The loss of plant agro-biodiversity is a global problem with repercussions on both humans and (agro-)ecosystems. This article presents the data of a census of the herbaceous landraces currently ...cultivated in Lombardy (Northern Italy), one of the most industrialized regions of Europe, and for which information was previously extremely limited. The census showed that 72 herbaceous landraces are cultivated (conserved on farms) in Lombardy yet most of them are threatened since they are cultivated by a small number of farmers, mostly hobbyists. Only 11% have been the subject of scientific studies while 12.5% are protected since they are registered in the European Register of Conservation Varieties. Lombardy has lost about 78% of its landraces cultivated over the last 70–80 years. The nutritional characteristics of four little-known maize landraces of the Lombardy region recently used for the creation of niche food chains were also analyzed. They have a higher content of protein (about 12.34%) and phytic acid (about 1.35%), compared to a hybrid maize (B73/Mo17), while they are slightly poorer in starch (about 77.85%), Mg and Zn. Some of these landraces, those with coloured kernels due to the high concentration of polyphenols, have high antioxidant activity which makes them interesting for the production of nutraceutical foods. 2D-electrophoretic protein profiles highlighted that the four maize landraces are different one from another. Finally, some actions and tools are suggested to favour the in situ conservation of plant agro-biodiversity.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
EM (effective microorganisms) is a biofertilizer consisting of a mixed culture of potentially beneficial microorganisms. In this study, we investigated the effects of EM treatment on leaf in vivo ...chlorophyll
fluorescence of photosystem II (PSII), yield, and macronutrient content of bean plants grown on different substrates (nutrient rich substrate vs. nutrient poor sandy soil) in controlled environmental conditions (pot experiment in greenhouse). EM-treated plants maintained optimum leaf photosynthetic efficiency two weeks longer than the control plants, and increased yield independent of substrate. The levels of seed nutritionally-relevant molecules (proteins, lipids, and starch) were only slightly modified, apart from the protein content, which increased in plants grown in sandy soil. Although EM can be considered a promising and environmentally friendly technology for sustainable agriculture, more studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism(s) of action of EM, as well as its efficacy under open field conditions.
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Okara is a soybean transformation agri-food by-product, the massive production of which currently poses severe disposal issues. However, its composition is rich in seed storage proteins, which, once ...extracted, can represent an interesting source of bioactive peptides. Antimicrobial and antifungal proteins and peptides have been described in plant seeds; thus, okara is a valuable source of compounds, exploitable for integrated pest management. The aim of this work is to describe a rapid and economic procedure to isolate proteins from okara, and to produce an enzymatic proteolyzed product, active against fungal plant pathogens. The procedure allowed the isolation and recovery of about 30% of okara total proteins. Several proteolytic enzymes were screened to identify the proper procedure to produce antifungal compounds. Antifungal activity of the protein digested for 24 h with pancreatin against Fusarium and R. solani mycelial growth and Pseudomonas spp was assessed. A dose-response inhibitory activity was established against fungi belonging to the Fusarium genus. The exploitation of okara to produce antifungal bioactive peptides has the potential to turn this by-product into a paradigmatic example of circular economy, since a field-derived food waste is transformed into a source of valuable compounds to be used in field crops protection.
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Encapsulation of antioxidants in hydrogels, i.e., three-dimensional networks that retain a significant fraction of water, is a strategy to increase their stability and bioaccessibility. In fact, low ...oxygen diffusivity in the viscous gelled phase decreases the rate of oxidation. Moreover, some hydrocolloids such as alginate and whey proteins provide a pH-dependent dissolution mechanism, allowing the retention of encapsulated compounds in the gastric environment and their release in the intestine, where they can be absorbed. This paper reviews the information on alginate-whey protein interactions and on the strategies to use binary mixtures of these polymers for antioxidant encapsulation. Results showed that alginate and whey proteins strongly interact, forming hydrogels that can be modulated by alginate molecular mass, mannuronic acid: guluronic acid ratio, pH, Ca
or transglutaminase addition. Hydrogels of alginate and whey proteins, in the forms of beads, microparticles, microcapsules, and nanocapsules, generally provide better encapsulation efficiency and release properties for antioxidants with respect to the hydrogel of alginate alone. The main challenges for future studies are to extend knowledge on the interactions among three components, namely alginate, whey proteins, and the encapsulated bioactive compounds, and to investigate the stability of these structures under food processing conditions. This knowledge will represent the rationale basis for the development of structures that can be tailored to specific food applications.
Food proteins and peptides are able to exert a variety of well-known bioactivities, some of which are related to well-being and disease prevention in humans and animals. Currently, an active trend in ...research focuses on chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, delineating their major pathogenetic role in age-related diseases and in some forms of cancer. The present study aims to investigate the potential effects of pseudocereal proteins and their derived peptides on chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. After purification and attribution to protein classes according to classic Osborne's classification, the immune-modulating, antioxidant, and trypsin inhibitor activities of proteins from quinoa (
Willd.), amaranth (
L.), and buckwheat (
Moench) seeds have been assessed in vitro. The peptides generated by simulated gastro-intestinal digestion of each fraction have been also investigated for the selected bioactivities. None of the proteins or peptides elicited inflammation in Caco-2 cells; furthermore,
showed different degrees of protection of cells from IL-1β-induced inflammation. Immune-modulating and antioxidant activities were, in general, higher for the albumin fraction. Overall, seed proteins can express these bioactivities mainly after hydrolysis. On the contrary, higher trypsin inhibitor activity was expressed by globulins in their intact form. These findings lay the foundations for the exploitation of these pseudocereal seeds as source of anti-inflammatory molecules.
