Muscadine Research Articles

Climbing plants beat trees to soil nutrient patches

Charles Darwin reasoned that because climbing plants are freed from the need to be mechanically self-supporting, their stems can remain thin, elongate quickly, and efficiently colonize and display leaves in well-illuminated areas where trellises are available1. Herein, I report that this tremendous exploratory capacity also applies below-ground - roots of woody climbers (i.e., lianas) consistently beat tree roots to fertilized soil patches, apparently because lianas do not invest in thick roots. This claim is based on results of a greenhouse experiment in which individual seedlings (N = 5 individuals per species) of four liana and four tree species were planted in the centers of 60 x 15 cm rectangular sand-filled boxes. In the direction of a usually covered Plexiglas end wall, a nutrient gradient was established by adding increasing amounts of slow-release fertilizer in four 6 cm-wide vertical bands; no nutrients were added in the other direction. Entire plants were harvested by section when their first root reached the end wall. Roots from all four liana species reached the highly fertilized end of the planting box faster than all tree roots (Figure 1A; for statistical results, see the Supplementary Information). A Vitis rotundifolia root arrived after just 67 days, a Campsis radicans root after 84 days, another Vitis root after 91 days, and then a Wisteria sinensis root after 94 days, and the fastest root of Gelsemium sempervirens grew the 24 cm to the end wall in 149 days. In contrast to the liana species, the fastest tree roots reached the end wall in 235 days for Magnolia grandiflora, 253 days for Quercus hemisphaerica, 263 days for Nyssa sylvatica, and 272 days for Liquidambar styraciflua. This capacity to explore soil rapidly may help explain why lianas are such potent below-ground competitors2 and why their removal substantially increases tree growth rates3,4.

Confederate Conscription and the Struggle for Southern Soldiers by John M. Sacher

Reviewed by: Confederate Conscription and the Struggle for Southern Soldiers by John M. Sacher Keith S. Bohannon (bio) Confederate Conscription and the Struggle for Southern Soldiers. John M. Sacher. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2021. ISBN: 978-0-8071-7621-4. 296 pp., cloth, $45.00. John M. Sacher’s Confederate Conscription and the Struggle for Southern Soldiers is the first book-length study of the topic since Albert B. Moore’s Conscription and Conflict in the Confederacy appeared in 1924. Moore, like some later scholars, wrote that conscription was anathema to ordinary Confederates. Recent historians like Paul Escott and David Williams who emphasize internal factors in explaining the Confederacy’s collapse also argue that conscription greatly exacerbated class tensions. The Twenty-Negro Law passed by the Confederate Congress in 1862, these historians claim, resulted in the widespread belief among white Southerners that they were engaged in a “rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.” Sacher, in contrast, claims that conscription policy is “best considered as a lens to analyze competing loyalties in the Confederacy” (6). White Southerners believed in states’ rights, Sacher argues, but also acknowledged that their national government needed additional power in times of war. Many people, including soldiers, might have admired the stern efficiency of army-run conscription but also realized that a civilian-run Bureau of Conscription would provide more protection for civil liberties. Civilians wanted conscription enforced on an equitable basis, believing that the country must meet military demands while also fulfilling the needs of the home front. Sacher’s interpretation of the debate over conscription and its enforcement is based on deep research into a wide array of government documents, newspapers, personal papers, and memoirs. While the study encompasses the entire Confederacy, Sacher pays particular attention to Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia, in part because the surviving records related to conscription from these states are more complete than others. He also analyzes how the governors of Georgia and North Carolina offered some of the most outspoken criticism of conscription, while also considering themselves loyal Confederates. Historians who argue that conscription undermined the Confederate war effort, Sacher rightfully points out, often make two key errors. They fail to see that conscription was a policy that evolved over the course of the Confederacy’s brief [End Page 87] existence. Sacher believes that the South’s conscription policy represented a “give-and-take” among various stakeholders, including the Confederate president, Congress, the army, governors, state judges, prospective conscripts, and ordinary Confederates (202). Leaders listened to the complaints of soldiers and civilians, writes Sacher, striving to make the enforcement of conscription equitable. The other major mistake historians make is to conflate criticism of Confederate policies like conscription with a lack of support for the cause of Southern independence. Sacher instead provides ample evidence to suggest that while Confederates fiercely debated aspects of conscription, a majority of white Southerners saw the policy as the best means to mobilize manpower to win the Civil War. Politicians such as Jefferson Davis and Georgia’s Governor Joseph E. Brown might argue about whether the policy of conscription violated states’ rights, but Sacher says that those involved in both sides of the debate had the same shared ultimate goal of Confederate independence. The final chapter of Sacher’s book includes a detailed analysis of the incomplete records and figures for conscription in the Confederacy. Sacher points out that while there are records of conscripts brought into the CS Army by the Bureau of Conscription, it is far more difficult to assess conscription that took place outside of the scope of the bureau. Ultimately, Sacher concludes that conscription did not completely strip the Southern home front of white men. Instead, enrolling officers left a sizeable minority of men at home, “as medically unfit, in exempt occupations, detailed, or as principals [who had hired substitutes]” (196). John Sacher’s well-written and well-researched Confederate Conscription is a welcome addition to the scant body of existing scholarship on an important topic. It offers a convincing counterargument to recent studies that portray Confederate conscription as a failed policy that alienated ordinary white Southerners and contributed to the Confederacy’s defeat, a...

