ORCID Profile
0000-0002-4691-8023
Current Organisation
Southern Cross University
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Crop and Pasture Production | Characterisation of Biological Macromolecules | Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry | Crop and Pasture Improvement (Selection and Breeding) | Crop and Pasture Nutrition | Crop and Pasture Biochemistry and Physiology | Biologically Active Molecules | Agronomy | Proteins and Peptides | Quantitative Genetics (incl. Disease and Trait Mapping Genetics)
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Summer Grains and Oilseeds not elsewhere classified | Winter Grains and Oilseeds not elsewhere classified | Rice | Expanding Knowledge in the Chemical Sciences | Expanding Knowledge in the Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences | Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences |
Related Links
Publications
Bridging the food security gap: an information-led approach to connect dietary nutrition, food composition and crop production
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-12-2020
DOI: 10.1002/JSFA.10157
Abstract: Food security is recognized as a major global challenge, yet human food-chain systems are inherently not geared towards nutrition, with decisions on crop and cultivar choice not informed by dietary composition. Currently, food compositional tables and databases (FCT/FCDB) are the primary information sources for decisions relating to dietary intake. However, these only present single mean values representing major components. Establishment of a systematic controlled vocabulary to fill this gap requires representation of a more complex set of semantic relationships between terms used to describe nutritional composition and dietary function. We carried out a survey of 11 FCT/FCDB and 177 peer-reviewed papers describing variation in nutritional composition and dietary function for food crops to identify a comprehensive set of terms to construct a controlled vocabulary. We used this information to generate a Crop Dietary Nutrition Data Framework (CDN-DF), which incorporates controlled vocabularies systematically organized into major classes representing nutritional components and dietary functions. We demonstrate the value of the CDN-DF for comparison of equivalent components between crop species or cultivars, for identifying data gaps and potential for formal meta-analysis. The CDN-DF also enabled us to explore relationships between nutritional components and the functional attributes of food. We have generated a structured crop dietary nutrition data framework, which is generally applicable to the collation and comparison of data relevant to crop researchers, breeders, and other stakeholders, and will facilitate dialogue with nutritionists. It is currently guiding the establishment of a more robust formal ontology. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
Performance of Modern and Traditional Spelt Wheat (Triticum spelta) Varieties in Rain-Fed and Irrigated, Organic and Conventional Production Systems in a Semi-Arid Environment; Results from Explorator
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 05-2021
Abstract: Background: Consumer demand for organic spelt wheat has increased rapidly and production has expanded into semi-arid regions, where it was not traditionally grown. Methods: Here, we report the results of a factorial field experiment designed to compare the performance of four spelt varieties grown in rain-fed and irrigated, conventional and organic production systems in a semi-arid environment. Results: Irrigation resulted in 2.5-fold higher grain yields, a reduction in grain protein, taller plants and an increase in stem lodging. While yields of all varieties were similar and low in rain-fed production, the variety Züricher Oberländer Rotkorn (ZOR) produced the highest, Filderstolz and Oberkulmer intermediate and the variety Rubiota the lowest grain yields in irrigated systems. Organic production with chicken or sheep manure as fertilizer resulted in 15% higher yields that mineral NPK fertilizer-based conventional production protocols. Conclusions: Rain-fed spelt production results in very low yields and is therefore unlikely to be commercially viable. Results suggest that organic fertilization regimes and the variety ZOR will result in the highest yields in irrigated systems, while the two traditional spelt varieties Filderstolz and Oberkulmer will more reliably produce grain protein levels that comply with bread-making quality standards.
Optimisation and standardisation of extraction and HPLC analysis of rice grain protein
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
The Arabidopsis cax1 Mutant Exhibits Impaired Ion Homeostasis, Development, and Hormonal Responses and Reveals Interplay among Vacuolar Transporters
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 02-01-2003
DOI: 10.1105/TPC.007385
Abstract: The Arabidopsis Ca(2+)/H(+) transporter CAX1 (Cation Exchanger1) may be an important regulator of intracellular Ca(2+) levels. Here, we describe the preliminary localization of CAX1 to the tonoplast and the molecular and biochemical characterization of cax1 mutants. We show that these mutants exhibit a 50% reduction in tonoplast Ca(2+)/H(+) antiport activity, a 40% reduction in tonoplast V-type H(+)-translocating ATPase activity, a 36% increase in tonoplast Ca(2+)-ATPase activity, and increased expression of the putative vacuolar Ca(2+)/H(+) antiporters CAX3 and CAX4. Enhanced growth was displayed by the cax1 lines under Mn(2+) and Mg(2+) stress conditions. The mutants exhibited altered plant development, perturbed hormone sensitivities, and altered expression of an auxin-regulated promoter-reporter gene fusion. We propose that CAX1 regulates myriad plant processes and discuss the observed phenotypes with regard to the compensatory alterations in other transporters.
Effect of wheat species (Triticum aestivum vs T. spelta), farming system (organic vs conventional) and flour type (wholegrain vs white) on composition of wheat flour; results of a retail survey in the
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
Plant Defense Response to Fungal Pathogens (Activation of Host-Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase by Elicitor-Induced Enzyme Dephosphorylation)
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 1994
DOI: 10.1104/PP.104.1.209
Abstract: Elicitor preparations containing the avr5 gene products from race 4 of Cladosporium fulvum and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) cells near isogenic for the resistance gene Cf5 were used to investigate events following the treatment of host plasma membranes with elicitor. A 4-fold increase in H+-ATPase activity, coincident with the acidification of the extracellular medium, was detected immediately after elicitor treatment. The elicitor-induced stimulation of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase was inhibited by okadaic acid but not by staurosporine, suggesting that protein dephosphorylation was required for increased H+-ATPase activity. This observation was confirmed by [gamma]-32P labeling and immunodetection of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase. Effects of guanidine nucleotide analogs and mastoparan on the ATPase activity suggested the role of GTP-binding proteins in mediating the putative elicitor-receptor binding, resulting in activation of a phosphatase(s), which in turn stimulates the plasma membrane H+-ATPase by dephosphorylation.
Abscisic acid Induction of vacuolar H1-ATPase activity inmesembryanthemum crystallinum is developmentally regulated
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 07-1999
DOI: 10.1104/PP.120.3.811
Abstract: Abscisic acid (ABA) has been implicated as a key component in water-deficit-induced responses, including those triggered by drought, NaCl, and low- temperature stress. In this study a role for ABA in mediating the NaCl-stress-induced increases in tonoplast H+-translocating ATPase (V-ATPase) and Na+/H+ antiport activity in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, leading to vacuolar Na+ sequestration, were investigated. NaCl or ABA treatment of adult M. crystallinum plants induced V-ATPase H+ transport activity, and when applied in combination, an additive effect on V-ATPase stimulation was observed. In contrast, treatment of juvenile plants with ABA did not induce V-ATPase activity, whereas NaCl treatment resulted in a similar response to that observed in adult plants. Na+/H+ antiport activity was induced in both juvenile and adult plants by NaCl, but ABA had no effect at either developmental stage. Results indicate that ABA-induced changes in V-ATPase activity are dependent on the plant reaching its adult phase, whereas NaCl-induced increases in V-ATPase and Na+/H+ antiport activity are independent of plant age. This suggests that ABA-induced V-ATPase activity may be linked to the stress-induced, developmentally programmed switch from C3 metabolism to Crassulacean acid metabolism in adult plants, whereas, vacuolar Na+ sequestration, mediated by the V-ATPase and Na+/H+ antiport, is regulated through ABA-independent pathways.
Photolabeling of tonoplast from sugar beet cell suspensions by [3H]5-(N-methyl-N-isobutyl)-amiloride, an inhibitor of the vacuolar Na+/H+antiport
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 07-1990
DOI: 10.1104/PP.93.3.924
Brassicaceae Mustards: Traditional and Agronomic Uses in Australia and New Zealand
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 21-01-2018
DOI: 10.3390/MOLECULES23010231
Abstract: Commonly cultivated Brassicaceae mustards, namely garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), white mustard (Brassica alba), Ethiopian mustard (B. carinata), Asian mustard (B. juncea), oilseed rape (B. napus), black mustard (B. nigra), rapeseed (B. rapa), white ball mustard (Calepina irregularis), ball mustard (Neslia paniculata), treacle mustard (Erysimum repandum), hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale), Asian hedge mustard (S. orientale), smooth mustard (S. erysimoides) and canola are the major economically important oilseed crops in many countries. Mustards were naturalized to Australia and New Zealand and Australia is currently the second largest exporter of Brassicaceae oilseeds to meet the global demand for a healthy plant-derived oil, high in polyunsaturated fats. Apart from providing edible oil, various parts of these plants and many of their phytochemicals have been used traditionally for both agronomic as well as medicinal purposes, with evidence of their use by early Australian and New Zealand settlers and also the indigenous population. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of traditional and agronomic uses of Brassicaceae oilseeds and mustards with a focus on their importance in Australia and New Zealand.
