Red Strain Research Articles

Microalgae Flocculation: Assessment of Extraction Yields and Biological Activity

Downstream costs represent one of the main obstacles to enabling microalgae to become widespread. The development of an economical, easily scaled-up strategy could reduce the overall process costs. Here, different flocculants were tested on different microalgae strains and a cyanobacterium. The results indicate that flocculation could be an alternative to centrifugation, as CaCl2 induced a complete flocculation of green and red marine strains (96 ± 4% and 87.0 ± 0.5%, respectively), whereas Chitosan was the only agent able to induce flocculation on the cyanobacterium (46 ± 1%). As for the thermoacidophilic red microalga, 100% flocculation was achieved only by increasing the pH. Carotenoids were extracted from the flocculated biomass, and the strategy improved with the use of the wet biomass. The results indicate that flocculation does not affect carotenoid yield, which is at least the same than that obtained upon centrifugation and extraction from the wet biomass. Then, for the first time, the biological activity of the extracts obtained from the flocculated biomasses was evaluated. The results indicate that only the green microalga extract shows increased antioxidant activity. In conclusion, this work highlights that a general downstream procedure cannot be developed for microalgae strains but should be rationally tailored.

Removal of Cadmium (II) from Aqueous Solution Using Galdieria sulphuraria CCMEE 5587.1.

The release of cadmium into the environment is a significant global concern due to its toxicity, non-biodegradability, and persistence in nature. There is an urgent need for effective, eco-friendly, and cost-effective systems for removing Cd because of the many drawbacks of conventional physicochemical techniques. This study investigated the ability of the extremophile red microalgal strain Galdieria sulphuraria CCMEE 5587.1 to tolerate and remove Cd (II) ions at acidic pH in a controlled laboratory environment. Three distinct concentrations of Cd (1.5 mg L-1, 3 mg L-1, and 6 mg L-1) were introduced to the cyanidium medium, and G. sulphuraria cells were introduced in the medium and grown for ten days. Four distinct aspects were identified regarding Cd removal: time course Cd removal, total Cd removal, extracellular Cd removal, and intracellular Cd removal. The inhibitory effects of Cd on G. sulphuraria growth were observed using a daily growth profile. Initial incubation days showed an inhibition of G. sulphuraria growth. In addition, increasing the Cd concentration in the medium decreased the growth rate of G. sulphuraria. Rapid Cd removal occurred on the first day of the experiment, followed by a steady removal of Cd until the last day. The highest total removal efficiency occurred in a medium containing 3 mg L-1 of Cd ions, which was 30%. In contrast, the highest sorption capacity occurred in a medium containing 6 mg L-1 of Cd ions, which was 1.59 mg g-1 of dry biomass. In all media compositions, a major fraction (>80%) of Cd removal occurred via adsorption on the cell surface (extracellular). These results showed that G. sulphuraria cells can remove Cd ions from aqueous solution, which makes them a potential bioremediation option for heavy metal removal.

Parameter genetik padi beras merah (Oryza sativa L.) yang ditanam pada lahan kering dengan sistem gogo

Crossing of F2BC4P19-36 promising line with IPB 3S variety resulted in red rice strains. These strains were selected until obtaining the F5 generation. The research aimed to determine the genetic diversity, heritability values, and genotypic correlation coefficients among quantitative traits for yield of red rice strains in dryland with a continuous cropping system. The study was conducted from May to September 2023 in Tampak Siring Village, Batukliang, Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. It employed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 14 genotypes, replicated three times, totaling 42 treatments. Data analysis was performed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at a 5% significance level. Genetic diversity, assessed broadly, was indicated by traits such as the number of unproductive tillers, number of filled grains, and number of unfilled grains; moderately by traits such as number of productive tillers, total tillers, 100-grain weight, and grain weight per panicle; and narrowly by traits such as plant height, panicle length, flowering duration, and harvesting period. Heritability values were high for yield, moderate for total tillers, number of filled and unfilled grains, 100-grain weight, and flowering duration, and low for traits like plant height, number of productive and unproductive tillers, panicle length, grain weight per panicle, and harvesting period. Genotypic correlation coefficients showed positive associations with yield for traits such as panicle length, grain weight per panicle, and flowering duration, whereas negative correlations were observed with yield for the number of unproductive tillers. Genetic diversity, heritability values, and correlation coefficients serve as determinants for selection criteria