Study design and methods for the pilot study of muscadine grape extract supplement to improve fatigue among older adult cancer survivors (FOCUS) trial

IntroductionFatigue is a prevalent symptom among both cancer survivors and older adults. Negative consequences of fatigue include increased sedentary behavior, decreased physical activity and function, and lower quality of life. Few pharmacologic interventions improve fatigue. Our preclinical and clinical data show promising effects of a muscadine grape extract supplement (MGES) on oxidative stress, mitochondrial bioenergetics, the microbiome, and the symptom of fatigue. This pilot study seeks to translate these observations to cancer survivorship by testing the preliminary effect of MGE supplementation on older adult cancer survivors with self-reported fatigue. Materials and MethodsWe designed a double-blinded placebo-controlled pilot study to evaluate preliminary efficacy of MGE supplementation versus placebo on fatigue among older adult cancer survivors (aged ≥65 years) who report baseline fatigue. Sixty-four participants will be enrolled and randomized 1:1 to twice daily MGES (four tablets twice daily) versus placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome is change in Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Fatigue score from baseline to 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes are change in self-reported physical function, physical fitness (6-min walk test), self-reported physical activity, global quality of life (QOL), and the Fried frailty index. Correlative biomarker assays will assess changes in 8-hydroxy-2 deoxyguanosine, peripheral blood mitochondrial function, inflammatory markers, and the gut microbiome. DiscussionThis pilot study builds on preclinical and clinical observations to estimate effects of MGE supplementation on fatigue, physical function, QOL, and biologic correlates in older adult cancer survivors.Trial registration #: CT.govNCT04495751; IND 152908.

Muscadine grape (vitis rotundifolia) and wine polyphenols alleviated arthritis and restored the gut microbial composition in mice

This study aimed to investigate the effect of muscadine grape polyphenols (MGP) and muscadine wine polyphenols (MWP) on the onset and progression of arthritis in mice. Arthritis in male DBA/1J mice was induced by two intradermal injections of type II collagen. MGP or MWP (400 mg/kg) were orally gavaged to mice. MGP and MWP were found to delay the onset and reduce the severity and clinical symptoms of collagen induced arthritis (CIA) (P ≤ .05). In addition, MGP and MWP significantly reduced the plasma concentration of TNF-α, IL-6, anticollagen antibodies, and matrix metalloproteinase-3 in CIA mice. Based on nano computerized tomography (CT) and histological analysis, MGP and MWP reduced pannus formation, cartilage destruction, and bone erosion in CIA mice. Analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA revealed that arthritis in mice is associated with gut dysbiosis. MWP was more effective than MGP at alleviating such dysbiosis by shifting the microbiome composition toward the direction of healthy mice. Relative abundance of several genera of gut microbiome correlated with plasma inflammatory biomarkers and bone histology scores, suggesting they play a role in the development and progression of arthritis. This study suggests that muscadine grape or wine polyphenols can be used as a diet-based strategy to prevent and manage arthritis in humans.