Characterization of the Cannabis sativa glandular trichome proteome
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 04-2021
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0242633
Abstract: Cannabis sativa has been cultivated since antiquity as a source of fibre, food and medicine. The recent resurgence of C . sativa as a cash crop is mainly driven by the medicinal and therapeutic properties of its resin, which contains compounds that interact with the human endocannabinoid system. Compared to other medicinal crops of similar value, however, little is known about the biology of C . sativa . Glandular trichomes are small hair-like projections made up of stalk and head tissue and are responsible for the production of the resin in C . sativa . Trichome productivity, as determined by C . sativa resin yield and composition, is only beginning to be understood at the molecular level. In this study the proteomes of glandular trichome stalks and heads, were investigated and compared to the proteome of the whole flower tissue, to help further elucidate C . sativa glandular trichome biochemistry. The data suggested that the floral tissue acts as a major source of carbon and energy to the glandular trichome head sink tissue, supplying sugars which drive secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The trichome stalk seems to play only a limited role in secondary metabolism and acts as both source and sink.
Na+/H+ exchange in the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum is associated with cellular sites of Na+ storage
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2002
DOI: 10.1071/FP02045
Abstract: The tonoplast Na+/H+ exchanger is involved in sequestering Na+ in plant vacuoles, providing solutes for osmotic adjustment while avoiding cytoplasmic Na+ toxicity. As such it is assumed to be one of the key mechanisms involved in salt-tolerance in plants. In this study, we measured tonoplast Na+/H+ exchange in roots and different leaf tissues of adult Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. plants to determine if activity of the exchanger follows the gradient from roots to leaves previously observed for Na+ and pinitol accumulation. Na+/H+ exchange was absent from roots of control and NaCl-treated plants. In contrast, leaves showed constitutive Na+/H+ exchange that was enhanced by growth of the plants in NaCl. Highest activity was measured in the epidermal bladder cells in agreement with the highest concentrations of Na+ found in this tissue. Tonoplast H+-translocating ATPase activity was also greatest in this tissue, as were protein levels for myo-inositol-O-methyltransferase, a key enzyme in the pinitol biosynthesis pathway. The strong correlation between Na+/H+ exchange and Na+ accumulation confirms the role of this transporter in vacuolar sequestration of Na+ and plant salt tolerance.
Multitone PSK Modulation Design for Simultaneous Wireless Information and Power Transfer
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Date: 2023
INPPO Actions and Recognition as a Driving Force for Progress in Plant Proteomics: Change of Guard, INPPO Update, and Upcoming Activities
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-2013
Plant defense response to fungal pathogens (activation of host-plasma membrane H+-ATPase by elicitor-induced enzyme dephosphorylation)
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 1994
Identification of a 170-kDa protein associated with the vacuolar Na+/H+antiport of Beta vulgaris
Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Date: 15-12-1991
Abstract: The effect of the addition of amiloride to the growth medium was tested on the Na+/H+ antiport activity of tonoplast vesicles isolated from sugar beet (beta vulgaris L.) cell suspensions. Cells grown in the presence of NaCl and amiloride displayed an increased antiport activity. Analysis of the kinetic data showed that while the affinity of the antiport for Na+ ions did not change, the maximal velocity of the Na+/H+ exchange increased markedly. These results suggest the addition of more antiport molecules to the tonoplast and/or an increase in the turnover rate of the Na+/H+ exchange. The increase in activity of the antiport by the presence of amiloride was correlated with the enhanced synthesis of a tonoplast 170-kDa polypeptide. The increased synthesis of this polypeptide was detected not only upon exposure of the cells to amiloride but also when the cells were exposed to high NaCl concentrations. Polyclonal antibodies against the 170-kDa polypeptide almost completely inhibited the antiport activity. These results suggest the association of the 170-kDa polypeptide with the vacuolar Na+/H+ antiport.
Comparative transcriptomic analysis of wheat cultivars differing in their resistance to Fusarium head blight infection during grain-filling stages reveals unique defense mechanisms at play
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-09-2023
Growing arabidopsis in vitro: Cell suspensions, in vitro culture, and regeneration
Publisher: Humana Press
Date: 30-08-2014
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-580-4_3
Abstract: An understanding of basic methods in Arabidopsis tissue culture is beneficial for any laboratory working on this model plant. Tissue culture refers to the aseptic growth of cells, organs, or plants in a controlled environment, in which physical, nutrient, and hormonal conditions can all be easily manipulated and monitored. The methodology facilitates the production of a large number of plants that are genetically identical over a relatively short growth period. Techniques, including callus production, cell suspension cultures, and plant regeneration, are all indispensable tools for the study of cellular biochemical and molecular processes. Plant regeneration is a key technology for successful stable plant transformation, while cell suspension cultures can be exploited for metabolite profiling and mining. In this chapter we report methods for the successful and highly efficient in vitro regeneration of plants and production of stable cell suspension lines from leaf explants of both Arabidopsis thaliana and Arabidopsis halleri.
The vacuolar H+/Ca transporter CAX1 participates in submergence and anoxia stress responses
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 16-08-2022
Abstract: A plant’s oxygen supply can vary from normal (normoxia) to total depletion (anoxia). Tolerance to anoxia is relevant to wetland species, rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation, and submergence tolerance of crops. Decoding and transmitting calcium (Ca) signals may be an important component to anoxia tolerance however, the contribution of intracellular Ca transporters to this process is poorly understood. Four functional cation roton exchangers (CAX1–4) in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) help regulate Ca homeostasis around the vacuole. Our results demonstrate that cax1 mutants are more tolerant to both anoxic conditions and submergence. Using phenotypic measurements, RNA-sequencing, and proteomic approaches, we identified cax1-mediated anoxia changes that phenocopy changes present in anoxia-tolerant crops: altered metabolic processes, diminished reactive oxygen species production post anoxia, and altered hormone signaling. Comparing wild-type and cax1 expressing genetically encoded Ca indicators demonstrated altered cytosolic Ca signals in cax1 during reoxygenation. Anoxia-induced Ca signals around the plant vacuole are involved in the control of numerous signaling events related to adaptation to low oxygen stress. This work suggests that cax1 anoxia response pathway could be engineered to circumvent the adverse effects of flooding that impair production agriculture.
Zinc tolerance and accumulation in stable cell suspension cultures and in vitro regenerated plants of the emerging model plant Arabidopsis halleri (Brassicaceae)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-01-2009
DOI: 10.1007/S00425-008-0882-2
Abstract: Arabidopsis halleri is increasingly employed as a model plant for studying heavy metal hyperaccumulation. With the aim of providing valuable tools for studies on cellular physiology and molecular biology of metal tolerance and transport, this study reports the development of successful and highly efficient methods for the in vitro regeneration of A. halleri plants and production of stable cell suspension lines. Plants were regenerated from leaf explants of A. halleri via a three-step procedure: callus induction, somatic embryogenesis and shoot development. Efficiency of callus proliferation and regeneration depended on the initial callus induction media and was optimal in the presence of 1 mg L(-1) 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 0.05 mg L(-1) benzylaminopurine. Subsequent shoot and root regeneration from callus initiated under these conditions reached levels of 100% efficiency. High friability of the callus supported the development of cell suspension cultures with minimal cellular aggregates. Characterization of regenerated plants and cell cultures determined that they maintained not only the zinc tolerance and requirement of the whole plant but also the ability to accumulate zinc with plants accumulating up to 50.0 micromoles zinc g(-1) FW, and cell suspension cultures 30.9 micromoles zinc g(-1) DW. Together this work will provide the experimental basis for furthering our knowledge of A. halleri as a model heavy metal hyperaccumulating plant.
A Systematic Approach to Defining Nutritional Quality of Underutilised Crops
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 07-04-2020
Na+/H+ exchange activity in the plasma membrane of Arabidopsis
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 06-2003
Abstract: In plants, Na+/H+ exchangers in the plasma membrane are critical for growth in high levels of salt, removing toxic Na+ from the cytoplasm by transport out of the cell. The molecular identity of a plasma membrane Na+/H+ exchanger in Arabidopsis (SOS1) has recently been determined. In this study, immunological analysis provided evidence that SOS1 localizes to the plasma membrane of leaves and roots. To characterize the transport activity of this protein, purified plasma membrane vesicles were isolated from leaves of Arabidopsis. Na+/H+ exchange activity, monitored as the ability of Na to dissipate an established pH gradient, was absent in plants grown without salt. However, exchange activity was induced when plants were grown in 250 mm NaCl and increased with prolonged salt exposure up to 8 d. H+-coupled exchange was specific for Na, because chloride salts of other monovalent cations did not dissipate the pH gradient. Na+/H+ exchange activity was dependent on Na (substrate) concentration, and kinetic analysis indicated that the affinity (apparent K m) of the transporter for Na+ is 22.8 mm. Data from two experimental approaches supports electroneutral exchange (one Na+ exchanged for one proton): (a) no change in membrane potential was measured during the exchange reaction, and (b) Na+/H+ exchange was unaffected by the presence or absence of a membrane potential. Results from this research provide a framework for future studies into the regulation of the plant plasma membrane Na+/H+ exchanger and its relative contribution to the maintenance of cellular Na+ homeostasis during plant growth in salt.
