Optimization of the solid-state fermentation and properties of a polysaccharide from Paecilomyces cicadae (Miquel) Samson and its antioxidant activities in vitro

A rho-type GTPase activating protein affects the growth and development of Cordyceps cicadae

Cordyceps cicadae is recognized for its medicinal properties, attributed to bioactive constituents like polysaccharides and adenosine, which have been shown to improve kidney and liver functions and possess anti-tumor properties. Rho GTPase activating proteins (Rho GAPs) serve as inhibitory regulators of Rho GTPases in eukaryotic cells by accelerating the GTP hydrolysis of Rho GTPases, leading to their inactivation. In this study, we explored the function of the CcRga8 gene in C. cicadae, which encodes a Rho-type GTPase activating protein. Our study found that the knockout of CcRga8 resulted in a decrease in polysaccharide levels and an increase in adenosine concentration. Furthermore, the mutants exhibited altered spore yield and morphology, fruiting body development, decreased infectivity, reduced resistance to hyperosmotic stress, oxidative conditions, and cell wall inhibitors. These findings suggest that CcRga8 plays a crucial role in the development, stress response, and bioactive compound production of C. cicadae.

Optimisation of the production of a selenium-enriched polysaccharide from Cordyceps cicadae S1 and its structure and antioxidant activity

The fermentation medium of a newly identified Cordyceps cicadae S1 was optimized by response surface methodology, with the optimal medium containing sucrose (80 g/L), yeast powder (60 g/L), KH₂PO₄ (5 g/L), MgSO₄·7H₂O (1 g/L) and Na₂SeO₃ (0. 1 g/L). Under these conditions, the extracellular polysaccharide yield was 8.09 g/L. A novel selenium-enriched polysaccharide (PACI-1) was isolated from Cordyceps cicadae, purified and identified as a homofructose polysaccharide with a low average molecular weight of 9.95 × 10³ Da. The fine structure of PACI-1 was analyzed using NMR, CD, and AFM. Additionally, the in vitro antioxidant results showed that the PACI-1 had stronger antioxidant capacity than natural polysaccharides. These results provided a candidate strain for producing selenium polysaccharide and a new polysaccharide from C. cicadae, which showed good antioxidant activity.

Investigation of HER-3 gene expression under the influence of carbohydrate biopolymers extract of shiitake and reishi in MCF-7 cell line

INTRODUCTION

Edible-medicinal fungi are mainly used in Asian countries to prevent various diseases. These mushrooms are also used to treat lung diseases and cancer. Ganoderma lucidum and Lentinula edodes are the most important edible-medicinal fungi. The polysaccharides of these fungi are one of the bioactive compounds with anti-cancer properties.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of anti-cancer effects of Shiitake and Reishi polysaccharides.

METHODS

In this study, fungal polysaccharides were extracted using the hot water method and were purified by Diethylaminoethyl Sephadex A-25 (DEAE-Sephadex A-25) chromatography column and their concentration was measured by phenolic sulfuric acid method. The biological effects of the extracted polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum and Lentinula edodes on the MCF-7 cell line were investigated using an MTT assay and then its effects on the expression of the P53 cancer regulatory gene and HER-3 gene were investigated.

RESULTS

Based on the results, the concentration of Ganoderma lucidum and Lentinula edodes extracted polysaccharides were 0.024 and 0.103 mg/ml, respectively. Polysaccharides of these two fungi increased the expression of the P53 gene and decreased the expression of the HER-3 gene in a dose and time-dependent manner.

DISCUSSION

Natural biocompatible polysaccharides with anti-cancer properties that are native, are available, and inexpensive, so they can be used as dietary supplements to prevent and help treat cancer.

Bacillus cereus liquid fertilizer was produced from Agaricus bisporus industrial wastewater

