Quantity Of Protein Research Articles

Air-water interfacial properties and quantitative description of pea protein isolate-Tween 20

The air-water interfacial properties of pea protein isolate (PPI) and Tween 20 (T20) were investigated in this study. The result of dynamic foam analyzer showed that the foam prepared by 0.5%PPI-0.1%T20 exhibited higher foam stability at 30 min and uniform bubble size distribution. The protein displacement by Tween 20 at the air-water interface was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) through the imaging of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. During the displacement of pea protein isolate by the nonionic surfactant Tween 20, the surface pressure was increased while the complex surface dilatational modulus was decreased. Based on the AFM observations of the LB films, the quantitative analysis indicated the increased protein quantity in the foam network. To be emphasized, the formation of protein network at the plateau border of foams contributed to the increased foam stability. The AFM results showed that the protein at the air-water interface could be replaced by T20, but comparing with the PPI-stabilized foam, the addition of 0.1% T20 could increase the relative quantity of vicilin, thus leading to the increase of interconnected protein network at foam film to improve the foam stability. The research could promote the understanding of protein displacement by Tween 20 at the air-water interface, which could improve the quality of protein-surfactant stabilized foam-based foods.

The APOBEC3B cytidine deaminase is an adenovirus restriction factor.

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are a large family of DNA viruses counting more than a hundred strains divided into seven species (A to G). HAdVs induce respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis and conjunctivitis. APOBEC3B is a cytidine deaminase that restricts several DNA viruses. APOBEC3B is also implicated in numerous cancers where it is responsible for the introduction of clustered mutations into the cellular genome. In this study, we demonstrate that APOBEC3B is an adenovirus restriction factor acting through a deaminase-dependent mechanism. APOBEC3B introduces C-to-T clustered mutations into the adenovirus genome. APOBEC3B reduces the propagation of adenoviruses by limiting viral genome replication, progression to late phase, and production of infectious virions. APOBEC3B restriction efficiency varies between adenoviral strains, the A12 strain being more sensitive to APOBEC3B than the B3 or C2 strains. In A12-infected cells, APOBEC3B clusters in the viral replication centers. Importantly, we show that adenovirus infection leads to a reduction of the quantity and/or enzymatic activity of the APOBEC3B protein depending on the strains. The A12 strain seems less able to resist APOBEC3B than the B3 or C2 strains, a characteristic which could explain the strong depletion of the APOBEC3-targeted motifs in the A12 genome. These findings suggest that adenoviruses evolved different mechanisms to antagonize APOBEC3B. Elucidating these mechanisms could benefit the design of cancer treatments. This study also identifies adenoviruses as triggers of the APOBEC3B-mediated innate response. The involvement of certain adenoviral strains in the genesis of the APOBEC3 mutational signature observed in tumors deserves further study.

Promising antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of Orobanche aegyptiaca extract-mediated bimetallic silver-selenium nanoparticles synthesis: Effect of UV-exposure, bacterial membrane leakage reaction mechanism, and kinetic study

