{sup 2−} concentrations in the aquatic milieu. This work examines toxicological, physiological and redox imbalances in the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum that have been induced by changes in the molybdate:sulfate ratios. We prepared cultures of Lingulodinium polyedrum grown in artificial seawater containing eight different MoO{sub 4}{sup 2−} concentrations (from 0 to 200 μM) and three different SO{sub 4}{sup 2−} concentrations (3.5 mM, 9.6 mM and 25 mM). We measured sulfur content in cells, the activities of

  3. Temperature-dependent regulation of sugar metabolism in wild-type and low-invertase transgenic chipping potatoes during and after cooling for low-temperature storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Regulation of sugar metabolism in cold-stored potato tubers has significant ramifications for potato chip and French fry producers and consumers. Though low-temperature storage reduces losses due to sprouting and disease, it induces accumulation of the reducing sugars glucose and fructose. These rea...

  4. Noninvasive presymptomatic detection of Cercospora beticola infection and identification of early metabolic responses in sugar beet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans-Peter Mock

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Cercospora beticola is an economically significant fungal pathogen of sugar beet, and is the causative pathogen of Cercospora leaf spot. Selected host genotypes with contrasting degree of susceptibility to the disease have been exploited to characterize the patterns of metabolite responses to fungal infection, and to devise a pre-symptomatic, non-invasive method of detecting the presence of the pathogen. Sugar beet genotypes were analyzed for metabolite profiles and hyperspectral signatures. Correlation of data matrices from both approaches facilitated identification of candidates for metabolic markers. Hyperspectral imaging was highly predictive with a classification accuracy of 98.5-99.9 % in detecting C. beticola. Metabolite analysis revealed metabolites altered by the host as part of a successful defence response: these were L-DOPA, 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid 12-O-β-D-glucoside, pantothenic acid and 5-O-feruloylquinic acid. The accumulation of glucosylvitexin in the resistant cultivar suggests it acts as a constitutively-produced protectant. The study establishes a proof-of-concept for an unbiased, presymptomatic and non-invasive detection system for the presence of C. beticola. The test needs to be validated with a larger set of genotypes, to be scalable to the level of a crop improvement program, aiming to speed up the selection for resistant cultivars of sugar beet. Untargeted metabolic profiling is a valuable tool to identify metabolites which correlate with hyperspectral data.

  5. Pentose sugars inhibit metabolism and increase expression of an AgrD-type cyclic pentapeptide in Clostridium thermocellum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verbeke, Tobin J; Giannone, Richard J; Klingeman, Dawn M; Engle, Nancy L; Rydzak, Thomas; Guss, Adam M; Tschaplinski, Timothy J; Brown, Steven D; Hettich, Robert L; Elkins, James G

    2017-02-23

    Clostridium thermocellum could potentially be used as a microbial biocatalyst to produce renewable fuels directly from lignocellulosic biomass due to its ability to rapidly solubilize plant cell walls. While the organism readily ferments sugars derived from cellulose, pentose sugars from xylan are not metabolized. Here, we show that non-fermentable pentoses inhibit growth and end-product formation during fermentation of cellulose-derived sugars. Metabolomic experiments confirmed that xylose is transported intracellularly and reduced to the dead-end metabolite xylitol. Comparative RNA-seq analysis of xylose-inhibited cultures revealed several up-regulated genes potentially involved in pentose transport and metabolism, which were targeted for disruption. Deletion of the ATP-dependent transporter, CbpD partially alleviated xylose inhibition. A putative xylitol dehydrogenase, encoded by Clo1313_0076, was also deleted resulting in decreased total xylitol production and yield by 41% and 46%, respectively. Finally, xylose-induced inhibition corresponds with the up-regulation and biogenesis of a cyclical AgrD-type, pentapeptide. Medium supplementation with the mature cyclical pentapeptide also inhibits bacterial growth. Together, these findings provide new foundational insights needed for engineering improved pentose utilizing strains of C. thermocellum and reveal the first functional Agr-type cyclic peptide to be produced by a thermophilic member of the Firmicutes.

  6. Reply to 'Comment on kinetic modeling of microbially-driven redox chemistry of subsurface environments: coupling transport, microbial metabolism and geochemistry' by J. Griffioen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunter, K. S.; Van Cappellen, P.

    2000-01-01

    Our paper, 'Kinetic modeling of microbially-driven redox chemistry of subsurface environments: coupling transport, microbial metabolism and geochemistry' (Hunter et al., 1998), presents a theoretical exploration of biogeochemical reaction networks and their importance to the biogeochemistry of groundwater systems. As with any other model, the kinetic reaction-transport model developed in our paper includes only a subset of all physically, biologically and chemically relevant processes in subsurface environments. It considers aquifer systems where the primary energy source driving microbial activity is the degradation of organic matter. In addition to the primary biodegradation pathways of organic matter (i.e. respiration and fermentation), the redox chemistry of groundwaters is also affected by reactions not directly involving organic matter oxidation. We refer to the latter as secondary reactions. By including secondary redox reactions which consume reduced reaction products (e.g., Mn2+, FeS, H2S), and in the process compete with microbial heterotrophic populations for available oxidants (i.e. O2, NO3-, Mn(IV), Fe(III), SO42-), we predict spatio-temporal distributions of microbial activity which differ significantly from those of models which consider only the biodegradation reactions. That is, the secondary reactions have a significant impact on the distributions of the rates of heterotrophic and chemolithotrophic metabolic pathways. We further show that secondary redox reactions, as well as non-redox reactions, significantly influence the acid-base chemistry of groundwaters. The distributions of dissolved inorganic redox species along flowpaths, however, are similar in simulations with and without secondary reactions (see Figs. 3(b) and 7(b) in Hunter et al., 1998), indicating that very different biogeochemical reaction dynamics may lead to essentially the same chemical redox zonation of a groundwater system.

  7. Redox regulation of cell proliferation: Bioinformatics and redox proteomics approaches to identify redox-sensitive cell cycle regulators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foyer, Christine H; Wilson, Michael H; Wright, Megan H

    2018-03-29

    Plant stem cells are the foundation of plant growth and development. The balance of quiescence and division is highly regulated, while ensuring that proliferating cells are protected from the adverse effects of environment fluctuations that may damage the genome. Redox regulation is important in both the activation of proliferation and arrest of the cell cycle upon perception of environmental stress. Within this context, reactive oxygen species serve as 'pro-life' signals with positive roles in the regulation of the cell cycle and survival. However, very little is known about the metabolic mechanisms and redox-sensitive proteins that influence cell cycle progression. We have identified cysteine residues on known cell cycle regulators in Arabidopsis that are potentially accessible, and could play a role in redox regulation, based on secondary structure and solvent accessibility likelihoods for each protein. We propose that redox regulation may function alongside other known posttranslational modifications to control the functions of core cell cycle regulators such as the retinoblastoma protein. Since our current understanding of how redox regulation is involved in cell cycle control is hindered by a lack of knowledge regarding both which residues are important and how modification of those residues alters protein function, we discuss how critical redox modifications can be mapped at the molecular level. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Red Blood Cell Function and Dysfunction: Redox Regulation, Nitric Oxide Metabolism, Anemia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhn, Viktoria; Diederich, Lukas; Keller, T.C. Stevenson; Kramer, Christian M.; Lückstädt, Wiebke; Panknin, Christina; Suvorava, Tatsiana; Isakson, Brant E.; Kelm, Malte

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Significance: Recent clinical evidence identified anemia to be correlated with severe complications of cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as bleeding, thromboembolic events, stroke, hypertension, arrhythmias, and inflammation, particularly in elderly patients. The underlying mechanisms of these complications are largely unidentified. Recent Advances: Previously, red blood cells (RBCs) were considered exclusively as transporters of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. More recent experimental evidence indicates that RBCs are important interorgan communication systems with additional functions, including participation in control of systemic nitric oxide metabolism, redox regulation, blood rheology, and viscosity. In this article, we aim to revise and discuss the potential impact of these noncanonical functions of RBCs and their dysfunction in the cardiovascular system and in anemia. Critical Issues: The mechanistic links between changes of RBC functional properties and cardiovascular complications related to anemia have not been untangled so far. Future Directions: To allow a better understanding of the complications associated with anemia in CVD, basic and translational science studies should be focused on identifying the role of noncanonical functions of RBCs in the cardiovascular system and on defining intrinsic and/or systemic dysfunction of RBCs in anemia and its relationship to CVD both in animal models and clinical settings. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 26, 718–742. PMID:27889956

  9. Associations between Sugar Intake from Different Food Sources and Adiposity or Cardio-Metabolic Risk in Childhood and Adolescence: The Korean Child–Adolescent Cohort Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang-Im Hur

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity is a serious public health problem associated with co-morbidities in adulthood, as well as childhood. This study was conducted to identify associations between total sugar intake and sugar intake from different foods (fruit, milk, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs, and adiposity and continuous metabolic syndrome scores (cMetS among Korean children and adolescents using cohort data. The study subjects were children (n = 770 who participated in the 4th year (2008 of the Korean Child–Adolescent Cohort Study (KoCAS. Dietary intake data were collected via three-day 24-h food records, and sugar intake was calculated for the total sugar content of foods using our database compiled from various sources. Anthropometric measurements, assessments of body composition, and blood sample analysis were performed at baseline and at follow-up four years later. The cMetS was calculated based on waist circumference, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, and mean arterial blood pressure. According to multiple linear regression analysis, there were no significant associations between total sugar intake and adiposity and cMetS. However, higher intake of fruit sugar at baseline was significantly associated with lower body mass index (BMI z-scores and body fat percentages at baseline (β = −0.10, p = 0.02 and β = −0.78, p < 0.01, respectively. At follow-up, sugar intake from fruit at baseline was still negatively associated with the above outcomes, but only the relationship with BMI z-scores retained statistical significance (β = −0.08, p < 0.05. There was a significant positive relationship between consumption of sugar from SSBs and cMetS at baseline (β = 0.04, p = 0.02, but that relationship was not observed at follow-up (p = 0.83. Differences in consumption sugars from fruit and SSBs might play an important role in the risk of adiposity and metabolic disease in children and

  10. Managing the cellular redox hub in photosynthetic organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foyer, Christine H; Noctor, Graham

    2012-02-01

    Light-driven redox chemistry is a powerful source of redox signals that has a decisive input into transcriptional control within the cell nucleus. Like photosynthetic electron transport pathways, the respiratory electron transport chain exerts a profound control over gene function, in order to balance energy (reductant and ATP) supply with demand, while preventing excessive over-reduction or over-oxidation that would be adversely affect metabolism. Photosynthetic and respiratory redox chemistries are not merely housekeeping processes but they exert a controlling influence over every aspect of plant biology, participating in the control of gene transcription and translation, post-translational modifications and the regulation of assimilatory reactions, assimilate partitioning and export. The number of processes influenced by redox controls and signals continues to increase as do the components that are recognized participants in the associated signalling pathways. A step change in our understanding of the overall importance of the cellular redox hub to plant cells has occurred in recent years as the complexity of the management of the cellular redox hub in relation to metabolic triggers and environmental cues has been elucidated. This special issue describes aspects of redox regulation and signalling at the cutting edge of current research in this dynamic and rapidly expanding field. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  11. Redox cofactor engineering in industrial microorganisms: strategies, recent applications and future directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jiaheng; Li, Huiling; Zhao, Guangrong; Caiyin, Qinggele; Qiao, Jianjun

    2018-05-01

    NAD and NADP, a pivotal class of cofactors, which function as essential electron donors or acceptors in all biological organisms, drive considerable catabolic and anabolic reactions. Furthermore, they play critical roles in maintaining intracellular redox homeostasis. However, many metabolic engineering efforts in industrial microorganisms towards modification or introduction of metabolic pathways, especially those involving consumption, generation or transformation of NAD/NADP, often induce fluctuations in redox state, which dramatically impede cellular metabolism, resulting in decreased growth performance and biosynthetic capacity. Here, we comprehensively review the cofactor engineering strategies for solving the problematic redox imbalance in metabolism modification, as well as their features, suitabilities and recent applications. Some representative examples of in vitro biocatalysis are also described. In addition, we briefly discuss how tools and methods from the field of synthetic biology can be applied for cofactor engineering. Finally, future directions and challenges for development of cofactor redox engineering are presented.

  12. A Novel Sugar Transporter from Dianthus spiculifolius, DsSWEET12, Affects Sugar Metabolism and Confers Osmotic and Oxidative Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aimin Zhou

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Plant SWEETs (sugars will eventually be exported transporters play a role in plant growth and plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present study, DsSWEET12 from Dianthus spiculifolius was identified and characterized. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that DsSWEET12 expression was induced by sucrose starvation, mannitol, and hydrogen peroxide. Colocalization experiment showed that the DsSWEET12-GFP fusion protein was localized to the plasma membrane, which was labeled with FM4-64 dye, in Arabidopsis and suspension cells of D. spiculifolius. Compared to wild type plants, transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing DsSWEET12 have longer roots and have a greater fresh weight, which depends on sucrose content. Furthermore, a relative root length analysis showed that transgenic Arabidopsis showed higher tolerance to osmotic and oxidative stresses. Finally, a sugar content analysis showed that the sucrose content in transgenic Arabidopsis was less than that in the wild type, while fructose and glucose contents were higher than those in the wild type. Taken together, our results suggest that DsSWEET12 plays an important role in seedling growth and plant response to osmotic and oxidative stress in Arabidopsis by influencing sugar metabolism.

  13. Early response of plant cell to carbon deprivation: in vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy shows a quasi-instantaneous disruption on cytosolic sugars, phosphorylated intermediates of energy metabolism, phosphate partitioning, and intracellular pHs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gout, Elisabeth; Bligny, Richard; Douce, Roland; Boisson, Anne-Marie; Rivasseau, Corinne

    2011-01-01

    • In plant cells, sugar starvation triggers a cascade of effects at the scale of 1-2 days. However, very early metabolic response has not yet been investigated. • Soluble phosphorus (P) compounds and intracellular pHs were analysed each 2.5 min intervals in heterotrophic sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) cells using in vivo phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance ((31)P-NMR). • Upon external-sugar withdrawal, the glucose 6-P concentration dropped in the cytosol, but not in plastids. The released inorganic phosphate (Pi) accumulated transiently in the cytosol before influx into the vacuole; nucleotide triphosphate concentration doubled, intracellular pH increased and cell respiration decreased. It was deduced that the cytosolic free-sugar concentration was low, corresponding to only 0.5 mM sucrose in sugar-supplied cells. • The release of sugar from the vacuole and from plastids is insufficient to fully sustain the cell metabolism during starvation, particularly in the very short term. Similarly to Pi-starvation, the cell's first response to sugar starvation occurs in the cytosol and is of a metabolic nature. Unlike the cytoplasm, cytosolic homeostasis is not maintained during starvation. The important metabolic changes following cytosolic sugar exhaustion deliver early endogenous signals that may contribute to trigger rescue metabolism. © The Authors (2010). Journal compilation © New Phytologist Trust (2010).

  14. Catabolism of biomass-derived sugars in fungi and metabolic engineering as a tool for organic acid production

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koivistoinen, O.

    2013-11-01

    The use of metabolic engineering as a tool for production of biochemicals and biofuels requires profound understanding of cell metabolism. The pathways for the most abundant and most important hexoses have already been studied quite extensively but it is also important to get a more complete picture of sugar catabolism. In this thesis, catabolic pathways of L-rhamnose and D-galactose were studied in fungi. Both of these hexoses are present in plant biomass, such as in hemicellulose and pectin. Galactoglucomannan, a type of hemicellulose that is especially rich in softwood, is an abundant source of D-galactose. As biotechnology is moving from the usage of edible and easily metabolisable carbon sources towards the increased use of lignocellulosic biomass, it is important to understand how the different sugars can be efficiently turned into valuable biobased products. Identification of the first fungal L-rhamnose 1-dehydrogenase gene, which codes for the first enzyme of the fungal catabolic L-rhamnose pathway, showed that the protein belongs to a protein family of short-chain alcohol dehydrogenases. Sugar dehydrogenases oxidising a sugar to a sugar acid are not very common in fungi and thus the identification of the L-rhamnose dehydrogenase gene provides more understanding of oxidative sugar catabolism in eukaryotic microbes. Further studies characterising the L-rhamnose cluster in the yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis including the expression of the L-rhamnonate dehydratase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae finalised the biochemical characterisation of the enzymes acting on the pathway. In addition, more understanding of the regulation and evolution of the pathway was gained. D-Galactose catabolism was studied in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. Two genes coding for the enzymes of the oxido-reductive pathway were identified. Galactitol dehydrogenase is the second enzyme of the pathway converting galactitol to L-xylo-3-hexulose. The galactitol dehydrogenase encoding

  15. Rewiring carbohydrate catabolism differentially affects survival of pancreatic cancer cell lines with diverse metabolic profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tataranni, Tiziana; Agriesti, Francesca; Ruggieri, Vitalba; Mazzoccoli, Carmela; Simeon, Vittorio; Laurenzana, Ilaria; Scrima, Rosella; Pazienza, Valerio; Capitanio, Nazzareno; Piccoli, Claudia

    2017-01-01

    An increasing body of evidence suggests that targeting cellular metabolism represents a promising effective approach to treat pancreatic cancer, overcome chemoresistance and ameliorate patient's prognosis and survival. In this study, following whole-genome expression analysis, we selected two pancreatic cancer cell lines, PANC-1 and BXPC-3, hallmarked by distinct metabolic profiles with specific concern to carbohydrate metabolism. Functional comparative analysis showed that BXPC-3 displayed a marked deficit of the mitochondrial respiratory and oxidative phosphorylation activity and a higher production of reactive oxygen species and a reduced NAD+/NADH ratio, indicating their bioenergetic reliance on glycolysis and a different redox homeostasis as compared to PANC-1. Both cell lines were challenged to rewire their metabolism by substituting glucose with galactose as carbon source, a condition inhibiting the glycolytic flux and fostering full oxidation of the sugar carbons. The obtained data strikingly show that the mitochondrial respiration-impaired-BXPC-3 cell line was unable to sustain the metabolic adaptation required by glucose deprivation/substitution, thereby resulting in a G2\\M cell cycle shift, unbalance of the redox homeostasis, apoptosis induction. Conversely, the mitochondrial respiration-competent-PANC-1 cell line did not show clear evidence of cell sufferance. Our findings provide a strong rationale to candidate metabolism as a promising target for cancer therapy. Defining the metabolic features at time of pancreatic cancer diagnosis and likely of other tumors, appears to be crucial to predict the responsiveness to therapeutic approaches or coadjuvant interventions affecting metabolism. PMID:28476035

  16. Effects of Chronic Consumption of Sugar-Enriched Diets on Brain Metabolism and Insulin Sensitivity in Adult Yucatan Minipigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa Ochoa

    Full Text Available Excessive sugar intake might increase the risk to develop eating disorders via an altered reward circuitry, but it remains unknown whether different sugar sources induce different neural effects and whether these effects are dependent from body weight. Therefore, we compared the effects of three high-fat and isocaloric diets varying only in their carbohydrate sources on brain activity of reward-related regions, and assessed whether brain activity is dependent on insulin sensitivity. Twenty-four minipigs underwent 18FDG PET brain imaging following 7-month intake of high-fat diets of which 20% in dry matter weight (36.3% of metabolisable energy was provided by starch, glucose or fructose (n = 8 per diet. Animals were then subjected to a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp to determine peripheral insulin sensitivity. After a 7-month diet treatment, all groups had substantial increases in body weight (from 36.02±0.85 to 63.33±0.81 kg; P<0.0001, regardless of the diet. All groups presented similar insulin sensitivity index (ISI = 1.39±0.10 mL·min-1·μUI·kg. Compared to starch, chronic exposure to fructose and glucose induced bilateral brain activations, i.e. increased basal cerebral glucose metabolism, in several reward-related brain regions including the anterior and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex, the caudate and putamen. The lack of differences in insulin sensitivity index and body weight suggests that the observed differences in basal brain glucose metabolism are not related to differences in peripheral insulin sensitivity and weight gain. The differences in basal brain metabolism in reward-related brain areas suggest the onset of cerebral functional alterations induced by chronic consumption of dietary sugars. Further studies should explore the underlying mechanisms, such as the availability of intestinal and brain sugar transporter, or the appearance of addictive-like behavioral

  17. Changes in body weight, blood pressure and selected metabolic biomarkers with an energy-restricted diet including twice daily sweet snacks and once daily sugar-free beverage

    OpenAIRE

    Nickols-Richardson, Sharon M.; Piehowski, Kathryn E.; Metzgar, Catherine J.; Miller, Debra L.; Preston, Amy G.

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The type of sweet snack incorporated into an energy-restricted diet (ERD) may produce differential effects on metabolic improvements associated with body weight (BW) loss. This study compared effects of incorporating either twice daily energy-controlled dark chocolate snacks plus once daily sugar-free cocoa beverage (DC) to non-chocolate snacks plus sugar-free non-cocoa beverage (NC) into an ERD on BW loss and metabolic outcomes. MATERIALS/METHODS In an 18-week randomize...

  18. Value-added biotransformation of cellulosic sugars by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, Stephan; Dong, Jia; Jin, Yong-Su

    2018-07-01

    The substantial research efforts into lignocellulosic biofuels have generated an abundance of valuable knowledge and technologies for metabolic engineering. In particular, these investments have led to a vast growth in proficiency of engineering the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for consuming lignocellulosic sugars, enabling the simultaneous assimilation of multiple carbon sources, and producing a large variety of value-added products by introduction of heterologous metabolic pathways. While microbial conversion of cellulosic sugars into large-volume low-value biofuels is not currently economically feasible, there may still be opportunities to produce other value-added chemicals as regulation of cellulosic sugar metabolism is quite different from glucose metabolism. This review summarizes these recent advances with an emphasis on employing engineered yeast for the bioconversion of lignocellulosic sugars into a variety of non-ethanol value-added products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Associations between Sugar Intake from Different Food Sources and Adiposity or Cardio-Metabolic Risk in Childhood and Adolescence: The Korean Child-Adolescent Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hur, Yang-Im; Park, Hyesook; Kang, Jae-Heon; Lee, Hye-Ah; Song, Hong Ji; Lee, Hae-Jeung; Kim, Ok-Hyun

    2015-12-31

    The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity is a serious public health problem associated with co-morbidities in adulthood, as well as childhood. This study was conducted to identify associations between total sugar intake and sugar intake from different foods (fruit, milk, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)), and adiposity and continuous metabolic syndrome scores (cMetS) among Korean children and adolescents using cohort data. The study subjects were children (n = 770) who participated in the 4th year (2008) of the Korean Child-Adolescent Cohort Study (KoCAS). Dietary intake data were collected via three-day 24-h food records, and sugar intake was calculated for the total sugar content of foods using our database compiled from various sources. Anthropometric measurements, assessments of body composition, and blood sample analysis were performed at baseline and at follow-up four years later. The cMetS was calculated based on waist circumference, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, and mean arterial blood pressure. According to multiple linear regression analysis, there were no significant associations between total sugar intake and adiposity and cMetS. However, higher intake of fruit sugar at baseline was significantly associated with lower body mass index (BMI) z-scores and body fat percentages at baseline (β = -0.10, p = 0.02 and β = -0.78, p target particular food groups. Consequently, this information could be of value to obesity- and metabolic disease-prevention strategies.

  20. Functions of NQO1 in Cellular Protection and CoQ10 Metabolism and its Potential Role as a Redox Sensitive Molecular Switch

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Ross

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available NQO1 is one of the two major quinone reductases in mammalian systems. It is highly inducible and plays multiple roles in cellular adaptation to stress. A prevalent polymorphic form of NQO1 results in an absence of NQO1 protein and activity so it is important to elucidate the specific cellular functions of NQO1. Established roles of NQO1 include its ability to prevent certain quinones from one electron redox cycling but its role in quinone detoxification is dependent on the redox stability of the hydroquinone generated by two-electron reduction. Other documented roles of NQO1 include its ability to function as a component of the plasma membrane redox system generating antioxidant forms of ubiquinone and vitamin E and at high levels, as a direct superoxide reductase. Emerging roles of NQO1 include its function as an efficient intracellular generator of NAD+ for enzymes including PARP and sirtuins which has gained particular attention with respect to metabolic syndrome. NQO1 interacts with a growing list of proteins, including intrinsically disordered proteins, protecting them from 20S proteasomal degradation. The interactions of NQO1 also extend to mRNA. Recent identification of NQO1 as a mRNA binding protein have been investigated in more detail using SERPIN1A1 (which encodes the serine protease inhibitor α-1-antitrypsin as a target mRNA and indicate a role of NQO1 in control of translation of α-1-antitrypsin, an important modulator of COPD and obesity related metabolic syndrome. NQO1 undergoes structural changes and alterations in its ability to bind other proteins as a result of the cellular reduced/oxidized pyridine nucleotide ratio. This suggests NQO1 may act as a cellular redox switch potentially altering its interactions with other proteins and mRNA as a result of the prevailing redox environment.

  1. Redox proteomics of tomato in response to Pseudomonas syringae infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balmant, Kelly Mayrink; Parker, Jennifer; Yoo, Mi-Jeong; Zhu, Ning; Dufresne, Craig; Chen, Sixue

    2015-01-01

    Unlike mammals with adaptive immunity, plants rely on their innate immunity based on pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) for pathogen defense. Reactive oxygen species, known to play crucial roles in PTI and ETI, can perturb cellular redox homeostasis and lead to changes of redox-sensitive proteins through modification of cysteine sulfhydryl groups. Although redox regulation of protein functions has emerged as an important mechanism in several biological processes, little is known about redox proteins and how they function in PTI and ETI. In this study, cysTMT proteomics technology was used to identify similarities and differences of protein redox modifications in tomato resistant (PtoR) and susceptible (prf3) genotypes in response to Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato (Pst) infection. In addition, the results of the redox changes were compared and corrected with the protein level changes. A total of 90 potential redox-regulated proteins were identified with functions in carbohydrate and energy metabolism, biosynthesis of cysteine, sucrose and brassinosteroid, cell wall biogenesis, polysaccharide/starch biosynthesis, cuticle development, lipid metabolism, proteolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, protein targeting to vacuole, and oxidation–reduction. This inventory of previously unknown protein redox switches in tomato pathogen defense lays a foundation for future research toward understanding the biological significance of protein redox modifications in plant defense responses. PMID:26504582

  2. Optical redox ratio using endogenous fluorescence to assess the metabolic changes associated with treatment response of bioconjugated gold nanoparticles in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adavallan, K.; Gurushankar, K.; Nazeer, Shaiju S.; Gohulkumar, M.; Jayasree, Ramapurath S.; Krishnakumar, N.

    2017-06-01

    Fluorescence spectroscopic techniques have the potential to assess the metabolic changes during disease development and evaluation of treatment response in a non-invasive and label-free manner. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of mulberry-mediated gold nanoparticles (MAuNPs) in comparison with mulberry leaf extract alone (MLE) for monitoring endogenous fluorophores and to quantify the metabolic changes associated with mitochondrial redox states during streptozotocin-induced diabetic liver tissues using fluorescence spectroscopy. Two mitochondrial metabolic coenzymes, reduced nicotinamide dinucleotide (NADH) and oxidized flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are autofluorescent and are important optical biomarkers to estimate the redox state of a cell. Significant differences in the autofluorescence spectral signatures between the control and the experimental diabetic animals have been noticed under the excitation wavelength at 320 nm with emission ranging from 350-550 nm. A direct correlation between the progression of diabetes and the levels of collagen and optical redox ratio was observed. The results revealed that a significant increase in the emission of collagen in diabetic liver tissues as compared with the control liver tissues. Moreover, there was a significant decrease in the optical redox ratio (FAD/(FAD  +  NADH)) observed in diabetic control liver tissues, which indicates an increased oxidative stress compared to the liver tissues of control rats. Further, the extent of increased oxidative stress was confirmed by the reduced levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) in diabetic liver tissues. On a comparative basis, treatment with MAuNPs was found to be more effective than MLE for reducing the progression of diabetes and improving the optical redox ratio to a near normal range in streptozotocin-induced diabetic liver tissues. Furthermore, principal component analysis followed by linear discriminant analysis (PC-LDA) has been used to

  3. Bioelectrochemical probing of intracellular redox processes in living yeast cells—application of redox polymer wiring in a microfluidic environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heiskanen, Arto; Coman, Vasile; Kostesha, Natalie

    2013-01-01

    utilizing a new double mediator system to map redox metabolism and screen for genetic modifications in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The function of this new double mediator system based on menadione and osmium redox polymer (PVI-Os) is demonstrated. “Wiring” of S. cerevisiae cells using PVI-Os shows...... that microfluidic bioelectrochemical assays employing the menadione–PVI-Os double mediator system provides an effective means to conduct automated microbial assays. FigureMicrofluidic platform for bioelectrochemical assays using osmium redox polymer “wired” living yeast cells...

  4. Seasonal alteration of sugar metabolism in strawberry ( Fragaria ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Plants of strawberry cvs Aromas and Diamante were removed from the field in cold acclimated (CA, January) and non-acclimated (NA, July) stages. Crown parts of the plant were used for analysis. Apoplastic total soluble sugar (TSS), reducing sugars and sucrose contents did not change in both cultivars in both sampling ...

  5. A carbohydrate pulse experiment to demonstrate the sugar metabolization by S. mutans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T.P. Paulino

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Streptococcus mutans is a fast growing organism, of low cost and easily prepared culture medium. It has been  related  primarily to  an  elevated risk  of dental cavity development  in the host due  to the  acid-induced tooth demineralization. To prevent this disease, addition of fluoride can be required, promoting the mouth  hygiene. The  main  objective  of  this  experiment  is  to  show  the  influence  of  the  carbon  source  and fluoride on the acidogenic capacity of S.  mutans. The strain was cultivated in microaerophilia, at 37ºC for 12  hours  in  complete  medium  (stationary  phase.  The  cells  were  harvested  by  centrifugation  at  room temperature,  washed  with  saline  solution  and  suspended  in  the  same  solution.  The  absorbance  was adjusted  to  1  and  the  pH  to  7.3  using  0,1  mol/L  KOH  solution.  To  10  mL  of  the  cell  suspension,  distinct carbohydrates  (glucose,  xilose,  sucrose,  fructose  or  maltose  were  added,  enough  to  establish  a  50 mMol/L final concentration. Fluoride was added (1 mmol/L final concentration and the pH was monitored during  2 hours. In this  incubation  period,  the  suspension  was  kept  at  room  temperature  with  slow  stirring and  the  pH  was  monitored  each  7  minutes.  In  the  20  initial  minutes  of  incubation  with  glucose,  fructose, maltose  and  sucrose,  an  intense  and  very  similar  pH  decrease  (2.5  units  can  be  observed.  This acidification reflects both the sugar uptake and anaerobic metabolization. After this initial acid liberation, a phase of slow pH decrease is observed, continuing up to 120 minutes of incubation. In presence of xilose, the  acidification  is  less  intense  and  reaches  a  similar  value  to  that  of  the  control  without

  6. The metabolic and endocrine response and health implications of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages: findings from recent randomized controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rippe, James M

    2013-11-01

    Fructose-containing sugars, including fructose itself, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and sucrose have engendered considerable controversy. The effects of HFCS and sucrose in sugar-sweetened beverages, in particular, have generated intense scientific debate that has spilled over to the public. This controversy is related to well-known differences in metabolism between fructose and glucose in the liver. In addition, research studies have often been conducted comparing pure fructose and pure glucose even though neither is consumed to any appreciable degree in isolation in the human diet. Other evidence has been drawn from animal studies and epidemiologic or cohort studies. Few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have compared HFCS with sucrose (the 2 sugars most commonly consumed in the human diet) at dosage amounts within the normal human consumption range. This review compares results of recently concluded RCTs with other forms of evidence related to fructose, HFCS, and sucrose. We conclude that great caution must be used when suggesting adverse health effects of consuming these sugars in the normal way they are consumed and at the normal amounts in the human diet, because RCTs do not support adverse health consequences at these doses when employing these sugars.

  7. Redox characteristics of the eukaryotic cytosol

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    López-Mirabal, H Reynaldo; Winther, Jakob R

    2007-01-01

    The eukaryotic cytoplasm has long been regarded as a cellular compartment in which the reduced state of protein cysteines is largely favored. Under normal conditions, the cytosolic low-molecular weight redox buffer, comprising primarily of glutathione, is highly reducing and reactive oxygen species...... (ROS) and glutathionylated proteins are maintained at very low levels. In the present review, recent progress in the understanding of the cytosolic thiol-disulfide redox metabolism and novel analytical approaches to studying cytosolic redox properties are discussed. We will focus on the yeast model...... organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, where the combination of genetic and biochemical approaches has brought us furthest in understanding the mechanisms underlying cellular redox regulation. It has been shown in yeast that, in addition to the enzyme glutathione reductase, other mechanisms may exist...

  8. Redox active molecules cytochrome c and vitamin C enhance heme-enzyme peroxidations by serving as non-specific agents for redox relay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gade, Sudeep Kumar; Bhattacharya, Subarna; Manoj, Kelath Murali

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► At low concentrations, cytochrome c/vitamin C do not catalyze peroxidations. ► But low levels of cytochrome c/vitamin C enhance diverse heme peroxidase activities. ► Enhancement positively correlates to the concentration of peroxide in reaction. ► Reducible additives serve as non-specific agents for redox relay in the system. ► Insight into electron transfer processes in routine and oxidative-stress states. -- Abstract: We report that incorporation of very low concentrations of redox protein cytochrome c and redox active small molecule vitamin C impacted the outcome of one-electron oxidations mediated by structurally distinct plant/fungal heme peroxidases. Evidence suggests that cytochrome c and vitamin C function as a redox relay for diffusible reduced oxygen species in the reaction system, without invoking specific or affinity-based molecular interactions for electron transfers. The findings provide novel perspectives to understanding – (1) the promiscuous role of cytochrome b 5 in the metabolism mediated by liver microsomal xenobiotic metabolizing systems and (2) the roles of antioxidant molecules in affording relief from oxidative stress.

  9. STUDY ON THE SUGAR-ACID RATIO AND RELEVANT METABOLIZING ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN NAVEL ORANGE FRUITS FROM DIFFERENT ECO-REGIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GONG RONGGAO

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The flavor quality of citrus fruits is largely determined by the sugar-acid ratio, but it remains uncertain how sugar- and/or acid-metabolizing enzymes regulate the sugar-acid ratio of navel oranges and further affect the fruit quality. In the present study, Robertson navel oranges (Citrus sinesis Osb. were collected from six representative habitats in three eco-regions of Sichuan, China. The changes in the sugar-acid ratio and the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS, sucrose synthase (SS, cytosolic cio-aconitase (ACO, and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH were examined in navel oranges during fruit development. The results indicated that the sugar-acid ratio of fruits in different eco-regions changed significantly from 150 days after full bloom. The SPS and cytosolic ACO fruit activities had minor changes among different ecoregions throughout the experimental periods, whereas the activities of SS and IDH changed significantly in fruits among three eco-regions. Furthermore, the sugar-acid ratio and the activities of SS in the synthetic direction and IDH were the highest in south subtropics and the lowest in north mid-subtropics, probably due to the effects of climate conditions and/or other relevant eco-factors. It demonstrated that SS in the synthetic direction and IDH were of greater importance in regulating the sugar-acid ratio of navel oranges in different eco-regions, which provided new insights into the factors that determine the flavor quality of navel oranges and valuable data for guiding relevant agricultural practices.

  10. Redox Pioneer: Professor Vadim N. Gladyshev.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatfield, Dolph L

    2016-07-01

    Professor Vadim N. Gladyshev is recognized here as a Redox Pioneer, because he has published an article on antioxidant/redox biology that has been cited more than 1000 times and 29 articles that have been cited more than 100 times. Gladyshev is world renowned for his characterization of the human selenoproteome encoded by 25 genes, identification of the majority of known selenoprotein genes in the three domains of life, and discoveries related to thiol oxidoreductases and mechanisms of redox control. Gladyshev's first faculty position was in the Department of Biochemistry, the University of Nebraska. There, he was a Charles Bessey Professor and Director of the Redox Biology Center. He then moved to the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, where he is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Redox Medicine. His discoveries in redox biology relate to selenoenzymes, such as methionine sulfoxide reductases and thioredoxin reductases, and various thiol oxidoreductases. He is responsible for the genome-wide identification of catalytic redox-active cysteines and for advancing our understanding of the general use of cysteines by proteins. In addition, Gladyshev has characterized hydrogen peroxide metabolism and signaling and regulation of protein function by methionine-R-sulfoxidation. He has also made important contributions in the areas of aging and lifespan control and pioneered applications of comparative genomics in redox biology, selenium biology, and aging. Gladyshev's discoveries have had a profound impact on redox biology and the role of redox control in health and disease. He is a true Redox Pioneer. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 25, 1-9.

  11. Exercise redox biochemistry: Conceptual, methodological and technical recommendations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James N. Cobley

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Exercise redox biochemistry is of considerable interest owing to its translational value in health and disease. However, unaddressed conceptual, methodological and technical issues complicate attempts to unravel how exercise alters redox homeostasis in health and disease. Conceptual issues relate to misunderstandings that arise when the chemical heterogeneity of redox biology is disregarded: which often complicates attempts to use redox-active compounds and assess redox signalling. Further, that oxidised macromolecule adduct levels reflect formation and repair is seldom considered. Methodological and technical issues relate to the use of out-dated assays and/or inappropriate sample preparation techniques that confound biochemical redox analysis. After considering each of the aforementioned issues, we outline how each issue can be resolved and provide a unifying set of recommendations. We specifically recommend that investigators: consider chemical heterogeneity, use redox-active compounds judiciously, abandon flawed assays, carefully prepare samples and assay buffers, consider repair/metabolism, use multiple biomarkers to assess oxidative damage and redox signalling. Keywords: Exercise, Oxidative stress, Free radical, Antioxidants, Redox signalling

  12. Uptake and metabolism of sugars by suspension-cultured catharanthus roseus cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashihara, Hiroshi; Sagishima, Kyoko; Kubota, Kaoru

    1989-01-01

    The Uptake and metabolism of sugars by suspension-cultured Catharanthus roseus cells were investigated. Substantially all the sucrose in the culture medium was hydrolyzed to glucose and fructose before being taken up by the cells. The activity of invertase bound to cell walls, determined in situ, was high at the early stage of culture. Glucose was more easily taken up by the cells than was fructose. Tracer experiments using [U- 14 C]glucose and [U- 14 C]fructose indicated that glucose is a better precursor for respiration than fructose, while fructose is preferentially utilized for the synthesis of sucrose, especially in the early phase of cell growth. These results suggest that fructose is utilized for the synthesis of sucrose via the reaction catalyzed by sucrose synthase, prior to the phosphorylation by hexokinase or fructokinase

  13. The extracellular redox state modulates mitochondrial function, gluconeogenesis, and glycogen synthesis in murine hepatocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nocito, Laura; Kleckner, Amber S; Yoo, Elsia J; Jones Iv, Albert R; Liesa, Marc; Corkey, Barbara E

    2015-01-01

    Circulating redox state changes, determined by the ratio of reduced/oxidized pairs of different metabolites, have been associated with metabolic diseases. However, the pathogenic contribution of these changes and whether they modulate normal tissue function is unclear. As alterations in hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogen metabolism are hallmarks that characterize insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, we tested whether imposed changes in the extracellular redox state could modulate these processes. Thus, primary hepatocytes were treated with different ratios of the following physiological extracellular redox couples: β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB)/acetoacetate (Acoc), reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and cysteine/cystine. Exposure to a more oxidized ratio via extracellular βOHB/Acoc, GSH/GSSG, and cysteine/cystine in hepatocytes from fed mice increased intracellular hydrogen peroxide without causing oxidative damage. On the other hand, addition of more reduced ratios of extracellular βOHB/Acoc led to increased NAD(P)H and maximal mitochondrial respiratory capacity in hepatocytes. Greater βOHB/Acoc ratios were also associated with decreased β-oxidation, as expected with enhanced lipogenesis. In hepatocytes from fasted mice, a more extracellular reduced state of βOHB/Acoc led to increased alanine-stimulated gluconeogenesis and enhanced glycogen synthesis capacity from added glucose. Thus, we demonstrated for the first time that the extracellular redox state regulates the major metabolic functions of the liver and involves changes in intracellular NADH, hydrogen peroxide, and mitochondrial respiration. Because redox state in the blood can be communicated to all metabolically sensitive tissues, this work confirms the hypothesis that circulating redox state may be an important regulator of whole body metabolism and contribute to alterations associated with metabolic diseases.

  14. The extracellular redox state modulates mitochondrial function, gluconeogenesis, and glycogen synthesis in murine hepatocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Nocito

    Full Text Available Circulating redox state changes, determined by the ratio of reduced/oxidized pairs of different metabolites, have been associated with metabolic diseases. However, the pathogenic contribution of these changes and whether they modulate normal tissue function is unclear. As alterations in hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogen metabolism are hallmarks that characterize insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, we tested whether imposed changes in the extracellular redox state could modulate these processes. Thus, primary hepatocytes were treated with different ratios of the following physiological extracellular redox couples: β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB/acetoacetate (Acoc, reduced glutathione (GSH/oxidized glutathione (GSSG, and cysteine/cystine. Exposure to a more oxidized ratio via extracellular βOHB/Acoc, GSH/GSSG, and cysteine/cystine in hepatocytes from fed mice increased intracellular hydrogen peroxide without causing oxidative damage. On the other hand, addition of more reduced ratios of extracellular βOHB/Acoc led to increased NAD(PH and maximal mitochondrial respiratory capacity in hepatocytes. Greater βOHB/Acoc ratios were also associated with decreased β-oxidation, as expected with enhanced lipogenesis. In hepatocytes from fasted mice, a more extracellular reduced state of βOHB/Acoc led to increased alanine-stimulated gluconeogenesis and enhanced glycogen synthesis capacity from added glucose. Thus, we demonstrated for the first time that the extracellular redox state regulates the major metabolic functions of the liver and involves changes in intracellular NADH, hydrogen peroxide, and mitochondrial respiration. Because redox state in the blood can be communicated to all metabolically sensitive tissues, this work confirms the hypothesis that circulating redox state may be an important regulator of whole body metabolism and contribute to alterations associated with metabolic diseases.

  15. Tuning of redox regulatory mechanisms, reactive oxygen species and redox homeostasis under salinity stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hossain eSazzad

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Soil salinity is a crucial environmental constraint which limits biomass production at many sites on a global scale. Saline growth conditions cause osmotic and ionic imbalances, oxidative stress and perturb metabolism, e.g. the photosynthetic electron flow. The plant ability to tolerate salinity is determined by multiple biochemical and physiological mechanisms protecting cell functions, in particular by regulating proper water relations and maintaining ion homeostasis. Redox homeostasis is a fundamental cell property. Its regulation includes control of reactive oxygen species (ROS generation, sensing deviation from and readjustment of the cellular redox state. All these redox related functions have been recognized as decisive factors in salinity acclimation and adaptation. This review focuses on the core response of plants to overcome the challenges of salinity stress through regulation of ROS generation and detoxification systems and to maintain redox homeostasis. Emphasis is given to the role of NADH oxidase (RBOH, alternative oxidase (AOX, the plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX and the malate valve with the malate dehydrogenase isoforms under salt stress. Overwhelming evidence assigns an essential auxiliary function of ROS and redox homeostasis to salinity acclimation of plants.

  16. Cynaropicrin targets the trypanothione redox system in Trypanosoma brucei.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmermann, Stefanie; Oufir, Mouhssin; Leroux, Alejandro; Krauth-Siegel, R Luise; Becker, Katja; Kaiser, Marcel; Brun, Reto; Hamburger, Matthias; Adams, Michael

    2013-11-15

    In mice cynaropicrin (CYN) potently inhibits the proliferation of Trypanosoma brucei-the causative agent of Human African Trypanosomiasis-by a so far unknown mechanism. We hypothesized that CYNs α,β-unsaturated methylene moieties act as Michael acceptors for glutathione (GSH) and trypanothione (T(SH)2), the main low molecular mass thiols essential for unique redox metabolism of these parasites. The analysis of this putative mechanism and the effects of CYN on enzymes of the T(SH)2 redox metabolism including trypanothione reductase, trypanothione synthetase, glutathione-S-transferase, and ornithine decarboxylase are shown. A two step extraction protocol with subsequent UPLC-MS/MS analysis was established to quantify intra-cellular CYN, T(SH)2, GSH, as well as GS-CYN and T(S-CYN)2 adducts in intact T. b. rhodesiense cells. Within minutes of exposure to CYN, the cellular GSH and T(SH)2 pools were entirely depleted, and the parasites entered an apoptotic stage and died. CYN also showed inhibition of the ornithine decarboxylase similar to the positive control eflornithine. Significant interactions with the other enzymes involved in the T(SH)2 redox metabolism were not observed. Alongside many other biological activities sesquiterpene lactones including CYN have shown antitrypanosomal effects, which have been postulated to be linked to formation of Michael adducts with cellular nucleophiles. Here the interaction of CYN with biological thiols in a cellular system in general, and with trypanosomal T(SH)2 redox metabolism in particular, thus offering a molecular explanation for the antitrypanosomal activity is demonstrated. At the same time, the study provides a novel extraction and analysis protocol for components of the trypanosomal thiol metabolism. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. In Defense of Sugar: A Critique of Diet-Centrism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archer, Edward

    2018-05-01

    Sugars are foundational to biological life and played essential roles in human evolution and dietary patterns for most of recorded history. The simple sugar glucose is so central to human health that it is one of the World Health Organization's Essential Medicines. Given these facts, it defies both logic and a large body of scientific evidence to claim that sugars and other nutrients that played fundamental roles in the substantial improvements in life- and health-spans over the past century are now suddenly responsible for increments in the prevalence of obesity and chronic non-communicable diseases. Thus, the purpose of this review is to provide a rigorous, evidence-based challenge to 'diet-centrism' and the disease-mongering of dietary sugar. The term 'diet-centrism' describes the naïve tendency of both researchers and the public to attribute a wide-range of negative health outcomes exclusively to dietary factors while neglecting the essential and well-established role of individual differences in nutrient-metabolism. The explicit conflation of dietary intake with both nutritional status and health inherent in 'diet-centrism' contravenes the fact that the human body is a complex biologic system in which the effects of dietary factors are dependent on the current state of that system. Thus, macronutrients cannot have health or metabolic effects independent of the physiologic context of the consuming individual (e.g., physical activity level). Therefore, given the unscientific hyperbole surrounding dietary sugars, I take an adversarial position and present highly-replicated evidence from multiple domains to show that 'diet' is a necessary but trivial factor in metabolic health, and that anti-sugar rhetoric is simply diet-centric disease-mongering engendered by physiologic illiteracy. My position is that dietary sugars are not responsible for obesity or metabolic diseases and that the consumption of simple sugars and sugar-polymers (e.g., starches) up to 75% of

  18. Exercise redox biochemistry: Conceptual, methodological and technical recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cobley, James N; Close, Graeme L; Bailey, Damian M; Davison, Gareth W

    2017-08-01

    Exercise redox biochemistry is of considerable interest owing to its translational value in health and disease. However, unaddressed conceptual, methodological and technical issues complicate attempts to unravel how exercise alters redox homeostasis in health and disease. Conceptual issues relate to misunderstandings that arise when the chemical heterogeneity of redox biology is disregarded: which often complicates attempts to use redox-active compounds and assess redox signalling. Further, that oxidised macromolecule adduct levels reflect formation and repair is seldom considered. Methodological and technical issues relate to the use of out-dated assays and/or inappropriate sample preparation techniques that confound biochemical redox analysis. After considering each of the aforementioned issues, we outline how each issue can be resolved and provide a unifying set of recommendations. We specifically recommend that investigators: consider chemical heterogeneity, use redox-active compounds judiciously, abandon flawed assays, carefully prepare samples and assay buffers, consider repair/metabolism, use multiple biomarkers to assess oxidative damage and redox signalling. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. The Metabolic and Endocrine Response and Health Implications of Consuming Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Findings From Recent Randomized Controlled Trials123

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rippe, James M.

    2013-01-01

    Fructose-containing sugars, including fructose itself, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and sucrose have engendered considerable controversy. The effects of HFCS and sucrose in sugar-sweetened beverages, in particular, have generated intense scientific debate that has spilled over to the public. This controversy is related to well-known differences in metabolism between fructose and glucose in the liver. In addition, research studies have often been conducted comparing pure fructose and pure glucose even though neither is consumed to any appreciable degree in isolation in the human diet. Other evidence has been drawn from animal studies and epidemiologic or cohort studies. Few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have compared HFCS with sucrose (the 2 sugars most commonly consumed in the human diet) at dosage amounts within the normal human consumption range. This review compares results of recently concluded RCTs with other forms of evidence related to fructose, HFCS, and sucrose. We conclude that great caution must be used when suggesting adverse health effects of consuming these sugars in the normal way they are consumed and at the normal amounts in the human diet, because RCTs do not support adverse health consequences at these doses when employing these sugars. PMID:24228199

  20. Effect of time of day for harvest and postharvest treatments on the sugar metabolism of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joaquin Hasperue

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available     Loss of sugars contributes to accelerate postharvest senescence of broccoli. Several treatments have been developed to delay senescence, but in many cases their effects on sugar metabolism were not analyzed. We studied the effect of harvest at different times of day (08:00, 13:00 and 18:00 h and of several postharvest treatments as heat treatment (HT, modified atmosphere (MA and 1-methylcylcopropene (1-MCP on sugar levels and activities of enzymes related to sucrose and starch degradation. Harvesting at the end of day delayed the loss of chlorophylls and caused the lowest decrement in sugars, although no differences in invertase, sucrose synthase and β-amylase activities were detected among samples. Treatments of MA and 1-MCP caused a lower loss of glucose and fructose, while HT caused a lower decrement of sucrose. Treated samples maintained higher levels of chlorophylls. The treatments reduced the activity of invertase and sucrose synthase and induced higher levels of β-amylase activity. Harvesting at the end of day and performing simultaneously a MA treatment could be a good combination to maintain the green color of the inflorescence and sugar levels during postharvest of broccoli.

  1. Sugar, Uric Acid, and the Etiology of Diabetes and Obesity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Richard J.; Nakagawa, Takahiko; Sanchez-Lozada, L. Gabriela; Shafiu, Mohamed; Sundaram, Shikha; Le, Myphuong; Ishimoto, Takuji; Sautin, Yuri Y.; Lanaspa, Miguel A.

    2013-01-01

    The intake of added sugars, such as from table sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose corn syrup has increased dramatically in the last hundred years and correlates closely with the rise in obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Fructose is a major component of added sugars and is distinct from other sugars in its ability to cause intracellular ATP depletion, nucleotide turnover, and the generation of uric acid. In this article, we revisit the hypothesis that it is this unique aspect of fructose metabolism that accounts for why fructose intake increases the risk for metabolic syndrome. Recent studies show that fructose-induced uric acid generation causes mitochondrial oxidative stress that stimulates fat accumulation independent of excessive caloric intake. These studies challenge the long-standing dogma that “a calorie is just a calorie” and suggest that the metabolic effects of food may matter as much as its energy content. The discovery that fructose-mediated generation of uric acid may have a causal role in diabetes and obesity provides new insights into pathogenesis and therapies for this important disease. PMID:24065788

  2. Taste-independent detection of the caloric content of sugar in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dus, Monica; Min, SooHong; Keene, Alex C; Lee, Ga Young; Suh, Greg S B

    2011-07-12

    Feeding behavior is influenced primarily by two factors: nutritional needs and food palatability. However, the role of food deprivation and metabolic needs in the selection of appropriate food is poorly understood. Here, we show that the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, selects calorie-rich foods following prolonged food deprivation in the absence of taste-receptor signaling. Flies mutant for the sugar receptors Gr5a and Gr64a cannot detect the taste of sugar, but still consumed sugar over plain agar after 15 h of starvation. Similarly, pox-neuro mutants that are insensitive to the taste of sugar preferentially consumed sugar over plain agar upon starvation. Moreover, when given a choice between metabolizable sugar (sucrose or D-glucose) and nonmetabolizable (zero-calorie) sugar (sucralose or L-glucose), starved Gr5a; Gr64a double mutants preferred metabolizable sugars. These findings suggest the existence of a taste-independent metabolic sensor that functions in food selection. The preference for calorie-rich food correlates with a decrease in the two main hemolymph sugars, trehalose and glucose, and in glycogen stores, indicating that this sensor is triggered when the internal energy sources are depleted. Thus, the need to replenish depleted energy stores during periods of starvation may be met through the activity of a taste-independent metabolic sensing pathway.

  3. Redox Control of Aphid Resistance through Altered Cell Wall Composition and Nutritional Quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasool, Brwa; McGowan, Jack; Pastok, Daria; Marcus, Sue E; Morris, Jenny A; Verrall, Susan R; Hedley, Peter E; Hancock, Robert D; Foyer, Christine H

    2017-09-01

    The mechanisms underpinning plant perception of phloem-feeding insects, particularly aphids, remain poorly characterized. Therefore, the role of apoplastic redox state in controlling aphid infestation was explored using transgenic tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) plants that have either high (PAO) or low (TAO) ascorbate oxidase (AO) activities relative to the wild type. Only a small number of leaf transcripts and metabolites were changed in response to genotype, and cell wall composition was largely unaffected. Aphid fecundity was decreased significantly in TAO plants compared with other lines. Leaf sugar levels were increased and maximum extractable AO activities were decreased in response to aphids in all genotypes. Transcripts encoding the Respiratory Burst Oxidase Homolog F, signaling components involved in ethylene and other hormone-mediated pathways, photosynthetic electron transport components, sugar, amino acid, and cell wall metabolism, were increased significantly in the TAO plants in response to aphid perception relative to other lines. The levels of galactosylated xyloglucan were decreased significantly in response to aphid feeding in all the lines, the effect being the least in the TAO plants. Similarly, all lines exhibited increases in tightly bound (1→4)-β-galactan. Taken together, these findings identify AO-dependent mechanisms that limit aphid infestation. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  4. Redox balance is key to explaining full vs. partial switching to low-yield metabolism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Hoek Milan JA

    2012-03-01

    organisms that have an additional energy-yielding pathway that does not consume NADH (e.g., acetate production in E. coli. Flux decrease through the high-yield pathway is expected in organisms in which the high-yield and low-yield pathways compete for NADH. In support of this analysis, a simplified model of metabolic switching suggests that the extra energy generated during acetate production produces an additional optimal growth mode that smoothens the metabolic switch in E. coli. Conclusions Maintaining redox balance is key to explaining why some microbes decrease the flux through the high-yield pathway, while other microbes use "overflow-like" low-yield metabolism.

  5. Redox regulation and pro-oxidant reactions in the physiology of circadian systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Méndez, Isabel; Vázquez-Martínez, Olivia; Hernández-Muñoz, Rolando; Valente-Godínez, Héctor; Díaz-Muñoz, Mauricio

    2016-05-01

    Rhythms of approximately 24 h are pervasive in most organisms and are known as circadian. There is a molecular circadian clock in each cell sustained by a feedback system of interconnected "clock" genes and transcription factors. In mammals, the timing system is formed by a central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, in coordination with a collection of peripheral oscillators. Recently, an extensive interconnection has been recognized between the molecular circadian clock and the set of biochemical pathways that underlie the bioenergetics of the cell. A principle regulator of metabolic networks is the flow of electrons between electron donors and acceptors. The concomitant reduction and oxidation (redox) reactions directly influence the balance between anabolic and catabolic processes. This review summarizes and discusses recent findings concerning the mutual and dynamic interactions between the molecular circadian clock, redox reactions, and redox signaling. The scope includes the regulatory role played by redox coenzymes (NAD(P)+/NAD(P)H, GSH/GSSG), reactive oxygen species (superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide), antioxidants (melatonin), and physiological events that modulate the redox state (feeding condition, circadian rhythms) in determining the timing capacity of the molecular circadian clock. In addition, we discuss a purely metabolic circadian clock, which is based on the redox enzymes known as peroxiredoxins and is present in mammalian red blood cells and in other biological systems. Both the timing system and the metabolic network are key to a better understanding of widespread pathological conditions such as the metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

  6. Impact of sugars and sugar taxation on body weight control: A comprehensive literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bes-Rastrollo, Maira; Sayon-Orea, Carmen; Ruiz-Canela, Miguel; Martinez-Gonzalez, Miguel A

    2016-07-01

    To conduct a comprehensive literature review in the field of added-sugar consumption on weight gain including the effect of fructose-containing caloric sweeteners and sugar taxation. A search of three databases was conducted in the time period from the inception of the databases to August 2015. Sensitive search strategies were used in order to retrieve systematic reviews (SR) of fructose, sucrose, or sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) on weight gain and metabolic adverse effects, conducted on humans and written in English, Spanish, or French. In addition, a review about SSB taxation and weight outcomes was conducted. The search yielded 24 SRs about SSBs and obesity, 23 SRs on fructose or SSBs and metabolic adverse effects, and 24 studies about SSB taxation and weight control. The majority of SRs, especially the most recent ones, with the highest quality and without any disclosed conflict of interest, suggested that the consumption of SSBs is a risk factor for obesity. The effect of fructose-containing caloric sweeteners, on weight gain is mediated by overconsumption of beverages with these sweeteners, leading to an extra provision of energy intake. The tax tool alone on added sugars appears insufficient to curb the obesity epidemic, but it needs to be included in a multicomponent structural strategy. © 2016 The Obesity Society.

  7. Imaging Mitochondrial Redox Potential and Its Possible Link to Tumor Metastatic Potential

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lin Z.

    2012-01-01

    Cellular redox states can regulate cell metabolism, growth, differentiation, motility, apoptosis, signaling pathways, and gene expressions etc. Growing body of literature suggest importance of redox status for cancer progression. While most studies on redox state were done on cells and tissue lysates, it is important to understand the role of redox state in tissue in vivo/ex vivo and image its heterogeneity. Redox scanning is a clinically-translatable method for imaging tissue mitochondrial redox potential with a submillimeter resolution. Redox scanning data in mouse models of human cancers demonstrate a correlation between mitochondrial redox state and tumor metastatic potential. I will discuss the significance of this correlation and possible directions for future research. PMID:22895837

  8. Redox active molecules cytochrome c and vitamin C enhance heme-enzyme peroxidations by serving as non-specific agents for redox relay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gade, Sudeep Kumar; Bhattacharya, Subarna [Heme and Flavo Proteins Laboratory, 204, Center for Biomedical Research, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 (India); Manoj, Kelath Murali, E-mail: satyamjayatu@yahoo.com [Heme and Flavo Proteins Laboratory, 204, Center for Biomedical Research, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 (India)

    2012-03-09

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer At low concentrations, cytochrome c/vitamin C do not catalyze peroxidations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer But low levels of cytochrome c/vitamin C enhance diverse heme peroxidase activities. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Enhancement positively correlates to the concentration of peroxide in reaction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Reducible additives serve as non-specific agents for redox relay in the system. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Insight into electron transfer processes in routine and oxidative-stress states. -- Abstract: We report that incorporation of very low concentrations of redox protein cytochrome c and redox active small molecule vitamin C impacted the outcome of one-electron oxidations mediated by structurally distinct plant/fungal heme peroxidases. Evidence suggests that cytochrome c and vitamin C function as a redox relay for diffusible reduced oxygen species in the reaction system, without invoking specific or affinity-based molecular interactions for electron transfers. The findings provide novel perspectives to understanding - (1) the promiscuous role of cytochrome b{sub 5} in the metabolism mediated by liver microsomal xenobiotic metabolizing systems and (2) the roles of antioxidant molecules in affording relief from oxidative stress.