During the Agaricus bisporus canning processes, a large number of water-soluble elements were dissolved into the processing hot water. This study was conducted to use the industrial wastewater of A. bisporus to prepare agricultural microbial fertilizer. In the work, the influence of 6 different liquid fermentation factors on the total biomass of living Bacillus cereus was evaluated with the one-factor-at-a-time method and the Plackett-Burman design. The total biomass of living B. cereus was most influenced by fermentation temperature, shaking speed, and inoculation volume, which were identified as the most critical independent variables for the B. cereus biomass. The approximate ranges of optimal fermentation conditions for the three key factors were identified by the path of steepest ascent. The center point of these factors were 24 ℃ of temperature, 250 rpm of shaking speed and 12 % inoculum amount, respectively. The Box-Behnken design was applied to derive a statistical model for optimizing the three fermentation factors for B. cereus biomass. After further optimizations based on statistical predictions, the optimum fermentation parameters for B. cereus cultured in the A. bisporus industrial wastewater were fermentation temperature of 24.8 °C, shaking speed of 234 rpm, inoculum dose of 12.2 % (v:v, %), industrial wastewater concentration of 4%, initial pH values of 6.5, loading liquid of 60 mL/250 mL, and culture time of 24 h. Culturing with the optimal fermentation conditions resulted in the biomass of B. cereus of 1.35 ± 0.02 × 10⁹ Obj/mL (N = 3), which was consistent with the predicted values (1.32 × 10⁹ Obj/mL) predicted by the corresponding regression models (p < 0.05), and more, was also far higher than that of the standard of agricultural bacterial fertilizers in People's Republic of China. Further, the results of field trial indicated that the of B. cereus liquid fertilizer can remarkably enhance the yield of Brassica chinensis L. It is practicable to make use of the industrial wastewater of A. bisporus to prepare the microbial fertilizer.

Can Cordyceps cicadae be used as an alternative to Cordyceps militaris and Cordyceps sinensis? - A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cordyceps cicadae (Mig.) Massee is one of the oldest and well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with its uses recorded as far back as the 5th century A.D. For centuries, C. cicadae has been used as food, tonic and folk medicine to treat malaria, palpitations, cancer, fever, diabetes, eye diseases, dizziness, and chronic kidney diseases. Although C. cicadae has been used as TCM for over 1600 years, it is not the most popular amongst the Cordyceps family. Cordyceps Sinensis (C. sinensis) and Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) are the most studied and widely used, with a number of commercially available products derived from these two Cordyceps species.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review seeks to look at the research that has been conducted on C. cicadae over the past 30 years, reporting on the biological activities, development and utilization. This information was compared to that focused on C. sinensis and C. militaris.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A literature search was conducted on different scientific search engines including, but not limited to "Web of Science", "ScienceDirect" and "Google Scholar" to identify published data on C. cicadae, I. cicadae, P. cicadae, C. sinensis and C. militaris.

RESULTS

Research conducted on C. cicadae over the past two decades have shown that it poses similar biological properties and chemical composition as C. sinensis and C. militaris. C. cicadae has been reported to grow in many geographic locations, as compared to C. sinensis, and can be artificially cultivated via different methods.

CONCLUSION

There exists sufficient evidence that C. cicadae has medicinal benefits and contain bioactive compounds similar to those found on C. sinensis and C. militaris. However, more research and standardization methods are still needed to directly compare C. cicadae with C. sinensis and C. militaris, in order to ascertain the suitability of C. cicadae as an alternative source of Cordyceps products.

Optimization of Culture Conditions for Amoxicillin Degrading Bacteria Screened from Pig Manure

(1) Objective: The objective of this study was to screen amoxicillin (AMX)-degrading bacterial strains in pig manure and optimize the fermentation conditions for these strains to achieve high fermentation rate, which can provide an effective way for the practical application of bacterial strains as antibiotic-degrading bacterial in treating livestock waste for antibiotic residues. (2) Methods: Antibiotic susceptibility tests and high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) were employed to screen AMX-degrading bacterial strains in pig manure. The culture conditions were optimized for AMX-degrading bacterial strains using Plackeet–Burman design (PBD), the steepest ascent design, and the response surface methods, coupled with the Box–Behnken design (BBD). The effects of culture time, temperature, rotator (mixing) speed, inoculum level, and initial pH value on the growth of AMX-degrading strains were investigated. Experimental data obtained from BBD were utilized to generate a second-order polynomial regression model for evaluating the effects of the tested variables on the optical density at 600 nm (OD₆₀₀) of culture solutions as the growth indicator for the screened AMX-degrading strains. (3) Results: The initial pH, culture time, and the inoculum level had significant effects on the OD₆₀₀ value (growth) of the screened AMX-degrading strains. The initial pH value was found to be the most critical factor influencing the growth of bacteria. The optimized culture condition for the bacterial growth determined by the response surface methodology was: the initial pH of 6.9, culture time of 52 h, and inoculum level of 2%. The average OD value of 12 different fermentation conditions in the initial fermentation tests in this study was 1.72 and the optimization resulted in an OD value of 3.00. The verification experiment resulted in an OD value of 2.94, which confirmed the adequacy of the optimization model for the determining the optimal culture condition. (4) Conclusions: The growth of the screened strain of AMX-degrading bacteria could be optimized by changing the fermentation conditions. The optimization could be achieved by using the Box–Behnken response surface method and Plackett–Burman experimental design.

