Gamma-aminobutyric Acid Concentrations Research Articles

Response of yield and quality of giant embryo rice to nitrogen application and analysis of lipid-lowering effect.

Giant embryo rice is known as a highly nutritious functional rice because it is rich in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which has various regulatory functions in the human body. To study the response of giant embryo rice yield and quality to nitrogen (N) application, and to verify the effect of giant embryo brown rice on alleviating hyperlipidemia in rats. In this study, field experiments were conducted in 2020 and 2021 using the giant embryo rice varietiers J20 (japonica) and Koshihikari (japonica) rice as experimental materials and five N levels, 0 (N0), 90 (N1), 135 (N2), 180 (N3) and 225 (N4) kg ha-1. The results showed that the yield of both varieties increased with increasing N and the maximum values were observed under the N2 treatment. As more N was gradually applied, the brown rice rate, milled rice rate, head rice rate and GABA content of both varieties first increased and then decreased, while the chalky grain rate and chalkiness showed the opposite trend. The optimal values of these indexes were observed under the N2 treatment. The peak viscosity and breakdown value of J20 decreased, while its setback value and pasting temperature increased with increasing N. In contrast, Koshihikari showed the opposite trend. The protein content and protein component contents of both varieties showed an increasing trend with increasing N, among which gliadin was the most sensitive protein component to N fertilizer. Animal experiments results showed that J20 brown rice could significantly slow the rate of weight gain of rats, reduce serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Therefore, increasing N could effectively enhance J20 yield and improve processing, appearance and nutritional quality but decrease cooking and eating quality. The brown rice J20 had the effect of slowing the rate of weight gain and reducing the hyperlipidemia level of rats, the optimal N application rate for achieving high yield, high quality and good functional characteristics in the giant embryo rice J20 was 135 kg ha-1. These findings will provide a theoretical and technical foundation for the popularization and application of giant embryo rice in the future.

Microbiota- Brain-Gut-Axis Relevance to Parkinson's Disease: Potential Therapeutic Effects of Probiotics.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common type of neurogenerative disease among middleaged and older people, characterized by aggregation of alpha-synuclein and dopaminergic neuron loss. The microbiota- gut-brain axis is a dynamic bidirectional communication network and is involved in the pathogenesis of PD. The aggregation of misfolded protein alpha-synuclein is a neuropathological characteristic of PD, originates in the gut and migrates to the central nervous system (CNS) through the vagus nerve and olfactory bulb. The change in the architecture of gut microbiota increases the level short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and other metabolites, acting on the neuroendocrine system and modulating the concentrations of gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, and other neurotransmitters. It also alters the vagus and intestinal signalling, influencing the brain and behaviour by activating microglia and systemic cytokines. Both experimental and clinical reports indicate the role of intestinal dysbiosis and microbiota host interaction in neurodegeneration. Probiotics are live microorganisms that modify the gut microbiota in the small intestine to avoid neurological diseases. Probiotics have been shown in clinical and preclinical studies to be effective in the treatment of PD by balancing the gut microbiota. In this article, we described the role of gut-microbiota in the pathogenesis of PD. The article aims to explore the mechanistic strategy of the gut-brain axis and its relation with motor impairment and the use of probiotics to maintain gut microbial flora and prevent PD-like symptoms.

Production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) by Bacillus subtilis BBEL02 fermentation using nitrogen-rich industrial wastes as crude feedstocks

Industrial-scale fermentation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is often limited by high cost of the starting raw materials. Increasing commercial applications of GABA in various industries have urged the research on finding the alternative substrates for the GABA production. The effects of concentration of different types of carbon and nitrogen sources; concentration of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in the defined medium for GABA production using the newly isolated Bacillus subtilis BBEL02 were studied. The feasibility of corn steep liquor (CSL) and soybean hydrolysate (SBH) as the replacement of nitrogen sources in the fermentation media for GABA production was also investigated. Highest GABA content (10.9 gL−1) and productivity (3.7 gL−1d−1) were achieved with defined medium containing 1 % (w/v) glucose, 2 % (v/v) SBH and 5 % (w/v) MSG. Dissolved oxygen (DO) of 80 % in 2-L fermenter presented the highest productivity (4.2 gL−1d−1) and GABA concentration (12.5 gL−1), however DO of 50 % was preferred because of the lower rotation speed to prevent cells deterioration.

