Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry

Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are a major fat component in human milk. Since gastric lipase produces 1,2-diacylglycerol from TAGs, we focused on the bioactivity of human milk-derived diacylglycerols in stomach cells. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and acts as an important regulator of growth hormone secretion and energy homeostasis. In this study, we showed that 1-oleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OP) increased ghrelin secretion, whereas 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO), a major component of human milk TAGs, did not increase ghrelin levels in the ghrelin-secreting cell line, MGN3-1...

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The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is an excellent model organism to explore cellular events owing to rich tools in genetics, molecular biology, cellular biology, and biochemistry. S. pombe proliferates continuously when nutrients are abundant, but arrests in G1 phase upon depletion of nutrients such as nitrogen and glucose. When cells of opposite mating types are present, cells conjugate, fuse, undergo meiosis, and finally form four spores. This sexual differentiation process in S. pombe has been studied extensively...

Methods for functional analysis of proteins specifically localizing to lipid monolayers such as rubber particles and lipid droplets are limited. We have succeeded in establishing a system in which artificially prepared lipid monolayer particles are added to a cell-free translation system to confirm the properties of proteins that specifically bind to lipid monolayers in a translation-coupled manner.

In bacteria, D-amino acids are primarily synthesized from L-amino acids by amino acid racemases, but some bacteria use D-amino acid aminotransferases to synthesize D-amino acids. D-Amino acids are peptidoglycan components in the cell wall involved in several physiological processes, such as bacterial growth, biofilm dispersal, and peptidoglycan metabolism. Therefore, their metabolism and physiological roles have attracted increasing attention. Recently, we identified novel bacterial D-amino acid metabolic pathways, which involve amino acid racemases, with broad substrate specificity, as well as multifunctional enzymes with D-amino acid-metabolizing activity...

Nutrient availability in hydroponic solutions must be accurately monitored to maintain crop productivity; however, few cost-effective, accurate, real-time, and long-term monitoring technologies have been developed. In this study, we describe the development and application of cation-/anion-exchange chromatography with a neutral eluent (20 mmol/L sodium formate, pH 7.87) for the simultaneous separation (within 50 min) of ionic nutrients, including K+, NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, and phosphate ion, in a hydroponic fertiliser solution...

The regeneration of shoots from endosperm tissue is a highly effective method to obtain triploid plants. In this study, we elucidated the establishment of an in vitro regeneration system from endosperm culture for the production of Passiflora edulis "Mantianxing." The highest callus induction rate (83.33%) was obtained on the media supplemented with 1.0 mg/L TDZ. Meanwhile, the MS medium containing 1.0 mg/L 6-BA and 0.4 mg/L IBA gave the optimum 75% shoot bud induction. Chromosome analysis revealed that the chromosomal count of P...

Human lysozyme (hLYZ) has attracted considerable research attention due to its natural and efficient antibacterial abilities and widespread uses. In this study, hLYZ was modified to enhance its enzyme activity, and expressed in a Pichia pastoris expression system. A combination mutant HZM(2R-K)-N88D/V110S demonstrated the highest enzyme activity (6 213 ± 164 U/mL) in shake flasks, which was 4.07-fold higher when compared with the original strain. Moreover, the recombinant P. pastoris was inducted in a 3 L bioreactor plus methanol/sorbitol co-feeding, after 120 h induction the antibacterial activity of hLYZ reached 2...

This study demonstrates the effect of fermented botanical product (FBP) on Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum-induced bacterial wilt disease and unravels its action mechanism. Soaking with diluted FBP solutions (0.1-0.5%) significantly suppressed bacterial wilt in tomato plants, and FBP-treated tomato plants grew well against R. pseudosolanacearum infection. Growth assays showed that FBP had no antibacterial effect but promoted R. pseudosolanacearum growth. In contrast, few or no R. pseudosolanacearum cells were detected in aerial parts of tomato plants grown in FBP-soaked soil...

(3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-henicosatriene was identified as a major component of female sex pheromone of Bastilla arctotaenia (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), a pest of cultivated roses, by GC-EAD and GC/MS analyses. The single (3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-henicosatriene (1.0 mg/lure) successfully attracted B. arctotaenia males in the field.

Polyphenols are compounds of plant origin with several documented bioactivities related to health promotion. Some polyphenols are hard to be absorbed into the body due to their structural characteristics. This review focuses on the health beneficial effects of polyphenols mediated by intestinal hormones, particularly related to the systemic functions through the secretion of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), an enteric hormone that stimulates postprandial insulin secretion. GLP-1 is secreted from L cells in the distal small intestine...

