Flesh Content Research Articles

Mapping metal (Hg, As, Se), lipid and protein levels within fish muscular system in two fish species (Striped Bass and Northern Pike)

Current guidelines tend to limit fish consumption based on mercury (Hg) or monomethylmercury (MeHg) content in fish flesh, without considering the presence of antagonist chemical elements that could modulate Hg toxicity. However, it is difficult to assess the potential for antagonistic interactions of these elements since their covariation within muscle tissues is poorly known. Here we present the first study simultaneously mapping multiple metal(oid)s (Hg, As and Se), lipids and proteins in fish fillets in order to assess the magnitude of intra-organ variability of metals and the potential for antagonistic interactions. We mapped two fish species (Striped Bass and Northern Pike) with contrasting muscular structure with respect to the presence of white, intermediate and red muscles. In individual Striped Bass muscle tissues, metals varied on average by 2.2-fold. Methylmercury and selenium covaried strongly and were related to protein content as assessed by % N; arsenic was inversely related to these elements and was associated with the lipid fraction of the muscle. In Pike, no such relationship was found because the contents in proteins and lipids were less variable. Arsenic speciation revealed that arsenobetaine and arsenolipids were the only As species in those fish species, whereas the toxic inorganic As species (As3+) was under the detection limit. Arsenobetaine was related to % N, whereas arsenolipids covaried with % lipids. Elemental associations found with muscle lipids and proteins could help explain changes in bioaccumulation patterns within and between individuals with potential implications on fish toxicology, biomonitoring and human consumption guidelines.

Studies on physico-chemical characteristics of ginger (Zingiber officinalis L.) rhizomes

Two types of ginger rhizomes locally known as Pahari and Desi were subjected to physico-chemical analysis. Average rhizome weight was appreciably higher than Pahari ginger and it had greater content of flesh and juice. Juice obtained from Desi rhizomes possessed remarkably higher content of total carotenoids but it turned brown rapidly following the extraction.

Electroactive Phenolic Contributors and Antioxidant Capacity of Flesh and Peel of 11 Apple Cultivars Measured by Cyclic Voltammetry and HPLC-DAD-MS/MS.

In this study, 11 apple cultivars were characterized by their total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant, reducing, and chelating capacity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays; and ferrous ion chelating capacity. The phenolic compounds in flesh and peel were determined by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and diode array detector (HPLC–DAD–MS/MS) and their electroactivity by CV. The results showed higher TPC, TFC, and antioxidant capacity by DPPH test in the peels of all apple cultivars as compared to the respective flesh. The peel extracts also showed two-fold higher FRAP values as compared to the flesh extracts. The reducing capacity of the peel and flesh determined by CV measurements confirmed the results achieved by spectrophotometric methods of evaluating antioxidant capacity. There was no significant difference in chelating capacity in the peel and flesh. The HPLC–DAD–MS/MS analysis showed the presence of 11 phenolic compounds in the peel and flesh which varied in antioxidant, reducing, and chelating activity. The order of the phenolic compound content in flesh and peel in Quinte cultivar, which showed the highest antioxidant capacity, was as follows: epicatechin > chlorogenic acid > quercetin 3-arabinoside > quercetin 3-glucoside > cyanidin 3-galactoside > quercetin 3-rhamnoside > catechin > phloridzin > rutin > phloretin = quercetin. CV results were highly correlated with those obtained by spectrophotometry and HPLC–DAD–MS/MS, providing evidence to support the use of cyclic voltammetry as a rapid method to determine the phenolic profile and reducing the power of apple flesh and peel. The association between antioxidant assays and phenolic compound content showed that the highest contribution to the antioxidant capacity of apple peel and flesh was provided by catechin, epicatechin, and cyadinin-3-galactoside, while phloretin, phloridzin, and chlorogenic acid were the main contributors to chelating activity. Results from this study clearly indicate that removing the peel from apples may induce a significant loss of antioxidants.