Metabolomics-based investigation of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (Sinovac) reveals an immune-dependent metabolite biomarker.

SARS-CoV-2 and its mutant strains continue to rapidly spread with high infection and fatality. Large-scale SARS-CoV-2 vaccination provides an important guarantee for effective resistance to existing or mutated SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. However, whether the host metabolite levels respond to SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-influenced host immunity remains unclear. To help delineate the serum metabolome profile of SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated volunteers and determine that the metabolites tightly respond to host immune antibodies and cytokines, in this study, a total of 59 sera samples were collected from 30 individuals before SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and from 29 COVID-19 vaccines 2 weeks after the two-dose vaccination. Next, untargeted metabolomics was performed and a distinct metabolic composition was revealed between the pre-vaccination (VB) group and two-dose vaccination (SV) group by partial least squares-discriminant and principal component analyses. Based on the criteria: FDR < 0.05, absolute log2 fold change greater than 0.25, and VIP >1, we found that L-glutamic acid, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), succinic acid, and taurine showed increasing trends from SV to VB. Furthermore, SV-associated metabolites were mainly annotated to butanoate metabolism and glutamate metabolism pathways. Moreover, two metabolite biomarkers classified SV from VB individuals with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96. Correlation analysis identified a positive association between four metabolites enriched in glutamate metabolism and serum antibodies in relation to IgG, IgM, and IgA. These results suggest that the contents of gamma-aminobutyric acid and indole in serum could be applied as biomarkers in distinguishing vaccinated volunteers from the unvaccinated. What’s more, metabolites such as GABA and taurine may serve as a metabolic target for adjuvant vaccines to boost the ability of the individuals to improve immunity.

Functional Food-drunk Crab with High GABA Production Obtained by Inoculating Fermentation Broth of &lt;i&gt;Lactobacillus brevisZ-215&lt;/i&gt; and Crab by-products into Drunk Crab

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system and has various physiological functions. Recently, researchers have become interested in GABA-rich functional food design. Our laboratory obtained a strain named Lactobacillus brevisZ-215 with a high GABA production, which was used in previous studies. In this paper, we attempted to develop a GABA-rich drunk crab product using L. brevisZ-215 and crab by-products fermentation broth. The results revealed that the drunk crab products with the addition of bacterial and fermentation broths have high GABA content, close to 3 mg/mL. Furthermore, we improved the nutrition and flavor of the functional drunk crab. Additionally, we analyzed the shelf-life of drunken crabs by measuring the GABA content, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen, thiobarbituric acid, biogenic amine content, and colony count. The results of the measurements showed that the shelf-life was significantly longer compared to the uninoculated drunken crab and that the biogenic amine content was significantly suppressed.

Producing and analyzing gamma-aminobutyric acid containing probiotic black grape juice using Lactobacillus plantarum plantarum IBRC(10817) and Lactobacillus brevis IBRC(10818)

In this study, Lactobacillus plantarum plantarum IBRC (10817) and Lactobacillus brevis IBRC(10818) were used to determine whether it was possible to produce probiotic black grape beveraes that contained gamma-aminobutyric acid . In different containers, grape juice was individually inoculated with 3 ×107 (CFU/ml) of each microorganism for this purpose. Over the duration of 28 days, the amount of gamma-aminobutyric acid produced, changes in the viability of the microorganisms, and some physicochemical and sensory properties were assessed. According to the results, gamma-aminobutyric acid production increased up until day 21 of the fermentation process before beginning to decline on day 28. It was completely obvious that this beverage was probiotic until the end of day 21 . The number of probiotic microorganisms in both samples of various bacteria increased after 72 h and then decreased until the end of the period, showing no detectable difference between the two bacterial species in terms of viability. On day 21, the fermented beverage that had been inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum plantarum IBRC(10817) had a high concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (117.33 mg/l). At the end of the storage time, there was no noticeable variation in their overall acceptance, and the acceptance score was 4-5. According to this study, Lactobacillus plantarum plantarum IBRC(10817) was more effective in producing probiotic beverages from black grape juice that also had a high level of sensory acceptability and gamma-aminobutyric acid.