Karakter Kuantitatif dan Hubungan Kekerabatan Genotipe Padi (Oryza sativa L.) Beras Merah dan Beras Hitam yang Ditanam secara Gogo

This study aims to determine the appearance of quantitative characters and kinship relationships of the genotype of red rice and black rice grown in gogo. The research was conducted in February – May 2024 on a medium plain land with an altitude of 370 meters above sea level, in Tampak Siring Village, Central Lombok, NTB. The materials used were 21 rice genotypes consisting of 11 red rice strains, 4 black rice strains, 2 red rice elders, 2 black rice elders and 2 comparison varieties (Inpago Unram I and IR64). The analysis used is the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) of the Group Random Design (GRD) model with a real level of 5%, if there are real different characters, then the Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) will be continued at a real level of 5%. Cluster analysis was carried out based on the average value of quantitative characters using the euclidean distance method using the R-Studio program. The results of the study showed that between strains all characters had different appearances except for the number of non-productive saplings. G-2 strain; G-6; and G-18 had the same results as Inpago Unram I. Kinship analysis conducted based on the average value of quantitative characters obtained four clusters, namely cluster I G-21, G-9, G-20, G-11, G-17; cluster II G-19, G-2, G-18, G-6, G-7; cluster III G-1, G-5, G-8, G10, G-3, G-4, G-16; and cluster IV G-12, G-15, G-13, G-14.

Genotyping of red tilapia strains in Central Luzon Philippines targeting ESR1 gene

Tilapia is an economically important commodity worldwide. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) has been practiced in livestock culture to ensure the selection of a specific trait that will benefit the culture system. This study assessed the allelic variation in six red tilapia strains in Central Luzon, Philippines. Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was done to evaluate the genotypes of six strains of red tilapia using intron one portion of the chromosome one of the estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) gene. The target gene was amplified using primers designed in previous study and then subjected to RFLP using PvuII restriction enzyme. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) were also evaluated in six DNA sequences. Results showed that 18 red tilapia samples were found to be of the AA genotype. Aligned sequences of the 122 bp ESR1 gene revealed that among six red tilapia strains, there are 117 identical pairs, three transversional pairs, and three transitional pairs. The SNPs observed can be used to identify restriction enzymes that discriminate different genotypes in the target gene. Association studies can be done to determine the genotypes that are linked to specific traits in cultured animals.

Performance of Boran and Two Strains of Tanzania Short Horn Zebu Cattle Fed on Three Different Diets

A 3x3 factorial experiment was carried out to assess the performance of Boran breed (BRN), Iringa Red (IRR) and Singida White (SWT) strains of cattle fed on three different diets (D1, D2, and D3) under a feedlot condition. The diets contained hominy feed plus molasses (D1 or control), molasses and cassava meal (D2) and rice polishing (D3) as main energy sources. In addition, they contained sunflower seed cake as protein source, minerals and vitamins premix. Fifty-four (54) bulls of equal numbers of each strain, aged between 2 and 2.5 years and average initial weight of 194 ± 12.6 kg were randomly allocated in the three diets and housed in a feedlot structure. They were fed individually with their respective dietary treatments for 80 days, during which data on feed intake and growth performance were recorded. Thereafter 45 bulls with equal number of strains were slaughtered, and carcass characteristics were assessed and gross margins computed. The CP contents (g/kg) in the diets were highest in D2 (155), followed by D1 (141.7) and lowest (130) in D3. There were no significant (P>0.05) interaction effect of diet and breed/strain in all the parameters assessed on performance. Bulls fed on D2 grew faster (0.99 kg/d) and attained greater final weight (269.9 kg) and heavier carcasses (140.8 kg) followed by those fed on D1 with mean values of (0.92 kg/d), (258.1 kg) and (131.5 kg), respectively. The average dressing percentage followed a similar trend, being higher (P<0.05) in bulls fed on D2 (52.4) compared to those on D1 (51.7) and D3 (51.1). The BRN bulls had faster growth rates (1.04 kg/d) followed by the IRR (0.83 g/d), which had similar (P>0.05) average daily gain to that of SWT (0.83 g/d). The final weight of BRN bulls (267.4 kg) was not different (P>0.05) from that of IRR (257.5 kg), which was also found to be similar (P>0.05) to that of SWT (251.2 kg). The hot carcass weights followed similar trend, BRN having carcass weight (138.2 kg) similar (P>0.05) to IRR (130.4 kg), which happened to be not different (P>0.05) from that of SWT (129.3 kg). The mean dressing percentage was higher (P<0.05) for BRN (52.2) than other strains. It is concluded that value of weight gains and slaughter characteristics of Iringa red are comparable to those of Boran, thus for feedlot finishing farmers should be advised to select and use Iringa red bulls to obtain high carcass and large profit.

