First Report of Colletotrichum acutatum in Strawberry in Norway.

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum J. H. Simmonds was detected in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.

Technical note: comparison of myofibril fragmentation index from fresh and frozen pork and lamb longissimus.

The myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) is strongly associated with indices of meat tenderness, such as Warner-Bratzler shear force and sensory tenderness. The MFI is normally determined on fresh muscle. It is not known whether this index can be determined on frozen muscle.

Detection of quantitative trait loci for meat quality in a commercial slaughter pig cross.

The primary goal of this study was to localize quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting meat quality traits in swine. In total, 42 traits were scored on 305 F2 individuals from a commercial slaughter pig cross in Norway. F1 and F2 individuals were genotyped for 29 markers on Chromosomes (Chrs) 4, 6, and 7, since previous studies had revealed QTL affecting meat quality traits on these chromosomes.

A rapid method for the separation and analysis of carrageenan oligosaccharides released by iota- and kappa -carrageenase.

Based on the improved performances in speed of chromatographic separation on Superdex-type materials (Pharmacia) compared to conventional media such as Sephadex and Bio Gel-type, a rapid size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) method was developed for the separation and analysis of carrageenan oligosaccharides. It was used to evaluate the elution profiles of hydrolysates produced by carrageenases specific for kappa- and iota-carrageenans. Oligosaccharide peaks ranging from di- to dodeca-saccharides were obtained in about 20 min on an analytical scale, whereas preparative runs were completed in a few hours.

Separation and characterization of basic barley seed proteins.

Basic proteins in barley starchy endosperm from developing seeds were separated by two-dimensional (2-D) nonequilibrium pH gel electrophoresis. Total as well as partial extracts were analyzed. Edman degradation sequencing and immunological detection were performed after transfer of separated proteins onto membranes.

Mineral-binding milk proteins and peptides; occurrence, biochemical and technological characteristics.

Minerals and trace elements in cow's milk occur as inorganic ions and salts or form complexes with proteins and peptides, carbohydrates, fats and small molecules. The main mineral binder or chelators of calcium are the caseins, alphas1-casein, alphas2-casein, beta-casein and kappa-casein, but also whey proteins and lactoferrin bind specific minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, sodium and potassium. Less documented is the binding of trace elements.

Effects of distance and pollen competition on gene flow in the wind-pollinated grass Festuca pratensis Huds.

Pollen dispersal and gene flow in the grass meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) were studied using two populations which were homozygous for different allozymes at the Gpi-2 locus. The populations were established in a concentric donor-acceptor field experiment.

Plantaricin W from Lactobacillus plantarum belongs to a new family of two-peptide lantibiotics.

Plantaricin W (Plw) is a new two-peptide bacteriocin, from Lactobacillus plantarum, which inhibits a large number of Gram-positive bacteria. The two peptides, Plwalpha (comprising 29 residues) and Plwbeta (comprising 32 residues), were isolated from the culture supernatants and characterized. The individual peptides had low antimicrobial activity but acted synergistically, and synergism was seen at all mixing ratios tested.

Temperature-driven adaptation of the bacterial community in peat measured by using thymidine and leucine incorporation.

The temperature-driven adaptation of the bacterial community in peat was studied, by altering temperature to simulate self-heating and a subsequent return to mesophilic conditions. The technique used consisted of extracting the bacterial community from peat using homogenization-centrifugation and measuring the rates of thymidine (TdR) or leucine (Leu) incorporation by the extracted bacterial community at different temperatures. Increasing the peat incubation temperature from 25 degrees C to 35, 45, or 55 degrees C resulted in a selection of bacterial communities whose optimum temperatures for activity correlated to the peat incubation temperatures.

Effect of extraction buffer on estimating calpain and calpastatin activity in postmortem ovine muscle.

The effect of extraction buffer on extractable calpain and calpastatin activity in postmortem muscles was examined. Muscles were removed from ovine carcasses 24 h after slaughter and extracted with three volumes of two extraction buffers containing 20 (pH 7.5) and 100 (pH 8.

Mathematical models for the spatial receptive-field organization of nonlagged X-cells in dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of cat.

Spatial receptive fields of relay cells in dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) have commonly been modeled as a difference of two Gaussian functions. We present alternative models for dLGN cells which take known physiological couplings between retina and dLGN and within dLGN into account. The models include excitatory input from a single retinal ganglion cell and feedforward inhibition via intrageniculate interneurons.

Analysis of triacylglycerols with non-aqueous reversed-phase liquid chromatography and positive ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

A non-aqueous reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method coupled to electrospray ionisation (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry was developed for the analysis of triacylglycerols (TGs). The synthetic TGs studied were separated according to their equivalent carbon number with a gradient of methanol (containing 0.01% (v/v) formate adjusted to pH 5.

Fungal melanins as a sun screen for symbiotic green algae in the lichen Lobaria pulmonaria.

The mycobiont of the high-light-susceptible forest lichen Lobaria pulmonaria was shown to deposit brown, melanic compounds in the outer layer of the upper cortex, depending on the long-term level of solar radiation in its natural habitat. Furthermore, pale thalli from a shady habitat produced melanic compounds after transplantation to a sunny habitat. This browning of the cortex appeared to be a physiologically active process, taking place only during periods with frequent hydration.