  9. Silymarin protects PBMC against B(a)P induced toxicity by replenishing redox status and modulating glutathione metabolizing enzymes-An in vitro study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiruthiga, P.V.; Pandian, S. Karutha; Devi, K. Pandima

    2010-01-01

    PAHs are a ubiquitous class of environmental contaminants that have a large number of hazardous consequences on human health. An important prototype of PAHs, B(a)P, is notable for being the first chemical carcinogen to be discovered and the one classified by EPA as a probable human carcinogen. It undergoes metabolic activation to QD, which generate ROS by redox cycling system in the body and oxidatively damage the macromolecules. Hence, a variety of antioxidants have been tested as possible protectors against B(a)P toxicity. Silymarin is one such compound, which has high human acceptance, used clinically and consumed as dietary supplement around the world for its strong anti-oxidant efficacy. Silymarin was employed as an alternative approach for treating B(a)P induced damage and oxidative stress in PBMC, with an emphasis to provide the molecular basis for the effect of silymarin against B(a)P induced toxicity. PBMC cells exposed to either benzopyrene (1 μM) or silymarin (2.4 mg/ml) or both was monitored for toxicity by assessing LPO, PO, redox status (GSH/GSSG ratio), glutathione metabolizing enzymes GR and GPx and antioxidant enzymes CAT and SOD. This study also investigated the protective effect of silymarin against B(a)P induced biochemical alteration at the molecular level by FT-IR spectroscopy. Our findings were quite striking that silymarin possesses substantial protective effect against B(a)P induced oxidative stress and biochemical changes by restoring redox status, modulating glutathione metabolizing enzymes, hindering the formation of protein oxidation products, inhibiting LPO and further reducing ROS mediated damages by changing the level of antioxidant enzymes. The results suggest that silymarin exhibits multiple protections and it should be considered as a potential protective agent for environmental contaminant induced immunotoxicity.

  10. Redox-Based Regulation of Bacterial Development and Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sporer, Abigail J; Kahl, Lisa J; Price-Whelan, Alexa; Dietrich, Lars E P

    2017-06-20

    Severe changes in the environmental redox potential, and resulting alterations in the oxidation states of intracellular metabolites and enzymes, have historically been considered negative stressors, requiring responses that are strictly defensive. However, recent work in diverse organisms has revealed that more subtle changes in the intracellular redox state can act as signals, eliciting responses with benefits beyond defense and detoxification. Changes in redox state have been shown to influence or trigger chromosome segregation, sporulation, aerotaxis, and social behaviors, including luminescence as well as biofilm establishment and dispersal. Connections between redox state and complex behavior allow bacteria to link developmental choices with metabolic state and coordinate appropriate responses. Promising future directions for this area of study include metabolomic analysis of species- and condition-dependent changes in metabolite oxidation states and elucidation of the mechanisms whereby the redox state influences circadian regulation.

  11. Zinc and the modulation of redox homeostasis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oteiza, Patricia I.

    2012-01-01

    Zinc, a redox inactive metal, has been long viewed as a component of the antioxidant network, and growing evidence points to its involvement in redox-regulated signaling. These actions are exerted through several mechanisms based on the unique chemical and functional properties of zinc. Overall, zinc contributes to maintain the cell redox balance through different mechanisms including: i) the regulation of oxidant production and metal-induced oxidative damage; ii) the dynamic association of zinc with sulfur in protein cysteine clusters, from which the metal can be released by nitric oxide, peroxides, oxidized glutathione and other thiol oxidant species; iii) zinc-mediated induction of the zinc-binding protein metallothionein, which releases the metal under oxidative conditions and act per se scavenging oxidants; iv) the involvement of zinc in the regulation of glutathione metabolism and of the overall protein thiol redox status; and v) a direct or indirect regulation of redox signaling. Findings of oxidative stress, altered redox signaling, and associated cell/tissue disfunction in cell and animal models of zinc deficiency, stress the relevant role of zinc in the preservation of cell redox homeostasis. However, while the participation of zinc in antioxidant protection, redox sensing, and redox-regulated signaling is accepted, the involved molecules, targets and mechanisms are still partially known and the subject of active research. PMID:22960578

  12. Dynamic analysis of sugar metabolism in different harvest seasons ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    2011-04-04

    Apr 4, 2011 ... sugars and reducing sugars of pineapple treated by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on chilling injuries were not significantly different from that of the control pineapple. Liu et al. (2009) reported that the flavor in summer pineapple fruit was better than that of the winter fruit. Joomwong (2006) showed that the fruit ...

  13. Effects on lipid and glucose metabolism of diets with different types of fat and sugar in male fatty Zucker rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Waard, de H.

    1978-01-01

    The nutritional problem with regard to fat and sugar consumption in relation to lipid and glucose metabolism, and the ultimate goal of the study are generally outlined in Chapter 1. The obese Zucker rat was chosen as being likely a suitable animal model for a study like this. Chapter 2 is

  14. Redox regulation in metabolic programming and inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, Helen R; Gao, Dan; Pararasa, Chathyan

    2017-08-01

    Energy metabolism and redox state are intrinsically linked. In order to mount an adequate immune response, cells must have an adequate and rapidly available energy resource to migrate to the inflammatory site, to generate reactive oxygen species using NADPH as a cofactor and to engulf bacteria or damaged tissue. The first responder cells of the innate immune response, neutrophils, are largely dependent on glycolysis. Neutrophils are relatively short-lived, dying via apoptosis in the process of bacterial killing through production of hypochlorous acid and release of extracellular NETs. Later on, the most prevalent recruited innate immune cells are monocytes. Their role is to complete a damage limitation exercise initiated by neutrophils and then, as re-programmed M2 macrophages, to resolve the inflammatory event. Almost twenty five years ago, it was noted that macrophages lose their glycolytic capacity and become anti-inflammatory after treatment with corticosteroids. In support of this we now understand that, in contrast to early responders, M2 macrophages are predominantly dependent on oxidative phosphorylation for energy. During early inflammation, polarisation towards M1 macrophages is dependent on NOX2 activation which, via protein tyrosine phosphatase oxidation and AKT activation, increases trafficking of glucose transporters to the membrane and consequently increases glucose uptake for glycolysis. In parallel, mitochondrial efficiency is likely to be compromised via nitrosylation of the electron transport chain. Resolution of inflammation is triggered by encounter with apoptotic membranes exposing oxidised phosphatidylserine that interact with the scavenger receptor, CD36. Downstream of CD36, activation of AMPK and PPARγ elicits mitochondrial biogenesis, arginase expression and a switch towards oxidative phosphorylation in the M2 macrophage. Proinflammatory cytokine production by M2 cells decreases, but anti-inflammatory and wound healing growth factor

  15. MICROSCALE METABOLIC, REDOX AND ABIOTIC REACTIONS IN HANFORD 300 AREA SUBSURFACE SEDIMENTS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beyenal, Haluk [WSU; McLEan, Jeff [JCVI; Majors, Paul [PNNL; Fredrickson, Jim [PNNL

    2013-11-14

    The Hanford 300 Area is a unique site due to periodic hydrologic influence of river water resulting in changes in groundwater elevation and flow direction. This area is also highly subject to uranium remobilization, the source of which is currently believed to be the region at the base of the vadose zone that is subject to period saturation due to the changes in the water levels in the Columbia River. We found that microbial processes and redox and abiotic reactions which operate at the microscale were critical to understanding factors controlling the macroscopic fate and transport of contaminants in the subsurface. The combined laboratory and field research showed how microscale conditions control uranium mobility and how biotic, abiotic and redox reactions relate to each other. Our findings extended the current knowledge to examine U(VI) reduction and immobilization using natural 300 Area communities as well as selected model organisms on redox-sensitive and redox-insensitive minerals. Using innovative techniques developed specifically to probe biogeochemical processes at the microscale, our research expanded our current understanding of the roles played by mineral surfaces, bacterial competition, and local biotic, abiotic and redox reaction rates on the reduction and immobilization of uranium.

  16. Characteristics of sugar uptake by immature maize embryos

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Griffith, S.M.; Jones, R.J.; Brenner, M.L.

    1986-01-01

    Characteristics of sugar uptake by immature maize embryos were determined in vitro utilizing a 14 C-sugar solution incubation method. Hexose uptake rates were greater than those for sucrose, however, all showed biphasic kinetics. Glucose and fructose saturable components were evidence at <50 mM and sucrose at <5 mM. Chemical inhibitors (CCCP, DNP, NaCN, and PCMBS) and low temperature reduced sugar uptake. Sucrose influx was pH dependent while glucose was not. Embryos maintained a high sucrose to hexose ratio throughout development. At 25 days after pollination sucrose levels exceeded 200 mM while hexose levels remained below 5 mM. Glucose was rapidly converted to sucrose upon transport into the embryo. These circumstantial data indicate that sugar uptake by immature maize embryos is metabolically dependent and carrier mediated. Furthermore, sucrose transport appears to occur against its concentration gradient involving a H+/sucrose cotransport mechanism, while glucose influx is driven by its concentration gradient and subsequent metabolism

  17. Free Sugar Profile in Cycads

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Edward Marler

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The sugars fructose, glucose, maltose, and sucrose were quantified in seven tissues of Zamia muricata Willd. to determine their distribution throughout various organs of a model cycad species, and in lateral structural roots of 18 cycad species to determine the variation in sugar concentration and composition among species representing every cycad genus. Taproot and lateral structural roots contained more sugars than leaf, stem, female strobilus, or coralloid roots. For example, taproot sugar concentration was 6.4-fold greater than stem sugar concentration. The dominant root sugars were glucose and fructose, and the only detected stem sugar was sucrose. Sucrose also dominated the sugar profile for leaflet and coralloid root tissue, and fructose was the dominant sugar in female strobilus tissue. Maltose was a minor constituent of taproot, leaflet, and female strobilus tissue, but absent in other tissues. The concentration of total free sugars and each of the four sugars did not differ among genera or families. Stoichiometric relationships among the sugars, such as the quotient hexoses/disaccharides, differed among organs and families. Although anecdotal reports on cycad starch have been abundant due to its historical use as human food and the voluminous medical research invested into cycad neurotoxins, this is the first report on the sugar component of the non-structural carbohydrate profile of cycads. Fructose, glucose, and sucrose are abundant in cycad tissues, with their relative abundance highly contrasting among organs. Their importance as forms of carbon storage, messengers of information, or regulators of cycad metabolism have not been determined to date.

  18. Carbohydrate Metabolism Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... metabolic disorder, something goes wrong with this process. Carbohydrate metabolism disorders are a group of metabolic disorders. Normally your enzymes break carbohydrates down into glucose (a type of sugar). If ...

  19. The return of metabolism: biochemistry and physiology of the pentose phosphate pathway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stincone, Anna; Prigione, Alessandro; Cramer, Thorsten; Wamelink, Mirjam M. C.; Campbell, Kate; Cheung, Eric; Olin-Sandoval, Viridiana; Grüning, Nana-Maria; Krüger, Antje; Alam, Mohammad Tauqeer; Keller, Markus A.; Breitenbach, Michael; Brindle, Kevin M.; Rabinowitz, Joshua D.; Ralser, Markus

    2015-01-01

    The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is a fundamental component of cellular metabolism. The PPP is important to maintain carbon homoeostasis, to provide precursors for nucleotide and amino acid biosynthesis, to provide reducing molecules for anabolism, and to defeat oxidative stress. The PPP shares reactions with the Entner–Doudoroff pathway and Calvin cycle and divides into an oxidative and non-oxidative branch. The oxidative branch is highly active in most eukaryotes and converts glucose 6-phosphate into carbon dioxide, ribulose 5-phosphate and NADPH. The latter function is critical to maintain redox balance under stress situations, when cells proliferate rapidly, in ageing, and for the ‘Warburg effect’ of cancer cells. The non-oxidative branch instead is virtually ubiquitous, and metabolizes the glycolytic intermediates fructose 6-phosphate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate as well as sedoheptulose sugars, yielding ribose 5-phosphate for the synthesis of nucleic acids and sugar phosphate precursors for the synthesis of amino acids. Whereas the oxidative PPP is considered unidirectional, the non-oxidative branch can supply glycolysis with intermediates derived from ribose 5-phosphate and vice versa, depending on the biochemical demand. These functions require dynamic regulation of the PPP pathway that is achieved through hierarchical interactions between transcriptome, proteome and metabolome. Consequently, the biochemistry and regulation of this pathway, while still unresolved in many cases, are archetypal for the dynamics of the metabolic network of the cell. In this comprehensive article we review seminal work that led to the discovery and description of the pathway that date back now for 80 years, and address recent results about genetic and metabolic mechanisms that regulate its activity. These biochemical principles are discussed in the context of PPP deficiencies causing metabolic disease and the role of this pathway in biotechnology, bacterial and

  20. Engineering Synechocystis PCC6803 for hydrogen production: influence on the tolerance to oxidative and sugar stresses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcia Ortega-Ramos

    Full Text Available In the prospect of engineering cyanobacteria for the biological photoproduction of hydrogen, we have studied the hydrogen production machine in the model unicellular strain Synechocystis PCC6803 through gene deletion, and overexpression (constitutive or controlled by the growth temperature. We demonstrate that the hydrogenase-encoding hoxEFUYH operon is dispensable to standard photoautotrophic growth in absence of stress, and it operates in cell defense against oxidative (H₂O₂ and sugar (glucose and glycerol stresses. Furthermore, we showed that the simultaneous over-production of the proteins HoxEFUYH and HypABCDE (assembly of hydrogenase, combined to an increase in nickel availability, led to an approximately 20-fold increase in the level of active hydrogenase. These novel results and mutants have major implications for those interested in hydrogenase, hydrogen production and redox metabolism, and their connections with environmental conditions.

  1. The SAMHD1 dNTP Triphosphohydrolase Is Controlled by a Redox Switch.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauney, Christopher H; Rogers, LeAnn C; Harris, Reuben S; Daniel, Larry W; Devarie-Baez, Nelmi O; Wu, Hanzhi; Furdui, Cristina M; Poole, Leslie B; Perrino, Fred W; Hollis, Thomas

    2017-12-01

    Proliferative signaling involves reversible posttranslational oxidation of proteins. However, relatively few molecular targets of these modifications have been identified. We investigate the role of protein oxidation in regulation of SAMHD1 catalysis. Here we report that SAMHD1 is a major target for redox regulation of nucleotide metabolism and cell cycle control. SAMHD1 is a triphosphate hydrolase, whose function involves regulation of deoxynucleotide triphosphate pools. We demonstrate that the redox state of SAMHD1 regulates its catalytic activity. We have identified three cysteine residues that constitute an intrachain disulfide bond "redox switch" that reversibly inhibits protein tetramerization and catalysis. We show that proliferative signals lead to SAMHD1 oxidation in cells and oxidized SAMHD1 is localized outside of the nucleus. Innovation and Conclusions: SAMHD1 catalytic activity is reversibly regulated by protein oxidation. These data identify a previously unknown mechanism for regulation of nucleotide metabolism by SAMHD1. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 1317-1331.

  2. Oligo-carrageenan kappa-induced reducing redox status and increase in TRR/TRX activities promote activation and reprogramming of terpenoid metabolism in Eucalyptus trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Alberto; Gutiérrez-Cutiño, Marlen; Moenne, Alejandra

    2014-06-05

    In order to analyze whether the reducing redox status and activation of thioredoxin reductase (TRR)/thioredoxin(TRX) system induced by oligo-carrageenan (OC) kappa in Eucalyptus globulus activate secondary metabolism increasing terpenoid synthesis, trees were sprayed on the leaves with water, with OC kappa, or with inhibitors of NAD(P)H, ascorbate (ASC) and (GSH) synthesis and TRR activity, CHS-828, lycorine, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) and auranofine, respectively, and with OC kappa and cultivated for four months. The main terpenoids in control Eucalyptus trees were eucalyptol (76%), α-pinene (7.4%), aromadendrene (3.6%), silvestrene (2.8%), sabinene (2%) and α-terpineol (0.9%). Treated trees showed a 22% increase in total essential oils as well as a decrease in eucalyptol (65%) and sabinene (0.8%) and an increase in aromadendrene (5%), silvestrene (7.8%) and other ten terpenoids. In addition, treated Eucalyptus showed seven de novo synthesized terpenoids corresponding to carene, α-terpinene, α-fenchene, γ-maaliene, spathulenol and α-camphenolic aldehyde. Most increased and de novo synthesized terpenoids have potential insecticidal and antimicrobial activities. Trees treated with CHS-828, lycorine, BSO and auranofine and with OC kappa showed an inhibition of increased and de novo synthesized terpenoids. Thus, OC kappa-induced reducing redox status and activation of TRR/TRX system enhance secondary metabolism increasing the synthesis of terpenoids and reprogramming of terpenoid metabolism in Eucalyptus trees.

  3. Oligo-Carrageenan Kappa-Induced Reducing Redox Status and Increase in TRR/TRX Activities Promote Activation and Reprogramming of Terpenoid Metabolism in Eucalyptus Trees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto González

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available In order to analyze whether the reducing redox status and activation of thioredoxin reductase (TRR/thioredoxin(TRX system induced by oligo-carrageenan (OC kappa in Eucalyptus globulus activate secondary metabolism increasing terpenoid synthesis, trees were sprayed on the leaves with water, with OC kappa, or with inhibitors of NAD(PH, ascorbate (ASC and (GSH synthesis and TRR activity, CHS-828, lycorine, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO and auranofine, respectively, and with OC kappa and cultivated for four months. The main terpenoids in control Eucalyptus trees were eucalyptol (76%, α-pinene (7.4%, aromadendrene (3.6%, silvestrene (2.8%, sabinene (2% and α-terpineol (0.9%. Treated trees showed a 22% increase in total essential oils as well as a decrease in eucalyptol (65% and sabinene (0.8% and an increase in aromadendrene (5%, silvestrene (7.8% and other ten terpenoids. In addition, treated Eucalyptus showed seven de novo synthesized terpenoids corresponding to carene, α-terpinene, α-fenchene, γ-maaliene, spathulenol and α-camphenolic aldehyde. Most increased and de novo synthesized terpenoids have potential insecticidal and antimicrobial activities. Trees treated with CHS-828, lycorine, BSO and auranofine and with OC kappa showed an inhibition of increased and de novo synthesized terpenoids. Thus, OC kappa-induced reducing redox status and activation of TRR/TRX system enhance secondary metabolism increasing the synthesis of terpenoids and reprogramming of terpenoid metabolism in Eucalyptus trees.

  4. The Deep Thioredoxome in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: New Insights into Redox Regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Pérez, María Esther; Mauriès, Adeline; Maes, Alexandre; Tourasse, Nicolas J; Hamon, Marion; Lemaire, Stéphane D; Marchand, Christophe H

    2017-08-07

    Thiol-based redox post-translational modifications have emerged as important mechanisms of signaling and regulation in all organisms, and thioredoxin plays a key role by controlling the thiol-disulfide status of target proteins. Recent redox proteomic studies revealed hundreds of proteins regulated by glutathionylation and nitrosylation in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, while much less is known about the thioredoxin interactome in this organism. By combining qualitative and quantitative proteomic analyses, we have comprehensively investigated the Chlamydomonas thioredoxome and 1188 targets have been identified. They participate in a wide range of metabolic pathways and cellular processes. This study broadens not only the redox regulation to new enzymes involved in well-known thioredoxin-regulated metabolic pathways but also sheds light on cellular processes for which data supporting redox regulation are scarce (aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, nuclear transport, etc). Moreover, we characterized 1052 thioredoxin-dependent regulatory sites and showed that these data constitute a valuable resource for future functional studies in Chlamydomonas. By comparing this thioredoxome with proteomic data for glutathionylation and nitrosylation at the protein and cysteine levels, this work confirms the existence of a complex redox regulation network in Chlamydomonas and provides evidence of a tremendous selectivity of redox post-translational modifications for specific cysteine residues. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Kinetic modeling of microbially-driven redox chemistry of radionuclides in subsurface environments: Coupling transport, microbial metabolism and geochemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Yifeng; Papenguth, Hans W.

    2000-01-01

    Microbial degradation of organic matter is a driving force in many subsurface geochemical systems, and therefore may have significant impacts on the fate of radionuclides released into subsurface environments. In this paper, the authors present a general reaction-transport model for microbial metabolism, redox chemistry, and radionuclide migration in subsurface systems. The model explicitly accounts for biomass accumulation and the coupling of radionuclide redox reactions with major biogeochemical processes. Based on the consideration that the biomass accumulation in subsurface environments is likely to achieve a quasi-steady state, they have accordingly modified the traditional microbial growth kinetic equation. They justified the use of the biogeochemical models without the explicit representation of biomass accumulation, if the interest of modeling is in the net impact of microbial reactions on geochemical processes. They then applied their model to a scenario in which an oxic water flow containing both uranium and completing organic ligands is recharged into an oxic aquifer in a carbonate formation. The model simulation shows that uranium can be reduced and therefore immobilized in the anoxic zone created by microbial degradation

  6. Kinetic modeling of microbially-driven redox chemistry of radionuclides in subsurface environments: Coupling transport, microbial metabolism and geochemistry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    WANG,YIFENG; PAPENGUTH,HANS W.

    2000-05-04

    Microbial degradation of organic matter is a driving force in many subsurface geochemical systems, and therefore may have significant impacts on the fate of radionuclides released into subsurface environments. In this paper, the authors present a general reaction-transport model for microbial metabolism, redox chemistry, and radionuclide migration in subsurface systems. The model explicitly accounts for biomass accumulation and the coupling of radionuclide redox reactions with major biogeochemical processes. Based on the consideration that the biomass accumulation in subsurface environments is likely to achieve a quasi-steady state, they have accordingly modified the traditional microbial growth kinetic equation. They justified the use of the biogeochemical models without the explicit representation of biomass accumulation, if the interest of modeling is in the net impact of microbial reactions on geochemical processes. They then applied their model to a scenario in which an oxic water flow containing both uranium and completing organic ligands is recharged into an oxic aquifer in a carbonate formation. The model simulation shows that uranium can be reduced and therefore immobilized in the anoxic zone created by microbial degradation.

  7. Profiling bacterial communities associated with sediment-based aquaculture bioremediation systems under contrasting redox regimes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Georgina; Caldwell, Gary S.; Wade, Matthew J.; Free, Andrew; Jones, Clifford L. W.; Stead, Selina M.

    2016-12-01

    Deposit-feeding invertebrates are proposed bioremediators in microbial-driven sediment-based aquaculture effluent treatment systems. We elucidate the role of the sediment reduction-oxidation (redox) regime in structuring benthic bacterial communities, having direct implications for bioremediation potential and deposit-feeder nutrition. The sea cucumber Holothuria scabra was cultured on sediments under contrasting redox regimes; fully oxygenated (oxic) and redox stratified (oxic-anoxic). Taxonomically, metabolically and functionally distinct bacterial communities developed between the redox treatments with the oxic treatment supporting the greater diversity; redox regime and dissolved oxygen levels were the main environmental drivers. Oxic sediments were colonised by nitrifying bacteria with the potential to remediate nitrogenous wastes. Percolation of oxygenated water prevented the proliferation of anaerobic sulphate-reducing bacteria, which were prevalent in the oxic-anoxic sediments. At the predictive functional level, bacteria within the oxic treatment were enriched with genes associated with xenobiotics metabolism. Oxic sediments showed the greater bioremediation potential; however, the oxic-anoxic sediments supported a greater sea cucumber biomass. Overall, the results indicate that bacterial communities present in fully oxic sediments may enhance the metabolic capacity and bioremediation potential of deposit-feeder microbial systems. This study highlights the benefits of incorporating deposit-feeding invertebrates into effluent treatment systems, particularly when the sediment is oxygenated.

  8. Engineered Proteins: Redox Properties and Their Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prabhulkar, Shradha; Tian, Hui; Wang, Xiaotang; Zhu, Jun-Jie

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Oxidoreductases and metalloproteins, representing more than one third of all known proteins, serve as significant catalysts for numerous biological processes that involve electron transfers such as photosynthesis, respiration, metabolism, and molecular signaling. The functional properties of the oxidoreductases/metalloproteins are determined by the nature of their redox centers. Protein engineering is a powerful approach that is used to incorporate biological and abiological redox cofactors as well as novel enzymes and redox proteins with predictable structures and desirable functions for important biological and chemical applications. The methods of protein engineering, mainly rational design, directed evolution, protein surface modifications, and domain shuffling, have allowed the creation and study of a number of redox proteins. This review presents a selection of engineered redox proteins achieved through these methods, resulting in a manipulation in redox potentials, an increase in electron-transfer efficiency, and an expansion of native proteins by de novo design. Such engineered/modified redox proteins with desired properties have led to a broad spectrum of practical applications, ranging from biosensors, biofuel cells, to pharmaceuticals and hybrid catalysis. Glucose biosensors are one of the most successful products in enzyme electrochemistry, with reconstituted glucose oxidase achieving effective electrical communication with the sensor electrode; direct electron-transfer-type biofuel cells are developed to avoid thermodynamic loss and mediator leakage; and fusion proteins of P450s and redox partners make the biocatalytic generation of drug metabolites possible. In summary, this review includes the properties and applications of the engineered redox proteins as well as their significance and great potential in the exploration of bioelectrochemical sensing devices. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 17, 1796–1822. PMID:22435347

  9. The effect of dietary sugars on triacylglycerol metabolism in subjects at increased risk of metabolic syndrome.

    OpenAIRE

    Marino, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    Background: High sugar diet may increase plasma triacylglycerol (TG) levels and cause dyslipidaemia, resulting in a higher cardiometabolic risk. High sugar intake may also promote the accumulation of ectopic fat in the liver. Objectives: To determine the effect of two isocaloric diets, low and high in extrinsic sugars (6% or 26% total energy respectively corresponding to the lower and upper 2.5th percentile of the intake in men aged 40-65 in the UK) but with the same total carbohydrate co...

  10. Redox responses are preserved across muscle fibres with differential susceptibility to aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Neil T; Soriano-Arroquia, Ana; Goljanek-Whysall, Katarzyna; Jackson, Malcolm J; McDonagh, Brian

    2018-04-15

    Age-related loss of muscle mass and function is associated with increased frailty and loss of independence. The mechanisms underlying the susceptibility of different muscle types to age-related atrophy are not fully understood. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are recognised as important signalling molecules in healthy muscle and redox sensitive proteins can respond to intracellular changes in ROS concentrations modifying reactive thiol groups on Cysteine (Cys) residues. Conserved Cys residues tend to occur in functionally important locations and can have a direct impact on protein function through modifications at the active site or determining protein conformation. The aim of this work was to determine age-related changes in the redox proteome of two metabolically distinct murine skeletal muscles, the quadriceps a predominantly glycolytic muscle and the soleus which contains a higher proportion of mitochondria. To examine the effects of aging on the global proteome and the oxidation state of individual redox sensitive Cys residues, we employed a label free proteomics approach including a differential labelling of reduced and reversibly oxidised Cys residues. Our results indicate the proteomic response to aging is dependent on muscle type but redox changes that occur primarily in metabolic and cytoskeletal proteins are generally preserved between metabolically distinct tissues. Skeletal muscle containing fast twitch glycolytic fibres are more susceptible to age related atrophy compared to muscles with higher proportions of oxidative slow twitch fibres. Contracting skeletal muscle generates reactive oxygen species that are required for correct signalling and adaptation to exercise and it is also known that the intracellular redox environment changes with age. To identify potential mechanisms for the distinct response to age, this article combines a global proteomic approach and a differential labelling of reduced and reversibly oxidised Cysteine residues in two

  11. An integrative approach to energy, carbon, and redox metabolism in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Overbeek, Ross; Fonstein, Veronika; Osterman, Andrei; Gerdes, Svetlana; Vassieva, Olga; Zagnitko, Olga; Rodionov, Dmitry

    2005-02-15

    covering energy, carbon, and redox metabolism in the Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and other cyanobacteria has been performed (Specific Aim 4). The main objectives for this year (adjusted to reflect a new, public domain, setting of the Project research team) were: Aim 1. To develop, test, and deploy a new open source system, the SEED, for integrating community-based annotation, and comparative analysis of all publicly available microbial genomes. Develop a comprehensive genomic database by integrating within SEED all publicly available complete and nearly complete genome sequences with special emphasis on genomes of cyanobacteria, phototrophic eukaryotes, and anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria--invaluable for comparative genomic studies of energy and carbon metabolism in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Aim 2. To develop the SEED's biological content in the form of a collection of encoded Subsystems largely covering the conserved cellular machinery in prokaryotes (and central metabolic machinery in eukaryotes). Aim 3. To develop, utilizing core SEED technology, the CyanoSEED--a specialized WEB portal for community-based annotation, and comparative analysis of all publicly available cyanobacterial genomes. Encode the set of additional subsystems representing key metabolic transformations in cyanobacteria and other photoautotrophs. We envisioned this resource as complementary to other public access databases for comparative genomic analysis currently available to the cyanobacterial research community. Aim 4. Perform in-depth analysis of several subsystems covering energy, carbon, and redox metabolism in the Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and all other cyanobacteria with available genome sequences. Reveal inconsistencies and gaps in the current knowledge of these subsystems. Use functional and genome context analysis tools in CyanoSEED to predict, whenever possible, candidate genes for inferred functional roles. To disseminate freely these conjectures and predictions by publishing

  12. Visualization of Nicotine Adenine Dinucleotide Redox Homeostasis with Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yuzheng; Zhang, Zhuo; Zou, Yejun; Yang, Yi

    2018-01-20

    Beyond their roles as redox currency in living organisms, pyridine dinucleotides (NAD + /NADH and NADP + /NADPH) are also precursors or cosubstrates of great significance in various physiologic and pathologic processes. Recent Advances: For many years, it was challenging to develop methodologies for monitoring pyridine dinucleotides in situ or in vivo. Recent advances in fluorescent protein-based sensors provide a rapid, sensitive, specific, and real-time readout of pyridine dinucleotide dynamics in single cells or in vivo, thereby opening a new era of pyridine dinucleotide bioimaging. In this article, we summarize the developments in genetically encoded fluorescent sensors for NAD + /NADH and NADP + /NADPH redox states, as well as their applications in life sciences and drug discovery. The strengths and weaknesses of individual sensors are also discussed. These sensors have the advantages of being specific and organelle targetable, enabling real-time monitoring and subcellular-level quantification of targeted molecules in living cells and in vivo. NAD + /NADH and NADP + /NADPH have distinct functions in metabolic and redox regulation, and thus, a comprehensive evaluation of metabolic and redox states must be multiplexed with a combination of various metabolite sensors in a single cell. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 213-229.

  13. A fibre optic fluorescence sensor to measure redox level in tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wen Qi; Morrison, Janna L.; Darby, Jack R. T.; Plush, Sally; Sorvina, Alexandra; Brooks, Doug; Monro, Tanya M.; Afshar Vahid, Shahraam

    2018-01-01

    We report the design of a fibre optic-based redox detection system for investigating differences in metabolic activities of tissues. Our system shows qualitative agreement with the results collected from a commercial two- photon microscope system. Thus, demonstrating the feasibility of building an ex vivo and in vivo redox detection system that is low cost and portable.

  14. Plant cytoplasmic GAPDH: redox post-translational modifications and moonlighting properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirko eZaffagnini

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH is a ubiquitous enzyme involved in glycolysis and shown, particularly in animal cells, to play additional roles in several unrelated non-metabolic processes such as control of gene expression and apoptosis. This functional versatility is regulated, in part at least, by redox post-translational modifications that alter GAPDH catalytic activity and influence the subcellular localization of the enzyme. In spite of the well established moonlighting (multifunctional properties of animal GAPDH, little is known about non-metabolic roles of GAPDH in plants. Plant cells contain several GAPDH isoforms with different catalytic and regulatory properties, located both in the cytoplasm and in plastids, and participating in glycolysis and the Calvin-Benson cycle. A general feature of all GAPDH proteins is the presence of an acidic catalytic cysteine in the active site that is overly sensitive to oxidative modifications, including glutathionylation and S-nitrosylation. In Arabidopsis, oxidatively-modified cytoplasmic GAPDH has been successfully used as a tool to investigate the role of reduced glutathione, thioredoxins and glutaredoxins in the control of different types of redox post-translational modifications. Oxidative modifications inhibit GAPDH activity, but might enable additional functions in plant cells. Mounting evidence support the concept that plant cytoplasmic GAPDH may fulfill alternative, non-metabolic functions that are triggered by redox post-translational modifications of the protein under stress conditions. The aim of this review is to detail the molecular mechanisms underlying the redox regulation of plant cytoplasmic GAPDH in the light of its crystal structure, and to provide a brief inventory of the well known redox-dependent multi-facetted properties of animal GAPDH, together with the emerging roles of oxidatively-modified GAPDH in stress signaling pathways in plants.

  15. Ergothioneine Maintains Redox and Bioenergetic Homeostasis Essential for Drug Susceptibility and Virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vikram Saini

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The mechanisms by which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb maintains metabolic equilibrium to survive during infection and upon exposure to antimycobacterial drugs are poorly characterized. Ergothioneine (EGT and mycothiol (MSH are the major redox buffers present in Mtb, but the contribution of EGT to Mtb redox homeostasis and virulence remains unknown. We report that Mtb WhiB3, a 4Fe-4S redox sensor protein, regulates EGT production and maintains bioenergetic homeostasis. We show that central carbon metabolism and lipid precursors regulate EGT production and that EGT modulates drug sensitivity. Notably, EGT and MSH are both essential for redox and bioenergetic homeostasis. Transcriptomic analyses of EGT and MSH mutants indicate overlapping but distinct functions of EGT and MSH. Last, we show that EGT is critical for Mtb survival in both macrophages and mice. This study has uncovered a dynamic balance between Mtb redox and bioenergetic homeostasis, which critically influences Mtb drug susceptibility and pathogenicity.

  16. Engineering redox homeostasis to develop efficient alcohol-producing microbial cell factories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Chunhua; Zhao, Qiuwei; Li, Yin; Zhang, Yanping

    2017-06-24

    The biosynthetic pathways of most alcohols are linked to intracellular redox homeostasis, which is crucial for life. This crucial balance is primarily controlled by the generation of reducing equivalents, as well as the (reduction)-oxidation metabolic cycle and the thiol redox homeostasis system. As a main oxidation pathway of reducing equivalents, the biosynthesis of most alcohols includes redox reactions, which are dependent on cofactors such as NADH or NADPH. Thus, when engineering alcohol-producing strains, the availability of cofactors and redox homeostasis must be considered. In this review, recent advances on the engineering of cellular redox homeostasis systems to accelerate alcohol biosynthesis are summarized. Recent approaches include improving cofactor availability, manipulating the affinity of redox enzymes to specific cofactors, as well as globally controlling redox reactions, indicating the power of these approaches, and opening a path towards improving the production of a number of different industrially-relevant alcohols in the near future.

  17. Sugar uptake and starch biosynthesis by slices of developing maize endosperm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Felker, F.C.; Liu, Kangchien; Shannon, J.C.

    1990-01-01

    14 C-Sugar uptake and incorporation into starch by slices of developing maize (Zea mays L.) endosperm were examined and compared with sugar uptake by maize endosperm-derived suspension cultures. Rates of sucrose, fructose, and D- and L-glucose uptake by slices were similar, whereas uptake rates for these sugars differed greatly in suspension cultures. Concentration dependence of sucrose, fructose, and D-glucose uptake was biphasic (consisting of linear plus saturable components) with suspension cultures but linear with slices. These and other differences suggest that endosperm slices are freely permeable to sugars. After diffusion into the slices, sugars were metabolized and incorporated into starch. Starch synthesis, but not sugar accumulation, was greatly reduced by 2.5 millimolar p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid and 0.1 millimolar carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. Starch synthesis was dependent on kernel age and incubation temperature, but not on external pH (5 through 8). Competing sugars generally did not affect the distribution of 14 C among the soluble sugars extracted from endosperm slices incubated in 14 C-sugars. Competing hexoses reduced the incorporation of 14 C into starch, but competing sucrose did not, suggesting that sucrose is not a necessary intermediate in starch biosynthesis. The bidirectional permeability of endosperm slices to sugars makes the characterization of sugar transport into endosperm slices impossible, however the model system is useful for experiments dealing with starch biosynthesis which occurs in the metabolically active tissue

  18. NAD(+) metabolism: A therapeutic target for age-related metabolic disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mouchiroud, Laurent; Houtkooper, Riekelt H.; Auwerx, Johan

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a central metabolic cofactor by virtue of its redox capacity, and as such regulates a wealth of metabolic transformations. However, the identification of the longevity protein silent regulator 2 (Sir2), the founding member of the sirtuin protein

  19. Sugars, obesity, and cardiovascular disease: results from recent randomized control trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rippe, James M; Angelopoulos, Theodore J

    2016-11-01

    The relationship between sugar consumption and various health-related sequelas is controversial. Some investigators have argued that excessive sugar consumption is associated with increased risk of obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes (T2D), metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and stimulation of reward pathways in the brain potentially causing excessive caloric consumption. These concerns have influenced organizations such as the World Health Organization, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition in England not to exceed 5 % of total energy and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee 2015 to recommend upper limits of sugar consumption not to exceed 10 % of calories. Data from many randomized control trials (RCTs) do not support linkages between sugar consumption at normal levels within the human diet and various adverse metabolic and health-related effects. Fructose and glucose are typically consumed together in roughly equal proportions from high-fructose corn syrup (also known as isoglucose in Europe) or sucrose. The purpose of this review is to present data from recent RCTs and findings from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses related to sugar consumption and its putative health effects. This review evaluates findings from recent randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses into the relationship of sugar consumption and a range of health-related issues including energy-regulating hormones, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and accumulation of liver fat and neurologic responses. Data from these sources do not support linkages between sugar consumption at normal levels within the human diet and various adverse metabolic and health-related effects.

  20. Sugars en route to the roots. Transport, metabolism and storage within plant roots and towards microorganisms of the rhizosphere.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hennion, Nils; Durand, Mickael; Vriet, Cécile; Doidy, Joan; Maurousset, Laurence; Lemoine, Rémi; Pourtau, Nathalie

    2018-04-28

    In plants, root is a typical sink organ that relies exclusively on the import of sugar from the aerial parts. Sucrose is delivered by the phloem to the most distant root tips and, en route to the tip, is used by the different root tissues for metabolism and storage. Besides, a certain portion of this carbon is exuded in the rhizosphere, supplied to beneficial microorganisms and diverted by parasitic microbes. The transport of sugars towards these numerous sinks either occurs symplastically through cell connections (plasmodesmata) or is apoplastically mediated through membrane transporters (MST, SUT/SUC and SWEET) that control monosaccharide and sucrose fluxes. Here, we review recent progresses on carbon partitioning within and outside roots, discussing membrane transporters involved in plant responses to biotic and abiotic factors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  1. Prebiotic Polymer Synthesis and the Origin of Glycolytic Metabolism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Arthur L.

    1998-01-01

    Our research resulted in several discoveries which contributed to understanding the origin and operation of life. (1) Most importantly, we discovered a new pathway of prebiotic amino acid synthesis in which formaldehyde and glycolaldehyde (formose reaction substrates) react with ammonia to give alanine and homoserine in the presence of thiol catalysts. The thiol-dependent synthesis of amino acids undoubtedly occurs via amino acid thioester intermediates capable of forming peptides. This 'one-pot' reaction system operates under mild aqueous conditions, and like modern amino acid biosynthesis, uses sugar intermediates which are converted to amino acids by energy-yielding redox disproportionation. Preliminary evidence suggests that this type of process can be "evolved" by a serial transfer methods that lead to enrichment of autocatalytic molecules. (2) We established that prebiotic peptide polymers can be made by condensation of amino acid thioesters (homocysteine thiolactone and S-(N-beta-orotidyl- diaminopropionic acid) ethanethiol), and that prebiotic polydisulfide polymers can be generated by oxidation of dithiols with iron(III) in minerals. (3) In our analysis of metabolism we discovered the primary energy source of biosynthesis -- chemical energy made available by the redox disproportionation of substrate carbon groups. We concluded that the energy and reactivity of sugars make them the optimal substrate for the origin and operation of terrestrial (or extraterrestrial) life. (4) Since it is likely that the use of optimal sugar substrates in biosynthesis sets the average oxidation number of functional biocarbon throughout the Universe near 0.0 (the reduction level of formaldehyde), we proposed that a line(s) in the microwave spectrum of formaldehyde could be rationally selected as a frequency for interstellar communication that symbolizes life. (5) Finally, in preparation for the analysis of Martian meteorite samples, we upgraded our HPLC system to one femtomole

  2. Multiple redox states of multiheme cytochromes may enable bacterial response to changing redox environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arbour, T.; Wrighton, K. C.; Mullin, S. W.; Castelle, C.; Luef, B.; Gilbert, B.; Banfield, J. F.

    2013-12-01

    Multiheme c-type cytochromes (MHCs) are key components in electron-transport pathways that enable some microorganisms to transfer electron byproducts of metabolism to a variety of minerals. As a response to changes in mineral redox potential, microbial communities may shift their membership, or individual organisms may adjust protein expression. Alternatively, the ability to respond may be conferred by the innate characteristics of certain electron-transport-chain components. Here, we used potentiostat-controlled microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to measure the timescale of response to imposed changes in redox conditions, thus placing constraints on the importance of these different mechanisms. In the experiments, a solid electrode acts as an electron-accepting mineral whose redox potential can be precisely controlled. We inoculated duplicate MFCs with a sediment/groundwater mixture from an aquifer at Rifle, Colorado, supplied acetate as an electron donor, and obtained stable, mixed-species biofilms dominated by Geobacter and a novel Geobacter-related family. We poised the anode at potentials spanning the range of natural Fe(III)-reduction, then performed cyclic voltammetry (CV) to characterize the overall biofilm redox signature. The apparent biofilm midpoint potential shifted directly with anode set potential when the latter was changed within the range from about -250 to -50 mV vs. SHE. Following a jump in set potential by 200 mV, the CV-midpoint shift by ~100 mV over a timescale of ~30 minutes to a few hours, depending on the direction of the potential change. The extracellular electron transfer molecules, whose overall CV signature is very similar to those of purified MHCs, appear to span a broad redox range (~200 mV), supporting the hypothesis that MHCs confer substantial redox flexibility. This flexibility may be a principle reason for the abundance of MHCs expressed by microorganisms capable of extracellular electron transfer to minerals.

  3. Relevance of a Hypersaline Sodium-Rich Naturally Sparkling Mineral Water to the Protection against Metabolic Syndrome Induction in Fructose-Fed Sprague-Dawley Rats: A Biochemical, Metabolic, and Redox Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cidália Dionísio Pereira

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The Metabolic Syndrome increases the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Increased fructose consumption and/or mineral deficiency have been associated with Metabolic Syndrome development. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 8 weeks consumption of a hypersaline sodium-rich naturally sparkling mineral water on 10% fructose-fed Sprague-Dawley rats (Metabolic Syndrome animal model. The ingestion of the mineral water (rich in sodium bicarbonate and with higher potassium, calcium, and magnesium content than the tap water used as control reduced/prevented not only the fructose-induced increase of heart rate, plasma triacylglycerols, insulin and leptin levels, hepatic catalase activity, and organ weight to body weight ratios (for liver and both kidneys but also the decrease of hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity and oxidized glutathione content. This mineral-rich water seems to have potential to prevent Metabolic Syndrome induction by fructose. We hypothesize that its regular intake in the context of modern diets, which have a general acidic character interfering with mineral homeostasis and are poor in micronutrients, namely potassium, calcium, and magnesium, could add surplus value and attenuate imbalances, thus contributing to metabolic and redox health and, consequently, decreasing the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

  4. Brain oxidative metabolism of the newborn dog: correlation between 31P NMR spectroscopy and pyridine nucleotide redox state.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayevsky, A; Nioka, S; Subramanian, V H; Chance, B

    1988-04-01

    The effects of both anoxia and short- and long-term hypoxia on brain oxidative metabolism were studied in newborn dogs. Oxidative metabolism was evaluated by two independent measures: in vivo continuous monitoring of mitochondrial NADH redox state and energy stores as calculated from the phosphocreatine (PCr)/Pi levels measured by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The hemodynamic response to low oxygen supply was further evaluated by measuring the changes in the reflected light intensity at 366 nm (the excitation wavelength for NADH). The animal underwent surgery and was prepared for monitoring of the two signals (NADH and PCr/Pi). It was then placed inside a Phosphoenergetics 260-80 NMR spectrometer magnet with a 31-cm bore. Each animal (1-21 days old) was exposed to short-term anoxia or hypoxia as well as to long-term hypoxia (1-2 h). The results can be summarized as follow: (a) In the normoxic brain, the ratio between PCr and Pi was greater than 1 (1.2-1.4), while under hypoxia or asphyxia a significant decrease that was correlated to the FiO2 levels was recorded. (b) A clear correlation was found between the decrease in PCr/Pi values and the increased NADH redox state developed under decreased O2 supply to the brain. (c) Exposing the animal to moderately long-term hypoxia led to a stabilized low-energy state of the brain with a good recovery after rebreathing normal air. (d) Under long-term and severe hypoxia, the microcirculatory autoregulatory mechanism was damaged and massive vasoconstriction was optically recorded simultaneously with a significant decrease in PCr/Pi values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  5. Redox processes in radiation biology and cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenstock, C.L.

    1981-01-01

    Free-radical intermediates, particularly the activated oxygen species OH, O - 2 , and 1 O 2 , are implicated in many types of radiation damage to biological systems. In addition, these same species may be formed, either directly or indirectly through biochemical redox reactions, in both essential and aberrant metabolic processes. Cell survival and adaptation to an environment containing ionizing radiation and other physical and chemical carcinogens ultimately depend upon the cell's ability to maintain optimal function in response to free-radical damage at the chemical level. Many of these feedback control mechanisms are redox controlled. Radiation chemical techniques using selective radical scavengers, such as product analysis and pulse radiolysis, enable us to generate, observe, and characterize individually the nature and reactivity of potentially damaging free radicals. From an analysis of the chemical kinetics of free-radical involvement in biological damage, redox mechanisms are proposed to describe the early processes of radiation damage, redox mechanisms are proposed to describe the early processes of radiation damage, its protection and sensitization, and the role of free radicals in radiation and chemical carcinogenesis

  6. Inter-species comparative analysis of components of soluble sugar concentration in fleshy fruits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhanwu eDai

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The soluble sugar concentration of fleshy fruit is a key determinant of fleshy fruit quality. It affects directly the sweetness of fresh fruits and indirectly the properties of processed products (e.g. alcohol content in wine. Despite considerable divergence among species, soluble sugar accumulation in a fruit results from the complex interplay of three main processes, namely sugar import, sugar metabolism, and water dilution. Therefore, inter-species comparison would help to identify common and/or species-specific modes of regulation in sugar accumulation. For this purpose, a process-based mathematical framework was used to compare soluble sugar accumulation in three fruits: grape, tomato and peach. Representative datasets covering the time course of sugar accumulation during fruit development were collected. They encompassed 104 combinations of species (3, genotypes (32, and growing conditions (19 years and 16 nutrient and environmental treatments. At maturity, grape showed the highest soluble sugar concentrations (16.5-26.3 g /100 g FW, followed by peach (2.2 to 20 g /100 g FW and tomato (1.4 to 5 g /100 g FW. Main processes determining soluble sugar concentration were decomposed into sugar importation, metabolism and water dilution with the process-based analysis. Different regulation modes of soluble sugar concentration were then identified, showing either import-based, dilution-based, or import and dilution dual-based. Firstly, the higher soluble sugar concentration in grape than in tomato is a result of higher sugar importation. Secondly, the higher soluble sugar concentration in grape than in peach is due to a lower water dilution. The third mode of regulation is more complicated than the first two, with differences both in sugar importation and water dilution (grape vs cherry tomato; cherry tomato vs peach; peach vs tomato. On the other hand, carbon utilization for synthesis of non-soluble sugar compounds (namely metabolism was

  7. Metabolism in the Uncultivated Giant Sulfide-Oxidizing Bacterium Thiomargarita Namibiensis Assayed Using a Redox-Sensitive Dye

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, J.; Flood, B.; Ricci, E.

    2014-12-01

    The colorless sulfur bacteria are non-photosynthetic chemolithotrophs that live at interfaces between nitrate, or oxygen, and hydrogen sulfide. In sulfidic settings such as cold seeps and oxygen minimum zones, these bacteria are thought to constitute a critical node in the geochemical cycling of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, and phosphorous. Many of these bacteria remain uncultivated and their metabolisms and physiologies are incompletely understood. Thiomargarita namibiensis is the largest of these sulfur bacteria, with individual cells reaching millimetric diameters. Despite the current inability to maintain a Thiomargarita culture in the lab, their large size allows for individual cells to be followed in time course experiments. Here we report on the novel use of a tetrazolium-based dye that measures the flux of NADH production from catabolic pathways via a colorimetric response. Staining with this dye allows for metabolism to be detected, even in the absence of observable cell division. When coupled to microscopy, this approach also allows for metabolism in Thiomargaritato be differentiated from that of epibionts or contaminants in xenic samples. The results of our tetrazolium dye-based assay suggests that Thiomargarita is the most metabolically versatile under anoxic conditions where it appears capable of using acetate, succinate, formate, thiosulfate, citrate, thiotaurine, hydrogen sulfide, and perhaps hydrogen as electron donors. Under hypoxic conditions, staining results suggest the utilization of acetate, citrate, and hydrogen sulfide. Cells incubated under oxic conditions showed the weakest tetrazolium staining response, and then only to hydrogen sulfide and questionably succinate. These initial results using a redox sensitive dye suggest that Thiomargarita is most metabolically versatile under anaerobic and hypoxic conditions. The results of this assay can be further evaluated using molecular approaches such as transcriptomics, as well as provide cultivation

  8. Protein Redox Dynamics During Light-to-Dark Transitions in Cyanobacteria and Impacts Due to Nutrient Limitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aaron T Wright

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Protein redox chemistry constitutes a major void in knowledge pertaining to photoautotrophic system regulation and signaling processes. We have employed a chemical biology approach to analyze redox sensitive proteins in live Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 cells in both light and dark periods, and to understand how cellular redox balance is disrupted during nutrient perturbation. The present work identified 300 putative redox-sensitive proteins that are involved in the generation of reductant, macromolecule synthesis, and carbon flux through central metabolic pathways, and may be involved in cell signaling and response mechanisms. Furthermore, our research suggests that dynamic redox changes in response to specific nutrient limitations, including carbon and nitrogen limitations, contribute to the regulatory changes driven by a shift from light to dark. Taken together, these results contribute to a high-level understanding of post-translational mechanisms regulating flux distributions and suggest potential metabolic engineering targets for redirecting carbon towards biofuel precursors.

  9. Habitual sugar intake and cognitive function among middle-aged and older Puerto Ricans without diabetes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intake of added sugars, mainly fructose and sucrose, has been associated with risk factors for cognitive impairment, such as obesity, the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The objective of this analysis was to examine whether habitual intakes of total sugars, added sugars, sugar-sweetened bev...

  10. Elucidation of the regulatory role of the fructose operon reveals a novel target for enhancing the NADPH supply in Corynebacterium glutamicum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Zhihao; Chan, Siu Hung Joshua; Sudarsan, Suresh

    2016-01-01

    is linked to redox and to the general metabolism. We here provide new insights into the regulation of the metabolism of this important platform organism by systematically characterizing mutants carrying various lesions in the fructose operon. Initially, we found that a strain where the dedicated fructose...... uptake system had been inactivated (KO-ptsF) was hampered in growth on sucrose minimal medium, and suppressor mutants appeared readily. Comparative genomic analysis in conjunction with enzymatic assays revealed that suppression was linked to inactivation of the pfkB gene, encoding a fructose-1-phosphate...... kinase. Detailed characterization of KO-ptsF, KO-pfkB and double knock-out (DKO) derivatives revealed a strong role for sugar-phosphates, especially fructose-1-phosphate (F1P), in governing sugar as well as redox metabolism due to effects on transcriptional regulation of key genes. These findings allowed...

  11. Electrochemical and optical sugar sensors based on phenylboronic acid and its derivatives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Egawa, Yuya; Seki, Toshinobu [Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama 350-0295 (Japan); Takahashi, Shigehiro [Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciecnes, Tohoku University, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan); Anzai, Jun-ichi, E-mail: junanzai@mail.pharm.tohoku.ac.jp [Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciecnes, Tohoku University, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan)

    2011-10-10

    Recent progress in electrochemical and optical sugar sensors based on phenylboronic acid (PBA) and its derivatives as recognition components is reviewed. PBAs are known to bind diol compounds including sugars to form cyclic boronate esters that are negatively charged as a result of the addition of OH{sup -} ions from solution. Based on the formation of PBA charged species, sugars and their derivatives can be detected by means of electrochemical and optical techniques. For the development of PBA-based electrochemical sensing systems or sensors, PBA is modified with a redox-active marker, because PBA itself is electrochemically inactive, and ferrocene derivatives are often employed for this purpose. Ferrocene-modified PBAs have been used as redox-active additives in solution for the electrochemical detection of sugars and derivatives. PBA-modified electrodes have also been constructed as reagentless electrochemical sensors, where PBAs are immobilized on the surface of metal and carbon electrodes through mainly two routes: as a self-assembled monolayer film and as a polymer thin film. PBA-modified electrodes can be successfully used to detect sugars and derivatives through potentiometric and voltammetric responses. In addition, PBA-modified electrodes can be used for the immobilization of glycoenzymes on an electrode surface by the formation of boronate esters with carbohydrate chains in the glycoenzymes, thus resulting in enzyme biosensors. For the development of PBA-based optical sensors, a variety of chromophores and fluorophores have been coupled with PBA. Azobenzene dyes have been most frequently used for the preparation of colorimetric sugar sensors, in which the absorption wavelength and intensity of the dye are dependent on the type and concentration of added sugars. The sensitivity of the sensors is significantly improved based on multi-component systems in which alizalin red S, pyrocatechol violet, starch-iodine complex, and cyclodextrin are employed as

  12. Electrochemical and optical sugar sensors based on phenylboronic acid and its derivatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Egawa, Yuya; Seki, Toshinobu; Takahashi, Shigehiro; Anzai, Jun-ichi

    2011-01-01

    Recent progress in electrochemical and optical sugar sensors based on phenylboronic acid (PBA) and its derivatives as recognition components is reviewed. PBAs are known to bind diol compounds including sugars to form cyclic boronate esters that are negatively charged as a result of the addition of OH - ions from solution. Based on the formation of PBA charged species, sugars and their derivatives can be detected by means of electrochemical and optical techniques. For the development of PBA-based electrochemical sensing systems or sensors, PBA is modified with a redox-active marker, because PBA itself is electrochemically inactive, and ferrocene derivatives are often employed for this purpose. Ferrocene-modified PBAs have been used as redox-active additives in solution for the electrochemical detection of sugars and derivatives. PBA-modified electrodes have also been constructed as reagentless electrochemical sensors, where PBAs are immobilized on the surface of metal and carbon electrodes through mainly two routes: as a self-assembled monolayer film and as a polymer thin film. PBA-modified electrodes can be successfully used to detect sugars and derivatives through potentiometric and voltammetric responses. In addition, PBA-modified electrodes can be used for the immobilization of glycoenzymes on an electrode surface by the formation of boronate esters with carbohydrate chains in the glycoenzymes, thus resulting in enzyme biosensors. For the development of PBA-based optical sensors, a variety of chromophores and fluorophores have been coupled with PBA. Azobenzene dyes have been most frequently used for the preparation of colorimetric sugar sensors, in which the absorption wavelength and intensity of the dye are dependent on the type and concentration of added sugars. The sensitivity of the sensors is significantly improved based on multi-component systems in which alizalin red S, pyrocatechol violet, starch-iodine complex, and cyclodextrin are employed as

  13. Chloroplasts as source and target of cellular redox regulation: a discussion on chloroplast redox signals in the context of plant physiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baier, Margarete; Dietz, Karl-Josef

    2005-06-01

    During the evolution of plants, chloroplasts have lost the exclusive genetic control over redox regulation and antioxidant gene expression. Together with many other genes, all genes encoding antioxidant enzymes and enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of low molecular weight antioxidants were transferred to the nucleus. On the other hand, photosynthesis bears a high risk for photo-oxidative damage. Concomitantly, an intricate network for mutual regulation by anthero- and retrograde signals has emerged to co-ordinate the activities of the different genetic and metabolic compartments. A major focus of recent research in chloroplast regulation addressed the mechanisms of redox sensing and signal transmission, the identification of regulatory targets, and the understanding of adaptation mechanisms. In addition to redox signals communicated through signalling cascades also used in pathogen and wounding responses, specific chloroplast signals control nuclear gene expression. Signalling pathways are triggered by the redox state of the plastoquinone pool, the thioredoxin system, and the acceptor availability at photosystem I, in addition to control by oxolipins, tetrapyrroles, carbohydrates, and abscisic acid. The signalling function is discussed in the context of regulatory circuitries that control the expression of antioxidant enzymes and redox modulators, demonstrating the principal role of chloroplasts as the source and target of redox regulation.

  14. Sugar Transporters in Plants: New Insights and Discoveries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julius, Benjamin T; Leach, Kristen A; Tran, Thu M; Mertz, Rachel A; Braun, David M

    2017-09-01

    Carbohydrate partitioning is the process of carbon assimilation and distribution from source tissues, such as leaves, to sink tissues, such as stems, roots and seeds. Sucrose, the primary carbohydrate transported long distance in many plant species, is loaded into the phloem and unloaded into distal sink tissues. However, many factors, both genetic and environmental, influence sucrose metabolism and transport. Therefore, understanding the function and regulation of sugar transporters and sucrose metabolic enzymes is key to improving agriculture. In this review, we highlight recent findings that (i) address the path of phloem loading of sucrose in rice and maize leaves; (ii) discuss the phloem unloading pathways in stems and roots and the sugar transporters putatively involved; (iii) describe how heat and drought stress impact carbohydrate partitioning and phloem transport; (iv) shed light on how plant pathogens hijack sugar transporters to obtain carbohydrates for pathogen survival, and how the plant employs sugar transporters to defend against pathogens; and (v) discuss novel roles for sugar transporters in plant biology. These exciting discoveries and insights provide valuable knowledge that will ultimately help mitigate the impending societal challenges due to global climate change and a growing population by improving crop yield and enhancing renewable energy production. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Albumin-bound fatty acids but not albumin itself alter redox balance in tubular epithelial cells and induce a peroxide-mediated redox-sensitive apoptosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruggiero, Christine; Elks, Carrie M.; Kruger, Claudia; Cleland, Ellen; Addison, Kaity; Noland, Robert C.

    2014-01-01

    Albuminuria is associated with metabolic syndrome and diabetes. It correlates with the progression of chronic kidney disease, particularly with tubular atrophy. The fatty acid load on albumin significantly increases in obesity, presenting a proinflammatory environment to the proximal tubules. However, little is known about changes in the redox milieu during fatty acid overload and how redox-sensitive mechanisms mediate cell death. Here, we show that albumin with fatty acid impurities or conjugated with palmitate but not albumin itself compromised mitochondrial and cell viability, membrane potential and respiration. Fatty acid overload led to a redox imbalance which deactivated the antioxidant protein peroxiredoxin 2 and caused a peroxide-mediated apoptosis through the redox-sensitive pJNK/caspase-3 pathway. Transfection of tubular cells with peroxiredoxin 2 was protective and mitigated apoptosis. Mitochondrial fatty acid entry and ceramide synthesis modulators suggested that mitochondrial β oxidation but not ceramide synthesis may modulate lipotoxic effects on tubular cell survival. These results suggest that albumin overloaded with fatty acids but not albumin itself changes the redox environment in the tubules, inducing a peroxide-mediated redox-sensitive apoptosis. Thus, mitigating circulating fatty acid levels may be an important factor in both preserving redox balance and preventing tubular cell damage in proteinuric diseases. PMID:24500687

  16. Effects of sugar rich diet on brain serotonin, hyperphagia and anxiety in animal model of both genders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inam, Qurrat-ul-Aen; Ikram, Huma; Shireen, Erum; Haleem, Darakhshan Jabeen

    2016-05-01

    Lower levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) in the brain elicit sugar craving, while ingestion of sugar rich diet improves mood and alleviates anxiety. Gender differences occur not only in brain serotonin metabolism but also in a serotonin mediated functional responses. The present study was therefore designed to investigate gender related differences on the effects of long term consumption of sugar rich diet on the metabolism of serotonin in the hypothalamus and whole brain which may be relevant with the hyperphagic and anxiety reducing effects of sugar rich diet. Male and female rats were fed freely on a sugar rich diet for five weeks. Hyperphagic effects were monitored by measuring total food intake and body weights changes during the intervention. Anxiolytic effects of sugar rich diet was monitored in light-dark transition test. The results show that ingestion of sugar rich diet decreased serotonin metabolism more in female than male rats. Anxiolytic effects were elicited only in male rats. Hyperphagia was comparable in both male and female rats. Finings would help in understanding the role of sugar rich diet-induced greater decreases of serotonin in sweet craving in women during stress.