Physiological and proteomic analyses of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-treated tubers reveals that StPOD42 promotes sprouting in potato

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a nonproteinogenic amino acid that plays vital roles in plant growth and developmental processes. However, its role in regulating potato sprouting is unknown. Therefore, the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the sprouting process were assessed, and we found that GABA promoted sprouting after treatment for 50 d. In addition, the GABA and soluble sugar contents increased while the starch content decreased. To study the molecular mechanism by which exogenous GABA accelerates tuber sprouting, comparative proteomic analysis of tuber bud eyes was performed after GABA treatment for 48 h. Further analysis revealed 316 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) that are mainly involved in fatty acid and sugar metabolism and cutin, suberin and wax biosyntheses. The qRT‒PCR results suggested that the GABA transaminase 2 (GABA-T2) and GABA-T3 expression levels showed the greatest decrease at 30 d of storage. Peroxidase 42 (StPOD42) expression showed the greatest increase at 30 d. Overexpression of StPOD42 in potato was found to promote tuber sprouting. Our results provide new insights into the role of GABA in regulating the sprouting process and indicate that StPOD42 is a target gene for molecular breeding to modulate potato sprouting.

GABA-enriched rice bran inhibits inflammation in LPS-stimulated macrophages via suppression of TLR4-MAPK/NF-κB signaling cascades.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched products (GEP) exhibited a wide range of pharmaceutical properties. In this study, anti-inflammatory activity of GEP from Lactobacillus fermentum-fermented water solution of rice bran was evaluated on lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophage model. GABA content in L. fermentum-fermented rice bran solution was determined up to 1.27 g/L. GEP was shown to inhibit the expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 enzymes. Moreover, pretreatment of GEP attenuated the generation level of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Especially, the activation of signaling pathways due to nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) was interrupted in GEP-exposed cells. Notably, molecular docking result showed a potential binding of GABA to Toll-like receptor 4 with a binding energy of -3.88 kcal/mol, suggesting the role of GABA in suppression of Toll-like receptor 4-MAPK/NF-κB signaling cascades. As the result, GEP from L. fermentum-fermented rice bran solution could be suggested as a promising food for suppression of inflammatory responses. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: GABA-enriched products have been evidenced to possess various pharmaceutical properties and health beneficial effects. In this study, GABA-enriched product from L. fermentum-fermented rice bran solution exhibited the inhibition on inflammatory response in macrophages. Hence, it could be used as a potential ingredient for the mitigation of inflammatory responses.

Continuous microwave drying of germinated red adzuki bean: Effects of various drying conditions on drying behavior and quality attributes

This study investigated the effects of various drying conditions involving microwave power, air velocity, and sample mass on the drying behavior, starch gelatinization properties, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content of germinated red adzuki bean (GRAB) under continuous microwave drying. Increasing the microwave power and lowering the sample mass can promote GRAB drying and shorten the total drying duration; improving the air velocity limited the temperature elevation of GRAB to affect water removal to some extent. The drying rate had only the rising- and falling- rate stages throughout the drying process. Microwave drying lowered the gelatinization temperature and enthalpy to facilitate the starch gelatinization of GRAB. The microwave power and sample mass had significant effects on the GABA content of the final dried GRAB. This study may provide guidance for understanding and follow-up improving the continuous microwave drying production of germinated bean products like GRAB. Practical applications GRAB is consumed as a nutritional food source due to its high starch and protein contents, low fat, and rich bioactive ingredients like GABA. Drying processing is a needed step for fresh GRAB to facilitate long-term storage and quality retention. This study evaluated the drying behavior and quality attributes of GRAB in a continuous microwave belt dryer, and the research results have underlying application potential and may provide guidance for microwave drying production of germinated bean products like GRAB.

