Effects of ionic conduction on hydrothermal hydrolysis of corn starch and crystalline cellulose induced by microwave irradiation.

This study investigated the effects of ionic conduction of electrolytes under microwave field to facilitate hydrothermal hydrolysis of corn starch and crystalline cellulose (Avicel), typical model biomass substrates. Addition of 0.1M NaCl was effective to improve reducing sugar yield by 1.

In situ detection and identification of hesperidin crystals in satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu) peel cells.

Introduction: Hesperidin, a flavonoid known to have important pharmacological effects, accumulates particularly in the peels of satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu). Although histochemical studies have suggested that hesperidin forms crystals in some tissues of the Rutaceae and Umbelliferae, there has been no rigorous in situ detection or identification of hesperidin crystals in C. unshiu.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a geranyl diphosphate-specific aromatic prenyltransferase from lemon.

Prenyl residues confer divergent biological activities such as antipathogenic and antiherbivorous activities on phenolic compounds, including flavonoids, coumarins, and xanthones. To date, about 1,000 prenylated phenolics have been isolated, with these compounds containing various prenyl residues. However, all currently described plant prenyltransferases (PTs) have been shown specific for dimethylallyl diphosphate as the prenyl donor, while most of the complementary DNAs encoding these genes have been isolated from the Leguminosae.

Selective isolation of β-glucan from corn pericarp hemicelluloses by affinity chromatography on cellulose column.

A combination of anion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography on a cellulose column was found to be effective for the isolation of β-(1,3;1,4)-glucan (BG) from corn pericarp hemicelluloses (CPHs). CPHs containing 6.6% BG were extracted from corn pericarp with 6M urea-2 wt% NaOH solution and initially fractionated into neutral and acidic parts by anion exchange chromatography to remove acidic arabinoxylan consisting of arabinose (35.

Cuticular membrane of Fuyu persimmon fruit is strengthened by triterpenoid nano-fillers.

The mechanical defensive performance of fruit cuticular membranes (CMs) is largely dependent on the molecular arrangement of their constituents. Here, we elucidated nano-sized interactions between cutin and triterpenoids in the cuticular matrix of Fuyu persimmon fruits (Diospyroskaki Thunb. cv.

Microwave-assisted hydrolysis of polysaccharides over polyoxometalate clusters.

Polyoxometalate (POM) clusters were utilized as recyclable acid catalysts and microwave-absorbing agents for the microwave-assisted hydrolysis of corn starch and crystalline cellulose. Phosphotungstic (PW) and silicotungstic (SiW) acids showed high hydrolyzing activity, while phosphomolybdic acid (PMo) showed lower glucose stability. The PW catalyst could be recycled by ether extraction at least 4 times without changing its catalytic activity.

Comparative decomposition kinetics of neutral monosaccharides by microwave and induction heating treatments.

The stabilities of five neutral monosaccharides (glucose, galactose, mannose, arabinose, and xylose) were kinetically compared after the molecules were submitted to microwave heating (internal heating) and induction heating (external heating) under completely identical thermal histories by employing PID (proportional, integral, and derivative) temperature controlled ovens and homogeneous mixing. By heating in water at 200°C, the rate constants for the decomposition reactions varied from 2.13×10(-4) to 3.

Two cytosolic aldolases show different expression patterns during shoot elongation in Moso bamboo, Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel.

In fast-growing Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel), cytosolic fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (aldolase; EC 4.2.2.

Total fractionation of green tea residue by microwave-assisted alkaline pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis.

Total refinery of constituents of green tea residue was achieved by combination of microwave-assisted alkaline pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. Alkaline pretreatment was effective at separating pectic polysaccharides, protein, phenolic compounds and aliphatic compounds (probably originating from cuticular components), and the solubilization rate was attained 64–74% by heating at 120–200 °C. The higher heating value (HHV) of alkali-soluble fraction attained 20.

Compositional analysis of leaf cuticular membranes isolated from tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.).

Chemical constituents of cuticular membranes (CMs) isolated from three tea cultivars (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze cvs.

Microwave-assisted hydrothermal hydrolysis of cellobiose and effects of additions of halide salts.

Microwave irradiation was compared with induction heating for hydrothermal hydrolysis of cellobiose. Microwave heating improved glucose selectivity and resulted in a pH of the hydrolyzates that was ⩽0.57 units lower than those from conventional heating, which suggests that fewer side-reactions occurred.

Characterization of coumarin-specific prenyltransferase activities in Citrus limon peel.

