Enzymes Invertase Research Articles

Invertase of the cell wall controls the growth of both the apical and vegetative organs of the tomato

Researchers have intensively studied how external factors like temperature, humidity, soil structure, and fertilizer affect tomato plant growth. However, little is known about how internal factors, particularly cell wall invertase, affect plant growth. This study aims to determine how the activity of the cell wall invertase enzyme regulates the apical and vegetative growth of plants. The study utilized four tomato plants, consisting of two transgenic and two wild-type plants. The transgenic plants in one set exhibit lower levels of the cell wall invertase, known as TLINA. Another set of transgenic plants, known as TINHI, exhibited higher levels of the cell wall invertase. We named both wild types of plants, WLINA and WINHI, respectively, and used them as the control plant. The study's results revealed that the transgenic plants (TLINA) ceased their apical shoot growth, leading to the growth of an axial shoot to take the place of the apical shoot. t. Also, the TLINA plants grew lower than wild-type plants. Interestingly, the vegetative organs of TINHI plants grew higher than both wild types and TLINA plants. This evidence suggested that cell wall invertase regulates the apical and vegetative organs of plants.

Effect of Different Storage Conditions on HMF, Diastase and Invertase Activity in A. florea Honey from Jalgaon District, North Maharashtra, India

The present study aimed to reveal the effect of different temperatures and storage duration on the Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) concentration, diastase, and invertase activity of Apis florea honey produced from Jalgaon district, North Maharashtra, India. For the assessment of HMF, diastase and invertase activity, samples were stored at 250C, 350C, 450C, 550C and 650C for the duration of 1, 3 and 5 h, and the variation in these contents were determined quantitatively. According to the results, heating temperatures of 550C and 650C had adverse effects on the concentration of HMF, diastase, and invertase activity compared to honey treated at 250C, 350C, and 450C. On the basis of duration of heating time, it was observed that temperature increased the HMF content while decreased the diastase and invertase activity in varying proportions. The concentration of HMF increased from 33.55 (1.15%) to 48.21 (45.4%) mg/kg, when stored at 65°C for 5 hours, suggesting that HMF levels rise with storage temperature and time. The enzymatic activity of diastase and invertase reduced by 59.9% and 72.1%, respectively, after 5 hours of storage at temperatures of 550C and 650C, indicates deactivation of diastase and invertase enzymes at high temperature and prolong storage duration. Therefore, it was concluded that during processing and storage of honey, heat treatment at higher temperatures (550C and 650C) may affect the HMF content and enzyme activity, which reduces honey quality and lifespan. However, the storage or processing temperatures should remain upto 450C to preserve HMF and enzymatic integrity which keep the quality and freshness of Apis florea honey.

Differential AMF-mediated biochemical responses in sorghum and oat plants under environmental impacts of neodymium nanoparticles

This study investigates the impact of neodymium (Nd) nanoparticle (NdNP) toxicity on the physiological and biochemical responses of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and oat (Avena sativa) plants and evaluates the potential mitigating effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Sorghum and oat plants were grown under controlled conditions with and without AMF inoculation, and subjected to NdNPs (500 mg Nd kg−1 soil). Results revealed that Nd nanoparticles significantly reduced biomass in both species, with a 50% decrease in sorghum and a 59% decrease in oats. However, AMF treatment ameliorated these effects, increasing biomass by 69% in oats under Nd nanoparticles toxicity compared to untreated contaminated plants. Soluble sugar metabolism was notably affected; AMF treatment led to significant increases in fructose and sucrose contents in both sorghum (+31% and +23%, respectively) and oat (+25% and +37%, respectively) plants under NdNPs toxicity. Improved sugar metabolism via enhanced activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (+29–54%) and invertase (+39–54%) enzymes resulted in higher proline (+21–81%) and polyamines (+49–52%) levels in AMF-treated plants under NdNPs toxicity, along with alterations in the biosynthesis pathways of amino acids and fatty acids, resulting in better osmoprotection and stress tolerance. Moreover, citrate (+29–55%) and oxalate (+177–312%) levels increased in both plants in response to NdNPs toxicity, which was accompanied by a positive response of isobutyric acid to AMF treatment in stressed plants, which potentially might serve as mechanisms for plants to mitigate NdNPs toxicity. These findings suggest that AMF can significantly mitigate Nd-induced damage and improve plant resilience through enhanced metabolic adjustments, highlighting a potential strategy for managing rare earth element (REE) nanoparticle toxicity in agricultural soils.