Energy costs of salt tolerance in crop plants
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-07-2019
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.15864
Abstract: Agriculture is expanding into regions that are affected by salinity. This review considers the energetic costs of salinity tolerance in crop plants and provides a framework for a quantitative assessment of costs. Different sources of energy, and modifications of root system architecture that would maximize water vs ion uptake are addressed. Energy requirements for transport of salt (NaCl) to leaf vacuoles for osmotic adjustment could be small if there are no substantial leaks back across plasma membrane and tonoplast in root and leaf. The coupling ratio of the H
Plasma Membrane and Abiotic Stress
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Date: 04-09-2010
Terpene synthase genes in Melaleuca alternifolia: comparative analysis of lineage‑specifc subfamily variation within Myrtaceae
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-08-2017
Quantitative proteomics of heavy metal exposure in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals alterations in one-carbon metabolism enzymes upon exposure to zinc
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPROT.2014.03.006
Abstract: Plant zinc (Zn) homeostasis must be tightly regulated as the requirement for this micronutrient necessitates its uptake. However, excessive Zn can lead to toxicity and the plant must respond rapidly and effectively within its capacity to minimize damage. To detect mechanisms that may be important for coping with excess Zn we carried out a quantitative proteomics approach using 2D-DIGE to identify Zn-responsive proteins in microsomal fractions from leaves of 4day, 200μM Zn-treated, Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Of the eight proteins which showed significant changes in abundance in the Zn-treated s les and which met all of the selection criteria following statistical analysis, six were successfully identified by LC-MS/MS with 2 or more unique peptides. Three of the proteins were found to be involved in the one-carbon metabolism pathway including glycine decarboxylase P protein, serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) and methionine synthase, all of which showed reduced abundance in the Zn-treated s les. Western blot analysis confirmed the decrease in SHMT, while changes in metal tolerance protein indicated plants were most likely actively sequestering Zn. Interestingly, excess Zn led to increased petiole length, a phenotype which may reflect the reduced levels of methionine, a key product of the one-carbon metabolism pathway. Metal contamination is becoming an increasingly common environmental problem. High levels of zinc can be found in certain soils naturally or as a result of long-term anthropogenic activity which leads to its accumulation i.e. use of fertilizers or industrial waste. The study of metal tolerant plants, particularly those classified as hyperaccumulators has been driven by the potential use of these plants for bioremediation purposes. However, the effects of heavy metal exposure on sensitive plants and the different cellular processes that are affected have received significantly less attention. We are interested in identifying proteins in A. thaliana that are induced as a result of exposure to subtoxic levels of heavy metals with the aim of discovering novel participants in heavy metal stress and adaptation.
A Single Seed Protein Extraction Protocol for Characterizing Brassica Seed Storage Proteins
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-01-2021
Abstract: Rapeseed oil-extracted expeller cake mostly contains protein. Various approaches have been used to isolate, detect and measure proteins in rapeseeds, with a particular focus on seed storage proteins (SSPs). To maximize the protein yield and minimize hazardous chemical use, isolation costs and the loss of seed material, optimization of the extraction method is pivotal. For some studies, it is also necessary to minimize or avoid seed-to-seed cross-contamination for phenotyping and single-tissue type analysis to know the exact amount of any bioactive component in a single seed, rather than a mixture of multiple seeds. However, a simple and robust method for single rapeseed seed protein extraction (SRPE) is unavailable. To establish a strategy for optimizing SRPE for downstream gel-based protein analysis, yielding the highest amount of SSPs in the most economical and rapid way, a variety of different approaches were tested, including variations to the seed pulverization steps, changes to the compositions of solvents and reagents and adjustments to the protein recovery steps. Following SRPE, 1D-SDS-PAGE was used to assess the quality and amount of proteins extracted. A standardized SRPE procedure was developed and then tested for yield and reproducibility. The highest protein yield and quality were obtained using a ball grinder with stainless steel beads in Safe-Lock microcentrifuge tubes with methanol as the solvent, providing a highly efficient, economic and effective method. The usefulness of this SRPE was validated by applying the procedure to extract protein from different Brassica oilseeds and for screening an ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) mutant population of Brassica rapa R-0-18. The outcomes provide useful methodology for identifying and characterizing the SSPs in the SRPE.
Cadmium and zinc activate adaptive mechanisms in Nicotiana tabacum similar to those observed in metal tolerant plants
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-04-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S00425-017-2700-1
Abstract: Tobacco germinated and grew in the presence of high concentrations of cadmium and zinc without toxic symptoms. Evidence suggests that these ions are sequestered into the vacuole by heavy metal/H
Making Epidermal Bladder Cells Bigger: Developmental- and Salinity-Induced Endopolyploidy in a Model Halophyte
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-05-2018
DOI: 10.1104/PP.18.00033
The Arabidopsis cax3 mutants display altered salt tolerance, pH sensitivity and reduced plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-10-2007
DOI: 10.1007/S00425-007-0648-2
Abstract: Perturbing CAX1, an Arabidopsis vacuolar H+/Ca2+ antiporter, and the related vacuolar transporter CAX3, has been previously shown to cause severe growth defects however, the specific function of CAX3 has remained elusive. Here, we describe plant phenotypes that are shared among cax1 and cax3 including an increased sensitivity to both abscisic acid (ABA) and sugar during germination, and an increased tolerance to ethylene during early seedling development. We have also identified phenotypes unique to cax3, namely salt, lithium and low pH sensitivity. We used biochemical measurements to ascribe these cax3 sensitivities to a reduction in vacuolar H+/Ca2+ transport during salt stress and decreased plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity. These findings catalog an array of CAX phenotypes and assign a specific role for CAX3 in response to salt tolerance.
A decade of plant proteomics and mass spectrometry: Translation of technical advancements to food security and safety issues
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-01-2013
DOI: 10.1002/MAS.21365
Abstract: Tremendous progress in plant proteomics driven by mass spectrometry (MS) techniques has been made since 2000 when few proteomics reports were published and plant proteomics was in its infancy. These achievements include the refinement of existing techniques and the search for new techniques to address food security, safety, and health issues. It is projected that in 2050, the world's population will reach 9-12 billion people demanding a food production increase of 34-70% (FAO, 2009) from today's food production. Provision of food in a sustainable and environmentally committed manner for such a demand without threatening natural resources, requires that agricultural production increases significantly and that postharvest handling and food manufacturing systems become more efficient requiring lower energy expenditure, a decrease in postharvest losses, less waste generation and food with longer shelf life. There is also a need to look for alternative protein sources to animal based (i.e., plant based) to be able to fulfill the increase in protein demands by 2050. Thus, plant biology has a critical role to play as a science capable of addressing such challenges. In this review, we discuss proteomics especially MS, as a platform, being utilized in plant biology research for the past 10 years having the potential to expedite the process of understanding plant biology for human benefits. The increasing application of proteomics technologies in food security, analysis, and safety is emphasized in this review. But, we are aware that no unique approach/technology is capable to address the global food issues. Proteomics-generated information/resources must be integrated and correlated with other omics-based approaches, information, and conventional programs to ensure sufficient food and resources for human development now and in the future.
Exchangers man the pumps
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 05-2008
DOI: 10.4161/PSB.3.5.5600
Quantitative proteomics of the tonoplast reveals a role for glycolytic enzymes in salt tolerance
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 2009
Development of Selection Indices for Improvement of Seed Yield and Lipid Composition in Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 29-12-2021
Abstract: The underutilised grain legume bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) has the potential to contribute significantly to nutritional security. However, the lack of commercial cultivars has hindered its wider adoption and utilisation as a food source. The development of competitive cultivars is impeded by (1) lack of systematic data describing variation in nutritional composition within the gene pool, and (2) a poor understanding of how concentrations of different nutritional components interact. In this study, we analysed seed lipid and protein concentration and lipid composition within a collection of 100 lines representing the global gene pool. Seed protein and lipid varied over twofold with a normal distribution, but no significant statistical correlation was detected between the two components. Seed lipid concentration (4.2–8.8 g/100 g) is primarily determined by the proportion of oleic acid (r2 = 0.45). Yield and composition data for a subset of 40 lines were then used to test selection parameters for high yielding, high lipid breeding lines. From five selection indices tested using 15 scenarios, an index based on the seed number, seed weight, and oleic acid yielded a % expected increase in each of the mean values of seed number, pod dry weight, seed dry weight, and seed size, as well as an expected 7% increase in seed lipid concentration.