The individual and combined effects of hypoxia and high-fat diet feeding on nutrient composition and flesh quality in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Hypoxia and high-fat diet (HFD) feeding are two factors commonly existing in aquaculture. However, their individual and combined effects on nutrient composition and flesh quality in fish have not been investigated. The present study evaluated the alterations of growth, nutrient composition and flesh quality in Nile tilapia (initially 7.0 ± 0.1 g and 5.6 ± 0.2 cm) fed with normal fat diet (5.95% fat) or HFD (11.8% fat) at two dissolved oxygen levels (1.1 ± 0.1 and 7.2 ± 0.1 mg/L) for 8 weeks. The results showed that hypoxia and HFD had similar effects in inducing lipid deposition, reducing flesh protein and amino acids content, pH values and water holding ability. Hypoxia had additional adverse effects in decreasing meat yield, flesh contents of n-3 PUFA and glycogen, increasing flesh fragmentation and causing liver damages. The combination of hypoxia and HFD significantly decreased feed intake, survival rate and muscle protein content, but didn’t affect flesh quality-related parameters.

Evaluation of reproducibility methods for total phenolic and flavonoid content in skin and flesh of potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Potato is the most consumed crop in the world has a rich source of phenolic compounds having antioxidant properties beneficial in reducing the risk of many diseases. Spectrophotometric methods, in particular the Folin-Ciocalteu method is used to quantify total phenolic content in food and plant samples but lacks proper standardized procedure. Therefore, this study was conducted during the 2019 at Lorch Potato Research Institute, Moscow region, Russia to estimate the reproducibility of spectrophotometric methods for determining the total phenolic and flavonoid content in 4 varieties of potato with different skin and flesh colors. Potato varieties viz. Udacha, Surpriz, Monakh and Vimpel were used for the study. Results obtained from 3 independent tests of the same sample for each of the varieties indicated the absence of significant differences, except for a variety Udacha. The total content of studied compounds in the skin was higher than in the flesh, with the exception of a variety Vimpel, in which no significant differences were detected. Also, the total phenolic and flavonoid content of pigmented varieties was higher both in the flesh and in the skin. The influence of a degree of flesh grinding of Surpriz variety on the total phenolic content was established. The identified differences in the total phenolic content between the tests of the variety Udacha as well as a decrease in the total phenolic content due to increase in the degree of grinding, may be a consequence of the enzymatic browning reaction. To obtain more accurate results, standardization of the grinding and extraction procedures are necessary.

Organic acids content in fruit flesh and skin from a large apricot collection

Organic acids content in fruit flesh and skin from a large apricot collection

Characterization of Cultivated Eggplant and its Wild Relatives Based on Important Fruit Biochemical Traits.

The modern-day eggplant consumers desire varieties with a higher content of chlorogenic acid, but the cultivated varieties of eggplant are with a lower content of chlorogenic acid. Whereas, the wild relatives of eggplant are higher in phenolic acids. Therefore, this study characterized the cultivated eggplant and its wild relatives for the fruit dry matter content, total fruit phenolics and chlorogenic acid content. Fruits of the accessions of cultivated eggplant, one primary genepool species, nine secondary genepool species and three tertiary genepool species were characterized for dry matter content (%), total phenolics and the fruit chlorogenic acid content (mg g-1). The chlorogenic acid content in the fruit flesh was determined by using the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Highest content of dry matter content of around 29% was determined for the species S. tomentosum and S. elaeagnifolium. Whereas, the highest content of total fruit phenolics were determined in the secondary genepool species S. linnaeanum. The most top content of chlorogenic acid around 4.5 mg g-1 of fruit dry weight was present in the species S. linnaeanum and S. torvum. Different clustering approaches were able to cluster the primary genepool species with the cultivated eggplant. Overall, this work provides important information about the wild relatives of eggplant concerning their dry matter content, total phenolics and chlorogenic acid content. This information can be used to engineer eggplant varieties rich in fruit phenolics.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in three fish species with different trophic level