  17. Metabolic Engineering for Substrate Co-utilization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gawand, Pratish

    Production of biofuels and bio-based chemicals is being increasingly pursued by chemical industry to reduce its dependence on petroleum. Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is an abundant source of sugars that can be used for producing biofuels and bio-based chemicals using fermentation. Hydrolysis of LCB results in a mixture of sugars mainly composed of glucose and xylose. Fermentation of such a sugar mixture presents multiple technical challenges at industrial scale. Most industrial microorganisms utilize sugars in a sequential manner due to the regulatory phenomenon of carbon catabolite repression (CCR). Due to sequential utilization of sugars, the LCB-based fermentation processes suffer low productivities and complicated operation. Performance of fermentation processes can be improved by metabolic engineering of microorganisms to obtain superior characteristics such as high product yield. With increased computational power and availability of complete genomes of microorganisms, use of model-based metabolic engineering is now a common practice. The problem of sequential sugar utilization, however, is a regulatory problem, and metabolic models have never been used to solve such regulatory problems. The focus of this thesis is to use model-guided metabolic engineering to construct industrial strains capable of co-utilizing sugars. First, we develop a novel bilevel optimization algorithm SimUp, that uses metabolic models to identify reaction deletion strategies to force co-utilization of two sugars. We then use SimUp to identify reaction deletion strategies to force glucose-xylose co-utilization in Escherichia coli. To validate SimUp predictions, we construct three mutants with multiple gene knockouts and test them for glucose-xylose utilization characteristics. Two mutants, designated as LMSE2 and LMSE5, are shown to co-utilize glucose and xylose in agreement with SimUp predictions. To understand the molecular mechanism involved in glucose-xylose co-utilization of the

  18. Mapping the diatom redox-sensitive proteome provides insight into response to nitrogen stress in the marine environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenwasser, Shilo; Graff van Creveld, Shiri; Schatz, Daniella; Malitsky, Sergey; Tzfadia, Oren; Aharoni, Asaph; Levin, Yishai; Gabashvili, Alexandra; Feldmesser, Ester; Vardi, Assaf

    2014-02-18

    Diatoms are ubiquitous marine photosynthetic eukaryotes responsible for approximately 20% of global photosynthesis. Little is known about the redox-based mechanisms that mediate diatom sensing and acclimation to environmental stress. Here we used a quantitative mass spectrometry-based approach to elucidate the redox-sensitive signaling network (redoxome) mediating the response of diatoms to oxidative stress. We quantified the degree of oxidation of 3,845 cysteines in the Phaeodactylum tricornutum proteome and identified approximately 300 redox-sensitive proteins. Intriguingly, we found redox-sensitive thiols in numerous enzymes composing the nitrogen assimilation pathway and the recently discovered diatom urea cycle. In agreement with this finding, the flux from nitrate into glutamine and glutamate, measured by the incorporation of (15)N, was strongly inhibited under oxidative stress conditions. Furthermore, by targeting the redox-sensitive GFP sensor to various subcellular localizations, we mapped organelle-specific oxidation patterns in response to variations in nitrogen quota and quality. We propose that redox regulation of nitrogen metabolism allows rapid metabolic plasticity to ensure cellular homeostasis, and thus is essential for the ecological success of diatoms in the marine ecosystem.

  19. NMR-Based Metabolic Profiling of Field-Grown Leaves from Sugar Beet Plants Harbouring Different Levels of Resistance to Cercospora Leaf Spot Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  20. Redox interplay between mitochondria and peroxisomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celien eLismont

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Reduction-oxidation or ‘redox’ reactions are an integral part of a broad range of cellular processes such as gene expression, energy metabolism, protein import and folding, and autophagy. As many of these processes are intimately linked with cell fate decisions, transient or chronic changes in cellular redox equilibrium are likely to contribute to the initiation and progression of a plethora of human diseases. Since a long time, it is known that mitochondria are major players in redox regulation and signaling. More recently, it has become clear that also peroxisomes have the capacity to impact redox-linked physiological processes. To serve this function, peroxisomes cooperate with other organelles, including mitochondria. This review provides a comprehensive picture of what is currently known about the redox interplay between mitochondria and peroxisomes in mammals. We first outline the pro- and antioxidant systems of both organelles and how they may function as redox signaling nodes. Next, we critically review and discuss emerging evidence that peroxisomes and mitochondria share an intricate redox-sensitive relationship and cooperate in cell fate decisions. Key issues include possible physiological roles, messengers, and mechanisms. We also provide examples of how data mining of publicly-available datasets from ‘omics’ technologies can be a powerful means to gain additional insights into potential redox signaling pathways between peroxisomes and mitochondria. Finally, we highlight the need for more studies that seek to clarify the mechanisms of how mitochondria may act as dynamic receivers, integrators, and transmitters of peroxisome-derived mediators of oxidative stress. The outcome of such studies may open up exciting new avenues for the community of researchers working on cellular responses to organelle-derived oxidative stress, a research field in which the role of peroxisomes is currently highly underestimated and an issue of

  1. Optical imaging of mitochondrial redox state in rodent model of retinitis pigmentosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maleki, Sepideh; Gopalakrishnan, Sandeep; Ghanian, Zahra; Sepehr, Reyhaneh; Schmitt, Heather; Eells, Janis; Ranji, Mahsa

    2013-01-01

    Oxidative stress (OS) and mitochondrial dysfunction contribute to photoreceptor cell loss in retinal degenerative disorders. The metabolic state of the retina in a rodent model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) was investigated using a cryo-fluorescence imaging technique. The mitochondrial metabolic coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are autofluorescent and can be monitored without exogenous labels using optical techniques. The cryo-fluorescence redox imaging technique provides a quantitative assessment of the metabolism. More specifically, the ratio of the fluorescence intensity of these fluorophores (NADH/FAD), the NADH redox ratio (RR), is a marker of the metabolic state of the tissue. The NADH RR and retinal function were examined in an established rodent model of RP, the P23H rat compared to that of nondystrophic Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The NADH RR mean values were 1.11±0.03 in the SD normal and 0.841±0.01 in the P23H retina, indicating increased OS in the P23H retina. Electroretinographic data revealed a significant reduction in photoreceptor function in P23H animals compared to SD nozrmal rats. Thus, cryo-fluorescence redox imaging was used as a quantitative marker of OS in eyes from transgenic rats and demonstrated that alterations in the oxidative state of eyes occur during the early stages of RP.

  2. Redox Species of Redox Flow Batteries: A Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Feng; Wang, Qing

    2015-11-18

    Due to the capricious nature of renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar, large-scale energy storage devices are increasingly required to make the best use of the renewable power. The redox flow battery is considered suitable for large-scale applications due to its modular design, good scalability and flexible operation. The biggest challenge of the redox flow battery is the low energy density. The redox active species is the most important component in redox flow batteries, and the redox potential and solubility of redox species dictate the system energy density. This review is focused on the recent development of redox species. Different categories of redox species, including simple inorganic ions, metal complexes, metal-free organic compounds, polysulfide/sulfur and lithium storage active materials, are reviewed. The future development of redox species towards higher energy density is also suggested.

  3. Redox Species of Redox Flow Batteries: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng Pan

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Due to the capricious nature of renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar, large-scale energy storage devices are increasingly required to make the best use of the renewable power. The redox flow battery is considered suitable for large-scale applications due to its modular design, good scalability and flexible operation. The biggest challenge of the redox flow battery is the low energy density. The redox active species is the most important component in redox flow batteries, and the redox potential and solubility of redox species dictate the system energy density. This review is focused on the recent development of redox species. Different categories of redox species, including simple inorganic ions, metal complexes, metal-free organic compounds, polysulfide/sulfur and lithium storage active materials, are reviewed. The future development of redox species towards higher energy density is also suggested.

  4. Engineering of the redox imbalance of Fusarium oxysporum enables anaerobic growth on xylose

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Panagiotou, Gianni; Christakopoulos, Paul; Grotkjær, Thomas

    2006-01-01

    Dissimilatory nitrate reduction metabolism, of the natural xylose-fermenting fungus Fusarium oxysporum, was used as a strategy to achieve anaerobic growth and ethanol production from xylose. Beneficial alterations of the redox fluxes and thereby of the xylose metabolism were obtained by taking ad...

  5. Kynurenine pathway metabolites and enzymes involved in redox reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González Esquivel, D; Ramírez-Ortega, D; Pineda, B; Castro, N; Ríos, C; Pérez de la Cruz, V

    2017-01-01

    Oxido-reduction reactions are a fundamental part of the life due to support many vital biological processes as cellular respiration and glucose oxidation. In the redox reactions, one substance transfers one or more electrons to another substance. An important electron carrier is the coenzyme NAD + , which is involved in many metabolic pathways. De novo biosynthesis of NAD + is through the kynurenine pathway, the major route of tryptophan catabolism, which is sensitive to redox environment and produces metabolites with redox capacity, able to alter biological functions that are controlled by redox-responsive signaling pathways. Kynurenine pathway metabolites have been implicated in the physiology process and in the physiopathology of many diseases; processes that also share others factors as dysregulation of calcium homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death, which impact the redox environment. This review examines in detail the available evidence in which kynurenine pathway metabolites participate in redox reactions and their effect on cellular redox homeostasis, since the knowledge of the main factors and mechanisms that lead to cell death in many neurodegenative disorders and other pathologies, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and kynurenines imbalance, will allow to develop therapies using them as targets. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The Kynurenine Pathway in Health and Disease'. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Gustatory perception and metabolic utilization of sugars by Myrmica rubra ant workers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boevé, J-L.; Wäckers, F.L.

    2003-01-01

    The suitability of various nectar and honeydew sugars as a food source for the polyphagous ant species M. rubra (L.) was studied. The sugars used included monosaccharides (fructose, glucose, galactose, mannose, rhamnose), disaccharides (sucrose, maltose, trehalose, melibiose, lactose) and

  7. Hydrogen peroxide and central redox theory for aerobic life: A tribute to Helmut Sies: Scout, trailblazer, and redox pioneer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Dean P

    2016-04-01

    When Rafael Radi and I wrote about Helmut Sies for the Redox Pioneer series, I was disappointed that the Editor restricted us to the use of "Pioneer" in the title. My view is that Helmut was always ahead of the pioneers: He was a scout discovering paths for exploration and a trailblazer developing strategies and methods for discovery. I have known him for nearly 40 years and greatly enjoyed his collegiality as well as brilliance in scientific scholarship. He made monumental contributions to 20th century physiological chemistry beginning with his first measurement of H2O2 in rat liver. While continuous H2O2 production is dogma today, the concept of H2O2 production in mammalian tissues was largely buried for half a century. He continued this leadership in research on oxidative stress, GSH, selenium, and singlet oxygen, during the timeframe when physiological chemistry and biochemistry transitioned to contemporary 21st century systems biology. His impact has been extensive in medical and health sciences, especially in nutrition, aging, toxicology and cancer. I briefly summarize my interactions with Helmut, stressing our work together on the redox code, a set of principles to link mitochondrial respiration, bioenergetics, H2O2 metabolism, redox signaling and redox proteomics into central redox theory. Copyright © 2015 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Elucidation of the regulatory role of the fructose operon reveals a novel target for enhancing the NADPH supply in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhihao; Chan, Siu Hung Joshua; Sudarsan, Suresh; Blank, Lars M; Jensen, Peter Ruhdal; Solem, Christian

    2016-11-01

    The performance of Corynebacterium glutamicum cell factories producing compounds which rely heavily on NADPH has been reported to depend on the sugar being metabolized. While some aspects of this phenomenon have been elucidated, there are still many unresolved questions as to how sugar metabolism is linked to redox and to the general metabolism. We here provide new insights into the regulation of the metabolism of this important platform organism by systematically characterizing mutants carrying various lesions in the fructose operon. Initially, we found that a strain where the dedicated fructose uptake system had been inactivated (KO-ptsF) was hampered in growth on sucrose minimal medium, and suppressor mutants appeared readily. Comparative genomic analysis in conjunction with enzymatic assays revealed that suppression was linked to inactivation of the pfkB gene, encoding a fructose-1-phosphate kinase. Detailed characterization of KO-ptsF, KO-pfkB and double knock-out (DKO) derivatives revealed a strong role for sugar-phosphates, especially fructose-1-phosphate (F1P), in governing sugar as well as redox metabolism due to effects on transcriptional regulation of key genes. These findings allowed us to propose a simple model explaining the correlation between sugar phosphate concentration, gene expression and ultimately the observed phenotype. To guide us in our analysis and help us identify bottlenecks in metabolism we debugged an existing genome-scale model onto which we overlaid the transcriptome data. Based on the results obtained we managed to enhance the NADPH supply and transform the wild-type strain into delivering the highest yield of lysine ever obtained on sucrose and fructose, thus providing a good example of how regulatory mechanisms can be harnessed for bioproduction. Copyright © 2016 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Sugars, exercise and health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Codella, Roberto; Terruzzi, Ileana; Luzi, Livio

    2017-12-15

    There is a direct link between a variety of addictions and mood states to which exercise could be relieving. Sugar addiction has been recently counted as another binge/compulsive/addictive eating behavior, differently induced, leading to a high-significant health problem. Regularly exercising at moderate intensity has been shown to efficiently and positively impact upon physiological imbalances caused by several morbid conditions, including affective disorders. Even in a wider set of physchiatric diseases, physical exercise has been prescribed as a complementary therapeutic strategy. A comprehensive literature search was carried out in the Cochrane Library and MEDLINE databases (search terms: sugar addiction, food craving, exercise therapy, training, physical fitness, physical activity, rehabilitation and aerobic). Seeking high-sugar diets, also in a reward- or craving-addiction fashion, can generate drastic metabolic derangements, often interpolated with affective disorders, for which exercise may represent a valuable, universal, non-pharmachological barrier. More research in humans is needed to confirm potential exercise-mechanisms that may break the bond between sugar over-consumption and affective disorders. The purpose of this review is to address the importance of physical exercise in reversing the gloomy scenario of unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles in our modern society. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Characterization of the periplasmic redox network that sustains the versatile anaerobic metabolism of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mónica N. Alves

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The versatile anaerobic metabolism of the Gram-negative bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (SOMR-1 relies on a multitude of redox proteins found in its periplasm. Most are multiheme cytochromes that carry electrons to terminal reductases of insoluble electron acceptors located at the cell surface, or bona fide terminal reductases of soluble electron acceptors. In this study, the interaction network of several multiheme cytochromes was explored by a combination of NMR spectroscopy, activity assays followed by UV-visible spectroscopy and comparison of surface electrostatic potentials. From these data the small tetraheme cytochrome (STC emerges as the main periplasmic redox shuttle in SOMR-1. It accepts electrons from CymA and distributes them to a number of terminal oxidoreductases involved in the respiration of various compounds. STC is also involved in the electron transfer pathway to reduce nitrite by interaction with the octaheme tetrathionate reductase (OTR, but not with cytochrome c nitrite reductase (ccNiR. In the main pathway leading the metal respiration STC pairs with flavocytochrome c (FccA, the other major periplasmic cytochrome, which provides redundancy in this important pathway. The data reveals that the two proteins compete for the binding site at the surface of MtrA, the decaheme cytochrome inserted on the periplasmic side of the MtrCAB-OmcA outer-membrane complex. However, this is not observed for the MtrA homologues. Indeed, neither STC nor FccA interact with MtrD, the best replacement for MtrA, and only STC is able to interact with the decaheme cytochrome DmsE of the outer-membrane complex DmsEFABGH. Overall, these results shown that STC plays a central role in the anaerobic respiratory metabolism of SOMR-1. Nonetheless, the trans-periplasmic electron transfer chain is functionally resilient as a consequence of redundancies that arise from the presence of alternative pathways that bypass/compete with STC.

  11. The NQO1 bioactivatable drug, β-lapachone, alters the redox state of NQO1+ pancreatic cancer cells, causing perturbation in central carbon metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvers, Molly A; Deja, Stanislaw; Singh, Naveen; Egnatchik, Robert A; Sudderth, Jessica; Luo, Xiuquan; Beg, Muhammad S; Burgess, Shawn C; DeBerardinis, Ralph J; Boothman, David A; Merritt, Matthew E

    2017-11-03

    Many cancer treatments, such as those for managing recalcitrant tumors like pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, cause off-target toxicities in normal, healthy tissue, highlighting the need for more tumor-selective chemotherapies. β-Lapachone is bioactivated by NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). This enzyme exhibits elevated expression in most solid cancers and therefore is a potential cancer-specific target. β-Lapachone's therapeutic efficacy partially stems from the drug's induction of a futile NQO1-mediated redox cycle that causes high levels of superoxide and then peroxide formation, which damages DNA and causes hyperactivation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, resulting in extensive NAD + /ATP depletion. However, the effects of this drug on energy metabolism due to NAD + depletion were never described. The futile redox cycle rapidly consumes O 2 , rendering standard assays of Krebs cycle turnover unusable. In this study, a multimodal analysis, including metabolic imaging using hyperpolarized pyruvate, points to reduced oxidative flux due to NAD + depletion after β-lapachone treatment of NQO1+ human pancreatic cancer cells. NAD + -sensitive pathways, such as glycolysis, flux through lactate dehydrogenase, and the citric acid cycle (as inferred by flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase), were down-regulated by β-lapachone treatment. Changes in flux through these pathways should generate biomarkers useful for in vivo dose responses of β-lapachone treatment in humans, avoiding toxic side effects. Targeting the enzymes in these pathways for therapeutic treatment may have the potential to synergize with β-lapachone treatment, creating unique NQO1-selective combinatorial therapies for specific cancers. These findings warrant future studies of intermediary metabolism in patients treated with β-lapachone. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  12. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has diminished capacity to counteract redox stress induced by elevated levels of endogenous superoxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyagi, Priyanka; Dharmaraja, Allimuthu T; Bhaskar, Ashima; Chakrapani, Harinath; Singh, Amit

    2015-07-01

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has evolved protective and detoxification mechanisms to maintain cytoplasmic redox balance in response to exogenous oxidative stress encountered inside host phagocytes. In contrast, little is known about the dynamic response of this pathogen to endogenous oxidative stress generated within Mtb. Using a noninvasive and specific biosensor of cytoplasmic redox state of Mtb, we for first time discovered a surprisingly high sensitivity of this pathogen to perturbation in redox homeostasis induced by elevated endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS). We synthesized a series of hydroquinone-based small molecule ROS generators and found that ATD-3169 permeated mycobacteria to reliably enhance endogenous ROS including superoxide radicals. When Mtb strains including multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) patient isolates were exposed to this compound, a dose-dependent, long-lasting, and irreversible oxidative shift in intramycobacterial redox potential was detected. Dynamic redox potential measurements revealed that Mtb had diminished capacity to restore cytoplasmic redox balance in comparison with Mycobacterium smegmatis (Msm), a fast growing nonpathogenic mycobacterial species. Accordingly, Mtb strains were extremely susceptible to inhibition by ATD-3169 but not Msm, suggesting a functional linkage between dynamic redox changes and survival. Microarray analysis showed major realignment of pathways involved in redox homeostasis, central metabolism, DNA repair, and cell wall lipid biosynthesis in response to ATD-3169, all consistent with enhanced endogenous ROS contributing to lethality induced by this compound. This work provides empirical evidence that the cytoplasmic redox poise of Mtb is uniquely sensitive to manipulation in steady-state endogenous ROS levels, thus revealing the importance of targeting intramycobacterial redox metabolism for controlling TB infection. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by

  13. Starches, Sugars and Obesity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erik E. J. G. Aller

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The rising prevalence of obesity, not only in adults but also in children and adolescents, is one of the most important public health problems in developed and developing countries. As one possible way to tackle obesity, a great interest has been stimulated in understanding the relationship between different types of dietary carbohydrate and appetite regulation, body weight and body composition. The present article reviews the conclusions from recent reviews and meta-analyses on the effects of different starches and sugars on body weight management and metabolic disturbances, and provides an update of the most recent studies on this topic. From the literature reviewed in this paper, potential beneficial effects of intake of starchy foods, especially those containing slowly-digestible and resistant starches, and potential detrimental effects of high intakes of fructose become apparent. This supports the intake of whole grains, legumes and vegetables, which contain more appropriate sources of carbohydrates associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases, rather than foods rich in sugars, especially in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages.

  14. Bioconversion of lignocellulose-derived sugars to ethanol by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madhavan, Anjali; Srivastava, Aradhana; Kondo, Akihiko; Bisaria, Virendra S

    2012-03-01

    Lignocellulosic biomass from agricultural and agro-industrial residues represents one of the most important renewable resources that can be utilized for the biological production of ethanol. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely used for the commercial production of bioethanol from sucrose or starch-derived glucose. While glucose and other hexose sugars like galactose and mannose can be fermented to ethanol by S. cerevisiae, the major pentose sugars D-xylose and L-arabinose remain unutilized. Nevertheless, D-xylulose, the keto isomer of xylose, can be fermented slowly by the yeast and thus, the incorporation of functional routes for the conversion of xylose and arabinose to xylulose or xylulose-5-phosphate in Saccharomyces cerevisiae can help to improve the ethanol productivity and make the fermentation process more cost-effective. Other crucial bottlenecks in pentose fermentation include low activity of the pentose phosphate pathway enzymes and competitive inhibition of xylose and arabinose transport into the cell cytoplasm by glucose and other hexose sugars. Along with a brief introduction of the pretreatment of lignocellulose and detoxification of the hydrolysate, this review provides an updated overview of (a) the key steps involved in the uptake and metabolism of the hexose sugars: glucose, galactose, and mannose, together with the pentose sugars: xylose and arabinose, (b) various factors that play a major role in the efficient fermentation of pentose sugars along with hexose sugars, and (c) the approaches used to overcome the metabolic constraints in the production of bioethanol from lignocellulose-derived sugars by developing recombinant S. cerevisiae strains.

  15. Metabolic engineering of lactic acid bacteria for the production of nutraceuticals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hugenholtz, J.; Sybesma, W.; Groot, M.N.; Wisselink, W.; Ladero, V.; Burgess, K.; Sinderen, van D.; Piard, J.C.; Eggink, G.; Smid, E.J.; Savoy, G.; Sesma, F.; Jansen, T.; Hols, P.; Kleerebezem, M.

    2002-01-01

    Lactic acid bacteria display a relatively simple and well-described metabolism where the sugar source is converted mainly to lactic acid. Here we will shortly describe metabolic engineering strategies on the level of sugar metabolism, that lead to either the efficient re-routing of the lactococcal

  16. Proposed physiologic functions of boron in plants pertinent to animal and human metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blevins, D G; Lukaszewski, K M

    1994-01-01

    Boron has been recognized since 1923 as an essential micronutrient element for higher plants. Over the years, many roles for boron in plants have been proposed, including functions in sugar transport, cell wall synthesis and lignification, cell wall structure, carbohydrate metabolism, RNA metabolism, respiration, indole acetic acid metabolism, phenol metabolism and membrane transport. However, the mechanism of boron involvement in each case remains unclear. Recent work has focused on two major plant-cell components: cell walls and membranes. In both, boron could play a structural role by bridging hydroxyl groups. In membranes, it could also be involved in ion transport and redox reactions by stimulating enzymes like nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and reduced (NADH) oxidase. There is a very narrow window between the levels of boron required by and toxic to plants. The mechanisms of boron toxicity are also unknown. In nitrogen-fixing leguminous plants, foliarly applied boron causes up to a 1000% increase in the concentration of allantoic acid in leaves. In vitro studies show that boron inhibits the manganese-dependent allantoate amidohydrolase, and foliar application of manganese prior to application of boron eliminates allantoic acid accumulation in leaves. Interaction between borate and divalent cations like manganese may alter metabolic pathways, which could explain why higher concentrations of boron can be toxic to plants. PMID:7889877

  17. Weight Changes and Metabolic Outcomes in Calorie-Restricted Obese Mice Fed High-Fat Diets Containing Corn or Flaxseed Oil: Physiological Role of Sugar Replacement with Polyphenol-Rich Grape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ansar, Hastimansooreh; Zamaninour, Negar; Djazayery, Abolghassem; Pishva, Hamideh; Vafa, Mohammadreza; Mazaheri Nezhad Fard, Ramin; Dilmaghanian, Aydin; Mirzaei, Khadijeh; Shidfar, Farzad

    2017-08-01

    Because diet components are important during dieting in obesity treatment, we examined possible beneficial effects of substituting corn oil and sugar with flaxseed oil and grape in calorie-restricted high-fat diets on weight changes as well as improvement in some metabolic markers and related gene expression. Seventy-five C57BL/6J male mice were given free access to a high-fat (36% of energy from fat) diet containing corn oil plus sugar (CO + S). After 11 weeks, 15 mice were sacrificed and another 60 were divided among 4 high-fat diet groups with 30% calorie restriction (CR) for the next 12 weeks. The diets contained corn oil (CO) or flaxseed oil (FO) with sugar (S) or grape (G). Despite CR, a weight loss trend was observed only during the first 4 weeks in all groups. CR did not significantly increase SIRT1 gene expression. Higher liver weight was observed in mice consuming FO (p sugar (FBS) was significantly higher than in CO + G-CR. Grape intake increased Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) expression and decreased insulin resistance in CO + G-CR. Sugar replacement with polyphenol-rich grape along with CR improved glucose homeostasis, and substituting corn oil with flaxseed oil in obese mice reduced fat mass, but even with no change in adiponectin levels it could not decrease insulin resistance. However, none of the food item combinations facilitated weight reduction in the long-term CR. Therefore, regardless of the total calorie intake, different diet components and fat contents may have unexpected effects on metabolic regulation.

  18. Effects of oxygen limitation on sugar metabolism in yeasts: a continuous-culture study of the Kluyver effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weusthuis, R A; Visser, W; Pronk, J T; Scheffers, W A; van Dijken, J P

    1994-04-01

    Growth and metabolite formation were studied in oxygen-limited chemostat cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CBS 8066 and Candida utilis CBS 621 growing on glucose or maltose at a dilution rate of 0.1 h-1. With either glucose or maltose S. cerevisiae could be grown under dual limitation of oxygen and sugar. Respiration and alcoholic fermentation occurred simultaneously and the catabolite fluxes through these processes were dependent on the magnitude of the oxygen feed. C. utilis could also be grown under dual limitation of glucose and oxygen. However, at very low oxygen feed rates (i.e. below 4 mmol l-1 h-1) growth was limited by oxygen only, as indicated by the high residual glucose concentration in the culture. In contrast to S. cerevisiae, C. utilis could not be grown anaerobically at a dilution rate of 0.1 h-1. With C. utilis absence of oxygen resulted in wash-out, despite the presence of ergosterol and Tween-80 in the growth medium. The behaviour of C. utilis with respect to maltose utilization in oxygen-limited cultures was remarkable: alcoholic fermentation did not occur and the amount of maltose metabolized was dependent on the oxygen supply. Oxygen-limited cultures of C. utilis growing on maltose always contained high residual sugar concentrations. These observations throw new light on the so-called Kluyver effect. Apparently, maltose is a non-fermentable sugar for C. utilis CBS 621, despite the fact that it can serve as a substrate for growth of this facultatively fermentative yeast. This is not due to the absence of key enzymes of alcoholic fermentation. Pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase were present at high levels in maltose-utilizing cells of C. utilis grown under oxygen limitation. It is concluded that the Kluyver effect, in C. utilis growing on maltose, results from a regulatory mechanism that prevents the sugar from being fermented. Oxygen is not a key factor in this phenomenon since under oxygen limitation alcoholic fermentation of

  19. Multicompartment analysis of the effects of fertilizing nitrogen form, quantity of potassium fertilizer and tomato variety upon tomato-fruit sugar metabolism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Kazuhiko; Mori, Masato; Kubo, Yunosuke; Takeba, Tsuyoshi.

    1977-01-01

    Concerning ''streaky decay'' of tomato fruits, the sugar metabolism of tomato fruits has been studied by multicompartment analysis dividing the radioactivity into 14 C-glucose non-absorbing, ethanol soluble, carbonic acid gas and ethanol insoluble compartments. 14 C-glucose was introduced to pieces of tomato fruits about 60 days after fructification. Influence in the stage of 14 C-glucose entry into the tissue was recognized in a tomato variety affected by excess ammonia and a tomato variety affected by potassium shortage on the carbonic acid gas generation portion. The decrease of metabolism turnover from the ethanol soluble to the insoluble compartment was remarkable in the tomato variety so nutritionally treated as to be apt to cause streaky decay and the variety susceptible to it. (Mori, K.)

  20. Glucose metabolism, diet composition, and the brain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Diepenbroek, C.

    2017-01-01

    Excessive intake of saturated fat and sugar contributes to both obesity and diabetes development. Since intake of fat and sugar-sweetened beverages exceeds recommended levels worldwide, it is essential to: 1) Understand how fat and sugar intake affect glucose metabolism, and 2) Expand the knowledge

  1. Nitrogen Starvation Acclimation in Synechococcus elongatus: Redox-Control and the Role of Nitrate Reduction as an Electron Sink

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Klotz

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen starvation acclimation in non-diazotrophic cyanobacteria is characterized by a process termed chlorosis, where the light harvesting pigments are degraded and the cells gradually tune down photosynthetic and metabolic activities. The chlorosis response is governed by a complex and poorly understood regulatory network, which converges at the expression of the nblA gene, the triggering factor for phycobiliprotein degradation. This study established a method that allows uncoupling metabolic and redox-signals involved in nitrogen-starvation acclimation. Inhibition of glutamine synthetase (GS by a precise dosage of l-methionine-sulfoximine (MSX mimics the metabolic situation of nitrogen starvation. Addition of nitrate to such MSX-inhibited cells eliminates the associated redox-stress by enabling electron flow towards nitrate/nitrite reduction and thereby, prevents the induction of nblA expression and the associated chlorosis response. This study demonstrates that nitrogen starvation is perceived not only through metabolic signals, but requires a redox signal indicating over-reduction of PSI-reduced electron acceptors. It further establishes a cryptic role of nitrate/nitrite reductases as electron sinks to balance conditions of over-reduction.

  2. Nitrogen Starvation Acclimation in Synechococcus elongatus: Redox-Control and the Role of Nitrate Reduction as an Electron Sink

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klotz, Alexander; Reinhold, Edgar; Doello, Sofía; Forchhammer, Karl

    2015-01-01

    Nitrogen starvation acclimation in non-diazotrophic cyanobacteria is characterized by a process termed chlorosis, where the light harvesting pigments are degraded and the cells gradually tune down photosynthetic and metabolic activities. The chlorosis response is governed by a complex and poorly understood regulatory network, which converges at the expression of the nblA gene, the triggering factor for phycobiliprotein degradation. This study established a method that allows uncoupling metabolic and redox-signals involved in nitrogen-starvation acclimation. Inhibition of glutamine synthetase (GS) by a precise dosage of l-methionine-sulfoximine (MSX) mimics the metabolic situation of nitrogen starvation. Addition of nitrate to such MSX-inhibited cells eliminates the associated redox-stress by enabling electron flow towards nitrate/nitrite reduction and thereby, prevents the induction of nblA expression and the associated chlorosis response. This study demonstrates that nitrogen starvation is perceived not only through metabolic signals, but requires a redox signal indicating over-reduction of PSI-reduced electron acceptors. It further establishes a cryptic role of nitrate/nitrite reductases as electron sinks to balance conditions of over-reduction. PMID:25780959

  3. Characterisation of the Redox Sensitive NMDA Receptor

    KAUST Repository

    Alzahrani, Ohood

    2016-05-01

    Glucose entry into the brain and its subsequent metabolism to L-lactate, regulated by astrocytes, plays a major role in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. A recent study has shown that L-lactate produced by the brain upon stimulation of glycolysis, and glycogen-derived L-lactate from astrocytes and its transport into neurons, is crucial for memory formation. A recent study revealed the molecular mechanisms that underlie the role of L-lactate in neuronal plasticity and long-term memory formation. L-lactate was shown to induce a cascade of molecular events via modulation of redox-sensitive N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activity that was mimicked by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydride (NADH) co-enzyme. This indicated that changes in cellular redox state, following L-lactate transport inside the cells and its subsequent metabolism, production of NADH, and favouring a reduced state are the key effects of L-lactate. Therefore, we are investigating the role of L-lactate in modulating NMDA receptor function via redox modulatory sites. Accordingly, crucial redox-sensitive cysteine residues, Cys320 and Cys87, of the NR2A NMDA receptor subunit are mutated using site-directed mutation, transfected, and expressed in HEK293 cells. This cellular system will then be used to characterise and monitor its activity upon Llactate stimulation, compared to the wild type. This will be achieved by calcium imaging, using fluorescent microscopy. Our data shows that L-lactate potentiated NMDA receptor activity and increased intracellular calcium influx in NR1/NR2A wild type compared to the control condition (WT NR1/NR2A perfused with (1μM) glutamate and (1μM) glycine agonist only), showing faster response initiation and slower decay rate of the calcium signal to the baseline. Additionally, stimulating with L-lactate associated with greater numbers of cells having high fluorescent intensity (peak amplitude) compared to the control. Furthermore, L-lactate rescued the

  4. Redox state, reactive oxygen species and adaptive growth in colonial hydroids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackstone, N W

    2001-06-01

    Colonial metazoans often encrust surfaces over which the food supply varies in time or space. In such an environment, adaptive colony development entails adjusting the timing and spacing of feeding structures and gastrovascular connections to correspond to this variable food supply. To investigate the possibility of such adaptive growth, within-colony differential feeding experiments were carried out using the hydroid Podocoryna carnea. Indeed, such colonies strongly exhibited adaptive growth, developing dense arrays of polyps (feeding structures) and gastrovascular connections in areas that were fed relative to areas that were starved, and this effect became more consistent over time. To investigate mechanisms of signaling between the food supply and colony development, measurements were taken of metabolic parameters that have been implicated in signal transduction in other systems, particularly redox state and levels of reactive oxygen species. Utilizing fluorescence microscopy of P. carnea cells in vivo, simultaneous measurements of redox state [using NAD(P)H] and hydrogen peroxide (using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate) were taken. Both measures focused on polyp epitheliomuscular cells, since these exhibit the greatest metabolic activity. Colonies 3-5h after feeding were relatively oxidized, with low levels of peroxide, while colonies 24h after feeding were relatively reduced, with high levels of peroxide. The functional role of polyps in feeding and generating gastrovascular flow probably produced this dichotomy. Polyps 3-5h after feeding contract maximally, and this metabolic demand probably shifts the redox state in the direction of oxidation and diminishes levels of reactive oxygen species. In contrast, 24h after feeding, polyps are quiescent, and this lack of metabolic demand probably shifts the redox state in the direction of reduction and increases levels of reactive oxygen species. Within-colony differential feeding experiments were carried out on

  5. Fat and Sugar Metabolism During Exercise in Patients With Metabolic Myopathy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-08-31

    Metabolism, Inborn Errors; Lipid Metabolism, Inborn Errors; Carbohydrate Metabolism, Inborn Errors; Long-Chain 3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glycogenin-1 Deficiency (Glycogen Storage Disease Type XV); Carnitine Palmitoyl Transferase 2 Deficiency; VLCAD Deficiency; Medium-chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Carnitine Transporter Deficiency; Neutral Lipid Storage Disease; Glycogen Storage Disease Type II; Glycogen Storage Disease Type III; Glycogen Storage Disease Type IV; Glycogen Storage Disease Type V; Muscle Phosphofructokinase Deficiency; Phosphoglucomutase 1 Deficiency; Phosphoglycerate Mutase Deficiency; Phosphoglycerate Kinase Deficiency; Phosphorylase Kinase Deficiency; Beta Enolase Deficiency; Lactate Dehydrogenase Deficiency; Glycogen Synthase Deficiency

  6. Metabolic control of tobacco pollination by sugars and invertases

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Goetz, M.; Guivarćh, A.; Hirsche, J.; Bauerfeind, A.; Gonzalez, M. A.; Hyun, T.K.; Eom, S. H.; Chriqui, D.; Engelke, T.; Grosskinsky, D. K.; Roitsch, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 173, č. 2 (2017), s. 984-997 ISSN 0032-0889 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1415 Institutional support: RVO:86652079 Keywords : sugars * biocontrol Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 6.456, year: 2016

  7. Dietary sugars, not lipids, drive hypothalamic inflammation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuanqing Gao

    2017-08-01

    Conclusions: Combined overconsumption of fat and sugar, but not the overconsumption of fat per se, leads to excessive CML production in hypothalamic neurons, which, in turn, stimulates hypothalamic inflammatory responses such as microgliosis and eventually leads to neuronal dysfunction in the control of energy metabolism.

  8. Redox rhythm reinforces the circadian clock to gate immune response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Mian; Wang, Wei; Karapetyan, Sargis; Mwimba, Musoki; Marqués, Jorge; Buchler, Nicolas E; Dong, Xinnian

    2015-07-23

    Recent studies have shown that in addition to the transcriptional circadian clock, many organisms, including Arabidopsis, have a circadian redox rhythm driven by the organism's metabolic activities. It has been hypothesized that the redox rhythm is linked to the circadian clock, but the mechanism and the biological significance of this link have only begun to be investigated. Here we report that the master immune regulator NPR1 (non-expressor of pathogenesis-related gene 1) of Arabidopsis is a sensor of the plant's redox state and regulates transcription of core circadian clock genes even in the absence of pathogen challenge. Surprisingly, acute perturbation in the redox status triggered by the immune signal salicylic acid does not compromise the circadian clock but rather leads to its reinforcement. Mathematical modelling and subsequent experiments show that NPR1 reinforces the circadian clock without changing the period by regulating both the morning and the evening clock genes. This balanced network architecture helps plants gate their immune responses towards the morning and minimize costs on growth at night. Our study demonstrates how a sensitive redox rhythm interacts with a robust circadian clock to ensure proper responsiveness to environmental stimuli without compromising fitness of the organism.

  9. Breast Cancer Redox Heterogeneity Detectable with Chemical Exchange Satruation Transfer (CEST) MRI

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Kejia; Xu, He N.; Singh, Anup; Moon, Lily; Haris, Mohammad; Reddy, Ravinder; Li, Lin

    2014-01-01

    Purpose Tissue redox state is an important mediator of various biological processes in health and diseases such as cancer. Previously, we discovered that the mitochondrial redox state of ex vivo tissues detected by redox scanning (an optical imaging method) revealed interesting tumor redox state heterogeneity that could differentiate tumor aggressiveness. Because the noninvasive chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI can probe the proton transfer and generate contrasts from endogenous metabolites, we aim to investigate if the in vivo CEST contrast is sensitive to proton transfer of the redox reactions so as to reveal the tissue redox states in breast cancer animal models. Procedures CEST MRI has been employed to characterize tumor metabolic heterogeneity and correlated with the redox states measured by the redox scanning in two human breast cancer mouse xenograft models, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. The possible biological mechanism on the correlation between the two imaging modalities was further investigated by phantom studies where the reductants and the oxidants of the representative redox reactions were measured. Results The CEST contrast is found linearly correlated with NADH concentration and the NADH redox ratio with high statistical significance, where NADH is the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The phantom studies showed that the reductants of the redox reactions have more CEST contrast than the corresponding oxidants, indicating that higher CEST effect corresponds to the more reduced redox state. Conclusions This preliminary study suggests that CEST MRI, once calibrated, might provide a novel noninvasive imaging surrogate for the tissue redox state and a possible diagnostic biomarker for breast cancer in the clinic. PMID:24811957

  10. Stepwise Functional Evolution in a Fungal Sugar Transporter Family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, Carla; Coelho, Marco A; Salema-Oom, Madalena; Gonçalves, Paula

    2016-02-01

    Sugar transport is of the utmost importance for most cells and is central to a wide range of applied fields. However, despite the straightforward in silico assignment of many novel transporters, including sugar porters, to existing families, their exact biological role and evolutionary trajectory often remain unclear, mainly because biochemical characterization of membrane proteins is inherently challenging, but also owing to their uncommonly turbulent evolutionary histories. In addition, many important shifts in membrane carrier function are apparently ancient, which further limits our ability to reconstruct evolutionary trajectories in a reliable manner. Here, we circumvented some of these obstacles by examining the relatively recent emergence of a unique family of fungal sugar facilitators, related to drug antiporters. The former transporters, named Ffz, were previously shown to be required for fructophilic metabolism in yeasts. We first exploited the wealth of fungal genomic data available to define a comprehensive but well-delimited family of Ffz-like transporters, showing that they are only present in Dikarya. Subsequently, a combination of phylogenetic analyses and in vivo functional characterization was used to retrace important changes in function, while highlighting the evolutionary events that are most likely to have determined extant distribution of the gene, such as horizontal gene transfers (HGTs). One such HGT event is proposed to have set the stage for the onset of fructophilic metabolism in yeasts, a trait that according to our results may be the metabolic hallmark of close to 100 yeast species that thrive in sugar rich environments. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Assessment of nitric oxide (NO) redox reactions contribution to nitrous oxide (N2 O) formation during nitrification using a multispecies metabolic network model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez-Garcia, Octavio; Chandran, Kartik; Villas-Boas, Silas G; Singhal, Naresh

    2016-05-01

    Over the coming decades nitrous oxide (N2O) is expected to become a dominant greenhouse gas and atmospheric ozone depleting substance. In wastewater treatment systems, N2O is majorly produced by nitrifying microbes through biochemical reduction of nitrite (NO2(-)) and nitric oxide (NO). However it is unknown if the amount of N2O formed is affected by alternative NO redox reactions catalyzed by oxidative nitrite oxidoreductase (NirK), cytochromes (i.e., P460 [CytP460] and 554 [Cyt554 ]) and flavohemoglobins (Hmp) in ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (AOB and NOB, respectively). In this study, a mathematical model is developed to assess how N2O formation is affected by such alternative nitrogen redox transformations. The developed multispecies metabolic network model captures the nitrogen respiratory pathways inferred from genomes of eight AOB and NOB species. The performance of model variants, obtained as different combinations of active NO redox reactions, was assessed against nine experimental datasets for nitrifying cultures producing N2O at different concentration of electron donor and acceptor. Model predicted metabolic fluxes show that only variants that included NO oxidation to NO2(-) by CytP460 and Hmp in AOB gave statistically similar estimates to observed production rates of N2O, NO, NO2(-) and nitrate (NO3(-)), together with fractions of AOB and NOB species in biomass. Simulations showed that NO oxidation to NO2(-) decreased N2O formation by 60% without changing culture's NO2(-) production rate. Model variants including NO reduction to N2O by Cyt554 and cNor in NOB did not improve the accuracy of experimental datasets estimates, suggesting null N2O production by NOB during nitrification. Finally, the analysis shows that in nitrifying cultures transitioning from dissolved oxygen levels above 3.8 ± 0.38 to <1.5 ± 0.8 mg/L, NOB cells can oxidize the NO produced by AOB through reactions catalyzed by oxidative NirK. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Promiscuous activities of heterologous enzymes lead to unintended metabolic rerouting in Saccharomyces cerevisiae engineered to assimilate various sugars from renewable biomass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Eun Ju; Oh, Eun Joong; Liu, Jing-Jing; Yu, Sora; Kim, Dong Hyun; Kwak, Suryang; Kim, Kyoung Heon; Jin, Yong-Su

    2018-01-01

    Understanding the global metabolic network, significantly perturbed upon promiscuous activities of foreign enzymes and different carbon sources, is crucial for systematic optimization of metabolic engineering of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Here, we studied the effects of promiscuous activities of overexpressed enzymes encoded by foreign genes on rerouting of metabolic fluxes of an engineered yeast capable of assimilating sugars from renewable biomass by profiling intracellular and extracellular metabolites. Unbiased metabolite profiling of the engineered S. cerevisiae strain EJ4 revealed promiscuous enzymatic activities of xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase on galactose and galactitol, respectively, resulting in accumulation of galactitol and tagatose during galactose fermentation. Moreover, during glucose fermentation, a trisaccharide consisting of glucose accumulated outside of the cells probably owing to the promiscuous and transglycosylation activity of β-glucosidase expressed for hydrolyzing cellobiose. Meanwhile, higher accumulation of fatty acids and secondary metabolites was observed during xylose and cellobiose fermentations, respectively. The heterologous enzymes functionally expressed in S. cerevisiae showed promiscuous activities that led to unintended metabolic rerouting in strain EJ4. Such metabolic rerouting could result in a low yield and productivity of a final product due to the formation of unexpected metabolites. Furthermore, the global metabolic network can be significantly regulated by carbon sources, thus yielding different patterns of metabolite production. This metabolomic study can provide useful information for yeast strain improvement and systematic optimization of yeast metabolism to manufacture bio-based products.

  13. The Redox Code.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Dean P; Sies, Helmut

    2015-09-20

    The redox code is a set of principles that defines the positioning of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD, NADP) and thiol/disulfide and other redox systems as well as the thiol redox proteome in space and time in biological systems. The code is richly elaborated in an oxygen-dependent life, where activation/deactivation cycles involving O₂ and H₂O₂ contribute to spatiotemporal organization for differentiation, development, and adaptation to the environment. Disruption of this organizational structure during oxidative stress represents a fundamental mechanism in system failure and disease. Methodology in assessing components of the redox code under physiological conditions has progressed, permitting insight into spatiotemporal organization and allowing for identification of redox partners in redox proteomics and redox metabolomics. Complexity of redox networks and redox regulation is being revealed step by step, yet much still needs to be learned. Detailed knowledge of the molecular patterns generated from the principles of the redox code under defined physiological or pathological conditions in cells and organs will contribute to understanding the redox component in health and disease. Ultimately, there will be a scientific basis to a modern redox medicine.

  14. Oncogenic IDH1 Mutations Promote Enhanced Proline Synthesis through PYCR1 to Support the Maintenance of Mitochondrial Redox Homeostasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kate E.R. Hollinshead

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Since the discovery of mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1 in gliomas and other tumors, significant efforts have been made to gain a deeper understanding of the consequences of this oncogenic mutation. One aspect of the neomorphic function of the IDH1 R132H enzyme that has received less attention is the perturbation of cellular redox homeostasis. Here, we describe a biosynthetic pathway exhibited by cells expressing mutant IDH1. By virtue of a change in cellular redox homeostasis, IDH1-mutated cells synthesize excess glutamine-derived proline through enhanced activity of pyrroline 5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1, coupled to NADH oxidation. Enhanced proline biosynthesis partially uncouples the electron transport chain from tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle activity through the maintenance of a lower NADH/NAD+ ratio and subsequent reduction in oxygen consumption. Thus, we have uncovered a mechanism by which tumor cell survival may be promoted in conditions associated with perturbed redox homeostasis, as occurs in IDH1-mutated glioma. : Hollinshead et al. demonstrate a role for PYCR1 in control of mitochondrial redox homeostasis. Expression of IDH1 R132H mutation leads to increased NADH-coupled proline biosynthesis, mediated by PYCR1. The resulting metabolic phenotype partially uncouples mitochondrial NADH oxidation from respiration, representing an oxygen-sparing metabolic phenotype. Keywords: glioma, IDH1, redox, metabolism, proline

  15. Metabolically speaking: Possible reasons behind the tolerance of 'Sugar Belle' mandarin hybrid to huanglongbing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Killiny, Nabil; Valim, Maria Filomena; Jones, Shelley E; Omar, Ahmad A; Hijaz, Faraj; Gmitter, Fred G; Grosser, Jude W

    2017-07-01

    Huanglongbing (HLB) is currently considered the most destructive disease of citrus. Since its spread to the Americas, HLB has killed millions of trees and caused a sharp decline in production in many citrus growing regions. With the continuous spread of HLB disease in Florida and worldwide, there is an urgent need for the development of commercial citrus cultivars with a strong tolerance to HLB. Interestingly, field observations showed that some of the recently released mandarin hybrids such as 'Sugar Belle' were tolerant to HLB. In this study, we investigated the volatile and non-volatile metabolites of greenhouse-grown 'Sugar Belle' mandarin and four of its ancestors in order to understand why 'Sugar Belle' mandarin is relatively tolerant to HLB. Leaf volatiles were directly extracted with hexane and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Leaf polar metabolites were extracted with a mixture of methanol:water (1:1, v/v), derivatized to their trimethylsilyl ethers, and analyzed using GC-MS. Forty-seven volatile compounds and forty-two polar metabolites were detected in 'Sugar Belle' mandarin leaves and its ancestors. 'Sugar Belle' was high in several volatiles such as α-thujene, para-cymene, γ-terpinene, thymol, β-elemene, and (E)-β-caryophyllene. Some of these volatiles, especially thymol, β-elemene, and (E)-β-caryophyllene are known for their anti-microbial activity. In addition, 'Sugar Belle' mandarin was the highest in synephrine, benzoic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, chiro-inositol, fructose, glucose, threonic acid, saccharic acid, and galactaric acid, and the second in threonine, malic acid, and myo-inositol compared to the ancestors. Phenolic compounds such as benzoic, ferulic, and caffeic acids may act as antibacterial agents, whereas others like sugar alcohols may protect 'Sugar Belle' mandarin from stress during pathogen attack. The tolerance of 'Sugar Belle' and other newly released mandarin hybrids should be further

  16. Redox regulation of the Calvin-Benson cycle: something old, something new

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laure eMichelet

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Reversible redox post-translational modifications such as oxido-reduction of disulfide bonds, S-nitrosylation and S-glutathionylation, play a prominent role in the regulation of cell metabolism and signaling in all organisms. These modifications are mainly controlled by members of the thioredoxin and glutaredoxin families. Early studies in photosynthetic organisms have identified the Calvin-Benson cycle, the photosynthetic pathway responsible for carbon assimilation, as a redox regulated process. Indeed, 4 out of 11 enzymes of the cycle were shown to have a low activity in the dark and to be activated in the light through thioredoxin-dependent reduction of regulatory disulfide bonds. The underlying molecular mechanisms were extensively studied at the biochemical and structural level. Unexpectedly, recent biochemical and proteomic studies have suggested that all enzymes of the cycle and several associated regulatory proteins may undergo redox regulation through multiple redox post-translational modifications including glutathionylation and nitrosylation. The aim of this review is to detail the well-established mechanisms of redox regulation of Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes as well as the most recent reports indicating that this pathway is tightly controlled by multiple interconnected redox post-translational modifications. This redox control is likely allowing fine tuning of the Calvin-Benson cycle required for adaptation to varying environmental conditions, especially during responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.

  17. Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Is Associated with Components of the Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Te-Fu Chan

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs are the principle source of added sugar in diets. Cardiometabolic disturbances can occur from early childhood to adulthood. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the gender-specific association of SSB intake with metabolic syndrome (MetS and its components among adolescents in Taiwan. A total of 2727 adolescents aged 12 to 16 years randomly selected from three diverse economic areas in Southern Taiwan by using a multistage-sampling strategy participated in this study. Demographic, dietary, physical and anthropometric parameters were measured, and serum lipid profiles and glucose levels were determined. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF specifies that MetS requires abdominal obesity and ≥2 abnormal components, and Cook criteria for MetS require ≥3 abnormal components. We applied survey-data modules to data analyses, and used multiple regression and logistic models to adjust for covariates. An increased SSB intake was linked to a greater waist circumference in both sexes and to systolic blood pressure in boys (P for trend: ≤0.043. Male moderate and high consuming SSB drinkers exhibited triglyceride levels that were 8.0 and 8.2 mg/dL significantly higher, respectively, than those of nondrinkers. Compared with nondrinkers, boys who consumed >500 mL/day (high quantity of SSBs exhibited 10.3-fold (95% confidence intervals (CIs: 1.2-90.2 and 5.1-fold (95% CIs: 1.01-25.5 risks of contracting MetS, as defined by the IDF and Cook criteria for MetS, respectively. In girls, the risk estimates for the same comparison were not significant by the IDF criteria (6.5-fold risk, 95% CIs: 0.9-∞ or Cook criteria (5.9-fold risk, 95% CIs: 0.8-43.8 for MetS. High SSB consumption was also linked to 1.9-fold (95% CIs: 1.1-3.1 and 2.7-fold (95% CIs: 1.3-5.7 higher risks of being at a greater overall metabolic risk in girls and boys, respectively. In conclusion, a high SSB intake is associated with adolescent

  18. Rebalancing Redox to Improve Biobutanol Production by Clostridium tyrobutyricum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chao Ma

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Biobutanol is a sustainable green biofuel that can substitute for gasoline. Carbon flux has been redistributed in Clostridium tyrobutyricum via metabolic cell engineering to produce biobutanol. However, the lack of reducing power hampered the further improvement of butanol production. The objective of this study was to improve butanol production by rebalancing redox. Firstly, a metabolically-engineered mutant CTC-fdh-adhE2 was constructed by introducing heterologous formate dehydrogenase (fdh and bifunctional aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase (adhE2 simultaneously into wild-type C. tyrobutyricum. The mutant evaluation indicated that the fdh-catalyzed NADH-producing pathway improved butanol titer by 2.15-fold in the serum bottle and 2.72-fold in the bioreactor. Secondly, the medium supplements that could shift metabolic flux to improve the production of butyrate or butanol were identified, including vanadate, acetamide, sodium formate, vitamin B12 and methyl viologen hydrate. Finally, the free-cell fermentation produced 12.34 g/L of butanol from glucose using the mutant CTC-fdh-adhE2, which was 3.88-fold higher than that produced by the control mutant CTC-adhE2. This study demonstrated that the redox engineering in C. tyrobutyricum could greatly increase butanol production.

  19. THE FACTORS FORMING QUALITY OF GRANULATED SUGAR

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    N. G. Kulneva

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Sugar, with good taste and high caloric, is one of the most popular human food. Consumers sugar must be sure that the sugar under normal conditions of use is of high quality and is not harmful to the health of the product. One reason for the decline in the quality of sugar is bacterial contamination. This is because the sugar industry products are good targets for the development of different groups of microorganisms, e.g., Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium perfringes, Leuconostoc dextranicum, Torula alba, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Sarcina lutea and others. These organisms are affected with beets, and then with sugar beet chips and diffusion juice fall into the processing line of sugar production. Their number in the diffusion juice varies and depends on many facto rs such as the quality of raw materials, the quality of cleaning beet root colonization of transporter-washing and the supply of water to the diffusion process, the temperature of the diffusion and others. In the diffusion unit has the most favorable conditions for the development of micro-organisms. Some of them, especially resistant bacteria and thermophilic bacteria or their spores, forming a capsule which protects against external influences occur in the final product sugar. When injected into the fresh crop of product (juice, syrup, they begin to multiply rapidly, causing difficulties in the process. The higher seeding beet microorganisms, the more they decompose and emit sucrose metabolism byproducts. To reduce the negative impact of microbiological and reduce losses from decomposition of sucrose conducted research on the possibility of using chlorine-containing substances in the sugar industry. It was established experimentally that the investigated chlorinated drug has bacteriostatic action and can be recommended for use in sugar beet production.

  20. Fatty acid synthase cooperates with glyoxalase 1 to protect against sugar toxicity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damien Garrido

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Fatty acid (FA metabolism is deregulated in several human diseases including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cancers. Therefore, FA-metabolic enzymes are potential targets for drug therapy, although the consequence of these treatments must be precisely evaluated at the organismal and cellular levels. In healthy organism, synthesis of triacylglycerols (TAGs-composed of three FA units esterified to a glycerol backbone-is increased in response to dietary sugar. Saturation in the storage and synthesis capacity of TAGs is associated with type 2 diabetes progression. Sugar toxicity likely depends on advanced-glycation-end-products (AGEs that form through covalent bounding between amine groups and carbonyl groups of sugar or their derivatives α-oxoaldehydes. Methylglyoxal (MG is a highly reactive α-oxoaldehyde that is derived from glycolysis through a non-enzymatic reaction. Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1 works to neutralize MG, reducing its deleterious effects. Here, we have used the power of Drosophila genetics to generate Fatty acid synthase (FASN mutants, allowing us to investigate the consequence of this deficiency upon sugar-supplemented diets. We found that FASN mutants are lethal but can be rescued by an appropriate lipid diet. Rescued animals do not exhibit insulin resistance, are dramatically sensitive to dietary sugar and accumulate AGEs. We show that FASN and Glo1 cooperate at systemic and cell-autonomous levels to protect against sugar toxicity. We observed that the size of FASN mutant cells decreases as dietary sucrose increases. Genetic interactions at the cell-autonomous level, where glycolytic enzymes or Glo1 were manipulated in FASN mutant cells, revealed that this sugar-dependent size reduction is a direct consequence of MG-derived-AGE accumulation. In summary, our findings indicate that FASN is dispensable for cell growth if extracellular lipids are available. In contrast, FA-synthesis appears to be required to limit a cell

  1. Simultaneous co-fermentation of mixed sugars: a promising strategy for producing cellulosic ethanol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Soo Rin; Ha, Suk-Jin; Wei, Na; Oh, Eun Joong; Jin, Yong-Su

    2012-05-01

    The lack of microbial strains capable of fermenting all sugars prevalent in plant cell wall hydrolyzates to ethanol is a major challenge. Although naturally existing or engineered microorganisms can ferment mixed sugars (glucose, xylose and galactose) in these hydrolyzates sequentially, the preferential utilization of glucose to non-glucose sugars often results in lower overall yield and productivity of ethanol. Therefore, numerous metabolic engineering approaches have been attempted to construct optimal microorganisms capable of co-fermenting mixed sugars simultaneously. Here, we present recent findings and breakthroughs in engineering yeast for improved ethanol production from mixed sugars. In particular, this review discusses new sugar transporters, various strategies for simultaneous co-fermentation of mixed sugars, and potential applications of co-fermentation for producing fuels and chemicals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Fructan biosynthesis and degradation as part of plant metabolism controlling sugar fluxes during durum wheat kernel maturation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara eCimini

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Wheat kernels contain fructans, fructose based oligosaccharides with prebiotic properties, in levels between 2 and 35 weight % depending on the developmental stage of the kernel. To improve knowledge on the metabolic pathways leading to fructan storage and degradation, carbohydrate fluxes occurring during durum wheat kernel development were analyzed. Kernels were collected at various developmental stages and quali-quantitative analysis of carbohydrates (mono- and di-saccharides, fructans, starch was performed, alongside analysis of the activities and gene expression of the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis and hydrolysis. High resolution HPAEC-PAD of fructan contained in durum wheat kernels revealed that fructan content is higher at the beginning of kernel development, when fructans with higher DP, such as bifurcose and 1,1-nystose, were mainly found. The changes in fructan pool observed during kernel maturation might be part of the signaling pathways influencing carbohydrate metabolism and storage in wheat kernels during development. During the first developmental stages fructan accumulation may contribute to make kernels more effective Suc sinks and to participate in osmotic regulation while the observed decrease in their content may mark the transition to later developmental stages, transition that is also orchestrated by changes in redox balance.

  3. Redox fronts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chapman, N.; McKinley, I.; Shea, M.; Smellie, J.

    1993-01-01

    This article describes the investigations of redox fronts performed at the Osamu Utsumi mine. Results obtained by modelling groups on the rate of movement of the redox fronts and on the chemical reactions involved are discussed. Some of the most important rockwater interactions which occur at redox fronts can be modelled reasonably well but the complex redox chemistry of elements like sulphur is poorly simulated. The observed enrichment of many trace elements close to the redox fronts could be of significance for high-level waste repositories, but cannot be quantified by existing models. (author) 6 figs., 1 tab

  4. Habitual sugar intake and cognitive function among middle-aged and older Puerto Ricans without diabetes

    OpenAIRE

    Ye, Xingwang; Gao, Xiang; Scott, Tammy; Tucker, Katherine L.

    2011-01-01

    Intake of added sugars, mainly fructose and sucrose, has been associated with risk factors for cognitive impairment, such as obesity, the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The objective of this analysis was to examine whether habitual intakes of total sugars, added sugars, sugar-sweetened beverages or sweetened solid foods are associated with cognitive function. The present study included 737 participants without diabetes, aged 45–75 years, from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, 200...

  5. Alterations in reducing sugar in Triticum aestivum under irrigated ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DELL

    2012-03-13

    Mar 13, 2012 ... metabolic pathways. Among the major effects are those involving carbohydrate .... results on the effect of water and salt stress on sugar accumulation by many .... genotypic differences in osmoregulation in wheat. Aust. J. Plant.