Survival and development of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) on common secondary host plants differ by life stage under controlled conditions.

Host range assessment for emerging invasive insects is a vital step toward fully defining the issues the insect may pose. Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive species that is rapidly expanding its presence in the United States. The primary hosts facilitating this spread are tree of heaven, a plant from SLF's native range, and the economically important winegrape. Black walnut is also implicated as an important and common host plant. This study investigated the survival and development of SLF on diets that included a variety of crop host plants in the presence or absence of tree of heaven. The following plant species, 'Honeycrisp' apple, 'Reliance' peach, silver maple, and tree of heaven were paired with winegrape or black walnut throughout the study. SLF had strong development and high survival on a diet of winegrape alone, and winegrape or black walnut paired with tree of heaven. Survival parameters were reduced with all other plant pairings. In particular, SLF in the winegrape and peach diet treatment did not develop past the third nymphal instar. A second experiment evaluated the survival of early and late instar nymphs and adult SLF life stages on three specialty crops - 'Cascade' hops, muscadine grapes, and kiwifruit over a two-week period. Nymphs survived longer than adults, with survival of first and second instar nymphs on hops not differing from the control tree of heaven treatment. The adult stage survived best on kiwi and muscadine grape. Our results show tree of heaven and winegrape were the only single plant diets evaluated that are sufficient for complete SLF development, while other host plants may require additional host or hosts of sufficient nutritional quality for SLF survival.

Tolerance of muscadine grape to 2,4-D choline postemergence-directed

AbstractField studies were conducted in commercial muscadine vineyards in western North Carolina in 2018 and eastern North Carolina in 2019, 2020, and 2021 to determine tolerance of younger (< 9 yr) and older (≥ 9 yr) bearing muscadine grapevines to 2,4-D directed beneath the crop postemergence (POST). Treatments included 2,4-D choline at 0, 0.53, 1.06, 1.60, and 2.13 kg ae ha−1 applied as a single treatment in May or June (spring) at immediate pre-bloom, and sequential treatments at 0.53 followed by (fb) 0.53, 1.06 fb 1.06, 1.6 fb 1.6, or 2.13 fb 2.13 kg ha−1. The first sequential treatment was applied in spring fb another application of the same amount in July (summer) at pre-veraison. No differences in injury on muscadine grapevines were observed from 2,4-D treatments. Differences among treatments were not observed for yield of younger vines. However, for older vines, a difference due to 2,4-D rate was observed in 2018, when yield was higher when 2,4-D was applied at 1.6 kg ha−1 compared with nontreated grapevines, and when 2,4-D was applied at 0.53 and 2.13 kg ha−1. A rate-by-timing interaction was observed in 2019 when yield was lower from 0.53 kg ha−1 2,4-D summer application compared with all other summer treatments but similar to the nontreated. However, no biological pattern was observed from either of these differences. No differences among treatments were observed for fruit pH, titratable acidity, or soluble solid content of either younger or older vines.

Integrating Metabolomics and Gene Expression Underlying Potential Biomarkers Compounds Associated with Antioxidant Activity in Southern Grape Seeds.