Innovative approaches in invertase immobilization: Utilizing green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles to improve biochemical properties

Invertase enzyme can effectively improve the taste, color, and durability of these products. Various methods have been proposed to increase the stability and efficiency of enzymes. One of the most important is enzyme immobilization, which can be implemented on different materials. The purpose of this study was to immobilize the invertase enzyme on the surface of green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles and to investigate its biochemical properties. The enzyme immobilization was confirmed by SEM and Raman spectroscopy. Then, the biochemical characteristics, such as optimal pH and temperature, thermal stability, and storage stability of free and immobilized enzymes, were determined. The results of SEM showed that the diameter of synthesized nanoparticles was about 60 ± 5 nm. FTIR of immobilized invertase confirmed the immobilization process. The immobilization efficiency was determined to be 72 %. Immobilized enzyme showed higher thermal stability at 40 and 50 °C. Immobilized enzyme could be used 8 times in optimum condition. Also, an Examination of the kinetic parameters of the immobilized enzyme compared with those of the free enzyme showed a decrease in the maximum velocity of the enzyme. It seems that the immobilized invertase has improved characteristics for application in different industries.

Effect of Ionizing Radiation on the Activity of the Enzyme Invertase Studied by Polarimetry

The effect of ionizing radiation on biological systems, and particularly the enzymes which are responsible for most cellular functions, leads to chemical alterations in their molecular structure, and as a subsequent result often causes inhibition of their activities. Of particular importance for understanding the molecular and kinetic mechanisms of action of ionizing radiation on these systems is to find suitable experimental protocols and kinetic models applicable to specific enzymes and their substrates. In the present study we offer a convenient experimental approach by applying polarimetric measurements to study the influence of ionizing radiation on the catalytic action of the enzyme invertase. Following the Michaelis- Menten kinetic model we determined the values of the kinetic constants Km и Vmax for the reactions catalyzed either by the native or irradiated invertase and made some conclusions about possible changes either in the active centre or in the molecular structure of the enzyme under the action of ionizing radiation.

Water-Nutrient Coupling Strategies That Improve the Carbon, Nitrogen Metabolism, and Yield of Cucumber under Sandy Cultivated Land

The purpose of this study was to explore the carbon and nitrogen metabolism mechanisms of sand-cultivated cucumbers under different deficit irrigation–nitrogen management strategies and provide a theoretical basis for their greenhouse management. This study set up two factors, the deficit irrigation level and the nitrogen application rate, and conducted an experiment on deficit irrigation–nitrogen coupling of sand-cultivated cucumbers using a quadratic saturation D–optimal design. Seven treatments were set up in the experiment, to measure the soluble sugar and protein contents, as well as the activity of key enzymes for carbon and nitrogen metabolism at five different growth stages. The results indicate that the 80% irrigation with 623 kg N hm−2 (IN4) treatment significantly improved the soluble sugar, protein, and actual leaf nitrogen contents of cucumber at the five different growth stages and, as a result, achieved higher sucrose synthase (SS) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activities in the cucumber leaves. Furthermore, such improvements were due to the reduction in oxidative damage of sand–cultivated cucumber at various growth stages. The IN4 and 89% irrigation with 1250 kg N hm−2 (IN5) treatments significantly increased the activities of RuBisCO, catalase (CAT), peroxidise (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) at various growth stages of sand-cultivated cucumber. The higher activities of glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthase (GS), acid invertase enzyme (AIE), neutral invertase enzyme (NIE), and better antioxidative enzyme activities were recorded under the IN4 treatments at various growth stages, which effectively improve (69.6%) cucumber yield. The soil properties, carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and antioxidant metabolism were positively correlated with sand-cultivated cucumber yield in a greenhouse. We concluded that the IN4 treatment was the better deficit irrigation–nitrogen management strategy because it considerably improves carbon and nitrogen metabolism, antioxidant enzyme activities, and sand–cultivated cucumber yield in a greenhouse.