Genome-wide association study reveals candidate genes critical for skin pigmentation in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) strains including koi

The differentiation and variation of body color in fish is an important component of biological evolution and phylogenetic research, and is influenced by several factors such as heredity, nutrition, physiological hormones and rearing conditions, with heredity being the most critical factor. An improved comprehension of the genetic regulation in different carp populations will facilitate future applications of precision breeding and pigment cell development-related genes editing. In this study, we used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (2d-RAD) to determine the distribution characteristics of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in eight common carp strains including six koi strains, i.e., Kohaku (Hb), Taisho (Dz), Showa (Zh), Golden (Hj), Matsukawabake (Sch) and Five-color (Ws), and two genetically improved breeding strains, i.e., FFRC No. 2 strain (Fr) and red FFRC strain (Hfr), and then SNP markers to resolve genetic information on the population structure and skin color formation of these strains. We found that most individuals of eight strains were clearly divided into eight clades. Genetic diversity within Fr, Sch and Ws is relatively high, while it is low within Dz, Hb and Hfr. A comparison between the populations revealed that Hfr and Ws have the highest degree of genetic differences, while Hb and Dz have the lowest. The GWAS analysis for two strategies identified several SNPs that are significantly related to skin color variation and affect melanin synthesis (ephrinb2, slc22a23, herc2, ephb2), carotenoid metabolism (oca2, bcmo1, bco2) and circadian rhythm(cipc). To summarize, our study provides some information on the genetic structure and diversity of Japanese koi and Chinese FFRC carp. Furthermore, based on the data obtained on relevant genes related to skin color differentiation and pigmentation, it can provide a theoretical basis for the subsequent integration of dominant traits and precision breeding in carps.

Ancient Mycobacterium leprae genome reveals medieval English red squirrels as animal leprosy host

Leprosy, one of the oldest recorded diseases in human history, remains prevalent in Asia, Africa, and South America, with over 200,000 cases every year.1,2 Although ancient DNA (aDNA) approaches on the major causative agent, Mycobacterium leprae, have elucidated the disease's evolutionary history,3,4,5 the role of animal hosts and interspecies transmission in the past remains unexplored. Research has uncovered relationships between medieval strains isolated from archaeological human remains and modern animal hosts such as the red squirrel in England.6,7 However, the time frame, distribution, and direction of transmissions remains unknown. Here, we studied 25 human and 12 squirrel samples from two archaeological sites in Winchester, a medieval English city well known for its leprosarium and connections to the fur trade. We reconstructed four medieval M.leprae genomes, including one from a red squirrel, at a 2.2-fold average coverage. Our analysis revealed a phylogenetic placement of all strains on branch 3 as well as a close relationship between the squirrel strain and one newly reconstructed medieval human strain. In particular, the medieval squirrel strain is more closely related to some medieval human strains from Winchester than to modern red squirrel strains from England, indicating a yet-undetected circulation of M.leprae in non-human hosts in the Middle Ages. Our study represents the first One Health approach for M.leprae in archaeology, which is centered around a medieval animal host strain, and highlights the future capability of such approaches to understand the disease's zoonotic past and current potential.

