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The transcription factor PavERF28 promotes fruit softening by regulating cell wall degradation in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.).

Fruit softening is a critical determinant of shelf life and marketability in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.). This process is predominantly driven by cell wall disassembly, which is tightly regulated by transcription factors. Despite evidence for ethylene's role in sweet cherry softening, how these signals are transduced to regulate the expression of cell wall-modifying genes is unclear. Here, we identified the ethylene-responsive transcription factor PavERF28 as a key regulator in this process. Overexpression of PavERF28 significantly upregulated the transcriptional levels of genes involved in pectin degradation (including genes encoding polygalacturonase, pectin methylesterase inhibitor, and pectate lyase), thus effectively enhancing fruit softening. Moreover, heterologous overexpression of PavERF28 in tomato confirmed its function in promoting fruit softening. At the molecular level, PavERF28 was shown to directly activate the expression of two polygalacturonase genes (PavPG1 and PavPL5) by binding to their promoters, which catalyze pectin depolymerization and thus drive softening. Collectively, our work provides an in-depth elucidation of the regulatory mechanism by which ERF family members control fruit softening in sweet cherry and offers potential targets for the manipulation of fruit ripening, especially softening.

Cell Wall↗

Sequential design of a novel PVA-based crosslinked ethylenic homopolymer for extended drug delivery.

A Box-Behnken Design was employed to study the influence of boric acid, sodium sulfate, ammonia and n-propanol in the formulation of crosslinked ethylenic homopolymeric (CEH) gelispheres from native polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The dependent variables studied included the size of the spherical gelispheres, drug encapsulation efficiency, in vitro dissolution after 30 min and textural parameters, namely fracture force and matrix rupture energy. Based on these responses, an optimized CEH gelisphere matrix was formulated and thereafter incorporated as a powder into a candidate crosslinked zinc-pectinate multiple-unit device to assess its effect on modifying drug release. In the case of the CEH-loaded zinc-pectinate gelispheres, it was determined via constrained optimization that a maximum drug encapsulation efficiency of 28.63% could be obtained under the conditions of 0% (w/v) CEH, 13 h of crosslinking and drying temperature of 60 degrees C. On the other hand, initial drug release could be significantly retarded when 0.10% (w/v) of CEH was included in the formulation and crosslinked for 24 h at 40 degrees C. In this regard, CEH induced a 4 h lag phase. Furthermore, zero-order drug release was produced and could be maintained over several weeks. Kinetic analysis of drug release further supported that CEH inhibits polymer relaxation (k2<<k1), and hence slows down drug diffusion. Based on these results, the CEH-zinc-pectinate drug delivery system appears to be a suitable carrier that may be employed for long-term administration for, e.g. via subcutaneous implantation.

1-Propanol↗

Performance comparison of neural network training algorithms in modeling of bimodal drug delivery.

The major aim of this study was to model the effect of two causal factors, i.e. coating weight gain and amount of pectin-chitosan in the coating solution on the in vitro release profile of theophylline for bimodal drug delivery. Artificial neural network (ANN) as a multilayer perceptron feedforward network was incorporated for developing a predictive model of the formulations. Five different training algorithms belonging to three classes: gradient descent, quasi-Newton (Levenberg-Marquardt, LM) and genetic algorithm (GA) were used to train ANN containing a single hidden layer of four nodes. The next objective of the current study was to compare the performance of aforementioned algorithms with regard to predicting ability. The ANNs were trained with those algorithms using the available experimental data as the training set. The divergence of the RMSE between the output and target values of test set was monitored and used as a criterion to stop training. Two versions of gradient descent backpropagation algorithms, i.e. incremental backpropagation (IBP) and batch backpropagation (BBP) outperformed the others. No significant differences were found between the predictive abilities of IBP and BBP, although, the convergence speed of BBP is three- to four-fold higher than IBP. Although, both gradient descent backpropagation and LM methodologies gave comparable results for the data modeling, training of ANNs with genetic algorithm was erratic. The precision of predictive ability was measured for each training algorithm and their performances were in the order of: IBP, BBP>LM>QP (quick propagation)>GA. According to BBP-ANN implementation, an increase in coating levels and a decrease in the amount of pectin-chitosan generally retarded the drug release. Moreover, the latter causal factor namely the amount of pectin-chitosan played slightly more dominant role in determination of the dissolution profiles.