Reducing the dependency of fishfeed for marine ingredients and species diversification are both considered crucial factors for the sustainable development of aquaculture. The substitution of fish oil (FO) by vegetable oils (VO) in aquafeeds is an economically feasible solution. However, such substitution may compromise the fish flesh content of essential n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) and, therefore, its nutritional value for human consumption. Likewise, there is a wide range of strategies to select new target species for sector diversification, among which, the capacity to biosynthesize n-3 LC-PUFA from their C18 precursors abundant in VO might be considered as a fair preliminary strategy. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the metabolic fate of [1-14C] labeled 18:2n-6, 18:3n-3, 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 in isolated hepatocytes and enterocytes from wild individuals of three fish species with different trophic level: the marine herbivorous salema (Sarpa salpa), the strict carnivorous sand sole (Pegusa lascaris) and the omnivorous thicklip grey mullet (Chelon labrosus). These species were selected for their phylogenetic proximity to consolidated farmed species such as gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis), and golden grey mullet (Liza aurata), respectively. The study also assessed the molecular cloning, functional characterization and tissue distribution of the fatty acyl elongase (Elovl) gene, elovl5, involved in the biosynthetic metabolism of n-3 LC-PUFA. The three species were able to biosynthesize docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3). S. salpa seems to have similar biosynthetic capacity than S. aurata, with a fatty acyl desaturase 2 (Fads2), with Δ6, Δ8 and Δ5 activities. P. lascaris showed a wider Fads2 activity repertory than S. senegalensis, including Δ4 and residual Δ6/Δ5 activities. In C. labrosus, both Δ8 and Δ5 activities but not the Δ6 described for L. aurata were detected in the incubated cells. Elongation from C18 and C20 precursors to C20 and C22 products occurred in hepatocytes and enterocytes as well as in the functional characterization of Elovl5 by heterologous expression in yeast. Elovl5 showed a species specific expression pattern, with the highest rates observed in the liver, gut and brain in S. salpa and P. lascaris, and in the brain for C. labrosus. In summary, the LC-PUFA biosynthesis capacity from S. salpa, P. lascaris and C. labrosus greatly resembled that of their phylogenetic closer species. The three studied species could be further explored as candidates for the aquaculture diversification from their potential ability to biosynthesize LC-PUFA.

Evidence of the Role of QTL Epistatic Interactions in the Increase of Melon Fruit Flesh Content during Domestication

Cultivated melon was domesticated from wild melons, which produce small fruits with non-edible fruit flesh. The increase in fruit flesh is one of the major domestication achievements in this species. In previous work, a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 6 (paqt6.1) linked to fruit flesh content was detected in a cross between cultivated (“Piel de Sapo”, PS) and wild (Ames 24294, TRI) accessions. The QTL was introgressed into the PS background, generating the TRI_6-3 introgression line (IL) that confirmed the effects of paqt6.1. The primary objective of this work was to fine-map paqt6.1 as the first step for the map-based cloning. Two different approaches were carried out; however, the results were not consistent, precluding the fine mapping of paqt6.1. TRI_6-3 and other related ILs were genotyped by genotyping-by-sequencing, finding additional introgressions in other chromosomes. In an F2 population from TRI_6-3-x-PS, we found an epistatic interaction between paqt6.1 and another locus on chromosome 11. The interaction was verified in advanced populations, suggesting that the effects of paqt6.1 are conditioned by the allelic composition at another locus in chromosome 11. Both loci should have TRI alleles to reduce the flesh content in the PS background. The implications on the history of melon domestication are discussed.

Nutritional and functional characteristics of ripe persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) fruit

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L), is an ornamental tree known for its delicious berry like fruits. The fruit is appreciated for its nutritional value, health benefits and rich flavor. The physico-chemical properties of the fruit are an important indicator for its quality. Persimmon fruit part varies with sufficient amount of nutritional characteristics. Therefore, fruit with and without peel had significant effect on the chemical characteristics. Hence the study was under taken to analyze the physical and nutritional characteristics of Fuyu cultivar of persimmon. On ripening, the fruit consists of 7.98 Kg/cm2 firmness with flesh content of 85.82%. In case of nutritional characteristics, the fruit with peel had greater amount of functional components like fibre (0.69%), ascorbic acid (15.90 mg/100g), β-carotene (250 mg/100g) and total phenols (3.87 mg/100g).

