Enrichment and Identification of the Most Abundant Zinc Binding Proteins in Developing Barley Grains by Zinc-IMAC Capture and Nano LC-MS/MS

Interactions of zinc with phytate and phytase in the digestive tract of poultry and pigs: a review

Phytase supplementation is gaining importance in animal nutrition because of its effect on phosphorus (P) digestibility and the increasing relevance of P for sustainable production. The potential inhibitors of phytase efficacy and phytate degradation, such as calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn), have been a subject of intense research. This review focuses on the interactions of Zn with phytate and phytase in the digestive tract of poultry and pigs, with an emphasis on the effects of Zn supplementation on phytase efficacy and P digestibility. In vitro studies have shown the inhibitory effect of Zn on phytase efficacy. However, relevant in vivo studies are scarce and do not show consistent results for poultry and pigs. The results could be influenced by different factors, such as diet composition, amount of Zn supplement, mineral concentrations, and phytase supplementation, which limit the comparability of studies. The chosen response criteria to measure phytase efficacy, which is mainly tibia ash, could also influence the results. Compared to poultry, the literature findings are somewhat more conclusive in pigs, where pharmacological Zn doses (≥ 1000 mg kg-1 Zn) appear to reduce P digestibility. To appropriately evaluate the effects of non-pharmacological Zn doses, further studies are needed that provide comprehensive information on their experimental setup and include measurements of gastrointestinal phytate degradation to better understand the mechanisms associated with Zn and phytase supplements. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Molecular Mapping of Biofortification Traits in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Using a High-Density SNP Based Linkage Map

A set of 188 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between a high-yielding Indian bread wheat cultivar HD2932 and a synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) Synthetic 46 derived from tetraploid Triticum turgidum (AA, BB 2n = 28) and diploid Triticum tauschii (DD, 2n = 14) was used to identify novel genomic regions associated in the expression of grain iron concentration (GFeC), grain zinc concentration (GZnC), grain protein content (GPC) and thousand kernel weight (TKW). The RIL population was genotyped using SNPs from 35K Axiom® Wheat Breeder's Array and 34 SSRs and phenotyped in two environments. A total of nine QTLs including five for GPC (QGpc.iari_1B, QGpc.iari_4A, QGpc.iari_4B, QGpc.iari_5D, and QGpc.iari_6B), two for GFeC (QGfec.iari_5B and QGfec.iari_6B), and one each for GZnC (QGznc.iari_7A) and TKW (QTkw.iari_4B) were identified. A total of two stable and co-localized QTLs (QGpc.iari_4B and QTkw.iari_4B) were identified on the 4B chromosome between the flanking region of Xgwm149-AX-94559916. In silico analysis revealed that the key putative candidate genes such as P-loop containing nucleoside triphosphatehydrolase, Nodulin-like protein, NAC domain, Purine permease, Zinc-binding ribosomal protein, Cytochrome P450, Protein phosphatase 2A, Zinc finger CCCH-type, and Kinesin motor domain were located within the identified QTL regions and these putative genes are involved in the regulation of iron homeostasis, zinc transportation, Fe, Zn, and protein remobilization to the developing grain, regulation of grain size and shape, and increased nitrogen use efficiency. The identified novel QTLs, particularly stable and co-localized QTLs are useful for subsequent use in marker-assisted selection (MAS).

Modification of storage proteins in the barley grain increases endosperm zinc and iron under both normal and elevated atmospheric CO2

Increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration is expected to enhance the grain yield of C₃ cereal plants, while at the same time reducing the concentrations of minerals and proteins. This will lead to a lower nutritional quality and increase global problems associated with micronutrient malnutrition. Among the barley grain storage proteins, the C-hordein fraction has the lowest abundance of sulfur (S) containing amino acids and is poorest in binding of zinc (Zn). In the present study, C-hordein-suppressed barley lines with reduced C-hordein content, obtained by use of antisense or RNAi technology, were investigated under ambient and elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Grains of the C-hordein-suppressed lines showed 50% increase in the concentrations of Zn and iron (Fe) in the core endosperm relative to the wild-type under both ambient and elevated atmospheric CO₂ . Element distribution images obtained using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry confirmed the enrichment of Fe and Zn in the core endosperm of the lines with modified storage protein composition. We conclude that modification of grain storage proteins may improve the nutritional value of cereal grain with respect to Zn and Fe under both normal and future conditions of elevated atmospheric CO₂ .