Acrylic Resins↗

Analysis of methylated and unmethylated polygalacturonic acid structure by polysaccharide analysis using carbohydrate gel electrophoresis.

The electrophoretic migration in polyacrylamide gels of oligogalacturonic acids (OGAs) derivatized by a fluorophore (2-aminoacridone) was studied. We found conditions such that OGAs can be separated up to a degree of polymerization (DP) of 40. The migration was dependent on degree of methylation and DP, because the OGA mobility relies on the charge of the galacturonic acid residues. Since both methylated and unmethylated oligosaccharides can be resolved, polysaccharide analysis using carbohydrate gel electrophoresis (PACE) is a powerful method for studying the fingerprint of pectin hydrolysis. It can be used to characterize endopolygalacturonase (Endo-PG) tolerance of methylation. Furthermore, using an Endo-PG that can distinguish low and highly methylated pectin, PACE can be used to investigate the blockwise or nonblockwise distribution of methylation of polygalacturonic acid. We show that the method can be applied to crude cell wall preparations of Arabidopsis inflorescence stems. Using chemical deesterification before or after Endo-PG digestion, we show that in the Arabidopsis cell wall, the pectins have both nonesterified and highly esterified regions.

Arabidopsis↗

Synergy between enzymes from Aspergillus involved in the degradation of plant cell wall polysaccharides.

Synergy in the degradation of two plant cell wall polysaccharides, water insoluble pentosan from wheat flour (an arabinoxylan) and sugar beet pectin, was studied using several main-chain cleaving and accessory enzymes. Synergy was observed between most enzymes tested, although not always to the same extent. Degradation of the xylan backbone by endo-xylanase and beta-xylosidase was influenced most strongly by the action of alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase and arabinoxylan arabinofuranohydrolase resulting in a 2.5-fold and twofold increase in release of xylose, respectively. Ferulic acid release by feruloyl esterase A and 4-O-methyl glucuronic acid release by alpha-glucuronidase depended largely on the degradation of the xylan backbone by endo-xylanase but were also influenced by other enzymes. Degradation of the backbone of the pectin hairy regions resulted in a twofold increase in the release of galactose by beta-galactosidase and endo-galactanase but did not significantly influence the arabinose release by arabinofuranosidase and endo-arabinase. Ferulic acid release from sugar beet pectin by feruloyl esterase A was affected most strongly by the presence of other accessory enzymes.

Arabinose↗

CP-MAS NMR analysis of carbohydrate fractions of soybean hulls and endosperm.

CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy was used to identify soybean cellulose and pectin extracts and to investigate the kinetics of cross polarization. The in vitro incubation of cellulose and pectin, extracted from soya hull and endosperm, respectively, with sheep rumen fluid was followed with this technique. The difference in enzymatic degradability between ChSS and DASS, two pectins with identical monosaccharide composition, was explained by the degree of esterification that is lower in DASS. Variable contact time CP-MAS NMR experiments of the cellulose fraction during the incubation revealed that cellulose was degraded in a layer-by-layer way.

Cellulose↗

Generation of monoclonal antibody specific to (1-->5)-alpha-L-arabinan.