In this research, Orobanche aegyptiaca extract was utilized as an eco-friendly, and cost-effective green route for the construction of bimetallic silver-selenium nanoparticles (Ag-Se NPs). Bimetallic Ag-Se NPs were characterized by XRD, EDX, FTIR, HR-TEM, DLS, SEM/mapping and EDX studies. Antimicrobial, and antibiofilm potentials were tested against some selected pathogenic bacteria and unicellular fungi by ZOI, MIC, effect of UV exposure, and inhibition %. Reaction mechanism was assessed through membrane leakage assay and SEM imaging. HRTEM analysis confirmed the spherical nature and was ranged from 18.1 nm to 72.0 nm, and the avarage particle size is determined to be 30.58 nm. SEM imaging prove that bimetallic Ag-Se NPs presents as a bright particles, and both Ag and Se were distributed equally across O. aegyptiaca extract and Guar gum stabilizers. ZOI results showed that, bimetallic Ag-Se NPs have antimicrobial activity against S. aureus (20.0 nm), E. coli (18.5 nm), P. aeruginosa (12.6 nm), and C. albicans (18.2 nm). In addition, bimetallic Ag-Se NPs were able to inhibit the biofilm formation for S. aureus by 79.48%, for E. coli by 78.79%, for P. aeruginosa by 77.50%, and for C. albicans by 73.73%. Bimetallic Ag-Se NPs are an excellent disinfectant once it had excited by UV light. It was observed that the quantity of cellular protein discharged from S. aureus is directly proportional to the concentration of bimetallic Ag-Se NPs and found to be 244.21 μg/mL after the treatment with 1 mg/mL, which proves the antibacterial characteristics, and explains the creation of holes in the cell membrane of S. aureus producing in the oozing out of the proteins from the S. aureus cytoplasm. Based on the promising properties, they showed superior antimicrobial potential at low concentration (to avoid toxicity) and continued-phase durability, they may use in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.

In situ characterization of nanoparticle protein corona using real-time 3D single-particle tracking.

Nanoparticles (NPs) adsorb proteins when they are exposed to biological fluids, forming a dynamic protein corona that consists of tightly bound “hard” corona and rapidly exchanged “soft” corona. This protein layer alters the NPs’ surface identity and affects their fate in vivo. However, current methods fail to directly investigate single NP-protein interactions in the solution phase due to the fast NP diffusion and protein exchange dynamics. To address this gap, we introduce a real-time lock-on protein corona spectroscopy based on previously developed 3D single molecule active real-time tracking (3D-SMART), primarily using polystyrene NP (PSNP) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model system. 3D-SMART uses real-time photon arrival information to estimate the PSNP's position within a rapid 3D laser scanning pattern. The position estimate is then used to move a piezoelectric stage to counteract the PSNP's diffusion, keeping the NP-protein complex locked in the center of detection volume for spectral interrogation. Consequently, the 3D trajectory of the NP-protein complex and the fluorescence traces of the associated proteins can be synchronously measured for size measurement and hard corona quantification. Moreover, we applied a lock-in filtering-based algorithm to the protein intensity trace to extract the full protein corona signal in situ at signal-to-background ratios of 1%. It was discovered that the full corona consists of a sub-monolayer of BSA on PSNP, which contains twice the quantity of proteins compared to hard corona measurements, indicating that half of the full protein corona can be classified as soft corona. To expand this method to smaller NP-protein systems, we have further implemented a Galvo mirror as control actuator with response time five times faster than the piezoelectric stage, opening the possibility of studying a wider range of transient NP-protein interaction in vivo.

Food and drug industry applications of microalgae Spirulina platensis: A review.

Spirulina platensis is a photosynthetic, blue-green, spiral- or bulb-shaped microalgae. Due to the presence of minerals, vitamins, pigments (carotenes, phycocyanin and chlorophyll) proteins (55%-70%), carbohydrates (15%-25%), and essential fatty acids (5%-8%), it has been used as a nutritional supplement for decades. NASA successfully employed it as a nutritional supplement for astronauts on space missions then its popularity was increased. The chemical composition of Spirulina, which is rich in vitamins, minerals, phenolics, vital fatty acids, amino acids, and pigments, can be beneficial to human health when incorporated into meals. The pharmacological effects include antibacterial, anticancer, metalloprotective, immune-stimulating, and antioxidant. It modulates immunological activities and possesses anti-inflammatory qualities by preventing mast cells from releasing histamine. Due to its high quantity of protein, carbohydrate, lipid, vital amino and fatty acids, dietary minerals and vitamins, Spirulina exerts the abovementioned benefits. In this review, up-to-date and possible biological aspects, patents applied on Spirulina and heights of confirmation are addressed, and the extent of current and future exploration is also explored.

Cervical Fluids Are a Source of Protein Biomarkers for Early, Non-Invasive Endometrial Cancer Diagnosis.