Biochemical activity of peats of different genesis

The results of the study of enzymatic activity of peats of the three bogs of upper and lowland types – Saim, Bolshoye and Tungusovskoye (Tomsk region) are presented. The peculiarities of organic matter formation of peats of different types are given. It is shown that the properties of peats with up to eight different plants in their composition are a consequence of the different structure of polymers of the original plants. The activity indices of enzymes invertase, protease, catalase, polyphenol oxidase, nitrate and nitrite reductase in the peats of different genesis are determined. Thus, at the type level, the extreme values of nitrate and nitrite reductase activity in the peats of the upland bog are equal to 3.60–4.94 mg of reduced NO3– /24 h/g and 3.52–7.01 mg of reduced NO2–/24 h/g, respectively, lowland bog – 4.66–19.33 mg of reduced NO3–/24 h/g and 0.9–13.0 mg of reduced NO2 –/24 h/g, fluvial bog – 8.77–22.29 mg of reduced NO3–/24 h/g and 0.2–13.6 mg of reduced NO2 –/24 h/g. The activity of the enzyme in peats and in mineral soils is compared with the activity estimation according to the D.G. Zvyagintsev scale. Peats are found to show a wider range of invertase values than indicated by the scale. The need to develop a gradation of enzymatic activity assessment for peats is identified. Probably, the activity of enzymes on peat OM transformation may increase when external conditions change towards warming. In the future, it is suggested to develop an evaluation cadastre of peats by enzymatic activity, which will allow, through a balanced selection of peats for agricultural production, to ensure the required quality of products, their environmental safety and economic efficiency.

Educational activity of enzyme kinetics in an undergraduate biochemistry course: invertase enzyme as a model.

This article aims to simplify and facilitate the process of practical teaching of enzyme kinetics by utilizing minimal teaching laboratory requirements. Simultaneously, it ensures that students comprehend the enzyme kinetics experiment effectively. The focus is on teaching students how to estimate the maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant (Km) of β-fructofuranosidase enzyme (also known as invertase) isolated from dry yeast. The invertase enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose substrate into glucose and fructose, employing the Michaelis-Menten approach of evaluating invertase enzyme kinetics as well as Lineweaver-Burk linear graphic approach of evaluating the Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics. The practical experiment seeks to reinforce the concepts of initial velocity dependence on substrate concentration. The data presented in the work were generated from a genuine practical biochemistry course enrolled by second-year undergraduate students in the Department of Pharmacy and the Department of Medical Laboratory Science. While there were minor variations in the invertase enzyme kinetic parameters among students, they successfully carried out the experiment. The students accurately estimated the Vmax and Km of the invertase enzyme in the sucrose hydrolysis chemical reaction. Moreover, they demonstrated an understanding of the meanings of the kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) and the utility of the Lineweaver-Burk plot.

Industrial Approach to Invertase Production from Fruit Waste for Enhanced Efficiency and Conservation.

This study investigates the commercial viability of repurposing fruit waste for enzyme production, specifically focusing on the invertase enzyme derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. By utilizing fruit pulp that incorporates mulberry, carob, Figure, and grape pulp as a nutrient source, it is observed that the culture medium containing carob pulp exhibits the highest invertase activity. Specifically, the invertase activity in this medium is approximately 2.5 times greater (12.90 U/mg protein) than that observed in the peptone medium (5.98 U/mg protein). The extract undergoes several purification steps, including ultrafiltration, ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, and ion-exchange chromatography (purification ratio: 12.11 times, yield: 26.93%). The purified enzyme is immobilized using alginate beads, improving pH and thermal stability. The immobilized enzyme exhibits optimal activity between pH 3.50 and pH 7.00, thereby broadening the enzyme's high-activity pH range. The thermal stability of the immobilized invertase enzyme is significantly improved, especially at 65 °C. Activity studies in the presence of metal ions and certain chemicals have been conducted. The immobilized enzyme's activity increases by approximately 40% in the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+, and the immobilized enzyme maintains its activity in the presence of detergents such as SDS, Tween-20, and organic solvents like ethanol and methanol. The potential for the reuse of immobilized invertase was investigated under standard assay conditions. After 20 cycles, the immobilized enzyme was found to retain 80% of its initial activity. Overall, the study establishes the commercial potential of fruit pulp, typically discarded in fruit juice production, as a valuable source for obtaining an invertase enzyme. Furthermore, this study also aims to develop a suitable purification process for invertase in the fruit juice industry. By harnessing fruit waste and implementing innovative enzyme production strategies, industries can enhance their efficiency, reduce their environmental footprint, and optimize resource utilization.

