Search Results (1,951)

Glycoside hydrolase family 1 (GH1) enzymes are essential for plant cell wall digestion and the detoxification of plant metabolites in insects, yet their evolutionary history in Lepidoptera remains unresolved. This study systematically identified GH1 genes across 61 Lepidopteran genomes and analyzed their evolutionary dynamics. In addition, the expression profiles of GH1 genes in the silkworm (Bombyx mori) across various developmental stages and tissues were related to their evolutionary histories. A total of 996 GH1 genes were annotated and classified into 11 groups, with each showing distinct species diversity. Gene duplication and loss analysis revealed frequent duplications and losses during Lepidoptera evolution; these duplications primarily originated through tandem and dispersed duplications and were located in syntenic regions. Transcriptomic analysis of the silkworm revealed that the groups and duplications of GH1 genes were correlated to their expression patterns, with high expression in the larval midgut and fat body. These findings suggest that GH1 gene duplications and losses and expression have played a significant role in Lepidopteran adaptation to diverse host plants. Overall, this study provides comprehensive insights into the evolutionary trajectories of GH1 genes, highlighting their potential contribution to insect–plant interactions in Lepidoptera. Full article

Thermostable cellulases and xylanases have broad acceptance in food, feed, paper and pulp, and bioconversion of lignocellulosics. Thermophilic fungi serve as an excellent source of thermostable enzymes. This study characterized four endo-β-1,4-glucanases (two glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 5 and two GH7 members) and four endo-β-1,4-xylanases (two GH10 and two GH11 members) from thermophilic fungus Thielavia terrestris, along with one GH10 endo-β-1,4-xylanase each from thermophilic fungus Chaetomium thermophilum and mesophilic fungus Chaetomium globosum. Comparative analysis was conducted against three previously reported GH10 endoxylanases: two thermostable enzymes from the thermophilic fungus Humicola insolens and thermophilic bacterium Halalkalibacterium halodurans, and one mesophilic enzyme from model fungus Neurospora crassa. The GH10 xylanase TtXyn10C (Thite_2118148; UniProt G2R8T7) from T. terrestris demonstrated high thermostability and activity, with an optimal temperature of 80–85 °C. It retained over 60% of its activity after 2 h at 70 °C, maintained approximately 30% activity after 15 min at 80 °C, and showed nearly complete stability following 1 min of exposure to 95 °C. TtXyn10C exhibited specific activity toward beechwood xylan (1130 ± 15 U/mg) that exceeded xylanases from H. insolens and H. halodurans while being comparable to N. crassa xylanase activity. Furthermore, TtXyn10C maintained stability across a pH range of 3–9 and resisted trypsin digestion, indicating its broad applicability. The study expands understanding of enzymes from thermophilic fungi. The discovery of the TtXyn10C offers a new model for investigating the high activity-stability trade-off and structure-activity relationships critical for industrial enzymes. Full article

Two trials evaluated the effects of dietary protease inclusion in weaned piglets fed diets with or without crude protein (CP) reduction, focusing on performance, intestinal health, and amino acid digestibility. In Trial I, 270 piglets (21–63 days) received six treatments: control (PC), PC with 100 g/ton protease A (PC+A), CP reduced by 1.0% (NC1) or 1.5% (NC1.5), NC1.5 with 50 g/ton protease A (NC1.5+A), and NC1.5 with 50 g/ton protease B (NC1.5+B). PC+A improved weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion compared with NC1.5+A. The incidence of diarrhea was reduced in animals fed protease-supplemented diets (PC+A, NC1.5+A and NC1.5+B). PC had greater ileal villus height than NC1.5+B, and PC+A showed a higher jejunal villus-to-crypt ratio than reduced CP groups. NC1.5+B increased jejunal expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and haptoglobin. In Trial II, 12 ileal-cannulated piglets received diets with or without protease A. Protease improved the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of methionine+cysteine and tryptophan but reduced the SID of glycine and proline. While protease supplementation can improve some amino acids (Met+Cys and Thr) protein digestibility, our findings suggest it cannot fully replace careful amino acid balancing in CP-reduced diets. However, protease-supplemented diets were associated with improved intestinal morphometry and a reduced incidence of diarrhea. Full article