  6. Celebrating Professor Britton Chance (1913-2010), a founding father of redox sciences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohnishi, Tomoko; Zweier, Jay L

    2011-12-01

    Renowned great scientist and redox pioneer, Dr. Britton Chance, closed his 97 years of legendary life on November 16, 2010. He was the Eldridge Reeves Johnson emeritus professor of biophysics, physical chemistry, and radiologic physics at the University of Pennsylvania. He achieved fame as a prominent biophysicist and developer of highly innovative biomedical instrumentation. His scientific career stretched over almost one century and he achieved many scientific and engineering breakthroughs throughout his long prolific career. The advances that he and his colleagues achieved led to great strides in our understanding of biology and disease. He was among the first scientists to recognize the importance of free radicals and reactive oxygen species in mitochondrial metabolism and cells as well as to map pathways of redox biology and signaling. Dr. Chance served as a pioneer and inspiration to generations of researchers in the fields of redox biochemistry, metabolism, and disease. He will be missed by all of us in the research community but will live on through his monumental scientific accomplishments, the novel instrumentation he developed, as well as the many scientists whom he trained and influenced.

  7. Substantial roles of hexokinase and fructokinase in the effects of sugars on plant physiology and development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granot, David; Kelly, Gilor; Stein, Ofer; David-Schwartz, Rakefet

    2014-03-01

    The basic requirements for plant growth are light, CO2, water, and minerals. However, the absorption and utilization of each of these requires investment on the part of the plant. The primary products of plants are sugars, and the hexose sugars glucose and fructose are the raw material for most of the metabolic pathways and organic matter in plants. To be metabolized, hexose sugars must first be phosphorylated. Only two families of enzymes capable of catalysing the essential irreversible phosphorylation of glucose and fructose have been identified in plants, hexokinases (HXKs) and fructokinases (FRKs). These hexose-phosphorylating enzymes appear to coordinate sugar production with the abilities to absorb light, CO2, water, and minerals. This review describes the long- and short-term effects mediated by HXK and FRK in various tissues, as well as the role of these enzymes in the coordination of sugar production with the absorption of light, CO2, water, and minerals.

  8. The Analgesic Acetaminophen and the Antipsychotic Clozapine Can Each Redox-Cycle with Melanin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Temoçin, Zülfikar; Kim, Eunkyoung; Li, Jinyang; Panzella, Lucia; Alfieri, Maria Laura; Napolitano, Alessandra; Kelly, Deanna L; Bentley, William E; Payne, Gregory F

    2017-12-20

    Melanins are ubiquitous but their complexity and insolubility has hindered characterization of their structures and functions. We are developing electrochemical reverse engineering methodologies that focus on properties and especially on redox properties. Previous studies have shown that melanins (i) are redox-active and can rapidly and repeatedly exchange electrons with diffusible oxidants and reductants, and (ii) have redox potentials in midregion of the physiological range. These properties suggest the functional activities of melanins will depend on their redox context. The brain has a complex redox context with steep local gradients in O 2 that can promote redox-cycling between melanin and diffusible redox-active chemical species. Here, we performed in vitro reverse engineering studies and report that melanins can redox-cycle with two common redox-active drugs. Experimentally, we used two melanin models: a convenient natural melanin derived from cuttlefish (Sepia melanin) and a synthetic cysteinyldopamine-dopamine core-shell model of neuromelanin. One drug, acetaminophen (APAP), has been used clinically for over a century, and recent studies suggest that low doses of APAP can protect the brain from oxidative-stress-induced toxicity and neurodegeneration, while higher doses can have toxic effects in the brain. The second drug, clozapine (CLZ), is a second generation antipsychotic with polypharmacological activities that remain incompletely understood. These in vitro observations suggest that the redox activities of drugs may be relevant to their modes-of-action, and that melanins may interact with drugs in ways that affect their activities, metabolism, and toxicities.

  9. Regulation of fruit and seed response to heat and drought by sugars as nutrients and signals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong-Hua eLiu

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available A large body of evidence shows that sugars function both as nutrients and signals to regulate fruit and seed set under normal and stress conditions including heat and drought. Inadequate sucrose import to, and its degradation within, reproductive organs cause fruit and seed abortion under heat and drought. As nutrients, sucrose-derived hexoses provide carbon skeletons and energy for growth and development of fruits and seeds. Sugar metabolism can also alleviate the impact of stress on fruit and seed through facilitating biosynthesis of heat shock proteins (Hsps and non-enzymic antioxidants (e.g. glutathione, ascorbic acid, which collectively maintain the integrity of membranes and prevent programmed cell death (PCD through protecting proteins and scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS. In parallel, sugars (sucrose, glucose and fructose, also exert signalling roles through cross-talk with hormone and ROS signalling pathways and by mediating cell division and PCD. At the same time, emerging data indicate that sugar-derived signalling systems, including trehalose-6 phosphate (T6P, sucrose non-fermenting related kinase-1 (SnRK and the target of rapamycin (TOR kinase complex also play important roles in regulating plant development through modulating nutrient and energy signalling and metabolic processes, especially under abiotic stresses where sugar availability is low. This review aims to evaluate recent progress of research on abiotic stress responses of reproductive organs focusing on roles of sugar metabolism and signalling and addressing the possible biochemical and molecular mechanism by which sugars regulate fruit and seed set under heat and drought.

  10. Relationship between insulin resistance-associated metabolic parameters and anthropometric measurements with sugar-sweetened beverage intake and physical activity levels in US adolescents: findings from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bremer, Andrew A; Auinger, Peggy; Byrd, Robert S

    2009-04-01

    To evaluate the relationship between insulin resistance-associated metabolic parameters and anthropometric measurements with sugar-sweetened beverage intake and physical activity levels. A cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. Nationally representative samples of US adolescents participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during the years 1999-2004. A total of 6967 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and physical activity levels. Glucose and insulin concentrations, a homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, triglyceride concentrations, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) percentile for age and sex. Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that increased sugar-sweetened beverage intake was independently associated with increased HOMA-IR, systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and body mass index percentile for age and sex and decreased HDL cholesterol concentrations; alternatively, increased physical activity levels were independently associated with decreased HOMA-IR, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, and triglyceride concentrations and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Furthermore, low sugar-sweetened beverage intake and high physical activity levels appear to modify each others' effects of decreasing HOMA-IR and triglyceride concentrations and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Sugar-sweetened beverage intake and physical activity levels are each independently associated with insulin resistance-associated metabolic parameters and anthropometric measurements in adolescents. Moreover, low sugar

  11. Interaction between heavy metals and thiol-linked redox reactions in germination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smiri, M; Chaoui, A; Ferjani, E E

    2010-09-15

    Thioredoxin (TRX) proteins perform important biological functions in cells by changing the redox state of proteins via dithiol disulfide exchange. Several systems are able to control the activity, stability, and correct folding of enzymes through dithiol/disulfide isomerization reactions including the enzyme protein disulfide-isomerase, the glutathione-dependent glutaredoxin system, and the thioredoxin systems. Plants have devised sophisticated mechanisms to cope with biotic and abiotic stresses imposed by their environment. Among these mechanisms, those collectively referred to as redox reactions induced by endogenous systems. This is of agronomical importance since a better knowledge of the involved mechanisms can offer novel means for crop protection. In the plant life cycle, the seed and seedling stages are key developmental stages conditioning the final yield of crops. Both are very sensitive to heavy metal stress. Plant redox reactions are principally studied on adult plant organs and there is only very scarce informations about the onset of redox regulation at the level of seed germination. In the here presented study, we discussed the importance of redox proteins in plant cell metabolism and defence. Special focus is given to TRX, which are involved in detoxification of ROS and also to their targets.

  12. Redox regulation in photosynthetic organisms: signaling, acclimation, and practical implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foyer, Christine H; Noctor, Graham

    2009-04-01

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have multifaceted roles in the orchestration of plant gene expression and gene-product regulation. Cellular redox homeostasis is considered to be an "integrator" of information from metabolism and the environment controlling plant growth and acclimation responses, as well as cell suicide events. The different ROS forms influence gene expression in specific and sometimes antagonistic ways. Low molecular antioxidants (e.g., ascorbate, glutathione) serve not only to limit the lifetime of the ROS signals but also to participate in an extensive range of other redox signaling and regulatory functions. In contrast to the low molecular weight antioxidants, the "redox" states of components involved in photosynthesis such as plastoquinone show rapid and often transient shifts in response to changes in light and other environmental signals. Whereas both types of "redox regulation" are intimately linked through the thioredoxin, peroxiredoxin, and pyridine nucleotide pools, they also act independently of each other to achieve overall energy balance between energy-producing and energy-utilizing pathways. This review focuses on current knowledge of the pathways of redox regulation, with discussion of the somewhat juxtaposed hypotheses of "oxidative damage" versus "oxidative signaling," within the wider context of physiological function, from plant cell biology to potential applications.

  13. Engineering microbial fatty acid metabolism for biofuels and biochemicals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marella, Eko Roy; Holkenbrink, Carina; Siewers, Verena

    2017-01-01

    microbial catalysis. This review summarizes the recent advances in the engineering of microbial metabolism for production of fatty acid-derived products. We highlight the efforts in engineering the central carbon metabolism, redox metabolism, controlling the chain length of the products, and obtaining...

  14. Metabolism of Toxic Sugars by Strains of the Bee Gut Symbiont Gilliamella apicola

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao Zheng

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Social bees collect carbohydrate-rich food to support their colonies, and yet, certain carbohydrates present in their diet or produced through the breakdown of pollen are toxic to bees. The gut microbiota of social bees is dominated by a few core bacterial species, including the Gram-negative species Gilliamella apicola. We isolated 42 strains of G. apicola from guts of honey bees and bumble bees and sequenced their genomes. All of the G. apicola strains share high 16S rRNA gene similarity, but they vary extensively in gene repertoires related to carbohydrate metabolism. Predicted abilities to utilize different sugars were verified experimentally. Some strains can utilize mannose, arabinose, xylose, or rhamnose (monosaccharides that can cause toxicity in bees as their sole carbon and energy source. All of the G. apicola strains possess a manO-associated mannose family phosphotransferase system; phylogenetic analyses suggest that this was acquired from Firmicutes through horizontal gene transfer. The metabolism of mannose is specifically dependent on the presence of mannose-6-phosphate isomerase (MPI. Neither growth rates nor the utilization of glucose and fructose are affected in the presence of mannose when the gene encoding MPI is absent from the genome, suggesting that mannose is not taken up by G. apicola strains which harbor the phosphotransferase system but do not encode the MPI. Given their ability to simultaneously utilize glucose, fructose, and mannose, as well as the ability of many strains to break down other potentially toxic carbohydrates, G. apicola bacteria may have key roles in improving dietary tolerances and maintaining the health of their bee hosts.

  15. PHB Biosynthesis Counteracts Redox Stress in Herbaspirillum seropedicae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo B. Batista

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The ability of bacteria to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates such as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB enables provision of a carbon storage molecule that can be mobilized under demanding physiological conditions. However, the precise function of PHB in cellular metabolism has not been clearly defined. In order to determine the impact of PHB production on global physiology, we have characterized the properties of a ΔphaC1 mutant strain of the diazotrophic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae. The absence of PHB in the mutant strain not only perturbs redox balance and increases oxidative stress, but also influences the activity of the redox-sensing Fnr transcription regulators, resulting in significant changes in expression of the cytochrome c-branch of the electron transport chain. The synthesis of PHB is itself dependent on the Fnr1 and Fnr3 proteins resulting in a cyclic dependency that couples synthesis of PHB with redox regulation. Transcriptional profiling of the ΔphaC1 mutant reveals that the loss of PHB synthesis affects the expression of many genes, including approximately 30% of the Fnr regulon.

  16. PHB Biosynthesis Counteracts Redox Stress in Herbaspirillum seropedicae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batista, Marcelo B; Teixeira, Cícero S; Sfeir, Michelle Z T; Alves, Luis P S; Valdameri, Glaucio; Pedrosa, Fabio de Oliveira; Sassaki, Guilherme L; Steffens, Maria B R; de Souza, Emanuel M; Dixon, Ray; Müller-Santos, Marcelo

    2018-01-01

    The ability of bacteria to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates such as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) enables provision of a carbon storage molecule that can be mobilized under demanding physiological conditions. However, the precise function of PHB in cellular metabolism has not been clearly defined. In order to determine the impact of PHB production on global physiology, we have characterized the properties of a Δ phaC1 mutant strain of the diazotrophic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae . The absence of PHB in the mutant strain not only perturbs redox balance and increases oxidative stress, but also influences the activity of the redox-sensing Fnr transcription regulators, resulting in significant changes in expression of the cytochrome c -branch of the electron transport chain. The synthesis of PHB is itself dependent on the Fnr1 and Fnr3 proteins resulting in a cyclic dependency that couples synthesis of PHB with redox regulation. Transcriptional profiling of the Δ phaC1 mutant reveals that the loss of PHB synthesis affects the expression of many genes, including approximately 30% of the Fnr regulon.

  17. Redox homeostasis: the linchpin in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kui; Zhang, Tao; Dong, Qiang; Nice, Edouard Collins; Huang, Canhua; Wei, Yuquan

    2013-03-14

    Stem cells are characterized by their unique ability of self-renewal to maintain the so-called stem cell pool. Over the past decades, reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been recognized as toxic aerobic metabolism byproducts that are harmful to stem cells, leading to DNA damage, senescence or cell death. Recently, a growing body of literature has shown that stem cells reside in redox niches with low ROS levels. The balance of Redox homeostasis facilitates stem cell self-renewal by an intricate network. Thus, to fully decipher the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the maintenance of stem cell self-renewal, it is critical to address the important role of redox homeostasis in the regulation of self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells. In this regard, we will discuss the regulatory mechanisms involved in the subtly orchestrated balance of redox status in stem cells by scavenger antioxidant enzyme systems that are well monitored by the hypoxia niches and crucial redox regulators including forkhead homeobox type O family (FoxOs), apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease1/redox factor-1 (APE1/Ref-1), nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM). We will also introduce several pivotal ROS-sensitive molecules, such as hypoxia-inducible factors, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) and p53, involved in the redox-regulated stem cell self-renewal. Specifically, all the aforementioned molecules can act as 'redox sensors' by virtue of redox modifications of their cysteine residues, which are critically important in the control of protein function. Given the importance of redox homeostasis in the regulation of stem cell self-renewal, understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms involved will provide important new insights into stem cell biology.

  18. Thioredoxin-linked redox control of metabolism in Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, an evolutionarily deeply-rooted hyperthermophilic methanogenic archaeon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thioredoxin (Trx), a small redox protein, controls multiple processes in eukaryotes and bacteria by changing the thiol redox status of selected proteins. We have investigated this aspect in methanarchaea. These ancient methanogens produce methane almost exclusively from H2 plus CO2 carried approxima...

  19. Redox pioneer:Professor Christine Helen Foyer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Río, Luis A

    2011-10-15

    Dr. Christine Foyer (B.Sc. 1974; Ph.D. 1977) is recognized here as a Redox Pioneer because she has published an article on redox biology that has been cited more than 1000 times, 4 other articles that have been cited more than 500 times, and a further 32 articles that have been each cited more than 100 times. During her Ph.D. at the Kings College, University of London, United Kingdom, Dr. Foyer discovered that ascorbate and glutathione and enzymes linking NADPH, glutathione, and ascorbate are localized in isolated chloroplast preparations. These observations pioneered the discovery of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle, now known as Foyer-Halliwell-Asada pathway after the names of the three major contributors, a crucial mechanism for H(2)O(2) metabolism in both animals and plants. Dr. Foyer has made a very significant contribution to our current understanding of the crucial roles of ascorbate and glutathione in redox biology, particularly in relation to photosynthesis, respiration, and chloroplast and mitochondrial redox signaling networks. "My view is that science…is compulsive and you have to keep with it all the time and not get despondent when things do not work well. Being passionate about science is what carries you through the hard times so that it isn't so much work, as a hobby that you do for a living. It is the thrill of achieving a better understanding and finding real pleasure in putting new ideas together, explaining data and passing on knowledge that keeps you going no matter what!" --Prof. Christine Helen Foyer.

  20. Differentiating cancerous from normal breast tissue by redox imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, He N.; Tchou, Julia; Feng, Min; Zhao, Huaqing; Li, Lin Z.

    2015-02-01

    Abnormal metabolism can be a hallmark of cancer occurring early before detectable histological changes and may serve as an early detection biomarker. The current gold standard to establish breast cancer (BC) diagnosis is histological examination of biopsy. Previously we have found that pre-cancer and cancer tissues in animal models displayed abnormal mitochondrial redox state. Our technique of quantitatively measuring the mitochondrial redox state has the potential to be implemented as an early detection tool for cancer and may provide prognostic value. We therefore in this present study, investigated the feasibility of quantifying the redox state of tumor samples from 16 BC patients. Tumor tissue aliquots were collected from both normal and cancerous tissue from the affected cancer-bearing breasts of 16 female patients (5 TNBC, 9 ER+, 2 ER+/Her2+) shortly after surgical resection. All specimens were snap-frozen with liquid nitrogen on site and scanned later with the Chance redox scanner, i.e., the 3D cryogenic NADH/oxidized flavoprotein (Fp) fluorescence imager. Our preliminary results showed that both NADH and Fp (including FAD, i.e., flavin adenine dinucleotide) signals in the cancerous tissues roughly tripled to quadrupled those in the normal tissues (pcancerous tissues than in the normal ones (pcancer and non-cancer breast tissues in human patients and this novel redox scanning procedure may assist in tissue diagnosis in freshly procured biopsy samples prior to tissue fixation. We are in the process of evaluating the prognostic value of the redox imaging indices for BC.

  1. Information processing through a bio-based redox capacitor: signatures for redox-cycling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi; Kim, Eunkyoung; White, Ian M; Bentley, William E; Payne, Gregory F

    2014-08-01

    Redox-cycling compounds can significantly impact biological systems and can be responsible for activities that range from pathogen virulence and contaminant toxicities, to therapeutic drug mechanisms. Current methods to identify redox-cycling activities rely on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and employ enzymatic or chemical methods to detect ROS. Here, we couple the speed and sensitivity of electrochemistry with the molecular-electronic properties of a bio-based redox-capacitor to generate signatures of redox-cycling. The redox capacitor film is electrochemically-fabricated at the electrode surface and is composed of a polysaccharide hydrogel with grafted catechol moieties. This capacitor film is redox-active but non-conducting and can engage diffusible compounds in either oxidative or reductive redox-cycling. Using standard electrochemical mediators ferrocene dimethanol (Fc) and Ru(NH3)6Cl3 (Ru(3+)) as model redox-cyclers, we observed signal amplifications and rectifications that serve as signatures of redox-cycling. Three bio-relevant compounds were then probed for these signatures: (i) ascorbate, a redox-active compound that does not redox-cycle; (ii) pyocyanin, a virulence factor well-known for its reductive redox-cycling; and (iii) acetaminophen, an analgesic that oxidatively redox-cycles but also undergoes conjugation reactions. These studies demonstrate that the redox-capacitor can enlist the capabilities of electrochemistry to generate rapid and sensitive signatures of biologically-relevant chemical activities (i.e., redox-cycling). Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Sap flow and sugar transport in plants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Kaare Hartvig; Berg-Sørensen, Kirstine; Bruus, Henrik

    2016-01-01

    Green plants are Earth’s primary solar energy collectors. They harvest the energy of the Sun by converting light energy into chemical energy stored in the bonds of sugar molecules. A multitude of carefully orchestrated transport processes are needed to move water and minerals from the soil to sites...... of photosynthesis and to distribute energy-rich sugars throughout the plant body to support metabolism and growth. The long-distance transport happens in the plants’ vascular system, where water and solutes are moved along the entire length of the plant. In this review, the current understanding of the mechanism...... and the quantitative description of these flows are discussed, connecting theory and experiments as far as possible. The article begins with an overview of low-Reynolds-number transport processes, followed by an introduction to the anatomy and physiology of vascular transport in the phloem and xylem. Next, sugar...

  3. New insights into redox regulation of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Fenglian; Wang, Kui; Zhang, Tao; Jiang, Jingwen; Nice, Edouard Collins; Huang, Canhua

    2015-08-01

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS), the natural byproducts of aerobic metabolism, are precisely orchestrated to evoke diverse signaling pathways. To date, studies have focused mainly on the detrimental effects of ROS in stem cells. Recently, accumulating evidence has suggested that ROS also function as second messengers that modulate stem cell self-renewal and differentiation by regulating intricate signaling networks. Although many efforts have been made to clarify the general effects of ROS on signal transduction in stem cells, less is known about the initial and direct executors of ROS signaling, which are known as 'redox sensors'. Modifications of cysteine residues in redox sensors are of significant importance in the modulation of protein function in response to different redox conditions. Intriguingly, most key molecules in ROS signaling and cell cycle regulation (including transcriptional factors and kinases) that are crucial in the regulation of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation have the potential to be redox sensors. We highlight herein the importance of redox regulation of these key regulators in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Understanding the mechanisms of redox regulation in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation will open exciting new perspectives for stem cell biology. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Redox regulation of differentiation and de-differentiation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Redox behaviors of iron by absorption spectroscopy and redox potential measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Jae Yong

    2010-02-01

    This work is performed to study the redox (reduction/oxidation) behaviors of iron in aqueous system by a combination of absorption spectroscopy and redox potential measurements. There are many doubts on redox potential measurements generally showing low accuracies and high uncertainties. In the present study, redox potentials are measured by utilizing various redox electrodes such as Pt, Au, Ag, and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes. Measured redox potentials are compared with calculated redox potentials based on the chemical oxidation speciation of iron and thermodynamic data by absorption spectroscopy, which provides one of the sensitive and selective spectroscopic methods for the chemical speciation of Fe(II/III). From the comparison analyses, redox potential values measured by the Ag redox electrode are fairly consistent with those calculated by the chemical aqueous speciation of iron in the whole system. In summary, the uncertainties of measured redox potentials are closely related with the total Fe concentration and affected by the formation of mixed potentials due to Fe(III) precipitates in the pH range of 6 ∼ 9 beyond the solubility of Fe(III), whilst being independent of the initially prepared concentration ratios between Fe(II) and Fe(III)

  5. Sugar and Salt in a Young Child’s Diet: Effect on Health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vera A. Skvortsova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Salt and sugar are traditional components of a daily diet for both adults and children. These flavor additives have been used by human for centuries. Sugar and salt not only enhance the taste of food, but also play an important role in metabolic processes. We have already accumulated some data on long-term adverse effects related to excessive consumption of salt and sugar. However, the need for sodium and sucrose has not been finally established yet. We anticipate the reduction in sugar consumption rates. Daily intake of salt and sugar can be optimized by forming proper eating habits in early childhood, with a particular focus on complementary foods free of nutritional supplements, which is necessary for an adequate development of taste.

  6. The fairytale of the GSSG/GSH redox potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flohé, Leopold

    2013-05-01

    The term GSSG/GSH redox potential is frequently used to explain redox regulation and other biological processes. The relevance of the GSSG/GSH redox potential as driving force of biological processes is critically discussed. It is recalled that the concentration ratio of GSSG and GSH reflects little else than a steady state, which overwhelmingly results from fast enzymatic processes utilizing, degrading or regenerating GSH. A biological GSSG/GSH redox potential, as calculated by the Nernst equation, is a deduced electrochemical parameter based on direct measurements of GSH and GSSG that are often complicated by poorly substantiated assumptions. It is considered irrelevant to the steering of any biological process. GSH-utilizing enzymes depend on the concentration of GSH, not on [GSH](2), as is predicted by the Nernst equation, and are typically not affected by GSSG. Regulatory processes involving oxidants and GSH are considered to make use of mechanistic principles known for thiol peroxidases which catalyze the oxidation of hydroperoxides by GSH by means of an enzyme substitution mechanism involving only bimolecular reaction steps. The negligibly small rate constants of related spontaneous reactions as compared with enzyme-catalyzed ones underscore the superiority of kinetic parameters over electrochemical or thermodynamic ones for an in-depth understanding of GSH-dependent biological phenomena. At best, the GSSG/GSH potential might be useful as an analytical tool to disclose disturbances in redox metabolism. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Cellular Functions of Glutathione. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Plant redox proteomics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Navrot, Nicolas; Finnie, Christine; Svensson, Birte

    2011-01-01

    PTMs in regulating enzymatic activities and controlling biological processes in plants. Notably, proteins controlling the cellular redox state, e.g. thioredoxin and glutaredoxin, appear to play dual roles to maintain oxidative stress resistance and regulate signal transduction pathways via redox PTMs......In common with other aerobic organisms, plants are exposed to reactive oxygen species resulting in formation of post-translational modifications related to protein oxidoreduction (redox PTMs) that may inflict oxidative protein damage. Accumulating evidence also underscores the importance of redox....... To get a comprehensive overview of these types of redox-regulated pathways there is therefore an emerging interest to monitor changes in redox PTMs on a proteome scale. Compared to some other PTMs, e.g. protein phosphorylation, redox PTMs have received less attention in plant proteome analysis, possibly...

  8. Influence of the PDE5 inhibitor tadalafil on redox status and antioxidant defense system in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duranti, Guglielmo; Ceci, Roberta; Sgrò, Paolo; Sabatini, Stefania; Di Luigi, Luigi

    2017-05-01

    Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is), widely known for their beneficial effects onto male erectile dysfunction, seem to exert favorable effects onto metabolism as well. Tadalafil exposure increases oxidative metabolism of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. A rise in fatty acid (FA) metabolism, requiring more oxygen, could induce a larger reactive oxygen species (ROS) release as a byproduct thus leading to a redox imbalance. The aim of this study was to determine how PDE5I tadalafil influences redox status in skeletal muscle cells to match the increasing oxidative metabolism. To this purpose, differentiated C2C12 skeletal muscle cells were treated with tadalafil and analyzed for total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and glutathione levels as marker of redox status; enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) engaged in antioxidant defense; and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and protein carbonyls (PrCar) as markers of oxidative damage. Tadalafil increased total intracellular glutathione (tGSH), CAT, SOD, and GPx enzymatic activities while no changes were found in TAC. A perturbation of redox status, as showed by the decrease in the ratio between reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), was observed. Nevertheless, it did not cause any change in TBARS and PrCar levels probably due to the enhancement in the antioxidant enzymatic network. Taken together, these data indicate that tadalafil, besides improving oxidative metabolism, may be beneficial to skeletal muscle cells by enhancing the enzymatic antioxidant system capacity.

  9. Predicting the Kinetic Properties Associated with Redox Imbalance after Oxidative Crisis in G6PD-Deficient Erythrocytes: A Simulation Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanae Shimo

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available It is well known that G6PD-deficient individuals are highly susceptible to oxidative stress. However, the differences in the degree of metabolic alterations among patients during an oxidative crisis have not been extensively studied. In this study, we applied mathematical modeling to assess the metabolic changes in erythrocytes of various G6PD-deficient patients during hydrogen peroxide- (H2O2- induced perturbation and predict the kinetic properties that elicit redox imbalance after exposure to an oxidative agent. Simulation results showed a discrepancy in the ability to restore regular metabolite levels and redox homeostasis among patients. Two trends were observed in the response of redox status (GSH/GSSG to oxidative stress, a mild decrease associated with slow recovery and a drastic decline associated with rapid recovery. The former was concluded to apply to patients with severe clinical symptoms. Low max and high mG6P of G6PD were shown to be kinetic properties that enhance consequent redox imbalance.

  10. Simple Sugar Intake and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Epidemiological and Mechanistic Insight

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Carlos Laguna

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Sugar intake has dramatically increased during the last few decades. Specifically, there has been a clear trend towards higher consumption of fructose and high fructose corn syrup, which are the most common added sugars in processed food, soft drinks and other sweetened beverages. Although still controversial, this rising trend in simple sugar consumption has been positively associated with weight gain and obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Interestingly, all of these metabolic alterations have also been related to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The purpose of this review is to discuss the evidence coming from epidemiological studies and data from animal models relating the consumption of simple sugars, and specifically fructose, with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and to gain insight into the putative molecular mechanisms involved.

  11. Shifting Sugars and Shifting Paradigms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegal, Mark L.

    2015-01-01

    No organism lives in a constant environment. Based on classical studies in molecular biology, many have viewed microbes as following strict rules for shifting their metabolic activities when prevailing conditions change. For example, students learn that the bacterium Escherichia coli makes proteins for digesting lactose only when lactose is available and glucose, a better sugar, is not. However, recent studies, including three PLOS Biology papers examining sugar utilization in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, show that considerable heterogeneity in response to complex environments exists within and between populations. These results join similar recent results in other organisms that suggest that microbial populations anticipate predictable environmental changes and hedge their bets against unpredictable ones. The classical view therefore represents but one special case in a range of evolutionary adaptations to environmental changes that all organisms face. PMID:25688600

  12. Shifting sugars and shifting paradigms.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark L Siegal

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available No organism lives in a constant environment. Based on classical studies in molecular biology, many have viewed microbes as following strict rules for shifting their metabolic activities when prevailing conditions change. For example, students learn that the bacterium Escherichia coli makes proteins for digesting lactose only when lactose is available and glucose, a better sugar, is not. However, recent studies, including three PLOS Biology papers examining sugar utilization in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, show that considerable heterogeneity in response to complex environments exists within and between populations. These results join similar recent results in other organisms that suggest that microbial populations anticipate predictable environmental changes and hedge their bets against unpredictable ones. The classical view therefore represents but one special case in a range of evolutionary adaptations to environmental changes that all organisms face.

  13. Post photosynthetic carbon partitioning to sugar alcohols and consequences for plant growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumschott, Kathryn; Richter, Andreas; Loescher, Wayne; Merchant, Andrew

    2017-12-01

    The occurrence of sugar alcohols is ubiquitous among plants. Physiochemical properties of sugar alcohols suggest numerous primary and secondary functions in plant tissues and are often well documented. In addition to functions arising from physiochemical properties, the synthesis of sugar alcohols may have significant influence over photosynthetic, respiratory, and developmental processes owing to their function as a large sink for photosynthates. Sink strength is demonstrated by the high concentrations of sugar alcohols found in plant tissues and their ability to be readily transported. The plant scale distribution and physiochemical function of these compounds renders them strong candidates for functioning as stress metabolites. Despite this, several aspects of sugar alcohol biosynthesis and function are poorly characterised namely: 1) the quantitative characterisation of carbon flux into the sugar alcohol pool; 2) the molecular control governing sugar alcohol biosynthesis on a quantitative basis; 3) the role of sugar alcohols in plant growth and ecology; and 4) consequences of sugar alcohol synthesis for yield production and yield quality. We highlight the need to adopt new approaches to investigating sugar alcohol biosynthesis using modern technologies in gene expression, metabolic flux analysis and agronomy. Combined, these approaches will elucidate the impact of sugar alcohol biosynthesis on growth, stress tolerance, yield and yield quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Vitex agnus-castus L. (Verbenaceae) Improves the Liver Lipid Metabolism and Redox State of Ovariectomized Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Franciele Neves; Campos-Shimada, Lilian Brites; da Costa, Silvio Claudio; Garcia, Rosângela Fernandes; Cecchini, Alessandra Lourenço; Natali, Maria Raquel Marçal; Vitoriano, Adriana de Souza; Ishii-Iwamoto, Emy Luiza; Salgueiro-Pagadigorria, Clairce Luzia

    2015-01-01

    Vitex agnus-castus (VAC) is a plant that has recently been used to treat the symptoms of menopause, by its actions on the central nervous system. However, little is known about its actions on disturbances in lipid metabolism and nonalcoholic fat liver disease (NAFLD), frequently associated with menopause. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats exhibit increased adiposity and NAFLD 13 weeks after ovary removal and were used as animal models of estrogen deficiency. The rats were treated with crude extract (CE) and a butanolic fraction of VAC (ButF) and displayed the beneficial effects of a reduction in the adiposity index and a complete reversion of NAFLD. NAFLD reversion was accompanied by a general improvement in the liver redox status. The activities of some antioxidant enzymes were restored and the mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide production was significantly reduced in animals treated with CE and the ButF. It can be concluded that the CE and ButF from Vitex agnus-castus were effective in preventing NAFLD and oxidative stress, which are frequent causes of abnormal liver functions in the postmenopausal period.

  15. Vitex agnus-castus L. (Verbenaceae Improves the Liver Lipid Metabolism and Redox State of Ovariectomized Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franciele Neves Moreno

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Vitex agnus-castus (VAC is a plant that has recently been used to treat the symptoms of menopause, by its actions on the central nervous system. However, little is known about its actions on disturbances in lipid metabolism and nonalcoholic fat liver disease (NAFLD, frequently associated with menopause. Ovariectomized (OVX rats exhibit increased adiposity and NAFLD 13 weeks after ovary removal and were used as animal models of estrogen deficiency. The rats were treated with crude extract (CE and a butanolic fraction of VAC (ButF and displayed the beneficial effects of a reduction in the adiposity index and a complete reversion of NAFLD. NAFLD reversion was accompanied by a general improvement in the liver redox status. The activities of some antioxidant enzymes were restored and the mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide production was significantly reduced in animals treated with CE and the ButF. It can be concluded that the CE and ButF from Vitex agnus-castus were effective in preventing NAFLD and oxidative stress, which are frequent causes of abnormal liver functions in the postmenopausal period.

  16. Vitex agnus-castus L. (Verbenaceae) Improves the Liver Lipid Metabolism and Redox State of Ovariectomized Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Franciele Neves; Campos-Shimada, Lilian Brites; da Costa, Silvio Claudio; Garcia, Rosângela Fernandes; Cecchini, Alessandra Lourenço; Natali, Maria Raquel Marçal; Vitoriano, Adriana de Souza; Ishii-Iwamoto, Emy Luiza; Salgueiro-Pagadigorria, Clairce Luzia

    2015-01-01

    Vitex agnus-castus (VAC) is a plant that has recently been used to treat the symptoms of menopause, by its actions on the central nervous system. However, little is known about its actions on disturbances in lipid metabolism and nonalcoholic fat liver disease (NAFLD), frequently associated with menopause. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats exhibit increased adiposity and NAFLD 13 weeks after ovary removal and were used as animal models of estrogen deficiency. The rats were treated with crude extract (CE) and a butanolic fraction of VAC (ButF) and displayed the beneficial effects of a reduction in the adiposity index and a complete reversion of NAFLD. NAFLD reversion was accompanied by a general improvement in the liver redox status. The activities of some antioxidant enzymes were restored and the mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide production was significantly reduced in animals treated with CE and the ButF. It can be concluded that the CE and ButF from Vitex agnus-castus were effective in preventing NAFLD and oxidative stress, which are frequent causes of abnormal liver functions in the postmenopausal period. PMID:25954315

  17. Coordinate Activation of Redox-Dependent ASK1/TGF-β Signaling by a Multiprotein Complex (MPK38, ASK1, SMADs, ZPR9, and TRX) Improves Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seong, Hyun-A; Manoharan, Ravi; Ha, Hyunjung

    2016-03-10

    To explore the molecular connections between redox-dependent apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathways and to examine the physiological processes in which coordinated regulation of these two signaling pathways plays a critical role. We provide evidence that the ASK1 and TGF-β signaling pathways are interconnected by a multiprotein complex harboring murine protein serine-threonine kinase 38 (MPK38), ASK1, Sma- and Mad-related proteins (SMADs), zinc-finger-like protein 9 (ZPR9), and thioredoxin (TRX) and demonstrate that the activation of either ASK1 or TGF-β activity is sufficient to activate both the redox-dependent ASK1 and TGF-β signaling pathways. Physiologically, the restoration of the downregulated activation levels of ASK1 and TGF-β signaling in genetically and diet-induced obese mice by adenoviral delivery of SMAD3 or ZPR9 results in the amelioration of adiposity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and impaired ketogenesis. Our data suggest that the multiprotein complex linking ASK1 and TGF-β signaling pathways may be a potential target for redox-mediated metabolic complications.

  18. Hunting for low abundant redox proteins in plant plasma membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lüthje, Sabine; Hopff, David; Schmitt, Anna; Meisrimler, Claudia-Nicole; Menckhoff, Ljiljana

    2009-04-13

    Nowadays electron transport (redox) systems in plasma membranes appear well established. Members of the flavocytochrome b family have been identified by their nucleotide acid sequences and characterized on the transcriptional level. For their gene products functions have been demonstrated in iron uptake and oxidative stress including biotic interactions, abiotic stress factors and plant development. In addition, NAD(P)H-dependent oxidoreductases and b-type cytochromes have been purified and characterized from plasma membranes. Several of these proteins seem to belong to the group of hypothetical or unknown proteins. Low abundance and the lack of amino acid sequence data for these proteins still hamper their functional analysis. Consequently, little is known about the physiological function and regulation of these enzymes. In recent years evidence has been presented for the existence of microdomains (so-called lipid rafts) in plasma membranes and their interaction with specific membrane proteins. The identification of redox systems in detergent insoluble membranes supports the idea that redox systems may have important functions in signal transduction, stress responses, cell wall metabolism, and transport processes. This review summarizes our present knowledge on plasma membrane redox proteins and discusses alternative strategies to investigate the function and regulation of these enzymes.

  19. High sugar diet disrupts gut homeostasis though JNK and STAT pathways in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaoyue; Jin, Qiuxia; Jin, Li Hua

    2017-06-10

    The incidence of diseases associated with a high sugar diet has increased in the past years, and numerous studies have focused on the effect of high sugar intake on obesity and metabolic syndrome. However, how a high sugar diet influences gut homeostasis is still poorly understood. In this study, we used Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism and supplemented a culture medium with 1 M sucrose to create a high sugar condition. Our results indicate that a high sugar diet promoted differentiation of intestinal stem cells through upregulation of the JNK pathway and downregulation of the JAK/STAT pathway. Moreover, the number of commensal bacteria decreased in the high sugar group. Our data suggests that the high caloric diet disrupts gut homeostasis and highlights Drosophila as an ideal model system to explore gastrointestinal disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Sugar and Glycerol Transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bisson, Linda F; Fan, Qingwen; Walker, Gordon A

    2016-01-01

    In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the process of transport of sugar substrates into the cell comprises a complex network of transporters and interacting regulatory mechanisms. Members of the large family of hexose (HXT) transporters display uptake efficiencies consistent with their environmental expression and play physiological roles in addition to feeding the glycolytic pathway. Multiple glucose-inducing and glucose-independent mechanisms serve to regulate expression of the sugar transporters in yeast assuring that expression levels and transporter activity are coordinated with cellular metabolism and energy needs. The expression of sugar transport activity is modulated by other nutritional and environmental factors that may override glucose-generated signals. Transporter expression and activity is regulated transcriptionally, post-transcriptionally and post-translationally. Recent studies have expanded upon this suite of regulatory mechanisms to include transcriptional expression fine tuning mediated by antisense RNA and prion-based regulation of transcription. Much remains to be learned about cell biology from the continued analysis of this dynamic process of substrate acquisition.

  1. Lifestyle-induced metabolic inflexibility and accelerated ageing syndrome: insulin resistance, friend or foe?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bell Jimmy D

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The metabolic syndrome may have its origins in thriftiness, insulin resistance and one of the most ancient of all signalling systems, redox. Thriftiness results from an evolutionarily-driven propensity to minimise energy expenditure. This has to be balanced with the need to resist the oxidative stress from cellular signalling and pathogen resistance, giving rise to something we call 'redox-thriftiness'. This is based on the notion that mitochondria may be able to both amplify membrane-derived redox growth signals as well as negatively regulate them, resulting in an increased ATP/ROS ratio. We suggest that 'redox-thriftiness' leads to insulin resistance, which has the effect of both protecting the individual cell from excessive growth/inflammatory stress, while ensuring energy is channelled to the brain, the immune system, and for storage. We also suggest that fine tuning of redox-thriftiness is achieved by hormetic (mild stress signals that stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis and resistance to oxidative stress, which improves metabolic flexibility. However, in a non-hormetic environment with excessive calories, the protective nature of this system may lead to escalating insulin resistance and rising oxidative stress due to metabolic inflexibility and mitochondrial overload. Thus, the mitochondrially-associated resistance to oxidative stress (and metabolic flexibility may determine insulin resistance. Genetically and environmentally determined mitochondrial function may define a 'tipping point' where protective insulin resistance tips over to inflammatory insulin resistance. Many hormetic factors may induce mild mitochondrial stress and biogenesis, including exercise, fasting, temperature extremes, unsaturated fats, polyphenols, alcohol, and even metformin and statins. Without hormesis, a proposed redox-thriftiness tipping point might lead to a feed forward insulin resistance cycle in the presence of excess calories. We therefore suggest

  2. Sugar-sweetened Beverage Consumption Among U.S. Adults, 2011-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosinger, Asher; Herrick, Kirsten; Gahche, Jaime; Park, Sohyun

    2017-01-01

    Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey •Approximately one-half of U.S. adults consumed at least one sugar-sweetened beverage on a given day. •Men consumed an average 179 kilocalories (kcal) from sugar-sweetened beverages, which contributed 6.9% of total daily caloric intake. Women consumed an average 113 kcal from sugar-sweetened beverages, which contributed 6.1% of total caloric intake. •Young adults had the highest mean intake and percentage of daily calories from sugar-sweetened beverages relative to older adults. •Non-Hispanic Asian men and women consumed the least calories and the lowest percentage of total calories from sugar-sweetened beverages compared with non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic men and women. Sugar-sweetened beverages are a major contributor of calories and added sugars to diets of U.S. adults (1). Studies have found that sugar-sweetened beverage consumption has been linked to weight gain, metabolic syndrome, dental caries, and type 2 diabetes in adults (2-4). The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend reducing added sugars consumption to less than 10% of total calories per day and, specifically, to choose beverages with no added sugars (1). This report presents results for consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among U.S. adults aged 20 and over for 2011-2014 by sex, age, and race and Hispanic origin. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

  3. Effect of Gamma-Oryzanol as Therapeutic Agent to Prevent Cardiorenal Metabolic Syndrome in Animals Submitted to High Sugar-Fat Diet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabiane Valentini Francisqueti

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: The high consumption of fat and sugar contributes to the development of obesity and co-morbidities, such as diabetes, and cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Different strategies have been used to prevent these diseases associated with obesity, such as changes in eating habits and/or the addition of dietary components with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, such as gamma-oryzanol (γOz present mainly in bran layers and rice germ. Methods: Animals were randomly divided into four experimental groups and fed ad libitum for 20 weeks with control diet (C, n = 8, control diet + γOz (C + γOz, n = 8, high-sugar and high-fat diet (HSF, n = 8, and high-sugar and high-fat diet + γOz (HSF + γOz, n = 8. HSF groups also received water + sucrose (25%. The dose of γOz was added to diets to reach 0.5% of final concentration (w/w. Evaluation in animals included food and caloric intake, body weight, plasma glucose, insulin, triglycerides, uric acid, HOMA-IR, glomerular filtration rate, protein/creatinine ratio, systolic blood pressure, and Doppler echocardiographic. Results: Animals that consumed the HSF diet had weight gain compared to group C, increased insulin, HOMA, glucose and triglycerides, there were also atrial and ventricular structural alterations, deterioration of systolic and diastolic function, decreased glomerular filtration rate, and proteinuria. Gamma-oryzanol is significantly protective against effects on body weight, hypertriglyceridemia, renal damage, and against structural and functional alteration of the heart. Conclusion: Gamma-oryzanol shows potential as a therapeutic to prevent Cardiorenal Metabolic Syndrome.

  4. Predicting sugar consumption: Application of an integrated dual-process, dual-phase model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagger, Martin S; Trost, Nadine; Keech, Jacob J; Chan, Derwin K C; Hamilton, Kyra

    2017-09-01

    Excess consumption of added dietary sugars is related to multiple metabolic problems and adverse health conditions. Identifying the modifiable social cognitive and motivational constructs that predict sugar consumption is important to inform behavioral interventions aimed at reducing sugar intake. We tested the efficacy of an integrated dual-process, dual-phase model derived from multiple theories to predict sugar consumption. Using a prospective design, university students (N = 90) completed initial measures of the reflective (autonomous and controlled motivation, intentions, attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control), impulsive (implicit attitudes), volitional (action and coping planning), and behavioral (past sugar consumption) components of the proposed model. Self-reported sugar consumption was measured two weeks later. A structural equation model revealed that intentions, implicit attitudes, and, indirectly, autonomous motivation to reduce sugar consumption had small, significant effects on sugar consumption. Attitudes, subjective norm, and, indirectly, autonomous motivation to reduce sugar consumption predicted intentions. There were no effects of the planning constructs. Model effects were independent of the effects of past sugar consumption. The model identified the relative contribution of reflective and impulsive components in predicting sugar consumption. Given the prominent role of the impulsive component, interventions that assist individuals in managing cues-to-action and behavioral monitoring are likely to be effective in regulating sugar consumption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Influence of insulin on heat (450) protection by hexose sugars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sandifer, L.; Nagle, W.A.; Henle, K.J.; Moss, A.J. Jr.

    1987-01-01

    Treatment of cultured cells with 100mM D-glucose and D-galactose confers protection against hyperthermia-induced cell death, but the mechanism is not known. The authors measured changes in cell survival and altered levels of intracellular sugar metabolites in Chinese hamster fibroblast (V79) cells. Cells were incubated at 37 0 for 1 or 5 hours prior to a 45 0 heating in balanced salts solution (BSS) with 2mM glutamine and varying concentrations of sugars in the presence and absence of insulin (10 gm/ml). Cells incubated at all sugar concentrations (5-125mM) with insulin showed a more rapid increase in survival: after 17 min. at 45 0 the survival with 125mM sugar plus insulin yielded a 4 fold increase after a 1 or 5 hour incubation. Longer incubation times were required for increased survival in the absence of insulin. The authors also observed increased survival, relative to cells heated in complete medium, for cells incubated in BSS with 2mM glutamine and no sugar. This suggests that glutamine metabolism may lead to an increase in cell heat resistance. These survival results will be related to intracellular changes in sugar metabolites, principally sugar phosphates

  6. Sugar-Mediated Acclimation: The Importance of Sucrose Metabolism in Meristems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carpentier, S.C.; Vertommen, A.; Swennen, R.; Witters, E.; Fortes, C.; Souza, M.T.; Panis, B.

    2010-01-01

    We have designed an in vitro experimental setup to study the role of sucrose in sugar-mediated acclimation of banana meristems using established highly proliferating meristem cultures. It is a first step toward the systems biology of a meristem and the understanding of how it can survive severe

  7. What is the appropriate upper limit for added sugars consumption?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rippe, James M; Sievenpiper, John L; Lê, Kim-Anne; White, John S; Clemens, Roger; Angelopoulos, Theodore J

    2017-01-01

    Dramatic increases in obesity and diabetes have occurred worldwide over the past 30 years. Some investigators have suggested that these increases may be due, in part, to increased added sugars consumption. Several scientific organizations, including the World Health Organization, the Scientific Advisory Council on Nutrition, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee 2015, and the American Heart Association, have recommended significant restrictions on upper limits of sugars consumption. In this review, the scientific evidence related to sugars consumption and its putative link to various chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and the metabolic syndrome is examined. While it appears prudent to avoid excessive calories from sugars, the scientific basis for restrictive guidelines is far from settled. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Hummingbirds fuel hovering flight with newly ingested sugar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welch, Kenneth C; Bakken, Bradley Hartman; Martinez del Rio, Carlos; Suarez, Raul K

    2006-01-01

    We sought to characterize the ability of hummingbirds to fuel their energetically expensive hovering flight using dietary sugar by a combination of respirometry and stable carbon isotope techniques. Broadtailed hummingbirds (Selasphorus platycercus) were maintained on a diet containing beet sugar with an isotopic composition characteristic of C3 plants. Hummingbirds were fasted and then offered a solution containing cane sugar with an isotopic composition characteristic of C4 plants. By monitoring the rates of CO2 production and O2 consumption, as well as the stable carbon isotope composition of expired CO2, we were able to estimate the relative contributions of carbohydrate and fat, as well as the absolute rate at which dietary sucrose was oxidized during hovering. The combination of respirometry and carbon isotope analysis revealed that hummingbirds initially oxidized endogenous fat following a fast and then progressively oxidized proportionately more carbohydrates. The contribution from dietary sources increased with each feeding bout, and by 20 min after the first meal, dietary sugar supported approximately 74% of hovering metabolism. The ability of hummingbirds to satisfy the energetic requirements of hovering flight mainly with recently ingested sugar is unique among vertebrates. Our finding provides an example of evolutionary convergence in physiological and biochemical traits among unrelated nectar-feeding animals.

  9. Organic Redox Species in Aqueous Flow Batteries: Redox Potentials, Chemical Stability and Solubility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wedege, Kristina; Dražević, Emil; Konya, Denes; Bentien, Anders

    2016-01-01

    Organic molecules are currently investigated as redox species for aqueous low-cost redox flow batteries (RFBs). The envisioned features of using organic redox species are low cost and increased flexibility with respect to tailoring redox potential and solubility from molecular engineering of side groups on the organic redox-active species. In this paper 33, mainly quinone-based, compounds are studied experimentially in terms of pH dependent redox potential, solubility and stability, combined with single cell battery RFB tests on selected redox pairs. Data shows that both the solubility and redox potential are determined by the position of the side groups and only to a small extent by the number of side groups. Additionally, the chemical stability and possible degradation mechanisms leading to capacity loss over time are discussed. The main challenge for the development of all-organic RFBs is to identify a redox pair for the positive side with sufficiently high stability and redox potential that enables battery cell potentials above 1 V. PMID:27966605

  10. Organic Redox Species in Aqueous Flow Batteries: Redox Potentials, Chemical Stability and Solubility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wedege, Kristina; Dražević, Emil; Konya, Denes; Bentien, Anders

    2016-12-01

    Organic molecules are currently investigated as redox species for aqueous low-cost redox flow batteries (RFBs). The envisioned features of using organic redox species are low cost and increased flexibility with respect to tailoring redox potential and solubility from molecular engineering of side groups on the organic redox-active species. In this paper 33, mainly quinone-based, compounds are studied experimentially in terms of pH dependent redox potential, solubility and stability, combined with single cell battery RFB tests on selected redox pairs. Data shows that both the solubility and redox potential are determined by the position of the side groups and only to a small extent by the number of side groups. Additionally, the chemical stability and possible degradation mechanisms leading to capacity loss over time are discussed. The main challenge for the development of all-organic RFBs is to identify a redox pair for the positive side with sufficiently high stability and redox potential that enables battery cell potentials above 1 V.

  11. Yeast metabolic engineering for hemicellulosic ethanol production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennifer Van Vleet; Thomas W. Jeffries

    2009-01-01

    Efficient fermentation of hemicellulosic sugars is critical for the bioconversion of lignocellulosics to ethanol. Efficient sugar uptake through the heterologous expression of yeast and fungal xylose/glucose transporters can improve fermentation if other metabolic steps are not rate limiting. Rectification of cofactor imbalances through heterologous expression of...

  12. iTRAQ-Based Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Black Rice Grain Development Reveals Metabolic Pathways Associated with Anthocyanin Biosynthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Linghua; Huang, Yining; Xu, Ming; Cheng, Zuxin; Zhang, Dasheng; Zheng, Jingui

    2016-01-01

    Black rice (Oryza sativa L.), whose pericarp is rich in anthocyanins (ACNs), is considered as a healthier alternative to white rice. Molecular species of ACNs in black rice have been well documented in previous studies; however, information about the metabolic mechanisms underlying ACN biosynthesis during black rice grain development is unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine changes in the metabolic pathways that are involved in the dynamic grain proteome during the development of black rice indica cultivar, (Oryza sativa L. indica var. SSP). Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) MS/MS were employed to identify statistically significant alterations in the grain proteome. Approximately 928 proteins were detected, of which 230 were differentially expressed throughout 5 successive developmental stages, starting from 3 to 20 days after flowering (DAF). The greatest number of differentially expressed proteins was observed on 7 and 10 DAF, including 76 proteins that were upregulated and 39 that were downregulated. The biological process analysis of gene ontology revealed that the 230 differentially expressed proteins could be sorted into 14 functional groups. Proteins in the largest group were related to metabolic process, which could be integrated into multiple biochemical pathways. Specifically, proteins with a role in ACN biosynthesis, sugar synthesis, and the regulation of gene expression were upregulated, particularly from the onset of black rice grain development and during development. In contrast, the expression of proteins related to signal transduction, redox homeostasis, photosynthesis and N-metabolism decreased during grain maturation. Finally, 8 representative genes encoding different metabolic proteins were verified via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, these genes had differed in transcriptional and translational expression during grain development. Expression analyses of

  13. Extracellular Redox Regulation of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Generation, Mitochondrial Function and Lipid Turnover in Cultured Human Adipocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Albert R Jones

    Full Text Available Many tissues play an important role in metabolic homeostasis and the development of diabetes and obesity. We hypothesized that the circulating redox metabolome is a master metabolic regulatory system that impacts all organs and modulates reactive oxygen species (ROS production, lipid peroxidation, energy production and changes in lipid turnover in many cells including adipocytes.Differentiated human preadipocytes were exposed to the redox couples, lactate (L and pyruvate (P, β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB and acetoacetate (Acoc, and the thiol-disulfides cysteine/ cystine (Cys/CySS and GSH/GSSG for 1.5-4 hours. ROS measurements were done with CM-H2DCFDA. Lipid peroxidation (LPO was assessed by a modification of the thiobarbituric acid method. Lipolysis was measured as glycerol release. Lipid synthesis was measured as 14C-glucose incorporated into lipid. Respiration was assessed using the SeaHorse XF24 analyzer and the proton leak was determined from the difference in respiration with oligomycin and antimycin A.Metabolites with increasing oxidation potentials (GSSG, CySS, Acoc increased adipocyte ROS. In contrast, P caused a decrease in ROS compared with L. Acoc also induced a significant increase in both LPO and lipid synthesis. L and Acoc increased lipolysis. βOHB increased respiration, mainly due to an increased proton leak. GSSG, when present throughout 14 days of differentiation significantly increased fat accumulation, but not when added later.We demonstrated that in human adipocytes changes in the external redox state impacted ROS production, LPO, energy efficiency, lipid handling, and differentiation. A more oxidized state generally led to increased ROS, LPO and lipid turnover and more reduction led to increased respiration and a proton leak. However, not all of the redox couples were the same suggesting compartmentalization. These data are consistent with the concept of the circulating redox metabolome as a master metabolic regulatory system.

  14. Sugar-sweetened beverage intake and cancer recurrence and survival in CALGB 89803 (Alliance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael A Fuchs

    Full Text Available In colon cancer patients, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and high dietary glycemic load have been associated with increased risk of cancer recurrence. High sugar-sweetened beverage intake has been associated with obesity, diabetes, and cardio-metabolic diseases, but the influence on colon cancer survival is unknown.We assessed the association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on cancer recurrence and mortality in 1,011 stage III colon cancer patients who completed food frequency questionnaires as part of a U.S. National Cancer Institute-sponsored adjuvant chemotherapy trial. Hazard ratios (HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs were calculated with Cox proportional hazard models.Patients consuming ≥ 2 servings of sugar-sweetened beverages per day experienced an adjusted HR for disease recurrence or mortality of 1.67 (95% CI, 1.04-2.68, compared with those consuming <2 servings per month (P(trend = 0.02. The association of sugar-sweetened beverages on cancer recurrence or mortality appeared greater among patients who were both overweight (body mass index ≥ 2 5 kg/m(2 and less physically active (metabolic equivalent task-hours per week <18 (HR = 2.22; 95% CI, 1.29-3.81, P(trend = 0.0025.Higher sugar-sweetened beverage intake was associated with a significantly increased risk of cancer recurrence and mortality in stage III colon cancer patients.

  15. Organic Redox Species in Aqueous Flow Batteries: Redox Potentials, Chemical Stability and Solubility

    OpenAIRE

    Kristina Wedege; Emil Dražević; Denes Konya; Anders Bentien

    2016-01-01

    Organic molecules are currently investigated as redox species for aqueous low-cost redox flow batteries (RFBs). The envisioned features of using organic redox species are low cost and increased flexibility with respect to tailoring redox potential and solubility from molecular engineering of side groups on the organic redox-active species. In this paper 33, mainly quinone-based, compounds are studied experimentially in terms of pH dependent redox potential, solubility and stability, combined ...

  16. Metabolic evolution of Escherichia coli strains that produce organic acids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grabar, Tammy; Gong, Wei; Yocum, R Rogers

    2014-10-28

    This invention relates to the metabolic evolution of a microbial organism previously optimized for producing an organic acid in commercially significant quantities under fermentative conditions using a hexose sugar as sole source of carbon in a minimal mineral medium. As a result of this metabolic evolution, the microbial organism acquires the ability to use pentose sugars derived from cellulosic materials for its growth while retaining the original growth kinetics, the rate of organic acid production and the ability to use hexose sugars as a source of carbon. This invention also discloses the genetic change in the microorganism that confers the ability to use both the hexose and pentose sugars simultaneously in the production of commercially significant quantities of organic acids.

  17. Free-sugar, total-sugar, fibre, and micronutrient intake within elite youth British soccer players: a nutritional transition from schoolboy to fulltime soccer player.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naughton, Robert J; Drust, Barry; O'Boyle, Andy; Abayomi, Julie; Mahon, Elizabeth; Morton, James P; Davies, Ian G

    2017-05-01

    It is recommended that soccer players consume a high carbohydrate diet to augment performance. However, growing evidence suggests that there is a link between high free-sugar (FS) intake (>5% total energy intake; TEI) and metabolic diseases. Furthermore, foods that are often high in sugar, such as processed foods, are typically lacking in nutrient quality. We therefore analysed total-sugar, FS, dietary fibre, and micronutrient intake of players from an English Premier League academy under (U) 18 (n = 13), U15/16 (n = 25), and U13/14 (n = 21) using a 7-day food diary. Data were compared with current United Kingdom (UK) dietary reference value (DRV) for FS via a t test. The U13/14s (10% ± 18%) and U15/16s (11% ± 30%) both consumed higher amounts of FS in comparison with the UK DRV of 5% TEI (P elite youth soccer players. We report an apparent "nutritional transition" from schoolboy to fulltime soccer player, with U18s showing a significantly lower intake of sugar in comparison with younger squads, and a similar intake of FS to the UK DRVs. Practitioners should target improving player education around sugar and fibre consumption.

  18. Nitric oxide-releasing prodrug triggers cancer cell death through deregulation of cellular redox balance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna E. Maciag

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available JS-K is a nitric oxide (NO-releasing prodrug of the O2-arylated diazeniumdiolate family that has demonstrated pronounced cytotoxicity and antitumor properties in a variety of cancer models both in vitro and in vivo. The current study of the metabolic actions of JS-K was undertaken to investigate mechanisms of its cytotoxicity. Consistent with model chemical reactions, the activating step in the metabolism of JS-K in the cell is the dearylation of the diazeniumdiolate by glutathione (GSH via a nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction. The resulting product (CEP/NO anion spontaneously hydrolyzes, releasing two equivalents of NO. The GSH/GSSG redox couple is considered to be the major redox buffer of the cell, helping maintain a reducing environment under basal conditions. We have quantified the effects of JS-K on cellular GSH content, and show that JS-K markedly depletes GSH, due to JS-K's rapid uptake and cascading release of NO and reactive nitrogen species. The depletion of GSH results in alterations in the redox potential of the cellular environment, initiating MAPK stress signaling pathways, and inducing apoptosis. Microarray analysis confirmed signaling gene changes at the transcriptional level and revealed alteration in the expression of several genes crucial for maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis, as well as cell proliferation and survival, including MYC. Pre-treating cells with the known GSH precursor and nucleophilic reducing agent N-acetylcysteine prevented the signaling events that lead to apoptosis. These data indicate that multiplicative depletion of the reduced glutathione pool and deregulation of intracellular redox balance are important initial steps in the mechanism of JS-K's cytotoxic action.

  19. Fructose, Glucocorticoids and Adipose Tissue: Implications for the Metabolic Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Legeza, Balázs; Marcolongo, Paola; Gamberucci, Alessandra; Varga, Viola; Bánhegyi, Gábor; Benedetti, Angiolo; Odermatt, Alex

    2017-04-26

    The modern Western society lifestyle is characterized by a hyperenergetic, high sugar containing food intake. Sugar intake increased dramatically during the last few decades, due to the excessive consumption of high-sugar drinks and high-fructose corn syrup. Current evidence suggests that high fructose intake when combined with overeating and adiposity promotes adverse metabolic health effects including dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, type II diabetes, and inflammation. Similarly, elevated glucocorticoid levels, especially the enhanced generation of active glucocorticoids in the adipose tissue due to increased 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β-HSD1) activity, have been associated with metabolic diseases. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that fructose stimulates the 11β-HSD1-mediated glucocorticoid activation by enhancing the availability of its cofactor NADPH. In adipocytes, fructose was found to stimulate 11β-HSD1 expression and activity, thereby promoting the adipogenic effects of glucocorticoids. This article aims to highlight the interconnections between overwhelmed fructose metabolism, intracellular glucocorticoid activation in adipose tissue, and their metabolic effects on the progression of the metabolic syndrome.