Salinity and nitrogen source affect productivity and nutritional value of edible halophytes
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 15-08-2023
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0288547
Abstract: Saline agriculture may contribute to food production in the face of the declining availability of fresh water and an expanding area of salinized soils worldwide. However, there is currently little known about the biomass and nutrient/antinutrient accumulation response of many edible halophytes to increasing levels of salinity and nitrogen source. To address this, two glass house experiments were carried out. The first to study the shoot biomass, and nutrient accumulation response, measured by ICP-MS analysis, of edible halophyte species, including Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (ice plant), Salsola komarovii (Land seaweed), Enchylaena tomentosa (Ruby Saltbush), Crithmum maritimum (Rock S hire), Crambe maritima (Sea Kale) and Mertensia maritima (Oyster Plant), under increasing levels of salinity (0 to 800 mM). The second experiment studied the effects of nitrogen source combined with salinity, on levels of oxalate, measured by HPLC, in ice plant and ruby saltbush. Species differences for biomass and sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) accumulation were observed across the range of salt treatments (0 to 800mM). Shoot concentrations of the anti-nutrient oxalate decreased significantly in ice plant and ruby saltbush with an increase in the proportion of N provided as NH 4 + (up to 100%), while shoot oxalate concentrations in ice plant and ruby saltbush grown in the absence of NaCl were not significantly different to oxalate concentrations in plants treated with 200 mM or 400 mM NaCl. However, the lower shoot oxalate concentrations observed with the increase in NH 4 + came with concurrent reductions in shoot biomass. Results suggest that there will need to be a calculated tradeoff between oxalate levels and biomass when growing these plants for commercial purposes.
Effects of Production Region, Production Systems and Grape Type/Variety on Nutritional Quality Parameters of Table Grapes; Results from a UK Retail Survey
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 16-12-2020
DOI: 10.3390/FOODS9121874
Abstract: Grapes contain high concentrations of secondary metabolites and antioxidants that have been linked to a reduction of several chronic diseases. Here, we report results of a UK retail survey, which investigated the effect of the production region (Mediterranean vs. South Africa), grape type (white vs. red vs. black) and variety, and production system (organic vs. conventional) on antioxidant activity and concentrations of phenolic compounds in table grapes. Black grapes had ~180% total antioxidant activity (TAA), ~60% higher total phenolic content (TPC) and ~40 times higher anthocyanin concentrations (TAC) than white grapes, while red grapes had intermediate levels of TAA, TPC and TAC. The effects of season and production system and differences between varieties of the same grape type were substantially smaller. Grapes imported from Mediterranean countries in summer had a 14% higher TPC and ~20% higher TAA than grapes imported from South Africa in winter, and organic grapes had a 16% higher TPC and 22% higher TAA, but ~30% lower TAC than conventional grapes. Significant differences in TPC, TAA and/or TAC between organic and conventional grapes could only be detected for specific grape types, varieties and/or s ling years.
Simultaneous Quantification of 17 Cannabinoids in Cannabis Inflorescence by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 28-03-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SEPARATIONS9040085
Abstract: With an increasing appreciation for the unique pharmacological properties associated with distinct, in idual cannabinoids of Cannabis sativa, there is demand for accurate and reliable quantification for a growing number of them. Although recent methods are based on highly selective chromatography-mass spectrometry technology, most are limited to a few cannabinoids, while relying on unnecessarily sophisticated and expensive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Here we report an optimised, simple extraction method followed by a reliable and simple high performance liquid chromatography method for separation. The detection is performed using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer that is available in most natural products research laboratories. Due to the simplicity of instrumentation, and the robustness resulting from a high resolution in the chromatography of isobaric cannabinoids, the method is well suited for routine phytocannabinoid analysis for a range of applications. The method was validated in terms of detection and quantification limits, repeatability, and recoveries for a total of 17 cannabinoids: detection limits were in the range 11–520 pg when using a 1 µL s le injection volume, and the recovery percentages ranged from 85% to 108%. The validated method was subsequently applied to determine cannabinoid composition in the inflorescences of several medicinal Cannabis sativa varieties.
Does Coffee Have Terroir and How Should It Be Assessed?
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 27-06-2022
Abstract: The terroir of coffee is defined as the unique sensory experience derived from a single origin roasted coffee that embodies its source. Environmental conditions such as temperature, altitude, shade cover, rainfall, and agronomy are considered the major parameters that define coffee terroir. However, many other parameters such as post-harvest processing, roasting, grinding, and brewing can combine to influence the perception of terroir. In this review, we discuss the contribution of these parameters and their influence on coffee terroir. Assessment of terroir requires defined sensory descriptors, as provided by the World Coffee Research Lexicon, and standardized roast level, grind size, and brew method. The choice of the post-harvest processing method is often environmentally dependent, suggesting that an inclusion into the coffee terroir definition is warranted. Coffee terroir is often not intentionally created but results from the contributions of the Coffea species and variety planted, environmental and agricultural parameters, and both the harvest and post-harvest method used. The unique combination of these parameters gives the consumer a unique cup of coffee, reminiscent of the place the coffee was produced.
The Arabidopsis cax1 mutant exhibits impaired ion homeostasis, development, and hormonal responses and reveals interplay among vacuolar transporters
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 2003
Single cell-type analysis of cellular lipid remodelling in response to salinity in the epidermal bladder cells of the model halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-07-2018
DOI: 10.1111/PCE.13352
Abstract: Salt stress causes dramatic changes in the organization and dynamic properties of membranes, however, little is known about the underlying mechanisms involved. Modified trichomes, known as epidermal bladder cells (EBC), on the leaves and stems of the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum can be successfully exploited as a single-cell-type system to investigate salt-induced changes to cellular lipid composition. In this study, alterations in key molecular species from different lipid classes highlighted an increase in phospholipid species, particularly those from phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidic acid (PA), where the latter is central to the synthesis of membrane lipids. Triacylglycerol (TG) species decreased during salinity, while there was little change in plastidic galactolipids. EBC transcriptomic and proteomic data mining revealed changes in genes and proteins involved in lipid metabolism and the upregulation of transcripts for PIPKIB, PI5PII, PIPKIII, and phospholipase D delta suggested the induction of signalling processes mediated by phosphoinositides and PA. TEM and flow cytometry showed the dynamic nature of lipid droplets in these cells under salt stress. Altogether, this work indicates that the metabolism of TG might play an important role in EBC response to salinity as either an energy reserve for sodium accumulation and/or driving membrane biosynthesis for EBC expansion.
Tonoplast Na+/H+ Antiport Activity and Its Energization by the Vacuolar H+-ATPase in the Halophytic Plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-1995
DOI: 10.1104/PP.109.2.549
Abstract: Tonoplast vesicles were isolated from leaf mesophyll tissue of the inducible Crassulacean acid metabolism plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum to investigate the mechanism of vacuolar Na+ accumulation in this halophilic species. In 8-week-old plants exposed to 200 mM NaCl for 2 weeks, tonoplast H+-ATPase activity was approximately doubled compared with control plants of the same age, as determined by rates of both ATP hydrolysis and ATP-dependent H+ transport. Evidence was also obtained for the presence of an electroneutral Na+/H+ antiporter at the tonoplast that is constitutively expressed, since extravesicular Na+ was able to dissipate a pre-existing transmembrane pH gradient. Initial rates of H+ efflux showed saturation kinetics with respect to extravesicular Na+ concentration and were 2.1-fold higher from vesicles of salt-treated plants compared with the controls. Na+-dependent H+ efflux also showed a high selectivity for Na+ over K+, was insensitive to the transmembrane electrical potential difference, and was more than 50% inhibited by 200 [mu]M N-amidino-3,5-diamino-6-chloropyrazinecarboxamide hydrochloride. The close correlation between increased Na+/H+ antiport and H+-ATPase activities in response to salt treatment suggests that accumulation of the very high concentrations of vacuolar Na+ found in M. crystallinum is energized by the H+ electrochemical gradient across the tonoplast.
Effect of irrigation, fertiliser type and variety on grain yield and nutritional quality of spelt wheat (Triticum spelta) grown under semi-arid conditions
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2021
An alternative mode of CD43 signal transduction activates pro-survival pathways of T lymphocytes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-10-2017
DOI: 10.1111/IMM.12670
Shotgun proteomics of Brassica rapa seed proteins identifies vicilin as a major seed storage protein in the mature seed
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 09-07-2021
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0253384
Abstract: Proteins make up a large percentage of the Brassica seed and are second only to the oil in economic importance with uses for both animal and human nutrition. The most abundant proteins reported in the seeds of Brassica are the seed storage proteins cruciferin and napin, belonging to the 12S globulin and 2S albumin families of proteins, respectively. To gain insight into the Brassica rapa seed proteome and to confirm the presence and relative quantity of proteins encoded by candidate seed storage genes in the mature seed, shotgun proteomics was carried out on protein extracts from seeds of B . rapa inbred line R-o-18. Following liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, a total of 34016 spectra were mapped to 323 proteins, where 233 proteins were identified in 3 out of 4 biological replicates by at least 2 unique peptides. 2S albumin like napin seed storage proteins (SSPs), 11/12S globulin like cruciferin SSPs and 7S globulin like vicilin SSPs were identified in the s les, along with other notable proteins including oil body proteins, namely ten oleosins and two oil body-associated proteins. The identification of vicilin like proteins in the mature B . rapa seed represents the first account of these proteins in the Brassicaceae and analysis indicates high conservation of sequence motifs to other 7S vicilin-like allergenic proteins as well as conservation of major allergenic epitopes in the proteins. This study enriches our existing knowledge on rapeseed seed proteins and provides a robust foundation and rational basis for plant bioengineering of seed storage proteins.