Organic fertilizer application promotes the soil nitrogen cycle and plant starch and sucrose metabolism to improve the yield of Pinellia ternata

Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit is a traditional Chinese medicine with important pharmacological effects. However, its cultivation is challenged by soil degradation following excessive use of chemical fertilizer. We conducted an experiment exploring the effects of replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers (OF) on the growth and yield of P. ternata, as well as on the soil physicochemical properties and microbial community composition using containerized plants. Six fertilization treatments were evaluated, including control (CK), chemical fertilizer (CF), different proportions of replacing chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer (OM1−4). Containerized P. ternata plants in each OF treatment had greater growth and yield than the CK and CF treatments while maintaining alkaloid content. The OM3 treatment had the greatest yield among all treatments, with an increase of 42.35% and 44.93% compared to the CK and CF treatments, respectively. OF treatments improved soil quality and fertility by enhancing the activities of soil urease (S-UE) and sucrase (S-SC) enzymes while increasing soil organic matter and trace mineral elements. OF treatments increased bacterial abundance and changed soil community structure. In comparison to the CK microbial groups enriched in OM3 were OLB13, Vicinamibacteraceae, and Blrii41. There were also changes in the abundance of gene transcripts among treatments. The abundance of genes involved in the nitrogen cycle in the OM3 has increased, specifically promoting the transformation of N-NO3− into N-NH4+, a type of nitrogen more easily absorbed by P. ternata. Also, genes involved in "starch and sucrose metabolism" and "plant hormone signal transduction" pathways were positively correlated to P. ternata yield and were upregulated in the OM3 treatment. Overall, OF in P. ternata cultivation is a feasible practice in advancing sustainable agriculture and is potentially profitable in commercial production.

Termostable and effective immobilized invertase for sucrose determination in fruit juices

In this study, immobilization of invertase enzyme was performed on a previously synthesized and characterized poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone-co-butylacrylate-co-N hydroxymethylacrylamide) terpolymer membranes by covalent bonding method. Glutaraldehyde(GA) was used as the crosslinker and Bovine Serum Albumin(BSA) was used as the binding agent. Optimum pH, temperature, amount of polymer, substrate concentration, amount of BSA and amount of GA values were determined for both free and immobilized enzyme. Optimum pH and temperature values were found as pH = 5.0, T = 55 °C, pH = 7.0 and T = 80 °C for free and immobilized enzyme, respectively. In particular, the optimum temperature of 80 °C for the immobilized enzyme provides its potential to be used commercially. The kinetic parameters of the free enzyme and the immobilized enzyme were determined using the well known Lineweaver-Burk method. The Vmax values for free (13.4 μM/min) and immobilized enzyme (12.2 μM/min) were found as close to each other, while the Km value of the immobilized enzyme (8.33 mM) was much lower than that of the free enzyme (29.41 mM). In reuse studies conducted with peach and orange juices, it was determined that the immobilized enzyme retained approximately 90% of its activity even after 30 reuses within 1 month.