Abnormal uterine bleeding is the main symptom of endometrial cancer (EC), but it is highly nonspecific. This represents a huge burden for women's health since all women presenting with bleeding will undergo sequential invasive tests, which are avoidable for 90-95% of those women who do not have EC. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of cervical samples collected with five different devices as a source of protein biomarkers to diagnose EC. We evaluated the protein quantity and the proteome composition of five cervical sampling methods. Samples collected with a Rovers Cervex Brush® and the HC2 DNA collection device, Digene, were the most suitable samples for EC proteomic studies. Most proteins found in uterine fluids were also detected in both cervical samples. We then conducted a clinical retrospective study to assess the expression of 52 EC-related proteins in 41 patients (22 EC; 19 non-EC), using targeted proteomics. We identified SERPINH1, VIM, TAGLN, PPIA, CSE1L, and CTNNB1 as potential protein biomarkers to discriminate between EC and symptomatic non-EC women with abnormal uterine bleeding in cervical fluids (AUC > 0.8). This study opens an avenue for developing non-invasive protein-based EC diagnostic tests, which will improve the standard of care for gynecological patients.

3 stage filtration system utilizing 3 distinct membranes derived from one single dope solution and finely-tuned phase inversion processes

Wastewater treatment by membrane processes requires at least 3 different membranes with performances falling in the microfiltration, ultrafiltration and nanofiltration ranges. Often, the composition of these membranes varies, and their preparation processes may involve several steps and lengthy or costly post-treatment procedures, for instance to endow the membrane with fouling-resistance property. Here, we intended to explore potential routes to simplify the treatment process. We solely used one single casting solution with the purpose of preparing 3 membranes without any post-treatment, that were then implemented in a 3-stage filtration process. This solution contains polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a copolymer of styrene and polyethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (PS-r-PEGMA), and a solvent. 3 phase inversion processes: vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS), liquid-induced phase separation (LIPS) and evaporation-induced phase separation (EIPS) were executed to reach the desired membrane properties. Careful examination of the membrane structure, physical properties and permeability prove that the membranes prepared by VIPS (pore size: 0.4–0.8 µm), LIPS (pore size: 0.008–0.09 µm) and a combination of EIPS and LIPS (pore size: 3–6 nm) were suitable for the rejection of large biofoulants such as microalgae, large and small proteins, respectively, despite the presence of the antifouling copolymer that affected the membrane structure. Next, the 3 membranes were used to treat synthetic wastewater containing a mixture of microalgae, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme. The first filtration stage permitted to reject almost entirely the Microalgae (99.3–99.5% rejection), the second filtration stage then removed larger proteins (cumulated “Microalgae/protein” rejection of about 93%) while the last stage rejected a large quantity of the smaller protein. The copolymer was also shown to reduce fouling by a 5-fold factor. Hence, this work demonstrates that a complete set of pressure-driven antifouling membranes for full wastewater treatment may be prepared from one single formulation and by phase inversion only.

Coffee Silver Skin-Health Safety, Nutritional Value, and Microwave Extraction of Proteins.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the health safety (concentrations of pesticide residues and heavy metals) and nutritional parameters (macro- and microminerals and crude fibre) of coffee silver skin (CS), as well to isolate proteins from this by-product using an optimised microwave extraction method. The CS by-product samples showed the highest amount of potassium, followed by calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Iron was found in the highest quantity among the microminerals, followed by copper, manganese, zinc, and chromium. The CS sample showed a large amount of fibre and a moderate quantity of proteins obtained by the optimised microwave extraction method. Four heavy metals (nickel, lead, arsenic, and cadmium) were detected, and all were under the permitted levels. Among the 265 analysed pesticides, only three showed small quantity. The results for the proteins extracted by microwave showed that the total protein concentration values ranged from 0.52 ± 0.01 mg/L to 0.77 ± 0.07 mg/L. The highest value of the concentration of total proteins (0.77 ± 0.07 mg/L) was found in the sample treated for 9 min, using a power of 200 W. Based on these results, it can be concluded that CS is a healthy and nutritionally rich nutraceutical that could be used in the production of new products in the food industry and other industries.