PHYSIOLOGY OF ION TRANSPORT ACROSS THE TONOPLAST OF HIGHER PLANTS.
Publisher: Annual Reviews
Date: 06-1996
DOI: 10.1146/ANNUREV.ARPLANT.47.1.159
Abstract: ▪ Abstract The vacuole of plant cells plays an important role in the homeostasis of the cell. It is involved in the regulation of cytoplasmic pH, sequestration of toxic ions and xenobiotics, regulation of cell turgor, storage of amino acids, sugars and CO 2 in the form of malate, and possibly as a source for elevating cytoplasmic calcium. All these activities are driven by two primary active transport mechanisms present in the vacuolar membrane (tonoplast). These two mechanisms employ high-energy metabolites to pump protons into the vacuole, establishing a proton electrochemical potential that mediates the transport of a erse range of solutes. Within the past few years, great advances at the molecular and functional levels have been made on the characterization and identification of these mechanisms. The aim of this review is to summarize these studies in the context of the physiology of the plant cell.
Cell type-specific responses to salinity - the epidermal bladder cell transcriptome of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-05-2015
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.13414
Abstract: Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (ice plant) exhibits extreme tolerance to salt. Epidermal bladder cells ( EBC s), developing on the surface of aerial tissues and specialized in sodium sequestration and other protective functions, are critical for the plant's stress adaptation. We present the first transcriptome analysis of EBC s isolated from intact plants, to investigate cell type‐specific responses during plant salt adaptation. We developed a de novo assembled, nonredundant EBC reference transcriptome. Using RNA seq, we compared the expression patterns of the EBC ‐specific transcriptome between control and salt‐treated plants. The EBC reference transcriptome consists of 37 341 transcript‐contigs, of which 7% showed significantly different expression between salt‐treated and control s les. We identified significant changes in ion transport, metabolism related to energy generation and osmolyte accumulation, stress signalling, and organelle functions, as well as a number of lineage‐specific genes of unknown function, in response to salt treatment. The salinity‐induced EBC transcriptome includes active transcript clusters, refuting the view of EBC s as passive storage compartments in the whole‐plant stress response. EBC transcriptomes, differing from those of whole plants or leaf tissue, exemplify the importance of cell type‐specific resolution in understanding stress adaptive mechanisms.
Boosting the Globalization of Plant Proteomics through INPPO: Current Developments and Future Prospects
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-01-2012
Abstract: The International Plant Proteomics Organization (INPPO) is a non-profit-organization consisting of people who are involved or interested in plant proteomics. INPPO is constantly growing in volume and activity, which is mostly due to the realization among plant proteomics researchers worldwide for the need of such a global platform. Their active participation resulted in the rapid growth within the first year of INPPO's official launch in 2011 via its website (www.inppo.com) and publication of the 'Viewpoint paper' in a special issue of PROTEOMICS (May 2011). Here, we will be highlighting the progress achieved in the year 2011 and the future targets for the year 2012 and onwards. INPPO has achieved a successful administrative structure, the Core Committee (CC composed of President, Vice-President, and General Secretaries), Executive Council (EC), and General Body (GB) to achieve INPPO objectives. Various committees and subcommittees are in the process of being functionalized via discussion amongst scientists around the globe. INPPO's primary aim to popularize the plant proteomics research in biological sciences has also been recognized by PROTEOMICS where a section dedicated to plant proteomics has been introduced starting January 2012, following the very first issue of this journal devoted to plant proteomics in May 2011. To disseminate organizational activities to the scientific community, INPPO has launched a biannual (in January and July) newsletter entitled 'INPPO Express: News & Views' with the first issue published in January 2012. INPPO is also planning to have several activities in 2012, including programs within the Education Outreach committee in different countries, and the development of research ideas and proposals with priority on crop and horticultural plants, while keeping tight interactions with proteomics programs on model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, rice, and Medicago truncatula. Altogether, the INPPO progress and upcoming activities are because of immense support, dedication, and hard work of all members of the INPPO community, and also due to the wide encouragement and support from the communities (scientific and non-scientific).
Quantitative Proteomics of the Tonoplast Reveals a Role for Glycolytic Enzymes in Salt Tolerance
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-2009
Abstract: To examine the role of the tonoplast in plant salt tolerance and identify proteins involved in the regulation of transporters for vacuolar Na+ sequestration, we exploited a targeted quantitative proteomics approach. Two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis analysis of free flow zonal electrophoresis separated tonoplast fractions from control, and salt-treated Mesembryanthemum crystallinum plants revealed the membrane association of glycolytic enzymes aldolase and enolase, along with subunits of the vacuolar H+-ATPase V-ATPase. Protein blot analysis confirmed coordinated salt regulation of these proteins, and chaotrope treatment indicated a strong tonoplast association. Reciprocal coimmunoprecipitation studies revealed that the glycolytic enzymes interacted with the V-ATPase subunit B VHA-B, and aldolase was shown to stimulate V-ATPase activity in vitro by increasing the affinity for ATP. To investigate a physiological role for this association, the Arabidopsis thaliana cytoplasmic enolase mutant, los2, was characterized. These plants were salt sensitive, and there was a specific reduction in enolase abundance in the tonoplast from salt-treated plants. Moreover, tonoplast isolated from mutant plants showed an impaired ability for aldolase stimulation of V-ATPase hydrolytic activity. The association of glycolytic proteins with the tonoplast may not only channel ATP to the V-ATPase, but also directly upregulate H+-pump activity.
Protein extraction method for the proteomic study of a Mexican traditional fermented starchy food
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPROT.2014.06.028
Abstract: Pozol is a traditional fermented maize dough prepared in southeastern Mexico. Wide varieties of microorganisms have already been isolated from this spontaneously fermented product and include fungi, yeasts, and lactic- and non-lactic acid bacteria. Pozol presents physicochemical features different from that of other food fermentation products, such as a high starch content, in addition to a low protein content. It is these qualities that make it intractable for protein recovery and characterization. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology to optimize the recovery of proteins from the pozol dough following fermentation, by reducing the complexity of the mixture prior to 2D-PAGE analysis and sequencing, to allow the characterization of the metaproteome of the dough. The proteome of 15day fermented maize dough was characterized proteins were separated and analyzed by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Subsequent sequence homology database searching, identified numerous bacterial and fungi proteins with a predominance of lactic acid bacterial proteins, mainly from the Lactobacillus genus. Fungi are mainly represented by Aspergillus. For dominant genera, the most prevalent proteins belong to carbohydrate metabolism and energy production, which suggest that at 15days of fermentation not only fungi but also bacteria are metabolically active. Several methodologies have been employed to study pozol, with a specific focus toward the identification of the microbiota of this fermented maize dough, using both traditional cultivation techniques and culture independent molecular techniques. However to date, the dynamics of this complex fermentation is not well understood. With the purpose to gain further insight into the nature of the fermentation, we used proteomic technologies to identify the origin of proteins and enzymes that facilitate substrate utilization and ultimately the development of the microbiota and fermentation. In this paper we overcome the first general challenge for such studies, obtaining a protein s le with adequate quality capable of representing the system.
Energy costs of salinity tolerance in crop plants
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-11-2019
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.15555
Aquaporin localization - How valid are the TIP and PIP labels? [1]
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-1999
Translational plant proteomics: A perspective
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPROT.2012.03.055
Abstract: Translational proteomics is an emerging sub-discipline of the proteomics field in the biological sciences. Translational plant proteomics aims to integrate knowledge from basic sciences to translate it into field applications to solve issues related but not limited to the recreational and economic values of plants, food security and safety, and energy sustainability. In this review, we highlight the substantial progress reached in plant proteomics during the past decade which has paved the way for translational plant proteomics. Increasing proteomics knowledge in plants is not limited to model and non-model plants, proteogenomics, crop improvement, and food analysis, safety, and nutrition but to many more potential applications. Given the wealth of information generated and to some extent applied, there is the need for more efficient and broader channels to freely disseminate the information to the scientific community. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Translational Proteomics.
Protein profiling of epidermal bladder cells from the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-08-2012
Abstract: Plant epidermal trichomes are as varied in morphology as they are in function. In the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, specialized trichomes called epidermal bladder cells (EBC) line the surface of leaves and stems, and increase dramatically in size and volume upon plant salt-treatment. These cells have been proposed to have roles in plant defense and UV protection, but primarily in sodium sequestration and as water reservoirs. To gain further understanding into the roles of EBC, a cell-type-specific proteomics approach was taken in which precision single-cell s ling of cell sap from in idual EBC was combined with shotgun peptide sequencing (LC-MS/MS). Identified proteins showed erse biological functions and cellular locations, with a high representation of proteins involved in H(+)-transport, carbohydrate metabolism, and photosynthesis. The proteome of EBC provides insight into the roles of these cells in ion and water homeostasis and raises the possibility that they are photosynthetically active and functioning in Crassulacean acid metabolism.