My research interest has so far been focused on metabolisms related to the "membrane" of microorganisms, such as the respiratory chain, membrane proteins, sugar uptake, membrane stress and cell lysis, and fermentation. These basic metabolisms are important for the growth and survival of cell, and their knowledge can be used for efficient production of useful materials. Notable achievements in research on metabolisms are elucidation of the structure and function of membrane-bound glucose dehydrogenase as a primary enzyme in the respiratory chain, elucidation of ingenious expression regulation of several operons or by divergent promoters, elucidation of stress-induced programed-cell lysis and its requirement for survival during a long-term stationary phase, elucidation of molecular mechanism of survival at a critical high temperature, elucidation of thermal adaptation and its limit, isolation of thermotolerant fermenting yeast strains, and development of high-temperature fermentation and green energy production technologies...

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the most important microorganisms for the food industry, including Japanese sake, beer, wine, bread, and other products. For sake making, Kyokai sake yeast strains are considered one of the best sake yeast strains because these strains possess fermentation properties that are suitable for the quality of sake required. In recent years, the momentum for the development of unique sake, which is distinct from conventional sake, has grown, and there is now a demand to develop unique sake yeasts that have different sake making properties than Kyokai sake yeast strains...

Pulsed electrical stimulation (PES) is known to affect cellular activities. We previously found PES to human dermal fibroblasts (HFs) promoted platelet-derived growth factor subunit A (PDGFA) gene expression, which enhanced proliferation. In this study, we investigated PES effects on fibroblast collagen production and differentiation into myofibroblasts. HFs were electrically stimulated at 4,800 Hz and 5 V for 60 min. Imatinib, a specific inhibitor of PDGF receptors, was treated before PES. Six hours after PES, PDGFA, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type I α1 chain gene expressions were upregulated in PES group...

A new lipopeptide, N-desmethylmajusculamide B (1), was isolated from the Okinawan cyanobacterium Okeania hirsuta along with two known compounds majusculamide A (2) and majusculamide B (3). The planar structure of 1 was elucidated by a detailed analysis of MS and NMR spectra. The absolute configurations of the amino acid residues were determined using Marfey's analysis. The configuration of C-16 in the α-methyl-β-keto-decanoyl moiety was determined unambiguously to be S by conducting a semi-synthesis of N-desmethylmajusculamide B from 3...

Bacterial α-1,3-glucanase, classified as glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 87, has been divided into three subgroups based on differences in gene sequences in the catalytic domain. The enzymatic properties of subgroups 1 and 3 of several bacteria have been previously investigated and reported; however, the chemical characterization of subgroup 2 enzymes has not been previously conducted. The α-1,3-glucanase gene from Paenibacillus alginolyticus NBRC15375 (PaAgl) belonging to subgroup 2 of GH family 87 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli...

Hakutsurunishiki is a sake rice cultivar bred using Yamadabo (seed parent) and Wataribune 2 (pollen parent), equivalent to a Yamadanishiki sibling. This study evaluated the structural characteristics of the Hakutsurunishiki rice grain that contribute to the brewing characteristics of daiginjo-shu, via a comparison with Yamadanishiki. Hakutsurunishiki brown rice was a little heavy and had a large white core. Observing a cross-section of white rice after soaking revealed that the rice grain structure of Hakutsurunishiki was different from that of Yamadanishiki...

Gluconobacter strains perform incomplete oxidation of various sugars and alcohols, employing regio- and stereo-selective membrane-bound dehydrogenases oriented towards the periplasmic space. This oxidative fermentation process is utilized industrially. The ketogluconate production pathway, characteristic of these strains, begins with the conversion of D-glucose to D-gluconate, which then diverges split into two pathways producing 5-keto-D-gluconate and 2-keto-D-gluconate, subsequently 2,5-diketo-D-gluconate...

Although it is known that adequate sleep is crucial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, approximately 30% of the general population has experienced insomnia. Thus, a better understanding of the relationship between food components and sleep quality is needed. North Pacific krill, Euphausia pacifica, is rich in marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in phospholipid form as well as 8R-hydroxy-eicosapentanoic acid. Here, emulsified oil powder derived from this krill was used in a trial involving 64 participants to assess its potential to enhance sleep quality...

Studies indicated that cocoa-based products effectively mitigate the risks associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS), however, the effect varies based on cocoa types, dosages, and study durations. This review aimed to determine the flavanol-rich cocoa consumption on MetS outcomes within the last decade (2013 to 2023), adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Seven randomised-controlled trials (RCT) used cocoa-based products containing 0.3 to 1680 mg flavanol monomers and 3...