Combination of size-exclusion chromatography and ion exchange adsorption for improving the proteomic analysis of plasma-derived extracellular vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid membrane vesicles released by live cells that carry a variety of biomolecules, including nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins. Recently, proteins in plasma-derived EVs have emerged as novel biomarkers with essential functions in the diagnosis and prognosis of human diseases. However, the current methods of isolating EVs from plasma often lead to coisolated impurities in biological fluids. Therefore, before performing any research protocol, the process of extracting EVs from plasma for proteomic analysis must be optimized. In this study, two EV isolation strategies, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and SEC combined with ion exchange adsorption (SEC + IEA), were compared in terms of the purity and quantity of protein in EVs. Our results demonstrated that, compared to single-step SEC, SEC combined with IEA could produce plasma-derived EVs with a higher purity by decreasing the abundance of lipoprotein. Additionally, with MS analysis, we demonstrated that the combination approach maintained the stability and improved the purity of EVs in many plasma samples. Furthermore, by combining SEC with IEA, more cancer-associated proteins were detected in the plasma of various cancer samples.

New food, new technology: innovative spreadable cream with strawberry syrup

A strawberry spreadable cream was developed, valorizing regional raw materials, contributing to food waste reduction and agri-food ecosystem sustainability. Spreadable creams are water-in-oil emulsions whose lipid phase normally contains a blend of vegetable oils, natural colourants, stabilizers, emulsifiers, flavourings, antioxidants, lecithin, and fat-soluble vitamins. The aqueous phase normally contains skim milk proteins and small quantities of other ingredients, such as salt, preservatives, thickeners, and water-soluble vitamins. The methodology involved the experimental technological development articulated with microbiological, proximal, physicochemical, and sensorial analysis. This new product revealed nutritional advantages over similar products already on the market. The final prototype was subjected to food pairing and food design with incremental acceptance according to gastronomic use, in addition to its direct use as a spreadable cream. This work was part of the project Agrio et Emulsio—new products development (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-023583), whose main objective was the formulation and design of innovative food emulsions based on processed raw materials, with potential application in certain markets such as gourmet, diet, and vegan.

Evaluation of the usefulness of determining the level of selected inflammatory biomarkers and resistin concentration in perivascular adipose tissue and plasma for predicting postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients who underwent myocardial revascularisation

BackgroundThe development of coronary artery disease (CAD) is related to the impaired quantity and composition of inflammatory proteins found in plasma and tissue, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), adipokines, and resistin. Therefore, the level of plasma resistin in patients with advanced CAD could be indicative of the condition of epicardial adipose tissue and thus have an impact on the frequency and severity of postoperative complications in the form of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.MethodsThe study included 108 patients who qualified for elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery from 2017 to 2020 and were categorized into two groups. The first group consisted of patients who developed atrial fibrillation in the postoperative period – the AF group, and the second group included patients who did not have arrhythmia – the non-AF group. The analysis incorporates the history, course of treatment, anthropometric characteristics of the test subjects, biochemical laboratory tests, and echocardiography. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) sections were surgically harvested from the area of the left coronary trunk.ResultsThe resistin levels in the PVAT were significantly higher in the AF group than in the non-AF group (P = 0.000015). Similarly, plasma resistin levels increased significantly in the AF group compared to the non-AF group (P = 0.044). The values of other analyzed variables were not significantly different (analysis performed using the Mann–Whitney U test). Spearman’s rank-order correlation technique found a correlation between resistin in PVAT and plasma (r = 0.5933; P < 0.0001) in the whole study group, as well as in the AF group (r = 0.4782; P = 0.021) and the non-AF group (r = 0.4938; P < 0.0001). A correlation arose between the level of resistin in PVAT and the level of hsCRP (r = 0.3463; P = 0.005) in the whole study group and the non-AF group (r = 0.4448; P = 0.0011); however, no such correlation appeared in the AF group (r = 0.3076; P = 0.306).ConclusionsElevated levels of plasma resistin, which reflect PVAT resistin levels in patients qualified for myocardial revascularisation, may be associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation complications.