Salt stress in Thellungiella halophila activates Na+transport mechanisms required for salinity tolerance
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 2005
The high affinity K+ transporter AtHAK5 plays a physiological role in planta at very low K+ concentrations and provides a caesium uptake pathway in Arabidopsis
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 02-2008
DOI: 10.1093/JXB/ERM330
Membrane Lipid Remodeling in Response to Salinity
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 30-08-2019
DOI: 10.3390/IJMS20174264
Abstract: Salinity is one of the most decisive environmental factors threatening the productivity of crop plants. Understanding the mechanisms of plant salt tolerance is critical to be able to maintain or improve crop yield under these adverse environmental conditions. Plant membranes act as biological barriers, protecting the contents of cells and organelles from biotic and abiotic stress, including salt stress. Alterations in membrane lipids in response to salinity have been observed in a number of plant species including both halophytes and glycophytes. Changes in membrane lipids can directly affect the properties of membrane proteins and activity of signaling molecules, adjusting the fluidity and permeability of membranes, and activating signal transduction pathways. In this review, we compile evidence on the salt stress responses of the major membrane lipids from different plant tissues, varieties, and species. The role of membrane lipids as signaling molecules in response to salinity is also discussed. Advances in mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques have largely expanded our knowledge of salt-induced changes in lipids, however only a handful studies have investigated the underlying mechanisms of membrane lipidome regulation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent works that have been carried out on lipid remodeling of plant membranes under salt treatment. Challenges and future perspectives in understanding the mechanisms of salt-induced changes to lipid metabolisms are proposed.
Single cell-type comparative metabolomics of epidermal bladder cells from the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 10-06-2015
Elucidation of salt stress defense and tolerance mechanisms of crop plants using proteomics-Current achievements and perspectives
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2013
Abstract: Salinity is a major threat limiting the productivity of crop plants. A clear demand for improving the salinity tolerance of the major crop plants is imposed by the rapidly growing world population. This review summarizes the achievements of proteomic studies to elucidate the response mechanisms of selected model and crop plants to cope with salinity stress. We also aim at identifying research areas, which deserve increased attention in future proteome studies, as a prerequisite to identify novel targets for breeding strategies. Such areas include the impact of plant-microbial communities on the salinity tolerance of crops under field conditions, the importance of hormone signaling in abiotic stress tolerance, and the significance of control mechanisms underlying the observed changes in the proteome patterns. We briefly highlight the impact of novel tools for future proteome studies and argue for the use of integrated approaches. The evaluation of genetic resources by means of novel automated phenotyping facilities will have a large impact on the application of proteomics especially in combination with metabolomics or transcriptomics.
Photolabeling of tonoplast from sugar beet cell suspensions by [3H]5-(N-Methyl-N-Isobutyl)-amiloride, an inhibitor of the vacuolar Na+/H+ antiport
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 1990
Correction to: Terpene synthase genes in Melaleuca alternifolia: comparative analysis of lineage‑specific subfamily variation within Myrtaceae
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-02-2021
Novel regulation of aquaporins during osmotic stress
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 08-2004
Abstract: Aquaporin protein regulation and redistribution in response to osmotic stress was investigated. Ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) McTIP1 (McMIPF) mediated water flux when expressed in Xenopus leavis oocytes. Mannitol-induced water imbalance resulted in increased protein amounts in tonoplast fractions and a shift in protein distribution to other membrane fractions, suggesting aquaporin relocalization. Indirect immunofluorescence labeling also supports a change in membrane distribution for McTIP1 and the appearance of a unique compartment where McTIP1 is expressed. Mannitol-induced redistribution of McTIP1 was arrested by pretreatment with brefeldin A, wortmannin, and cytochalasin D, inhibitors of vesicle trafficking-related processes. Evidence suggests a role for glycosylation and involvement of a cAMP-dependent signaling pathway in McTIP1 redistribution. McTIP1 redistribution to endosomal compartments may be part of a homeostatic process to restore and maintain cellular osmolarity under osmotic-stress conditions.
Identification of a Crucial Histidine Involved in Metal Transport Activity in the Arabidopsis Cation/H+ Exchanger CAX1
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2005
Identification of abiotic stress protein biomarkers by proteomic screening of crop cultivar diversity
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-09-2016
Salt stress in Thellungiella halophila activates Na+transport mechanisms required for salinity tolerance
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 21-10-2005
Abstract: Salinity is considered one of the major limiting factors for plant growth and agricultural productivity. We are using salt cress (Thellungiella halophila) to identify biochemical mechanisms that enable plants to grow in saline conditions. Under salt stress, the major site of Na+ accumulation occurred in old leaves, followed by young leaves and taproots, with the least accumulation occurring in lateral roots. Salt treatment increased both the H+ transport and hydrolytic activity of salt cress tonoplast (TP) and plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPases from leaves and roots. TP Na+/H+ exchange was greatly stimulated by growth of the plants in NaCl, both in leaves and roots. Expression of the PM H+-ATPase isoform AHA3, the Na+ transporter HKT1, and the Na+/H+ exchanger SOS1 were examined in PMs isolated from control and salt-treated salt cress roots and leaves. An increased expression of SOS1, but no changes in levels of AHA3 and HKT1, was observed. NHX1 was only detected in PM fractions of roots, and a salt-induced increase in protein expression was observed. Analysis of the levels of expression of vacuolar H+-translocating ATPase subunits showed no major changes in protein expression of subunits VHA-A or VHA-B with salt treatment however, VHA-E showed an increased expression in leaf tissue, but not in roots, when the plants were treated with NaCl. Salt cress plants were able to distribute and store Na+ by a very strict control of ion movement across both the TP and PM.
Enhanced separation of membranes during free flow zonal electrophoresis in plants
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 13-06-2007
DOI: 10.1021/AC070159V
Abstract: Free flow zonal electrophoresis (FFZE) is a versatile technique that allows for the separation of cells, organelles, membranes, and proteins based on net surface charge during laminar flow through a thin aqueous layer. We have been optimizing the FFZE technique to enhance separation of plant vacuolar membranes (tonoplast) from other endomembranes to pursue a directed proteomics approach to identify novel tonoplast transporters. Addition of ATP to a mixture of endomembranes selectively enhanced electrophoretic mobility of acidic vesicular compartments during FFZE toward the positive electrode. This has been attributed to activation of the V-ATPase generating a more negative membrane potential outside the vesicles, resulting in enhanced migration of acidic vesicles, including tonoplast, to the anode (Morré, D. J. Lawrence, J. Safranski, K. Hammond, T. Morré, D. M. J. Chromatogr., A 1994, 668, 201-213). We confirm that ATP does induce a redistribution of membranes during FFZE of microsomal membranes isolated from several plant species, including Arabidopsis thaliana, Thellungiella halophila, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, and Ananas comosus. However, we demonstrate, using V-ATPase-specific inhibitors, nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs, and ionophores to dissipate membrane potential, that the ATP-dependent migrational shift of membranes under FFZE is not due to activation of the V-ATPase. Addition of EDTA to chelate Mg2+, leading to the production of the tetravalent anionic form of ATP, resulted in a further enhancement of membrane migration toward the anode, and manipulation of cell surface charge by addition of polycations also influenced the ATP-dependent migration of membranes. We propose that ATP enhances the mobility of endomembranes by screening positive surface charges on the membrane surface.
The effect of agronomic factors on crop health and performance of winter wheat varieties bred for the conventional and the low input farming sector
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
Free Flow Zonal Electrophoresis for Fractionation of Plant Membrane Compartments Prior to Proteomic Analysis
Publisher: Springer New York
Date: 31-10-2017
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7411-5_1
Abstract: Free flow zonal electrophoresis (FFZE) is a versatile, reproducible, and potentially high-throughput technique for the separation of plant organelles and membranes by differences in membrane surface charge. It offers considerable benefits over traditional fractionation techniques, such as density gradient centrifugation and two-phase partitioning, as it is relatively fast, s le recovery is high, and the method provides unparalleled s le purity. It has been used to successfully purify chloroplasts and mitochondria from plants but also, to obtain highly pure fractions of plasma membrane, tonoplast, ER, Golgi, and thylakoid membranes. Application of the technique can significantly improve protein coverage in large-scale proteomics studies by decreasing s le complexity. Here, we describe the method for the fractionation of plant cellular membranes from leaves by FFZE.