Coumarins, a large group of polyphenols, play important roles in the defense mechanisms of plants, and they also exhibit various biological activities beneficial to human health, often enhanced by prenylation. Despite the high abundance of prenylated coumarins in citrus fruits, there has been no report on coumarin-specific prenyltransferase activity in citrus. In this study, we detected both O- and C-prenyltransferase activities of coumarin substrates in a microsome fraction prepared from lemon (Citrus limon) peel, where large amounts of prenylated coumarins accumulate.

Growth-dependent chemical and mechanical properties of cuticular membranes from leaves of Sonneratia alba.

Chemical and mechanical properties of the leaf cuticular membranes (CMs) of a mangrove, Sonneratia alba J. Smith, were analysed at various leaf development stages to evaluate their tolerance to environmental stress. Our analyses demonstrate that the CMs from leaves of S.

Improvement of microwave-assisted hydrolysis of cassava pulp and tapioca flour by addition of activated carbon.

The superior effects of addition of activated carbon were evidenced for microwave assisted hydrolysis of starches in cassava pulp and tapioca flour under hydrothermal conditions varying irradiation temperature (160-230°C at 5min), duration of heating time (5-18min at 210°C) and amount of activated carbon at 0.5-2.0:1:20 of activated carbon:solid:liquid ratio.

A novel saccharification method of starch using microwave irradiation with addition of activated carbon.

Activated carbons were investigated for their heat catalytic effects to improve saccharification of starch by autohydrolysis in water under microwave electromagnetic field, and the results were compared with graphite and carbon nanotubes. The activated carbons with low adsorptive capacity of maltose showed high saccharification rate, while those with high adsorptive capacity exhibited low saccharification. In addition, the former activated carbons decreased the saccharification temperature by 10-30°C.

Optimization of microwave-assisted extraction of carbohydrates from industrial waste of corn starch production using response surface methodology.

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was applied for production of carbohydrates mainly consisting of arabinoxylan from corn pericarp which is an industrial waste of corn starch production by using hot compressed water as a solvent. The solubilization rate increased with increase in heating temperature and reached 75.2% at 220 °C.

Microwave heating of tea residue yields polysaccharides, polyphenols, and plant biopolyester.

Microwave heating was used to produce aqueous-soluble components from green, oolong, and black tea residues. Heating at 200-230 degrees C for 2 min extracted 40-50% of polysaccharides and 60-70% of the polyphenols. Solubilization of arabinose and galactose by autohydrolysis occurred with heating above 170 degrees C, whereas heating above 200 degrees C was necessary to solubilize xylose.

Changes in stable isotopes, lignin-derived phenols, and fossil pigments in sediments of Lake Biwa, Japan: implications for anthropogenic effects over the last 100 years.

We measured stable nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) isotope ratios, lignin-derived phenols, and fossil pigments in sediments of known ages to elucidate the historical changes in the ecosystem status of Lake Biwa, Japan, over the last 100 years. Stable N isotope ratios and algal pigments in the sediments increased rapidly from the early 1960s to the 1980s, and then remained relatively constant, indicating that eutrophication occurred in the early 1960s but ceased in the 1980s. Stable C isotope ratios of the sediment increased from the 1960s, but decreased after the 1980s to the present.

Complete nucleotide sequence of the cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) chloroplast genome with a comparative analysis of sequences among 9 dicot plants.

Recently, the complete chloroplast genome sequences of many important crop plants were determined, and this can be considered a major step forward toward exploiting the usefulness of chloroplast genetic engineering technology. Economically, cotton is one of the most important crop plants for many countries. To further our understanding of this important crop, we determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the chloroplast genome from cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.

Transposon-mediated insertional mutagenesis revealed the functions of animal cellulose synthase in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis.

Tunicates are the only animals that perform cellulose biosynthesis. The tunicate gene for cellulose synthase, Ci-CesA, was likely acquired by horizontal transfer from bacteria and was a key innovation in the evolution of tunicates. Transposon-based mutagenesis in an ascidian, Ciona intestinalis, has generated a mutant, swimming juvenile (sj).

The evolutionary origin of animal cellulose synthase.

Urochordates are the only animals that produce cellulose, a polysaccharide existing primarily in the extracellular matrices of plant, algal, and bacterial cells. Here we report a Ciona intestinalis homolog of cellulose synthase, which is the core catalytic subunit of multi-enzyme complexes where cellulose biosynthesis occurs. The Ciona cellulose synthase gene, Ci-CesA, is a fusion of a cellulose synthase domain and a cellulase (cellulose-hydrolyzing enzyme) domain.