Assessment of the profile of fungal defense-related metabolites in tomatoes during ripening by classical and NMR techniques

This study assessed the profile of defense-related metabolites in tomatoes during ripening by classical and NMR techniques to infer their susceptibility to fungal damage at ripening. Tomatoes of the Khaki variety at different ripening stages were standardized regarding their ripeness indicators (color and relation sugar/acid). It was determined pectin content, phenolic profile and activity of enzymes invertase, polygalacturonase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, catalase and phenylalanine-ammonia-lyase. Both 1H and 13C NMR spectra were used for focusing on metabolites responsible for the defense mechanism, phenolic compounds and organic acids, reinforcing the results from conventional determination. The main change on the defense-related components at ripening stages were the phenolic profile, organic acid and activity of enzymes. The activity of enzymes related to the defense of the fruit decreased during the change from the turning stage to the ripe stage, suggesting that this is a critical point of management to prevent fungal post-harvest damage in tomatoes. The NMR technique was very promising to screening fruit metabolite profiles that were at different stages because it needs little sample preparation, releases fewer residues, results fast and it is less susceptible to experimental errors.

IbINV Positively Regulates Resistance to Black Rot Disease Caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata in Sweet Potato.

Black rot disease, caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata Ellis & Halsted, severely affects both plant growth and post-harvest storage of sweet potatoes. Invertase (INV) enzymes play essential roles in hydrolyzing sucrose into glucose and fructose and participate in the regulation of plant defense responses. However, little is known about the functions of INV in the growth and responses to black rot disease in sweet potato. In this study, we identified and characterized an INV-like gene, named IbINV, from sweet potato. IbINV contained a pectin methylesterase-conserved domain. IbINV transcripts were most abundant in the stem and were significantly induced in response to C. fimbriata, salicylic acid, and jasmonic acid treatments. Overexpressing IbINV in sweet potato (OEV plants) led to vigorous growth and high resistance to black rot disease, while the down-regulation of IbINV by RNA interference (RiV plants) resulted in reduced plant growth and high sensitivity to black rot disease. Furthermore, OEV plants contained a decreased sucrose content and increased hexoses content, which might be responsible for the increased INV activities; not surprisingly, RiV plants showed the opposite effects. Taken together, these results indicate that IbINV positively regulates plant growth and black rot disease resistance in sweet potato, mainly by modulating sugar metabolism.

Coffee Improvement by Wet Fermentation Using Lactobacillus plantarum: Sensory Studies, Proximate Analysis, Antioxidants, and Chemical Compounds

Fermentation has been developed to produce a distinctive taste in food, one of which is coffee. Fermentation affects the quality and taste of coffee in coffee beans. This study conducted coffee fermentation using Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria, isolates of Lactic Acid Bacteria. The research method begins with the preparation of Lactobacillus plantarum inoculants which will be used for coffee fermentation, fermentation, total phenol and flavonoid content, caffeine content, chlorogenic acid content, compound analysis, antioxidants, and proximate analysis. Total phenol and flavonoid, caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and antioxidant using the UV-VIS Spectrophotometer instrument. In addition, compound analysis is carried out using GC-MS. This study showed that the bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum would hydrolyze sucrose into simpler sugars with the enzyme invertase and produce organic acids through glycolysis. Liberica coffee fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria contains phenol compounds, flavonoids, antioxidants, and compound compounds higher than Original Liberica coffee. Meanwhile, the caffeine and chlorogenic acid of Liberica coffee fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria are lower than Original Liberica coffee. Overall, the chemical compounds of Liberica coffee that have been fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria are better than Original Liberica Coffee. Liberica coffee beans fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria have better physical quality and taste than Original Liberica coffee

Gene expression in some maize genotypes

Three genotypes of maize, namely (Baghdad, 5018, and Sara) were investigated in the fields of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad/ Al-Jadriya, in the fall season 2021-2022. With three sowing dates (26 July, 4 August, 12 August), The experiment was implemented according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The aim is to detect the expression of the INCW1 gene associated with sucrose-to-glucose analysis, which is critical for many metabolic functions in different sink tissues, and determine the amount of fold gene expression to find out which of the genotypes contain the invertase gene, and which ones have a high level of gene expression based on the fold of gene expression. The results showed significant differences in the invertase enzyme activity for the genotypes. The best genotype was (Sara) which showed a value of 1.14 mg-1.units.protein—followed genotype (Baghdad) 0.86 mg-1.units.protein. The least effective protein was for genotype (5018), which showed a value of 0.40 mg-1.units.protein. As for the sowing dates, the second sowing date (D2) was the best, which showed a value of 1.39 mg-1.units.protein. Followed by the third sowing date (D3), which showed a value of 0.51 mg-1.units.protein, and the first sowing date (D1), which showed the most negligible value of 0.51 mg-1units. The expression of the INCW1 gene varied in the genotypes of three sowing dates with values ranging between (0.30) and (2.38), where the genotype (Sara) at the second sowing date (D2), which showed the value highest of gene expression (2.38) and the exact date (D3) gave INCW1 gene showed value (2.21) for genotype (Baghdad). The genotypes also varied in their tolerance to increase or decrease the gene expression, which is considered one of the most important sucrose decomposition genes for maize crops. Keywords: - Invertase, gene expression, Zea mays. L, Sowing date, Genotype.