  20. Primary Metabolic Pathways and Metabolic Flux Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villadsen, John

    2015-01-01

    his chapter introduces the metabolic flux analysis (MFA) or stoichiometry-based MFA, and describes the quantitative basis for MFA. It discusses the catabolic pathways in which free energy is produced to drive the cell-building anabolic pathways. An overview of these primary pathways provides...... the reader who is primarily trained in the engineering sciences with atleast a preliminary introduction to biochemistry and also shows how carbon is drained off the catabolic pathways to provide precursors for cell mass building and sometimes for important industrial products. The primary pathways...... to be examined in the following are: glycolysis, primarily by the EMP pathway, but other glycolytic pathways is also mentioned; fermentative pathways in which the redox generated in the glycolytic reactions are consumed; reactions in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, which produce biomass precursors and redox...

  1. Clinical Research Strategies for Fructose Metabolism12

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laughlin, Maren R.; Bantle, John P.; Havel, Peter J.; Parks, Elizabeth; Klurfeld, David M.; Teff, Karen; Maruvada, Padma

    2014-01-01

    Fructose and simple sugars are a substantial part of the western diet, and their influence on human health remains controversial. Clinical studies in fructose nutrition have proven very difficult to conduct and interpret. NIH and USDA sponsored a workshop on 13–14 November 2012, “Research Strategies for Fructose Metabolism,” to identify important scientific questions and parameters to be considered while designing clinical studies. Research is needed to ascertain whether there is an obesogenic role for fructose-containing sugars via effects on eating behavior and energy balance and whether there is a dose threshold beyond which these sugars promote progression toward diabetes and liver and cardiovascular disease, especially in susceptible populations. Studies tend to fall into 2 categories, and design criteria for each are described. Mechanistic studies are meant to validate observations made in animals or to elucidate the pathways of fructose metabolism in humans. These highly controlled studies often compare the pure monosaccharides glucose and fructose. Other studies are focused on clinically significant disease outcomes or health behaviors attributable to amounts of fructose-containing sugars typically found in the American diet. These are designed to test hypotheses generated from short-term mechanistic or epidemiologic studies and provide data for health policy. Discussion brought out the opinion that, although many mechanistic questions concerning the metabolism of monosaccharide sugars in humans remain to be addressed experimentally in small highly controlled studies, health outcomes research meant to inform health policy should use large, long-term studies using combinations of sugars found in the typical American diet rather than pure fructose or glucose. PMID:24829471

  2. Hourly and daily variation of sediment redox potential in tidal wetland sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Catallo, W. James

    1999-01-01

    to be characteristic of sediments that experience changes in hydrology. The rapid redox potential changes observed in these systems indicated dynamic metabolic and biogeochemical conditions in the field, and confirmed that hourly and daily redox potential variations should be resolved in studies of sediment functioning.

  3. Thioredoxins, Glutaredoxins, and Peroxiredoxins—Molecular Mechanisms and Health Significance: from Cofactors to Antioxidants to Redox Signaling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanschmann, Eva-Maria; Godoy, José Rodrigo; Berndt, Carsten; Hudemann, Christoph

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Thioredoxins (Trxs), glutaredoxins (Grxs), and peroxiredoxins (Prxs) have been characterized as electron donors, guards of the intracellular redox state, and “antioxidants”. Today, these redox catalysts are increasingly recognized for their specific role in redox signaling. The number of publications published on the functions of these proteins continues to increase exponentially. The field is experiencing an exciting transformation, from looking at a general redox homeostasis and the pathological oxidative stress model to realizing redox changes as a part of localized, rapid, specific, and reversible redox-regulated signaling events. This review summarizes the almost 50 years of research on these proteins, focusing primarily on data from vertebrates and mammals. The role of Trx fold proteins in redox signaling is discussed by looking at reaction mechanisms, reversible oxidative post-translational modifications of proteins, and characterized interaction partners. On the basis of this analysis, the specific regulatory functions are exemplified for the cellular processes of apoptosis, proliferation, and iron metabolism. The importance of Trxs, Grxs, and Prxs for human health is addressed in the second part of this review, that is, their potential impact and functions in different cell types, tissues, and various pathological conditions. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 19, 1539–1605. PMID:23397885

  4. Amplified and in situ detection of redox-active metabolite using a biobased redox capacitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Eunkyoung; Gordonov, Tanya; Bentley, William E; Payne, Gregory F

    2013-02-19

    Redox cycling provides a mechanism to amplify electrochemical signals for analyte detection. Previous studies have shown that diverse mediators/shuttles can engage in redox-cycling reactions with a biobased redox capacitor that is fabricated by grafting redox-active catechols onto a chitosan film. Here, we report that redox cycling with this catechol-chitosan redox capacitor can amplify electrochemical signals for detecting a redox-active bacterial metabolite. Specifically, we studied the redox-active bacterial metabolite pyocyanin that is reported to be a virulence factor and signaling molecule for the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa. We demonstrate that redox cycling can amplify outputs from various electrochemical methods (cyclic voltammetry, chronocoulometry, and differential pulse voltammetry) and can lower the detection limit of pyocyanin to 50 nM. Further, the compatibility of this biobased redox capacitor allows the in situ monitoring of the production of redox-active metabolites (e.g., pyocyanin) during the course of P. aeruginosa cultivation. We anticipate that the amplified output of redox-active virulence factors should permit an earlier detection of life-threatening infections by the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa while the "bio-compatibility" of this measurement approach should facilitate in situ study of the spatiotemporal dynamics of bacterial redox signaling.

  5. CHOP THERAPY INDUCED MITOCHONDRIAL REDOX STATE ALTERATION IN NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA XENOGRAFTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. N. XU

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available We are interested in investigating whether cancer therapy may alter the mitochondrial redox state in cancer cells to inhibit their growth and survival. The redox state can be imaged by the redox scanner that collects the fluorescence signals from both the oxidized-flavoproteins (Fp and the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH in snap-frozen tissues and has been previously employed to study tumor aggressiveness and treatment responses. Here, with the redox scanner we investigated the effects of chemotherapy on mouse xenografts of a human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell line (DLCL2. The mice were treated with CHOP therapy, i.e., cyclophosphamide (C + hydroxydoxorubicin (H + Oncovin (O + prednisone (P with CHO administration on day 1 and prednisone administration on days 1–5. The Fp content of the treated group was significantly decreased (p = 0.033 on day 5, and the mitochondrial redox state of the treated group was slightly more reduced than that of the control group (p = 0.048. The decrease of the Fp heterogeneity (measured by the mean standard deviation had a border-line statistical significance (p = 0.071. The result suggests that the mitochondrial metabolism of lymphoma cells was slightly suppressed and the lymphomas became less aggressive after the CHOP therapy.

  6. Organ specific mapping of in vivo redox state in control and cigarette smoke-exposed mice using EPR/NMR co-imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caia, George L.; Efimova, Olga V.; Velayutham, Murugesan; El-Mahdy, Mohamed A.; Abdelghany, Tamer M.; Kesselring, Eric; Petryakov, Sergey; Sun, Ziqi; Samouilov, Alexandre; Zweier, Jay L.

    2014-01-01

    In vivo mapping of alterations in redox status is important for understanding organ specific pathology and disease. While electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) enables spatial mapping of free radicals, it does not provide anatomic visualization of the body. Proton MRI is well suited to provide anatomical visualization. We applied EPR/NMR co-imaging instrumentation to map and monitor the redox state of living mice under normal or oxidative stress conditions induced by secondhand cigarette smoke (SHS) exposure. A hybrid co-imaging instrument, EPRI (1.2 GHz) / proton MRI (16.18 MHz), suitable for whole-body co-imaging of mice was utilized with common magnet and gradients along with dual EPR/NMR resonators that enable co-imaging without sample movement. The metabolism of the nitroxide probe, 3–carbamoyl–proxyl (3-CP), was used to map the redox state of control and SHS-exposed mice. Co-imaging allowed precise 3D mapping of radical distribution and reduction in major organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, bladder and kidneys. Reductive metabolism was markedly decreased in SHS-exposed mice and EPR/NMR co-imaging allowed quantitative assessment of this throughout the body. Thus, in vivo EPR/NMR co-imaging enables in vivo organ specific mapping of free radical metabolism and redox stress and the alterations that occur in the pathogenesis of disease. PMID:22296801

  7. Fe-phyllosilicate redox cycling organisms from a redox transition zone in Hanford 300 Area sediments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason eBenzine

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Microorganisms capable of reducing or oxidizing structural iron (Fe in Fe-bearing phyllosilicate minerals were enriched and isolated from a subsurface redox transition zone at the Hanford 300 Area site in eastern Washington, USA. Both conventional and in situ i-chip enrichment strategies were employed. One Fe(III-reducing Geobacter (G. bremensis strain R1, Deltaproteobacteria and six Fe(II phyllosilicate-oxidizing isolates from the Alphaproteobacteria (Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains 22, is5, and in8p8, Betaproteobacteria (Cupriavidus necator strain A5-1, Dechloromonas agitata strain is5, and Actinobacteria (Nocardioides sp. strain in31 were recovered. The G. bremensis isolate grew by oxidizing acetate with the oxidized form of NAu-2 smectite as the electron acceptor. The Fe(II-oxidizers grew by oxidation of chemically reduced smectite as the energy source with nitrate as the electron acceptor. The Bradyrhizobium isolates could also carry out aerobic oxidation of biotite. This is the first report of the recovery of a Fe(II-oxidizing Nocardioides, and to date only one other Fe(II-oxidizing Bradyrhizobium is known. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the isolates were similar to ones found in clone libraries from Hanford 300 sediments and groundwater, suggesting that such organisms may be present and active in situ. Whole genome sequencing of the isolates is underway, the results of which will enable comparative genomic analysis of mechanisms of extracellular phyllosilicate Fe redox metabolism, and facilitate development of techniques to detect the presence and expression of genes associated with microbial phyllosilicate Fe redox cycling in sediments.

  8. Sugar transport by maize endosperm suspension cultures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Felker, F.C.; Goodwin, J.C.

    1987-01-01

    To determine the mechanism of sugar uptake by suspension cultures derived from developing maize (Zea mays L.) endosperm, incorporation of radioactivity from 14 C-sugars by the tissue in the mid-log phase of growth was examined. Among the sugars tested was l'-deoxy-l'-fluorosucrose (FS), a derivative not hydrolyzed by invertase but recognized by sucrose carriers in other systems. At 40 mM, uptake of label from FS was 23% of that from sucrose, while uptake of label from L-glucose (used as a control for medium carry-over and adsorption) was 16% of that from sucrose. Uptake of label from sucrose did not increase at concentrations above 50 mM, possibly due to a rate-limiting requirement for extracellular hydrolysis. Kinetic analysis revealed both saturable and linear components of uptake for glucose and fructose. The rate of fructose uptake exceeded that of glucose at all concentrations. Fructose uptake at 20 mM was inhibited by NaN 3 , HgCl 2 , dinitrophenol, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, and p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid. Results suggest that sucrose is hydrolyzed prior to uptake, and that fructose is transported preferentially by a carrier sensitive to an external sulfhydryl group inhibitor. Metabolic activity is required for sugar uptake. The specificity of the hexose transporter is currently being investigated

  9. Redox conditions and protein oxidation in plant mitochondria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Ian Max; Kasimova, Marina R.; Krab, Klaas

    2005-01-01

    Redox conditions and protein oxidation in plant mitochondria NAD(P)H has a central position in respiratory metabolism. It is produced by a large number of enzymes, e.g. the Krebs cycle dehydrogenases, in the mitochondrial matrix and is oxidised by, amongst others, the respiratory chain. Most...... of this NAD(P)H appears to be bound to proteins, in fact free NAD(P)H – an important parameter in metabolic regulation - has never been observed in mitochondria. We have estimated free and bound NAD(P)H in isolated plant mitochondria under different metabolic conditions. The fluorescence spectra of free...... and bound NADH was determined and used to deconvolute fluorescence spectra of actively respiring mitochondria. Most of the mitochondrial NADH is bound in states 2 and 4. The amount of free NADH is lower but relatively constant even increasing a little in state 3 where it is about equal to bound NADH...

  10. Real-time quantification of subcellular H2O2 and glutathione redox potential in living cardiovascular tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panieri, Emiliano; Millia, Carlo; Santoro, Massimo M

    2017-08-01

    Detecting and measuring the dynamic redox events that occur in vivo is a prerequisite for understanding the impact of oxidants and redox events in normal and pathological conditions. These aspects are particularly relevant in cardiovascular tissues wherein alterations of the redox balance are associated with stroke, aging, and pharmacological intervention. An ambiguous aspect of redox biology is how redox events occur in subcellular organelles including mitochondria, and nuclei. Genetically-encoded Rogfp2 fluorescent probes have become powerful tools for real-time detection of redox events. These probes detect hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) levels and glutathione redox potential (E GSH ), both with high spatiotemporal resolution. By generating novel transgenic (Tg) zebrafish lines that express compartment-specific Rogfp2-Orp1 and Grx1-Rogfp2 sensors we analyzed cytosolic, mitochondrial, and the nuclear redox state of endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes of living zebrafish embryos. We provide evidence for the usefulness of these Tg lines for pharmacological compounds screening by addressing the blocking of pentose phosphate pathways (PPP) and glutathione synthesis, thus altering subcellular redox state in vivo. Rogfp2-based transgenic zebrafish lines represent valuable tools to characterize the impact of redox changes in living tissues and offer new opportunities for studying metabolic driven antioxidant response in biomedical research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Effect of magnesium and of some trace elements on 14C incorporation in leaf sugars and amino acids of maize plants recovering after magnesium deficit stress

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chichev, P.; Stoyanov, I.; Tungarov, G.

    1977-01-01

    The incorporation and distribution of 14 C in leaf free sugars and amino acids of maize plants under magnesium deficiency and following their recovery was studied by the aid of Mg applied singly or in combination with the trace elements Co, Cr, and B. It was established that stress resulting from magnesium deficit causes considerable changes in free sugar and amino acid metabolism. Magnesium deficiency reduces the relative share of sugars and raises the share of amino acids. It leads to great changes also in the ratio of the individual substances - reduces succrose, glutamic acid, and -amino butyric acid, increases fructose, rafinose, glucose, alanine, aspartic acid and valine. During a 10-day period of plant recovery the metabolic changes of free sugars and amino acids occurring as a result of magnesium deficit are restored to normal condition. Under the conditions existing in this experiment Mg was capable to restore alone disturbances in free sugar and amino acid metabolism to the level observed in the control plants. The trace elements Co, Cr and B, used in combination with Mg, had no marked additive effect on the recovery process of free sugar and amino acid metabolic disturbances caused by Mg deficiency. (author)

  12. BCAA Metabolism and NH3 Homeostasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conway, M E; Hutson, S M

    2016-01-01

    The branched chain amino acids (BCAA) are essential amino acids required not only for growth and development, but also as nutrient signals and as nitrogen donors to neurotransmitter synthesis and glutamate/glutamine cycling. Transamination and oxidative decarboxylation of the BCAAs are catalysed by the branched-chain aminotransferase proteins (BCATm, mitochondrial and BCATc, cytosolic) and the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase enzyme complex (BCKDC), respectively. These proteins show tissue, cell compartmentation, and protein-protein interactions, which call for substrate shuttling or channelling and nitrogen transfer for oxidation to occur. Efficient regulation of these pathways is mediated through the redox environment and phosphorylation in response to dietary and hormonal stimuli. The wide distribution of these proteins allows for effective BCAA utilisation. We discuss how BCAT, BCKDC, and glutamate dehydrogenase operate in supramolecular complexes, allowing for efficient channelling of substrates. The role of BCAAs in brain metabolism is highlighted in rodent and human brain, where differential expression of BCATm indicates differences in nitrogen metabolism between species. Finally, we introduce a new role for BCAT, where a change in function is triggered by oxidation of its redox-active switch. Our understanding of how BCAA metabolism and nitrogen transfer is regulated is important as many studies now point to BCAA metabolic dysregulation in metabolic and neurodegenerative conditions.

  13. Molecular imaging of in vivo redox dynamics using magnetic resonance system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Utsumi, Hideo; Yasukawa, Keiji

    2008-01-01

    Homeostatic failure through redox systems in vivo results in abnormality in mitochondrial function, protein expression and metabolism leading to many diseases like lifestyle related ones and cancer. It is therefore important to see redox dynamics for early prevention of the diseases. This paper describes development of machines for electron spin resonance (ESR) imaging of the redox state, for Overhauser Effect MRI (OMRI), application of nitroxyl-probes and state of redox project by authors. They have developed the ESR equipments hitherto, including the latest 300 MHz one, with which images of a mouse given carbamoyl-PROXYL probe are obtained and fused with MRI images for anatomical positioning: resonator for both ESR and MRI coils has been developed for animal images. Philips OMRI machine has been able to give separate images of reduction and oxidation in animals given appropriate probe compounds, which lead to molecular imaging of redox using such probes as 14 N- and 15 N-nitroxyl radicals with different membrane permeability. Application of nitroxyl-radicals like hydroxyl-TEMPO has made it possible for the animal diseases caused by oxidative stress to be analyzed by ESR/spin probe method, and derivatization of the probe results in detection of its distribution in various cell and body areas even in nanometer-space. Authors' project concerns the development of the processing system of redox dynamics/OMRI-integrated images, of better probe complexes and application of these to actual model animals. The techniques are thought to be important in the fields of medicare and new drug development in future. (R.T.)

  14. Online monitoring of Mezcal fermentation based on redox potential measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escalante-Minakata, P; Ibarra-Junquera, V; Rosu, H C; De León-Rodríguez, A; González-García, R

    2009-01-01

    We describe an algorithm for the continuous monitoring of the biomass and ethanol concentrations as well as the growth rate in the Mezcal fermentation process. The algorithm performs its task having available only the online measurements of the redox potential. The procedure combines an artificial neural network (ANN) that relates the redox potential to the ethanol and biomass concentrations with a nonlinear observer-based algorithm that uses the ANN biomass estimations to infer the growth rate of this fermentation process. The results show that the redox potential is a valuable indicator of the metabolic activity of the microorganisms during Mezcal fermentation. In addition, the estimated growth rate can be considered as a direct evidence of the presence of mixed culture growth in the process. Usually, mixtures of microorganisms could be intuitively clear in this kind of processes; however, the total biomass data do not provide definite evidence by themselves. In this paper, the detailed design of the software sensor as well as its experimental application is presented at the laboratory level.

  15. Changes in sugar content and related enzyme activities in table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) in response to foliar selenium fertilizer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Shuaimeng; Liang, Yinli; An, Xiaojuan; Kong, Fanchao; Gao, Dekai; Yin, Hongfei

    2017-09-01

    Spraying selenium (Se) fertilizer is an effective method for Se-enriched fruit production. Sugar content in fruit is the major factor determining berry quality. However, changes in sugar metabolism in response to Se fertilizer are unclear. Hence, this study was conducted to identify the effects of Se fertilizer on sugar metabolism and related enzyme activities of grape berries. Additionally, production of leaves with and without Se fertilizer was also investigated. Acid invertase (AI) activity, total soluble sugar and Se content in berries, and photosynthetic rate in leaves produced under Se fertilizer treatments were higher than that of control. Glucose and fructose were the primary sugars in berries, with a trace of sucrose. In both berries and leaves, neutral invertase activity was lower than AI, there was no significant difference in neutral invertase, sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase between Se fertilizer-treated and control. In berries, AI showed a significant positive correlation with glucose and fructose; also Se content was significantly correlated with sugar content. AI played an important role in the process of sugar accumulation in berries; high AI activity in berries and photosynthetic rate in leaves could explain the mechanism by which Se fertilizer affected sugar accumulation in berries. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  16. Plasma concentrations of water.soluble vitamins in metabolic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Context: Vitamins B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), and C (ascorbic acid) are vital for energy, carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism and in the regulation of the cellular redox state. Some studies have associated low levels of water.soluble vitamins with metabolic syndrome and its various components.

  17. Proteostasis and REDOX state in the heart

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christians, Elisabeth S.

    2012-01-01

    Force-generating contractile cells of the myocardium must achieve and maintain their primary function as an efficient mechanical pump over the life span of the organism. Because only half of the cardiomyocytes can be replaced during the entire human life span, the maintenance strategy elicited by cardiac cells relies on uninterrupted renewal of their components, including proteins whose specialized functions constitute this complex and sophisticated contractile apparatus. Thus cardiac proteins are continuously synthesized and degraded to ensure proteome homeostasis, also termed “proteostasis.” Once synthesized, proteins undergo additional folding, posttranslational modifications, and trafficking and/or become involved in protein-protein or protein-DNA interactions to exert their functions. This includes key transient interactions of cardiac proteins with molecular chaperones, which assist with quality control at multiple levels to prevent misfolding or to facilitate degradation. Importantly, cardiac proteome maintenance depends on the cellular environment and, in particular, the reduction-oxidation (REDOX) state, which is significantly different among cardiac organelles (e.g., mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum). Taking into account the high metabolic activity for oxygen consumption and ATP production by mitochondria, it is a challenge for cardiac cells to maintain the REDOX state while preventing either excessive oxidative or reductive stress. A perturbed REDOX environment can affect protein handling and conformation (e.g., disulfide bonds), disrupt key structure-function relationships, and trigger a pathogenic cascade of protein aggregation, decreased cell survival, and increased organ dysfunction. This review covers current knowledge regarding the general domain of REDOX state and protein folding, specifically in cardiomyocytes under normal-healthy conditions and during disease states associated with morbidity and mortality in humans. PMID:22003057

  18. Optical cryoimaging for assessment of radiation-induced injury to rat kidney metabolic state

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehrvar, Shima; Funding la Cour, Mette; Medhora, Meetha; Camara, Amadou K. S.; Ranji, Mahsa

    2018-02-01

    Objective: This study utilizes fluorescence cryoimaging to quantitatively assess the effect of a high dose of irradiation on rat renal metabolism through redox state. Introduction: Exposure to high doses of irradiation could lead to death, in part, due to renal dysfunction. The kidney is one of the most sensitive organs that exhibit delayed injuries in survivors of acute radiation syndrome. In this study, optical cryoimaging was utilized to examine the potential for renal mitochondrial dysfunction after partial-body irradiation (PBI) and the mitigating effect of lisinopril-treatment, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor that is FDA-approved for other indications. Materials and methods: Rats were exposed to a single dose of 13 Gy leg-out partial body irradiation (PBI, by X-rays). Rats (n = 5/group) received no further treatment, or lisinopril started one week after irradiation and continued at 24 mg/m2 /day. The non-irradiated siblings were used as controls. After 150 days, the rats were sacrificed, and their kidneys harvested and snap frozen in liquid nitrogen for later cryoimaging. The 3D images of metabolic indices (NADH and FAD) were captured, and the redox ratio i.e. NADH/FAD was calculated. The mitochondrial redox state of three groups of rat kidneys were quantified by calculating the volumetric mean of redox ratio images (RR). Results: 3D cryoimaging revealed that in PBI only kidneys, the metabolic marker (RR) decreased significantly by 78% compared to non-irradiated controls. Treatment with lisinopril significantly improved the RR by 93% in groups exposed to PBI. Conclusion: This study aimed at quantifying the level of the mitochondrial redox state of irradiated rat kidneys compared to non-irradiated kidneys (controls) and the efficacy of lisinopril to preserve kidney metabolism after irradiation. PBI oxidized the metabolic state of kidneys and lisinopril mitigated the radiation-induced injury on renal mitochondria.

  19. Uptake and metabolism of carbohydrates by Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacteroids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salminen, S.O.; Streeter, J.G.

    1987-01-01

    Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacteroids were isolated anaerobically and were supplied with 14 C-labeled trehalose, sucrose, UDP-glucose, glucose, or fructose under low O 2 (2% in the gas phase). Uptake and conversion of 14 C to CO 2 were measured at intervals up to 90 minutes. Of the five compounds studied, UDP-glucose was most rapidly absorbed but it was very slowly metabolized. Trehalose was the sugar most rapidly converted to CO 2 , and fructose was respired at a rate of at least double that of glucose. Sucrose and glucose were converted to CO 2 at a very low but measurable rate ( 2 at a rate 30 times greater than the conversion of carbon Number 6 to CO 2 , indicating high activity of the pentose phosphate pathway. Enzymes of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway were not detected in bacteroids, but very low activities of sucrose synthase and phosphofructokinase were demonstrated. Although metabolism of sugars by B. japonicum bacteroids was clearly demonstrated, the rate of sugar uptake was only 1/30 to 1/50 the rate of succinate uptake. The overall results support the view that, although bacteroids metabolize sugars, the rates are very low and are inadequate to support nitrogenase

  20. Redox regulation of the MED28 and MED32 mediator subunits is important for development and senescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaikhali, Jehad; Davoine, Céline; Björklund, Stefan; Wingsle, Gunnar

    2016-05-01

    Mediator is a conserved multi-protein complex that acts as a bridge between promoter-bound transcriptional regulators and RNA polymerase II. While redox signaling is important in adjusting plant metabolism and development, the involvement of Mediator in redox homeostasis and regulation only recently started to emerge. Our previous results show that the MED10a, MED28, and MED32 Mediator subunits form various types of covalent oligomers linked by intermolecular disulfide bonds in vitro. To link that with biological significance we have characterized Arabidopsis med32 and med28 mutants and found that they are affected in root development and senescence, phenotypes possibly associated to redox changes.

  1. Does high sugar consumption exacerbate cardiometabolic risk factors and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David E. Laaksonen

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Consumption of sugar has been relatively high in the Nordic countries; the impact of sugar intake on metabolic risk factors and related diseases has been debated. The objectives were to assess the effect of sugar intake (sugar-sweetened beverages, sucrose and fructose on association with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and related metabolic risk factors (impaired glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, dyslipidemia, blood pressure, uric acid, inflammation markers, and on all-cause mortality, through a systematic review of prospective cohort studies and randomised controlled intervention studies published between January 2000 and search dates. The methods adopted were as follows: the first search was run in PubMed in October 2010. A second search with uric acid as risk marker was run in April 2011. The total search strategy was rerun in April 2011 in SveMed+. An update was run in PubMed in January 2012. Two authors independently selected studies for inclusion from the 2,743 abstracts according to predefined eligibility criteria. The outcome was that out of the 17 studies extracted, 15 were prospective cohort studies and two were randomised controlled crossover trials. All of the studies included only adults. With respect to incident type 2 diabetes (nine studies, four of six prospective cohort studies found a significant positive association for sugar-sweetened beverage intake. In general, larger cohort studies with longer follow-up more often reported positive associations, and BMI seemed to mediate part of the increased risk. For other metabolic or cardiovascular risk factors or outcomes, too few studies have been published to draw conclusions. In conclusion, data from prospective cohort studies published in the years 2000–2011 suggest that sugar-sweetened beverages probably increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. For related metabolic risk factors, cardiovascular disease or all-cause mortality and other types of sugars, too few studies

  2. Emerging Perspectives on Essential Amino Acid Metabolism in Obesity and the Insulin-Resistant State12

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Sean H.

    2011-01-01

    Dysregulation of insulin action is most often considered in the context of impaired glucose homeostasis, with the defining feature of diabetes mellitus being elevated blood glucose concentration. Complications arising from the hyperglycemia accompanying frank diabetes are well known and epidemiological studies point to higher risk toward development of metabolic disease in persons with impaired glucose tolerance. Although the central role of proper blood sugar control in maintaining metabolic health is well established, recent developments have begun to shed light on associations between compromised insulin action [obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)] and altered intermediary metabolism of fats and amino acids. For amino acids, changes in blood concentrations of select essential amino acids and their derivatives, in particular BCAA, sulfur amino acids, tyrosine, and phenylalanine, are apparent with obesity and insulin resistance, often before the onset of clinically diagnosed T2DM. This review provides an overview of these changes and places recent observations from metabolomics research into the context of historical reports in the areas of biochemistry and nutritional biology. Based on this synthesis, a model is proposed that links the FFA-rich environment of obesity/insulin resistance and T2DM with diminution of BCAA catabolic enzyme activity, changes in methionine oxidation and cysteine/cystine generation, and tissue redox balance (NADH/NAD+). PMID:22332087

  3. Metabolic and Transcriptional Response to Cofactor Perturbations in Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holm, Anders Koefoed; Blank, L.M.; Oldiges, M.

    2010-01-01

    Metabolic cofactors such as NADH and ATP play important roles in a large number of cellular reactions, and it is of great interest to dissect the role of these cofactors in different aspects of metabolism. Toward this goal, we overexpressed NADH oxidase and the soluble F1-ATPase in Escherichia coli...... of redox and energy metabolism and should help in developing metabolic engineering strategies in E. coli....

  4. Sugar-sweetened beverage intake associations with fasting glucose and insulin concentrations are not modified by selected genetic variants in a ChREBP-FGF21 pathway: A meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a major dietary contributor to fructose intake. A molecular pathway involving the carbohydrate responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP) and the metabolic hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) may influence sugar metabolism and, thereby, contribute to fru...

  5. A rare sugar xylitol. Part II: biotechnological production and future applications of xylitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granström, Tom Birger; Izumori, Ken; Leisola, Matti

    2007-02-01

    Xylitol is the first rare sugar that has global markets. It has beneficial health properties and represents an alternative to current conventional sweeteners. Industrially, xylitol is produced by chemical hydrogenation of D-xylose into xylitol. The biotechnological method of producing xylitol by metabolically engineered yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Candida, has been studied as an alternative to the chemical method. Due to the industrial scale of production, xylitol serves as an inexpensive starting material for the production of other rare sugars. The second part of this mini-review on xylitol will look more closely at the biotechnological production and future applications of the rare sugar, xylitol.

  6. Identification, cloning and characterization of sis7 and sis10 sugar-insensitive mutants of Arabidopsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Biddle Kelly D

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The levels of soluble sugars, such as glucose and sucrose, help regulate many plant metabolic, physiological and developmental processes. Genetic screens are helping identify some of the loci involved in plant sugar response and reveal extensive cross-talk between sugar and phytohormone response pathways. Results A forward genetic screen was performed to identify mutants with increased resistance to the inhibitory effects of high levels of exogenous sugars on early Arabidopsis seedling development. The positional cloning and characterization of two of these sugar insensitive (sis mutants, both of which are also involved in abscisic acid (ABA biosynthesis or response, are reported. Plants carrying mutations in SIS7/NCED3/STO1 or SIS10/ABI3 are resistant to the inhibitory effects of high levels of exogenous Glc and Suc. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses indicate transcriptional upregulation of ABA biosynthesis genes by high concentrations of Glc in wild-type germinating seeds. Gene expression profiling revealed that a significant number of genes that are expressed at lower levels in germinating sis7-1/nced3-4/sto1-4 seeds than in wild-type seeds are implicated in auxin biosynthesis or transport, suggesting cross-talk between ABA and auxin response pathways. The degree of sugar insensitivity of different sis10/abi3 mutant seedlings shows a strong positive correlation with their level of ABA insensitivity during seed germination. Conclusion Mutations in the SIS7/NCED3/STO1 gene, which is primarily required for ABA biosynthesis under drought conditions, confer a sugar-insensitive phenotype, indicating that a constitutive role in ABA biosynthesis is not necessary to confer sugar insensitivity. Findings presented here clearly demonstrate that mutations in ABI3 can confer a sugar-insensitive phenotype and help explain previous, mixed reports on this topic by showing that ABA and sugar insensitivity exhibit a strong positive correlation in

  7. Trehalose-6-Phosphate: connecting plant metabolism and development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jathish ePonnu

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Beyond their metabolic roles, sugars can also act as messengers in signal transduction. Trehalose, a sugar found in many species of plants and animals, is a non-reducing disaccharide composed of two glucose moieties. Its synthesis in plants is a two-step process, involving the production of trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P catalyzed by TREHALOSE-6-PHOSPHATE SYNTHASE (TPS and its consecutive dephosphorylation to trehalose, catalyzed by TREHALOSE-6-PHOSPHATE PHOSPHATASE (TPP. T6P has recently emerged as an important signaling metabolite, regulating carbon assimilation and sugar status in plants. In addition, T6P has also been demonstrated to play an essential role in plant development. This review recapitulates the recent advances in our understanding the role of T6P in coordinating diverse metabolic and developmental processes.

  8. Proteomic analysis of Herbaspirillum seropedicae cultivated in the presence of sugar cane extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordeiro, Fabio Aparecido; Tadra-Sfeir, Michelle Zibetti; Huergo, Luciano Fernandes; de Oliveira Pedrosa, Fábio; Monteiro, Rose Adele; de Souza, Emanuel Maltempi

    2013-03-01

    Bacterial endophytes of the genus Herbaspirillum colonize sugar cane and can promote plant growth. The molecular mechanisms that mediate plant- H. seropedicae interaction are poorly understood. In this work, we used 2D-PAGE electrophoresis to identify H. seropedicae proteins differentially expressed at the log growth phase in the presence of sugar cane extract. The differentially expressed proteins were validated by RT qPCR. A total of 16 differential spots (1 exclusively expressed, 7 absent, 5 up- and 3 down-regulated) in the presence of 5% sugar cane extract were identified; thus the host extract is able to induce and repress specific genes of H. seropedicae. The differentially expressed proteins suggest that exposure to sugar cane extract induced metabolic changes and adaptations in H. seropedicae presumably in preparation to establish interaction with the plant.

  9. Habitual sugar intake and cognitive function among middle-aged and older Puerto Ricans without diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Xingwang; Gao, Xiang; Scott, Tammy; Tucker, Katherine L

    2011-11-01

    Intake of added sugars, mainly fructose and sucrose, has been associated with risk factors for cognitive impairment, such as obesity, the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The objective of this analysis was to examine whether habitual intakes of total sugars, added sugars, sugar-sweetened beverages or sweetened solid foods are associated with cognitive function. The present study included 737 participants without diabetes, aged 45-75 years, from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, 2004-9. Cognitive function was measured with a battery of seven tests: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), word list learning, digit span, clock drawing, figure copying, and Stroop and verbal fluency tests. Usual dietary intake was assessed with a validated FFQ. Greater intakes of total sugars, added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages, but not of sugar-sweetened solid foods, were significantly associated with lower MMSE score, after adjusting for covariates. Adjusted OR for cognitive impairment (MMSE score sugars and 2.28 (95 % CI 1.26, 4.14) for added sugars, comparing the highest with lowest intake quintiles. Greater intake of total sugars was also significantly associated with lower word list learning score. In conclusion, higher sugar intake appears to be associated with lower cognitive function, but longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the direction of causality.

  10. Glutathione in Cellular Redox Homeostasis: Association with the Excitatory Amino Acid Carrier 1 (EAAC1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koji Aoyama

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Reactive oxygen species (ROS are by-products of the cellular metabolism of oxygen consumption, produced mainly in the mitochondria. ROS are known to be highly reactive ions or free radicals containing oxygen that impair redox homeostasis and cellular functions, leading to cell death. Under physiological conditions, a variety of antioxidant systems scavenge ROS to maintain the intracellular redox homeostasis and normal cellular functions. This review focuses on the antioxidant system’s roles in maintaining redox homeostasis. Especially, glutathione (GSH is the most important thiol-containing molecule, as it functions as a redox buffer, antioxidant, and enzyme cofactor against oxidative stress. In the brain, dysfunction of GSH synthesis leading to GSH depletion exacerbates oxidative stress, which is linked to a pathogenesis of aging-related neurodegenerative diseases. Excitatory amino acid carrier 1 (EAAC1 plays a pivotal role in neuronal GSH synthesis. The regulatory mechanism of EAAC1 is also discussed.

  11. Premigratory fat metabolism in hummingbirds: A rumsfeldian approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raul K. SUAREZ

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Hummingbird migration is a remarkable feat, given the small body sizes of migratory species, their high metabolic rates during flight and the long distances traveled using fat to fuel the effort. Equally remarkable is the ability of premigratory hummingbirds in the wild to accumulate fat, synthesized from sugar, at rates as high as 10% of body mass per day. This paper summarizes, using Rumsfeldian terminology, “known knowns” concerning the energetics of hummingbird migration and premigratory fattening. Energy metabolism during hover-feeding on floral nectar is fueled directly by dietary sugar through the pathway recently named the “sugar oxidation cascade”. However, flight without feeding for more than a few minutes requires shifting to fat as a fuel. It is proposed that behavior and metabolic fuel choice are coadapted to maximize the rate of fat deposition during premigratory fattening. The hummingbird liver appears to possess extraordinarily high capacities for fatty acid synthesis. The analysis of “known knowns” leads to identification of “known unknowns”, e.g., the fates of dietary glucose and fructose, the regulation of fat metabolism and metabolic interactions between liver and adipose tissue. The history of science behooves recognition of “unknown unknowns” that, when discovered serendipitously, might shed new light on fundamental mechanisms as well as human pathological conditions [Current Zoology 59 (3: 371–380, 2013].

  12. Redox regulation of mitochondrial function with emphasis on cysteine oxidation reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mailloux, Ryan J; Jin, Xiaolei; Willmore, William G

    2014-01-01

    Mitochondria have a myriad of essential functions including metabolism and apoptosis. These chief functions are reliant on electron transfer reactions and the production of ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The production of ATP and ROS are intimately linked to the electron transport chain (ETC). Electrons from nutrients are passed through the ETC via a series of acceptor and donor molecules to the terminal electron acceptor molecular oxygen (O2) which ultimately drives the synthesis of ATP. Electron transfer through the respiratory chain and nutrient oxidation also produces ROS. At high enough concentrations ROS can activate mitochondrial apoptotic machinery which ultimately leads to cell death. However, if maintained at low enough concentrations ROS can serve as important signaling molecules. Various regulatory mechanisms converge upon mitochondria to modulate ATP synthesis and ROS production. Given that mitochondrial function depends on redox reactions, it is important to consider how redox signals modulate mitochondrial processes. Here, we provide the first comprehensive review on how redox signals mediated through cysteine oxidation, namely S-oxidation (sulfenylation, sulfinylation), S-glutathionylation, and S-nitrosylation, regulate key mitochondrial functions including nutrient oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, ROS production, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), apoptosis, and mitochondrial fission and fusion. We also consider the chemistry behind these reactions and how they are modulated in mitochondria. In addition, we also discuss emerging knowledge on disorders and disease states that are associated with deregulated redox signaling in mitochondria and how mitochondria-targeted medicines can be utilized to restore mitochondrial redox signaling.

  13. Fructose Containing Sugars at Normal Levels of Consumption Do Not Effect Adversely Components of the Metabolic Syndrome and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angelopoulos, Theodore J; Lowndes, Joshua; Sinnett, Stephanie; Rippe, James M

    2016-03-23

    The objective of the current study was to explore our hypothesis that average consumption of fructose and fructose containing sugars would not increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). A randomized, double blind, parallel group study was conducted where 267 individuals with BMI between 23 and 35 kg/m² consumed low fat sugar sweetened milk, daily for ten weeks as part of usual weight-maintenance diet. One group consumed 18% of calories from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), another group consumed 18% of calories from sucrose, a third group consumed 9% of calories from fructose, and the fourth group consumed 9% of calories from glucose. There was a small change in waist circumference (80.9 ± 9.5 vs. 81.5 ± 9.5 cm) in the entire cohort, as well as in total cholesterol (4.6 ± 1.0 vs. 4.7 ± 1.0 mmol/L, p < 0.01), triglycerides (TGs) (11.5 ± 6.4 vs. 12.6 ± 8.9 mmol/L, p < 0.01), and systolic (109.2 ± 10.2 vs. 106.1 ± 10.4 mmHg, p < 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (69.8 ± 8.7 vs. 68.1 ± 9.7 mmHg, p < 0.01). The effects of commonly consumed sugars on components of the MetS and CVD risk factors are minimal, mixed and not clinically significant.

  14. Fructose Containing Sugars at Normal Levels of Consumption Do Not Effect Adversely Components of the Metabolic Syndrome and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theodore J. Angelopoulos

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the current study was to explore our hypothesis that average consumption of fructose and fructose containing sugars would not increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD and the metabolic syndrome (MetS. A randomized, double blind, parallel group study was conducted where 267 individuals with BMI between 23 and 35 kg/m2 consumed low fat sugar sweetened milk, daily for ten weeks as part of usual weight-maintenance diet. One group consumed 18% of calories from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS, another group consumed 18% of calories from sucrose, a third group consumed 9% of calories from fructose, and the fourth group consumed 9% of calories from glucose. There was a small change in waist circumference (80.9 ± 9.5 vs. 81.5 ± 9.5 cm in the entire cohort, as well as in total cholesterol (4.6 ± 1.0 vs. 4.7 ± 1.0 mmol/L, p < 0.01, triglycerides (TGs (11.5 ± 6.4 vs. 12.6 ± 8.9 mmol/L, p < 0.01, and systolic (109.2 ± 10.2 vs. 106.1 ± 10.4 mmHg, p < 0.01 and diastolic blood pressure (69.8 ± 8.7 vs. 68.1 ± 9.7 mmHg, p < 0.01. The effects of commonly consumed sugars on components of the MetS and CVD risk factors are minimal, mixed and not clinically significant.

  15. Redox Behavior of Fe2+/Fe3+ Redox Couple by Absorption Spectroscopy and Measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, J. Y.; Park, S.; Yun, J. I.

    2010-01-01

    Redox behavior has influences on speciation and other geochemical reactions of radionuclides such as sorption, solubility, and colloid formation, etc. It is one of the factors for evaluation of long-term safety assessment under high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal conditions. Accordingly, redox potential (Eh) measurement in aquatic system is important to investigate the redox conditions. Eh is usually measured with redox active electrodes (Pt, Au, glassy carbon, etc.). Nevertheless, Eh measurements by general methods using electrodes provide low accuracy and high uncertainty problem. Therefore, Eh calculated from the concentration of redox active elements with a proper complexing reagent by using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy is progressed. Iron exists mostly as spent nuclear waste container material and in hydro-geologic minerals. In this system, iron controls the redox condition in near-field area and influences chemical behavior and speciation of radionuclides including redox sensitive actinides such as U, Np, and Pu. In the present work, we present the investigation on redox phenomena of iron in aquatic system by a combination of absorption spectroscopy and redox potential measurements

  16. Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Is Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Iranian Adults: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanieh-Sadat Ejtahed

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundMetabolic syndrome (MetS, a cluster of multiple metabolic abnormalities, is one of the major public health challenges worldwide. The current study was conducted to evaluate the association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB consumption and MetS and its components in Iranian adults.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 5,852 men and women, aged 19 to 70 years, who participated in the fourth phase (2009 to 2011 of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Demographics, anthropometrics, biochemical measurements, and blood pressure (BP were assessed and MetS was defined by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III definition. Frequency and quantity of SSB intakes including carbonated drinks and synthetic fruit juices were collected using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire.ResultsMean age of participants (43%, men was 40.6±12.9 years. Significant positive associations between SSBs and waist circumference, triglyceride level, systolic and diastolic BP in the third and fourth quartile of SSBs were observed, after adjustment for all potential confounding variables. The odds of MetS in the third and fourth quartiles compared to the first quartile category of SSBs was 1.21 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 1.45 and 1.30 (95% CI, 1.06 to 1.58, respectively (P for trend=0.03. The odds of MetS, abdominal obesity, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol and elevated BP had increasing trends across increasing of SSB consumption (P for trend <0.05.ConclusionHigher intake of SSBs was associated with the higher odds of MetS in adults. It is suggested that reducing consumption of SSBs could be a practical approach to prevent metabolic abnormalities.

  17. Loss of sugar detection by GLUT2 affects glucose homeostasis in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emilie Stolarczyk

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Mammals must sense the amount of sugar available to them and respond appropriately. For many years attention has focused on intracellular glucose sensing derived from glucose metabolism. Here, we studied the detection of extracellular glucose concentrations in vivo by invalidating the transduction pathway downstream from the transporter-detector GLUT2 and measured the physiological impact of this pathway. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We produced mice that ubiquitously express the largest cytoplasmic loop of GLUT2, blocking glucose-mediated gene expression in vitro without affecting glucose metabolism. Impairment of GLUT2-mediated sugar detection transiently protected transgenic mice against starvation and streptozotocin-induced diabetes, suggesting that both low- and high-glucose concentrations were not detected. Transgenic mice favored lipid oxidation, and oral glucose was slowly cleared from blood due to low insulin production, despite massive urinary glucose excretion. Kidney adaptation was characterized by a lower rate of glucose reabsorption, whereas pancreatic adaptation was associated with a larger number of small islets. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Molecular invalidation of sugar sensing in GLUT2-loop transgenic mice changed multiple aspects of glucose homeostasis, highlighting by a top-down approach, the role of membrane glucose receptors as potential therapeutic targets.

  18. The sugar oxidation cascade: aerial refueling in hummingbirds and nectar bats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suarez, Raul K; Herrera M, L Gerardo; Welch, Kenneth C

    2011-01-15

    Most hummingbirds and some species of nectar bats hover while feeding on floral nectar. While doing so, they achieve some of the highest mass-specific V(O(2)) values among vertebrates. This is made possible by enhanced functional capacities of various elements of the 'O(2) transport cascade', the pathway of O(2) from the external environment to muscle mitochondria. Fasted hummingbirds and nectar bats fly with respiratory quotients (RQs; V(CO(2))/V(O(2))) of ~0.7, indicating that fat fuels flight in the fasted state. During repeated hover-feeding on dietary sugar, RQ values progressively climb to ~1.0, indicating a shift from fat to carbohydrate oxidation. Stable carbon isotope experiments reveal that recently ingested sugar directly fuels ~80 and 95% of energy metabolism in hover-feeding nectar bats and hummingbirds, respectively. We name the pathway of carbon flux from flowers, through digestive and cardiovascular systems, muscle membranes and into mitochondria the 'sugar oxidation cascade'. O(2) and sugar oxidation cascades operate in parallel and converge in muscle mitochondria. Foraging behavior that favours the oxidation of dietary sugar avoids the inefficiency of synthesizing fat from sugar and breaking down fat to fuel foraging. Sugar oxidation yields a higher P/O ratio (ATP made per O atom consumed) than fat oxidation, thus requiring lower hovering V(O(2)) per unit mass. We propose that dietary sugar is a premium fuel for flight in nectarivorous, flying animals.

  19. The redox biology network in cancer pathophysiology and therapeutics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gina Manda

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The review pinpoints operational concepts related to the redox biology network applied to the pathophysiology and therapeutics of solid tumors. A sophisticated network of intrinsic and extrinsic cues, integrated in the tumor niche, drives tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Critical mutations and distorted redox signaling pathways orchestrate pathologic events inside cancer cells, resulting in resistance to stress and death signals, aberrant proliferation and efficient repair mechanisms. Additionally, the complex inter-cellular crosstalk within the tumor niche, mediated by cytokines, redox-sensitive danger signals (HMGB1 and exosomes, under the pressure of multiple stresses (oxidative, inflammatory, metabolic, greatly contributes to the malignant phenotype. The tumor-associated inflammatory stress and its suppressive action on the anti-tumor immune response are highlighted. We further emphasize that ROS may act either as supporter or enemy of cancer cells, depending on the context. Oxidative stress-based therapies, such as radiotherapy and photodynamic therapy, take advantage of the cytotoxic face of ROS for killing tumor cells by a non-physiologically sudden, localized and intense oxidative burst. The type of tumor cell death elicited by these therapies is discussed. Therapy outcome depends on the differential sensitivity to oxidative stress of particular tumor cells, such as cancer stem cells, and therefore co-therapies that transiently down-regulate their intrinsic antioxidant system hold great promise. We draw attention on the consequences of the damage signals delivered by oxidative stress-injured cells to neighboring and distant cells, and emphasize the benefits of therapeutically triggered immunologic cell death in metastatic cancer. An integrative approach should be applied when designing therapeutic strategies in cancer, taking into consideration the mutational, metabolic, inflammatory and oxidative status of tumor cells, cellular

  20. Systems biology analysis of drivers underlying hallmarks of cancer cell metabolism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zielinski, Daniel C.; Jamshidi, Neema; Corbett, Austin J.; Bordbar, Aarash; Thomas, Alex; Palsson, Bernhard O.

    2017-01-01

    Malignant transformation is often accompanied by significant metabolic changes. To identify drivers underlying these changes, we calculated metabolic flux states for the NCI60 cell line collection and correlated the variance between metabolic states of these lines with their other properties. The analysis revealed a remarkably consistent structure underlying high flux metabolism. The three primary uptake pathways, glucose, glutamine and serine, are each characterized by three features: (1) metabolite uptake sufficient for the stoichiometric requirement to sustain observed growth, (2) overflow metabolism, which scales with excess nutrient uptake over the basal growth requirement, and (3) redox production, which also scales with nutrient uptake but greatly exceeds the requirement for growth. We discovered that resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs in these lines broadly correlates with the amount of glucose uptake. These results support an interpretation of the Warburg effect and glutamine addiction as features of a growth state that provides resistance to metabolic stress through excess redox and energy production. Furthermore, overflow metabolism observed may indicate that mitochondrial catabolic capacity is a key constraint setting an upper limit on the rate of cofactor production possible. These results provide a greater context within which the metabolic alterations in cancer can be understood.

  1. Saccharification of recalcitrant biomass and integration options for lignocellulosic sugars from Catchlight Energy's sugar process (CLE Sugar).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Johnway; Anderson, Dwight; Levie, Benjamin

    2013-01-28

    Woody biomass is one of the most abundant biomass feedstocks, besides agriculture residuals in the United States. The sustainable harvest residuals and thinnings alone are estimated at about 75 million tons/year. These forest residuals and thinnings could produce the equivalent of 5 billion gallons of lignocellulosic ethanol annually. Softwood biomass is the most recalcitrant biomass in pretreatment before an enzymatic hydrolysis. To utilize the most recalcitrant lignocellulosic materials, an efficient, industrially scalable and cost effective pretreatment method is needed. Obtaining a high yield of sugar from recalcitrant biomass generally requires a high severity of pretreatment with aggressive chemistry, followed by extensive conditioning, and large doses of enzymes. Catchlight Energy's Sugar process, CLE Sugar, uses a low intensity, high throughput variation of bisulfite pulping to pretreat recalcitrant biomass, such as softwood forest residuals. By leveraging well-proven bisulfite technology and the rapid progress of enzyme suppliers, CLE Sugar can achieve a high yield of total biomass carbohydrate conversion to monomeric lignocellulosic sugars. For example, 85.8% of biomass carbohydrates are saccharified for un-debarked Loblolly pine chips (softwood), and 94.0% for debarked maple chips (hardwood). Furan compound formation was 1.29% of biomass feedstock for Loblolly pine and 1.10% for maple. At 17% solids hydrolysis of pretreated softwood, an enzyme dose of 0.075 g Sigma enzyme mixture/g dry pretreated (unwashed) biomass was needed to achieve 8.1% total sugar titer in the hydrolysate and an overall prehydrolysate liquor plus enzymatic hydrolysis conversion yield of 76.6%. At a much lower enzyme dosage of 0.044 g CTec2 enzyme product/g dry (unwashed) pretreated softwood, hydrolysis at 17% solids achieved 9.2% total sugar titer in the hydrolysate with an overall sugar yield of 85.0% in the combined prehydrolysate liquor and enzymatic hydrolysate. CLE Sugar has

  2. Sugar Sugar – don’t be misled / laat je niet misleiden

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Toebes, Brigit

    2017-01-01

    NRC Handelsblad’s Saturday 25 November issue contains an entry of eleven pages entirely devoted to sugar. It discusses a broad range of topics related to sugar, including the role of sugar throughout the centuries, sugar consumption in the Netherlands, the amount of sugar in bread, and sugar

  3. Blood sugar test

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... sugar; Blood sugar level; Fasting blood sugar; Glucose test; Diabetic screening - blood sugar test; Diabetes - blood sugar test ... The test may be done in the following ways: After you have not eaten anything for at least 8 ...

  4. A Drosophila model of high sugar diet-induced cardiomyopathy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianbo Na

    Full Text Available Diets high in carbohydrates have long been linked to progressive heart dysfunction, yet the mechanisms by which chronic high sugar leads to heart failure remain poorly understood. Here we combine diet, genetics, and physiology to establish an adult Drosophila melanogaster model of chronic high sugar-induced heart disease. We demonstrate deterioration of heart function accompanied by fibrosis-like collagen accumulation, insulin signaling defects, and fat accumulation. The result was a shorter life span that was more severe in the presence of reduced insulin and P38 signaling. We provide evidence of a role for hexosamine flux, a metabolic pathway accessed by glucose. Increased hexosamine flux led to heart function defects and structural damage; conversely, cardiac-specific reduction of pathway activity prevented sugar-induced heart dysfunction. Our data establish Drosophila as a useful system for exploring specific aspects of diet-induced heart dysfunction and emphasize enzymes within the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway as candidate therapeutic targets.

  5. Contrasting Changes Caused by Drought and Submergence Stresses in Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Tiantian; Shi, Haitao; Wang, Yanping; Chan, Zhulong

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we investigated the mechanisms by which bermudagrass withstands the drought and submergence stresses through physiological, proteomic and metabolomic approaches. The results showed that significant physiological changes were observed after drought treatment, while only slight changes after submergence treatment, including compatible solute contents, ROS levels and antioxidant enzyme activities. Proteomics results showed that 81 proteins regulated by drought or submergence treatment were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS. Among them, 76 proteins were modulated by drought stress with 46 increased abundance and 30 decreased abundance. Forty-five showed abundance changes after submergence treatment with 10 increased and 35 decreased. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that pathways of amino acid metabolism and mitochondrial electron transport/ATP synthesis were only enriched by drought treatment, while other pathways including photosynthesis, biodegradation of xenobiotics, oxidative pentose phosphate, glycolysis and redox were commonly over-represented after both drought and submergence treatments. Metabolomic analysis indicated that most of the metabolites were up-regulated by drought stress, while 34 of 40 metabolites contents exhibited down-regulation or no significant changes when exposed to submergence stress, including sugars and sugar alcohols. These data indicated that drought stress extensively promoted photosynthesis and redox metabolisms while submergence stress caused declined metabolisms and dormancy in Cynodon dactylon. Taken together, the quiescence strategy with retarded growth might allow bermudagrass to be adaptive to long-term submerged environment, while activation of photosynthesis and redox, and accumulation of compatible solutes and molecular chaperones increased bermudagrass tolerance to drought stress. PMID:26617615

  6. Fat, Sugar, and Bone Health: A Complex Relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Li; Yu, Xijie

    2017-05-17

    With people aging, osteoporosis is expected to increase notably. Nutritional status is a relatively easily-modified risk factor, associated with many chronic diseases, and is involved in obesity, diabetes, and coronary heart disease (CHD), along with osteoporosis. Nutrients, such as fats, sugars, and proteins, play a primary function in bone metabolism and maintaining bone health. In Western nations, diets are generally high in saturated fats, however, currently, the nutritional patterns dominating in China continue to be high in carbohydrates from starch, cereals, and sugars. Moreover, high fat or high sugar (fructose, glucose, or sucrose) impart a significant impact on bone structural integrity. Due to diet being modifiable, demonstrating the effects of nutrition on bone health can provide an approach for osteoporosis prevention. Most researchers have reported that a high-fat diet consumption is associated with bone mineral density (BMD) and, as bone strength diminishes, adverse microstructure changes occur in the cancellous bone compartment, which is involved with lipid metabolism modulation disorder and the alteration of the bone marrow environment, along with an increased inflammatory environment. Some studies, however, demonstrated that a high-fat diet contributes to achieving peak bone mass, along with microstructure, at a younger age. Contrary to these results, others have shown that a high-fructose diet consumption leads to stronger bones with a superior microarchitecture than those with the intake of a high-glucose diet and, at the same time, research indicated that a high-fat diet usually deteriorates cancellous bone parameters, and that the incorporation of fructose into a high-fat diet did not aggravate bone mass loss. High-fat/high-sucrose diets have shown both beneficial and detrimental influences on bone metabolism. Combined, these studies showed that nutrition exerts different effects on bone health. Thus, a better understanding of the regulation

  7. Fat, Sugar, and Bone Health: A Complex Relationship

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Tian

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available With people aging, osteoporosis is expected to increase notably. Nutritional status is a relatively easily-modified risk factor, associated with many chronic diseases, and is involved in obesity, diabetes, and coronary heart disease (CHD, along with osteoporosis. Nutrients, such as fats, sugars, and proteins, play a primary function in bone metabolism and maintaining bone health. In Western nations, diets are generally high in saturated fats, however, currently, the nutritional patterns dominating in China continue to be high in carbohydrates from starch, cereals, and sugars. Moreover, high fat or high sugar (fructose, glucose, or sucrose impart a significant impact on bone structural integrity. Due to diet being modifiable, demonstrating the effects of nutrition on bone health can provide an approach for osteoporosis prevention. Most researchers have reported that a high-fat diet consumption is associated with bone mineral density (BMD and, as bone strength diminishes, adverse microstructure changes occur in the cancellous bone compartment, which is involved with lipid metabolism modulation disorder and the alteration of the bone marrow environment, along with an increased inflammatory environment. Some studies, however, demonstrated that a high-fat diet contributes to achieving peak bone mass, along with microstructure, at a younger age. Contrary to these results, others have shown that a high-fructose diet consumption leads to stronger bones with a superior microarchitecture than those with the intake of a high-glucose diet and, at the same time, research indicated that a high-fat diet usually deteriorates cancellous bone parameters, and that the incorporation of fructose into a high-fat diet did not aggravate bone mass loss. High-fat/high-sucrose diets have shown both beneficial and detrimental influences on bone metabolism. Combined, these studies showed that nutrition exerts different effects on bone health. Thus, a better understanding of

  8. 76 FR 62339 - Domestic Sugar Program-2011-Crop Cane Sugar and Beet Sugar Marketing Allotments and Company...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-07

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Commodity Credit Corporation Domestic Sugar Program--2011-Crop Cane Sugar and Beet Sugar Marketing Allotments and Company Allocations AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation... the fiscal year (FY) 2012 State sugar marketing allotments and company allocations to sugarcane and...

  9. Brassica napus seed endosperm - metabolism and signaling in a dead end tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorenz, Christin; Rolletschek, Hardy; Sunderhaus, Stephanie; Braun, Hans-Peter

    2014-08-28

    Oilseeds are an important element of human nutrition and of increasing significance for the production of industrial materials. The development of the seeds is based on a coordinated interplay of the embryo and its surrounding tissue, the endosperm. This study aims to give insights into the physiological role of endosperm for seed development in the oilseed crop Brassica napus. Using protein separation by two-dimensional (2D) isoelectric focusing (IEF)/SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and protein identification by mass spectrometry three proteome projects were carried out: (i) establishment of an endosperm proteome reference map, (ii) proteomic characterization of endosperm development and (iii) comparison of endosperm and embryo proteomes. The endosperm proteome reference map comprises 930 distinct proteins, including enzymes involved in genetic information processing, carbohydrate metabolism, environmental information processing, energy metabolism, cellular processes and amino acid metabolism. To investigate dynamic changes in protein abundance during seed development, total soluble proteins were extracted from embryo and endosperm fractions at defined time points. Proteins involved in sugar converting and recycling processes, ascorbate metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis and redox balancing were found to be of special importance for seed development in B. napus. Implications for the seed filling process and the function of the endosperm for seed development are discussed. The endosperm is of key importance for embryo development during seed formation in plants. We present a broad study for characterizing endosperm proteins in the oilseed plant B. napus. Furthermore, a project on the biochemical interplay between the embryo and the endosperm during seed development is presented. We provide evidence that the endosperm includes a complete set of enzymes necessary for plant primary metabolism. Combination of our results with metabolome data will further

  10. The role of artificial and natural sweeteners in reducing the consumption of table sugar: A narrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mooradian, Arshag D; Smith, Meridith; Tokuda, Masaaki

    2017-04-01

    The rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity worldwide has been partially attributed to the overconsumption of added sugars. Recent guidelines call for limiting the consumption of simple sugars to less than 10% of daily caloric consumption. High intensity sweeteners are regulated as food additives and include aspartame, acesulfame-k, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, cyclamate and alitame. Steviol glycosides and Luo Han Guo fruit extracts are high intensity sweeteners that are designated as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). Commonly used non-caloric artificial sweeteners may have unfavorable effect on health including glucose intolerance and failure to cause weight reduction. The nutritive sweeteners include sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, erythritol, trehalose and maltitol. Naturally occurring rare sugars have recently emerged as an alternative category of sweeteners. These monosaccharides and their derivatives are found in nature in small quantities and lack significant calories. This category includes d-allulose (d-psicose), d-tagatose, d-sorbose and d-allose. Limiting consumption of any sweetener may well be the best health advice. Identifying natural sweeteners that have favorable effects on body weight and metabolism may help achieving the current recommendations of restricting simple sugar consumption. Copyright © 2017 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Habitual sugar intake and cognitive function among middle-aged and older Puerto Ricans without diabetes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Xingwang; Gao, Xiang; Scott, Tammy; Tucker, Katherine L.