Cobalt‐60 and electron beam irradiation‐induced lipid oxidation in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Irradiation can cause lipid oxidation of fish. This study aimed to examine the effect of radiation (method, dose and dose rate) on the acid value (AV), peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content and fatty acid profile of fresh and freeze-dried largemouth bass flesh. AV, PV and TBARS presented a dose-dependent increase in fish meat for both cobalt-60 (60 Co) and electron beam (EB) irradiation. With a 6 kGy dose of radiation, all measured indices in the 60 Co group were significantly higher than those in the EB group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). With a 3 kGy dose of radiation, AV, PV and TBARS in the 200 Gy min-1 dose rate group were significantly lower than those in the 2 and 80 Gy min-1 groups (P < 0.05). After 60 Co irradiation, AV, PV and TBARS in most fresh samples were significantly higher than those in freeze-dried samples (P < 0.01). And 60 Co irradiation decreased the unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content in fresh samples and increased the UFA content in freeze-dried samples. Our study indicated that 60 Co irradiation, particularly at a low dose rate, accelerated lipid oxidation in fish meat. A large amount of muscle moisture enhances the amount of UFA loss in fish meat during 60 Co irradiation. A low dose (3 kGy) of EB irradiation, a high dose rate (200 Gy min-1 ) of 60 Co irradiation or freeze-drying treatment can alleviate the lipid oxidation of largemouth bass meat. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Analisis Beta Karoten dan Vitamin pada Kulit dan Daging Buah Pisang Tongka Langit (Musa Troglodytarum L.) di Kota AmbonAROTEN DAN VITAMIN PADA KULIT DAN DAGING BUAH PISANG TONGKA LANGIT (Musa troglodytarum L.) DI KOTA AMBON

Pisang Tongka Langit dengan tandan buah menjulang ke atas memiliki karakter morfologi yang bervariasi diantaranya ukuran buah (panjang dan pendek), warna daging buah (kuning sampai oranye) dan warna kulit pisang yang berbeda (kuning, oranye kekuningan, oranye kemerahan, merah kecoklatan, dan oranye kecoklatan) yang mengindikasikan adanya kandungan beta karoten. Tujuan penelitian untuk menganalisis kandungan beta karoten dan vitamin pada kulit dan daging buah pisang Tongka Langit menggunakan metode High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Hasil analisis kandungan beta karoten tertinggi pada daging buah panjang sebesar 65,33 mg/100 dan terendah pada daging buah pendek 22,31 mg/100g. Vitamin A yang terbanyak terdapat pada kulit buah pendek 2260,63 mg/100g dan kulit buah panjang memiliki nilai yang paling rendah. Nilai kandungan Vitamin B yang tertinggi terdapat pada kulit buah panjang sebesar 0,11 mg/100g dan yang terendah pada daging buah panjang dan kulit buah pendek sebesar 0,09 mg/100g. Vitamin C yang terbanyak terdapat pada daging buah panjang sebesar 28,48 mg/100g, dan yang terendah pada kulit buah panjang 11,99 mg/100g. Vitamin E yang tertinggi terdapat pada kulit buah panjang sebesar 0,41 mg/100g dan yang terendah terdapat pada daging buah pendek sebesar 0,21 mg/100g, sedangkan vitamin D tidak ditemukan pada semua sampel.