Melatonin mobilizes the metabolism of sugars, ascorbic acid and amino acids to cope with chilling injury in postharvest pear fruit

Chilling injury manifesting as internal browning is an irreversible physiological disorder in cold-stored ‘Yali’ pear fruit, which seriously restricts postharvest handling and commercialization of pear fruit. This study investigated the impact of melatonin (MN) treatment on chilling injury and the metabolism of sugars, ascorbic acid (AsA), proline, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) during chilling injury development in ‘Yali’ pears. The findings revealed that MN-treated pear fruit exhibited considerably improved tolerance to chilling stress compared with untreated control fruit. MN application augmented proline accumulation, likely owing to increased activities and transcriptional concentrations of Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase and ornithine-δ-aminotransferase as well as diminished activity and transcriptional level of proline dehydrogenase. MN immersion increased enzyme activities and gene expression related to the GABA shunt pathway, leading to increased GABA concentrations in cold-stored pear fruit. Furthermore, MN treatment elevated AsA concentrations in the fruit, exerting protective effects against cell membrane damage and mitigating oxidative stress damage caused by chilling. Compared with the control group, MN-treated fruit exhibited reduced neutral invertase enzyme activity and gene expression. Additionally, MN treatment increased both sucrose-phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase activities and gene expression in pear fruit. These observations indicated that the enhanced chilling tolerance of ‘Yali’ pear fruit following MN treatment may be associated with the regulation of proline, GABA, AsA, and soluble sugars metabolism.

Antidiabetic, antioxidant and cytotoxicity activities of ortho- and para-substituted Schiff bases derived from metformin hydrochloride: Validation by molecular docking and in silico ADME studies

Abstract This work evaluates the in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of two metformin hydrochloride-based Schiff bases. Moreover, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to examine the in vitro cytotoxic effects of HL1 and HL2 on the A549 lung cancer cell line. The two Schiff bases that have been previously synthesized by using two effective, green techniques, namely stirring and microwave-assisted, are N,N-dimethyl-N′-[(Z)-(2-nitrophenyl) methylidene] imidodicarbonimidic diamide and N,N-dimethyl-N′-[(Z)-(4-nitrophenyl) methylidene] imidodicarbonimidic diamide, indicated by HL1 and HL2, respectively. Studies of antidiabetic efficacy using alpha-amylase revealed that HL2 has a higher inhibition than HL1, but the results on sucrase enzyme showed that HL1 had the highest inhibitory action, whereas the outcome of the antioxidant test with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay demonstrated that HL2 was the most effective antioxidant, followed by ascorbic acid and HL1. In the MTT assay, HL1 had the best result, with an IC50 value of 57.13 µg/mL compared to HL2 with an IC50 value of 76.83 µg/mL. It was observed that HL1 was the most effective against the human lung cancer cell line A459. The findings were supported by computational and pharmacokinetic studies (SwissADME). Based on empirical and computational studies, we suggest that HL1 and HL2 are promising candidates as antioxidants and antidiabetics after being examined in vivo.

Combination of Biochar and Trichoderma harzianum Can Improve the Phytoremediation Efficiency of Brassica juncea and the Rhizosphere Micro-Ecology in Cadmium and Arsenic Contaminated Soil.