Identification of rice cornichon as a possible cargo receptor for the Golgi-localized sodium transporter OsHKT1;3
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 07-03-2015
DOI: 10.1093/JXB/ERV069
Identification of host cell factors associated with astrovirus replication in Caco-2 cells
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 15-10-2015
DOI: 10.1128/JVI.01225-15
Abstract: Astroviruses are small, nonenveloped viruses with a single-stranded positive-sense RNA genome causing acute gastroenteritis in children and immunocompromised patients. Since positive-sense RNA viruses have frequently been found to replicate in association with membranous structures, in this work we characterized the replication of the human astrovirus serotype 8 strain Yuc8 in Caco-2 cells, using density gradient centrifugation and free-flow zonal electrophoresis (FFZE) to fractionate cellular membranes. Structural and nonstructural viral proteins, positive- and negative-sense viral RNA, and infectious virus particles were found to be associated with a distinct population of membranes separated by FFZE. The cellular proteins associated with this membrane population in infected and mock-infected cells were identified by tandem mass spectrometry. The results indicated that membranes derived from multiple cell organelles were present in the population. Gene ontology and protein-protein interaction network analysis showed that groups of proteins with roles in fatty acid synthesis and ATP biosynthesis were highly enriched in the fractions of this population in infected cells. Based on this information, we investigated by RNA interference the role that some of the identified proteins might have in the replication cycle of the virus. Silencing of the expression of genes involved in cholesterol ( DHCR7 , CYP51A1 ) and fatty acid ( FASN ) synthesis, phosphatidylinositol ( PI4KIIIβ ) and inositol phosphate ( ITPR3 ) metabolism, and RNA helicase activity ( DDX23 ) significantly decreased the amounts of Yuc8 genomic and antigenomic RNA, synthesis of the structural protein VP90, and virus yield. These results strongly suggest that astrovirus RNA replication and particle assembly take place in association with modified membranes potentially derived from multiple cell organelles. IMPORTANCE Astroviruses are common etiological agents of acute gastroenteritis in children and immunocompromised patients. More recently, they have been associated with neurological diseases in mammals, including humans, and are also responsible for different pathologies in birds. In this work, we provide evidence that astrovirus RNA replication and virus assembly occur in contact with cell membranes potentially derived from multiple cell organelles and show that membrane-associated cellular proteins involved in lipid metabolism are required for efficient viral replication. Our findings provide information to enhance our knowledge of astrovirus biology and provide information that might be useful for the development of therapeutic interventions to prevent virus replication.
Impact of imidacloprid on the nutritional quality of adult black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2020
Characteristics of the Underutilised Pulse Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Relevant to Food & Nutritional Security
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 08-04-2020
Membrane Profiling by Free Flow Electrophoresis and SWATH-MS to Characterize Subcellular Compartment Proteomes in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 09-05-2021
DOI: 10.3390/IJMS22095020
Abstract: The study of subcellular membrane structure and function facilitates investigations into how biological processes are ided within the cell. However, work in this area has been h ered by the limited techniques available to fractionate the different membranes. Free Flow Electrophoresis (FFE) allows for the fractionation of membranes based on their different surface charges, a property made up primarily of their varied lipid and protein compositions. In this study, high-resolution plant membrane fractionation by FFE, combined with mass spectrometry-based proteomics, allowed the simultaneous profiling of multiple cellular membranes from the leaf tissue of the plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Comparisons of the fractionated membranes’ protein profile to that of known markers for specific cellular compartments sheds light on the functions of proteins, as well as provides new evidence for multiple subcellular localization of several proteins, including those involved in lipid metabolism.
Proteomic analysis of the signaling pathway mediated by the heterotrimeric Gα protein Pga1 of Penicillium chrysogenum
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-10-2016
Salt stress in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. cell suspensions activates adaptive mechanisms similar to those observed in the whole plant
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-01-1999
Abstract: A salt-tolerant stable cell-suspension culture from the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. has been established from calli generated from leaves of 6-week-old well-watered plants. Optimal cell growth was observed in the presence of 200 mM NaCl, and within 7 d cells were able to concentrate Na+ to levels exceeding those in the growth medium. Accumulation of Na+ was paralled by increases in the compatible solute pinitol and myo-inositol methyl transferase (IMT), a key enzyme in pinitol biosynthesis. Increasing concentrations of NaCl stimulated the activities of tonoplast and plasma-membrane H(+)-ATPases. Immunodetection of the ATPases showed that the increased activity was not due to changes in protein amount that could be attributed to treatment conditions. A specific role for these mechanisms in salt-adaptation is supported by the inability of mannitol-induced water stress to elicit the same responses, and the absence of enzyme activity and protein expression associated with Crassulacean acid metabolism in the cells. Results demonstrate that these M. crystallinum cell suspensions show a halophytic growth response, comparable to that of the whole plant, and thus provide a valuable tool for studying signaling and biochemical pathways involved in salt recognition and response.
Remobilization and fate of sulphur in mustard
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-06-2019
DOI: 10.1093/AOB/MCZ101
Abstract: Sulphur (S) is an essential macronutrient involved in numerous metabolic pathways required for plant growth. Crops of the plant family Brassicaceae require more S compared with other crops for optimum growth and yield, with most S ultimately sequestered in the mature seeds as the storage proteins cruciferin and napin, along with the unique S-rich secondary metabolite glucosinolate (GSL). It is well established that S assimilation primarily takes place in the shoots rather than roots, and that sulphate is the major form in which S is transported and stored in plants. We carried out a developmental S audit to establish the net fluxes of S in two lines of Brassica juncea mustard where seed GSL content differed but resulted in no yield penalty. We quantified S pools (sulphate, GSL and total S) in different organs at multiple growth stages until maturity, which also allowed us to test the hypothesis that leaf S, accumulated as a primary S sink, becomes remobilized as a secondary source to meet the requirements of GSL as the dominant seed S sink. Maximum plant sulphate accumulation had occurred by floral initiation in both lines, at which time most of the sulphate was found in the leaves, confirming its role as the primary S sink. Up to 52 % of total sulphate accumulated by the low-GSL plants was lost through senesced leaves. In contrast, S from senescing leaves of the high-GSL line was remobilized to other tissues, with GSL accumulating in the seed from commencement of silique filling until maturity. We have established that leaf S compounds that accumulated as primary S sinks at early developmental stages in condiment type B. juncea become remobilized as a secondary S source to meet the demand for GSL as the dominant seed S sink at maturity.
Membrane Proteomic Insights into the Physiology and Taxonomy of an Oleaginous Green Microalga
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 08-11-2017
DOI: 10.1104/PP.16.01240
Use of infrared thermography for monitoring crassulacean acid metabolism
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/FP16210
Abstract: Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is an alternative carbon fixation pathway that imparts high water-use efficiency in plants adapted to warm, semiarid climates. With concerns that global warming will negatively influence crop production, turning agricultural focus towards CAM plants may provide a solution to increase productivity using either unconventional crops on marginal land or incorporating CAM molecular mechanisms into conventional crops and improving water-use efficiency. For this to be feasible, deeper insights into CAM pathway regulation are essential. To facilitate this research new tools which simplify procedures for detecting and measuring CAM are needed. Here we describe a non-invasive, non-destructive, simplified method using infrared thermography for monitoring CAM in the annual desert succulent Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. via detection of changes in leaf temperature brought about by the absence of transpiration due to daytime reduction in stomatal conductance. This method is sensitive, measuring temperature differences of ± 1°C, can be used in both the field and green house and is not restricted by leaf architecture. It offers an alternative to the commonly used gas exchange methods to measure CAM that are technically difficult to acquire and require the use of expensive and cumbersome equipment.
The potential of the underutilized pulse bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) for nutritional food security
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2019
Comparative 2D-DIGE analysis of salinity responsive microsomal proteins from leaves of salt-sensitive Arabidopsis thaliana and salt-tolerant Thellungiella salsuginea
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPROT.2014.05.018
Abstract: Halophytes have evolved unique molecular strategies to overcome high soil salinity but we still know very little about the main mechanisms that these plants use to complete their lifecycle under salinity stress. One useful approach to further our understanding in this area is to directly compare the response to salinity of two closely related species which show erse levels of salt tolerance. Here we present a comparative proteomic study using DIGE of leaf microsomal proteins to identify salt-responsive membrane associated proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana (a glycophyte) and Thellungiella salsuginea (a halophyte). While a small number of distinct protein abundance changes were observed upon salt stress in both species, the most notable differences were observed between species and specifically, in untreated plants with a total of 36 proteins displaying significant abundance changes. Gene ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis showed that the majority of these proteins were distributed into two functional categories transport (31%) and carbohydrate metabolism (17%). Results identify several novel salt responsive proteins in this system and support the theory that T. salsuginea shows a high degree of salt-tolerance because molecular mechanisms are primed to deal with the stress. This intrinsic ability to anticipate salinity stress distinguishes it from the glycophyte A. thaliana. There is significant interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms that plants use to tolerate salinity as soil salinization is becoming an increasing concern for agriculture with high soil Na(+) levels leading to reduced yields and economic loss. Much of our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms employed by plants to combat salinity stress has come from work on salt-sensitive plants, but studies on naturally occurring highly salt-resistant plants, halophytes, and direct comparisons between closely related glycophytes and halophytes, could help to further our understanding of salinity tolerance mechanisms. In this study, employing two closely related species which differ markedly in their salt-tolerance, we carried out a quantitative proteomic approach using 2D-DIGE to identify salt-responsive proteins and compare and contrast the differences between the two plant species. Our work complements a previous study using iTRAQ technology (34) and highlights the benefits of using alternative technologies and approaches to gain a broader representation of the salt-responsive proteome in these species.