Functional characterisation and in silico modelling of MdPSY2 variants and MdPSY5 phytoene synthases from Malus domestica

Carotenoids are plastid isoprenoid pigments that play critical roles in light harvesting, photoprotection, and phytohormone biosynthesis. They are also vitamin-A precursors and antioxidant molecules important for human nutrition. Apples (e.g. Malus x domestica Borkh), one of the most widely consumed fruits with high nutrient levels, have a very low carotenoid concentration in flesh, compared with other fruits and vegetables. This could be explained by a deficiency in carotenoid synthesis/accumulation and/or accelerated degradation. We analysed the contribution of M. domestica cv. ‘Fuji’ phytoene synthase (PSY) in the biosynthesis of carotenoids and determined that among four MdPSY genes present in the organism, MdPSY2 and MdPSY5 are highly expressed in leaves and during fruit ripening in line with an increment in carotenoid content in fruits. Furthermore, two representative polymorphic MdPSY2 variants were found, one with a Tyr358Phe substitution (MdPSY2_F) and the other that additionally has a six-amino-acid deletion in the signal peptide (MdPSY2_CG). MdPSY2, MdPSY5, MdPSY2_F and MdPSY2_CG are all localised in plastids. Interestingly, the polymorphic MdPSY2_F and MdPSY2_CG variants show lower enzymatic activity than the wild-type form in a heterologous complementation assay, which could be attributed to the Tyr358Phe substitution close to the active-site pocket, as was suggested by 3-D modelling analysis. The presence of polymorphic MdPSY2 variants with lower enzymatic activity could be partially responsible for the low carotenoid content in Fuji apple fruits.

Characterization, fluctuation and tissue differences in nutrient content in the Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas ) in Qingdao, northern China

The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is one of the most important aquaculture species worldwide. Its meat quality is vital for consumer satisfaction, and nutrient content, especially glycogen, is closely associated with oyster fatness and meat colour. Fluctuations in nutrient content of short-term starvation have not been previously reported, and seasonal variation in glycogen content in different tissues has rarely been reported. In the present study, we investigated these important aspects of oyster production and found that short-term starvation (50 hr) did not significantly alter glycogen, protein or lipid content. The seasonal variation assay showed that glycogen and lipid accumulation was high in autumn and winter and that seawater temperature and protein content were inversely related to glycogen content. Glycogen content of the whole flesh was higher from January to April and was positively related to the condition index before the onset of gametogenesis. Glycogen content was higher in the gonad, labial palp and mantle compared to the gill or adductor muscle. Relative expression of genes encoding proteins involved in glycogen metabolism (glycogen synthase, glycogen phosphorylase, glycogen debranching enzyme and glycogen branching enzyme) was closely associated with the glycogen content in the corresponding tissues. Glycogen content in the gonad was regulated by glycogen metabolic and glycolysis pathway genes (6-phosphofructo kinase, phosphoglycerate kinase, pyruvate kinase, hexokinase and glucose transporters), and stored glycogen was the main energy source for gametogenesis. These findings contribute to oyster aquaculture management and glycogen improvement and expand our understanding of glycogen metabolism in oysters.

Adaptation of nutria meat to industrial technologies of the meat industry

This research is to determine the features of identification of products of the slaughter of nutria while post-slaughter veterinary-sanitary control, to assess the slaughtered yield, to study the peculiarities of the chemical and biochemical composition of the products of the slaughter of nutrias. This will allow, under the conditions of import substitution, to extend the source of raw materials for the production of sausage products and assortment of meat ready-to-cook foods. This paper represents the results of the veterinary and sanitary assessment of nutria meat as a prospective raw material for the meat processing industry in Ukraine. The peculiarities of identification of slaughter products of nutria are determined by the presence of fat deposits, rounded form lipoma, and the structure of internal organs while post-slaughter veterinary and sanitary control of nutrias’ carcasses. It is proved, nutrias have been shown to have a sufficiently high slaughter yield of 57.5 ± 2.3% as compared to rabbits. It has been proven that nutria has a fairly high lethal yield compared to a crawl. The difference in the slaughter rate of female and male species was negligible and was 4.5 ± 1.4%. Nutrias’ Meat Index is 4.9 ± 0.7. The high content of flesh on the spinal-chest and the thigh makes it possible to recommend these parts to produce portion (pieces) semi-finished products According to physicochemical composition nutria meat is characterized by an increased content of moisture (90.27 ± 2.18%), high content of protein (20.82 ± 1.15%) and low content of fat (8.34 ± 0.71%), which makes it possible to attribute this kind of meat to dietary