Different southern grape (Muscadine) genotypes (Muscadinia rotundifolia Michx.) were evaluated for their contents of metabolites in ripe berries. The metabolome study identified 331 metabolites in ripening skin and seed tissues. The major chemical groups were organic acids, fatty acyls, polyketides, and organic heterocycle compounds. The metabolic pathways of the identified metabolite were mainly arginine biosynthesis, D-glutamine, D-glutamate metabolism, alanine, aspartate metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, and citrate cycle. Principal component analysis indicated that catechin, gallic acid, and epicatechin-3-gallate were the main metabolites existing in muscadine seed extracts. However, citramalic and malic acids were the main metabolites contributing to muscadine skin extracts. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis (VIP > 1) described 25 key compounds indicating the metabolome in muscadine tissues (skin and seed). Correlation analysis among the 25 compounds and oxidation inhibition activities identified five biomarker compounds that were associated with antioxidant activity. Catechin, gallic acid, epicatechin-3-gallate, fertaric acid, and procyanidin B1 were highly associated with DPPH, FRAP, CUPRAC, and ABTS. The five biomarker compounds were significantly accumulated in the seed relative to the skin tissues. An evaluation of 15 antioxidant-related genes represented by the 3-dehydroquinate dehydratase (DHD), shikimate kinase (SK), chalcone synthase (CHS), anthocyanidin reductase (ANR), laccase (LAC), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), 3-dehydroquinate synthase (DHQS), chorismate mutase (CM), flavanone-3-hydroxylase (F3H), cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR), gallate 1-β-glucosyltransferase (UGT), and anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT) encode critical enzymes related to polyphenolics pathway throughout four developmental stages (fruit-set FS, véraison V, ripe-skin R, and ripe-seed; S) in the C5 genotype demonstrated the dramatic accumulation of all transcripts in seed tissue or a developmental stage-dependent manner. Our findings suggested that muscadine grape seeds contain essential metabolites that could attract the attention of those interested in the pharmaceutical sector and the plant breeders to develop new varieties with high nutraceutical value.

Chromosome-scale genomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics provide insight into the synthesis and regulation of phenols in Vitis adenoclada grapes.

Vitis adenoclada is a wild grape unique to China. It exhibits well resistance to heat, humidity, fungal disease, drought, and soil infertility. Here, we report the high-quality, chromosome-level genome assembly of GH6 (V. adenoclada). The 498.27 Mb genome contained 221.78 Mb of transposable elements, 28,660 protein-coding genes, and 481.44 Mb of sequences associated with 19 chromosomes. GH6 shares a common ancestor with PN40024 (Vitis vinifera) from approximately 4.26-9.01 million years ago, whose divergence occurred later than Vitis rotundifolia and Vitis riparia. Widely-targeted metabolome and transcriptome analysis revealed that the profiles and metabolism of phenolic compounds in V. adenoclada varieties significantly were differed from other grape varieties. Specifically, V. adenoclada varieties were rich in phenolic acids and flavonols, whereas the flavan-3-ol and anthocyanin content was lower compared with other varieties that have V. vinifera consanguinity in this study. In addition, ferulic acid and stilbenes content were associated with higher expressions of COMT and STSs in V. adenoclada varieties. Furthermore, MYB2, MYB73-1, and MYB73-2 were presumably responsible for the high expression level of COMT in V. adenoclada berries. MYB12 (MYBF1) was positively correlated with PAL, CHS, FLS and UFGT.Meanwhile, MYB4 and MYBC2-L1 may inhibit the synthesis of flavan-3-ols and anthocyanins in two V. adenoclada varieties (YN2 and GH6). The publication of the V. adenoclada grape genome provides a molecular foundation for further revealing its flavor and quality characteristics, is also important for identifying favorable genes of the East Asian species for future breeding.

Muscadine, Resveratrol (RSV) Synthesis, and the Nutritional Benefits to Humans and Plants

Vitis rotundifolia, commonly known as the muscadine, is a native grape of the southeastern United States. Muscadine is highly pest resistant and drought tolerant. These properties have been attributed to the much more robust production of a phytoalexin called resveratrol (RSV)─a secondary metabolite known for its cellularly protective properties. Primarily, RSV functions as a scavenger of free radicals but is also known to be a stimulator in the synthesis of other antioxidants such as glutathione (GSH). RSV synthesis is known to be modulated by the actions of stilbene synthase (STS) with a host of STS genes being identified as possible regulators of its production. In plants, RSV boosts immune responses to stress, growth, injury, and disease. Similarly, in humans, RSV exerts both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. It is known to protect cells in metabolic disease states such as diabetes and is shown to inhibit neural degradation in Alzheimer’s disease. Since muscadine grapevines cannot naturally hybridize with common wine grapes of Vitis vinifera, the RSV benefits cannot be readily introgressed into the existing cultivars. Thus, muscadine is a promising target for molecular breeding to increase the synthesis of RSV in plants with the ultimate goal of improving human health. This paper explores the biology of muscadine grapes, provides a broad background on the biochemistry and regulation of RSV synthesis, and highlights the STS genes in muscadine as a promising genetic tool to manipulate RSV production in plants.