    2016-01-01

    Intake of added sugars, mainly fructose and sucrose, has been associated with risk factors for cognitive impairment, such as obesity, the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The objective of this analysis was to examine whether habitual intakes of total sugars, added sugars, sugar-sweetened beverages or sweetened solid foods are associated with cognitive function. The present study included 737 participants without diabetes, aged 45–75 years, from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, 2004–9. Cognitive function was measured with a battery of seven tests: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), word list learning, digit span, clock drawing, figure copying, and Stroop and verbal fluency tests. Usual dietary intake was assessed with a validated FFQ. Greater intakes of total sugars, added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages, but not of sugar-sweetened solid foods, were significantly associated with lower MMSE score, after adjusting for covariates. Adjusted OR for cognitive impairment (MMSE score sugars and 2·28 (95 % CI 1·26, 4·14) for added sugars, comparing the highest with lowest intake quintiles. Greater intake of total sugars was also significantly associated with lower word list learning score. In conclusion, higher sugar intake appears to be associated with lower cognitive function, but longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the direction of causality. PMID:21736803

  12. Geochemistry of Natural Redox Fronts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hofmann, B.A.

    1999-05-01

    Redox fronts are important geochemical boundaries which need to be considered in safety assessment of deep repositories for radioactive waste. In most cases, selected host-rock formations will be reducing due to the presence of ferrous minerals, sulphides, etc. During construction and operation of the repository, air will be introduced into the formation. After repository closure, oxidising conditions may persist locally until all oxygen is consumed. In the case of high-level waste, radiolysis of water may provide an additional source of oxidants. Oxidising conditions within a repository are thus possible and potentially have a strong influence on the mobility of many elements. The rate of movement of redox fronts, the boundary between oxidising and reducing environments, and their influence on migrating radionuclides are thus important factors influencing repository performance. The present report is a review of elemental behaviour at natural redox fronts, based on published information and work of the author. Redox fronts are geochemically and geometrically variable manifestations of a global interface between generally oxidising geochemical milieux in contact with the atmosphere and generally reducing milieux in contact with rocks containing ferrous iron, sulphide and/or organic carbon. A classification of redox fronts based on a subdivision into continental near-surface, marine near-surface, and deep environments is proposed. The global redox interface is often located close to the surface of rocks and sediments and, sometimes, within bodies of water. Temperature conditions are close to ambient. A deeper penetration of the global redox front to depths of several kilometres is found in basins containing oxidised sediments (red beds) and in some hydrothermal circulation systems. Temperatures at such deep redox fronts may reach 200 o C. Both near-surface and deep redox fronts are sites of formation of economic deposits of redox-sensitive elements, particularly of

  13. Sugars and Health Controversies: What Does the Science Say?123

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rippe, James M; Angelopoulos, Theodore J

    2015-01-01

    The consumption of sugar and its relation to various potential adverse health consequences are the subjects of considerable debate and controversy. This supplement to Advances in Nutrition provides an expanded summary of a symposium held on 26 April 2014 entitled “Sugars and Health Controversies: What Does the Science Say?” as part of the ASN Scientific Sessions and Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology 2014. The articles in the supplement discuss results of current systematic reviews and meta-analyses as well as randomized controlled trials and draw implications for public policy considerations. In addition, future research gaps are identified. Current research trials conducted with commonly consumed sugars [e.g., sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)] do not support a unique relation to obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, risk factors for heart disease, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Neurologic differences in response to studies that used pure fructose compared with pure glucose have not been confirmed using typical sugars that are consumed (i.e., sucrose and HFCS), which contain ∼50% glucose and fructose. We conclude that added sugars consumed in the normal forms in which humans consume them, at amounts typical of the human diet and for the time period studied in randomized controlled trials, do not result in adverse health consequences. Although more research trials are needed in many areas of sugar consumption and health, there is little scientific justification for recommending restricting sugar consumption below the reasonable upper limit recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 of no more than 25% of calories.

  14. Characterization of Mammalian Selenoprotein O: A Redox-Active Mitochondrial Protein

    OpenAIRE

    Han, Seong-Jeong; Lee, Byung Cheon; Yim, Sun Hee; Gladyshev, Vadim N.; Lee, Seung-Rock

    2014-01-01

    Selenoproteins exhibit diverse biological functions, most of which are associated with redox control. However, the functions of approximately half of mammalian selenoproteins are not known. One such protein is Selenoprotein O (SelO), the largest mammalian selenoprotein with orthologs found in a wide range of organisms, including bacteria and yeast. Here, we report characterization of mammalian SelO. Expression of this protein could be verified in HEK 293T cells by metabolic labeling of cells ...

  15. Redox regulation of mitochondrial function with emphasis on cysteine oxidation reactions☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mailloux, Ryan J.; Jin, Xiaolei; Willmore, William G.

    2013-01-01

    Mitochondria have a myriad of essential functions including metabolism and apoptosis. These chief functions are reliant on electron transfer reactions and the production of ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The production of ATP and ROS are intimately linked to the electron transport chain (ETC). Electrons from nutrients are passed through the ETC via a series of acceptor and donor molecules to the terminal electron acceptor molecular oxygen (O2) which ultimately drives the synthesis of ATP. Electron transfer through the respiratory chain and nutrient oxidation also produces ROS. At high enough concentrations ROS can activate mitochondrial apoptotic machinery which ultimately leads to cell death. However, if maintained at low enough concentrations ROS can serve as important signaling molecules. Various regulatory mechanisms converge upon mitochondria to modulate ATP synthesis and ROS production. Given that mitochondrial function depends on redox reactions, it is important to consider how redox signals modulate mitochondrial processes. Here, we provide the first comprehensive review on how redox signals mediated through cysteine oxidation, namely S-oxidation (sulfenylation, sulfinylation), S-glutathionylation, and S-nitrosylation, regulate key mitochondrial functions including nutrient oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, ROS production, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), apoptosis, and mitochondrial fission and fusion. We also consider the chemistry behind these reactions and how they are modulated in mitochondria. In addition, we also discuss emerging knowledge on disorders and disease states that are associated with deregulated redox signaling in mitochondria and how mitochondria-targeted medicines can be utilized to restore mitochondrial redox signaling. PMID:24455476

  16. Improved characterization of the botanical origin of sugar by carbon-13 SNIF-NMR applied to ethanol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Freddy; Randet, Celia; Gilbert, Alexis; Silvestre, Virginie; Jamin, Eric; Akoka, Serge; Remaud, Gerald; Segebarth, Nicolas; Guillou, Claude

    2010-11-24

    Until now, no analytical method, not even isotopic ones, had been able to differentiate between sugars coming from C4-metabolism plants (cane, maize, etc.) and some crassulacean acid metabolism plants (e.g., pineapple, agave) because in both cases the isotope distributions of the overall carbon-13/carbon-12 and site-specific deuterium/hydrogen isotope ratios are very similar. Following recent advances in the field of quantitative isotopic carbon-13 NMR measurements, a procedure for the analysis of the positional carbon-13/carbon-12 isotope ratios of ethanol derived from the sugars of pineapples and agave using the site-specific natural isotopic fractionation-nuclear magnetic resonance (SNIF-NMR) method is presented. It is shown that reproducible results can be obtained when appropriate analytical conditions are used. When applied to pineapple juice, this new method demonstrates a unique ability to detect cane and maize sugar, which are major potential adulterants, with a detection limit in the order of 15% of the total sugars, which provides an efficient mean of controlling the authenticity of juices made from this specific fruit. When applied to tequila products, this new method demonstrates a unique ability to unambiguously differentiate authentic 100% agave tequila, as well as misto tequila (made from at least 51% agave), from products made from a larger proportion of cane or maize sugar and therefore not complying with the legal definition of tequila.

  17. Comparative studies on the photosynthesis of higher plants, 4. Further studies on the photosynthetic sugar formation pathway in C/sub 4/-plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Imai, H [National Inst. of Agricultural Sciences, Tokyo (Japan); Iwai, Sumio; Yamada, Yoshio

    1975-03-01

    In this paper, studies were carried out to confirm whether carbon atoms except C-4 of C/sub 4/-compounds were involved in the photosynthetic sugar formation in C/sub 4/ plants. In feeding of uniformly-labeled malate to maize leaves, sugar formation under aerobic conditions was 3 times as large as that under anaerobic conditions. There was no detectable difference in the amount of activity in the sugar formed from ..beta..-carboxyl-labeled malate between aerobic and anaerobic conditions; however. Under anaerobic conditions, sugar was formed from alanine-1-/sup 14/C in maize but not in rice leaves. Sugar formation of this case might have occurred by the direct conversion of pyruvate to sugar via PEP and PGA. From these results, we assume that the following three pathways function cooperatively in the photosynthetic sugar formation in C/sub 4/-plants. 1) One carbon atom at number 4 in C/sub 4/-dicarboxylic acid is transferred to RuDP, resulting in the formation of PGA and this is metabolized into sugar. 2) After transferring C-4 of C/sub 4/-dicarboxylic acid, the remaining C/sub 3/-compound is introduced into the TCA cycle and completely degradated there, and thus-produced CO/sub 2/ is refixed by PEP carboxylase in the mesophyll and metabolized into sugar the same pathway as in atmospheric CO/sub 2/ fixation. 3) The remaining C/sub 3/-compound is directly converted to PEP and then to sugar via PGA.

  18. Excessive Sugar Consumption May Be a Difficult Habit to Break: A View From the Brain and Body.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tryon, Matthew S; Stanhope, Kimber L; Epel, Elissa S; Mason, Ashley E; Brown, Rashida; Medici, Valentina; Havel, Peter J; Laugero, Kevin D

    2015-06-01

    Sugar overconsumption and chronic stress are growing health concerns because they both may increase the risk for obesity and its related diseases. Rodent studies suggest that sugar consumption may activate a glucocorticoid-metabolic-brain-negative feedback pathway, which may turn off the stress response and thereby reinforce habitual sugar overconsumption. The objective of the study was to test our hypothesized glucocorticoid-metabolic-brain model in women consuming beverages sweetened with either aspartame of sucrose. This was a parallel-arm, double-masked diet intervention study. The study was conducted at the University of California, Davis, Clinical and Translational Science Center's Clinical Research Center and the University of California, Davis, Medical Center Imaging Research Center. Nineteen women (age range 18-40 y) with a body mass index (range 20-34 kg/m(2)) who were a subgroup from a National Institutes of Health-funded investigation of 188 participants assigned to eight experimental groups. The intervention consisted of sucrose- or aspartame-sweetened beverage consumption three times per day for 2 weeks. Salivary cortisol and regional brain responses to the Montreal Imaging Stress Task were measured. Compared with aspartame, sucrose consumption was associated with significantly higher activity in the left hippocampus (P = .001). Sucrose, but not aspartame, consumption associated with reduced (P = .024) stress-induced cortisol. The sucrose group also had a lower reactivity to naltrexone, significantly (P = .041) lower nausea, and a trend (P = .080) toward lower cortisol. These experimental findings support a metabolic-brain-negative feedback pathway that is affected by sugar and may make some people under stress more hooked on sugar and possibly more vulnerable to obesity and its related conditions.

  19. High sugar and butter (HSB) diet induces obesity and metabolic syndrome with decrease in regulatory T cells in adipose tissue of mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maioli, Tatiani Uceli; Gonçalves, Juliana Lauar; Miranda, Mariana Camila Gonçalves; Martins, Vinícius Dantas; Horta, Laila Sampaio; Moreira, Thais Garcias; Godard, Ana Lucia Brunialti; Santiago, Andrezza Fernanda; Faria, Ana Maria Caetano

    2016-02-01

    The purpose of the study was to develop a novel diet based on standard AIN93G diet that would be able to induce experimental obesity and impair immune regulation with high concentrations of both carbohydrate and lipids. To compare the effects of this high sugar and butter (HSB) diet with other modified diets, male C57BL/6 mice were fed either mouse chow, or AIN93G diet, or high sugar (HS) diet, or high-fat (HF) diet, or high sugar and butter (HSB) diet for 11 weeks ad libitum. HSB diet induced higher weight gain. Therefore, control AIN93G and HSB groups were chosen for additional analysis. Regulatory T cells were studied by flow cytometry, and cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. Although HF and HSB diets were able to induce a higher weight gain compatible with obesity in treated mice, HSB-fed mice presented the higher levels of serum glucose after fasting and the lowest frequency of regulatory T cells in adipose tissue. In addition, mice that were fed HSB diet presented higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, hyperleptinemia, increased resistin and leptin levels as well as reduced adiponectin serum levels. Importantly, we found increased frequency of CD4(+)CD44(+) effector T cells, reduction of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) and Th3 regulatory T cells as well as decreased levels of IL-10 and TGF-β in adipose tissue of HSB-fed mice. Therefore, HSB represents a novel model of obesity-inducing diet that was efficient in triggering alterations compatible with metabolic syndrome as well as impairment in immune regulatory parameters.

  20. 3D imaging of the mitochondrial redox state of rat hearts under normal and fasting conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    He N. Xu

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The heart requires continuous ATP availability that is generated in the mitochondria. Although studies using the cell culture and perfused organ models have been carried out to investigate the biochemistry in the mitochondria in response to a change in substrate supply, mitochondrial bioenergetics of heart under normal feed or fasting conditions has not been studied at the tissue level with a sub-millimeter spatial resolution either in vivo or ex vivo. Oxidation of many food-derived metabolites to generate ATP in the mitochondria is realized through the NADH/NAD+ couple acting as a central electron carrier. We employed the Chance redox scanner — the low-temperature fluorescence scanner to image the three-dimensional (3D spatial distribution of the mitochondrial redox states in heart tissues of rats under normal feeding or an overnight starvation for 14.5 h. Multiple consecutive sections of each heart were imaged to map three redox indices, i.e., NADH, oxidized flavoproteins (Fp, including flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD and the redox ratio NADH/Fp. The imaging results revealed the micro-heterogeneity and the spatial distribution of these redox indices. The quantitative analysis showed that in the fasted hearts the standard deviation of both NADH and Fp, i.e., SD_NADH and SD_Fp, significantly decreased with a p value of 0.032 and 0.045, respectively, indicating that the hearts become relatively more homogeneous after fasting. The fasted hearts contained 28.6% less NADH (p = 0.038. No significant change in Fp was found (p = 0.4. The NADH/Fp ratio decreased with a marginal p value (0.076. The decreased NADH in the fasted hearts is consistent with the cardiac cells' reliance of fatty acids consumption for energy metabolism when glucose becomes scarce. The experimental observation of NADH decrease induced by dietary restriction in the heart at tissue level has not been reported to our best knowledge. The Chance redox scanner demonstrated the

  1. 3D IMAGING OF THE MITOCHONDRIAL REDOX STATE OF RAT HEARTS UNDER NORMAL AND FASTING CONDITIONS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, He N; Zhou, Rong; Moon, Lily; Feng, Min; Li, Lin Z

    2014-03-01

    The heart requires continuous ATP availability that is generated in the mitochondria. Although studies using the cell culture and perfused organ models have been carried out to investigate the biochemistry in the mitochondria in response to a change in substrate supply, mitochondrial bioenergetics of heart under normal feed or fasting conditions has not been studied at the tissue level with a sub-millimeter spatial resolution either in vivo or ex vivo . Oxidation of many food-derived metabolites to generate ATP in the mitochondria is realized through the NADH/NAD + couple acting as a central electron carrier. We employed the Chance redox scanner - the low-temperature fluorescence scanner to image the three-dimensional (3D) spatial distribution of the mitochondrial redox states in heart tissues of rats under normal feeding or an overnight starvation for 14.5 h. Multiple consecutive sections of each heart were imaged to map three redox indices, i.e., NADH, oxidized flavoproteins (Fp, including flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)) and the redox ratio NADH/Fp. The imaging results revealed the micro-heterogeneity and the spatial distribution of these redox indices. The quantitative analysis showed that in the fasted hearts the standard deviation of both NADH and Fp, i.e., SD_NADH and SD_Fp, significantly decreased with a p value of 0.032 and 0.045, respectively, indicating that the hearts become relatively more homogeneous after fasting. The fasted hearts contained 28.6% less NADH ( p = 0.038). No significant change in Fp was found ( p = 0.4). The NADH/Fp ratio decreased with a marginal p value (0.076). The decreased NADH in the fasted hearts is consistent with the cardiac cells' reliance of fatty acids consumption for energy metabolism when glucose becomes scarce. The experimental observation of NADH decrease induced by dietary restriction in the heart at tissue level has not been reported to our best knowledge. The Chance redox scanner demonstrated the feasibility of 3D

  2. Oxygen in human health from life to death – An approach to teaching redox biology and signaling to graduate and medical students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margaret M. Briehl

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available In the absence of oxygen human life is measured in minutes. In the presence of oxygen, normal metabolism generates reactive species (ROS that have the potential to cause cell injury contributing to human aging and disease. Between these extremes, organisms have developed means for sensing oxygen and ROS and regulating their cellular processes in response. Redox signaling contributes to the control of cell proliferation and death. Aberrant redox signaling underlies many human diseases. The attributes acquired by altered redox homeostasis in cancer cells illustrate this particularly well. This teaching review and the accompanying illustrations provide an introduction to redox biology and signaling aimed at instructors of graduate and medical students.

  3. Gender differences in metabolic syndrome components among the Korean 66-year-old population with metabolic syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sangjin; Ko, Young; Kwak, Chanyeong; Yim, Eun-Shil

    2016-01-23

    Gender is thought to be an important factor in metabolic syndrome and its outcomes. Despite a number of studies that have demonstrated differences in metabolism and its components that are dependent on gender, limited information about gender differences on the characteristics of metabolic syndrome and its components is available regarding the Korean old adult population. This study aimed to identify gender differences in characteristics of the metabolic syndrome and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Secondary analysis of data from a nationwide cross-sectional survey for health examination at the time of transitioning from midlife to old age was performed. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for gender differences among the Korean 66-year-old population with metabolic syndrome. Gender differences in metabolic syndrome components that contributed to the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome were identified. In males, the most common component was high blood sugar levels (87.5%), followed by elevated triglyceride levels (83.5%) and high blood pressure (83.1%). In females, the most commonly identified component was elevated triglyceride levels (79.0%), followed by high blood sugar levels (78.6%) and high blood pressure (78.5%). Gender differences for other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including family history, health habits, and body mass index were observed. Gender-specific public health policies and management strategies to prevent cardiovascular disease among the older adult population should be developed for Koreans undergoing the physiological transition to old age.

  4. The bactericidal activity of β-lactam antibiotics is increased by metabolizable sugar species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thorsing, Mette; Bentin, Thomas; Givskov, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Here, the influence of metabolizable sugars on the susceptibility of Escherichia coli to β-lactam antibiotics was investigated. Notably, monitoring growth and survival of mono- and combination-treated planktonic cultures showed a 1000- to 10 000-fold higher antibacterial efficacy of carbenicillin...... and cefuroxime in the presence of certain sugars, whereas other metabolites had no effect on β-lactam sensitivity. This effect was unrelated to changes in growth rate. Light microscopy and flow cytometry profiling revealed that bacterial filaments, formed due to β-lactam-mediated inhibition of cell division......, rapidly appeared upon β-lactam mono-treatment and remained stable for up to 18 h. The presence of metabolizable sugars in the medium did not change the rate of filamentation, but led to lysis of the filaments within a few hours. No lysis occurred in E. coli mutants unable to metabolize the sugars, thus...

  5. Cerebral energy metabolism during induced mitochondrial dysfunction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, T H; Bindslev, TT; Pedersen, S M

    2013-01-01

    In patients with traumatic brain injury as well as stroke, impaired cerebral oxidative energy metabolism may be an important factor contributing to the ultimate degree of tissue damage. We hypothesize that mitochondrial dysfunction can be diagnosed bedside by comparing the simultaneous changes...... in brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO(2)) and cerebral cytoplasmatic redox state. The study describes cerebral energy metabolism during mitochondrial dysfunction induced by sevoflurane in piglets....

  6. Improvement of Escherichia coli production strains by modification of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gosset Guillermo

    2005-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The application of metabolic engineering in Escherichia coli has resulted in the generation of strains with the capacity to produce metabolites of commercial interest. Biotechnological processes with these engineered strains frequently employ culture media containing glucose as the carbon and energy source. In E. coli, the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS transports glucose when this sugar is present at concentrations like those used in production fermentations. This protein system is involved in phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent sugar transport, therefore, its activity has an important impact on carbon flux distribution in the phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate nodes. Furthermore, PTS has a very important role in carbon catabolite repression. The properties of PTS impose metabolic and regulatory constraints that can hinder strain productivity. For this reason, PTS has been a target for modification with the purpose of strain improvement. In this review, PTS characteristics most relevant to strain performance and the different strategies of PTS modification for strain improvement are discussed. Functional replacement of PTS by alternative phosphoenolpyruvate-independent uptake and phosphorylation activities has resulted in significant improvements in product yield from glucose and productivity for several classes of metabolites. In addition, inactivation of PTS components has been applied successfully as a strategy to abolish carbon catabolite repression, resulting in E. coli strains that use more efficiently sugar mixtures, such as those obtained from lignocellulosic hydrolysates.

  7. Extending roGFP Emission via Förster-Type Resonance Energy Transfer Relay Enables Simultaneous Dual Compartment Ratiometric Redox Imaging in Live Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norcross, Stevie; Trull, Keelan J; Snaider, Jordan; Doan, Sara; Tat, Kiet; Huang, Libai; Tantama, Mathew

    2017-11-22

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediate both intercellular and intraorganellar signaling, and ROS propagate oxidative stress between cellular compartments such as mitochondria and the cytosol. Each cellular compartment contains its own sources of ROS as well as antioxidant mechanisms, which contribute to dynamic fluctuations in ROS levels that occur during signaling, metabolism, and stress. However, the coupling of redox dynamics between cellular compartments has not been well studied because of the lack of available sensors to simultaneously measure more than one subcellular compartment in the same cell. Currently, the redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein, roGFP, has been used extensively to study compartment-specific redox dynamics because it provides a quantitative ratiometric readout and it is amenable to subcellular targeting as a genetically encoded sensor. Here, we report a new family of genetically encoded fluorescent protein sensors that extend the fluorescence emission of roGFP via Förster-type resonance energy transfer to an acceptor red fluorescent protein for dual-color live-cell microscopy. We characterize the redox and optical properties of the sensor proteins, and we demonstrate that they can be used to simultaneously measure cytosolic and mitochondrial ROS in living cells. Furthermore, we use these sensors to reveal cell-to-cell heterogeneity in redox coupling between the cytosol and mitochondria when neuroblastoma cells are exposed to reductive and metabolic stresses.

  8. Prevention of metabolic diseases: fruits (including fruit sugars) vs. vegetables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuzma, Jessica N; Schmidt, Kelsey A; Kratz, Mario

    2017-07-01

    To discuss recent evidence from observational and intervention studies on the relationship between fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption and metabolic disease. Observational studies have consistently demonstrated a modest inverse association between the intake of fruit and leafy green vegetables, but not total vegetables, and biomarkers of metabolic disease as well as incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. This is in contrast to limited evidence from recently published randomized controlled dietary intervention trials, which - in sum - suggests little to no impact of increased F&V consumption on biomarkers of metabolic disease. Evidence from observational studies that fruit and leafy green vegetable intake is associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk and better metabolic health could not be confirmed by dietary intervention trials. It is unclear whether this discrepancy is because of limitations inherent in observational studies (e.g., subjective dietary assessment methods, residual confounding) or due to limitations in the few available intervention studies (e.g., short duration of follow-up, interventions combining whole fruit and fruit juice, or lack of compliance). Future studies that attempt to address these limitations are needed to provide more conclusive insight into the impact of F&V consumption on metabolic health.

  9. Metal availability and the expanding network of microbial metabolisms in the Archaean eon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Eli K.; Jelen, Benjamin I.; Giovannelli, Donato; Raanan, Hagai; Falkowski, Paul G.

    2017-09-01

    Life is based on energy gained by electron-transfer processes; these processes rely on oxidoreductase enzymes, which often contain transition metals in their structures. The availability of different metals and substrates has changed over the course of Earth's history as a result of secular changes in redox conditions, particularly global oxygenation. New metabolic pathways using different transition metals co-evolved alongside changing redox conditions. Sulfur reduction, sulfate reduction, methanogenesis and anoxygenic photosynthesis appeared between about 3.8 and 3.4 billion years ago. The oxidoreductases responsible for these metabolisms incorporated metals that were readily available in Archaean oceans, chiefly iron and iron-sulfur clusters. Oxygenic photosynthesis appeared between 3.2 and 2.5 billion years ago, as did methane oxidation, nitrogen fixation, nitrification and denitrification. These metabolisms rely on an expanded range of transition metals presumably made available by the build-up of molecular oxygen in soil crusts and marine microbial mats. The appropriation of copper in enzymes before the Great Oxidation Event is particularly important, as copper is key to nitrogen and methane cycling and was later incorporated into numerous aerobic metabolisms. We find that the diversity of metals used in oxidoreductases has increased through time, suggesting that surface redox potential and metal incorporation influenced the evolution of metabolism, biological electron transfer and microbial ecology.

  10. Impacts of Sugar Import Policy on Sugar Production in Indonesia

    OpenAIRE

    Suryantoro, Agustinus; Susilo, Albertus Magnus; Supriyono, Supriyono

    2013-01-01

    Production of sugar unful lled consumption of Indonesia society. The lack of consumption and productionhave ful lled by import. Assumption national consumption 2,7 million ton, Indonesia will import sugar in 2013predicted about 300.000 ton (Tempo.co, August, 21, 2012).The aims in general of this research are to understand the impact of sugar import policy on sugar production.Especially (1) to understand the factors that in uence sugar import price, (2) to understand impact of sugarimport pric...

  11. Feasibility of assessing health state by detecting redox state of human body based on Chinese medicine constitution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ling-Ru; Wang, Qi; Wang, Ji; Wang, Qian-Fei; Yang, Ling-Ling; Zheng, Lu-Yu; Zhang, Yan

    2016-08-01

    This article discussed the feasibility of assessing health state by detecting redox state of human body. Firstly, the balance of redox state is the basis of homeostasis, and the balance ability of redox can reflflect health state of human body. Secondly, the redox state of human body is a sensitive index of multiple risk factors of health such as age, external environment and psychological factors. It participates in the occurrence and development of multiple diseases involving metabolic diseases and nervous system diseases, and can serve as a cut-in point for treatment of these diseases. Detecting the redox state of high risk people is signifificantly important for early detection and treatment of disease. The blood plasma and urine could be selected to detect, which is convenient. It is pointed that the indexes not only involve oxidation product and antioxidant enzyme but also redox couple. Chinese medicine constitution reflflects the state of body itself and the ability of adapting to external environment, which is consistent with the connotation of health. It is found that there are nine basic types of constitution in Chinese population, which provides a theoretical basis of health preservation, preventive treatment of disease and personalized treatment. With the combination of redox state detection and the Chinese medicine constitution theory, the heath state can be systemically assessed by conducting large-scale epidemiological survey with classifified detection on redox state of human body.

  12. Degree of glutathione deficiency and redox imbalance depend on subtype of mitochondrial disease and clinical status.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gregory M Enns

    Full Text Available Mitochondrial disorders are associated with decreased energy production and redox imbalance. Glutathione plays a central role in redox signaling and protecting cells from oxidative damage. In order to understand the consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction on in vivo redox status, and to determine how this varies by mitochondrial disease subtype and clinical severity, we used a sensitive tandem mass spectrometry assay to precisely quantify whole blood reduced (GSH and oxidized (GSSG glutathione levels in a large cohort of mitochondrial disorder patients. Glutathione redox potential was calculated using the Nernst equation. Compared to healthy controls (n = 59, mitochondrial disease patients (n = 58 as a group showed significant redox imbalance (redox potential -251 mV ± 9.7, p<0.0001 with an increased level of oxidation by ∼ 9 mV compared to controls (-260 mV ± 6.4. Underlying this abnormality were significantly lower whole blood GSH levels (p = 0.0008 and GSH/GSSG ratio (p = 0.0002, and significantly higher GSSG levels (p<0.0001 in mitochondrial disease patients compared to controls. Redox potential was significantly more oxidized in all mitochondrial disease subgroups including Leigh syndrome (n = 15, electron transport chain abnormalities (n = 10, mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (n = 8, mtDNA deletion syndrome (n = 7, mtDNA depletion syndrome (n = 7, and miscellaneous other mitochondrial disorders (n = 11. Patients hospitalized in metabolic crisis (n = 7 showed the greatest degree of redox imbalance at -242 mV ± 7. Peripheral whole blood GSH and GSSG levels are promising biomarkers of mitochondrial dysfunction, and may give insights into the contribution of oxidative stress to the pathophysiology of the various mitochondrial disorders. In particular, evaluation of redox potential may be useful in monitoring of clinical status or response to redox-modulating therapies in clinical trials.

  13. Circadian and Metabolic Perspectives in the Role Played by NADPH in Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel Méndez

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Physiological activity in healthy conditions requires a coordinated interaction between the molecular circadian clock and the network of biochemical pathways. An important metabolic parameter in the interface between these two entities is the redox state. Among the redox coenzymes that regulate the fluxes of enzymatic reactions is the NADP+/NADPH pair. Indeed, the main biosynthetic pathways need NADPH to serve as an electron donor for cellular anabolic transformations. The existence of a metabolic circadian clock is well established, and it was first identified in mammalian red blood cells. The metabolic circadian clock is independent of transcriptional activity and is sustained by the enzymatic complex peroxiredoxin/thioredoxin/NADPH. This complex shows 24-h redox fluctuations metabolizing H2O2 in various tissues and species (fungi, insects, and mammals. Although this NADPH-sensitive metabolic clock is autonomous in erythrocytes that lack a nucleus, it functions in concert with the transcriptional circadian clock in other cell types to accomplish the task of timing cellular physiology. During carcinogenesis, circadian alterations influence cell cycle onset and promote tumoral growth. These alterations also deregulate cellular energetics through a process known as aerobic glycolysis, or the Warburg effect. The Warburg effect is a typical response of cancer cells in which the metabolism turns into glycolysis even in the presence of functional mitochondria. This alteration has been interpreted as a cellular strategy to increase biomass during cancer, and one of its main factors is the availability of NADPH. This minireview explores the potential role of NADPH as a circadian and cancer-promoting metabolite.

  14. Hexose kinases and their role in sugar-sensing and plant development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David eGranot

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Hexose sugars, such as glucose and fructose produced in plants, are ubiquitous in most organisms and are the origin of most of the organic matter found in nature. To be utilized, hexose sugars must first be phosphorylated. The central role of hexose-phosphorylating enzymes has attracted the attention of many researchers, leading to novel discoveries. Only two families of enzymes capable of phosphorylating glucose and fructose have been identified in plants; hexokinases (HXKs and fructokinases (FRKs. Intensive investigations of these two families in numerous plant species have yielded a wealth of knowledge regarding the genes number, enzymatic characterization, intracellular localization and developmental and physiological roles of several HXKs and FRKs. The emerging picture indicates that HXK and FRK enzymes found at specific intracellular locations play distinct roles in plant metabolism and development. Individual HXKs were shown for the first time to be dual-function enzymes - sensing sugar levels independent of their catalytic activity and also controlling gene expression and major developmental pathways, as well as hormonal interactions. FRK, on the other hand, seems to play a central metabolic role in vascular tissues, controlling the amounts of sugars allocated for vascular development. While a clearer picture of the roles of these two types of enzymes is emerging, many questions remain unsolved, such as the specific tissues and types of cells in which these enzymes function, the roles of individual HXK and FRK genes, and how these enzymes interact with hormones in the regulation of developmental processes. It is anticipated that ongoing efforts will broaden our knowledge of these important plant enzymes and their potential uses in the modification of plant traits.

  15. The ultrasound-assisted sugar extraction from sugar beet cossettes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stasiak, D.M.

    2005-01-01

    The aim of this work was to study the ultrasound-assisted water extraction of sugar from sugar beet cossettes. The ultrasound bath device (25 kHz, 200 W) was used. The sonication accelerated sugar diffusion at both temperatures 18 deg C and 77.6 deg C and gave the higher level of dry matter content SS (4-6 percent) and sugar content CK (7-22 percent) in juice. The SS and CK depended on time of exposition, time and temperature of extraction. In particular, the effects of 5 min ultrasound-assisted extraction were equal to 20 min extraction in traditional conditions. The shorter time, lower temperature, higher efficiency and purity of juice could be the effects of sugar extraction with ultrasound. The change of thickness of diffusion membrane, microflows in tissue as well as it's environment caused by ultrasound was the reason of acceleration of sugar extraction

  16. The Reactive Species Interactome: Evolutionary Emergence, Biological Significance, and Opportunities for Redox Metabolomics and Personalized Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortese-Krott, Miriam M; Koning, Anne; Kuhnle, Gunter G C; Nagy, Peter; Bianco, Christopher L; Pasch, Andreas; Wink, David A; Fukuto, Jon M; Jackson, Alan A; van Goor, Harry; Olson, Kenneth R; Feelisch, Martin

    2017-10-01

    Oxidative stress is thought to account for aberrant redox homeostasis and contribute to aging and disease. However, more often than not, administration of antioxidants is ineffective, suggesting that our current understanding of the underlying regulatory processes is incomplete. Recent Advances: Similar to reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species, reactive sulfur species are now emerging as important signaling molecules, targeting regulatory cysteine redox switches in proteins, affecting gene regulation, ion transport, intermediary metabolism, and mitochondrial function. To rationalize the complexity of chemical interactions of reactive species with themselves and their targets and help define their role in systemic metabolic control, we here introduce a novel integrative concept defined as the reactive species interactome (RSI). The RSI is a primeval multilevel redox regulatory system whose architecture, together with the physicochemical characteristics of its constituents, allows efficient sensing and rapid adaptation to environmental changes and various other stressors to enhance fitness and resilience at the local and whole-organism level. To better characterize the RSI-related processes that determine fluxes through specific pathways and enable integration, it is necessary to disentangle the chemical biology and activity of reactive species (including precursors and reaction products), their targets, communication systems, and effects on cellular, organ, and whole-organism bioenergetics using system-level/network analyses. Understanding the mechanisms through which the RSI operates will enable a better appreciation of the possibilities to modulate the entire biological system; moreover, unveiling molecular signatures that characterize specific environmental challenges or other forms of stress will provide new prevention/intervention opportunities for personalized medicine. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 00, 000-000.

  17. Proteomic Profiling of Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris Leaves during Rhizomania Compatible Interactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimberly M. Webb

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Rhizomania, caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV, severely impacts sugar beet (Beta vulgaris production throughout the world, and is widely prevalent in most production regions. Initial efforts to characterize proteome changes focused primarily on identifying putative host factors that elicit resistant interactions with BNYVV, but as resistance breaking strains become more prevalent, effective disease control strategies will require the application of novel methods based on better understanding of disease susceptibility and symptom development. Herein, proteomic profiling was conducted on susceptible sugar beet, infected with two strains of BNYVV, to clarify the types of proteins prevalent during compatible virus-host plant interactions. Total protein was extracted from sugar beet leaf tissue infected with BNYVV, quantified, and analyzed by mass spectrometry. A total of 203 proteins were confidently identified, with a predominance of proteins associated with photosynthesis and energy, metabolism, and response to stimulus. Many proteins identified in this study are typically associated with systemic acquired resistance and general plant defense responses. These results expand on relatively limited proteomic data available for sugar beet and provide the ground work for additional studies focused on understanding the interaction of BNYVV with sugar beet.

  18. Added sugars drive chronic kidney disease and its consequences: A comprehensive review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James J. DiNicolantonio

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The consumption of added sugars (e.g. sucrose [table sugar] and high-fructose corn syrup over the last 200 years has increased exponentially and parallels the increased prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD. Data for animals and humans suggest that the consumption of added sugars leads to kidney damage and related metabolic derangements that increase cardiovascular risk. Importantly, the consumption of added sugars has been found to induce insulin resistance and increase uric acid in humans, both of which increase the conversion of glucose to fructose (i.e. fructogenesis via the polyol pathway. The polyol pathway has recently been implicated in the contribution and progression of kidney damage, suggesting that even glucose can be toxic to the kidney via its endogenous transformation into fructose in the proximal tubule. Consuming added fructose has been shown to induce insulin resistance, which can lead to hyperglycaemia, oxidative stress, inflammation and the activation of the immune system, all of which can synergistically contribute to kidney damage. CKD guidelines should stress a reduction in the consumption of added sugars as a means to prevent and treat CKD as well as reduce CKD–related morbidity and mortality.

  19. Metabolic syndrome and inflammation in adipose tissue occur at different times in animals submitted to a high-sugar/fat diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Francisqueti, Fabiane Valentini; Nascimento, André Ferreira; Minatel, Igor Otávio; Dias, Marcos Correa; Luvizotto, Renata de Azevedo Melo; Berchieri-Ronchi, Carolina; Ferreira, Ana Lúcia A; Corrêa, Camila Renata

    2017-01-01

    Obesity is associated with low-grade inflammation, triggered in adipose tissue, which may occur due to an excess of SFA from the diet that can be recognised by Toll-like receptor-4. This condition is involved in the development of components of the metabolic syndrome associated with obesity, especially insulin resistance. The aim of the study was to evaluate the manifestation of the metabolic syndrome and adipose tissue inflammation as a function of the period of time in which rats were submitted to a high-sugar/fat diet (HSF). Male Wistar rats were divided into six groups to receive the control diet (C) or the HSF for 6, 12 or 24 weeks. HSF increased the adiposity index in all HSF groups compared with the C group. HSF was associated with higher plasma TAG, glucose, insulin and leptin levels. Homeostasis model assessment increased in HSF compared with C rats at 24 weeks. Both TNF-α and IL-6 were elevated in the epididymal adipose tissue of HSF rats at 24 weeks compared with HSF at 6 weeks and C at 24 weeks. Only the HSF group at 24 weeks showed increased expression of both Toll-like receptor-4 and NF-κB. More inflammatory cells were found in the HSF group at 24 weeks. We can conclude that the metabolic syndrome occurs independently of the inflammatory response in adipose tissue and that inflammation is associated with hypertrophy of adipocytes, which varies according to duration of exposure to the HSF.

  20. Quantitative metabolic imaging using endogenous fluorescence to detect stem cell differentiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinn, Kyle P.; Sridharan, Gautham V.; Hayden, Rebecca S.; Kaplan, David L.; Lee, Kyongbum; Georgakoudi, Irene

    2013-12-01

    The non-invasive high-resolution spatial mapping of cell metabolism within tissues could provide substantial advancements in assessing the efficacy of stem cell therapy and understanding tissue development. Here, using two-photon excited fluorescence microscopy, we elucidate the relationships among endogenous cell fluorescence, cell redox state, and the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells into adipogenic and osteoblastic lineages. Using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and quantitative PCR, we evaluate the sensitivity of an optical redox ratio of FAD/(NADH + FAD) to metabolic changes associated with stem cell differentiation. Furthermore, we probe the underlying physiological mechanisms, which relate a decrease in the redox ratio to the onset of differentiation. Because traditional assessments of stem cells and engineered tissues are destructive, time consuming, and logistically intensive, the development and validation of a non-invasive, label-free approach to defining the spatiotemporal patterns of cell differentiation can offer a powerful tool for rapid, high-content characterization of cell and tissue cultures.

  1. Control of the intracellular redox state by glucose participates in the insulin secretion mechanism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Rebelato

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS due to chronic exposure to glucose has been associated with impaired beta cell function and diabetes. However, physiologically, beta cells are well equipped to deal with episodic glucose loads, to which they respond with a fine tuned glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS. In the present study, a systematic investigation in rat pancreatic islets about the changes in the redox environment induced by acute exposure to glucose was carried out. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Short term incubations were performed in isolated rat pancreatic islets. Glucose dose- and time-dependently reduced the intracellular ROS content in pancreatic islets as assayed by fluorescence in a confocal microscope. This decrease was due to activation of pentose-phosphate pathway (PPP. Inhibition of PPP blunted the redox control as well as GSIS in a dose-dependent manner. The addition of low doses of ROS scavengers at high glucose concentration acutely improved beta cell function. The ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine increased the intracellular calcium response to glucose that was associated with a small decrease in ROS content. Additionally, the presence of the hydrogen peroxide-specific scavenger catalase, in its membrane-permeable form, nearly doubled glucose metabolism. Interestingly, though an increase in GSIS was also observed, this did not match the effect on glucose metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: The control of ROS content via PPP activation by glucose importantly contributes to the mechanisms that couple the glucose stimulus to insulin secretion. Moreover, we identified intracellular hydrogen peroxide as an inhibitor of glucose metabolism intrinsic to rat pancreatic islets. These findings suggest that the intracellular adjustment of the redox environment by glucose plays an important role in the mechanism of GSIS.

  2. Epigenetic oxidative redox shift (EORS) theory of aging unifies the free radical and insulin signaling theories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brewer, Gregory J

    2010-03-01

    Harman's free radical theory of aging posits that oxidized macromolecules accumulate with age to decrease function and shorten life-span. However, nutritional and genetic interventions to boost anti-oxidants have generally failed to increase life-span. Furthermore, the free radical theory fails to explain why exercise causes higher levels of oxyradical damage, but generally promotes healthy aging. The separate anti-aging paradigms of genetic or caloric reductions in the insulin signaling pathway is thought to slow the rate of living to reduce metabolism, but recent evidence from Westbrook and Bartke suggests metabolism actually increases in long-lived mice. To unify these disparate theories and data, here, we propose the epigenetic oxidative redox shift (EORS) theory of aging. According to EORS, sedentary behavior associated with age triggers an oxidized redox shift and impaired mitochondrial function. In order to maintain resting energy levels, aerobic glycolysis is upregulated by redox-sensitive transcription factors. As emphasized by DeGrey, the need to supply NAD(+) for glucose oxidation and maintain redox balance with impaired mitochondrial NADH oxidoreductase requires the upregulation of other oxidoreductases. In contrast to the 2% inefficiency of mitochondrial reduction of oxygen to the oxyradical, these other oxidoreductases enable glycolytic energy production with a deleterious 100% efficiency in generating oxyradicals. To avoid this catastrophic cycle, lactate dehydrogenase is upregulated at the expense of lactic acid acidosis. This metabolic shift is epigenetically enforced, as is insulin resistance to reduce mitochondrial turnover. The low mitochondrial capacity for efficient production of energy reinforces a downward spiral of more sedentary behavior leading to accelerated aging, increased organ failure with stress, impaired immune and vascular functions and brain aging. Several steps in the pathway are amenable to reversal for exit from the vicious

  3. Sap-Sugar Content of Grafted Sugar Maple Trees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurice E. Jr. Demeritt; Maurice E. Jr. Demeritt

    1985-01-01

    In March and April 1983, 289 and 196 young grafted sugar maple trees were tapped and evaluated for sap-sugar content. In April, sap was collected from taps both above and below the graft union. Diameter of all tapped trees at 18 inches above the ground was measured. Analysis of the data revealed that: (1) trees selected for high sugar yield cannot be reproduced by...

  4. Microbial Development and Metabolic Engineering | Bioenergy | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diversity Our genetically engineered microbes utilize a variety of feedstock including cellulose, xylan , syngas, simple sugars, organic acids, and carbon dioxide (CO2). We have modified the metabolic pathways

  5. Microbial Mineral Colonization Across a Subsurface Redox Transition Zone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brandon eConverse

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available This study employed 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing to examine the hypothesis that chemolithotrophic Fe(II-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB would preferentially colonize the Fe(II-bearing mineral biotite compared to quartz sand when the minerals were incubated in situ within a subsurface redox transition zone (RTZ at the Hanford 300 Area site in Richland, WA, USA. The work was motivated by the recently documented presence of neutral-pH chemolithotrophic FeOB capable of oxidizing structural Fe(II in primary silicate and secondary phyllosilicate minerals in 300 Area sediments and groundwater (Benzine et al., 2013. Sterilized portions of sand+biotite or sand alone were incubated in situ for five months within a multilevel sampling (MLS apparatus that spanned a ca. 2-m interval across the RTZ in two separate groundwater wells. Parallel MLS measurements of aqueous geochemical species were performed prior to deployment of the minerals. Contrary to expectations, the 16S rRNA gene libraries showed no significant difference in microbial communities that colonized the sand+biotite versus sand-only deployments. Both mineral-associated and groundwater communities were dominated by heterotrophic taxa, with organisms from the Pseudomonaceae accounting for up to 70% of all reads from the colonized minerals. These results are consistent with previous results indicating the capacity for heterotrophic metabolism (including anaerobic metabolism below the RTZ as well as the predominance of heterotrophic taxa within 300 Area sediments and groundwater. Although heterotrophic organisms clearly dominated the colonized minerals, several putative lithotrophic (NH4+, H2, Fe(II, and HS- oxidizing taxa were detected in significant abundance above and within the RTZ. Such organisms may play a role in the coupling of anaerobic microbial metabolism to oxidative pathways with attendant impacts on elemental cycling and redox-sensitive contaminant behavior in the vicinity of the

  6. What do government agencies consider in the debate over added sugars?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klurfeld, David M

    2013-03-01

    The place of sugars in the U.S. diet is vigorously debated with much attention on added sugars, those added during processing or preparation of foodstuffs, particularly as they relate to obesity. Federal government agencies have different responsibilities related to the food supply including research, food safety, nutrition assistance, and labeling; therefore, the interpretation of evidence differs depending on the role of the agency. Some common references for government agency positions are the dietary reference intakes and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which together form the foundation for much of federal nutrition policy. Sugar consumption has increased in proportion to intake of other nutrients since 1980, when obesity began to increase substantially. Median intake of added sugars is ~12% of energy, whereas total sugar intake is ~22% of energy. Although there are differences in the way in which individual monosaccharides are metabolized, they are rarely consumed alone. A key issue related to obesity is likely the increased number of eating occasions and portion size for many indulgent foods; grain-based snacks have become the largest source of energy in the U.S. diet. There are currently insufficient data to justify a decision on regulation or taxation of sugar-containing foods and the like because the approach must be weighed against personal freedoms; the list of foods associated with obesity includes many commonly eaten items, and it is not likely that they are all causally related. Government should consider the totality of the evidence including the strength of the relationship of sugar intake with various health outcomes.

  7. The level of menadione redox-cycling in pancreatic β-cells is proportional to the glucose concentration: role of NADH and consequences for insulin secretion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heart, Emma; Palo, Meridith; Womack, Trayce; Smith, Peter J S; Gray, Joshua P

    2012-01-15

    Pancreatic β-cells release insulin in response to elevation of glucose from basal (4-7mM) to stimulatory (8-16mM) levels. Metabolism of glucose by the β-cell results in the production of low levels of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI), such as hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), a newly recognized coupling factor linking glucose metabolism to insulin secretion. However, high and toxic levels of H(2)O(2) inhibit insulin secretion. Menadione, which produces H(2)O(2) via redox cycling mechanism in a dose-dependent manner, was investigated for its effect on β-cell metabolism and insulin secretion in INS-1 832/13, a rat β-cell insulinoma cell line, and primary rodent islets. Menadione-dependent redox cycling and resulting H(2)O(2) production under stimulatory glucose exceeded several-fold those reached at basal glucose. This was paralleled by a differential effect of menadione (0.1-10μM) on insulin secretion, which was enhanced at basal, but inhibited at stimulatory glucose. Redox cycling of menadione and H(2)O(2) formation was dependent on glycolytically-derived NADH, as inhibition of glycolysis and application of non-glycogenic insulin secretagogues did not support redox cycling. In addition, activity of plasma membrane electron transport, a system dependent in part on glycolytically-derived NADH, was also inhibited by menadione. Menadione-dependent redox cycling was sensitive to the NQO1 inhibitor dicoumarol and the flavoprotein inhibitor diphenylene iodonium, suggesting a role for NQO1 and other oxidoreductases in this process. These data may explain the apparent dichotomy between the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of H(2)O(2) and menadione on insulin secretion. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. The Importance of Transition Metals in the Expanding Network of Microbial Metabolism in the Archean Eon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, E. K.; Jelen, B. I.; Giovannelli, D.; Prabhu, A.; Raanan, H.; Falkowski, P. G.

    2017-12-01

    Deep time changes in Earth surface redox conditions, particularly due to global oxygenation, has impacted the availability of different metals and substrates that are central in biology. Oxidoreductase proteins are molecular nanomachines responsible for all biological electron transfer processes across the tree of life. These enzymes largely contain transition metals in their active sites. Microbial metabolic pathways form a global network of electron transfer, which expanded throughout the Archean eon. Older metabolisms (sulfur reduction, methanogenesis, anoxygenic photosynthesis) accessed negative redox potentials, while later evolving metabolisms (oxygenic photosynthesis, nitrification/denitrification, aerobic respiration) accessed positive redox potentials. The incorporation of different transition metals facilitated biological innovation and the expansion of the network of microbial metabolism. Network analysis was used to examine the connections between microbial taxa, metabolic pathways, crucial metallocofactors, and substrates in deep time by incorporating biosignatures preserved in the geologic record. Nitrogen fixation and aerobic respiration have the highest level of betweenness among metabolisms in the network, indicating that the oldest metabolisms are not the most central. Fe has by far the highest betweenness among metals. Clustering analysis largely separates High Metal Bacteria (HMB), Low Metal Bacteria (LMB), and Archaea showing that simple un-weighted links between taxa, metabolism, and metals have phylogenetic relevance. On average HMB have the highest betweenness among taxa, followed by Archaea and LMB. There is a correlation between the number of metallocofactors and metabolic pathways in representative bacterial taxa, but Archaea do not follow this trend. In many cases older and more recently evolved metabolisms were clustered together supporting previous findings that proliferation of metabolic pathways is not necessarily chronological.

  9. Novel approaches to mitigating parathion toxicity: targeting cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism with menadione.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jan, Yi-Hua; Richardson, Jason R; Baker, Angela A; Mishin, Vladimir; Heck, Diane E; Laskin, Debra L; Laskin, Jeffrey D

    2016-08-01

    Accidental or intentional exposures to parathion, an organophosphorus (OP) pesticide, can cause severe poisoning in humans. Parathion toxicity is dependent on its metabolism by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system to paraoxon (diethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate), a highly poisonous nerve agent and potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. We have been investigating inhibitors of CYP-mediated bioactivation of OPs as a method of preventing or reversing progressive parathion toxicity. It is well recognized that NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, an enzyme required for the transfer of electrons to CYPs, mediates chemical redox cycling. In this process, the enzyme diverts electrons from CYPs to support chemical redox cycling, which results in inhibition of CYP-mediated biotransformation. Using menadione as the redox-cycling chemical, we discovered that this enzymatic reaction blocks metabolic activation of parathion in rat and human liver microsomes and in recombinant CYPs important to parathion metabolism, including CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP3A4. Administration of menadione to rats reduces metabolism of parathion, as well as parathion-induced inhibition of brain cholinesterase activity. This resulted in inhibition of parathion neurotoxicity. Menadione has relatively low toxicity and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for other indications. Its ability to block parathion metabolism makes it an attractive therapeutic candidate to mitigate parathion-induced neurotoxicity. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

  10. REDOX IMAGING OF THE p53-DEPENDENT MITOCHONDRIAL REDOX STATE IN COLON CANCER EX VIVO

    Science.gov (United States)

    XU, HE N.; FENG, MIN; MOON, LILY; DOLLOFF, NATHAN; EL-DEIRY, WAFIK; LI, LIN Z.

    2015-01-01

    The mitochondrial redox state and its heterogeneity of colon cancer at tissue level have not been previously reported. Nor has how p53 regulates mitochondrial respiration been measured at (deep) tissue level, presumably due to the unavailability of the technology that has sufficient spatial resolution and tissue penetration depth. Our prior work demonstrated that the mitochondrial redox state and its intratumor heterogeneity is associated with cancer aggressiveness in human melanoma and breast cancer in mouse models, with the more metastatic tumors exhibiting localized regions of more oxidized redox state. Using the Chance redox scanner with an in-plane spatial resolution of 200 μm, we imaged the mitochondrial redox state of the wild-type p53 colon tumors (HCT116 p53 wt) and the p53-deleted colon tumors (HCT116 p53−/−) by collecting the fluorescence signals of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and oxidized flavoproteins [Fp, including flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)] from the mouse xenografts snap-frozen at low temperature. Our results show that: (1) both tumor lines have significant degree of intratumor heterogeneity of the redox state, typically exhibiting a distinct bi-modal distribution that either correlates with the spatial core–rim pattern or the “hot/cold” oxidation-reduction patches; (2) the p53−/− group is significantly more heterogeneous in the mitochondrial redox state and has a more oxidized tumor core compared to the p53 wt group when the tumor sizes of the two groups are matched; (3) the tumor size dependence of the redox indices (such as Fp and Fp redox ratio) is significant in the p53−/− group with the larger ones being more oxidized and more heterogeneous in their redox state, particularly more oxidized in the tumor central regions; (4) the H&E staining images of tumor sections grossly correlate with the redox images. The present work is the first to reveal at the submillimeter scale the intratumor heterogeneity pattern

  11. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals key genes potentially related to soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation in watermelon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Lei; Zhao, Shengjie; Lu, Xuqiang; He, Nan; Zhu, Hongju; Dou, Junling

    2018-01-01

    Soluble sugars and organic acids are important components of fruit flavor and have a strong impact on the overall organoleptic quality of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) fruit. Several studies have analyzed the expression levels of the genes related to soluble sugar accumulation and the dynamic changes in their content during watermelon fruit development and ripening. Nevertheless, to date, there have been no reports on the organic acid content in watermelon or the genes regulating their synthesis. In this study, the soluble sugars and organic acids in watermelon were measured and a comparative transcriptome analysis was performed to identify the key genes involved in the accumulation of these substances during fruit development and ripening. The watermelon cultivar ‘203Z’ and its near-isogenic line (NIL) ‘SW’ (in the ‘203Z’ background) were used as experimental materials. The results suggested that soluble sugar consist of fructose, glucose and sucrose while malic-, citric-, and oxalic acids are the primary organic acids in watermelon fruit. Several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to soluble sugar- and organic acid accumulation and metabolism were identified. These include the DEGs encoding raffinose synthase, sucrose synthase (SuSy), sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPSs), insoluble acid invertases (IAI), NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase (NAD-cyt MDH), aluminum-activated malate transporter (ALMT), and citrate synthase (CS). This is the first report addressing comparative transcriptome analysis via NILs materials in watermelon fruit. These findings provide an important basis for understanding the molecular mechanism that leads to soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation and metabolism during watermelon fruit development and ripening. PMID:29324867

  12. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals key genes potentially related to soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation in watermelon.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Gao

    Full Text Available Soluble sugars and organic acids are important components of fruit flavor and have a strong impact on the overall organoleptic quality of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus fruit. Several studies have analyzed the expression levels of the genes related to soluble sugar accumulation and the dynamic changes in their content during watermelon fruit development and ripening. Nevertheless, to date, there have been no reports on the organic acid content in watermelon or the genes regulating their synthesis. In this study, the soluble sugars and organic acids in watermelon were measured and a comparative transcriptome analysis was performed to identify the key genes involved in the accumulation of these substances during fruit development and ripening. The watermelon cultivar '203Z' and its near-isogenic line (NIL 'SW' (in the '203Z' background were used as experimental materials. The results suggested that soluble sugar consist of fructose, glucose and sucrose while malic-, citric-, and oxalic acids are the primary organic acids in watermelon fruit. Several differentially expressed genes (DEGs related to soluble sugar- and organic acid accumulation and metabolism were identified. These include the DEGs encoding raffinose synthase, sucrose synthase (SuSy, sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPSs, insoluble acid invertases (IAI, NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase (NAD-cyt MDH, aluminum-activated malate transporter (ALMT, and citrate synthase (CS. This is the first report addressing comparative transcriptome analysis via NILs materials in watermelon fruit. These findings provide an important basis for understanding the molecular mechanism that leads to soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation and metabolism during watermelon fruit development and ripening.

  13. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals key genes potentially related to soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation in watermelon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Lei; Zhao, Shengjie; Lu, Xuqiang; He, Nan; Zhu, Hongju; Dou, Junling; Liu, Wenge

    2018-01-01

    Soluble sugars and organic acids are important components of fruit flavor and have a strong impact on the overall organoleptic quality of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) fruit. Several studies have analyzed the expression levels of the genes related to soluble sugar accumulation and the dynamic changes in their content during watermelon fruit development and ripening. Nevertheless, to date, there have been no reports on the organic acid content in watermelon or the genes regulating their synthesis. In this study, the soluble sugars and organic acids in watermelon were measured and a comparative transcriptome analysis was performed to identify the key genes involved in the accumulation of these substances during fruit development and ripening. The watermelon cultivar '203Z' and its near-isogenic line (NIL) 'SW' (in the '203Z' background) were used as experimental materials. The results suggested that soluble sugar consist of fructose, glucose and sucrose while malic-, citric-, and oxalic acids are the primary organic acids in watermelon fruit. Several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to soluble sugar- and organic acid accumulation and metabolism were identified. These include the DEGs encoding raffinose synthase, sucrose synthase (SuSy), sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPSs), insoluble acid invertases (IAI), NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase (NAD-cyt MDH), aluminum-activated malate transporter (ALMT), and citrate synthase (CS). This is the first report addressing comparative transcriptome analysis via NILs materials in watermelon fruit. These findings provide an important basis for understanding the molecular mechanism that leads to soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation and metabolism during watermelon fruit development and ripening.

  14. Sugar beet breeding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugar beet is a recent crop developed solely for extraction of the sweetener sucrose. Breeding and improvement of Beta vulgaris for sugar has a rich historical record. Sugar beet originated from fodder beet in the 1800s, and selection has increased sugar content from 4 to 6% then to over 18% today. ...

  15. Amino Sugars Enhance the Competitiveness of Beneficial Commensals with Streptococcus mutans through Multiple Mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Lin; Farivar, Tanaz; Burne, Robert A

    2016-06-15

    Biochemical and genetic aspects of the metabolism of the amino sugars N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and glucosamine (GlcN) by commensal oral streptococci and the effects of these sugars on interspecies competition with the dental caries pathogen Streptococcus mutans were explored. Multiple S. mutans wild-type isolates displayed long lag phases when transferred from glucose-containing medium to medium with GlcNAc as the primary carbohydrate source, but commensal streptococci did not. Competition in liquid coculture or dual-species biofilms between S. mutans and Streptococcus gordonii showed that S. gordonii was particularly dominant when the primary carbohydrate was GlcN or GlcNAc. Transcriptional and enzymatic assays showed that the catabolic pathway for GlcNAc was less highly induced in S. mutans than in S. gordonii Exposure to H2O2, which is produced by S. gordonii and antagonizes the growth of S. mutans, led to reduced mRNA levels of nagA and nagB in S. mutans When the gene for the transcriptional regulatory NagR was deleted in S. gordonii, the strain produced constitutively high levels of nagA (GlcNAc-6-P deacetylase), nagB (GlcN-6-P deaminase), and glmS (GlcN-6-P synthase) mRNA. Similar to NagR of S. mutans (NagRSm), the S. gordonii NagR protein (NagRSg) could bind to consensus binding sites (dre) in the nagA, nagB, and glmS promoter regions of S. gordonii Notably, NagRSg binding was inhibited by GlcN-6-P, but G-6-P had no effect, unlike for NagRSm This study expands the understanding of amino sugar metabolism and NagR-dependent gene regulation in streptococci and highlights the potential for therapeutic applications of amino sugars to prevent dental caries. Amino sugars are abundant in the biosphere, so the relative efficiency of particular bacteria in a given microbiota to metabolize these sources of carbon and nitrogen might have a profound impact on the ecology of the community. Our investigation reveals that several oral commensal bacteria have a much

  16. Increase The Sugar Concentration of The Solution Sugar by Reverse Osmotic Membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redjeki, S.; Hapsari, N.; Iriani

    2018-01-01

    Sugar is one of the basic needs of people and food and drink industry. As technology advances and the demand for efficient usage of sugar rises, crystal sugar is seen as less advantageous than liquid sugar. If sugar is always dissolved in water before use, then it will be more efficient and practical for consumers to use sugar in liquid form than in crystal form. Other than that, liquid sugar is also attractive to consumers because it is economical, hygienic, instantly soluble in hot and cold water, fresher and longer-lasting, able to thicken and enrich the texture of foods and drinks, and functions as sweetener, syrup, and flavor enhancer. Liquid sugar is also more beneficial for sugar producers because of simpler production process, cheaper production cost, and similar yield with no extra cost. In sugar production, separation process is found in most of its stages and therefore the use of membrane technology for separating solute and water content has a good potential. In this research, water content reduction of sugar solution was done in order to increase the sugar concentration of the solution. The parameters of this research were 4%, 5%, and 6% starting concentration of sugar solution; 20, 40, and 60 minutes of process time; and 85 and 60 PSI ΔP. The best result was acquired on 4% starting concentration, 60 PSI ΔP, and 60 minutes process time.