Proteostasis in ice: the role of heat shock proteins and ubiquitin in the freeze tolerance of the intertidal mussel, Mytilus trossulus.

The bay mussel, Mytilus trossulus, is an animal that can survive extracellular ice formation. Depending on air and ocean temperatures, freeze tolerant intertidal organisms, like M. trossulus, may freeze and thaw many times during the winter. Freezing can cause protein denaturation, leading to an induction of the heat shock response with expression of chaperone proteins like the 70kDa heat shock protein (HSP70), and an increase in ubiquitin-conjugated proteins. There has been little work on the mechanisms of freeze tolerance in intertidal species, limiting our understanding of this survival strategy. Additionally, this limited research has focused solely on the effects of single freezing events, but the act of repeatedly crossing the freezing threshold may present novel physiological or biochemical stressors that have yet to be discovered. Mytilus are important ecosystem engineers and provide habitat for other intertidal species, thus understanding their physiology under thermal extremes is important for preserving shoreline health. We predicted that repeated freeze exposures would increase mortality, upregulate HSP70 expression, and increase ubiquitin conjugates in mussels, relative to single, prolonged freeze exposures. Mytilus trossulus from Vancouver, Canada were repeatedly frozen for a combination of 1 × 8h, 2 × 4h, or 4 × 2h. We then compared mortality, HSP70 expression, and the quantity of ubiquitin-conjugated proteins across experimental groups. We found a single 8-h freeze caused significantly more mortality than repeated freeze-thaw cycles. We also found that HSP70 and ubiquitinated protein was upregulated exclusively after freeze-thaw cycles, suggesting that freeze-thaw cycles offer a period of damage repair between freezes. This indicates that freeze-thaw cycles, which happen naturally in the intertidal, are crucial for M. trossulus survival in sub-zero temperatures.

Comparison of the Nutritional Composition of Three Underutilized Fish Species in Sri Lanka

Abstract Fish consumption is generally considered as healthy due to their nutritional benefits that they ensure food security in many low and middle-income countries. Especially the Omega-3 fatty acids and essential amino acids present in the fish had beneficial effects on the Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and reduce the Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) in these countries. Being an island and expanding aquatic resources, Sri Lanka has plenty of fish resources, but, the consumption of small fish among the population has decreased in the country over the past 20 years. So, it is essential to be aware of the nutritional content of particular fish species that are assumed to be undervalued. This study, it was aimed to compare the nutritional composition of three local fish species namely, Amblygaster sirm, Sardinella brachysoma and Oreochromis niloticus. Proximate composition, pH and calorific values of the fish meat were determined by standard methods and other relevant protocols. The fatty acid profiles of oils of the fish were examined using the GC-MS method. Results showed that there were significant (p&lt;0.05) differences among the three fish species with respect to the proximate parameters and fatty acid composition. When compared to the other two species, S. brachysoma exhibited the highest quantity of crude protein and fat, with 19.23% and 4.85% respectively. Among three fish species, the total mono-unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and poly-unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents ranged from 31 to 38%; particularly, quantities of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were found to vary from 2.69 to 3.7% and 7.5% to 9.2%, respectively. Considering the Omega-6:Omega3 ratio, A.sirm (0.3), S. Brachysoma (0.69) and O. niloticus (6.5) were reported balanced values. In conclusion, these three fish species can be potential raw materials to produce high-value fish products.

Quantitative changes of brain isatin-binding proteins of rats with the rotenone-induced experimental parkinsonism.