Carcass traits and meat quality assessment of two slow-growing chicks strains fed Acheta domesticus larval meal

Presently, there has been a noticeable rise in the consumption of poultry meat within the general population, particularly focusing on poultry sourced from alternative rearing systems as opposed to intensive ones. This study evaluated the impact of incorporating house cricket (Acheta domesticus,AD) larvae meal into the diet of 2 slow-growing chicken strains on their carcass traits and meat quality. A total of 256 one-day-old male chicks were utilized, with 128 belonging to the Red (R) strain and 128 to the Naked Neck (NN) strain. Chicks from each strain were randomly assigned to 16 replicates of 8 chicks each. Eight replicates were allocated to 2 distinct treatments (n=64 chicks/treatment) based on the diet employed: the control treatments for the Red (R-C) and Naked Neck (NN-C) strains were fed soybean meal, while the other 2 treatments were fed AD meal (R-AD and NN-AD). Three different rations were used throughout the growth cycle of the animals, tailored to meet the nutritional needs of the birds. All chickens were slaughtered at 95 d of age, and eight chickens per treatment were randomly chosen to assess carcass traits and meat quality. Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) was employed to classify meat based on the feed and the chick strain, achieving a correct discrimination of 100% of the samples. The carcass traits exhibited significant alterations due to the inclusion of insect larval meal in the diet, resulting in reduced values across all parameters for chickens consuming AD meal, irrespective of genotype. The pH and cooking losses were generally higher for chicks fed cricket meal, as occurred with moisture. However, protein content was lower in the meat of chicks consuming cricket meal. Fat content showed lower values for NN chickens. There were minimal differences in the fatty acid profile, with lower C18:3n-3 values for chickens fed cricket meal. Therefore, including Acheta domesticus meal in the diets of slow-growing chick strains is a viable alternative to replace soybean meal. It provides meat quality characteristics comparable to those obtained in conventional systems.

A New Method for Selective Extraction of Torularhodin from Red Yeast Using CO2-SFE Technique.

Torularhodin is a dark pink colored carotenoid belonging to the xanthophylls group that can be biologically synthesized by red yeasts, especially by Rhodotorula and Sporobolomyces genera. The growing interest in this molecule is due to its biological activities such as antioxidant, anticholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer. To satisfy potential commercial markets, numerous methods have been proposed to develop a cost-effective and environmentally friendly downstream process for the purification of torularhodin. However, obtaining high purity products without resorting to the use of toxic solvents, which can leave residues in the final preparations, remains a major challenge. In this context, the present study aimed to develop a new efficient method for the isolation of torularhodin from the red yeast Rhodotorula strain ELP2022 by applying the extraction technique with supercritical CO2 (CO2-SFE) in two sequential steps. In particular, in the first step, the dried lysed biomass of yeast was subjected to the action of CO2 in supercritical conditions (CO2SC) as sole solvent for extraction of apolar carotenoids. In the second step, the residual biomass was subjected to the action of CO2SC using ethanol as a polar co-solvent for the extraction of torularhodin. Both steps were carried out at different operating parameters of temperature (40 and 60 °C) and pressure (from 300 to 500 bar) with a constant CO2 flow of 6 L min-1. Regardless of the operating conditions used, this method allowed to obtain an orange-colored oily extract and a red-colored extract after the first and second step, respectively. In all trials, torularhodin represented no less than 95.2% ± 0.70 of the total carotenoids in the red extracts obtained from the second step. In particular, the best results were obtained by performing both steps at 40 °C and 300 bar, and the maximum percentage of torularhodin achieved was 97.9% ± 0.88. Since there are no data on the selective recovery of torularhodin from red yeast using the SFE technique, this study may be a good starting point to optimize and support the development of industrial production of torularhodin by microbial synthesis. This new method can significantly reduce the environmental impact of torularhodin recovery and can be considered an innovation for which an Italian patent application has been filed. In a circular bioeconomy approach, this method will be validated up to a pilot scale, culturing the strain Rhodotorula spp. ELP2022 on low-cost media derived from agri-food wastes.

Effect of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa inoculation on the aroma development of a fermented vegetables simulated system