High-fat diets are commonly used in fish farming due to their protein-sparing effect, contributing to reduced production costs. However, this practice may have adverse effects such as metabolic impairment and inflammation. These problems can be assessed in two ways: by developing functional diets or using food restriction, which leads to compensatory growth. The present study characterized digestion in gilthead sea bream fed a high-fat diet in the presence (HT) or absence (HF) of an olive oil polyphenol as an additive, hydroxytyrosol, under two different dietary regimes: feeding to satiation (ST) or at a 40% restriction (R). Digestive enzyme activities, specifically trypsin-like activities, were mainly upregulated by dietary treatment (HT). In contrast, restriction effects mainly appeared during digestion in the pyloric caeca, where a significant rise in chymotrypsin-like activities was detected. Moreover, those fish tended to have an increased relative intestinal length compared to those fish fed at a standard ration. Feed restriction enhanced the growth of γ-Proteobacteria in pyloric caeca and proximal intestinal regions, without altering their population in the distal intestine. Overall, it is suggested that hydroxytyrosol inclusion at a standard ration could improve digestion processes in gilthead sea bream fed high-fat diets under healthier conditions than without this additive. Full article

The health-promoting activity of radish microgreens after consumption depends on their bioaccessibility and bioavailability. In this study, we compared the composition of phenolic compounds, their cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory activities in cell lines, and antioxidant properties of the undigested radish microgreens with their fractions obtained after simulated in vitro digestion in the stomach, as well as in the small and large intestine. The results have demonstrated higher levels of total phenolics (by 70.35%) and total hydroxycinnamic acids (3.5 times increase), an increase in scavenging efficiency toward ABTS^•+ and superoxide anion radicals, and an increase in the reduction potential (FRAP method) in the gastric bioaccessible fraction. In contrast, small intestinal digestion negatively affected phenolic content (a reduction of 53.30–75.63%), except for total hydroxycinnamic acids (3-fold increase). Incubation of the non-bioavailable fraction with bacterial enzymes led to further degradation. Undigested microgreens had no negative impact on Caco-2, HT-29, and SH-SY5Y cells’ metabolism at 0.05–2 mg/mL, while all digested samples at 1 mg/mL revealed their cytotoxic potential. All samples used at a non-cytotoxic concentration showed protective activity against H₂O₂ and corticosterone-induced oxidative stress generation as well as reduced proinflammatory cytokines production. Overall, radish microgreens may exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities when consumed. Full article

This study investigated the functional potential of Campomanesia xanthocarpa leaf and fruit infusions through phytochemical profiling, simulated gastrointestinal digestion, enzyme inhibition assays, and in vivo evaluation of glycemic markers. Leaf infusions exhibited a more diverse phenolic profile, higher total phenolic content, and greater antioxidant capacity compared to fruit infusions. Simulated digestion confirmed the bioaccessibility of key phenolic compounds, particularly glycosylated flavonoids such as quercetin-3-glucoside and kaempferol derivatives, with leaf extracts showing superior gastrointestinal stability. In vitro assays revealed a strong inhibitory activity of leaf infusions against α-amylase and β-glucosidase. In a 32-day trial with healthy dogs, the consumption of biscuits enriched with leaf infusion did not alter fasting glucose or amylase levels but resulted in a significant treatment × time interaction for serum fructosamine, indicating a delayed modulation of glycemic control, potentially associated with antioxidant or anti-glycation activity. These findings highlight the potential of C. xanthocarpa leaves as a functional ingredient in foods aimed at supporting glycemic regulation and metabolic health. Full article