Isatin (indoldione-2,3) is an endogenous regulator found in humans and animals. It exhibits a broad range of biological activity mediated by numerous isatin-binding proteins. Isatin produces neuroprotective effects in several experimental models of diseases, including Parkinsonism induced by the neurotoxin MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine).Rotenone (a neurotoxin used to modeling Parkinson's disease in rodents) causes significant changes in the profile of isatin-binding proteins of rat brain. Comparative proteomic identification of brain proteins of control rats and the rats with the rotenone-induced Parkinsonian syndrome (PS) revealed significant quantitative changes of 86 proteins under the influence of rotenone. This neurotoxin mainly caused the increase of the quantity of proteins involved in signal transduction and regulation of enzyme activity (24), proteins involved in cytoskeleton formation and exocytosis (23), and enzymes involved in energy generation and carbohydrate metabolism (19). However, only 11 of these proteins referred to isatin-binding proteins; the content of eight of them increased while the content of three proteins decreased. This suggests that the dramatic change of the profile of isatin-binding proteins, found in the development of the rotenone-induced PS, comes from changes in the state of the pre-existing molecules of proteins, rather than altered expression of corresponding genes.

Related factors of crescents and prognosis in IgA nephropathy.

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) has the highest prevalence among primary glomerular diseases worldwide, and crescent is a risk predictor of renal prognosis in IgAN. However, this is still controversial, and more research is needed to further confirm the importance of crescents in IgAN patients. So we aim to investigate the related factors and prognosis of IgAN with crescents. 178 patients diagnosed with IgAN by renal biopsy were selected into a crescent group (C group, C1: 0% < crescent proportion < 25%, C2: crescent proportion ≥ 25%) and a non-crescent group (C0 group). The clinical and renal pathology indexes were compared, and the progression of proteinuria and renal function were followed up. Compared with the C0 group, the C group revealed lower level of serum albumin, hemoglobin, serum C3, and IgA complements, higher level of 24-hour urine protein quantity and urine erythrocyte count. Statistical differences in the degree of mesangial hyperplasia and C3 complement deposition were found between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that hemoglobin and C3 complement deposition (+ and + +) were independent related factors of crescents in IgAN. Cumulative renal survival rate in C2 was significantly lower than in C1 (χ2 = 5.532, p = 0.019). IgAN patients with more crescents (≥ 25%) (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 4.905, 95% CI: 1.135 - 21.208, p = 0.0033) and platelets (AHR = 1.016, CI: 1.006 - 1.023, p = 0.001) were more likely to progress to the end event in Cox regression analysis. IgAN patients with crescents may have severe clinical symptoms and poor prognosis. The crescents and serum platelet count are risk predictors of poor prognosis in IgAN.

Evaluation of nutritional and antinutritional compounds in a collection of Camelina sativa varieties

ABSTRACT Camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] is an emerging oilseed crop that is attracting interest because of its high environmental adaptability and oil and protein quantity and quality. Seventeen camelina varieties of different geographical origins, sown in the same locality on two sowing dates, were compared for oil, protein, and antinutritional compounds in the meal. ANOVA showed that sowing time significantly affected the content of main fatty acids, whereas 1000-seed weight, glucosinolates (GLSs), trypsin inhibitor (TI), monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were related to the genotype. Among the varieties analyzed, Pearl and CCE26 proved to be the best source of healthy oil, with high n-3/n-6 ratio, whereas Luna and Przybrodzka, having a lower content of GLSs and TI, were suitable for animal feed. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) allowed to group the 17 varieties into three subgroups, and the largest variation was observed among the Canadian varieties.

Apicobasal Surfaceome Architecture Encodes for Polarized Epithelial Functionality and Depends on Tumor Suppressor PTEN.

