A highly reusable MANAE-agarose-immobilized Pleurotus ostreatus laccase for degradation of bisphenol A.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor compound that is continuously released into the environment and is barely degraded in wastewater treatment plants. A previous study showed that free Pleurotus ostreatus laccase is efficient in degrading BPA producing less toxic metabolites. In the present study, this laccase was successfully immobilized onto MANAE-agarose, improving its efficiency in degrading BPA and its thermal and storage stabilities.

Fast hepatic biotransformation of p-synephrine and p-octopamine and implications for their oral intake.

Citrus aurantium (bitter orange) extracts have been used in products for weight management and sports performance. These extracts contain large amounts of p-synephrine and much smaller amounts of p-octopamine. Both protoalkaloids exert lipolytic and glycogenolytic activities at similar concentrations.

Benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one inhibits soybean growth and alters the monomeric composition of lignin.

The effects of the allelochemical benzoxazolin-2-(3H)-one (BOA) were evaluated on growth, lignin content and its monomers p-hydroxyphenyl (H), guaiacyl (G) and syringyl (S) in roots, stems and leaves of soybean. BOA decreased the lengths and fresh weights of roots and stems, and the fresh weights and areas of leaves. Reductions in the growth were accompanied by enhanced lignin content in all tissues.

Enhanced lignin monomer production caused by cinnamic Acid and its hydroxylated derivatives inhibits soybean root growth.

Cinnamic acid and its hydroxylated derivatives (p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids) are known allelochemicals that affect the seed germination and root growth of many plant species. Recent studies have indicated that the reduction of root growth by these allelochemicals is associated with premature cell wall lignification. We hypothesized that an influx of these compounds into the phenylpropanoid pathway increases the lignin monomer content and reduces the root growth.

Exogenous caffeic acid inhibits the growth and enhances the lignification of the roots of soybean (Glycine max).

The allelopathic effect of caffeic acid was tested on root growth, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and peroxidase (POD) activities, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) accumulation, lignin content and monomeric composition of soybean (Glycine max) roots. We found that exogenously applied caffeic acid inhibited root growth, decreased the PAL activity and H(2)O(2) content and increased the soluble and cell wall-bound POD activities. The p-hydroxyphenyl (H), guaiacyl (G), and syringyl (S) monomers and total lignin (H+G+S) increased in the caffeic acid-exposed roots.