Rapeseed meal, a byproduct of oil extraction, is increasingly recognised as a valuable source of plant protein and health-promoting peptides. This study aimed to identify key proteins in cold-pressed rapeseed meal and assess their potential to release bioactive peptides through in silico hydrolysis using plant-derived proteases, namely papain, bromelain, and ficin. Proteomic profiling via two-dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry revealed cruciferin as the dominant protein, along with other metabolic and defence-related proteins. In silico digestion of these sequences using the BIOPEP database generated thousands of peptide fragments, of which over 50% were predicted to exhibit bioactivities, including ACE and DPP-IV inhibition, as well as antioxidant, neuroprotective, and anticancer effects. Among the evaluated enzymes, bromelain exhibited the highest efficacy, yielding the greatest quantity and diversity of bioactive peptides. Notably, peptides with antihypertensive and antidiabetic properties were consistently identified across all of the protein and enzyme variants. Although certain rare functions, such as anticancer and antibacterial activities, were observed only in specific hydrolysates, their presence underscores the broader functional potential of peptides derived from rapeseed. These findings highlight the potential of rapeseed meal as a sustainable source of functional ingredients while emphasising the necessity for experimental validation to confirm the predicted bioactivities. Full article

Background: The New Zealand pine bark has been demonstrated in vitro to inhibit digestive enzymes involved in carbohydrate digestion (alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP-4)). Objective: This study aims to investigate the inhibitory effects of the New Zealand pine bark on sucrose uptake and glycaemic responses in humans. Methods: A single-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover trial was carried out involving healthy adults (n = 40 (M: 12, F: 28), 30.1 ± 1.3 years, BMI 23.4 ± 0.5 kg/m², HbA1c 32.5 ± 0.6 mmol/mol, FBG 4.7 ± 0.1 mmol/L). A control (75 g of sucrose powder only), and two doses of the pine bark extract (50 and 400 mg) were provided on separate occasions, with 75 g of sucrose mixed in 250 mL of water. Blood samples were collected at −10, 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min via a finger prick test. A linear mixed model for repeated measures (SPSS v30, IBM) was applied, and data presented as model-adjusted mean ± SEM. Results: Compared to control (247.5 ± 14.0 mmol/L⋅min), the iAUCglucose was significantly reduced with the 400 mg dose (211.8 ± 13.9 mmol/L⋅min, 14.4% reduction, and p = 0.037), but not with 50 mg dose (220.8 ± 14.2 mmol/L⋅min, 10.8% reduction, and p = 0.184). Compared to control (9.1 ± 0.2 mmol/L), glucose peak value was significantly reduced with the 50 mg dose (8.6 ± 0.2 mmol/L, 5.5% reduction, and p = 0.016) but not with the 400 mg dose (8.7 ± 0.2 mmol/L, 4.4% reduction, and p = 0.093). There were no statistically significant changes in postprandial insulin levels with the pine bark extract compared to control. Conclusions: The New Zealand pine bark extract attenuated sucrose uptake with improved glycaemic responses, and may therefore be useful as a hypoglycaemic adjunct to the diet. Full article

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a cell-surface receptor that helps the body regulate blood pressure and endocrine secretions. Transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) is a cell surface protein expressed mainly by endothelial cells of the respiratory and digestive tract, which participates in the cleavage of protein peptide bonds with serine as the active site. These two proteins have been studied to be highly associated with infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) has special bioactivities such as anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory functions, which can be widely used in functional foods or drugs. Our study involved in vitro and in vivo experiments to elucidate the effect of SBTI on SARS-CoV-2 host invasion. First, it was confirmed that being under 250 μg/mL of SBTI was not toxic to HepG2, HEK293T, and Calu-3 cells. The animal study administered SBTI to mice once daily for 14 days. In the lungs, liver, and kidneys, the histopathologic findings of the SBTI group were not different from those of the control group, but the expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2, and CD147 was reduced. Thus, our findings suggest that the inhibition of ACE2, TMPRSS,2 and CD147 proteins by SBTI shows promise in potentially inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection. Full article