The loss of apicobasal polarity during the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a hallmark of cancer and metastasis. The key feature of this polarity in epithelial cells is the subdivision of the plasma membrane into apical and basolateral domains, with each orchestrating specific intra- and extracellular functions. Epithelial transport and signaling capacities are thought to be determined largely by the quality, quantity, and nanoscale organization of proteins residing in these membrane domains, the apicobasal surfaceomes. Despite its implications for cancer, drug uptake, and infection, our current knowledge of how the polarized surfaceome is organized and maintained is limited. Here, we used chemoproteomic surfaceome scanning to establish proteotype maps of apicobasal surfaceomes and reveal quantitative distributions of, i.e., surface proteases, phosphatases, and tetraspanins as potential key regulators of polarized cell functionality. We show further that the tumor suppressor PTEN regulates polarized surfaceome architecture and uncover a potential role in collective cell migration. Our differential surfaceome analysis provides a molecular framework to elucidate polarized protein networks regulating epithelial functions and PTEN-associated cancer progression.

Assessment of Nutritional Value of Limonia acidissima L. (Wood Apple)

The objective of the study was to investigate Limonia acidissima L. (wood apple) to determine the moisture and ash content, total amount of carbohydrates, fatty acid compositions, the quantity of protein and micronutrients (Na, K, Zn, Fe) present in wood apple grown in Bangladesh. FT-IR spectroscopy was used to pinpoint many biologically significant functional groups. The moisture and ash content obtained were 74.02 and 25.44%, respectively. Carbohydrate content determined by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Visible) spectroscopic method was 16.14 g per 100 g of dried fruit sample. The fatty acids were identified by Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID). The relative percentage of bound fatty acids mainly palmitoleic acid, octadecanoic acid, cis-9-oleic acid and octanoic acid were 17.33, 15.09, 15.09 and 45.09%, respectively. The amount of protein was 5.11%. The micronutrients such as Na, K, Zn, Fe present in the edible portion of wood apple measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) were 10.40, 58.24, 0.37 and 1.67 mg per 100 g of dried sample, respectively. The fruit has long been utilized in herbal medicines and is eaten raw or processed into various products to prevent noncommunicable diseases and micronutrient deficiencies. Dhaka Univ. J. Sci. 70(2): 48-52, 2022 (July)

Unveiling the impact of durum wheat protein quantity and quality on textural properties and microstructure of cooked pasta

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesThis study investigated the impact of protein quantity and gluten strength on mechanical properties and microstructure of cooked pasta using texture analyzer and scanning electron microscopy. Three Canadian durum varieties with wide range of gluten strength at four protein levels were selected.FindingsFour distinct microstructures were characterized for cooked pasta. Pasta with firm texture exhibited compact and dense protein networks, while that with soft texture showed open, coarse, and heterogeneous structures. Protein content was the dominant factor in determining pasta firmness, the impact of gluten strength on pasta texture depends on protein content and cooking time. Greater impact from gluten strength was observed when pasta was overcooked.ConclusionsThe relative contribution of protein quantity and quality in cooked pasta texture depends upon the ranges of protein content, gluten strength, and degree of cooking.Significance and NoveltyThis study unveiled the impact of wheat protein content and gluten strength on textural and microstructural properties of pasta at three cooking times. Results generated from this study provide guidance for durum breeding programs, durum milling, and pasta processing industry in setting protein content and gluten strength targets to ensure pasta quality.

Comparative proteomics of whey proteins: New insights into quantitative differences between bovine, goat and camel species

Whey proteins are the leading proteins class in milk and play an essential role in the immune defense of neonatal mammals. The aim of this study was to analyze whey proteins in bovine, goat and camel milk by label free proteomics techniques. Finally, 840 proteins were identified, which considerably increasing the number of whey proteins identified in these species. The results of the PCA revealed significant differences in whey proteome patterns between bovine, goat and camel milk. Proteins such as PAEP, CST3, SERPING1, CTSB and GLG1 play an important role as markers in the classification of bovine, goat and camel milk. Statistical analysis showed that the relative abundances of many whey proteins such as ALB, LALBA, LTF and LPO were significantly different among different species. GO and KEGG functional analysis have shown that while the distribution of biological functions involved in whey proteins was relatively similar across species, they differed in terms of protein quantity. These data shed light on the quantitative differences and potential physiological functions of whey proteins across species, and may point the way to the production of specific functional whey proteins.