Changes in invertase activities and reducing sugar content in sweetpotato stored at different temperatures

Influence of development, postharvest handling, and storage conditions on the carbohydrate components of sweetpotato (Ipomea batatas Lam.) roots

Changes in total starch and reducing sugar content in five sweetpotato varieties were investigated weekly during root development and following subjection of the roots to different postharvest handling and storage conditions. Freshly harvested (noncured) roots and cured roots (spread under the sun for 4 days at 29–31°C and 63–65% relative humidity [RH]) were separately stored at ambient conditions (23°C–26°C and 70–80% RH) and in a semiunderground pit (19–21°C and 90–95% RH). Changes in pasting properties of flour from sweetpotato roots during storage were analyzed at 14‐day intervals. Significant varietal differences (p < .05) in total starch, sucrose, glucose, maltose, and fructose concentrations were registered. The total starch and sucrose content of the roots did not change significantly (p < .05) during root development (72.4 and 7.4%, respectively), whereas the average concentrations of glucose, maltose, and fructose decreased markedly (0.46–0.18%, 0.55–0.28%, and 0.43–0.21%), respectively. Storage led to decrease in total starch content (73–47.7%) and increase in sucrose and glucose concentrations (8.1–11.2% and 0.22–1.57%, respectively). Storage also resulted in reduction in sweetpotato flour pasting viscosities. Curing resulted in increased sucrose and glucose concentrations (9.1–11.2% and 0.45–0.85%, respectively) and marked reduction (p < .05) in total starch content (72.9–47.6%). This resulted in low pasting viscosities compared to flour from storage of uncured roots. These findings show that significant changes occur in the carbohydrate components of sweetpotato roots during storage compared to development and present an opportunity for diverse utilization of flours from sweetpotato roots in the food industry.

Stability of targeted metabolite profiles of urine samples under different storage conditions

INTRODUCTION

Few studies have investigated the influence of storage conditions on urine samples and none of them used targeted mass spectrometry (MS).

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the stability of metabolite profiles in urine samples under different storage conditions using targeted metabolomics.

METHODS

Pooled, fasting urine samples were collected and stored at -80 °C (biobank standard), -20 °C (freezer), 4 °C (fridge), ~9 °C (cool pack), and ~20 °C (room temperature) for 0, 2, 8 and 24 h. Metabolite concentrations were quantified with MS using the AbsoluteIDQ™ p150 assay. We used the Welch-Satterthwaite-test to compare the concentrations of each metabolite. Mixed effects linear regression was used to assess the influence of the interaction of storage time and temperature.

RESULTS

The concentrations of 63 investigated metabolites were stable at -20 and 4 °C for up to 24 h when compared to samples immediately stored at -80 °C. When stored at ~9 °C for 24 h, few amino acids (Arg, Val and Leu/Ile) significantly decreased by 40% in concentration (P < 7.9E-04); for an additional three metabolites (Ser, Met, Hexose H1) when stored at ~20 °C reduced up to 60% in concentrations. The concentrations of four more metabolites (Glu, Phe, Pro, and Thr) were found to be significantly influenced when considering the interaction between exposure time and temperature.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that 78% of quantified metabolites were stable for all examined storage conditions. Particularly, some amino acid concentrations were sensitive to changes after prolonged storage at room temperature. Shipping or storing urine samples on cool packs or at room temperature for more than 8 h and multiple numbers of freeze and thaw cycles should be avoided.