Fermented vegetables are known for their unique flavors and aromas, which are influenced by the complex microbial processes that occur during fermentation. Rhodotorula mucilaginosa is a red yeast strain that is frequently isolated from fermented vegetables. However, the specific mechanisms underlying their effects on aroma production remain unclear. In this study, a simulated system of vegetables fermented using vegetable juices was used to investigate the effects of R. mucilaginosa inoculation on aroma development. The results demonstrated that this red yeast strain could utilize the nutrients present in the vegetable juices to support its growth and reproduction. Moreover, the inoculation of fermented vegetable juices with this yeast strain led to an increase in the levels of umami amino acids and sweet amino acids. Furthermore, this yeast strain was found able to significantly reduce the content of sulfur-containing compounds, which may decrease the unpleasant odor of fermented vegetables. Additionally, the yeast strain was capable of producing high concentrations of aromatic compounds such as phenylethyl alcohol, methyl 2-methylbutyrate, methyl butyrate, and nonanoic acid in a minimum medium. However, only phenylethyl alcohol has been identified as a core aromatic compound in fermented vegetable juice. The three fermented vegetable juices exhibited significantly different flavor profiles according to comparative analysis. Therefore, the core flavor compounds found in fermented vegetables are primarily derived from the release and modification of endogenous flavors naturally present in the vegetables, facilitated by the yeast during fermentation.

Temperature Incubation During the Embryo-Larval Stage for Inducing Sex Reversal of Nile Tilapia Red NIFI Strain

This research aims to achieve male sex reversal in Nile Tilapia (Orechromis niloticus) of the red NIFI strain through high-temperature incubation during the embryonic or pre-swimming larval phase. Larvae resulting from the natural mating of red NIFI strain broodstock were incubated under temperature treatments of 31oC, 33oC, 35oC, and a control group (<30oC), each with three replicates. Temperature regulation was facilitated using a heater. During the initial 3 hours of incubation, the heater was turned off for 6 hours, followed by another 3 hours of incubation with the heater on. This pattern was repeated daily until the larvae began to swim. The treated larvae were then reared for 90 days. Thirty specimens from each replicate were identified for gender using the squash acetocarmine method. The study results indicated that temperature differences significantly influenced (p<0.05) the sex ratio of Nile tilapia in the red NIFI strain. The highest proportion of males was achieved at 33oC, at 73.33%, and 35oC, at 64.43%. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in fry survival rates at 7 days and after 90 days of rearing.

The comparison of morphology and transcriptome in the inner membrane reveals the potential mechanism of the heritable carapace color of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

Carapace color plays an important role in the communication, reproduction, and self-defense of crustaceans, which is also related to their economic value. Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) is an important aquaculture species in China, and there are different strains with heritable carapace colors, i.e. Green, White, and Red. However, there is a lack of research on the formation mechanism of carapace color of this species. This study was conducted to compare the histology and transcriptome in the inner membrane of three carapace color strains of E. sinensis. Histological comparisons revealed that the inner membrane of green and red carapace crabs contained more melanin, appearing in clusters, and had a higher presence of yellow or orange pigments. In contrast, the inner membrane of white carapace crabs had smaller and fewer melanin particles, as well as a lower presence of yellow or orange pigments. Observation under an electron microscope showed that the inner membrane of E. sinensis contained a large number of collagen fibers and various types of cells, including fibroblasts, melanocytes, and other tissue cells, which exhibited different levels of activity. Transcriptome analysis showed that the Green, Red, and White strains of E. sinensis had approximately 80.3 K, 81.6 K and 80.3 K expressed unigenes in their inner membranes, respectively. When comparing Green and Red crabs, there were 2, 850 upregulated genes and 2, 240 downregulated genes. In the comparison between Red and White crabs, there were 2, 853 upregulated genes and 2, 583 downregulated genes. Furthermore, there were 2, 336 upregulated genes and 2, 738 downregulated genes in the inner membranes between White and Green crabs. Among these genes, some members of the solute carriers family, which are involved in carotenoid transportation, showed differential expression among the three carapace color strains. Additionally, significant differences were observed in the expression of genes related to melanin synthesis, including wingless/integrate, tyrosinase, guanine nucleotide-binding protein inhibitory subunit, cell adhesion molecule, adenylyl cyclase, and creb-binding protein. there were no differences in the gene expression levels of the crustacyanin family. In conclusion, this study identified several candidate genes associated with carapace color in the inner membrane of E. sinensis, suggesting a close relationship between the heritable carapace colors and the transport of the carotenoids as well as the synthesis of melanin.

Hydrolysis of Gluten-Derived Celiac Disease-Triggering Peptides across a Broad pH Range by RmuAP1: A Novel Aspartic Peptidase Isolated from Rhodotorula mucilaginosa.