Optimization of Ultrasonic Flavonoid Extraction from Saussurea involucrate, and the Ability of Flavonoids to Block Melanin Deposition in Human Melanocytes

(1) Background: Flavonoids are the primary medicinal ingredient of Saussurea involucrate, which have significant antioxidant capacity. Optimizing the extraction of Saussurea involucrate flavonoids (SIFs) and exploring the ability to block melanin deposition caused by reactive oxygen can greatly promote the development of S. involucrate whitening products. (2) Methods: Ultrasonic extraction process was optimized using the Box-Behnken design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM). Then, the effect of SIFs on antioxidant activity and anti-deposition of melanin, and genes related to the melanin synthesis are studied. (3) Results: The optimal extraction procedures are as follows: the extraction time, ethanol content, and solvent ratio (v/w) are 64 min, 54%, and 54:1, respectively. The reducing activity and scavenging rates of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, and ABTS⁺ were promoted as more S. involucrate flavonoid extract was added. The SIFs extract induced a decrease in the melanin synthesis by inhibiting the human melanoma A375 cell tyrosinase activity. SIFs also depress expression of melanin synthesis related genes. (4) Conclusions: the highest SIFs content was obtained by using 54% ethanol and 54:1 solvent ratio (v/w) for 64 min. The extract of SIFs exhibited good ability of antioxidant and anti-deposition of melanin in human melanocytes.

Harvesting of freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus sp. by electro-coagulation-flocculation for biofuel production: effects on spent medium recycling and lipid extraction

There is growing interest in recent times for microalgae as a sustainable energy source. However, efficient harvesting of microalgal biomass for various industrial applications is still considered a bottleneck. The present study attempts to evaluate microalgae Scenedesmus sp. harvesting using electro-coagulation-flocculation (ECF). Plackett-Burman design was exploited to explore the significant process parameters, whereas Taguchi's array design was employed for optimization. The optimal conditions were optimized as initial pH 5.0, electrolysis time 15 min, electrode distance 2 cm, sedimentation time 60 min, and current density 12 mA cm^-2 for complete harvesting. Under optimum conditions, the energy utilization and the operation cost of ECF process was estimated to be 2.65 kWh kg^-1 and USD 0.29 kg^-1, respectively. Thus, ECF-based microalgae harvesting was found as a low-cost technique. In addition, neutralizing pH and supplementing macro- and micronutrients enabled the flocculated medium to maintain an approximate growth yield in algal cultivation to that of the fresh BG11 medium. ECF did not affect the amount of microalgal lipids (28.6 ± 1.2, % wt.), chlorophyll a (8.3 ± 0.3 μg mL^-1), and fatty acid methyl ester composition (C15:0, C16:0, C17:0, and C18:0) as well. These results strongly recommend ECF as the most appropriate and promising method for harvesting Scenedesmus sp. for biofuel production.

Potential therapeutic effects of Cordyceps cicadae and Paecilomyces cicadae on adenine-induced chronic renal failure in rats and their phytochemical analysis

Background

Natural Cordyceps cicadae (C. cicadae) has been utilized extensively in traditional Chinese medicine to treat chronic renal diseases, heart palpitations, infantile convulsions, and dizziness. However, given its slow growth and immoderate exploitation, C. cicadae resources have been severely depleted. By contrast, Paecilomyces cicadae (P. cicadae), as the anamorph stage of C. cicadae, is easy to cultivate, and this kind of cultivated P. cicadae has good and controllable quality.

Purpose

This study aimed to compare the therapeutic effects of C. cicadae and P. cicadae on adenine-induced chronic renal failure (CRF) rats. In accordance with the aforementioned studies, our work subsequently analyzed the intrinsic relationships between the efficacy and pharmacodynamic substances of C. cicadae and P. cicadae to conclude whether or not P. cicadae could be used as an alternative to C. cicadae in treating CRF.

Methods

Rats were administered with C. cicadae (1.0 g/kg) or P. cicadae (1.0 g/kg) by gavage for 4 weeks. Furthermore, we applied Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and ultraviolet spectrophotometry to comprehensively detect and analyze the chemical constituent differences from ten batches each of C. cicadae and P. cicadae.

Results

This study revealed that both C. cicadae and P. cicadae exerted obvious therapeutic effects on CRF and were more consistent with their chemical compositions.