A neoglycoprotein (a heptasaccharide of (1-->5)-alpha-L-linked-arabinosyl residues linked to bovine serum albumin) has been used to generate a rat monoclonal antibody specific to a linear chain of (1-->5)-alpha-L-arabinan which is a structural feature of the side chains of pectins. The antibody, designated LM6, detected 100 ng of debranched sugar beet arabinan in an immunodot binding assay and 1 microgram of commercial citrus pectin in a similar assay. Hapten inhibition studies indicated that the antibody recognized 5-6 Ara residues and 50% inhibition of antibody binding in a competitive inhibition ELISA was achieved with ca. 2ng (21 nM) of (1-->5)-alpha-L-Arabinohexaose. The antibody will be useful for the localization of arabinans in plant tissue and will have uses in the analyses of pectin structure. We report here on the localization of the arabinan epitope in lemon fruits using tissue printing.

Animals↗

Pectinolytic enzymes from Pseudomonas marginalis MAFF 03-01173.

Two pectinolytic enzymes were purified from the culture broth of Pseudomonas marginalis pv. marginalis MAFF 03-01173 with total 33% recovery of the initial activity. From the substrate specificities against pectin and polygalacturonic acid, the requirement of calcium ion for the enzymatic activity, and the N-terminal sequences, the enzymes were identified as pectin lyase and pectate lyase. The M,s of pectin lyase and pectate lyase were estimated to be 34,000 and 43,000, respectively, by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Both enzymes showed almost the same pH dependent activity curves with the highest activity at pH 8.3

Amino Acid Sequence↗

In vitro release modulation from crosslinked pellets for site-specific drug delivery to the gastrointestinal tract. I. Comparison of pH-responsive drug release and associated kinetics.

Multiple unit dosage forms for oral delivery of bioactive agents offer many advantages over single unit products (e.g., site-specific delivery, predictable gastrointestinal transit time and less localized adverse effects). In view of such benefits, this paper investigates the crosslinking of sodium alginate, low methoxylated pectin and their novel binary mixture with calcium ions through ionotropic gelation to pelletize the model drug, diclofenac sodium, using "environmentally benign" solvents and processing techniques. Crosslinked pellets of the above polymers in 2% (w/v) aqueous calcium chloride solution were prepared and evaluated for their structural and release behavior. The average size of the different pellets was 1.3 mm and drug entrapment capacity was optimized by reducing the calcium chloride solution pH to 1.6. Three types of pellet formulations were subjected to dissolution studies using the USP 23 Apparatus 2 and 3 over a pH range simulating the human gastrointestinal tract. Negligible drug release occurred in pH 1-4. However, rate of drug release in pH 6.6 ranged from rapid to slow (i. e., 100% drug release in 4 to 10 h, respectively) but always in a controlled manner. Weight change/erosion studies and swelling measurements were used to provide experimental correlation of kinetic model analysis for each of the three pellet systems. From model fitting studies and statistical treatment, the modified Hopfenberg equation {Mt/M infinity =1-[1-k1(t-tL,min)]n} best described the release kinetics for calcium-pectinate pellets. The model assumes heterogeneous erosion with kinetic constant k1=k0/C0r0, in which k0 is the erosion rate constant, C0 is the uniform initial concentration of drug in the matrix, r0 is the initial radius and tL, min is the lag time. The n values of 1, 2 and 3 apply to a slab, cylinder and sphere, respectively. In addition, the exponential models, namely the Power Law (Mt/M infinity =k1tn) and its derivative containing the lag time [Mt/M infinity =k1(t-tL,min)n], employed in the statistical treatment of data provided n values of approximately 0.8-1 in the case of the calcium-alginate and calcium-alginate-pectinate release kinetics. It is concluded that the proper selection of rate-controlling polymers and their interactive potential for crosslinking is important, and will determine the overall size and shape of pellets, the duration and pattern of dissolution profiles, pH sensitivity, drug loading capacity and mechanism of drug release.

Administration, Oral↗

The use of high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) as a molecular weight screening technique for polygalacturonic acid for use in pharmaceutical applications.