Effect of soybean oil and fish oil on individual molecular species of Atlantic salmon head kidney phospholipids determined by normal-phase liquid chromatography coupled to negative ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

The effect of soybean oil (SO) and fish oil (FO) on the relative molecular species distribution of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylserine (PS) in Atlantic salmon head kidney was studied using normal-phase liquid chromatography coupled with negative ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. The conformation of identity of the phospholipid species was based on retention time, the mass of the [M-H]- ([M-15]- for PC) molecular ions and the carboxylate anion fragments in the product ion spectrum. The intensity ratio of sn-1/sn-2 fragment ions increased with increasing number of double bonds in the sn-2 acyl chain but was not affected by increasing number of double bonds in the sn-1 acyl chain of the species examined.

Biochemical and genetic evidence that Enterococcus faecium L50 produces enterocins L50A and L50B, the sec-dependent enterocin P, and a novel bacteriocin secreted without an N-terminal extension termed enterocin Q.

Enterococcus faecium L50 grown at 16 to 32 degrees C produces enterocin L50 (EntL50), consisting of EntL50A and EntL50B, two unmodified non-pediocin-like peptides synthesized without an N-terminal leader sequence or signal peptide. However, the bacteriocin activity found in the cell-free culture supernatants following growth at higher temperatures (37 to 47 degrees C) is not due to EntL50. A purification procedure including cation-exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and reverse-phase liquid chromatography has shown that the antimicrobial activity is due to two different bacteriocins.

Milk intake in blue fox (Alopex lagopus) and silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) cubs in the early suckling period.

Milk intake of fox cubs (2-16 days of age; body weight, 96-649 g) in ten blue fox litters and ten silver fox litters were measured by the water isotope dilution (WID) technique following a single intraperitoneal injection of tritiated water (3HHO). Litter size varied from four to 14 in blue foxes and from three to eight in silver foxes. Silver fox cubs had higher birth weights than blue foxes.

Estimation of apparent rate coefficients for radionuclides interacting with marine sediments from Novaya Zemlya.

To assess the impact of radionuclides entering the marine environment from dumped nuclear waste, information on the physico-chemical forms of radionuclides and their mobility in seawater-sediment systems is essential. Due to interactions with sediment components, sediments may act as a sink, reducing the mobility of radionuclides in seawater. Due to remobilisation, however, contaminated sediments may also act as a potential source of radionuclides to the water phase.

Comparison of different peptidase substrates for evaluation of microbial quality of aerobically stored meats.

Different aminopeptidase and endopeptidase substrates were assessed for the detection of enzymatic activity of microorganisms collected from the surface of aerobically cold-stored pork and beef. The most sensitive substrates were fluorogenic Ala-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (Ala-AMC) or Leu-AMC and colorogenic Ala-p-nitroanilide (Ala-pNA). Activity on natural oligopeptides, e.

The life cycles of the temperate lactococcal bacteriophage phiLC3 monitored by a quantitative PCR method.

We present here a new and general approach for monitoring the life cycles of temperate bacteriophages which establish lysogeny by inserting their genomes site-specifically into the bacterial host chromosome. The method is based on quantitative amplification of specific DNA sites involved in various cut-and-join events during the life cycles of the phages (i.e.

Biochemical and genetic characterization of propionicin T1, a new bacteriocin from Propionibacterium thoenii.

A collection of propionibacteria was screened for bacteriocin production. A new bacteriocin named propionicin T1 was isolated from two strains of Propionibacterium thoenii. This bacteriocin shows no sequence similarity to other bacteriocins.

A primary screen of the bovine genome for quantitative trait loci affecting twinning rate.

An autosomal genome scan for quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting twinning rate was carried out in the Norwegian Cattle population. Suggestive QTL were detected on Chromosomes (Chr) 5, 7, 12, and 23. Among these, the QTL positions on both Chr 5 and Chr 23 are strongly supported by literature in the field.

The impact of Pu speciation on distribution coefficients in Mayak soil.

To assess the long-term consequences when radionuclides are released into the environment, information on the source term, transport and transformation processes, interaction with soils (KD) and biological uptake (CF) is needed. Among the artificial radionuclides released to the environment by nuclear activities, the transuranium elements are a major concern, due to very long half-lives and their accumulation in bone as well as high radiotoxicity. Plutonium has been produced in greater quantity than other transuranic elements, however, environmental assessments are complicated by the complex environmental behaviour.

The synthesis of the bacteriocin sakacin A is a temperature-sensitive process regulated by a pheromone peptide through a three-component regulatory system.

Sakacin A is a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus sakei Lb706. The gene cluster (sap) encompasses a regulatory unit composed of three consecutive genes, orf4 and sapKR. sapKR encode a histidine protein kinase and a response regulator, while orf4 encodes the putative precursor of a 23-amino-acid cationic peptide (termed Sap-Ph).

Class II antimicrobial peptides from lactic acid bacteria.

Strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce a wide variety of antibacterial peptides. More than fifty of these so-called peptide bacteriocins have been isolated in the last few years. They contain 20-60 amino acids, and are cationic and hydrophobic in nature.