Genetic determinants of micronutrient traits in graminaceous crops to combat hidden hunger

KEY MESSAGE

Improving the nutritional content of graminaceous crops is imperative to ensure nutritional security, wherein omics approaches play pivotal roles in dissecting this complex trait and contributing to trait improvement. Micronutrients regulate the metabolic processes to ensure the normal functioning of the biological system in all living organisms. Micronutrient deficiency, thereby, can be detrimental that can result in serious health issues. Grains of graminaceous crops serve as an important source of micronutrients to the human population; however, the rise in hidden hunger and malnutrition indicates an insufficiency in meeting the nutritional requirements. Improving the elemental composition and nutritional value of the graminaceous crops using conventional and biotechnological approaches is imperative to address this issue. Identifying the genetic determinants underlying the micronutrient biosynthesis and accumulation is the first step toward achieving this goal. Genetic and genomic dissection of this complex trait has been accomplished in major cereals, and several genes, alleles, and QTLs underlying grain micronutrient content were identified and characterized. However, no comprehensive study has been reported on minor cereals such as small millets, which are rich in micronutrients and other bioactive compounds. A comparative narrative on the reports available in major and minor Graminaceae species will illustrate the knowledge gained from studying the micronutrient traits in major cereals and provides a roadmap for dissecting this trait in other minor species, including millets. In this context, this review explains the progress made in studying micronutrient traits in major cereals and millets using omics approaches. Moreover, it provides insights into deploying integrated omics approaches and strategies for genetic improvement in micronutrient traits in graminaceous crops.

A unified resource and configurable model of the synapse proteome and its role in disease

Genes encoding synaptic proteins are highly associated with neuronal disorders many of which show clinical co-morbidity. We integrated 58 published synaptic proteomic datasets that describe over 8000 proteins and combined them with direct protein-protein interactions and functional metadata to build a network resource that reveals the shared and unique protein components that underpin multiple disorders. All the data are provided in a flexible and accessible format to encourage custom use.

Post-synthesis of biomimetic chitosan with honeycomb-like structure for sensitive recognition of phosphorylated peptides

Chemical modification of biological materials is indispensable for enrichment of phosphorylated peptides. In this work, we synthesized a biomimetic honeycombed affinity chromatography (IMAC) adsorbent by preparing Crosslinked Chitosan, chelating aminomethyl phosphate decorated with Ti (IV) cation. The as-prepared CTSM@AMPA-Ti⁴⁺ composites with stable structure, low steric hindrance, and high Ti⁴⁺ loading amount were used as a promising adsorbent for enrichment of phosphopeptides. CTSM@AMPA-Ti⁴⁺ showed extremely high sensitivity (0.4 fmol) and selectivity at a low composition molar ratio of β-casein/BSA (1:1000). What's more, it can keep its performance in the case that used to capture phosphorylated peptides from standard protein ten times or soaking in the acid/base solution for a long time. In addition, CTSM@AMPA-Ti⁴⁺ successfully captured 35 phosphorylated peptides from human saliva. This study offers a way about diversiform functionalization of CTSM in phosphoproteome analysis and disease research.

Pre-treatment and temperature effects on the use of slow release electron donor for biological sulfate reduction

Lignocellulosic materials can be used as slow release electron donor (SRED) for biological sulfate reduction, potentially enhancing the subsequent metal sulfide precipitation. Lignocellulosic materials require a pre-treatment step in other biotechnological applications, but pre-treatment strategies for its use as a SRED for biological sulfate reduction have not yet been tested. Three pre-treatments strategies (mechanical, acid, and mechanical followed by acid pre-treatment) were tested to enhance electron donor release from brewery spent grain (BSG), and compared to a non-pre-treated control. Mechanical pre-treatment provided the highest sulfate removal rate (82.8 ± 8.8 mg SO₄^2-.(g TVS.day)^-1), as well as the highest final sulfide concentration (441.0 ± 34.4 mg.L^-1) at mesophilic conditions. BSG submitted to mechanical pre-treatment was also assessed under psychrophilic and thermophilic conditions. Under mesophilic and psychrophilic conditions, both sulfate reduction and methane production occurred. Under psychrophilic conditions, the sulfate reduction rate was lower (25 ± 2.0 mg SO₄^2-.(g TVS.day)^-1), and the sulfide formation depended on lactate addition. A metal precipitation assay was conducted to assess whether the use of SRED enhances metal recovery. Zinc precipitation and recovery with chemical or biogenic sulfide from the BSG batches were tested. Sulfide was provided in a single spike or slowly added, mimicking the effect of SRED. ZnS was formed in all conditions, but better settling particles were obtained when sulfide was slowly added, regardless of the sulfide source.