Polygalacturonic acid is a linear carbohydrate polymer of monomeric galacturonic acid. It is commercially available as apple and citrus pectins comprised of a mixture of partially methoxylated and/or amidated polygalacturonic acids with molecular weights ranging from 25,000 to > 100,000 Da. Pectin can be chemically or enzymatically hydrolyzed to yield polygalacturonic acid fractions of diverse average molecular weight ranges and polydispersities for a variety of uses. Pectin and polygalacturonic acid are used extensively as gelling agents and stabilizers by the food industry, and have applications as therapeutic, and diagnostic pharmaceutical agents such as the magnetic resonance imaging agent LumenHance. A simple high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) method, employing commonly available non-specialized HPLC instrumentation, is described for use as a rapid molecular weight screening technique to determine the average molecular weight range and polydispersity of polygalacturonic acid intended for use in pharmaceutical formulations. A TosoHaas G3000PWXL HPLC column, 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH approximately 6.9) mobile phase, and refractive index detection were used. A molecular weight calibration curve was linear for polysaccharide standards of 180-100,000 Da with a coefficient of correlation of 0.999. The method was employed to screen commercially available polygalacturonic acid raw materials for average molecular weight data (Mn, Mw, and Mp) and polydispersity (Mw/Mn).

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Preliminary investigation of some polysaccharides as a carrier for cell entrapment.

Entrapment of cells within spheres of polysaccharide gel has become the most widely used technique for immobilizing living cells. Polysaccharide pectin, formed gel with calcium ions, was investigated as a precursor of spherical calcium polysaccharide gel beads. The type of pectin sample was found to be important in the formation of the beads. Partially deesterified pectin with a lower degree of esterification provided spherical beads and was chosen for immobilization of the yeast cells, Sacchararomyces cerevisiae, and compared to those with alginate. The effect of storage condition of the beads on the viability of the entrapped cells was also studied. After storage at 4 degreesC or -40 degreesC for 1 month, even lyophilization before storage, the beads with entrapped cells were sufficiently stable when compared to suspension of non-entrapped yeast cells.

Alginates↗

Effects on interfacial properties and cell adhesion of surface modification by pectic hairy regions.

Polystyrene Petri dishes, aminated by a plasma deposition process, were surface modified by the covalent linking of two different enzymatically modified hairy regions (HRs) from pectin containing, for example, rhamnogalacturonan-I and xylogalacturonan structural elements. The two polysaccharide preparations share the same structural elements of apple pectin, but the relative amounts and lengths of the neutral side chains present differ. Surface analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle measurement, and atomic force microscope (AFM) force-separation curves was used to characterize the effects on surface chemistry and interfacial forces of the surface modification process. Cell adhesion experiments using continuous L-929 fibroblasts and primary aortic smooth muscle cells were performed to evaluate the effect of the polysaccharide nature on cell adhesion. Results show that immobilization of the HR affects the interfacial field of forces and the cell behavior: "equilibrium" contact angles, obtained by a recently introduced vibrational approach, decrease after HR immobilization reaching a value close to 20 degrees . AFM force-separation curves show a more extended (or softer) interface in the case of the HR bearing longer side chains. Accordingly, depending on the HR preparation, cells shifted from spread morphology and adhesion behavior quantitatively comparable to that observed on conventional tissue culture polystyrene to rounded morphology and significantly lower adhesion. These data show that engineering of plant pectins can be a valuable tool to prepare novel and finely tuned polysaccharides having different chemico-physical and biological properties, to be used in the surface modification of medical devices and materials.

Animals↗

Soybean (Glycine max) cell wall composition and availability to feed enzymes.