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γ-conglutin (γC) is a major protein of
seeds, but its function is still unknown. It shares high structural similarity with xyloglucan-specific endo-glucanase inhibitor proteins (XEGIPs) and, to a ...lesser extent, with
endoxylanase inhibitors (TAXI-I), active against fungal glycoside hydrolases GH12 and GH11, respectively. However, γC lacks both these inhibitory activities. Since β-galactomannans are major components of the cell walls of endosperm in several legume plants, we tested the inhibitory activity of γC against a GH2 β-mannosidase (EC 3.2.1.25). γC was actually able to inhibit the enzyme, and this effect was enhanced by the presence of zinc ions. The stoichiometry of the γC/enzyme interaction was 1:1, and the calculated
was 1.55 μM. To obtain further insights into the interaction between γC and β-mannosidase, an in silico structural bioinformatic approach was followed, including some docking analyses. By and large, this work describes experimental findings that highlight new scenarios for understanding the natural role of γC. Although structural predictions can leave space for speculative interpretations, the full complexity of the data reported in this work allows one to hypothesize mechanisms of action for the basis of inhibition. At least two mechanisms seem plausible, both involving lupin-γC-peculiar structures.
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γ-Conglutin (γ-C) is the glycoprotein from the edible seed L. albus, studied for long time for its postprandial glycaemic regulating action. It still lacks clear information on what could happen at ...the meeting point between the protein and the organism: the intestinal barrier. We compared an in vitro system involving Caco-2 and IPEC-J2 cells with an ex vivo system using pig ileum and jejunum segments to study γ-C transport from the apical to the basolateral compartment, and its effects on the D-glucose uptake and glucose transporters protein expression. Finally, we studied its potential in modulating glucose metabolism by assessing the possible inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. RP-HPLC analyses showed that γ-C may be transported to the basolateral side in the in vitro system but not in the pig intestines. γ-C was also able to promote a decrease in glucose uptake in both cells and jejunum independently from the expression of the SGLT1 and GLUT2 transporters.
Andean lupin (
Lupinus mutabilis
) seeds are appreciated for their high protein and lipid contents and have potential applications as ingredients in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. ...Nevertheless, the information about the seed composition (especially in lipophilic antioxidants) of ecotypes from distinct cropping areas is currently limited. Thus, the aim of the present research was to assess the morphological characteristics, chemical composition, tocopherol and carotenoid contents of the seeds of 33 Andean lupin ecotypes from different Peruvian regions, along with three
L. albus,
one
L. angustifolius
and one
L. luteus
controls. Significant differences were noted among the Andean ecotypes for all analyzed features. The protein, lipid and ash contents were 32.0–46.9, 13.6–18.6 and 2.7–4.4 g/100 g dry matter (DM), respectively. The seeds were rich in tocopherols (172.1–249.8 mg/kg DM;
γ
-tocopherol was 98% of total tocols) and low in carotenoids (0.69–2.89 mg/kg DM). Debittering increased the tocopherol content (227.0–378.2 mg/kg DM), probably because of the soluble components loss, although the carotenoid concentration remained unchanged. The Andean lupins had higher protein, lipid and tocopherol contents than
L. albus
and
L. angustifolius;
the
L. luteus
values were within the
L. mutabilis
range. These results suggest that
L. mutabilis
harbors nutritional characteristics that are well suited to modern food trends.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Camelina sativa , commonly referred to as camelina or false flax, has emerged as a promising cover crop with the potential to mitigate climate change—a pressing global challenge that demands urgent ...and sustainable solutions. Belonging to the Brassicaceae family and native to Europe and Central Asia, camelina is an oilseed crop known for its resilience in diverse climates, including arid and semi-arid regions, making it adaptable to various environments. A breeding program started from a study of six winter varieties and five spring varieties of camelina is described: these genetic materials were characterized by SSRs molecular markers and by GBS technique. Molecular data clearly showed all spring varieties were genetically similar and distinguishable from the winter varieties, which, in turn, clustered together. Using molecular data, parental varieties belonging to the two different clusters were selected to generate new genetic variability. The new variety obtained, selected through the bulk method based on three parameters: yield, earliness, and weight of 1000 seeds, has allowed the generation of the new genetic material provisionally named C1244. Chemical characterization was performed (bromatological and glucosinolates analysis) to better describe C1244 in comparison with benchmark varieties. The new variety exhibited early maturity, similar to spring varieties, making this genetic material promising for use in intercropping systems, a high weight of 1000 seeds (1.46 g) which improves and facilitates seeding/harvesting operations and a high oil content (33.62%) akin to winter varieties making it valuable for human and animal food purposes.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can increase the growth and yield of major crops, and improve the quality of fruits and leaves. However, little is known ...about their impact on seed composition. Plants were inoculated with AM fungi and/or the bacterial strain Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf4 and harvested after 7 months of growth in open-field conditions. Plant growth parameters were measured (biomass, length and circumference of spikes, number of grains per cob, grain yield, and grain size) and protein, lipid, and starch content in grains were determined. Plant growth and yield were increased by inoculation with the microorganisms. Moreover, spikes and grains of inoculated plants were bigger than those produced by uninoculated plants. Regarding grain composition, the bacterial strain increased grain starch content, especially the digestible components, whereas AM fungi-enhanced protein, especially zein, content. Plant inoculation with the fluorescent pseudomonad and mycorrhizal fungi resulted in additive effects on grain composition. Overall, results showed that the bacterial strain and the AM fungi promoted maize growth cultivated in field conditions and differentially affected the grain nutritional content. Consequently, targeted plant inoculation with beneficial microorganisms can lead to commodities fulfilling consumer and industrial requirements.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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