Conclusion

P. cicadae can be used as an alternative to C. cicadae for treating CRF to cater to market demands.

Identification of cordycepin biosynthesis-related genes through de novo transcriptome assembly and analysis in Cordyceps cicadae

Cordyceps cicadae (Chanhua) is a parasitic fungus that grows on Cicada flammata larvae and is used to relieve exhaustion and treat numerous diseases, in part through its active constituent, cordycepin. We used de novo Illumina HiSeq 4000 sequencing to obtain transcriptomes of C. cicadae mycelium, fruiting body, and sclerotium, and identify differentially expressed genes. In the mycelium versus sclerotium libraries, 1576 upregulated and 2300 downregulated genes were identified. In the mycelium versus fruiting body and fruiting body versus sclerotium body libraries, 1604 and 1474 upregulated and 1365 and 1320 downregulated genes, respectively, were identified. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses identified 19 genes differentially expressed in mycelium versus fruiting body as related to the purine pathway, along with 28 and 16 genes differentially expressed in the mycelium versus sclerotium and fruiting body versus sclerotium groups, respectively. Gene expression of six key enzymes was validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Specifically, 5'-nucleotidase (c62060g1) and adenosine deaminase (c35629g1) in purine nucleotide metabolism, which are involved in cordycepin biosynthesis, were significantly upregulated in the sclerotium group. These findings improved our understanding of genes involved in the biosynthesis of cordycepin and other characteristic secondary metabolites in C. cicadae.

Optimization of fermentation conditions for an Escherichia coli strain engineered using the response surface method to produce a novel therapeutic DNA vaccine for rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Fermentation condition optimization and nutrients screening are of equal importance for efficient production of plasmid DNA vaccines. This directly affects the downstream purification and final quality and yield of plasmid DNA vaccines. The present study aimed to optimize the fermentation conditions for high-throughput production of therapeutic DNA vaccine pcDNA-CCOL2A1 by engineered Escherichia coli DH5α, using the response surface method (RSM).

RESULTS

We hypothesized that optimized fermentation conditions significantly increase the yield of pcDNA-CCOL2A1 therapeutic DNA vaccine, a novel DNA vaccine for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Single-factor analysis was performed to evaluate the optimal basal culture medium from LB, 2 × YT, TB, M9 (Glycerol) and M9 (Glucose), respectively. Thereafter, the Plackett-Burman design (PBD) was used to ascertain the three most significant factors affecting the vaccine yields, followed by the paths of steepest ascent to move to the nearest region of maximum response. Initial screening through the PBD revealed that the most key factors were peptone, mannitol, and inoculum concentration. Subsequent use of RSM was further optimized for the production of therapeutic DNA vaccine pcDNA-CCOL2A1 through Box-Behnken design (BBD). The final optimized fermentation conditions were as follows: peptone, 25.86 g/L; mannitol, 8.08 g/L; inoculum concentration, OD = 0.36. Using this statistical experimental design, the yield of therapeutic DNA vaccine pcDNA-CCOL2A1 markedly increased from 223.37 mg/L to339.32 mg/L under optimal conditions, and a 51.9% increase was observed compared with the original medium.

CONCLUSIONS

The present results provide a basis for further production of high-quality and high-yield therapeutic DNA vaccine pcDNA-CCOL2A1 in pilot-scale and even industrial-scale.

Optimization of the culture condition of Bacillus mucilaginous using Agaricus bisporus industrial wastewater by Plackett-Burman combined with Box-Behnken response surface method

In the present study, conditions for Bacillus mucilaginous fermentation using Agaricus bisporus wastewater as culture medium were optimized. We analyzed the total number of living B. mucilaginous in the fermentation broth using multispectral imaging flow cytometry. Single-factor experiments were carried out, where a Plackett–Burman design was used to screen out three factors from the original six factors of processing wastewater solubility, initial pH, inoculum size, liquid volume, culture temperature, and rotation speed that affected the total number of viable B. mucilaginous. The Box–Behnken response surface method was used to optimize interactions between the three main factors and predict optimal fermentation conditions. Factors significantly affecting the total number of viable B. mucilaginous, including shaking speed, culturing temperature, and initial pH, were investigated. The optimum conditions for B. mucilaginous fermentation in A. bisporus wastewater were a rotational speed of 195 rpm, culture temperature of 29 °C, initial pH of 6.5, solubility of 0.5%, 8% inoculation volume, and 90 mL liquid volume in a 250 mL flask, culture time of 48 h. Under these conditions, the concentration of total viable bacteria reached 2.16 ± 0.02 × 10⁸ Obj/mL, which meets the national standard. A. bisporus wastewater can be used for the cultivation of B. mucilaginous.