Defatted untoasted soybean cotyledons and hulls were fractionated as water solutes (WSc and WSh) and water unextractable (WUc and WUh). Further fractionation of WUc through deproteinization yielded the isolation of a water unextractable solid (WUS) fraction that was mainly composed (molar percent) of galactose (28.1%), glucose (27.8%), arabinose (13.3%), and uronic acids (17.6%), which accounted for 76% of the water insoluble polysaccharides in soybean cotyledons (WUc). The cell wall (WUS) was sequentially fractionated with chelating agents (chelating agent soluble solids, ChSS) and a gradient of agents (dilute alkali, DASS; 1 M alkali, 1MASS; and 4M alkali, 4MASS), which gave a final cellulosic residue. The ChSS and DASS extracts were characterized as pectin-rich fractions, whereas 1MASS and 4MASS were hemicellulose- and cellulose-rich fractions. Incubation in vitro of the WUc fraction with pectinase, cellulase, and xylanase resulted in the release of low amounts (not more than 5% bound basis) of monosaccharides, mostly uronic acids, xylose, and arabinose. Protein extraction hardly increased this release after enzymatic incubation (<7%). However, progressive fractionation of the cell wall matrix markedly increased the release of monosaccharides from pectin- (ChSS and DASS) and hemicellulose-rich fractions (1MASS and 4MASS). Significant degradation of cellulose (up to 20%) was achieved only after complete protein, pectin, and hemicellulose extraction.

Arabinose↗

Considerations on endopolygalacturonase activity and determination of comparison ratios with emphasis on the influence of the degree of substrate esterification.

A study on the determination and standardization of endopolygalacturonase (EPG) activity is reported, with emphasis on the influence of the degree of substrate esterification using pure yeast EPG. Differences in the results, depending on how the EPG activity unit was defined, are described and discussed. From a theoretical analysis of the expressions established, a general equation for expressing EPG activity in standard international units was obtained, together with the proportional coefficient for each of the substrates studied. It was observed that for a wide range of enzyme concentrations good linear correlations were obtained. Analysis of the comparison ratio (CR) values calculated revealed that these do not differ significantly, except for low-methoxyl apple pectin, confirming the validity of the general expression obtained for pectins with different degrees of esterification. The anomalous CR value found for low-methoxyl (LM) apple pectin is discussed.

Esterification↗

Application of binary polymer system in drug release rate modulation. 2. Influence of formulation variables and hydrodynamic conditions on release kinetics.

The significance of factors such as drug solubility, polymer molecular weight, drug loading dose, compression force, and hydrodynamic conditions on drug release from a swellable hydrophilic delivery system was investigated. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and pectin were major polymeric constituents of the delivery system. Nifedipine, prednisolone, theophylline anhydrous, and diltiazem hydrochloride with solubilities of < 0.001%, <0.1%, <1%, and >50%, respectively, were used as drug models. Results show that changes in pectin:HPMC ratios, HPMC molecular weight, and hydrodynamic conditions exert notable influences on release rate and release duration from the designed system. In the case of prednisolone, drug loading up to 30% (w/w) of the matrix composition (pectin:HPMC K4M; 3:6) had no effect on zero-order release kinetics, and the delivery system was insensitive to changes in compression force (2000 to 5000 lb). For nifedipine, theophylline, and diltiazem, determination of mean dissolution time (MDT) for 50 and 80% drug release provided accurate information on release behavior. The dominating effect of matrix composition over variations in drug solubilities in controlling drug release from the delivery system was evident from similarities in dissolution profiles. It is further shown that hydrodynamic stress and intensity of fluid flow causes greater attrition at the swollen periphery and is responsible for dramatic increases in release rates. This latter observation confirms that the mechanism of drug release from this swellable system is erosion dependent. Influence of polymer molecular weight and drug solubility on release kinetics and the potential of the delivery system is discussed.

Delayed-Action Preparations↗

Viscometric method for assaying of total endodepolymerase activity of pectinases.

An improved method for assaying of the total endodepolymerase activity of pectinases has been developed. The method is based on the determination of the viscosity of a citrus pectin solution in the presence of the enzyme using an Ostwald viscometer. The depolymerizing activity of different pectinases can be detected including polygalacturonase, polymethylgalacturonase, pectin lyase, and pectate lyase. One unit of the endodepolymerase activity corresponds to the activity resulting in 50% decrease in the relative viscosity of 0.5% citrus pectin solution for 5 min at 40 degrees C and the appropriate pH. Depending on the pH-optima of the enzymes, two modifications of the method are described: 1) for acid pectinases at pH 5.0, and 2) for neutral (mildly alkaline) pectinases at pH 8.0. The modifications differed in the control and in the calculation of the activity. Six enzyme preparations were used to demonstrate the applicability of the method. The parameter used for the calculation of the enzymatic activity was directly proportional to the enzyme concentration (the dependence was linear in the range of at least 10-fold change in the enzyme concentration). The relative error of the method did not exceed 10%.