Pedigree Analysis of Modern Muscadine Cultivars Reveals a Narrow Genetic Base

Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia var. rotundifolia) is a rare crop in that it has transitioned from a wild fruiting plant to a domesticated fruit within the past 150 years. Furthermore, this domestication process was carried out by just a few institutions that published copious records of the origin and traits of the first wild selections, goals and methods of the breeding programs, and the pedigrees of releases. We thus have a near complete record of the domestication of this interesting fruit crop. Early breeding efforts made use of fewer than a dozen wild selections, most of which were collected from the coastal plain of North Carolina and South Carolina. This narrow germplasm base has led to increasing levels of inbreeding in the most recent muscadine cultivar releases. To better understand the germplasm base of muscadine, the pedigrees of 54 muscadine cultivars released since 1970 were examined. Only 15 founders (founding clones) were identified that appeared in more than two cultivars, and five of these represent open pollination events that may not indicate the addition of new genetic material. By far the most used founder was ‘Scuppernong’, which appeared in 53 of 54 pedigrees and had an average genetic contribution of 22.8%. The remaining founders varied from 0.9% to 14.8% in their average genetic contribution. Coancestry coefficients between cultivars averaged 0.18, but were often much higher among recent fresh-market releases. Analysis of vine vigor as measured by trunk caliper in seedling progenies suggests that coancestry coefficients greater than 0.23 result in below average seedling vigor. The University of Georgia muscadine breeding program is evaluating multiple wild muscadine accessions to reduce inbreeding and increase the genetic diversity of its germplasm.

Metabolomics Integrated with HPLC-MS Reveals the Crucial Antioxidant Compounds of Muscadine Wine.

Wine is a kind of beverage with a variety of compounds beneficial to human health, which makes it popular all over the world and it contributes importantly to economics. The excessive oxidation of wine has always been a major problem in wine production and storage. Unlike traditional wines which are made from Eurasian grapes, wines made from muscadine grapes (Muscadinia rotundifolia Michx.) can maintain their sensory qualities under natural oxidation conditions for relatively long periods of time despite the insight mechanisms still being unclear. In this study, two muscadine wines, Carlos (CAL) and Noble (NOB), and two traditional wines, Chardonnay (CH) and Marselan (MAS), were chosen for comparison of their compositional alteration during oxidation, in order to analyze the principal components contributing to the antioxidant characteristics of muscadine wines. The DPPH, ORAC, color intensity, and total phenolic content changes during the natural oxidation process were analyzed. Six core significantly changed metabolites (SCMs, avicularin, beta-lactose, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, ellagic acid, myricetin, and 4-methylcatechol [p < 0.05]) related to the oxidation process were determined. In addition, HPLC-MS was also used to identify pyrogallol which is a unique antioxidant compound in muscadine wine. The present work aims to reveal the crucial antioxidant compounds of muscadine wine and provide valuable information and a new platform for future research on wine oxidation.

Development of a High-Density Genetic Map for Muscadine Grape Using a Mapping Population from Selfing of the Perfect-Flowered Vine ‘Dixie’