Identification, characterization and epitope mapping of proteins encoded by putative allergenic napin genes from Brassica rapa
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-05-2020
DOI: 10.1111/CEA.13612
Progress and challenges for abiotic stress proteomics of crop plants
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2013
Abstract: Plants are continually challenged to recognize and respond to adverse changes in their environment to avoid detrimental effects on growth and development. Understanding the mechanisms that crop plants employ to resist and tolerate abiotic stress is of considerable interest for designing agriculture breeding strategies to ensure sustainable productivity. The application of proteomics technologies to advance our knowledge in crop plant abiotic stress tolerance has increased dramatically in the past few years as evidenced by the large amount of publications in this area. This is attributed to advances in various technology platforms associated with MS-based techniques as well as the accessibility of proteomics units to a wider plant research community. This review summarizes the work which has been reported for major crop plants and evaluates the findings in context of the approaches that are widely employed with the aim to encourage broadening the strategies used to increase coverage of the proteome.
Effect of wheat species (Triticum aestivum vs T. spelta), farming system (organic vs conventional) and flour type (wholegrain vs white) on composition of wheat flour – Results of a retail survey in the UK and Germany – 2. Antioxidant activity, and phenolic and mineral content
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2020
The risk of neonicotinoid exposure to shrimp aquaculture
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2018.10.197
Abstract: Widespread agricultural use of systemic neonicotinoid insecticides has resulted in the unintended contamination of aquatic environments. Water quality surveys regularly detect neonicotinoids in rivers and waterways at concentrations that could impact aquaculture stock. The toxicity of neonicotinoids to non-target aquatic insect and crustacean species has been recognised, however, there is a paucity of information on their effect on commercial shrimp aquaculture. Here, we show that commercially produced shrimp are likely to be exposed to dietary, sediment and waterborne sources of neonicotinoids increasing the risks of disease and accidental human consumption. This review examines indicators of sublethal neonicotinoid exposure in non-target species and analyses their potential usefulness for ecotoxicology assessment in shrimp. The identification of rapid, reliable responses to neonicotinoid exposure in shrimp will result in better decision making in aquaculture management.
Day/night regulation of aquaporins during the CAM cycle in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-10-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.1365-3040.2011.02419.X
Abstract: Mesembryanthemum crystallinum exhibits induction of Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) after a threshold stage of development, by exposure to long days with high light intensities or by water and salt stress. During the CAM cycle, fluctuations in carbon partitioning within the cell lead to transient drops in osmotic potential, which are likely stabilized/balanced by passive movement of water via aquaporins (AQPs). Protoplast swelling assays were used to detect changes in water permeability during the day/night cycle of CAM. To assess the role of AQPs during the same period, we followed transcript accumulation and protein abundance of four plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) and one tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP). CAM plants showed a persistent rhythm of specific AQP protein abundance changes throughout the day/night cycle, including changes in amount of McPIP2 , McTIP1 , McPIP1 and McPIP1 , while the abundance of McPIP1 was unchanged. These protein changes did not appear to be coordinated with transcript levels for any of the AQPs analysed however, they did occur in parrallel to alterations in water permeability, as well as variations in cell osmolarity, pinitol, glucose, fructose and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPc) levels measured throughout the day/night CAM cycle. Results suggest a role for AQPs in maintaining water balance during CAM and highlight the complexity of protein expression during the CAM cycle.
Genome and transcriptome sequencing characterises the gene space of Macadamia integrifolia (Proteaceae)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-11-2016
Single-cell-type quantitative proteomic and ionomic analysis of epidermal bladder cells from the halophyte model plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum to identify salt-responsive proteins
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-05-2016
In Silico, Molecular Docking and In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of the Major Rapeseed Seed Storage Proteins
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 08-09-2020
Seed glucosinolate yield is maximized by higher rates of sulfur nutrition than required for seed yield in condiment mustard (Brassica juncea L.)
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 02-04-2019
Salt stress alters membrane lipid content and lipid biosynthesis pathways in the plasma membrane and tonoplast
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 15-03-2022
Abstract: Plant cell membranes are the sites of sensing and initiation of rapid responses to changing environmental factors including salinity stress. Understanding the mechanisms involved in membrane remodeling is important for studying salt tolerance in plants. This task remains challenging in complex tissue due to suboptimal subcellular membrane isolation techniques. Here, we capitalized on the use of a surface charge-based separation method, free flow electrophoresis, to isolate the tonoplast (TP) and plasma membrane (PM) from leaf tissue of the halophyte ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.). Results demonstrated a membrane-specific lipidomic remodeling in this plant under salt conditions, including an increased proportion of bilayer forming lipid phosphatidylcholine in the TP and an increase in nonbilayer forming and negatively charged lipids (phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine) in the PM. Quantitative proteomics showed salt-induced changes in proteins involved in fatty acid synthesis and desaturation, glycerolipid, and sterol synthesis, as well as proteins involved in lipid signaling, binding, and trafficking. These results reveal an essential plant mechanism for membrane homeostasis wherein lipidome remodeling in response to salt stress contributes to maintaining the physiological function of in idual subcellular compartments.
Effect of Organic and Conventional Production Methods on Fruit Yield and Nutritional Quality Parameters in Three Traditional Cretan Grape Varieties: Results from a Farm Survey
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 22-02-2021
Abstract: The antioxidants found in grapes and wine have been linked to health benefits in humans, but may be affected by agronomic parameters, grape type/variety, and processing. Here, we report results of a farm survey which investigated the effects of production system (organic vs. conventional) and grape variety on fruit yield, total antioxidant activity/capacity (TAA, assessed by the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays), and total concentrations of total phenolics (TPC) and anthocyanins (TAC) in grapes of one red (Kotsifali) and two white (Villana and/or Vidiano) traditional Cretan grape varieties. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) results showed that grape variety choice had a more substantial effect on TPC, TAA, and TAC than primary production protocols, and significant interactions were identified between production system and grape variety choice for TAATEAC. Specifically, TAATEAC was significantly (57%) higher in organic than conventional Vidiano grapes, while there was no significant effect of production system on TAATEAC in Kotsifali and Villana grapes. As expected from previous studies, the TAC was substantially higher in red Kotsifali grapes. Redundancy analysis (RDA) identified grape variety as the only strong explanatory variable/driver for yield, TPC, TAA, and TAC of table grapes, and positive associations were detected between the variety Vidiano and both TPC and TAATEAC. All other explanatory variables included in the RDA (including supplementary irrigation, orchard orientation, production system, soil type, vineyard age, plant density, and fertiliser inputs) explained only a small proportion of the additional variation.
Remobilisation and Fate of Sulphur in Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea. L)
Publisher: MDPI
Date: 31-12-2019
Efficacy and safety of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil for human health—A systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 24-03-2023
DOI: 10.3389/FPHAR.2023.1116077
Abstract: Introduction: Leaves of the Australian tea tree plant Melaleuca alternifolia were used traditionally by First Nations Australians for treating wounds, burns, and insect bites. Tea tree oil, the essential oil steam-distilled from M. alternifolia , is well-known for its medicinal properties, the evidence for most applications however is limited. This review aimed to critically appraise evidence from clinical trials examining the therapeutic efficacy and safety of tea tree oil on outcomes. Methods: Randomized controlled trials with participants of any age, gender, or health status, comparing tea tree oil to any control were included, without limit on publication date. Electronic databases were searched on 12 August 2022 with additional records sourced from article reference sections, reviews, and industry white papers. Risk of bias was assessed by two authors independently using the Cochrane risk-of-bias 1.0 tool. Results were summarized and synthesized thematically. Results: Forty-six articles were eligible from the following medical fields ( Dentistry n = 18, Dermatology n = 9, Infectious disease n = 9, Ophthalmology n = 6, Podiatry n = 3 and Other n = 1). Results indicate that oral mouthwashes with 0.2%–0.5% tea tree oil may limit accumulation of dental plaque. Gels containing 5% tea tree oil applied directly to the periodontium may aid treatment of periodontitis as an adjunctive therapy to scaling and root planing. More evidence is needed to confirm the benefits of tea tree oil for reducing acne lesions and severity. Local anti-inflammatory effects on skin, if any, also require further elucidation. Topical tea tree oil regimens show similar efficacy to standard treatments for decolonizing the body from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , although intra-nasal use of tea tree oil may cause irritation to mucous membranes. Tea tree oil with added iodine may provide an effective treatment for molluscum contagiosum lesions in young children. More evidence on efficacy of tea tree oil-based eyelid wipes for Demodex mite control are needed. Side effects were reported in 60% of included studies and were minor, except where tea tree oil was applied topically in concentrations ≥ 25%. Discussion: Overall, the quality of research was poor to modest and higher quality trials with larger s les and better reporting are required to substantiate potential therapeutic applications of tea tree oil. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO, identifier [CRD42021285168].
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