Development of Functional Fermented Dairy Products Containing Taiwan Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) in Regulating Glucose Utilization

Taiwan djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) is a plant native to Taiwan and is a grain rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals with antioxidant properties. This paper aimed to use appropriate processing technology and incorporate probiotics, thus combining Taiwan’s high-quality milk sources to develop Taiwan djulis fermented dairy products. Later, FL83B cells have used to evaluate the glucose utilization ability after the administration of djulis. We first screened Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and combined it with the traditional yogurt strains Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus for cultivation. Further, the fermentation process was optimized where 7.5% djulis and an inoculum of 107 colony forming unit/mL were fermented at 40 °C for 18 h. Compared to fermented milk without djulis, the analysis of various nutrients and active ingredients showed that free radical scavenging abilities of DPPH and ABTS reached 2.3 and 2.0 times (752.35 ± 29.29 µg and 771.52 ± 3.79 µg TE/g, respectively). The free phenol content increased 2.5 times (169.90 ± 14.59 mg gallic acid/g); the total flavonoid content enhanced 4.8 times (3.05 ± 0.03 mg quercetin/g), and the gamma-aminobutyric acid content was 3.07 ± 0.94 mg/g. In a co-culture of mouse liver cells with fermented products, 100 ppm ethanol extract of fermented products effectively improved glucose utilization with increased glucose transporter expression. This functional fermented dairy product can be developed into the high value added local agricultural products and enhance multiple applications including medical and therapeutic fields.

Study on microbial community of "green-covering" Tuqu and the effect of fortified autochthonous Monascus purpureus on the flavor components of light-aroma-type Baijiu.

"Green-covering" Tuqu (TQ), as one of Xiaoqu, is a special fermentative starter (also known as Jiuqu in Chinese) that originated in southern China and is characterized by a layer of green mold covering (Aspergillus clavatus) the surface and (sometimes) with a red heart. It plays a vital role in producing light-aroma-type Baijiu (LATB). However, to date, the microbiota that causes red heart of TQ remain largely unexplored, and it is still unclear how these microbiota influence on the quality of LATB. In this study, two types of TQ, one with a red heart (RH) and another with a non-red heart (NRH), were investigated by high throughput sequencing (HTS) and directional screening of culture-dependent methods. The obtained results revealed the differences in the microbial communities of different TQ and led to the isolation of two species of Monascus. Interestingly, the results of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) detection showed that citrinin was not detected, indicating that Monascus isolated from TQ was no safety risk, and the contents of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the fermented grains of RH were higher than that of NRH during the fermentation. Selecting the superior autochthonous Monascus (M1) isolated from the TQ to reinoculate into the TQ-making process, established a stable method for producing the experimental "red heart" Tuqu (ERH), which confirmed that the cause of "red heart" was the growth of Monascus strains. After the lab-scale production test, ERH increased ethyl ester production and reduced higher alcohols production. In addition, Monascus had an inhibitory effect on the growth of Saccharomyces and Aspergillus. This study provides the safe, health-beneficial, and superior fermentation strains and strategies for improving the quality of TQ and LATB.

Pupil dilation during negative prediction errors is related to brain choline concentration and depressive symptoms in adolescents

Depressive symptoms are associated with altered pupillary responses during learning and reward prediction as well as with changes in neurometabolite levels, including brain concentrations of choline, glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). However, the full link between depressive symptoms, reward-learning-related pupillary responses and neurometabolites is yet to be established as these constructs have not been assessed in the same individuals. The present pilot study, investigated these relations in a sample of 24 adolescents aged 13 years. Participants completed the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) and underwent a reward learning task while measuring pupil dilation and a single voxel dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) MEGA-PRESS magnetic resonance spectroscopy scan assessing choline, glutamate and GABA concentrations. Pupil dilation was related to prediction errors (PE) during learning, which was captured by a prediction error-weighted pupil dilation response index (PE-PDR) for each individual. Higher PE-PDR scores, indicating larger pupil dilations to negative prediction errors, were related to lower depressive symptoms and lower dACC choline concentrations. Dorsal ACC choline was positively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas glutamate and GABA were not related to PE-PDR or depressive symptoms. The findings support notions of cholinergic involvement in depressive symptoms and cholinergic influence on reward-related pupillary response, suggesting that pupillary responses to negative prediction errors may hold promise as a biomarker of depressive states.