Intraspecific diversity of the immune grape Muscadinia rotundifolia Michaux. can serve as a rich source of valuable resistance loci to the most widespread pathogens and pests of grapevine. While only one Run1/Rpg1 resistance locus has been introgressed from M. rotundifolia to the Vitis vinifera gene pool, a number of other genes conferring resistance to powdery mildew and downy mildew have been identified in various Muscadinia cultivars. A larger introduction of Muscadinia varieties to the European continent would greatly facilitate experiments of interspecific crosses as well as stimulate biotechnological efforts to overcome the main barrier to F1 fertility caused by the differences in chromosome number. For the successful introduction of Muscadinia into the new European environment, it is necessary to overcome the difficulties associated with the physiological characteristics of the species, such as insufficient cold tolerance and very late fruit ripening. To facilitate the further discovery of valuable loci in Muscadinia and their transfer to grapevine breeding programs, we constructed a high-density linkage map using an S1 mapping population obtained from the self-pollination of M. rotundifolia cv. Dixie maintained on the southern coast of Crimea. Using ddRADseq, 3730 SNPs were ordered across 20 linkage groups spanning 2753.6 cM of the total map length. No segregation in resistance to diseases and pests was observed among the 'Dixie' S1 population, suggesting the presence of homozygous non-segregating resistant loci in the genetic background of 'Dixie'. Markers with high segregation distortion showed a bias towards chromosomal intervals on linkage groups 10 and 20, where loci affecting the survival of 'Dixie' S1 progeny may be localized. QTLs with significant additive and dominance effects were discovered on LG14 and LG18, affecting the morphological traits associated with the vigor of growth and adaptability of young Muscadinia vines in the conditions of Crimea.

Phenology Based Variability of Tissue Nutrient Content in Mature Muscadine Vines (Vitis rotundifolia cv. Carlos)

Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia) is a grape species that is native to the Southeastern US, where several cultivars are grown commercially for processing or direct consumption. Phenology based tissue analysis to determine the nutritional status of a vine is a critical tool for growers to understand fertilizer demands in a vineyard. For European-style wine grapes, tissue sampling for nutrient content is well researched. However, current tissue sampling recommendations for muscadines are solely based on anecdotal knowledge. It is currently unknown if the type of tissue collected has an impact on variability and content of nutrients. Questions also remain as to whether or not seasonal vine phenology impacts tissue nutrient content. Without this knowledge it is difficult for a muscadine grower to make informed decisions on the nutritional status of a muscadine vine. Therefore, we investigated the impact of the phenological vine stage (bloom, fruit set, véraison) on nutrient content in two different tissue types (mature leaf vs. petiole), sampled at two different positions on a muscadine vine (opposite of cluster vs. shoot). The study was conducted over two growing seasons (2019 and 2020) in a commercial mature muscadine vineyard (‘Carlos’). Our results show that over both study years, the highest variability in nutrient content was found during bloom (May–June), while nutrient variability was lower during fruit-set and veraison. We also found fully mature leaf samples showed a lower variability in nutrient tissue content. Based on our results, sampling fully mature leafs from shoots remains the best practice. However, our results also indicate that tissue sampling later in the season might be a better practice, compared to the current practice of taking samples during June.

Targeted UHPLC-MS Analysis Reveals Disparate Polyphenol Composition and Concentration in Muscadine Grape Supplements with Proportional Antioxidant Activity

Muscadine grape supplements (MGS) with high polyphenol content are a potential therapeutic option to combat oxidative stress; however, the precise identity and concentration of individual phenolics in commercially processed MGSs is not well defined. We probed for 17 phenolic compounds by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy from distinct lots of four commercially processed MGSs composed of MG seed and/or skin waste products. The total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity were highest in a dried water-extract MGS as compared to three ground seed and/or skin products. The TPC was not different between MGS lots from individual companies and remained stable for 3 years without microbial contamination. The extract MGS had the highest concentration of epicatechin, ellagic acid, gallic acid, procyanidin B2, catechin and catechin gallate compared to the other supplements. Only ellagic acid and gallic acid were detected in all four MGSs, while catechin and catechin gallate were below detection in two supplements. Based on gram weight, only the extract MGS prevented the angiotensin II-induced increase in malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenol in rat H9c2 cardiomyocytes as well as upregulated superoxide dismutase and catalase. This study demonstrates that commercial MGSs differ in phenolic composition and concentration, resulting in disparate antioxidant activity.

Forest access restores foraging and ranging behavior in captive sifakas.