An aspartate peptidase with proteolytic activity toward gluten was identified from an isolated red yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa strain. This peptidase consists of 425 amino acids, comprising an N-terminal signal peptide, a propeptide, and a C-terminal catalytic domain. The catalytic domain, termed RmuAP1CD, could be secreted by the recombinant oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, whose genome contains the expression cassette for RmuAP1CD. RmuAP1CD exhibited optimum activity at pH 2.5 when acting on bovine serum albumin. Moreover, it facilitated the hydrolysis of gluten-derived immunogenic peptides (GIPs), which are responsible for triggering celiac disease symptoms, across a pH range of 3.0-6.0. The preferred cleavage sites are P-Q-Q-↓-P-Q in the 26-mer and P-Q-L-↓-P-Y in the 33-mer GIPs. Conversely, porcine pepsin cannot hydrolyze these two GIPs. The ability of RmuAP1CD to degrade GIPs under acidic conditions of the stomach indicates its potential as a viable oral enzyme therapy for celiac disease.

Performance and robustness analysis reveals phenotypic trade-offs in yeast.

To design strains that can function efficiently in complex industrial settings, it is crucial to consider their robustness, that is, the stability of their performance when faced with perturbations. In the present study, we cultivated 24 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains under conditions that simulated perturbations encountered during lignocellulosic bioethanol production, and assessed the performance and robustness of multiple phenotypes simultaneously. The observed negative correlations confirmed a trade-off between performance and robustness of ethanol yield, biomass yield, and cell dry weight. Conversely, the specific growth rate performance positively correlated with the robustness, presumably because of evolutionary selection for robust, fast-growing cells. The Ethanol Red strain exhibited both high performance and robustness, making it a good candidate for bioproduction in the tested perturbation space. Our results experimentally map the robustness-performance trade-offs, previously demonstrated mainly by single-phenotype and computational studies.

Comparison of Controlled Nursery Rearing of Hybrid Tilapia Seeds in Different Culture System

The experiment was conducted to find out the best rearing system for hybrid tilapia young fry. Rearing of hybrid tilapia young fry (Red strain) was undertaken in two types of rearing systems for 21 days. Young fry of hybrid tilapia (0.12 ± 0.019 g average body weight) was stocked in hapa at a stocking density of 87 fish/lit and in 3 aquarium tanks at a stocking density of 88 fish/lit. Fry were fed with crumble feed having 30% CP @7 times a day in the first week, 6 times in the second week and 5 times in the third week in both hapa and tank. The physico-chemical parameters ofhapa and aquarium tank were taken every day. The DO, pH, TDS, alkalinity and temperature were higher in the hapa than in the tank water. And ammonia was found to be higher (0.5-1 mg/L) in the aquarium tank system. After 21 days of trial, hapa stocked fishes had a weight gain of 3.48 g, while the fishes in aquarium tank had weight gain of 2.58 g. The survival rate in hapa and aquarium was 97% and 85% respectively. The hapa rearing resulted in 74% more growth than in the glass aquarium tank. The final average body weight of fishes reared in hapa was 3.6 g while that of aquarium tanks was 2.7 g. The body colour of the fishes in hapa was brighter than the tank of fishes. To conclude it was found that rearing of red tilapia fry was comparatively better in hapa as compared to glass aquarium.

Diversity of Red Yeasts in Various Regions and Environments of Poland and Biotechnological Potential of the Isolated Strains

Due to the growing demand for natural carotenoids, researchers have been searching for strains that are capable of efficient synthesis of these compounds. This study tested 114 red yeast strains collected from various natural environments and food specimens in Poland. The strains were isolated by their ability to produce red or yellow pigments in rich nutrient media. According to potential industrial significance of the carotenoids, both their total production and share of individual carotenoids (β-carotene, γ-carotene, torulene, and torularhodin) were analyzed. The total content of carotenoid pigments in the yeast dry matter ranged from 13.88 to 406.50 µg/g, and the percentages of individual carotenoids highly varied among the strains. Most of the yeast isolates synthesized torulene at the highest amount. Among the studied strains, isolates with a total carotenoid content in biomass greater than 200 µg/g and those containing more than 60% torularhodin were selected for identification (48 strains). The identified strains belonged to six genera: Rhodotorula, Sporidiobolus, Sporobolomyces, Buckleyzyma, Cystofilobasidium, and Erythrobasidium. The largest number of isolates belonged to Rhodotorula babjevae (18), Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (7), Sporidiobolus pararoseus (4), and Rhodotorula glutinis (4).