Phytoremediation is an environment-friendly method for toxic elements remediation. The aim of this study was to improve the phytoremediation efficiency of Brassica juncea and the rhizosphere soil micro-ecology in cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) contaminated soil. A field experiment was conducted with six treatments, including a control treatment (CK), two treatments with two contents of Trichoderma harzianum (T1: 4.5 g m-2; T2: 9 g m-2), one biochar treatment (B: 750 g m-2), and two combined treatments of T1B and T2B. The results showed Trichoderma harzianum promoted the total chlorophyll and translocation factor of Brassica juncea, while biochar promoted plant biomass compared to CK. T2B treatment showed the best results, which significantly increased Cd accumulation by 187.49-308.92%, and As accumulation by 125.74-221.43%. As a result, the soil's total Cd content was reduced by 19.04% to 49.64% and total As contents by 38.76% to 53.77%. The combined amendment increased the contents of soil available potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and organic matter. Meanwhile, both the activity of glutathione and peroxidase enzymes in plants, together with urease and sucrase enzymes in soil, were increased. Firmicutes (dominant bacterial phylum) and Ascomycota (dominant fungal phylum) showed positive and close correlation with soil nutrients and plant potentially toxic elements contents. This study demonstrated that phytoremediation assisted by biochar and Trichoderma harzianum is an effective method of soil remediation and provides a new strategy for enhancing plant remediation efficiency.

The Effect of Potassium, Microelements and Cultivar on the Activity of Invertase and Cellulase Enzymes for the Fruits of Date Palm (phoenix dactylifera L) Grown in Thi-Qar

The study was conducted during the growing season 2022 in one of the private orchards in Nasiriya district, the center of Thi-Qar governorate, with the aim of knowing the effect of spraying the fruits with potassium and microelements on the activity of the enzymes invertase and cellulase for two cultivars of date palm, Al-Shwethi and Al-Sayer, and for the two stages of Al-Khalal and Al-Rutab, as potassium was sprayed at concentrations of (0 and 2 and 4) ml L-1 and trace elements with concentrations of (0, 1 and 2) ml L-1 10 trees were selected from date palms 5 trees from Al-Shwethi cultivar and (5 trees) from Al-Sayer cultivar, The results of the study showed that there was a significant effect of spraying the fruits with potassium, and the concentration exceeded 4 ml L-1, and the highest rates of the activity of the invertase and cellulase enzymes for the Khalal stage were 38.61 and 30.90 units gm-1 min-1 respectively, and the concentration of microelements was achieved 2 ml L-1had the highest rates and a significant difference for the effectiveness of the invertase and cellulase enzymes for the interstitial stage, which amounted to 38.16 and 30.77 units gm-1 min-1, respectively. The highest rate of activity of the invertase enzyme was 39.04 and 22.00 gm-1 min-1 units, and the cellulase enzyme had rates of 33.50 and 17.73 gm-1 min-1 units for the wet and wet phases, respectively. All the double and triple interactions between the study factors had an impact Significantly increased the activity of the enzymes invertase and cellulase for both the interstitial and wet phases.

Introducing molasses as an alternative feedstock into itaconate production using Ustilago sp

In this work, we established an efficient process for the production of itaconate from the regionally sourced industrial side-stream molasses using Ustilago cynodontis and Ustilago maydis. While being relatively cheap and more environmentally friendly than refined sugars, there are some major challenges to overcome when working with molasses. Some of those challenges are a high nitrogen load, unknown impurities in the feedstock, and high amounts of ill-favoured carbon sources, such as sucrose or lactate. We could show that the activity of the sucrose-hydrolysing enzyme invertase plays a crucial role in the efficiency of the process and that the fructose utilisation differs between the two strains used in this work. Thus, with a higher invertase activity, the ability to convert fructose into the desired product itaconate, and an overall higher tolerance towards undesired substances in molasses, U. maydis is better equipped for the process on the alternative feedstock molasses than U. cynodontis. The established process with U. maydis reached competitive yields of up to 0.38 g g−1 and a titre of more than 37 g L−1. This shows that an efficient and cost-effective itaconate production process is generally feasible using U. maydis, which has the potential to greatly increase the sustainability of industrial itaconate production.