Captive wildlife benefit from ecologically informed management strategies that promote natural behaviors. The Duke Lemur Center has pioneered husbandry programs rooted in species' ecology for a diversity of lemurs, including housing social groups in multiacre forest enclosures. We systematically document the foraging and ranging patterns of Coquerel's sifakas (Propithecus coquereli) living in these forest enclosures. Coquerel's sifakas are seasonal frugo-folivores that exhibit striking feeding flexibility in the wild. They are also one of the few members of the Indriidae family to persist in captivity. During all-day follows in the spring and summer of 2consecutive years, we tracked the behavior of 14 sifakas in six forest enclosures. The sifakas' ranging and foraging patterns reflected those of wild sifakas in western Madagascar: On average, DLC sifakas occupied 3-day home ranges of 1.2 ha, traveled 473 m/day, and spent 26% of their time foraging for wild foodstuffs. The sifakas foraged most for young and mature leaves, fruits, nuts, and flowers from 39 plant species, especially red maple (Acer rubrum), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), grapevine (Vitis rotundifolia), hickory (Carya spp.), and white oak (Quercus alba). Foraging patterns varied across seasons, enclosure areas, and groups, potentially reflecting differences in phenology, microhabitats, and individual preferences. While demonstrating that captive-bred primates express wild-like behaviors under ecologically relevant conditions, our results underscore the feeding flexibility of the Coquerel's sifaka. Captive wildlife exhibiting the range of species-specific behaviors are key resources for ecological research and might be best suited for future reintroductions.

A Polyphenol-Rich Extract from Muscadine Grapes Prevents Hypertension-Induced Diastolic Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress.

Muscadine grapes are abundant in dietary polyphenols, but their effect on hypertension-induced cardiac damage is limited. This study assessed whether a muscadine grape skin/seed extract supplement (MGES) prevents hypertension-induced cardiac damage and oxidative stress. Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated for four weeks with drinking water, angiotensin II (Ang II) to induce hypertension, MGES, or both Ang II and MGES. Cardiac function assessed by echocardiography showed that Ang II increased systolic blood pressure while MGES alone or in combination with Ang II had no effect. Ang II increased E/e′, an indicator of left ventricular filling pressure and diastolic dysfunction, by 41% compared to Control and co-treatment with MGES prevented the Ang II-mediated increase, suggesting that the extract attenuated hypertension-induced diastolic function. Ang II infusion increased urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine and cardiac 4-hydroxynonenal and malondialdehyde, which were prevented by the extract. The antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase 1 activity and mRNA were increased significantly in animals treated with MGES alone or in combination with Ang II, suggesting that the extract upregulates oxidative stress defense mechanisms in cardiac tissue. Thus, MGES may serve as a medical food to protect the heart from hypertension-induced diastolic dysfunction caused in part by excessive reactive oxygen species production.

A recessive mutation in muscadine grapes causes berry color-loss without influencing anthocyanin pathway

Anthocyanins, a major class of flavonoids, are important pigments of grape berries. Despite the recent discovery of the genetic cause underlying the loss of color, the metabolomic and molecular responses are unknown. Anthocyanin quantification among diverse berry color muscadines suggests that all genotypes could produce adequate anthocyanin quantities, irrespective of berry color. Transcriptome profiling of contrasting color muscadine genotypes proposes a potential deficiency that occurs within the anthocyanin transport and/or degradation mechanisms and might cause unpigmented berries. Genome-wide association studies highlighted a region on chromosome-4, comprising several genes encoding glutathione S-transferases involved in anthocyanin transport. Sequence comparison among genotypes reveals the presence of two GST4b alleles that differ by substituting the conserved amino acid residue Pro171-to-Leu. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that GST4b2–Leu171 encodes an inactive protein due to modifications within the H-binding site. Population genotyping suggests the recessive inheritance of the unpigmented trait with a GST4b2/2 homozygous. A model defining colorless muscadines’ response to the mutation stimulus, avoiding the impact of trapped anthocyanins within the cytoplasm is established.

Lactic Acid Bacteria Simultaneously Encapsulate Diverse Bioactive Compounds from a Fruit Extract and Enhance Thermal Stability.