Continuous theta-burst stimulation to the sensorimotor cortex affects contralateral gamma-aminobutyric acid level and resting-state networks.

Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) is a noninvasive repetitive brain stimulation protocol that suppresses the excitability of the primary motor cortex. It induces cerebral cortical inhibition by increasing inhibitory interneuronal excitability that is associated with increases in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration in the stimulated cortices. cTBS has been applied in the rehabilitation of stroke patients to modulate interhemispheric imbalance. However, the precise mechanisms of cTBS in remote brain areas remain uncertain. We evaluated cTBS-induced GABA level changes in bilateral sensorimotor cortices using GABA-edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy, alternations of motor evoked potentials (MEPs), and resting-state networks (RSNs) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in 24 healthy right-handed adults (mean age: 34.4 ± 5.0 years). GABA levels in the stimulated left hemisphere significantly increased from baseline (p = 0.013), which was comparable with those of previous reports. GABA levels in the unstimulated right hemisphere showed a trend decrease. cTBS induced a significant decrease in right hand-MEP amplitudes (22.06% ± 43.50%) from baseline (p = 0.026) in accordance with GABA concentrations. However, multiple RSNs, including the default mode and primary motor networks, did not show any obvious differences between pre- and post-stimulus comparisons in the sensorimotor network using the dual regression approach. These results suggest that cTBS simultaneously increases ipsilateral GABA in the stimulated left hemisphere and decreases contralateral GABA in the unstimulated right hemisphere. Neuromodulation following cTBS may be associated with the interhemispheric inhibition because of alterations in GABA levels between the stimulated and unstimulated cortices.

Optimization of GABA Production and Partial gad Gene Identifi cation of Potential Probiotic Levilactobacillus brevis F064A Isolated from Thai Fermented Sausage

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter, can be produced by lactic acid bacteria. Levilactobacillus brevis F064A, a high potential probiotic, is capable of producing GABA. To elucidate its glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) enzyme responsible for GABA production, partial gad genes were examined. It was found that both partial gadA and gadB genes were existing in L. brevis F064A genomes. Some infl uencing effects on GABA production by Levilactobacillus brevis F064A were determined. The highest GABA production of 4.18 ± 0.07 mg/mL was achieved with the optimal conditions of initial media pH of 5.5, 2% (w/v) of glucose, 2% (w/v) of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and 48 h at 37°C of incubation. Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) had no effect on its GABA production. At 48 h of incubation, the viable cells were increased as well as the culture pH. Moreover, the optimum conditions based on the response surface methodology (RSM) model were pH of 5.26, 2.71% (w/v) of glucose and 2.96% (w/v) of MSG yielded 4.53 ± 0.08 mg/mL GABA content (p &lt; 0.05). Additionally, total lactic acid of 10.30 ± 0.91 mg/mL was also produced. Promisingly, L. brevis F064A is a good candidate for GABA production and for functional food development in the future.

Fecal Metabolome and Bacterial Composition in Severe Obesity: Impact of Diet and Bariatric Surgery