Chemical constituents and health effects of sweet potato

Sweet potatoes are becoming a research focus in recent years due to their unique nutritional and functional properties. Bioactive carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, conjugated phenolic acids, and minerals represent versatile nutrients in different parts (tubers, leaves, stems, and stalks) of sweet potato. The unique composition of sweet potato contributes to their various health benefits, such as antioxidative, hepatoprotective, antiinflammatory, antitumor, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiobesity, antiaging effects. Factors affecting the nutritional composition and bio-functions of sweet potato include the varieties, plant parts, extraction time and solvents, postharvest storage, and processing. The assays for bio-function evaluation also contribute to the variations among different studies. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the chemical composition of sweet potato, and their bio-functions studied in vitro and in vivo. Leaves, stems, and stalks of sweet potato remain much underutilized on commercial levels. Sweet potato can be further developed as a sustainable crop for diverse nutritionally enhanced and value-added food products to promote human health.

Studies of sugar composition and starch morphology of baked sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam)

Sugar composition of seven sweet potato cultivars was successfully analyzed. Fresh CYY95-26 sweet potatoes had the highest (8.41%) total sugar content while TNG73 had the lowest (4.5%). For these fresh sweet potatoes, maltose content was very low (0 ~ 0.39%). Because 49.92 ~ 92.43% of total sugars were sucrose, sucrose was the major sugar composition of fresh sweet potatoes. After the baking treatment, the total sugar content of baked sweet potatoes was dramatically increased due to the formation of maltose. The maltose content significantly increased from 0 ~ 0.39% to 8.81 ~ 13.97% on dry weight basis. Therefore, maltose should be included in calculating the total sugar content. Electronic micrographs of fresh sweet potato samples showed that the size of starch granules was generally less than 20 μm. After the baking treatment, starch granules completely gelatinized.

Altered carbohydrate metabolism in the storage roots of sweet potato plants overexpressing the SRF1 gene, which encodes a Dof zinc finger transcription factor

In order to characterize the functions of the sweetpotato SRF1 gene, which encodes a Dof zinc finger transcriptional factor preferentially expressed in the storage roots, we isolated its full length cDNA and produced transgenic sweetpotato plants with altered SRF1 expression levels. The isolated cDNA of SRF1 encoded a polypeptide of 497 amino acids and was closely related to the cyclic Dof factors of Arabidopsis and the ascorbate oxidase binding protein of pumpkin. SRF1 was most highly expressed in storage roots, although some expression was also observed in other vegetative tissue. Transgenic plants overexpressing SRF1 showed significantly higher storage root dry matter content compared to the original cultivar Kokei No. 14 or control transgenic plants. In these plants, the starch content per fresh weight of the storage roots was also higher than that of the wild-type plants, while the glucose and fructose content drastically decreased. Among the enzymes involved in the sugar metabolism, soluble acid invertase showed a decreased activity in the transgenic plants. Gene expression analysis showed that the expression of Ibbetafruct2, which encodes an isoform of vacuolar invertase, was suppressed in the transgenic plants overexpressing the SRF1 gene. These data suggest that SRF1 modulates the carbohydrate metabolism in the storage roots through negative regulation of a vacuolar invertase gene.

Gene expression activity and pathway selection for sucrose metabolism in developing storage root of sweet potato

Development of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) storage root coincides with starch accumulation made using cleaved products of imported photoassimilate sucrose. The genes and pathways are predominantly active for sucrose metabolism in developing storage root were unknown. In this study, we used both an expressed sequence tag (EST) approach and a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) approach to answer this question. Sucrose synthase (SuSy) was found to be significantly more frequent in storage root ESTs than in fibrous root ESTs. SuSy was the most abundant carbohydrate-metabolism gene in the storage-root ESTs. RT-PCR results confirmed this by showing that invertase was active in fibrous roots but rapidly decreased to an undetectable level during storage root development while SuSy became predominant. Invertase expression was also detectable in young immature storage root and shoot tips, suggesting an involvement in cell formation. SuSy expression pattern showed considerable similarity to that of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, an essential enzyme for starch synthesis. The results indicated that (i). SuSy was the most actively expressed enzyme in sucrose metabolism in developing storage root and was correlated with sink strength, and (ii). whereas invertase was active at cell formation stages, SuSy pathway was predominant for sucrose cleavage related to starch-accumulation.