This study develops an innovative cell-based carrier to simultaneously encapsulate multiple phytochemicals from a complex plant source. Muscadine grapes (MG) juice prepared from fresh fruit was used as a model juice. After incubation with inactivated bacterial cells, 66.97% of the total anthocyanins, and 72.67% of the total antioxidant compounds were encapsulated in the cells from MG juice. Confocal images illustrated a uniform localization of the encapsulated material in the cells. The spectral emission scans indicated the presence of a diverse class of phenolic compounds, which was characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Using HPLC, diverse phytochemical compound classes were analyzed, including flavanols, phenolic acid, hydroxycinnamic acid, flavonols, and polymeric polyphenols. The analysis validated that the cell carrier could encapsulate a complex profile of bioactive compounds from fruit juice, and the encapsulated content and efficiencies varied by the chemical class and compound. In addition, after the heat treatment at 90 °C for 60 min, >87% total antioxidant capacity and 90% anthocyanin content were recovered from the encapsulated MG. In summary, these results highlight the significant potential of a selected bacterial strain for simultaneous encapsulation of diverse phenolic compounds from fruit juice and improving their process stability.

Transcriptional profiling of two muscadine grape cultivars "Carlos" and "Noble" to reveal new genes, gene regulatory networks, and pathways that involved in grape berry ripening.

In commercial fruit production, synchronized ripening and stable shelf life are important properties. The loosely clustered or non-bunching muscadine grape has unrealized potential as a disease-resistant cash crop, but requires repeated hand harvesting due to its unsynchronized or long or heterogeneous maturation period. Genomic research can be used to identify the developmental and environmental factors that control fruit ripening and postharvest quality. This study coupled the morphological, biochemical, and genetic variations between "Carlos" and "Noble" muscadine grape cultivars with RNA-sequencing analysis during berry maturation. The levels of antioxidants, anthocyanins, and titratable acids varied between the two cultivars during the ripening process. We also identified new genes, pathways, and regulatory networks that modulated berry ripening in muscadine grape. These findings may help develop a large-scale database of the genetic factors of muscadine grape ripening and postharvest profiles and allow the discovery of the factors underlying the ripeness heterogeneity at harvest. These genetic resources may allow us to combine applied and basic research methods in breeding to improve table and wine grape ripening uniformity, quality, stress tolerance, and postharvest handling and storage.

Origin, diversification, and biogeography of forest birds across temperate forest regions in the Northern Hemisphere

Technological and methodological advances in biogeography, phylogenetics, and bioinformatics during the past couple of decades provide greatly enhanced insights into the evolutionary history of birds in space and time. Molecular data, especially next-generation DNA sequencing, have produced a revolution in reconstructing the phylogenetic history of lineages. These advances shed a new light on the mode, tempo, and spatial context of differentiation processes that shaped the composition and structure of extant forest bird communities of temperate forests of the Northern Hemisphere. This paper offers a framework for understanding this history based on analytical tools that allow us to decipher the imprint of changes in the geographic configuration of land masses and in climates since the Mesozoic, with a focus on the temperate-tropical flyways that connect the massive forest blocks of the Northern to those of the Southern Hemispheres. Differentiation of most extant bird lineages and species has been shown to have begun in a deeper past than formerly thought, although recent analyses from molecular phylogenies also support the much-debated Late Pleistocene model of speciation. Geographical connections between tropical and temperate realms make north-south flyways important drivers of differentiation for many lineages. The histories of differentiation and colonisation of clades, including both resident and long-distance migrants, are discussed in relation to two alternative theories, the ‘southern home theory’ and the ‘northern home theory’. The region-specific characters of the bird faunas and differences between the main temperate forest blocks of the Northern Hemisphere are discussed in light of the hypotheses concerning dispersal processes related with geographical configuration of land masses. Differential dispersal-colonisation rates from tropical regions and subsequent diversification in temperate regions (and vice versa) are also considered. The causes of the observed decline in diversification rates during the Pleistocene are examined from phylogenetic reconstructions of various clades.