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to monitor the impact of a preoperative low-calorie diet and bariatric surgery on the bacterial gut microbiota composition and functionality in severe obesity and to compare sleeve gastrectomy (SG) versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The study also aimed to incorporate big data analysis for the omics results and machine learning by a Lasso-based analysis to detect the potential markers for excess weight loss. Forty patients who underwent bariatric surgery were recruited (14 underwent SG, and 26 underwent RYGB). Each participant contributed 4 fecal samples (baseline, post-diet, 1 month after surgery and 3 months after surgery). The bacterial composition was determined by 16S rDNA massive sequencing using MiSeq (Illumina). Metabolic signatures associated to fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids, amino acids, biogenic amines, gamma-aminobutyric acid and ammonium were determined by gas and liquid chromatography. Orange 3 software was employed to correlate the variables, and a Lasso analysis was employed to predict the weight loss at the baseline samples. A correlation between Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) abundance and excess weight was observed only for the highest body mass indexes. The low-calorie diet had little impact on composition and targeted metabolic activity. RYGB had a deeper impact on bacterial composition and putrefactive metabolism than SG, although the excess weight loss was comparable in the two groups. Significantly higher ammonium concentrations were detected in the feces of the RYGB group. We detected individual signatures of composition and functionality, rather than a gut microbiota characteristic of severe obesity, with opposing tendencies for almost all measured variables in the two surgical approaches. The gut microbiota of the baseline samples was not useful for predicting excess weight loss after the bariatric process.

Exogenous Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Application Induced Modulations in the Performance of Aromatic Rice Under Lead Toxicity.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid and has a multi-functional role in abiotic stress tolerance. A pot experiment was conducted to assess the role of exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) application to modulate the growth, yield, and related physio-biochemical mechanisms in two aromatic rice cultivars, that is, Guixiangzhan (GXZ) and Nongxiang 18 (NX-18), under Pb toxic and normal conditions. The experimental treatments were comprised of Ck: without Pb and GABA (control), GABA: 1 mM GABA is applied under normal conditions (without Pb), Pb + GABA: 1 mM GABA is applied under Pb toxicity (800 mg kg−1 of soil), and Pb= only Pb (800 mg kg−1 of soil) is applied (no GABA). The required concentrations of GABA were applied as a foliar spray. Results revealed that Pb stress induced oxidative damage in terms of enhanced malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL), and H2O2 contents, while exogenous GABA application improved leaf chlorophyll, proline, protein and GABA contents, photosynthesis and gas exchange, and antioxidant defense under Pb toxicity in both rice cultivars. Moreover, glutamine synthetase (GS) and nitrate reductase (NR) activities were variably affected due to GABA application under Pb stress. The yield and related traits, that is, productive tillers/pot, grains/panicle, filled grain %, 1,000-grain weight, and grain yield were 13.64 and 10.29, 0.37% and 2.26%, 3.89 and 19.06%, 7.35 and 12.84%, and 17.92 and 40.56 lower under Pb treatment than Pb + GABA for GXZ and NX-18, respectively. Furthermore, exogenous GABA application in rice reduced Pb contents in shoot, leaves, panicle, and grains compared with Pb-exposed plants without GABA. Overall, GXZ performed better than NX-18 under Pb toxic conditions.

Fluopyram inhibits tricarboxylic acid cycle but induces γ-aminobutyric acid-shunt pathway to prolong postharvest shelf life of litchi fruit

Rapid pericarp browning results in a short shelf life of postharvest litchi fruit. In this study, the impact of fluopyram (Flu) on litchi pericarp browning and possible mechanisms were investigated. Results showed that application of 0.2 % (v/v) fluopyram (Flu) delayed litchi pericarp browning during storage at 25 °C. Respiration rate and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were reduced in Flu-treated fruit, as indicated by the decreased succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (α-KGDH) activities. Meanwhile, Flu treatment resulted in higher succinic acid content but lower fumaric acid and α-ketoglutarate contents compared to those in non-Fu-treated fruit. Furthermore, Flu pretreatment maintained higher glutamate (Glu) level via enhancing glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity. Additionally, Flu treatment accelerated gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-shunt pathway by regulating GABA content and activities of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) as well as GABA transaminase (GABA-T). Importantly, higher ATP and GTP contents were observed in Flu-treated fruit. Taken together, these results suggested that Flu treatment inhibited respiration but accelerated GABA-shunt pathway, which might contribute to higher energy status and thus attenuate litchi pericarp browning. This study provided new insights of Flu application in quality maintenance and shelf life extension of postharvest fruit storage.