  17. Transcription Profiles Reveal Sugar and Hormone Signaling Pathways Mediating Flower Induction in Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xing, Li-Bo; Zhang, Dong; Li, You-Mei; Shen, Ya-Wen; Zhao, Cai-Ping; Ma, Juan-Juan; An, Na; Han, Ming-Yu

    2015-10-01

    Flower induction in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is regulated by complex gene networks that involve multiple signal pathways to ensure flower bud formation in the next year, but the molecular determinants of apple flower induction are still unknown. In this research, transcriptomic profiles from differentiating buds allowed us to identify genes potentially involved in signaling pathways that mediate the regulatory mechanisms of flower induction. A hypothetical model for this regulatory mechanism was obtained by analysis of the available transcriptomic data, suggesting that sugar-, hormone- and flowering-related genes, as well as those involved in cell-cycle induction, participated in the apple flower induction process. Sugar levels and metabolism-related gene expression profiles revealed that sucrose is the initiation signal in flower induction. Complex hormone regulatory networks involved in cytokinin (CK), abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid pathways also induce apple flower formation. CK plays a key role in the regulation of cell formation and differentiation, and in affecting flowering-related gene expression levels during these processes. Meanwhile, ABA levels and ABA-related gene expression levels gradually increased, as did those of sugar metabolism-related genes, in developing buds, indicating that ABA signals regulate apple flower induction by participating in the sugar-mediated flowering pathway. Furthermore, changes in sugar and starch deposition levels in buds can be affected by ABA content and the expression of the genes involved in the ABA signaling pathway. Thus, multiple pathways, which are mainly mediated by crosstalk between sugar and hormone signals, regulate the molecular network involved in bud growth and flower induction in apple trees. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists.

  18. Overexpression of the transcription factor Yap1 modifies intracellular redox conditions and enhances recombinant protein secretion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marizela Delic

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Oxidative folding of secretory proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER is a redox active process, which also impacts the redox conditions in the cytosol. As the transcription factor Yap1 is involved in the transcriptional response to oxidative stress, we investigate its role upon the production of secretory proteins, using the yeast Pichia pastoris as model, and report a novel important role of Yap1 during oxidative protein folding. Yap1 is needed for the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS caused by increased oxidative protein folding. Constitutive co-overexpression of PpYAP1 leads to increased levels of secreted recombinant protein, while a lowered Yap1 function leads to accumulation of ROS and strong flocculation. Transcriptional analysis revealed that more than 150 genes were affected by overexpression of YAP1, in particular genes coding for antioxidant enzymes or involved in oxidation-reduction processes. By monitoring intracellular redox conditions within the cytosol and the ER using redox-sensitive roGFP1 variants, we could show that overexpression of YAP1 restores cellular redox conditions of protein-secreting P. pastoris by reoxidizing the cytosolic redox state to the levels of the wild type. These alterations are also reflected by increased levels of oxidized intracellular glutathione (GSSG in the YAP1 co-overexpressing strain. Taken together, these data indicate a strong impact of intracellular redox balance on the secretion of (recombinant proteins without affecting protein folding per se. Re-establishing suitable redox conditions by tuning the antioxidant capacity of the cell reduces metabolic load and cell stress caused by high oxidative protein folding load, thereby increasing the secretion capacity.

  19. Metabolomic response of a marine bacterium to 3,6-anhydro-l-galactose, the rare sugar from red macroalgae, as the sole carbon source.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Eun Ju; Yu, Sora; Kim, Sooah; Kim, Kyoung Heon

    2018-03-20

    Marine red macroalgae have received much attention as sustainable resources for producing bio-based products. Therefore, understanding the metabolic pathways of carbohydrates from red macroalgae, in fermentative microorganisms, is crucial for efficient bioconversion of the carbohydrates into bio-based products. Recently, the novel catabolic pathway of 3,6-anhydro-l-galactose (AHG), the main component of red macroalgae, was discovered in a marine bacterium, Vibrio sp. strain EJY3. However, the global metabolic network in response to AHG remains unclear. Here, the intracellular metabolites of EJY3 grown on AHG, glucose, or galactose were comparatively profiled using gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The global metabolite profiling results revealed that the metabolic profile for AHG significantly differed from those for other common sugars. Specifically, the metabolic intermediate of the AHG pathway, 3,6-anhydrogalactonate, was detected during growth only in the presence of AHG; thus, the recently discovered key steps in AHG catabolism was found not to occur in the catabolism of other common sugars. Moreover, the levels of metabolic intermediates related to glycerolipid metabolism and valine biosynthesis were higher with AHG than those with other sugars. These comprehensive metabolomic analytical results for AHG in this marine bacterium can be used as the basis for having fermentative microbial strains to engineered to efficiently utilize AHG from macroalgal biomass. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Sugar Lego: gene composition of bacterial carbohydrate metabolism genomic loci.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaznadzey, Anna; Shelyakin, Pavel; Gelfand, Mikhail S

    2017-11-25

    Bacterial carbohydrate metabolism is extremely diverse, since carbohydrates serve as a major energy source and are involved in a variety of cellular processes. Bacterial genes belonging to same metabolic pathway are often co-localized in the chromosome, but it is not a strict rule. Gene co-localization in linked to co-evolution and co-regulation. This study focuses on a large-scale analysis of bacterial genomic loci related to the carbohydrate metabolism. We demonstrate that only 53% of 148,000 studied genes from over six hundred bacterial genomes are co-localized in bacterial genomes with other carbohydrate metabolism genes, which points to a significant role of singleton genes. Co-localized genes form cassettes, ranging in size from two to fifteen genes. Two major factors influencing the cassette-forming tendency are gene function and bacterial phylogeny. We have obtained a comprehensive picture of co-localization preferences of genes for nineteen major carbohydrate metabolism functional classes, over two hundred gene orthologous clusters, and thirty bacterial classes, and characterized the cassette variety in size and content among different species, highlighting a significant role of short cassettes. The preference towards co-localization of carbohydrate metabolism genes varies between 40 and 76% for bacterial taxa. Analysis of frequently co-localized genes yielded forty-five significant pairwise links between genes belonging to different functional classes. The number of such links per class range from zero to eight, demonstrating varying preferences of respective genes towards a specific chromosomal neighborhood. Genes from eleven functional classes tend to co-localize with genes from the same class, indicating an important role of clustering of genes with similar functions. At that, in most cases such co-localization does not originate from local duplication events. Overall, we describe a complex web formed by evolutionary relationships of bacterial

  1. Sustainability Issues and Opportunities in the Sugar and Sugar-Bioproduct Industries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gillian Eggleston

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Like many other industries, the sugar and sugar-bioproduct industries are facing important sustainability issues and opportunities. The relatively low and fluctuating profit for sugar, surpluses of sugar, world-wide trend to produce alternative, renewable bio-based fuels and chemicals to those derived from petroleum and reduce greenhouse gases, water- and energy-intensive factories and refineries, and increased consumer demands for sustainably manufactured products are putting pressure on the industries to diversify for sustainability. Sugar crops, including sugar and energy cane (Saccharum officinarum, sugar and energy beets (Beta vulgaris, and sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench, are excellent, renewable biomass feedstocks because of their availability, their being amongst the plants that give the highest yields of carbohydrates per hectare, and high sugar contents. While much research has been focused on conversion technologies for advanced biofuels and bioproducts, attention is now focused on developing sustainable supply chains of sugar feedstocks for the new, flexible biorefineries, with customers wanting maximum feedstock reliability and quality, while minimizing cost. All biomass from sugar crops are potential feedstocks. The cogeneration of bioelectricity from bagasse and leaf residues is being increasingly manufactured in more countries and, due to the high carbon content of bagasse and leaves, can also be converted into value-added products such as biochar. Sugar crops are superior feedstocks for the production of platform chemicals for the manufacture of a range of end-products, e.g., bioplastics, chemicals, and biomaterials. In several countries and regions, green sustainability criteria are now in place and have to be met to count against national biofuel targets. Processes to convert high-fiber sugar crop biomass into biofuel have been developed but there has only been limited commercialization at the large-scale.

  2. Role of potassium and nitrogen on sugar concentration of sugar beet

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Sugar is obtained from root of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) in addition to other sources. Three important economic parameters are often considered and these are root yield, sugar concentration in root juice and total sugar yield. All the three are affected by cropping period and use of fertilisers. Existing literature suggests the ...

  3. In vivo (31) P MRS assessment of intracellular NAD metabolites and NAD(+) /NADH redox state in human brain at 4 T.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Ming; Zhu, Xiao-Hong; Chen, Wei

    2016-07-01

    NAD(+) and NADH play key roles in cellular respiration. Intracellular redox state defined by the NAD(+) /NADH ratio (RX) reflects the cellular metabolic and physiopathological status. By taking advantage of high/ultrahigh magnetic field strengths, we have recently established a novel in vivo (31) P MRS-based NAD assay for noninvasive and quantitative measurements of intracellular NAD concentrations and redox state in animal and human brains at 16.4 T, 9.4 T and 7 T. To explore its potential for clinical application, in this study we investigated the feasibility of assessing the NAD metabolism and redox state in human brain at a lower field of 4 T by incorporating the (1) H-decoupling technique with the in vivo (31) P NAD assay. The use of (1) H decoupling significantly narrowed the linewidths of NAD and α-ATP resonances, resulting in higher sensitivity and better spectral resolution as compared with the (1) H-coupled (31) P spectrum. These improvements made it possible to reliably quantify cerebral NAD concentrations and RX, consistent with previously reported results obtained from similar age human subjects at 7 T. In summary, this work demonstrates the capability and utility of the (1) H-decoupled (31) P MRS-based NAD assay at lower field strength; thus, it opens new opportunities for studying intracellular NAD metabolism and redox state in human brain at clinical settings. This conclusion is supported by the simulation results, indicating that similar performance and reliability as observed at 4T can be achieved at 3 T with the same signal-to-noise ratio. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. The level of menadione redox-cycling in pancreatic β-cells is proportional to the glucose concentration: Role of NADH and consequences for insulin secretion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heart, Emma [Cellular Dynamics Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543 (United States); Palo, Meridith; Womack, Trayce [Department of Science, United States Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, 06320 (United States); Smith, Peter J.S. [Cellular Dynamics Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543 (United States); Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton (United Kingdom); Gray, Joshua P., E-mail: Joshua.p.gray@uscga.edu [Cellular Dynamics Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543 (United States); Department of Science, United States Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, 06320 (United States)

    2012-01-15

    Pancreatic β-cells release insulin in response to elevation of glucose from basal (4–7 mM) to stimulatory (8–16 mM) levels. Metabolism of glucose by the β-cell results in the production of low levels of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI), such as hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}), a newly recognized coupling factor linking glucose metabolism to insulin secretion. However, high and toxic levels of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} inhibit insulin secretion. Menadione, which produces H{sub 2}O{sub 2} via redox cycling mechanism in a dose-dependent manner, was investigated for its effect on β-cell metabolism and insulin secretion in INS-1 832/13, a rat β-cell insulinoma cell line, and primary rodent islets. Menadione-dependent redox cycling and resulting H{sub 2}O{sub 2} production under stimulatory glucose exceeded several-fold those reached at basal glucose. This was paralleled by a differential effect of menadione (0.1–10 μM) on insulin secretion, which was enhanced at basal, but inhibited at stimulatory glucose. Redox cycling of menadione and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} formation was dependent on glycolytically-derived NADH, as inhibition of glycolysis and application of non-glycogenic insulin secretagogues did not support redox cycling. In addition, activity of plasma membrane electron transport, a system dependent in part on glycolytically-derived NADH, was also inhibited by menadione. Menadione-dependent redox cycling was sensitive to the NQO1 inhibitor dicoumarol and the flavoprotein inhibitor diphenylene iodonium, suggesting a role for NQO1 and other oxidoreductases in this process. These data may explain the apparent dichotomy between the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and menadione on insulin secretion. -- Highlights: ► Menadione stimulation or inhibition of insulin secretion is dependent upon applied glucose levels. ► Menadione-dependent H{sub 2}O{sub 2} production is proportional to applied glucose levels. ► Quinone-mediated redox cycling

  5. The level of menadione redox-cycling in pancreatic β-cells is proportional to the glucose concentration: Role of NADH and consequences for insulin secretion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heart, Emma; Palo, Meridith; Womack, Trayce; Smith, Peter J.S.; Gray, Joshua P.

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic β-cells release insulin in response to elevation of glucose from basal (4–7 mM) to stimulatory (8–16 mM) levels. Metabolism of glucose by the β-cell results in the production of low levels of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI), such as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), a newly recognized coupling factor linking glucose metabolism to insulin secretion. However, high and toxic levels of H 2 O 2 inhibit insulin secretion. Menadione, which produces H 2 O 2 via redox cycling mechanism in a dose-dependent manner, was investigated for its effect on β-cell metabolism and insulin secretion in INS-1 832/13, a rat β-cell insulinoma cell line, and primary rodent islets. Menadione-dependent redox cycling and resulting H 2 O 2 production under stimulatory glucose exceeded several-fold those reached at basal glucose. This was paralleled by a differential effect of menadione (0.1–10 μM) on insulin secretion, which was enhanced at basal, but inhibited at stimulatory glucose. Redox cycling of menadione and H 2 O 2 formation was dependent on glycolytically-derived NADH, as inhibition of glycolysis and application of non-glycogenic insulin secretagogues did not support redox cycling. In addition, activity of plasma membrane electron transport, a system dependent in part on glycolytically-derived NADH, was also inhibited by menadione. Menadione-dependent redox cycling was sensitive to the NQO1 inhibitor dicoumarol and the flavoprotein inhibitor diphenylene iodonium, suggesting a role for NQO1 and other oxidoreductases in this process. These data may explain the apparent dichotomy between the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of H 2 O 2 and menadione on insulin secretion. -- Highlights: ► Menadione stimulation or inhibition of insulin secretion is dependent upon applied glucose levels. ► Menadione-dependent H 2 O 2 production is proportional to applied glucose levels. ► Quinone-mediated redox cycling is dependent on glycolysis

  6. Novel approaches to mitigating parathion toxicity: targeting cytochrome P450–mediated metabolism with menadione

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jan, Yi-Hua; Richardson, Jason R.; Baker, Angela A.; Mishin, Vladimir; Heck, Diane E.; Laskin, Debra L.; Laskin, Jeffrey D.

    2016-01-01

    Accidental or intentional exposures to parathion, an organophosphorus (OP) pesticide, can cause severe poisoning in humans. Parathion toxicity is dependent on its metabolism by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system to paraoxon (diethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate), a highly poisonous nerve agent and potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). We have been investigating inhibitors of CYP-mediated bioactivation of OPs as a method of preventing or reversing progressive parathion toxicity. It is well recognized that NADPH–cytochrome P450 reductase, an enzyme required for the transfer of electrons to CYPs, mediates chemical redox cycling. In this process, the enzyme diverts electrons from CYPs to support chemical redox cycling, which results in inhibition of CYP-mediated biotransformation. Using menadione as the redox-cycling chemical, we discovered that this enzymatic reaction blocks metabolic activation of parathion in rat and human liver microsomes and in recombinant CYPs important to parathion metabolism, including CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP3A4. Administration of menadione to rats reduces metabolism of parathion, as well as parathion-induced inhibition of brain cholinesterase activity. This resulted in inhibition of parathion neurotoxicity. Menadione has relatively low toxicity and is approved by the FDA for other indications. Its ability to block parathion metabolism makes it an attractive therapeutic candidate to mitigate parathion-induced neurotoxicity. PMID:27441453

  7. Managing your blood sugar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyperglycemia - control; Hypoglycemia - control; Diabetes - blood sugar control; Blood glucose - managing ... sugar ( hypoglycemia ) Recognize and treat high blood sugar ( hyperglycemia ) Plan healthy meals Monitor your blood sugar (glucose) ...

  8. Relationship between Added Sugars Consumption and Chronic Disease Risk Factors: Current Understanding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rippe, James M; Angelopoulos, Theodore J

    2016-11-04

    Added sugars are a controversial and hotly debated topic. Consumption of added sugars has been implicated in increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases including obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as well as cognitive decline and even some cancers. Support for these putative associations has been challenged, however, on a variety of fronts. The purpose of the current review is to summarize high impact evidence including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs), in an attempt to provide an overview of current evidence related to added sugars and health considerations. This paper is an extension of a symposium held at the Experimental Biology 2015 conference entitled "Sweeteners and Health: Current Understandings, Controversies, Recent Research Findings and Directions for Future Research". We conclude based on high quality evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCT), systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies that singling out added sugars as unique culprits for metabolically based diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease appears inconsistent with modern, high quality evidence and is very unlikely to yield health benefits. While it is prudent to consume added sugars in moderation, the reduction of these components of the diet without other reductions of caloric sources seems unlikely to achieve any meaningful benefit.

  9. Energy and fructose from beverages sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup pose a health risk for some people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bray, George A

    2013-03-01

    Sugar intake in the United States has increased by >40 fold since the American Revolution. The health concerns that have been raised about the amounts of sugar that are in the current diet, primarily as beverages, are the subject of this review. Just less than 50% of the added sugars (sugar and high-fructose corn syrup) are found in soft drinks and fruit drinks. The intake of soft drinks has increased 5-fold between 1950 and 2000. Most meta-analyses have shown that the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome are related to consumption of beverages sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. Calorically sweetened beverage intake has also been related to the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and, in men, gout. Calorically sweetened beverages contribute to obesity through their caloric load, and the intake of beverages does not produce a corresponding reduction in the intake of other food, suggesting that beverage calories are "add-on" calories. The increase in plasma triglyceride concentrations by sugar-sweetened beverages can be attributed to fructose rather than glucose in sugar. Several randomized trials of sugar-containing soft drinks versus low-calorie or calorie-free beverages show that either sugar, 50% of which is fructose, or fructose alone increases triglycerides, body weight, visceral adipose tissue, muscle fat, and liver fat. Fructose is metabolized primarily in the liver. When it is taken up by the liver, ATP decreases rapidly as the phosphate is transferred to fructose in a form that makes it easy to convert to lipid precursors. Fructose intake enhances lipogenesis and the production of uric acid. By worsening blood lipids, contributing to obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, and gout, fructose in the amounts currently consumed is hazardous to the health of some people.

  10. L-Rhamnose isomerase and its use for biotechnological production of rare sugars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Wei; Zhang, Wenli; Zhang, Tao; Jiang, Bo; Mu, Wanmeng

    2016-04-01

    L-Rhamnose isomerase (L-RI, EC 5.3.1.14), catalyzing the isomerization between L-rhamnose and L-rhamnulose, plays an important role in microbial L-rhamnose metabolism and thus occurs in a wide range of microorganisms. It attracts more and more attention because of its broad substrate specificity and its great potential in enzymatic production of various rare sugars. In this article, the enzymatic properties of various reported L-RIs were compared in detail, and their applications in the production of L-rhamnulose and various rare sugars including D-allose, D-gulose, L-lyxose, L-mannose, L-talose, and L-galactose were also reviewed.

  11. Role of nitric oxide synthase uncoupling at rostral ventrolateral medulla in redox-sensitive hypertension associated with metabolic syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Kay L H; Chao, Yung-Mei; Tsay, Shiow-Jen; Chen, Chen Hsiu; Chan, Samuel H H; Dovinova, Ima; Chan, Julie Y H

    2014-10-01

    Metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is rapidly becoming prevalent worldwide, is long known to be associated with hypertension and recently with oxidative stress. Of note is that oxidative stress in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), where sympathetic premotor neurons reside, contributes to sympathoexcitation and hypertension. This study sought to identify the source of tissue oxidative stress in RVLM and their roles in neural mechanism of hypertension associated with MetS. Adult normotensive rats subjected to a high-fructose diet for 8 weeks developed metabolic traits of MetS, alongside increases in sympathetic vasomotor activity and blood pressure. In RVLM of these MetS rats, the tissue level of reactive oxygen species was increased, nitric oxide (NO) was decreased, and mitochondrial electron transport capacity was reduced. Whereas the protein expression of neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) or protein inhibitor of nNOS was increased, the ratio of nNOS dimer/monomer was significantly decreased. Oral intake of pioglitazone or intracisternal infusion of tempol or coenzyme Q10 significantly abrogated all those molecular events in high-fructose diet-fed rats and ameliorated sympathoexcitation and hypertension. Gene silencing of protein inhibitor of nNOS mRNA in RVLM using lentivirus carrying small hairpin RNA inhibited protein inhibitor of nNOS expression, increased the ratio of nNOS dimer/monomer, restored NO content, and alleviated oxidative stress in RVLM of high-fructose diet-fed rats, alongside significantly reduced sympathoexcitation and hypertension. These results suggest that redox-sensitive and protein inhibitor of nNOS-mediated nNOS uncoupling is engaged in a vicious cycle that sustains the production of reactive oxygen species in RVLM, resulting in sympathoexcitation and hypertension associated with MetS. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

  12. Proteomic Analysis Reveals Coordinated Regulation of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis through Signal Transduction and Sugar Metabolism in Black Rice Leaf.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Linghua; Huang, Yining; Xu, Ming; Cheng, Zuxin; Zheng, Jingui

    2017-12-15

    Black rice ( Oryza sativa L.) is considered to be a healthy food due to its high content of anthocyanins in the pericarp. The synthetic pathway of anthocyanins in black rice grains has been identified, however, the proteomic profile of leaves during grain development is still unclear. Here, isobaric Tags Relative and Absolute Quantification (iTRAQ) MS/MS was carried out to identify statistically significant changes of leaf proteome in the black rice during grain development. Throughout three sequential developmental stages, a total of 3562 proteins were detected and 24 functional proteins were differentially expressed 3-10 days after flowering (DAF). The detected proteins are known to be involved in various biological processes and most of these proteins were related to gene expression regulatory (33.3%), signal transduction (16.7%) and developmental regulation and hormone-like proteins (12.5%). The coordinated changes were consistent with changes in regulatory proteins playing a leading role in leaves during black rice grain development. This indicated that signal transduction between leaves and grains may have an important role in anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation during grain development of black rice. In addition, four identified up-regulated proteins associated with starch metabolism suggested that the remobilization of nutrients for starch synthesis plays a potential role in anthocyanin biosynthesis of grain. The mRNA transcription for eight selected proteins was validated with quantitative real-time PCR. Our results explored the proteomics of the coordination between leaf and grain in anthocyanins biosynthesis of grain, which might be regulated by signal transduction and sugar metabolism in black rice leaf.

  13. Proteomic Analysis Reveals Coordinated Regulation of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis through Signal Transduction and Sugar Metabolism in Black Rice Leaf

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linghua Chen

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Black rice (Oryza sativa L. is considered to be a healthy food due to its high content of anthocyanins in the pericarp. The synthetic pathway of anthocyanins in black rice grains has been identified, however, the proteomic profile of leaves during grain development is still unclear. Here, isobaric Tags Relative and Absolute Quantification (iTRAQ MS/MS was carried out to identify statistically significant changes of leaf proteome in the black rice during grain development. Throughout three sequential developmental stages, a total of 3562 proteins were detected and 24 functional proteins were differentially expressed 3–10 days after flowering (DAF. The detected proteins are known to be involved in various biological processes and most of these proteins were related to gene expression regulatory (33.3%, signal transduction (16.7% and developmental regulation and hormone-like proteins (12.5%. The coordinated changes were consistent with changes in regulatory proteins playing a leading role in leaves during black rice grain development. This indicated that signal transduction between leaves and grains may have an important role in anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation during grain development of black rice. In addition, four identified up-regulated proteins associated with starch metabolism suggested that the remobilization of nutrients for starch synthesis plays a potential role in anthocyanin biosynthesis of grain. The mRNA transcription for eight selected proteins was validated with quantitative real-time PCR. Our results explored the proteomics of the coordination between leaf and grain in anthocyanins biosynthesis of grain, which might be regulated by signal transduction and sugar metabolism in black rice leaf.

  14. Metabolic and behavioural effects of sucrose and fructose/glucose drinks in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheludiakova, Anastasia; Rooney, Kieron; Boakes, Robert A

    2012-06-01

    Overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, in particular carbonated soft drinks, promotes the development of overweight and obesity and is associated with metabolic disturbances, including intrahepatic fat accumulation and metabolic syndrome. One theory proposes that drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup are particularly detrimental to health, as they contain fructose in its 'free' monosaccharide form. This experiment tested whether consuming 'free' fructose had a greater impact on body weight and metabolic abnormalities than when consumed 'bound' within the disaccharide sucrose. Male Hooded Wistar rats were given free access for 56 days to 10% sucrose (Group Suc), 10%, 50/50 fructose/glucose (Group FrucGluc) or water control drinks (Group Control), plus chow. Caloric intake and body weights were measured throughout the protocol, and the following metabolic indices were determined between days 54 and 56: serum triglycerides, liver triglycerides, retroperitoneal fat and oral glucose tolerance. Animals with access to sugar beverages consumed 20% more calories, but did not show greater weight gain than controls. Nevertheless, they developed larger abdominal fat pads, higher triglyceride levels and exhibited impaired insulin/glucose homeostasis. Comparison of the two sugars revealed increased fasting glycaemia in the FrucGluc group, but not in Suc group, whereas the Suc group was more active in an open field. A metabolic profile indicating increased risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease was observed in animals given access to sugar-sweetened beverages. Notably, 'free' fructose disrupted glucose homeostasis more than did 'bound' fructose, thus posing a greater risk of progression to type 2 diabetes.

  15. Compromised redox homeostasis, altered nitroso-redox balance, and therapeutic possibilities in atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Jillian N; Ziberna, Klemen; Casadei, Barbara

    2016-04-01

    Although the initiation, development, and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF) have been linked to alterations in myocyte redox state, the field lacks a complete understanding of the impact these changes may have on cellular signalling, atrial electrophysiology, and disease progression. Recent studies demonstrate spatiotemporal changes in reactive oxygen species production shortly after the induction of AF in animal models with an uncoupling of nitric oxide synthase activity ensuing in the presence of long-standing persistent AF, ultimately leading to a major shift in nitroso-redox balance. However, it remains unclear which radical or non-radical species are primarily involved in the underlying mechanisms of AF or which proteins are targeted for redox modification. In most instances, only free radical oxygen species have been assessed; yet evidence from the redox signalling field suggests that non-radical species are more likely to regulate cellular processes. A wider appreciation for the distinction of these species and how both species may be involved in the development and maintenance of AF could impact treatment strategies. In this review, we summarize how redox second-messenger systems are regulated and discuss the recent evidence for alterations in redox regulation in the atrial myocardium in the presence of AF, while identifying some critical missing links. We also examine studies looking at antioxidants for the prevention and treatment of AF and propose alternative redox targets that may serve as superior therapeutic options for the treatment of AF. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.

  16. Engineering redox balance through cofactor systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiulai; Li, Shubo; Liu, Liming

    2014-06-01

    Redox balance plays an important role in the production of enzymes, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. To meet the demands of industrial production, it is desirable that microbes maintain a maximal carbon flux towards target metabolites with no fluctuations in redox. This requires functional cofactor systems that support dynamic homeostasis between different redox states or functional stability in a given redox state. Redox balance can be achieved by improving the self-balance of a cofactor system, regulating the substrate balance of a cofactor system, and engineering the synthetic balance of a cofactor system. This review summarizes how cofactor systems can be manipulated to improve redox balance in microbes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Preprotein import into chloroplasts via the Toc and Tic complexes is regulated by redox signals in Pisum sativum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stengel, Anna; Benz, J Philipp; Buchanan, Bob B; Soll, Jürgen; Bölter, Bettina

    2009-11-01

    The import of nuclear-encoded preproteins is necessary to maintain chloroplast function. The recognition and transfer of most precursor proteins across the chloroplast envelopes are facilitated by two membrane-inserted protein complexes, the translocons of the chloroplast outer and inner envelope (Toc and Tic complexes, respectively). Several signals have been invoked to regulate the import of preproteins. In our study, we were interested in redox-based import regulation mediated by two signals: regulation based on thiols and on the metabolic NADP+/NADPH ratio. We sought to identify the proteins participating in the regulation of these transport pathways and to characterize the preprotein subgroups whose import is redox-dependent. Our results provide evidence that the formation and reduction of disulfide bridges in the Toc receptors and Toc translocation channel have a strong influence on import yield of all tested preproteins that depend on the Toc complex for translocation. Furthermore, the metabolic NADP+/NADPH ratio influences not only the composition of the Tic complex, but also the import efficiency of most, but not all, preproteins tested. Thus, several Tic subcomplexes appear to participate in the translocation of different preprotein subgroups, and the redox-active components of these complexes likely play a role in regulating transport.

  18. Sugar sensing by ChREBP/Mondo-Mlx-new insight into downstream regulatory networks and integration of nutrient-derived signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Havula, Essi; Hietakangas, Ville

    2018-04-01

    Animals regulate their physiology with respect to nutrient status, which requires nutrient sensing pathways. Simple carbohydrates, sugars, are sensed by the basic-helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factors ChREBP/Mondo, together with their heterodimerization partner Mlx, which are well-established activators of sugar-induced lipogenesis. Loss of ChREBP/Mondo-Mlx in mouse and Drosophila leads to sugar intolerance, that is, inability to survive on sugar containing diet. Recent evidence has revealed that ChREBP/Mondo-Mlx responds to sugar and fatty acid-derived metabolites through several mechanisms and cross-connects with other nutrient sensing pathways. ChREBP/Mondo-Mlx controls several downstream transcription factors and hormones, which mediate not only readjustment of metabolic pathways, but also control feeding behavior, intestinal digestion, and circadian rhythm. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  19. Optimizing sample pretreatment for compound-specific stable carbon isotopic analysis of amino sugars in marine sediment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, R.; Lin, Y.-S.; Lipp, J. S.; Meador, T. B.; Hinrichs, K.-U.

    2014-09-01

    Amino sugars are quantitatively significant constituents of soil and marine sediment, but their sources and turnover in environmental samples remain poorly understood. The stable carbon isotopic composition of amino sugars can provide information on the lifestyles of their source organisms and can be monitored during incubations with labeled substrates to estimate the turnover rates of microbial populations. However, until now, such investigation has been carried out only with soil samples, partly because of the much lower abundance of amino sugars in marine environments. We therefore optimized a procedure for compound-specific isotopic analysis of amino sugars in marine sediment, employing gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The whole procedure consisted of hydrolysis, neutralization, enrichment, and derivatization of amino sugars. Except for the derivatization step, the protocol introduced negligible isotopic fractionation, and the minimum requirement of amino sugar for isotopic analysis was 20 ng, i.e., equivalent to ~8 ng of amino sugar carbon. Compound-specific stable carbon isotopic analysis of amino sugars obtained from marine sediment extracts indicated that glucosamine and galactosamine were mainly derived from organic detritus, whereas muramic acid showed isotopic imprints from indigenous bacterial activities. The δ13C analysis of amino sugars provides a valuable addition to the biomarker-based characterization of microbial metabolism in the deep marine biosphere, which so far has been lipid oriented and biased towards the detection of archaeal signals.

  20. Determining the Control Circuitry of Redox Metabolism at the Genome-Scale

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Federowicz, Stephen; Kim, Donghyuk; Ebrahim, Ali

    2014-01-01

    -scale metabolic model to show that ArcA and Fnr regulate >80% of total metabolic flux and 96% of differential gene expression across fermentative and nitrate respiratory conditions. Based on the data, we propose a feedforward with feedback trim regulatory scheme, given the extensive repression of catabolic genes...

  1. A target oriented expeditious approach towards synthesis of certain bacterial rare sugar derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudhury, Aritra; Ghosh, Rina

    2017-02-07

    Bacterial rare amino deoxy sugars are found in the cell surface polysaccharides of multiple pathogenic bacterial strains, but are absent in the human metabolism. This helps in the differentiation between pathogens and host cells which can be exploited for target specific drug discovery and carbohydrate based vaccine development. The principal bacterial atypical sugar derivatives include 2-acetamido-4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-galactose (AAT), 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-galactose (DATDG) and N-acetylfucosamine (FucNAc). Herein, a highly streamlined protocol leading to the aforesaid derivatives is presented. The highlights of the method lie in radical mediated 6-deoxygenation along with a one-pot like protection profile manipulation on suitably derivatised d-glucosamine or d-mannose motifs to obtain a vital quinovosaminoside or rhamnoside from which rare sugar derivatives were synthesized in a diversity oriented manner.

  2. Dissecting Redox Biology Using Fluorescent Protein Sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwarzländer, Markus; Dick, Tobias P; Meyer, Andreas J; Morgan, Bruce

    2016-05-01

    Fluorescent protein sensors have revitalized the field of redox biology by revolutionizing the study of redox processes in living cells and organisms. Within one decade, a set of fundamental new insights has been gained, driven by the rapid technical development of in vivo redox sensing. Redox-sensitive yellow and green fluorescent protein variants (rxYFP and roGFPs) have been the central players. Although widely used as an established standard tool, important questions remain surrounding their meaningful use in vivo. We review the growing range of thiol redox sensor variants and their application in different cells, tissues, and organisms. We highlight five key findings where in vivo sensing has been instrumental in changing our understanding of redox biology, critically assess the interpretation of in vivo redox data, and discuss technical and biological limitations of current redox sensors and sensing approaches. We explore how novel sensor variants may further add to the current momentum toward a novel mechanistic and integrated understanding of redox biology in vivo. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 24, 680-712.

  3. Redox Buffer Strength

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Levie, Robert

    1999-04-01

    The proper functioning of enzymes in bodily fluids requires that the pH be maintained within rather narrow limits. The first line of defense against large pH fluctuations in such fluids is the passive control provided by the presence of pH buffers. The ability of pH buffers to stabilize the pH is indicated by the buffer value b introduced in 1922 by van Slyke. It is equally important for many enzymes that the redox potential is kept within a narrow range. In that case, stability of the potential is most readily achieved with a redox buffer. In this communication we define the redox buffer strength by analogy with acid-base buffer strength.

  4. Characterization of mammalian selenoprotein o: a redox-active mitochondrial protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Seong-Jeong; Lee, Byung Cheon; Yim, Sun Hee; Gladyshev, Vadim N; Lee, Seung-Rock

    2014-01-01

    Selenoproteins exhibit diverse biological functions, most of which are associated with redox control. However, the functions of approximately half of mammalian selenoproteins are not known. One such protein is Selenoprotein O (SelO), the largest mammalian selenoprotein with orthologs found in a wide range of organisms, including bacteria and yeast. Here, we report characterization of mammalian SelO. Expression of this protein could be verified in HEK 293T cells by metabolic labeling of cells with 75Se, and it was abolished when selenocysteine was replaced with serine. A CxxU motif was identified in the C-terminal region of SelO. This protein was reversibly oxidized in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in HEK 293T cells when cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide. This treatment led to the formation of a transient 88 kDa SelO-containing complex. The formation of this complex was enhanced by replacing the CxxU motif with SxxC, but abolished when it was replaced with SxxS, suggesting a redox interaction of SelO with another protein through its Sec residue. SelO was localized to mitochondria and expressed across mouse tissues. Its expression was little affected by selenium deficiency, suggesting it has a high priority for selenium supply. Taken together, these results show that SelO is a redox-active mitochondrial selenoprotein.

  5. Characterization of mammalian selenoprotein o: a redox-active mitochondrial protein.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seong-Jeong Han

    Full Text Available Selenoproteins exhibit diverse biological functions, most of which are associated with redox control. However, the functions of approximately half of mammalian selenoproteins are not known. One such protein is Selenoprotein O (SelO, the largest mammalian selenoprotein with orthologs found in a wide range of organisms, including bacteria and yeast. Here, we report characterization of mammalian SelO. Expression of this protein could be verified in HEK 293T cells by metabolic labeling of cells with 75Se, and it was abolished when selenocysteine was replaced with serine. A CxxU motif was identified in the C-terminal region of SelO. This protein was reversibly oxidized in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in HEK 293T cells when cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide. This treatment led to the formation of a transient 88 kDa SelO-containing complex. The formation of this complex was enhanced by replacing the CxxU motif with SxxC, but abolished when it was replaced with SxxS, suggesting a redox interaction of SelO with another protein through its Sec residue. SelO was localized to mitochondria and expressed across mouse tissues. Its expression was little affected by selenium deficiency, suggesting it has a high priority for selenium supply. Taken together, these results show that SelO is a redox-active mitochondrial selenoprotein.

  6. NMR-Metabolic Methodology in the Study of GM Foods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irene D’Amico

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The 1H-NMR methodology used in the study of genetically modified (GM foods is discussed. Transgenic lettuce (Lactuca sativa cv "Luxor" over-expressing the Arabidopsis KNAT1 gene is presented as a case study. Twenty-two water-soluble metabolites (amino acids, organic acids, sugars present in leaves of conventional and GM lettuce were monitored by NMR and quantified at two developmental stages. The NMR spectra did not reveal any difference in metabolite composition between the GM lettuce and the wild type counterpart. Statistical analyses of metabolite variables highlighted metabolism variation as a function of leaf development as well as the transgene. A main effect of the transgene was in altering sugar metabolism.

  7. Organic Acids: The Pools of Fixed Carbon Involved in Redox Regulation and Energy Balance in Higher Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abir U Igamberdiev

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Organic acids are synthesized in plants as a result of the incomplete oxidation of photosynthetic products and represent the stored pools of fixed carbon accumulated due to different transient times of conversion of carbon compounds in metabolic pathways. When redox level in the cell increases, e.g., in conditions of active photosynthesis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle in mitochondria is transformed to a partial cycle supplying citrate for the synthesis of 2-oxoglutarate and glutamate (citrate valve, while malate is accumulated and participates in the redox balance in different cell compartments (via malate valve. This results in malate and citrate frequently being the most accumulated acids in plants. However, the intensity of reactions linked to the conversion of these compounds can cause preferential accumulation of other organic acids, e.g., fumarate or isocitrate, in higher concentrations than malate and citrate. The secondary reactions, associated with the central metabolic pathways, in particularly with the TCA cycle, result in accumulation of other organic acids that are derived from the intermediates of the cycle. They form the additional pools of fixed carbon and stabilize the TCA cycle. Trans-aconitate is formed from citrate or cis-aconitate, accumulation of hydroxycitrate can be linked to metabolism of 2-oxoglutarate, while 4-hydroxy-2-oxoglutarate can be formed from pyruvate and glyoxylate. Glyoxylate, a product of either glycolate oxidase or isocitrate lyase, can be converted to oxalate. Malonate is accumulated at high concentrations in legume plants. Organic acids play a role in plants in providing redox equilibrium, supporting ionic gradients on membranes, and acidification of the extracellular medium.

  8. Protocols to Study Growth and Metabolism in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strassburger, Katrin; Teleman, Aurelio A

    2016-01-01

    Signaling pathways such as the insulin/insulin-like growth factor pathway concurrently regulate organismal growth and metabolism. Drosophila has become a popular model system for studying both organismal growth and metabolic regulation. Care must be taken, however, when assessing such phenotypes because they are quantitative in nature, and influenced by environment. This chapter first describes how to control animal age and nutrient availability, since growth and metabolism are sensitive to these parameters. It then provides protocols for measuring tissue growth, cell size, and metabolic parameters such as stored lipids and glycogen, and circulating sugars.

  9. Inborn Errors of Metabolism with Acidosis: Organic Acidemias and Defects of Pyruvate and Ketone Body Metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schillaci, Lori-Anne P; DeBrosse, Suzanne D; McCandless, Shawn E

    2018-04-01

    When a child presents with high-anion gap metabolic acidosis, the pediatrician can proceed with confidence by recalling some basic principles. Defects of organic acid, pyruvate, and ketone body metabolism that present with acute acidosis are reviewed. Flowcharts for identifying the underlying cause and initiating life-saving therapy are provided. By evaluating electrolytes, blood sugar, lactate, ammonia, and urine ketones, the provider can determine the likelihood of an inborn error of metabolism. Freezing serum, plasma, and urine samples during the acute presentation for definitive diagnostic testing at the provider's convenience aids in the differential diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Effect of atmospheric fluoride on plant metabolism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suketa, Y; Yamamoto, T

    1971-05-01

    Studies on the relationship between the exposure factor and foliar deposition of fluoride, or foliar burn, are introduced. Photosynthesis is adversely affected by atmospheric fluoride. The photosynthesis of a strawberry deteriorated by 50% when the strawberry was exposed to 48 ppb hydrofluoric acid for one hour. The effect of fluoride on the respiratory organs of plants is also reported. Soy beans exposed to 0.03 ppm HF had metabolic abnormalities. The total sugar quantity of leaves decreased from 242-253 mg/100 g to 111-141 mg/100 g and the non-reduced sugar/reduced sugar ratio decreased from 4.6-8.7 to 0.8-1.6. 30 references, 3 figures, 14 tables.

  11. Oscillospira and related bacteria - from metagenomics species to metabolic features

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gophna, Uri; Konikoff, Tom; Nielsen, Henrik Bjørn

    2017-01-01

    and manual metabolic pathway curation to decipher key metabolic features of this intriguing bacterial genus. We infer that Oscillospira species are butyrate producers, and at least some of them have the ability to utilize glucuronate, a common animal-derived sugar that is both produced by the human host...

  12. Redox Flow Batteries, a Review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Knoxville, U. Tennessee; U. Texas Austin; U, McGill; Weber, Adam Z.; Mench, Matthew M.; Meyers, Jeremy P.; Ross, Philip N.; Gostick, Jeffrey T.; Liu, Qinghua

    2011-07-15

    Redox flow batteries are enjoying a renaissance due to their ability to store large amounts of electrical energy relatively cheaply and efficiently. In this review, we examine the components of redox flow batteries with a focus on understanding the underlying physical processes. The various transport and kinetic phenomena are discussed along with the most common redox couples.

  13. The Intra- or Extracellular Redox State Was Not Affected by a High vs. Low Glycemic Response Diet in Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleckner, Amber S.; Wong, Siu; Corkey, Barbara E.

    2015-01-01

    A low glycemic response (LGR) vs. high glycemic response (HGR) diet helps curtail the development of obesity and diabetes, though the mechanisms are unknown. We hypothesized that consumption of a HGR vs. a LGR diet would lead to a more oxidized circulating redox state and predicted that a HGR diet would increase fat accumulation, reduce insulin sensitivity, and impair metabolic acclimation to a high fat diet in a mouse model. Hence, male C57BL/6 mice consumed a HGR or LGR diet for 16 weeks and a subset of the mice subsequently consumed a high fat diet for 4 weeks. We found that body mass increased at a faster rate for those consuming the HGR diet. Percent body fat was greater and percent lean mass was lesser in the HGR group starting at 12 weeks. However, the groups did not differ in terms of glucose tolerance at week 14 and metabolic parameters (respiratory exchange ratio, heat production, activity) at weeks 4 or 15. Moreover, mice on either diet did not show differences in metabolic acclimation to the high fat leg of the study. At the termination of the study, the groups did not differ in terms of redox pairs (lactate/pyruvate and β-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate) or thioredoxin reductase activity in blood. Also, total and oxidized glutathione levels and lipid peroxidation were similar in blood and liver. Correlations between baseline measures, longitudinal parameters, environmental conditions, and terminal metrics revealed that individual mice have innate propensities to metabolic regulation that may be difficult to perturb with diet alone; for example, starting mass correlated negatively with energy expenditure 4 weeks into the study and total hepatic glutathione at the end of the study. In conclusion, these data suggest that the mechanism by which HGR carbohydrates contributes to obesity is not via prolonged oxidation of the circulating redox state. PMID:26030878

  14. The Intra- or Extracellular Redox State Was Not Affected by a High vs. Low Glycemic Response Diet in Mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amber S Kleckner

    Full Text Available A low glycemic response (LGR vs. high glycemic response (HGR diet helps curtail the development of obesity and diabetes, though the mechanisms are unknown. We hypothesized that consumption of a HGR vs. a LGR diet would lead to a more oxidized circulating redox state and predicted that a HGR diet would increase fat accumulation, reduce insulin sensitivity, and impair metabolic acclimation to a high fat diet in a mouse model. Hence, male C57BL/6 mice consumed a HGR or LGR diet for 16 weeks and a subset of the mice subsequently consumed a high fat diet for 4 weeks. We found that body mass increased at a faster rate for those consuming the HGR diet. Percent body fat was greater and percent lean mass was lesser in the HGR group starting at 12 weeks. However, the groups did not differ in terms of glucose tolerance at week 14 and metabolic parameters (respiratory exchange ratio, heat production, activity at weeks 4 or 15. Moreover, mice on either diet did not show differences in metabolic acclimation to the high fat leg of the study. At the termination of the study, the groups did not differ in terms of redox pairs (lactate/pyruvate and β-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate or thioredoxin reductase activity in blood. Also, total and oxidized glutathione levels and lipid peroxidation were similar in blood and liver. Correlations between baseline measures, longitudinal parameters, environmental conditions, and terminal metrics revealed that individual mice have innate propensities to metabolic regulation that may be difficult to perturb with diet alone; for example, starting mass correlated negatively with energy expenditure 4 weeks into the study and total hepatic glutathione at the end of the study. In conclusion, these data suggest that the mechanism by which HGR carbohydrates contributes to obesity is not via prolonged oxidation of the circulating redox state.

  15. Kinetics of growth and sugar consumption in yeasts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Dijken, J P; Weusthuis, R A; Pronk, J T

    1993-01-01

    An overview is presented of the steady- and transient state kinetics of growth and formation of metabolic byproducts in yeasts. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is strongly inclined to perform alcoholic fermentation. Even under fully aerobic conditions, ethanol is produced by this yeast when sugars are present in excess. This so-called 'Crabtree effect' probably results from a multiplicity of factors, including the mode of sugar transport and the regulation of enzyme activities involved in respiration and alcoholic fermentation. The Crabtree effect in S. cerevisiae is not caused by an intrinsic inability to adjust its respiratory activity to high glycolytic fluxes. Under certain cultivation conditions, for example during growth in the presence of weak organic acids, very high respiration rates can be achieved by this yeast. S. cerevisiae is an exceptional yeast since, in contrast to most other species that are able to perform alcoholic fermentation, it can grow under strictly anaerobic conditions. 'Non-Saccharomyces' yeasts require a growth-limiting supply of oxygen (i.e. oxygen-limited growth conditions) to trigger alcoholic fermentation. However, complete absence of oxygen results in cessation of growth and therefore, ultimately, of alcoholic fermentation. Since it is very difficult to reproducibly achieve the right oxygen dosage in large-scale fermentations, non-Saccharomyces yeasts are therefore not suitable for large-scale alcoholic fermentation of sugar-containing waste streams. In these yeasts, alcoholic fermentation is also dependent on the type of sugar. For example, the facultatively fermentative yeast Candida utilis does not ferment maltose, not even under oxygen-limited growth conditions, although this disaccharide supports rapid oxidative growth.

  16. The Truth about Sugar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeung, C Albert; Goodfellow, Ashley; Flanagan, Louise

    2015-01-01

    Sugars are used by the industry to enhance the attractiveness of foods and drinks. These added sugars, or 'free sugars', are not easily identified in food or drink labels. Certain manufactured foods and drinks with 'safe' names, such as dried fruit and fruit juice, still contain free sugars and can be confusing. Guidance states that daily consumption of free sugars should be less than 10% of total energy intake (no more than 5% in the UK). However, it is found that both tooth decay and obesity are associated with consumption of free sugars in large quantities and at inappropriate times.

  17. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Are the Main Sources of Added Sugar Intake in the Mexican Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Pimienta, Tania G; Batis, Carolina; Lutter, Chessa K; Rivera, Juan A

    2016-09-01

    Sugar intake has been associated with an increased prevalence of obesity, other noncommunicable diseases, and dental caries. The WHO recommends that free sugars should be ENSANUT (National Health and Nutrition Survey) 2012], which represents 3 geographic regions and urban and rural areas. Dietary information was obtained by administering a 24-h recall questionnaire to 10,096 participants. Total sugar intake was estimated by using the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) food-composition table and an established method to estimate added sugars. The mean intakes of total, intrinsic, and added sugars were 365, 127, and 238 kcal/d, respectively. Added sugars contributed 13% of TEI. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) were the main source of sugars, contributing 69% of added sugars. Food products high in saturated fat and/or added sugar (HSFAS) were the second main sources of added sugars, contributing 25% of added sugars. The average intake of added sugars in the Mexican diet is higher than WHO recommendations, which may partly explain the high prevalence of obesity and diabetes in Mexico. Because SSBs and HSFAS contribute >94% of total added sugars, strategies to reduce their intake should be strengthened. This includes stronger food labels to warn the consumer about the content of added sugars in foods and beverages. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

  18. 75 FR 60715 - Domestic Sugar Program-FY 2010 and FY 2011 Cane Sugar and Beet Sugar Marketing Allotments and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... marketing allotment and the associated production history will be transferred from MDFC to WSG, effective... Cane Sugar and Beet Sugar Marketing Allotments and Company Allocations AGENCY: Commodity Credit... publish the modifications to the fiscal year 2010 (FY 2010) State sugar marketing allotments and company...

  19. Biochemical characterisation and dietary fibre analysis of sugar beet supplemented cookies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pasha, I.; Jahangir, M.F.; Akhter, S.; Manzoor, M.S.

    2016-01-01

    This study was planned to utilize sugar beet powder as a rich source of dietary fibre in cookies. Purposely, five treatments namely T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 with 4%, 8%, 12%, 16% and 20% sugar beet powder addition in wheat flour were chosen to estimate fibre, antioxidant profiling and engineering properties of cookies. Results showed an increased content of all above mentioned parameters. With the increment in sugar beet powder addition in treatments, dietary fibre analysis have shown that total dietary fibre (TDF), insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) and soluble dietary fibre (SDF) have depicted increasing trend with maximum for T5 for all dietary fibre types. Significant results were obtained for in vitro antioxidant studies including total phenolic content (TPC) and DPPH that showed increasing trend with T1 0.6 mg GAE/g and maximum values for T5 with 2.0 mg GAE/g for TPC and for DPPH with T5 being maximum value of 1.7% and minimum for T1 with 1.3%. T5 treatment with 20% sugar beet gave best physicochemical results but disturbed sensory properties while T3 with 12% sugar beet powder showed good physicochemical and sensory characteristics. Therefore, T3 with 12% level is considered as the best source of dietary fibre in bakery products and can be considered as the prospective choice to address metabolic syndromes. (author)

  20. 21 CFR 173.320 - Chemicals for controlling microorganisms in cane-sugar and beet-sugar mills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ...-sugar and beet-sugar mills. 173.320 Section 173.320 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... controlling microorganisms in cane-sugar and beet-sugar mills. Agents for controlling microorganisms in cane-sugar and beet-sugar mills may be safely used in accordance with the following conditions: (a) They are...

  1. Redox electrode materials for supercapatteries

    OpenAIRE

    Yu, Linpo; Chen, George Z.

    2016-01-01

    Redox electrode materials, including transition metal oxides and electronically conducting polymers, are capable of faradaic charge transfer reactions, and play important roles in most electrochemical energy storage devices, such as supercapacitor, battery and supercapattery. Batteries are often based on redox materials with low power capability and safety concerns in some cases. Supercapacitors, particularly those based on redox inactive materials, e.g. activated carbon, can offer high power...

  2. Seasonal alteration of sugar metabolism in strawberry (Fragaria x ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ece TURHAN

    2012-03-08

    Mar 8, 2012 ... Environmental stresses affect enzymes involved in both synthesis and ... concentration on low temperature metabolism in straw- beery plant is very ... assayed in apo- plastic extracts and symplastic tissues obtained from both.

  3. In Vitro Effects of Sports and Energy Drinks on Streptococcus mutans Biofilm Formation and Metabolic Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinson, LaQuia A; Goodlett, Amy K; Huang, Ruijie; Eckert, George J; Gregory, Richard L

    2017-09-15

    Sports and energy drinks are being increasingly consumed and contain large amounts of sugars, which are known to increase Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation and metabolic activity. The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effects of sports and energy drinks on S. mutans biofilm formation and metabolic activity. S. mutans UA159 was cultured with and without a dilution (1:3 ratio) of a variety of sports and energy drinks in bacterial media for 24 hours. The biofilm was washed, fixed, and stained. Biofilm growth was evaluated by reading absorbance of the crystal violet. Biofilm metabolic activity was measured by the biofilm-reducing XTT to a water-soluble orange compound. Gatorade Protein Recovery Shake and Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso Energy were found to significantly increase biofilm (30-fold and 22-fold, respectively) and metabolic activity (2-fold and 3-fold, respectively). However, most of the remaining drinks significantly inhibited biofilm growth and metabolic activity. Several sports and energy drinks, with sugars or sugar substitutes as their main ingredients inhibited S. mutans biofilm formation. Among the drinks evaluated, Gatorade Protein Recovery Chocolate Shake and Starbucks Doubleshot Energy appear to have cariogenic potential since they increased the biofilm formation and metabolic activity of S. mutans.

  4. Identification of redox-sensitive cysteines in the arabidopsis proteome using OxiTRAQ, a quantitative redox proteomics method

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Pei

    2014-01-28

    Cellular redox status plays a key role in mediating various physiological and developmental processes often through modulating activities of redox-sensitive proteins. Various stresses trigger over-production of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species which lead to oxidative modifications of redox-sensitive proteins. Identification and characterization of redox-sensitive proteins are important steps toward understanding molecular mechanisms of stress responses. Here, we report a high-throughput quantitative proteomic approach termed OxiTRAQ for identifying proteins whose thiols undergo reversible oxidative modifications in Arabidopsis cells subjected to oxidative stress. In this approach, a biotinylated thiol-reactive reagent is used for differential labeling of reduced and oxidized thiols. The biotin-tagged peptides are affinity purified, labeled with iTRAQ reagents, and analyzed using a paralleled HCD-CID fragmentation mode in an LTQ-Orbitrap. With this approach, we identified 195 cysteine-containing peptides from 179 proteins whose thiols underwent oxidative modifications in Arabidopsis cells following the treatment with hydrogen peroxide. A majority of those redox-sensitive proteins, including several transcription factors, were not identified by previous redox proteomics studies. This approach allows identification of the specific redox-regulated cysteine residues, and offers an effective tool for elucidation of redox proteomes. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. A synthetic system links FeFe-hydrogenases to essential E. coli sulfur metabolism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grandl Gerald

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background FeFe-hydrogenases are the most active class of H2-producing enzymes known in nature and may have important applications in clean H2 energy production. Many potential uses are currently complicated by a crucial weakness: the active sites of all known FeFe-hydrogenases are irreversibly inactivated by O2. Results We have developed a synthetic metabolic pathway in E. coli that links FeFe-hydrogenase activity to the production of the essential amino acid cysteine. Our design includes a complementary host strain whose endogenous redox pool is insulated from the synthetic metabolic pathway. Host viability on a selective medium requires hydrogenase expression, and moderate O2 levels eliminate growth. This pathway forms the basis for a genetic selection for O2 tolerance. Genetically selected hydrogenases did not show improved stability in O2 and in many cases had lost H2 production activity. The isolated mutations cluster significantly on charged surface residues, suggesting the evolution of binding surfaces that may accelerate hydrogenase electron transfer. Conclusions Rational design can optimize a fully heterologous three-component pathway to provide an essential metabolic flux while remaining insulated from the endogenous redox pool. We have developed a number of convenient in vivo assays to aid in the engineering of synthetic H2 metabolism. Our results also indicate a H2-independent redox activity in three different FeFe-hydrogenases, with implications for the future directed evolution of H2-activating catalysts.

  6. Untargeted Metabolic Profiling of Winery-Derived Biomass Waste Degradation by Penicillium chrysogenum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karpe, Avinash V; Beale, David J; Godhani, Nainesh B; Morrison, Paul D; Harding, Ian H; Palombo, Enzo A

    2015-12-16

    Winery-derived biomass waste was degraded by Penicillium chrysogenum under solid state fermentation over 8 days in a (2)H2O-supplemented medium. Multivariate statistical analysis of the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) data resulted in the identification of 94 significant metabolites, within 28 different metabolic pathways. The majority of biomass sugars were utilized by day 4 to yield products such as sugars, fatty acids, isoprenoids, and amino acids. The fungus was observed to metabolize xylose to xylitol, an intermediate of ethanol production. However, enzyme inhibition and autolysis were observed from day 6, indicating 5 days as the optimal time for fermentation. P. chrysogenum displayed metabolism of pentoses (to alcohols) and degraded tannins and lignins, properties that are lacking in other biomass-degrading ascomycetes. Rapid fermentation (3-5 days) may not only increase the pentose metabolizing efficiency but also increase the yield of medicinally important metabolites, such as syringate.

  7. Prebiological evolution and the metabolic origins of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pratt, Andrew J

    2011-01-01

    The chemoton model of cells posits three subsystems: metabolism, compartmentalization, and information. A specific model for the prebiological evolution of a reproducing system with rudimentary versions of these three interdependent subsystems is presented. This is based on the initial emergence and reproduction of autocatalytic networks in hydrothermal microcompartments containing iron sulfide. The driving force for life was catalysis of the dissipation of the intrinsic redox gradient of the planet. The codependence of life on iron and phosphate provides chemical constraints on the ordering of prebiological evolution. The initial protometabolism was based on positive feedback loops associated with in situ carbon fixation in which the initial protometabolites modified the catalytic capacity and mobility of metal-based catalysts, especially iron-sulfur centers. A number of selection mechanisms, including catalytic efficiency and specificity, hydrolytic stability, and selective solubilization, are proposed as key determinants for autocatalytic reproduction exploited in protometabolic evolution. This evolutionary process led from autocatalytic networks within preexisting compartments to discrete, reproducing, mobile vesicular protocells with the capacity to use soluble sugar phosphates and hence the opportunity to develop nucleic acids. Fidelity of information transfer in the reproduction of these increasingly complex autocatalytic networks is a key selection pressure in prebiological evolution that eventually leads to the selection of nucleic acids as a digital information subsystem and hence the emergence of fully functional chemotons capable of Darwinian evolution.