SSR based association mapping analysis for fatty acid content in coconut flesh and exploration of the elite alleles in Cocos nucifera L

Exploring the elite alleles based on the association mapping related to fatty acid content in coconut flesh will expedite the breeding of coconut varieties for human welfare. In the present study, a total of eighty representative Cocos nucifera accessions belonging to 6 populations (Red dwarf, Yellow dwarf, Hainan red, Hainan tall, MAWA and Aromatica green dwarf) were selected from China as an association mapping population. The fatty acid content in mature flesh of the selected coconut accessions was measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). Ninety one SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers distributed across the 16 chromosomes of coconut were adopted for association mapping analysis with the aim to explore the elite alleles for the fatty acid content related traits. The results clearly showed the significant variation in fatty acid content among the analyzed coconut accessions. Based on the population structure analysis, we categorized eighty accessions in to two subgroups, the higher-fatty acid containing germplasm subgroup (HFA) and the lower-fatty acid containing germplasm subgroup (LFA). An admixed population structure was also observed through the PCoA (two groups), and UPGMA (two clusters). A Total of 10 SSR loci associated with fatty acid content of coconut flesh, were identified by the general linear model (GLM) and mixed linear model (MLM), with the maximum number of association loci across the chromosome 14. SSR loci with high explanation of phenotypic variation and stable expression were selected from the comparative analysis, with the phenotypic effect of their elite alleles ranging from -1.02～3.12. Among the identified elite alleles, CnFatB3-359 demonstrated the strongest positive effect with (mean of 2.35) the typical carrier material of Aromatica green dwarf, while CnFatB2-830 had the strongest negative effect (mean of -0.65) with the carrier material of MAWA. The present research detected favorable quantitative trait loci’s alleles and typical accessions for fatty acid content associated traits for breeding nutritional rich coconut varieties

Fruit quality attributes of ten Colombian blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth.) genotypes

Colombia requires blackberry genotypes with remarkable traitsthat improve the competitiveness of this product in the country.The objective of this work was to evaluate the characteristicsof the quality attributes in fruits of ten Colombian blackberrygenotypes in order to assess their potential in the berry markets but also as a genetic source to be included in breeding programs. The weight of fruits, the equatorial and longitudinal diameters, volume, firmness, color, juice content, flesh content, seed/fruit weight percentage, soluble solids content, acidity, pH and maturity index were evaluated in fruits collected during three different harvest periods in the province of Cundinamarca. Thirty fruits for every genotype and period were harvested and analyzed. These 10 evaluated genotypes showed important differences that allowed separating them into five different groups; however, genotypes 8, 4 and 6 showed the best results regarding size, color, juice content, total soluble solids content, maturity index, firmness and low acidity. These features make them good candidates for incorporating them into breeding programs. Nonetheless, their soluble solids content was considerably lower than values reported for genotypes Prime Ark, Natchez, Ouachita, and Osage that are recognized for theseremarkable traits.

Proximate and Nutritional Content of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Flesh Cultured in a Tropical Highland Area

Abstract The present study was performed to assess the proximate and nutrient content of rainbow trout flesh, cultured in the Doi Inthanon Fisheries Research Unit, Chiang Mai Inland Fisheries Research and Development Center, Thailand. 240 fish were randomly distributed across 12 cages with 20 fish cage-1. Sixteen individual fish from each cage were randomly collected at different ages of 10, 12 and 24 months. Body composition, pH, water-holding capacity, shear force, collagen content analysis, sensory, lipid oxidation, and fatty acids profile were evaluated. The results indicated that body composition and carcass length were significantly higher in fish aged 24 months, except for carcass and viscero-somatic index percentages (P ≤ 0.05). Fish at 24 months showed significantly higher pH, moisture, fat, shear force, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and total collagen content values than fish at 10 and 12 months (P ≤ 0.05). However, protein percentage, sensory measurement and water-holding capacity were significantly higher in younger fish at 10 and 12 months. The average lipid content and n-6/n-3 ratios were significantly greater in fish at 12 months and in ventral fillets (P ≤ 0.05). However, polyunsaturated fatty acids: saturated fatty acid ratio was higher in fish at 24 months and in dorsal fillets. In conclusion, rainbow trout cultured in sub-tropical, montane conditions can be valuable sources of protein, unsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acids, and docosahexaenoic acids.