The development of a Panax notoginseng medicinal liquor processing technology using the response surface method and a study of its antioxidant activity and its effects on mouse melanoma B16 cells

Panax notoginseng medicinal liquor (PML) has a long history of use in the function of blood circulation. However, the processing of PML is currently dependent on experience, which results in low efficiency and unstable quality of PML. A variety of substances of P. notoginseng have a strong ability to scavenge free radicals and antioxidant activity, but the antioxidant activity of PML has not been formally researched. The aim of the present study was to optimize the processing technology of PML and to verify the anti-oxidation and anti-deposition of melanin functions of PML. Based on the Box-Behnken design of response surface method, the PML processing parameters were established as follows: the ratio of liquid to solid 32 : 1, 53% of alcohol, and soaking time of 35 d. With elevating concentration of PML extract, the reducing force and scavenging rates of DPPH, superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical and ABTS⁺ were increased, and the inhibition rate of tyrosinase activity and the melanin synthesis ability were increased in mice melanoma B16 cells. Thus, the optimal processing technology not only shortened the processing time but also decreased the material costs. PML may be developed as food or beauty products for the functions of anti-oxidation and anti-deposition of melanin.

Enhanced production of polysaccharides and triterpenoids in Ganoderma lucidum fruit bodies on induction with signal transduction during the fruiting stage

Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom that has been widely used in East Asia for the treatment of various diseases. The pharmacological activity of this fungus is primarily attributable to the polysaccharides and triterpenoids. In this study, to obtain the fruit bodies with improved content of active constituents, we examined the effect of salicylic acid (SA) and calcium ion on the biosynthesis of polysaccharides and triterpenoids by spraying the chemicals during the fruiting. To explore the underlying mechanisms for the variation, the transcripts of related genes involved in the polysaccharide and triterpenoid biosynthesis were measured. Results showed that Ca²⁺ had no effect on production of polysaccharides and triterpenoids, whereas SA increased triterpenoid content by 23.32%, compared to the control, but it had little influence on polysaccharide production. Interestingly, the combined induction increased polysaccharide and triterpenoid content by 9.02% and 13.61%, respectively, compared to the control. Under Ca²⁺ induction, the transcript of ugp gene in the polysaccharide biosynthetic pathway up-regulated in all three stages (mycelium, primordium, and fruit body), while pgm and gls gave no response in the mycelium and primordium stages, and up-regulated in the fruit body stage. Differently, six key triterpenoid biosynthetic genes including hmgr, hmgs, mvd, fps, sqs, and ls did not respond to the induction. In the case of SA and combined induction, pgm and ugp were up-regulated in all three stages, while gls showed an increased expression in the primordium stage and no response in other stages. The six triterpenoid biosynthetic genes were up-regulated in all three stages. The present study provides a useful approach to producing G. lucidum fruit bodies with high polysaccharide and triterpenoid content. This is important to the G. lucidum industry.

Optimization Extraction, Preliminary Characterization and Antioxidant Activities of Polysaccharides from Semen Juglandis

The optimization extraction process, preliminary characterization and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides from Semen Juglandis (SJP) were studied in this paper. Based on the Box-Behnken experimental design and response surface methodology, the optimal extraction conditions for the SJP extraction were obtained as follows: temperature 88 °C, extraction time 125 min and ratio of liquid to solid 31 mL/g. Under these conditions, experimental extraction yield of SJP was (5.73 ± 0.014)% (n = 5), similar to the predicted value of 5.78%. Furtherly, the purified SJP obtained from SJP extract by DEAE-52 and Sephacryl S-100 chromatography was analyzed to be rhamnose, galacturonic acid, galactose, arabinose and fucose in the molar ratio of 1:6.34:1.38:3.21:1.56. And the weight-average molecular weight and radius of gyration of the purified SJP in 0.1 M NaCl were determined to be 2.76 × 10⁴ g/mol and 122 nm by SEC-MALLS, respectively. More importantly, it exhibited appreciable antioxidant activities compared to the standard Vc, such as DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ 0.21 mg/mL), strong reducing power, ABTS radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ 0.29 mg/mL), and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ 0.38 mg/mL). These results indicate that SJP may be useful for developing functional health products or natural antioxidant.