  8. Quantitative proteomic analysis of cabernet sauvignon grape cells exposed to thermal stresses reveals alterations in sugar and phenylpropanoid metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Iniga S; Pascovici, Dana; Mirzaei, Mehdi; Haynes, Paul A

    2015-09-01

    Grapes (Vitis vinifera) are a valuable fruit crop and wine production is a major industry. Global warming and expanded range of cultivation will expose grapes to more temperature stresses in future. Our study investigated protein level responses to abiotic stresses, with particular reference to proteomic changes induced by the impact of four different temperature stress regimes, including both hot and cold temperatures, on cultured grape cells. Cabernet Sauvignon cell suspension cultures grown at 26°C were subjected to 14 h of exposure to 34 and 42°C for heat stress, and 18 and 10°C for cold stress. Cells from the five temperatures were harvested in biological triplicates and label-free quantitative shotgun proteomic analysis was performed. A total of 2042 non-redundant proteins were identified from the five temperature points. Fifty-five proteins were only detected in extreme heat stress conditions (42°C) and 53 proteins were only detected at extreme cold stress conditions (10°C). Gene Ontology (GO) annotations of differentially expressed proteins provided insights into the metabolic pathways that are involved in temperature stress in grape cells. Sugar metabolism displayed switching between alternative and classical pathways during temperature stresses. Additionally, nine proteins involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway were greatly increased in abundance at extreme cold stress, and were thus found to be cold-responsive proteins. All MS data have been deposited in the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD000977 (http://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org/dataset/PXD000977). © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Uric acid: A new look at an old risk marker for cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes mellitus: The urate redox shuttle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tyagi Suresh

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The topical role of uric acid and its relation to cardiovascular disease, renal disease, and hypertension is rapidly evolving. Its important role both historically and currently in the clinical clustering phenomenon of the metabolic syndrome (MS, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM, atheroscleropathy, and non-diabetic atherosclerosis is of great importance. Results Uric acid is a marker of risk and it remains controversial as to its importance as a risk factor (causative role. In this review we will attempt to justify its important role as one of the many risk factors in the development of accelerated atherosclerosis and discuss its importance of being one of the multiple injurious stimuli to the endothelium, the arterial vessel wall, and capillaries. The role of uric acid, oxidative – redox stress, reactive oxygen species, and decreased endothelial nitric oxide and endothelial dysfunction cannot be over emphasized. In the atherosclerotic prooxidative environmental milieu the original antioxidant properties of uric acid paradoxically becomes prooxidant, thus contributing to the oxidation of lipoproteins within atherosclerotic plaques, regardless of their origins in the MS, T2DM, accelerated atherosclerosis (atheroscleropathy, or non-diabetic vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. In this milieu there exists an antioxidant – prooxidant urate redox shuttle. Conclusion Elevations of uric acid > 4 mg/dl should be considered a "red flag" in those patients at risk for cardiovascular disease and should alert the clinician to strive to utilize a global risk reduction program in a team effort to reduce the complications of the atherogenic process resulting in the morbid – mortal outcomes of cardiovascular disease.

  10. Redox proteomic analysis of the gastrocnemius muscle from adult and old mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian McDonagh

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The data provides information in support of the research article, “Differential Cysteine Labeling and Global Label-Free Proteomics Reveals an Altered Metabolic State in Skeletal Muscle Aging”, Journal of Proteome Research, 2014, 13 (11, 2008–21 [1]. Raw data is available from ProteomeXchange [2] with identifier PDX001054. The proteome of gastrocnemius muscle from adult and old mice was analyzed by global label-free proteomics and the relative quantification of specific reduced and reversibly oxidized Cysteine (Cys residues was performed using Skyline [3]. Briefly, reduced Cysteine (Cys containing peptides was alkylated using N-ethylmalemide (d0-NEM. Samples were desalted and reversibly oxidized Cys residues were reduced using tris(2-carboxyethylphosphine (TCEP and the newly formed reduced Cys residues were labeled with heavy NEM( d5-NEM. Label-free analysis of the global proteome of adult (n=5 and old (n=4 gastrocnemius muscles was performed using Peaks7™ mass spectrometry data analysis software [4]. Relative quantification of Cys containing peptides that were identified as reduced (d(0 NEM labeled and reversibly oxidized d(5–NEM labeled was performed using the intensity of their precursor ions in Skyline. Results indicate that muscles from old mice show reduced redox flexibility particularly in proteins involved in the generation of precursor metabolites and energy metabolism, indicating a loss in the flexibility of the redox energy response.

  11. NAD(P)H-dependent quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYP450OR) differentially regulate menadione-mediated alterations in redox status, survival and metabolism in pancreatic β-cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Joshua P; Karandrea, Shpetim; Burgos, Delaine Zayasbazan; Jaiswal, Anil A; Heart, Emma A

    2016-11-16

    NQO1 (NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase 1) reduces quinones and xenobiotics to less-reactive compounds via 2-electron reduction, one feature responsible for the role of NQO1 in antioxidant defense in several tissues. In contrast, NADPH cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYP450OR), catalyzes the 1-electron reduction of quinones and xenobiotics, resulting in enhanced superoxide formation. However, to date, the roles of NQO1 and CYP450OR in pancreatic β-cell metabolism under basal conditions and oxidant challenge have not been characterized. Using NQO1 inhibition, over-expression and knock out, we have demonstrated that, in addition to protection of β-cells from toxic concentrations of the redox cycling quinone menadione, NQO1 also regulates the basal level of reduced-to-oxidized nucleotides, suggesting other role(s) beside that of an antioxidant enzyme. In contrast, over-expression of NADPH cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYP450OR) resulted in enhanced redox cycling activity and decreased cellular viability, consistent with the enhanced generation of superoxide and H 2 O 2 . Basal expression of NQO1 and CYP450OR was comparable in isolated islets and liver. However, NQO1, but not CYP450OR, was strongly induced in β-cells exposed to menadione. NQO1 and CYP450OR exhibited a reciprocal preference for reducing equivalents in β-cells: while CYP450OR preferentially utilized NADPH, NQO1 primarily utilized NADH. Together, these results demonstrate that NQO1 and CYP450OR reciprocally regulate oxidant metabolism in pancreatic β-cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Redox reaction studies by nanosecond pulse radiolysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moorthy, P.N.

    1979-01-01

    Free radicals are formed as intermediates in many chemical and biochemical reactions. An important type of reaction which they can undergo is a one electron or redox process. The direction and rate of such electron transfer reactions is governed by the relative redox potentials of the participating species. Because of the generally short lived nature of free radicals, evaluation of their redox potentials poses a number of problems. Two techniques are described for the experimental determination of the redox potentials of short lived species generated by either a nanosecond electron pulse or laser flash. In the first method, redox titration of the short lived species with stable molecules of known redox potential is carried out, employing the technique of fast kinetic spectrophotometry. Conversely, by the same method it is also possible to evaluate the one electron redox potentials of stable molecules by redox titration with free radicals of known redox potential produced as above. In the second method, electrochemical reduction or oxidation of the short lived species at an appropriate electrode (generally a mercury drop) is carried out at different fixed potentials, and the redox potential evaluated from the current-potential curves (polarograms). Full description of the experimental set up and theoretical considerations for interpretation of the raw data are given. The relative merits of the two methods and their practical applicability are discussed. (auth.)

  13. Biochemical and redox characterization of the mediator complex and its associated transcription factor GeBPL, a GLABROUS1 enhancer binding protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaikhali, Jehad; Davoine, Céline; Brännström, Kristoffer; Rouhier, Nicolas; Bygdell, Joakim; Björklund, Stefan; Wingsle, Gunnar

    2015-06-15

    The eukaryotic mediator integrates regulatory signals from promoter-bound transcription factors (TFs) and transmits them to RNA polymerase II (Pol II) machinery. Although redox signalling is important in adjusting plant metabolism and development, nothing is known about a possible redox regulation of mediator. In the present study, using pull-down and yeast two-hybrid assays, we demonstrate the association of mediator (MED) subunits MED10a, MED28 and MED32 with the GLABROUS1 (GL1) enhancer-binding protein-like (GeBPL), a plant-specific TF that binds a promoter containing cryptochrome 1 response element 2 (CryR2) element. All the corresponding recombinant proteins form various types of covalent oligomers linked by intermolecular disulfide bonds that are reduced in vitro by the thioredoxin (TRX) and/or glutathione/glutaredoxin (GRX) systems. The presence of recombinant MED10a, MED28 and MED32 subunits or changes of its redox state affect the DNA-binding capacity of GeBPL suggesting that redox-driven conformational changes might modulate its activity. Overall, these results advance our understanding of how redox signalling affects transcription and identify mediator as a novel actor in redox signalling pathways, relaying or integrating redox changes in combination with specific TFs as GeBPL. © The Authors Journal compilation © 2015 Biochemical Society.

  14. The impact of oscillating redox conditions: Arsenic immobilisation in contaminated calcareous floodplain soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parsons, Christopher T.; Couture, Raoul-Marie; Omoregie, Enoma O.; Bardelli, Fabrizio; Greneche, Jean-Marc; Roman-Ross, Gabriela; Charlet, Laurent

    2013-01-01

    Arsenic contamination of floodplain soils is extensive and additional fresh arsenic inputs to the pedosphere from human activities are ongoing. We investigate the cumulative effects of repetitive soil redox cycles, which occur naturally during flooding and draining, on a calcareous fluvisol, the native microbial community and arsenic mobility following a simulated contamination event. We show through bioreactor experiments, spectroscopic techniques and modelling that repetitive redox cycling can decrease arsenic mobility during reducing conditions by up to 45%. Phylogenetic and functional analyses of the microbial community indicate that iron cycling is a key driver of observed changes to solution chemistry. We discuss probable mechanisms responsible for the arsenic immobilisation observed in-situ. The proposed mechanisms include, decreased heterotrophic iron reduction due to the depletion of labile particulate organic matter (POM), increases to the proportion of co-precipitated vs. aqueous or sorbed arsenic with α-FeOOH/Fe(OH) 3 and potential precipitation of amorphous ferric arsenate. Highlights: •Oscillating redox conditions and heterotrophic metabolism are implemented in PHREEQC. •Depletion of labile organic matter limits iron reduction and arsenic release. •Amorphous FeAsO 4 ∙2H 2 O precipitation potentially limits arsenic mobility during redox cycling. •Water fluctuating zones may naturally attenuate arsenic liberation during flooding. -- We demonstrate through batch experiments, spectroscopy and modelling that repetitive cycles of oxidation and reduction decrease arsenic mobility in soils during subsequent reducing conditions

  15. Hawkmoths use nectar sugar to reduce oxidative damage from flight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, E; Lopez-Martinez, G; Fane, B; Davidowitz, G

    2017-02-17

    Nectar-feeding animals have among the highest recorded metabolic rates. High aerobic performance is linked to oxidative damage in muscles. Antioxidants in nectar are scarce to nonexistent. We propose that nectarivores use nectar sugar to mitigate the oxidative damage caused by the muscular demands of flight. We found that sugar-fed moths had lower oxidative damage to their flight muscle membranes than unfed moths. Using respirometry coupled with δ 13 C analyses, we showed that moths generate antioxidant potential by shunting nectar glucose to the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), resulting in a reduction in oxidative damage to the flight muscles. We suggest that nectar feeding, the use of PPP, and intense exercise are causally linked and have allowed the evolution of powerful fliers that feed on nectar. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  16. A Heme-based Redox Sensor in the Methanogenic Archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molitor, Bastian; Stassen, Marc; Modi, Anuja; El-Mashtoly, Samir F.; Laurich, Christoph; Lubitz, Wolfgang; Dawson, John H.; Rother, Michael; Frankenberg-Dinkel, Nicole

    2013-01-01

    Based on a bioinformatics study, the protein MA4561 from the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans was originally predicted to be a multidomain phytochrome-like photosensory kinase possibly binding open-chain tetrapyrroles. Although we were able to show that recombinantly produced and purified protein does not bind any known phytochrome chromophores, UV-visible spectroscopy revealed the presence of a heme tetrapyrrole cofactor. In contrast to many other known cytoplasmic heme-containing proteins, the heme was covalently attached via one vinyl side chain to cysteine 656 in the second GAF domain. This GAF domain by itself is sufficient for covalent attachment. Resonance Raman and magnetic circular dichroism data support a model of a six-coordinate heme species with additional features of a five-coordination structure. The heme cofactor is redox-active and able to coordinate various ligands like imidazole, dimethyl sulfide, and carbon monoxide depending on the redox state. Interestingly, the redox state of the heme cofactor has a substantial influence on autophosphorylation activity. Although reduced protein does not autophosphorylate, oxidized protein gives a strong autophosphorylation signal independent from bound external ligands. Based on its genomic localization, MA4561 is most likely a sensor kinase of a two-component system effecting regulation of the Mts system, a set of three homologous corrinoid/methyltransferase fusion protein isoforms involved in methyl sulfide metabolism. Consistent with this prediction, an M. acetivorans mutant devoid of MA4561 constitutively synthesized MtsF. On the basis of our results, we postulate a heme-based redox/dimethyl sulfide sensory function of MA4561 and propose to designate it MsmS (methyl sulfide methyltransferase-associated sensor). PMID:23661702

  17. Role of redox homeostasis in thermo-tolerance under a climate change scenario

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Pinto, Maria Concetta; Locato, Vittoria; Paradiso, Annalisa; De Gara, Laura

    2015-01-01

    Background Climate change predictions indicate a progressive increase in average temperatures and an increase in the frequency of heatwaves, which will have a negative impact on crop productivity. Over the last decade, a number of studies have addressed the question of how model plants or specific crops modify their metabolism when exposed to heat stress. Scope This review provides an overview of the redox pathways that contribute to how plants cope with heat stress. The focus is on the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS), redox metabolites and enzymes in the signalling pathways leading to the activation of defence responses. Additional attention is paid to the regulating mechanisms that lead to an increase in specific ROS-scavenging systems during heat stress, which have been studied in different model systems. Finally, increasing thermo-tolerance in model and crop plants by exposing them to heat acclimation or to exogenous treatments is discussed. Conclusions Although there is clear evidence that several strategies are specifically activated according to the intensity and the duration of heat stress, as well as the capacity of the different species or genotypes to overcome stress, an alteration in redox homeostasis seems to be a common event. Different mechanisms that act to enhance redox systems enable crops to overcome heat stress more effectively. Knowledge of thermo-tolerance within agronomic biodiversity is thus of key importance to enable researchers to identify new strategies for overcoming the impacts of climate change, and for decision-makers in planning for an uncertain future with new choices and options open to them. PMID:26034009

  18. Method for determining the composition of the sugar moiety of a sugar containing compound

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2016-01-01

    The present invention relates to methods of labeling sugar moieties of sugar containing compounds including glycopeptides. The compounds presented in the present invention facilitate reliable detection of sugar moieties of sugar containing compounds by a combination of spectroscopy methods...

  19. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF RAW SUGAR MATERIAL FOR SUGAR PRODUCER COMPLEX

    OpenAIRE

    A. A. Gromkovskii; O. I. Sherstyuk

    2015-01-01

    Summary. In the article examines the statistical data on the development of average weight and average sugar content of sugar beet roots. The successful solution of the problem of forecasting these raw indices is essential for solving problems of sugar producing complex control. In the paper by calculating the autocorrelation function demonstrated that the predominant trend component of the growth raw characteristics. For construct the prediction model is proposed to use an autoregressive fir...

  20. SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGE, SUGAR INTAKE OF INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE: INTERMAP STUDY

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Ian J.; Stamler, Jeremiah; Van Horn, Linda; Robertson, Claire E.; Chan, Queenie; Dyer, Alan R.; Huang, Chiang-Ching; Rodriguez, Beatriz L.; Zhao, Liancheng; Daviglus, Martha L.; Ueshima, Hirotsugu; Elliott, Paul

    2011-01-01

    The obesity epidemic has focused attention on relationships of sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) to cardiovascular risk factors. Here we report cross-sectional associations of SSB, diet beverages, sugars with blood pressure (BP) for UK and USA participants of the International Study of Macro/Micro-nutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP). Data collected includes four 24-h dietary recalls, two 24-h urine collections, eight BP readings, questionnaire data for 2,696 people ages 40-59 from 10 USA/UK population samples. Associations of SSB, diet beverages, and sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose) with BP were assessed by multiple linear regression. Sugar-sweetened beverage intake related directly to BP, P-values 0.005 to Sugar-sweetened beverage intake higher by 1 serving/day (355 ml/24-h) was associated with systolic/diastolic BP differences of +1.6/+0.8 mm Hg (both P sugar-sodium interactions: for individuals with above-median 24-h urinary sodium excretion, fructose intake higher by 2 SD (5.6 %kcal) was associated with systolic/diastolic BP differences of +3.4/+2.2 mm Hg (both P sugar-BP differences for persons with higher sodium excretion, lend support to recommendations that intake of SSB, sugars, and salt be substantially reduced. PMID:21357284

  1. Imaging dynamic redox processes with genetically encoded probes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezeriņa, Daria; Morgan, Bruce; Dick, Tobias P

    2014-08-01

    Redox signalling plays an important role in many aspects of physiology, including that of the cardiovascular system. Perturbed redox regulation has been associated with numerous pathological conditions; nevertheless, the causal relationships between redox changes and pathology often remain unclear. Redox signalling involves the production of specific redox species at specific times in specific locations. However, until recently, the study of these processes has been impeded by a lack of appropriate tools and methodologies that afford the necessary redox species specificity and spatiotemporal resolution. Recently developed genetically encoded fluorescent redox probes now allow dynamic real-time measurements, of defined redox species, with subcellular compartment resolution, in intact living cells. Here we discuss the available genetically encoded redox probes in terms of their sensitivity and specificity and highlight where uncertainties or controversies currently exist. Furthermore, we outline major goals for future probe development and describe how progress in imaging methodologies will improve our ability to employ genetically encoded redox probes in a wide range of situations. This article is part of a special issue entitled "Redox Signalling in the Cardiovascular System." Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Metabolic Adaptation to Muscle Ischemia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabrera, Marco E.; Coon, Jennifer E.; Kalhan, Satish C.; Radhakrishnan, Krishnan; Saidel, Gerald M.; Stanley, William C.

    2000-01-01

    Although all tissues in the body can adapt to varying physiological/pathological conditions, muscle is the most adaptable. To understand the significance of cellular events and their role in controlling metabolic adaptations in complex physiological systems, it is necessary to link cellular and system levels by means of mechanistic computational models. The main objective of this work is to improve understanding of the regulation of energy metabolism during skeletal/cardiac muscle ischemia by combining in vivo experiments and quantitative models of metabolism. Our main focus is to investigate factors affecting lactate metabolism (e.g., NADH/NAD) and the inter-regulation between carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism during a reduction in regional blood flow. A mechanistic mathematical model of energy metabolism has been developed to link cellular metabolic processes and their control mechanisms to tissue (skeletal muscle) and organ (heart) physiological responses. We applied this model to simulate the relationship between tissue oxygenation, redox state, and lactate metabolism in skeletal muscle. The model was validated using human data from published occlusion studies. Currently, we are investigating the difference in the responses to sudden vs. gradual onset ischemia in swine by combining in vivo experimental studies with computational models of myocardial energy metabolism during normal and ischemic conditions.

  3. Novel fiber optic-based needle redox imager for cancer diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanniyappan, Udayakumar; Xu, He N.; Tang, Qinggong; Gaitan, Brandon; Liu, Yi; Li, Lin Z.; Chen, Yu

    2018-02-01

    Despite various technological advancements in cancer diagnosis, the mortality rates were not decreased significantly. We aim to develop a novel optical imaging tool to assist cancer diagnosis effectively. Fluorescence spectroscopy/imaging is a fast, rapid, and minimally invasive technique which has been successfully applied to diagnosing cancerous cells/tissues. Recently, the ratiometric imaging of intrinsic fluorescence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), as pioneered by Britton Chance and the co-workers in 1950-70's, has gained much attention to quantify the physiological parameters of living cells/tissues. The redox ratio, i.e., FAD/(FAD+NADH) or FAD/NADH, has been shown to be sensitive to various metabolic changes in in vivo and in vitro cells/tissues. Optical redox imaging has also been investigated for providing potential imaging biomarkers for cancer transformation, aggressiveness, and treatment response. Towards this goal, we have designed and developed a novel fiberoptic-based needle redox imager (NRI) that can fit into an 11G clinical coaxial biopsy needle for real time imaging during clinical cancer surgery. In the present study, the device is calibrated with tissue mimicking phantoms of FAD and NADH along with various technical parameters such as sensitivity, dynamic range, linearity, and spatial resolution of the system. We also conducted preliminary imaging of tissues ex vivo for validation. We plan to test the NRI on clinical breast cancer patients. Once validated this device may provide an effective tool for clinical cancer diagnosis.

  4. Identification of Redox and Glucose-Dependent Txnip Protein Interactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin J. Forred

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip acts as a negative regulator of thioredoxin function and is a critical modulator of several diseases including, but not limited to, diabetes, ischemia-reperfusion cardiac injury, and carcinogenesis. Therefore, Txnip has become an attractive therapeutic target to alleviate disease pathologies. Although Txnip has been implicated with numerous cellular processes such as proliferation, fatty acid and glucose metabolism, inflammation, and apoptosis, the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are largely unknown. The objective of these studies was to identify Txnip interacting proteins using the proximity-based labeling method, BioID, to understand differential regulation of pleiotropic Txnip cellular functions. The BioID transgene fused to Txnip expressed in HEK293 identified 31 interacting proteins. Many protein interactions were redox-dependent and were disrupted through mutation of a previously described reactive cysteine (C247S. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this model can be used to identify dynamic Txnip interactions due to known physiological regulators such as hyperglycemia. These data identify novel Txnip protein interactions and demonstrate dynamic interactions dependent on redox and glucose perturbations, providing clarification to the pleiotropic cellular functions of Txnip.

  5. Optical imaging of metabolic adaptability in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebello, Lisa; Rajaram, Narasimhan

    2018-02-01

    Accurate methods for determining metastatic risk from the primary tumor are crucial for patient survival. Cell metabolism could potentially be used as a marker of metastatic risk. Optical imaging of the endogenous fluorescent molecules nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) provides a non-destructive and label-free method for determining cell metabolism. The optical redox ratio (FAD/FAD+NADH) is sensitive to the balance between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). We have previously established that hypoxia-reoxygenation stress leads to metastatic potential-dependent changes in optical redox ratio. The objective of this study was to monitor the changes in optical redox ratio in breast cancer cells in response to different periods of hypoxic stress as well various levels of hypoxia to establish an optimal protocol. We measured the optical redox ratio of highly metastatic 4T1 murine breast cancer cells under normoxic conditions and after exposure to 30, 60, and 120 minutes of 0.5% O2. This was followed by an hour of reoxygenation. We found an increase in the optical redox ratio following reoxygenation from hypoxia for all durations. Statistically significant differences were observed at 60 and 120 minutes (p˂0.01) compared with normoxia, implying an ability to adapt to OXPHOS after reoxygenation. The switch to OXPHOS has been shown to be a key promoter of cell invasion. We will present our results from these investigations in human breast cancer cells as well as non-metastatic breast cancer cells exposed to various levels of hypoxia.

  6. Redox Regulation Of Metabolic And Signaling Pathways By Thioredoxin And Glutaredoxin In Nitric Oxide Treated Hepatoblastoma Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Alicia Padilla Peña

    2015-08-01

    Conclusions: Trx1 and Grx1 exert contradictory influences on HepG2 cells. They are required for proliferation but they also contribute to antiproliferative effect of NO, associated to Akt1 redox changes.

  7. Biomass by-product from crystal sugar production: A comparative study between Ngadirejo and Mauritius sugar mill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunawan; Bantacut, T.; Romli, M.; Noor, E.

    2018-03-01

    Sugarcane has been used as raw material in crystal sugar industry. Sugar cane that contains high sugar will be utilized into crystals sugar. In addition, the productivity of sugarcane is large enough in 2016 approximately 360 713 tons/year. Crystal sugar itself is a daily necessity for its use in the food and beverage industry. Problem that occurs in Indonesia is the energy consumption. The sugar mills supposed to be an independent energy source which means it can produce its own energy by utilization the material that is available in the sugar mills such as by-product (bagasse, molasses, filter cake, etc.), the by product in every production stage are quite a lot in sugar industry especially in Indonesia. In this paper, a comparison between two sugar mills was examined between Ngedirejo sugar mill and Mauritius sugar mill which has the same geological state as Indonesia. The results of comparison between the two sugar factories demonstrated the difference in terms of productivity of the sugar that has been produced and the effectiveness of the production process in a sugar mill seen from the amount of waste and the by product.

  8. A Membrane‐Free Redox Flow Battery with Two Immiscible Redox Electrolytes

    OpenAIRE

    Navalpotro, Paula; Palma, Jesus; Anderson, Marc; Marcilla, Rebeca

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Flexible and scalable energy storage solutions are necessary for mitigating fluctuations of renewable energy sources. The main advantage of redox flow batteries is their ability to decouple power and energy. However, they present some limitations including poor performance, short‐lifetimes, and expensive ion‐selective membranes as well as high price, toxicity, and scarcity of vanadium compounds. We report a membrane‐free battery that relies on the immiscibility of redox electrolytes ...

  9. Sugar uptake, carbohydrate metabolism and ANA and RNA contents of paecilomyces violacea mats arising from gamma irradiated inocula

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Zawahry, A.Y.; Salama, A.M.; Nadia, M.M.; Abo-El-Khair, I.A.

    1988-01-01

    Irradiated inocula of paecilomyces violacea with the lowest doses 0.1 and 0.25 KGy increased the amounts of sugar uptake over control value by 11.43% and 19.17% respectively. promoted sugar uptake at such doses was coupled by a consequent drop in the monosaccharide content of the medium amounting to 30.62% and 58.53% and 58.53% below control value respectively. Higher doses of gamma radiation were associated with decreased rates of sugar uptake by the respective mats. Polysaccharide synthesis was inhibited gradually with increasing the irradiation dose. Irradiated incocula of P. Violacea produced mats which showed a general inconsistent decrease in RNA content and a general limited increase in the DNA content with the increase of irradiation dose

  10. FINAL REPORT INTEGRATED DM1200 MELTER TESTING OF REDOX EFFECTS USING HLW AZ-101 AND C-106/AY-102 SIMULANTS VSL-04R4800-1 REV 0 5/6/

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    KRUGER AA; MATLACK KS; GONG W; BARDAKCI T; D' ANGELO NA; LUTZE W; BIZOT PM; CALLOW RA; BRANDYS M; KOT WK; PEGG IL

    2011-12-29

    This report documents melter and off-gas performance results obtained on the DM1200 HLW Pilot Melter during processing of AZ-101 and C-106/AY-102 HLW simulants. The tests reported herein are a subset of three tests from a larger series of tests described in the Test Plan for the work; results from the remaining tests will be reported separately. Three nine day tests, one with AZ-101 and two with C-106/AY-102 feeds were conducted with variable amounts of added sugar to address the effects of redox. The test with AZ-101 included ruthenium spikes to also address the effects of redox on ruthenium volatility. One of tests addressed the effects of increased flow-sheet nitrate levels using C-106/AY-102 feeds. With high nitrate/nitrite feeds (such as WTP LAW feeds), reductants are required to prevent melt foaming and deleterious effects on glass production rates. Sugar is the baseline WTP reductant for this purpose. WTP HLW feeds typically have relatively low nitrate/nitrite content in comparison to the organic carbon content and, therefore, have typically not required sugar additions. However, HLW feed variability, particularly with respect to nitrate levels, may necessitate the use of sugar in some instances. The tests reported here investigate the effects of variable sugar additions to the melter feed as well as elevated nitrate levels in the waste. Variables held constant to the extent possible included melt temperature, bubbling rate, plenum temperature, cold cap coverage, the waste simulant composition, and the target glass composition. The principal objectives of the DM1200 melter testing were to determine the achievable glass production rates for simulated HLW feeds with variable amounts of added sugar and increased nitrate levels; characterize melter off-gas emissions; characterize the performance of the prototypical off-gas system components as well as their integrated performance; characterize the feed, glass product, and off-gas effluents; and perform pre- and

  11. ROS-related redox regulation and signaling in plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noctor, Graham; Reichheld, Jean-Philippe; Foyer, Christine H

    2017-07-18

    As sessile oxygenic organisms with a plastic developmental programme, plants are uniquely positioned to exploit reactive oxygen species (ROS) as powerful signals. Plants harbor numerous ROS-generating pathways, and these oxidants and related redox-active compounds have become tightly embedded into plant function and development during the course of evolution. One dominant view of ROS-removing systems sees them as beneficial antioxidants battling to keep damaging ROS below dangerous levels. However, it is now established that ROS are a necessary part of subcellular and intercellular communication in plants and that some of their signaling functions require ROS-metabolizing systems. For these reasons, it is suggested that "ROS processing systems" would be a more accurate term than "antioxidative systems" to describe cellular components that are most likely to interact with ROS and, in doing so, transmit oxidative signals. Within this framework, our update provides an overview of the complexity and compartmentation of ROS production and removal. We place particular emphasis on the importance of ROS-interacting systems such as the complex cellular thiol network in the redox regulation of phytohormone signaling pathways that are crucial for plant development and defense against external threats. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Editing disulphide bonds: error correction using redox currencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Koreaki

    2010-01-01

    The disulphide bond-introducing enzyme of bacteria, DsbA, sometimes oxidizes non-native cysteine pairs. DsbC should rearrange the resulting incorrect disulphide bonds into those with correct connectivity. DsbA and DsbC receive oxidizing and reducing equivalents, respectively, from respective redox components (quinones and NADPH) of the cell. Two mechanisms of disulphide bond rearrangement have been proposed. In the redox-neutral 'shuffling' mechanism, the nucleophilic cysteine in the DsbC active site forms a mixed disulphide with a substrate and induces disulphide shuffling within the substrate part of the enzyme-substrate complex, followed by resolution into a reduced enzyme and a disulphide-rearranged substrate. In the 'reduction-oxidation' mechanism, DsbC reduces those substrates with wrong disulphides so that DsbA can oxidize them again. In this issue of Molecular Microbiology, Berkmen and his collaborators show that a disulphide reductase, TrxP, from an anaerobic bacterium can substitute for DsbC in Escherichia coli. They propose that the reduction-oxidation mechanism of disulphide rearrangement can indeed operate in vivo. An implication of this work is that correcting errors in disulphide bonds can be coupled to cellular metabolism and is conceptually similar to the proofreading processes observed with numerous synthesis and maturation reactions of biological macromolecules.

  13. The water footprint of sweeteners and bio-ethanol from sugar cane, sugar beet and maize

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gerbens-Leenes, Winnie; Hoekstra, Arjen Ysbert

    2009-01-01

    Sugar cane and sugar beet are used for sugar for human consumption. In the US, maize is used, amongst others, for the sweetener High Fructose Maize Syrup (HFMS). Sugar cane, sugar beet and maize are also important for bio-ethanol production. The growth of crops requires water, a scarce resource. The

  14. Regulatory redox state in tree seeds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewelina Ratajczak

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Peroxiredoxins (Prx are important regulators of the redox status of tree seeds during maturation and long-term storage. Thioredoxins (Trx are redox transmitters and thereby regulate Prx activity. Current research is focused on the association of Trx with Prx in tree seeds differing in the tolerance to desiccation. The results will allow for better understanding the regulation of the redox status in orthodox, recalcitrant, and intermediate seeds. The findings will also elucidate the role of the redox status during the loss of viability of sensitive seeds during drying and long-term storage.

  15. Sugar palm (Argena pinnata). Potential of sugar palm for bio-ethanol production

    OpenAIRE

    Elbersen, H.W.; Oyen, L.P.A.

    2010-01-01

    The energetic and economic feasibility of bioethanol production from sugar palm is virtually unknown. A positive factor are the potentially very high yields while the long non-productive juvenile phase and the high labor needs can be seen as problematic. Expansion to large scale sugar palm cultivation comes with risks. Small-scale cultivation of sugar palm perfectly fits into local farming systems. In order to make a proper assessment of the value palm sugar as bio-ethanol crop more informati...

  16. Mondo/ChREBP-Mlx-Regulated Transcriptional Network Is Essential for Dietary Sugar Tolerance in Drosophila

    Science.gov (United States)

    Havula, Essi; Teesalu, Mari; Hyötyläinen, Tuulia; Seppälä, Heini; Hasygar, Kiran; Auvinen, Petri; Orešič, Matej; Sandmann, Thomas; Hietakangas, Ville

    2013-01-01

    Sugars are important nutrients for many animals, but are also proposed to contribute to overnutrition-derived metabolic diseases in humans. Understanding the genetic factors governing dietary sugar tolerance therefore has profound biological and medical significance. Paralogous Mondo transcription factors ChREBP and MondoA, with their common binding partner Mlx, are key sensors of intracellular glucose flux in mammals. Here we report analysis of the in vivo function of Drosophila melanogaster Mlx and its binding partner Mondo (ChREBP) in respect to tolerance to dietary sugars. Larvae lacking mlx or having reduced mondo expression show strikingly reduced survival on a diet with moderate or high levels of sucrose, glucose, and fructose. mlx null mutants display widespread changes in lipid and phospholipid profiles, signs of amino acid catabolism, as well as strongly elevated circulating glucose levels. Systematic loss-of-function analysis of Mlx target genes reveals that circulating glucose levels and dietary sugar tolerance can be genetically uncoupled: Krüppel-like transcription factor Cabut and carbonyl detoxifying enzyme Aldehyde dehydrogenase type III are essential for dietary sugar tolerance, but display no influence on circulating glucose levels. On the other hand, Phosphofructokinase 2, a regulator of the glycolysis pathway, is needed for both dietary sugar tolerance and maintenance of circulating glucose homeostasis. Furthermore, we show evidence that fatty acid synthesis, which is a highly conserved Mondo-Mlx-regulated process, does not promote dietary sugar tolerance. In contrast, survival of larvae with reduced fatty acid synthase expression is sugar-dependent. Our data demonstrate that the transcriptional network regulated by Mondo-Mlx is a critical determinant of the healthful dietary spectrum allowing Drosophila to exploit sugar-rich nutrient sources. PMID:23593032

  17. Anaerobic Treatment of Cane Sugar Effluent from Muhoroni Sugar ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    It was therefore concluded that anaerobic treatment, particularly with pH control and seeding shows potential in first stage management of sugar mill wastewater. Keywords: cane sugar mill effluent, anaerobic treatment, batch reactor, waste stabilization ponds. Journal of Civil Engineering Research and Practice Vol.

  18. Induction of biogenic magnetization and redox control by a component of the target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keiji Nishida

    Full Text Available Most organisms are simply diamagnetic, while magnetotactic bacteria and migratory animals are among organisms that exploit magnetism. Biogenic magnetization not only is of fundamental interest, but also has industrial potential. However, the key factor(s that enable biogenic magnetization in coordination with other cellular functions and metabolism remain unknown. To address the requirements for induction and the application of synthetic bio-magnetism, we explored the creation of magnetism in a simple model organism. Cell magnetization was first observed by attraction towards a magnet when normally diamagnetic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were grown with ferric citrate. The magnetization was further enhanced by genetic modification of iron homeostasis and introduction of ferritin. The acquired magnetizable properties enabled the cells to be attracted to a magnet, and be trapped by a magnetic column. Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID magnetometry confirmed and quantitatively characterized the acquired paramagnetism. Electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed electron-dense iron-containing aggregates within the magnetized cells. Magnetization-based screening of gene knockouts identified Tco89p, a component of TORC1 (Target of rapamycin complex 1, as important for magnetization; loss of TCO89 and treatment with rapamycin reduced magnetization in a TCO89-dependent manner. The TCO89 expression level positively correlated with magnetization, enabling inducible magnetization. Several carbon metabolism genes were also shown to affect magnetization. Redox mediators indicated that TCO89 alters the intracellular redox to an oxidized state in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, we demonstrated that synthetic induction of magnetization is possible and that the key factors are local redox control through carbon metabolism and iron supply.

  19. Phenolic acids potentiate colistin-mediated killing of Acinetobacter baumannii by inducing redox imbalance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ajiboye, Taofeek O; Skiebe, Evelyn; Wilharm, Gottfried

    2018-05-01

    Phenolic acids with catechol groups are good prooxidants because of their low redox potential. In this study, we provided data showing that phenolic acids, caffeic acid, gallic acid and protocatechuic acid, enhanced colistin-mediated bacterial death by inducing redox imbalance. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of these phenolic acids against Acinetobacter baumannii AB5075 were considerably lowered for ΔsodB and ΔkatG mutants. Checkerboard assay shows synergistic interactions between colistin and phenolic acids. The phenolic acids exacerbated colistin-induced oxidative stress in A. baumannii AB5075 through increased superoxide anion generation, NAD + /NADH and ADP/ATP ratio. In parallel, the level of reduced glutathione was significantly lowered. We conclude that phenolic acids potentiate colistin-induced oxidative stress in A. baumannii AB5075 by increasing ROS generation, energy metabolism and electron transport chain activity with a concomitant decrease in glutathione. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Home blood sugar testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diabetes - home glucose testing; Diabetes - home blood sugar testing ... Usual times to test your blood sugar are before meals and at bedtime. Your provider may ask you to check your blood sugar 2 hours after a meal or ...

  1. Redox Regulation of Endothelial Cell Fate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Ping; Zou, Ming-Hui

    2014-01-01

    Endothelial cells (ECs) are present throughout blood vessels and have variable roles in both physiological and pathological settings. EC fate is altered and regulated by several key factors in physiological or pathological conditions. Reactive nitrogen species and reactive oxygen species derived from NAD(P)H oxidases, mitochondria, or nitric oxide-producing enzymes are not only cytotoxic but also compose a signaling network in the redox system. The formation, actions, key molecular interactions, and physiological and pathological relevance of redox signals in ECs remain unclear. We review the identities, sources, and biological actions of oxidants and reductants produced during EC function or dysfunction. Further, we discuss how ECs shape key redox sensors and examine the biological functions, transcriptional responses, and post-translational modifications evoked by the redox system in ECs. We summarize recent findings regarding the mechanisms by which redox signals regulate the fate of ECs and address the outcome of altered EC fate in health and disease. Future studies will examine if the redox biology of ECs can be targeted in pathophysiological conditions. PMID:24633153

  2. A Mathematical Model of Metabolism and Regulation Provides a Systems-Level View of How Escherichia coli Responds to Oxygen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael eEderer

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The efficient redesign of bacteria for biotechnological purposes, such as biofuel production, waste disposal or specific biocatalytic functions, requires a quantitative systems-level understanding of energy supply, carbon and redox metabolism. The measurement of transcript levels, metabolite concentrations and metabolic fluxes per se gives an incomplete picture. An appreciation of the interdependencies between the different measurement values is essential for systems-level understanding. Mathematical modeling has the potential to provide a coherent and quantitative description of the interplay between gene expression, metabolite concentrations and metabolic fluxes. Escherichia coli undergoes major adaptations in central metabolism when the availability of oxygen changes. Thus, an integrated description of the oxygen response provides a benchmark of our understanding of carbon, energy and redox metabolism. We present the first comprehensive model of the central metabolism of E. coli that describes steady-state metabolism at different levels of oxygen availability. Variables of the model are metabolite concentrations, gene expression levels, transcription factor activities, metabolic fluxes and biomass concentration. We analyze the model with respect to the production capabilities of central metabolism of E. coli. In particular, we predict how precursor and biomass concentration are affected by product formation.

  3. Sugar from Palms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barfod, Anders

    Throughout the tropics and subtropics a large number of products are derived from the sugar-rich sap tapped from palms. I will give an overview of the most important species being exploited, harvesting practices and yields. I will further provide insights in the biomechanmics of sugar...... transportation in palms, which remain an enigma. Finally, the prospects for developing palm sugar into a commodity of worlswide significance will be discussed....

  4. INVESTIGATION OF BACTERIOSTATIC PROPERTIES OF CHLORINATED COMPOUNDS FOR BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. G. Kulneva

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Summary. One of the major causes of decline in the quality of granulated sugar is bacterial contamination of sugar beet. This is due to the fact that the beet-sugar industry is a good object for the development of different groups of microorganisms. The main sources of infection of products of sugar manufacture can be soil, water, air, packaging, packaging materials, vehicles, clothing, equipment. The higher the beet contamination with the microorganisms, the more they decompose sucrose and secrete metabolic byproducts. In this regard, there is a need to reduce the negative impact of various groups of microorganisms and to minimize the loss of sucrose from decomposition. In accordance with the problem given the studies to determine the bacteriostatic properties of chlorinated compounds for sugar production were carried out. We used the cultivated fluid colonized with a pure culture of Leuconostoc mesenteroides and reagent treated as an object of study. In the experiments, we determined the accumulation of biomass of L. mesenteroides with nephelometric method by measuring the optical density of bacterial suspension. It was found out that after 24 hours of bacterial culturing the level of optical density in the control and active acidity were considerably higher compared with the sample treated with germicide. The number of microorganisms in the nutrient medium was determined by Vinogradsky-Shulgina-Brid’s. According to the study in the control is 1,7*10^16, in experiment with the introduction of the chlorinated compound it is 5,8*10^14. The experimental results show that the investigated chlorinated compound has bacteriostatic action against grampositive cocci saprophytic of L. mesenteroides and can be recommended for use in a sugar beet production.

  5. In vivo NAD assay reveals the intracellular NAD contents and redox state in healthy human brain and their age dependences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiao-Hong; Lu, Ming; Lee, Byeong-Yeul; Ugurbil, Kamil; Chen, Wei

    2015-01-01

    NAD is an essential metabolite that exists in NAD+ or NADH form in all living cells. Despite its critical roles in regulating mitochondrial energy production through the NAD+/NADH redox state and modulating cellular signaling processes through the activity of the NAD+-dependent enzymes, the method for quantifying intracellular NAD contents and redox state is limited to a few in vitro or ex vivo assays, which are not suitable for studying a living brain or organ. Here, we present a magnetic resonance (MR) -based in vivo NAD assay that uses the high-field MR scanner and is capable of noninvasively assessing NAD+ and NADH contents and the NAD+/NADH redox state in intact human brain. The results of this study provide the first insight, to our knowledge, into the cellular NAD concentrations and redox state in the brains of healthy volunteers. Furthermore, an age-dependent increase of intracellular NADH and age-dependent reductions in NAD+, total NAD contents, and NAD+/NADH redox potential of the healthy human brain were revealed in this study. The overall findings not only provide direct evidence of declined mitochondrial functions and altered NAD homeostasis that accompany the normal aging process but also, elucidate the merits and potentials of this new NAD assay for noninvasively studying the intracellular NAD metabolism and redox state in normal and diseased human brain or other organs in situ. PMID:25730862

  6. Sugar Restriction Leads to Increased Ad Libitum Sugar Intake by Overweight Adolescents in an Experimental Test Meal Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Reilly, Gillian A; Black, David S; Huh, Jimi; Davis, Jaimie N; Unger, Jennifer; Spruijt-Metz, Donna

    2017-07-01

    The impact of sugar restriction on subsequent sugar intake by overweight adolescents is unknown. Our aim was to examine the effect of sugar restriction on subsequent ad libitum sugar intake by overweight adolescents and whether habitual sugar intake and impulsivity influence the effect of sugar restriction on subsequent sugar intake. This was an in-laboratory crossover feeding trial with sugar-exposure and sugar-restriction conditions. Eighty-seven overweight Latino and African-American adolescents underwent both meal conditions in two separate 8-hour in-laboratory visits. Participants had access to ad libitum snack trays for 3 hours after the condition-specific meals. Ad libitum sugar intake during the snack period was measured at each visit. Habitual sugar intake and impulsivity were assessed at baseline. Repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to examine the within-person effect of meal condition on ad libitum sugar intake. Mixed models were used to examine the moderating effects of habitual sugar intake and impulsivity on the meal condition-ad libitum sugar intake relationship. Participants consumed more ad libitum sugar during the snack period in the sugar-restriction condition than in the sugar-exposure condition (sugar restriction=78.63±38.84 g, sugar exposure=70.86±37.73 g; F=9.64, P=0.002). There was no relationship between habitual sugar intake and how much ad libitum sugar participants consumed during either condition. Higher impulsivity was associated with greater ad libitum sugar intake during both conditions (sugar restriction: b=.029, standard error=.01, Poverweight adolescents restricted from sugar intake consume greater amounts of sugar when they are later given access to high-sugar foods. Overweight adolescents with higher impulsivity appear to consume greater amounts of sugar regardless of previous levels of sugar consumption. Compensatory sugar intake and trait impulsivity may have implications for dietary interventions in this

  7. In vivo evaluation of different alterations of redox status by studying pharmacokinetics of nitroxides using magnetic resonance techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bačić, Goran; Pavićević, Aleksandra; Peyrot, Fabienne

    2015-01-01

    Free radicals, particularly reactive oxygen species (ROS), are involved in various pathologies, injuries related to radiation, ischemia-reperfusion or ageing. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to directly detect free radicals in vivo, but the redox status of the whole organism or particular organ can be studied in vivo by using magnetic resonance techniques (EPR and MRI) and paramagnetic stable free radicals – nitroxides. Here we review results obtained in vivo following the pharmacokinetics of nitroxides on experimental animals (and a few in humans) under various conditions. The focus was on conditions where the redox status has been altered by induced diseases or harmful agents, clearly demonstrating that various EPR/MRI/nitroxide combinations can reliably detect metabolically induced changes in the redox status of organs. These findings can improve our understanding of oxidative stress and provide a basis for studying the effectiveness of interventions aimed to modulate oxidative stress. Also, we anticipate that the in vivo EPR/MRI approach in studying the redox status can play a vital role in the clinical management of various pathologies in the years to come providing the development of adequate equipment and probes. PMID:26827126

  8. In vivo evaluation of different alterations of redox status by studying pharmacokinetics of nitroxides using magnetic resonance techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Goran Bačić

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Free radicals, particularly reactive oxygen species (ROS, are involved in various pathologies, injuries related to radiation, ischemia-reperfusion or ageing. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to directly detect free radicals in vivo, but the redox status of the whole organism or particular organ can be studied in vivo by using magnetic resonance techniques (EPR and MRI and paramagnetic stable free radicals – nitroxides. Here we review results obtained in vivo following the pharmacokinetics of nitroxides on experimental animals (and a few in humans under various conditions. The focus was on conditions where the redox status has been altered by induced diseases or harmful agents, clearly demonstrating that various EPR/MRI/nitroxide combinations can reliably detect metabolically induced changes in the redox status of organs. These findings can improve our understanding of oxidative stress and provide a basis for studying the effectiveness of interventions aimed to modulate oxidative stress. Also, we anticipate that the in vivo EPR/MRI approach in studying the redox status can play a vital role in the clinical management of various pathologies in the years to come providing the development of adequate equipment and probes.

  9. Complete oxidative conversion of lignocellulose derived non-glucose sugars to sugar acids by Gluconobacter oxydans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Ruimiao; Hou, Weiliang; Bao, Jie

    2017-11-01

    Non-glucose sugars derived from lignocellulose cover approximately 40% of the total carbohydrates of lignocellulose biomass. The conversion of the non-glucose sugars to the target products is an important task of lignocellulose biorefining research. Here we report a fast and complete conversion of the total non-glucose sugars from corn stover into the corresponding sugar acids by whole cell catalysis and aerobic fermentation of Gluconobacter oxydans. The conversions include xylose to xylonate, arabinose to arabonate, mannose to mannonate, and galactose to galactonate, as well as with glucose into gluconate. These cellulosic non-glucose sugar acids showed the excellent cement retard setting property. The mixed cellulosic sugar acids could be used as cement retard additives without separation. The conversion of the non-glucose sugars not only makes full use of lignocellulose derived sugars, but also effectively reduces the wastewater treatment burden by removal of residual sugars. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Final Report Integrated DM1200 Melter Testing Of Redox Effects Using HLW AZ-101 And C-106/AY-102 Simulants VSL-04R4800-1, Rev. 0, 5/6/04

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kruger, A.A.; Matlack, K.S.; Gong, W.; Bardakci, T.; D'Angelo, N.A.; Lutze, W.; Bizot, P.M.; Callow, R.A.; Brandys, M.; Kot, W.K.; Pegg, I.L.

    2011-01-01

    This report documents melter and off-gas performance results obtained on the DM1200 HLW Pilot Melter during processing of AZ-101 and C-106/AY-102 HLW simulants. The tests reported herein are a subset of three tests from a larger series of tests described in the Test Plan for the work; results from the remaining tests will be reported separately. Three nine day tests, one with AZ-101 and two with C-106/AY-102 feeds were conducted with variable amounts of added sugar to address the effects of redox. The test with AZ-101 included ruthenium spikes to also address the effects of redox on ruthenium volatility. One of tests addressed the effects of increased flow-sheet nitrate levels using C-106/AY-102 feeds. With high nitrate/nitrite feeds (such as WTP LAW feeds), reductants are required to prevent melt foaming and deleterious effects on glass production rates. Sugar is the baseline WTP reductant for this purpose. WTP HLW feeds typically have relatively low nitrate/nitrite content in comparison to the organic carbon content and, therefore, have typically not required sugar additions. However, HLW feed variability, particularly with respect to nitrate levels, may necessitate the use of sugar in some instances. The tests reported here investigate the effects of variable sugar additions to the melter feed as well as elevated nitrate levels in the waste. Variables held constant to the extent possible included melt temperature, bubbling rate, plenum temperature, cold cap coverage, the waste simulant composition, and the target glass composition. The principal objectives of the DM1200 melter testing were to determine the achievable glass production rates for simulated HLW feeds with variable amounts of added sugar and increased nitrate levels; characterize melter off-gas emissions; characterize the performance of the prototypical off-gas system components as well as their integrated performance; characterize the feed, glass product, and off-gas effluents; and perform pre- and

  11. Prebiotic Synthesis of Autocatalytic Products From Formaldehyde-Derived Sugars as the Carbon and Energy Source

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Arthur L.

    2003-01-01

    Our research objective is to understand and model the chemical processes on the primitive Earth that generated the first autocatalytic molecules and microstructures involved in the origin of life. Our approach involves: (a) investigation of a model origin-of-life process named the Sugar Model that is based on the reaction of formaldehyde- derived sugars (trioses and tetroses) with ammonia, and (b) elucidation of the constraints imposed on the chemistry of the origin of life by the fixed energies and rates of C,H,O-organic reactions under mild aqueous conditions. Recently, we demonstrated that under mild aqueous conditions the Sugar Model process yields autocatalytic products, and generates organic micropherules (2-20 micron dia.) that exhibit budding, size uniformity, and chain formation. We also discovered that the sugar substrates of the Sugar Model are capable of reducing nitrite to ammonia under mild aqueous conditions. In addition studies done in collaboration with Sandra Pizzarrello (Arizona State University) revealed that chiral amino acids (including meteoritic isovaline) catalyze both the synthesis and specific handedness of chiral sugars. Our systematic survey of the energies and rates of reactions of C,H,O-organic substrates under mild aqueous conditions revealed several general principles (rules) that govern the direction and rate of organic reactions. These reactivity principles constrain the structure of chemical pathways used in the origin of life, and in modern and primitive metabolism.

  12. Single-bilayer graphene oxide sheet tolerance and glutathione redox system significance assessment in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anjum, Naser A.; Singh, Neetu; Singh, Manoj K.; Shah, Zahoor A.; Duarte, Armando C.; Pereira, Eduarda; Ahmad, Iqbal

    2013-01-01

    Adsorbents based on single-bilayer graphene oxide sheet (hereafter termed “graphene oxide”) are widely used in contaminated environments cleanup which may easily open the avenues for their entry to different environmental compartments, exposure to organisms and their subsequent transfer to human/animal food chain. Considering a common food crop—faba bean (Vicia faba L.) germinating seedlings as a model plant system, this study assesses the V. faba-tolerance to different concentrations (0, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg L −1 ) of graphene oxide (0.5–5 μm) and evaluates glutathione (γ-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine) redox system significance in this context. The results showed significantly increased V. faba sensitivity under three graphene oxide concentrations (in order of impact: 1,600 > 200 > 100 mg graphene oxide L −1 ), which was accompanied by decreased glutathione redox (reduced glutathione-to-oxidized glutathione) ratio, reduced glutathione pool, as well as significant and equally elevated activities of glutathione-regenerating (glutathione reductase) and glutathione-metabolizing (glutathione peroxidase; glutathione sulfo-transferase) enzymes. Contrarily, the two graphene oxide concentrations (in order of impact: 800 > 400 graphene oxide mg L −1 ) yielded promising results; where, significant improvements in V. faba health status (measured as increased graphene oxide tolerance) were clearly perceptible with increased ratio of the reduced glutathione-to-oxidized glutathione, reduced glutathione pool and glutathione reductase activity but decreased activities of glutathione-metabolizing enzymes. It is inferred that V. faba seedlings-sensitivity and/or tolerance to graphene oxide concentrations depends on both the cellular redox state (reduced glutathione-to-oxidized glutathione ratio) and the reduced glutathione pool which in turn are controlled by a finely tuned modulation of the coordination between glutathione-regenerating and glutathione-metabolizing

  13. Single-bilayer graphene oxide sheet tolerance and glutathione redox system significance assessment in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anjum, Naser A. [University of Aveiro, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Department of Chemistry (Portugal); Singh, Neetu; Singh, Manoj K. [University of Aveiro, Center for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA) and Department of Mechanical Engineering (Portugal); Shah, Zahoor A. [University of Toledo, Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (United States); Duarte, Armando C.; Pereira, Eduarda; Ahmad, Iqbal, E-mail: ahmadr@ua.pt [University of Aveiro, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Department of Chemistry (Portugal)

    2013-07-15

    Adsorbents based on single-bilayer graphene oxide sheet (hereafter termed 'graphene oxide') are widely used in contaminated environments cleanup which may easily open the avenues for their entry to different environmental compartments, exposure to organisms and their subsequent transfer to human/animal food chain. Considering a common food crop-faba bean (Vicia faba L.) germinating seedlings as a model plant system, this study assesses the V. faba-tolerance to different concentrations (0, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg L{sup -1}) of graphene oxide (0.5-5 {mu}m) and evaluates glutathione ({gamma}-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine) redox system significance in this context. The results showed significantly increased V. faba sensitivity under three graphene oxide concentrations (in order of impact: 1,600 > 200 > 100 mg graphene oxide L{sup -1}), which was accompanied by decreased glutathione redox (reduced glutathione-to-oxidized glutathione) ratio, reduced glutathione pool, as well as significant and equally elevated activities of glutathione-regenerating (glutathione reductase) and glutathione-metabolizing (glutathione peroxidase; glutathione sulfo-transferase) enzymes. Contrarily, the two graphene oxide concentrations (in order of impact: 800 > 400 graphene oxide mg L{sup -1}) yielded promising results; where, significant improvements in V. faba health status (measured as increased graphene oxide tolerance) were clearly perceptible with increased ratio of the reduced glutathione-to-oxidized glutathione, reduced glutathione pool and glutathione reductase activity but decreased activities of glutathione-metabolizing enzymes. It is inferred that V. faba seedlings-sensitivity and/or tolerance to graphene oxide concentrations depends on both the cellular redox state (reduced glutathione-to-oxidized glutathione ratio) and the reduced glutathione pool which in turn are controlled by a finely tuned modulation of the coordination between glutathione-regenerating and

  14. Respiration-dependent utilization of sugars in yeasts: a determinant role for sugar transporters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goffrini, Paola; Ferrero, Iliana; Donnini, Claudia

    2002-01-01

    In many yeast species, including Kluyveromyces lactis, growth on certain sugars (such as galactose, raffinose, and maltose) occurs only under respiratory conditions. If respiration is blocked by inhibitors, mutation, or anaerobiosis, growth does not take place. This apparent dependence on respiration for the utilization of certain sugars has often been suspected to be associated with the mechanism of the sugar uptake step. We hypothesized that in many yeast species, the permease activities for these sugars are not sufficient to ensure the high substrate flow that is necessary for fermentative growth. By introducing additional sugar permease genes, we have obtained K. lactis strains that were capable of growing on galactose and raffinose in the absence of respiration. High dosages of both the permease and maltase genes were indeed necessary for K. lactis cells to grow on maltose in the absence of respiration. These results strongly suggest that the sugar uptake step is the major bottleneck in the fermentative assimilation of certain sugars in K. lactis and probably in many other yeasts.

  15. 76 FR 50285 - Fiscal Year 2012 Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane Sugar, Refined and Specialty Sugar...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-12

    ... for Raw Cane Sugar, Refined and Specialty Sugar and Sugar-Containing Products AGENCY: Office of the... quantity of the tariff-rate quotas for imported raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar and sugar...), the United States maintains tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for imports of raw cane sugar and refined sugar...

  16. Analytical redox reactions and redox potentials of tungsten and its concomitants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wuensch, G.; Mintrop, L.; Tracht, U.

    1985-01-01

    It is demonstrated that tungsten can be more effectively determined by redox titrimetry than by gravimetry. In addition to its inherent greater simplicity the volumetric approach offers to determine several components of the sample from consecutive redox titrations. To provide the necessary information the conditional redox potentials of W, Mo, Fe, V, Ti, Sn, Cu, Cr in HCl, HCl + HF and HCl + H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/ have been determined. Use of HF and/or H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/ allows sample preparations without any precipitation of tungstic acid. The influence of these auxiliary complexing agents on the potentials and kinetics is discussed. The titrations can be performed reductimetrically or more conveniently oxidimetrically using potentiometric or amperometric indication. The use of strongly reducing agents restricts the tolerance interval to +-0.6%, so that the gravimetric determination of tungsten remains superior for high precision analyses.

  17. Analytical redox reactions and redox potentials of tungsten and its concomitants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wuensch, G.; Mintrop, L.; Tracht, U.

    1985-01-01

    It is demonstrated that tungsten can be more effectively determined by redox titrimetry than by gravimetry. In addition to its inherent greater simplicity the volumetric approach offers to determine several components of the sample from consecutive redox titrations. To provide the necessary information the conditional redox potentials of W, Mo, Fe, V, Ti, Sn, Cu, Cr in HCl, HCl + HF and HCl + H 3 PO 4 have been determined. Use of HF and/or H 3 PO 4 allows sample preparations without any precipitation of tungstic acid. The influence of these auxiliary complexing agents on the potentials and kinetics is discussed. The titrations can be performed reductimetrically or more conveniently oxidimetrically using potentiometric or amperometric indication. The use of strongly reducing agents restricts the tolerance interval to +-0.6%, so that the gravimetric determination of tungsten remains superior for high precision analyses. (orig.) [de

  18. Ray tissues as an indirect measure of relative sap-sugar concentration in sugar maple

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peter W. Garrett; Kenneth R. Dudzik; Kenneth R. Dudzik

    1989-01-01

    Attempts to correlate ray tissue as a percentage of total wood volume with sap-sugar concentrations of sugar maple progenies were unsuccessful. These results raise doubts about our ability to use a relatively constant value such as ray-tissue volume in a selection program designed to increase the sap-sugar concentration of sugar maple seedlings.

  19. Redox Stimulation of Human THP-1 Monocytes in Response to Cold Physical Plasma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sander Bekeschus

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In plasma medicine, cold physical plasma delivers a delicate mixture of reactive components to cells and tissues. Recent studies suggested a beneficial role of cold plasma in wound healing. Yet, the biological processes related to the redox modulation via plasma are not fully understood. We here used the monocytic cell line THP-1 as a model to test their response to cold plasma in vitro. Intriguingly, short term plasma treatment stimulated cell growth. Longer exposure only modestly compromised cell viability but apparently supported the growth of cells that were enlarged in size and that showed enhanced metabolic activity. A significantly increased mitochondrial content in plasma treated cells supported this notion. On THP-1 cell proteome level, we identified an increase of protein translation with key regulatory proteins being involved in redox regulation (hypoxia inducible factor 2α, differentiation (retinoic acid signaling and interferon inducible factors, and cell growth (Yin Yang 1. Regulation of inflammation is a key element in many chronic diseases, and we found a significantly increased expression of the anti-inflammatory heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1 and of the neutrophil attractant chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8. Together, these results foster the view that cold physical plasma modulates the redox balance and inflammatory processes in wound related cells.

  20. Redox Stimulation of Human THP-1 Monocytes in Response to Cold Physical Plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bekeschus, Sander; Schmidt, Anke; Bethge, Lydia; Masur, Kai; von Woedtke, Thomas; Hasse, Sybille; Wende, Kristian

    2016-01-01

    In plasma medicine, cold physical plasma delivers a delicate mixture of reactive components to cells and tissues. Recent studies suggested a beneficial role of cold plasma in wound healing. Yet, the biological processes related to the redox modulation via plasma are not fully understood. We here used the monocytic cell line THP-1 as a model to test their response to cold plasma in vitro. Intriguingly, short term plasma treatment stimulated cell growth. Longer exposure only modestly compromised cell viability but apparently supported the growth of cells that were enlarged in size and that showed enhanced metabolic activity. A significantly increased mitochondrial content in plasma treated cells supported this notion. On THP-1 cell proteome level, we identified an increase of protein translation with key regulatory proteins being involved in redox regulation (hypoxia inducible factor 2α), differentiation (retinoic acid signaling and interferon inducible factors), and cell growth (Yin Yang 1). Regulation of inflammation is a key element in many chronic diseases, and we found a significantly increased expression of the anti-inflammatory heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1) and of the neutrophil attractant chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). Together, these results foster the view that cold physical plasma modulates the redox balance and inflammatory processes in wound related cells.