Development of simple PCR-based DNA marker for the red-fleshed trait of a blood peach ‘Tenshin-suimitsuto’

In this study, we investigated the red-fleshed trait of the peach cultivar ‘Tenshin-suimitsuto’. In addition to the anthocyanin biosynthetic gene UFGT encoding UDP-glucose:flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase and the anthocyanin-regulating MYB transcription factor gene MYB10.1, we detected high expression of a NAC transcription factor gene, BLOOD (BL), in the flesh of this peach cultivar. BL is reported to induce MYB10.1 and be responsible for the red-fleshed trait of ‘Dahongpao’, suggesting that the red coloration of ‘Tenshin-suimitsuto’ is maybe controlled by BL. A transposon insertion mutation in the promoter region of BL was identified as the sole mutation co-segregating with the red-fleshed trait, indicating that anthocyanin accumulation in ‘Tenshin-suimitsuto’ is caused by this mutation and that the transposon could be a simple and accurate marker of the red coloration. F1 lines crossbred with white-fleshed cultivars bore fruits with various intensities of red coloration. We found that the intensity of flesh coloration was markedly affected by the allelic types of MYB10.1. This implies that the combination of BL and MYB10.1 markers may be relevant for the breeding of desirable red-fleshed cultivars. When grown in dark conditions, the anthocyanin content of the fruit flesh was significantly reduced but not completely eliminated. We found that the skin of ‘Tenshin-suimitsuto’ is pale red even when grown in darkness, whereas red pigmentation in white-fleshed peach skin is strictly repressed in darkness. The lower sensitivity of ‘Tenshin-suimitsuto’ to dark conditions may be caused by the high expression of BL in its skin.

Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Intake of Common Fishes Available in the Brahmaputra River of Bangladesh

Fifteen (15) fish species were collected from three (3) locations of the Brahmaputra River to determine heavy metals content in fish flesh, and to assess potential human health risk through consumption of those fishes. The contents of heavy metals in aqueous extract of different fish species were determined by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) at the Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, during the period from March to June, 2018. The concentrations of Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and Cr in different fish species ranged from 41.70-376.62, 38.98-279.08, 3.19-47.91, 2.20-3.73, 0.19-1.20 and 0.59-2.40 mg kg-1, respectively. The study results revealed that the edible portion of fish species of the river contained reasonably higher amount of Mn, Zn, Pb, Cr and Cu compared to some other previous studies carried out elsewhere with freshwater fishes. Among the fish species, mola (Amblypharyngodon mola) showed the highest metal pollution index (20.12) followed by chela (Salmophasia bacaila) (17.72), chanda (Chanda nama) (16.78) and chingri (Macrobrachium sp.) (15.83), while baim (Macrognathus aculeatus) exhibited the lowest (6.79). The calculated daily metal intake for Pb, Mn and Cd for both male and female were higher than that of upper tolerable intake level, which indicates consumption of common fishes of this river, is not safe. Similarly, target hazard quotient (THQ) values for Mn surpassed 5.0 for both male and female, and the same value for Pb also surpassed 5.0 for female indicate that the exposed population are unsafe. The study results also revealed that all individual THQ values of other metals for both male and female surpassed 1, which means exposed population are in level of concern interval. In Bangladesh freshwater river fishes are more popular than farm fishes. However, the study results recommend to aware people about heavy metal contents before consuming fish species of a polluted river system.