Aspergillus↗

Identification of TogMNAB, an ABC transporter which mediates the uptake of pectic oligomers in Erwinia chrysanthemi 3937.

The bacterium Erwinia chrysanthemi, which causes soft rot disease on various plants, is able to use pectin as a carbon source for growth. Knowledge of the critical step in pectin catabolism which allows the entry of pectic oligomers into the cells is scarce. We report here the first example of a transport system involved in the uptake of pectic oligomers. The TogMNAB transporter of E. chrysanthemi is a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. TogM and TogN are homologous to the inner membrane components, TogA exhibits the signature of ABC ATPases and TogB shows similarity with periplasmic ligand-binding proteins. The TogMNAB transporter is a new member of the carbohydrate uptake transporter-1 family (CUT1, TC no. 3.1.1), which is specialized in the transport of complex sugars. The four genes, togM, togN, togA and togB, are apparently co-transcribed in a large operon which also includes the pectate lyase gene pelW. The transcription of the tog operon is induced in the presence of pectic derivatives and is affected by catabolite repression. It is controlled by the KdgR repressor and the CRP activator. The TogMNAB system is able to provide Escherichia coli with the ability to transport oligogalacturonides. In E. chrysanthemi, the TogMNAB system seems to play a major role in switching on the induction of pectin catabolism. TogB also acts as a specific receptor for chemotaxis towards oligogalacturonides. The decreased capacity of maceration of a togM mutant indicates the importance of transport and/or attraction of oligogalacturonides for E. chrysanthemi pathogenicity.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

The RhaS activator controls the Erwinia chrysanthemi 3937 genes rhiN, rhiT and rhiE involved in rhamnogalacturonan catabolism.

Erwinia chrysanthemi causes soft-rot diseases of various plants by enzymatic degradation of the pectin in plant cell walls. The linear regions of pectin are composed of an acidic sugar, D-galacturonic acid. The ramified regions of pectin also include neutral sugars, and are rich in L-rhamnose residues. E. chrysanthemi is able to degrade these polysaccharides, polygalacturonate and rhamnogalacturonate. In E. chrysanthemi, the production of pectinases acting on linear regions is induced in the presence of polygalacturonate by a mechanism involving the repressor KdgR. The induction of the two adjacent E. chrysanthemi genes, designated rhiT and rhiN, is maximal after the simultaneous addition of both polygalacturonate and L-rhamnose. The rhiT product is homologous to the oligogalacturonide transporter TogT of E. chrysanthemi. The rhiN product is homologous to various proteins of unknown function, including a protein encoded by the plant-inducible locus picA of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Both rhiT and rhiN are highly induced during plant infection. Various data suggest that RhiT and RhiN are involved in rhamnogalacturonate catabolism. RhiN is able to degrade the oligomers liberated by the rhamnogalacturonate lyase RhiE. The induction of the rhiTN operon in the presence of polygalacturonate results from control by the repressor KdgR. The additional induction of these genes by rhamnose is directly mediated by RhaS, a protein homologous to the activator of rhamnose catabolism in Escherichia coli. The virulence of an E. chrysanthemi rhaS mutant towards different host plants was clearly reduced. In this phytopathogenic bacterial species, RhaS positively regulates the transcription of the rhaBAD operon, involved in rhamnose catabolism, of the rhiE gene and of the rhiTN operon. The regulator RhaS plays a larger role in E. chrysanthemi than in other enterobacteria. Indeed, the RhaS control is not restricted to the catabolism of rhamnose but is extended to the degradation of plant polysaccharides that contain this sugar.

Bacterial Proteins↗