Antioxidative mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides promotes repair and regeneration following cavernous nerve injury

Polysaccharides extracted from Lycium barbarum exhibit antioxidant properties. We hypothesized that these polysaccharides resist oxidative stress-induced neuronal damage following cavernous nerve injury. In this study, rat models were intragastrically administered Lycium barbarum polysaccharides for 2 weeks at 1, 7, and 14 days after cavernous nerve injury. Serum superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities significantly increased at 1 and 2 weeks post-injury. Serum malondialdehyde levels decreased at 2 and 4 weeks. At 12 weeks, peak intracavernous pressure, the number of myelinated axons and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase-positive nerve fibers, levels of phospho-endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein and 3-nitrotyrosine were higher in rats administered at 1 day post-injury compared with rats administered at 7 and 14 days post-injury. These findings suggest that application of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides following cavernous nerve crush injury effectively promotes nerve regeneration and erectile functional recovery. This neuroregenerative effect was most effective in rats orally administered Lycium barbarum polysaccharides at 1 day after cavernous nerve crush injury.

Bioprocess for efficient production of recombinant Pichia anomala phytase and its applicability in dephytinizing chick feed and whole wheat flat Indian breads

The phytase of the yeast Pichia anomala (PPHY) is a suitable biocatalyst as a food and feed additive because of its adequate thermostability, acid stability, protease insensitivity and broad substrate spectrum. The cell-bound nature and low phytase titres are the main bottlenecks for its utility in food and feed industries. In this investigation, we have overcome the problems by constitutive secretory expression of PPHY under glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAP) promoter. A ~44-fold increase in rPPHY titre has been achieved after optimization of cultural variables by one-variable-at-a-time approach and two factorial statistical design. The use of GAP promoter makes the cultivation of the recombinant P. pastoris straight forward and eliminates the requirement of methanol for induction and hazards associated with its storage. Among metal-phytate complexes, Ca2+ phytate is hydrolyzed more efficiently by rPPHY than Co2+, Mn2+, Mg2+, Fe3+ and Zn2+ phytates. The enzyme is effective in dephytinizing whole wheat unleavened flat Indian breads (naan and tandoori) and different broiler feeds, thus mitigating anti-nutritional effects of phytates.

Effects of Selenylation Modification on Antioxidative Activities of Schisandra chinensis Polysaccharide

The selenylation modification of Schisandra chinensis polysaccharide (SCP) was conducted by the HNO₃–Na₂SeO₃ method respectively under nine conditions according to L₉(3⁴) orthogonal design. Nine selenizing SCPs, sSCP₁–sSCP₉, were obtained, and their antioxidant activities were compared. In vitro test, the free radical-scavenging rates of nine sSCPs were determined for DPPH., .OH and ABTS⁺. sSCP₁ presented the most significant effect, and could inhibit the nonenzymatic protein glycation. In vivo test, 14-day-old chickens were injected respectively with sSCP₁ and SCP, the serum contents of CAT, SOD and MDA were determined. The result showed that as compared with the SCP group, the SOD and CAT activities were significantly or numerically raised and MDA content was significantly or numerically lowered in the sSCP₁ group. These results indicate that selenylation modification can significantly enhance the antioxidant and antiglycative activity of SCP in vitro or in vivo. sSCP₁ possesses the best efficacy and its modification conditions can be as optimal modification conditions that were 200 mg of Na₂SeO₃ for 500 mg of SCP, reaction temperature of 50°C and reaction time of 6 h.

Strategic enhancement of algal biomass, nutrient uptake and lipid through statistical optimization of nutrient supplementation in coupling Scenedesmus obliquus-like microalgae cultivation and municipal wastewater treatment

Supplementing proper nutrients could be a strategy for enhancing algal biomass, nutrients uptake and lipid accumulation in the coupling system of biodiesel production and municipal wastewater treatment. However, there is scant information reporting systematic studies on screening and optimization of key supplemented components in the coupling system. The main factors were scientifically screened and optimized using statistical methods. Plackett-Burman design (PBD) was used to explore the roles of added nutrient factors, whereas response surface methodology (RSM) was employed for optimization. Based on the statistic analysis, the optimum added TP and FeCl3·6H2O concentrations for Scenedesmus obliquus-like microalgae growth, nutrients uptake and lipid accumulation were 4.41 mg L(-1) and 6.48 mg L(-1), respectively. The corresponding biomass, lipid content and TN/TP removal efficiency were 1.46 g L(-1), 36.26% and >99%. The predicted value agreed well with the experimental value, as determined by validation experiments, which confirmed the availability and accuracy of the model.