The yield, nutritional value, umami components and mineral contents of the first-flush and second-flush Pleurotus pulmonarius mushrooms grown on three forestry wastes

This study was carried out to evaluate the yields and quality of the first-flush and second-flush Pleurotus pulmonarius mushrooms grown on three forestry wastes (pine, poplar, and honeysuckle rattan). The biological efficiency (BE) of the substrates varied from 61.89% to 81.01%. The total protein content, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content and equivalent umami concentration (EUC) values of the mushrooms were greatly influenced by the flush number and the substrate, however, the total sugar content and ergosterol content of the mushrooms were not significantly affected. The first-flush mushrooms that were grown on the pine sawdust-based substrate had the highest protein content, and the first-flush mushrooms that were grown on the honeysuckle rattan sawdust-based substrate had the highest GABA content and EUC values. All the mushroom samples accumulated Cu but excluded Ca, Mn, Pb, Cr, and Cd, and the concentrations of Mg, Fe, and Mn are species and flush number dependent.

CRISPR-Based Genome Editing for Nutrient Enrichment in Crops: A Promising Approach Toward Global Food Security.

The global malnutrition burden imparts long-term developmental, economic, social, and medical consequences to individuals, communities, and countries. The current developments in biotechnology have infused biofortification in several food crops to fight malnutrition. However, these methods are not sustainable and suffer from several limitations, which are being solved by the CRISPR-Cas-based system of genome editing. The pin-pointed approach of CRISPR-based genome editing has made it a top-notch method due to targeted gene editing, thus making it free from ethical issues faced by transgenic crops. The CRISPR-Cas genome-editing tool has been extensively used in crop improvement programs due to its more straightforward design, low methodology cost, high efficiency, good reproducibility, and quick cycle. The system is now being utilized in the biofortification of cereal crops such as rice, wheat, barley, and maize, including vegetable crops such as potato and tomato. The CRISPR-Cas-based crop genome editing has been utilized in imparting/producing qualitative enhancement in aroma, shelf life, sweetness, and quantitative improvement in starch, protein, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), oleic acid, anthocyanin, phytic acid, gluten, and steroidal glycoalkaloid contents. Some varieties have even been modified to become disease and stress-resistant. Thus, the present review critically discusses CRISPR-Cas genome editing-based biofortification of crops for imparting nutraceutical properties.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid enhances hypoxia tolerance of juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) by regulating respiratory metabolism and alleviating neural excitotoxicity

With climate change and intensive aquaculture development, environmental hypoxia in aquaculture water has become a common challenge for many aquatic species. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the hypoxic tolerance of animals through nutritional strategies. This study explored the positive role of dietary gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) supplementation in enhancing hypoxia tolerance of juvenile Eriocheir sinensis through respiratory regulation and alleviation of hypoxia-induced neural excitotoxicity. Acute hypoxia stress significantly up-regulated the mRNA expression level of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, oxygen consumption rate and anaerobic respiratory metabolism-related enzyme activities. On the other hand, aerobic respiratory metabolism-related enzyme activities were significantly decreased. However, dietary GABA supplementation remodeled the respiratory metabolism pattern of juvenile crabs exposed to hypoxia stress. In addition, acute hypoxic stress significantly increased the contents of free glutamate and GABA in the nervous tissue. The expression levels of N-Methyl-d-aspartate-related receptor genes and calcium-dependent degradation enzyme-related genes were significantly up-regulated. Similarly, neuronal apoptosis rates, expression levels of apoptosis-related genes, and vesicular glutamate transporter genes were also significantly increased. The high-affinity neuronal glutamate transporter decreased significantly in the crabs exposed to hypoxia stress. However, dietary GABA supplementation could effectively prevent acute hypoxia stress-induced neural excitotoxicity. Furthermore, dietary GABA could significantly improve the redox status in vivo exposed to hypoxia stress. In conclusion, acute hypoxia stress can affect respiratory metabolism and redox state and induce neural excitotoxicity in juvenile E. sinensis. GABA supplementation could improve hypoxia tolerance through multiple physiological regulation pathways.