Biocontrol of cucumber Fusarium wilt by Trichoderma asperellum FJ035 dependent on antagonism and spatiotemporal competition with Fusarium oxysporum

Fusarium wilt is one of the major constraints of cucumber production worldwide and is difficult to control in production. This study selected a strain of Trichoderma asperellum FJ035 with a good antagonistic effect against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum Owen (FOC) by plate confrontation test and secondary metabolites (volatile substances and non-volatile substances) antagonism tests. T. asperellum FJ035 inhibited spore germination of FOC and improved the germination potential of cucumber seeds. The spatiotemporal competition dynamics of T. sperellum FJ035 green fluorescence-labeled strain and FOC red fluorescence-labeled strain in the cucumber rhizosphere were monitored under a laser confocal microscope. The results showed that the vitality of FOC in the cucumber rhizosphere exceeded that of T. asperellum FJ035, but T. asperellum FJ035 exerted some inhibitory effects on FOC. When inoculation of T. asperellum FJ035 24 h before inoculation of FOC could significantly reduce the accumulation of FOC on the roots of cucumber, corresponding to the highest control efficiency against cucumber Fusarium wilt were 69.79% and 75.96% under hydroponic and potted conditions, respectively. T. asperellum FJ035 also significantly improved the root length, plant height, stem thickness, fresh weight, and area index of the first true leaves of cucumber seedlings, and effectively mitigating the adverse effects of FOC on cucumber growth.

Comparative proteomics elucidates the potential mechanism of heritable carapace color of three strains Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

The carapace coloration is important for the environmental adaptation and reproductive behaviors of crustaceans. We selected red, green and white three carapace color strains of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) strains. These three carapace colors have stable heritability, but the mechanism for their coloration remains unclear.Through histological observations, we have found significant differences in the composition of pigment cells and pigments within the inner membrane of the three color strains, which may be one of the reasons for the color variation. The levels of various carotenoids in both the shell and inner membrane tissues of red and green strains were significantly higher than those of the white strain, while there was no significant difference between the red and green strains. Proteomics studies have identified 2, 034 and 947 different proteins in the shell and inner membrane, respectively. In the shell, there were 18, 13 and 43 differential proteins between red and white strains, green and white strains and green and red strains, respectively. In the inner membrane, there were 44, 24 and 16 differential proteins between red and white strains, green and white strains and green and red strains, respectively. It is clear that the deposited quantity of carotenoids affects the shell formation of three color strains. Some members of the hemocyanin family showed significant variation among different strains. The study yielded two crustacyanin proteins, which were extracted from both the shell and membrane. Of the two proteins, only Crustacyanin-A1 expression showed a difference between the red and green shells strains. In conclusion, these results indicated that the carapace color formation of E. sinensis may be accomplished through pigment binding proteins (PBPs) and pigment cells, which enhance the understanding of color formation mechanism for crustacean.

Assessment of Preference Behavior of Layer Hens under Different Light Colors and Temperature Environments in Long-Time Footage Using a Computer Vision System.

As for all birds, the behavior of chickens is largely determined by environmental conditions. In many production systems, light intensity is low and red feather strains have low contrast with the background, making it impossible to use conventional image segmentation techniques. On the other hand, studies of chicken behavior, even when using video camera resources, depend on human vision to extract the information of interest; and in this case, reduced samples are observed, due to the high cost of time and energy. Our work combined the use of advanced object detection techniques using YOLO v4 architecture to locate chickens in low-quality videos, and we automatically extracted information on the location of birds in more than 648 h of footage. We develop an automated system that allows the chickens to transition among three environments with different illuminations equipped with video cameras to monitor the presence of birds in each compartment, and we automatically count the number of birds in each compartment and determine their preference. Our chicken detection algorithm shows a mean average precision of 99.9%, and a manual inspection of the results showed an accuracy of 98.8%. Behavioral analysis results based on bird unrest index and permanence time indicate that chickens tend to prefer white light and disfavor green light, except in the presence of heat stress when no clear preference can be observed. This study demonstrates the potential of using computer vision techniques with low-resolution, low-cost cameras to monitor chickens in low-light conditions.