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of three commercial diets for ornamental fish (BIOMAA Spiruflake^® (T1), Tetra TetraMin Tropical Flakes^® (T2), LOMAS tropical fish flakes^® (T3)) compared to a balanced feed for trout (Silver Cup TM (T4)) on the growth, survival, digestive enzyme activity, and intestinal and liver morphology of guppy (Poecilia reticulata) fry after 31 days of feeding. The highest growth was in T2 (0.101 ± 0.004 g) and T4 (0.084 ± 0.008 g) (p < 0.05). Fish fed with T1, T2, and T4 presented the greatest total length. T4 (98 ± 2.828%) and T1 (96 ± 5.656%) had the highest survival. Fish fed with T2 and T4 showed the best growth index values (AWG, SGR, FCR). T4 showed greater alkaline protease, trypsin, and chymotrypsin activity and better in vitro digestibility. The fish fed the T4 diet had the lowest intestinal fold height and the smallest hepatocyte diameter. A cheaper aquaculture diet (T4) significantly improved guppy juvenile nutrition compared to ornamental feeds. Further research should focus on developing species-specific ornamental diets for enhanced fish welfare. Full article

The shift toward plant-based feeds in aquaculture necessitates a search for probiotics to improve the digestibility of such feeds and fish growth. This study characterizes four Bacillus strains for their probiotic potential in carp (Cyprinus carpio). Strains isolated from river sediments underwent in vitro screening for proteolytic/amylolytic activity, antibiotic sensitivity, and biofilm formation. Whole-genome sequencing was performed and functional annotation identified probiotic-related genes. All strains were identified as Bacillus velezensis and harbored genes providing thermal, osmotic, and oxidative stress resistance, alongside enzymes and bioactive metabolite synthesis pathways. Two non-antagonistic strain pairs were solid-phase cultivated on soybeans and incorporated into carp feed (0.1% w/w) for a 76-day trial, and growth metrics and gene expression were analyzed in juvenile fish. Group 1 (strains MT14 + MT42) exhibited a 40.75% higher biomass increase than the control group while Group 2 (strains MT141 + MT142) exhibited a 56.62% higher biomass growth. No significant gene expression changes occurred in juveniles, though MT141 + MT142 transiently modulated fry expression profiles. Therefore, these Bacillus velezensis strains synergistically enhance growth in carp that are fed plant-rich diets, highlighting their viability as aquaculture probiotics. Full article

This study investigated the ecotoxicological impacts of environmentally relevant concentrations (0.05, 0.50, and 5.00 mg/L) of nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NPs) by assessing oxidative stress biomarkers. The worm Hediste diversicolor, the bivalve Mytilus spp., and the fish Sparus aurata were chronically exposed to Ni-NPs for 28 days, and glutathione S-transferases (GST), catalase (CAT), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels were measured to evaluate biochemical responses. GST activity increased in H. diversicolor and the liver of S. aurata, suggesting a key role for this enzyme in Ni-NPs detoxification. CAT activity was inhibited in the digestive gland of Mytilus spp. at the highest Ni-NPs concentration, indicating possible disruption of antioxidant defense. TBARS levels rose significantly in the gills of Mytilus spp. exposed to high Ni-NP concentrations, suggesting oxidative damage beyond detoxification capacity. In contrast, TBARS decreased in the digestive gland of Mytilus and in H. diversicolor, possibly due to compensatory upstream antioxidant responses. These findings indicate that each species exhibits distinct adaptive responses to Ni-NP exposure. Overall, this study highlights the need to consider species- and tissue-specific responses when performing ecotoxicological risk assessments of nanomaterials. Full article

Edible flowers are gaining recognition as rich sources of nutrients and phytochemicals. In Mexico, the flower of Agave inaequidens has been traditionally consumed since pre-Hispanic times. This study investigated its nutritional profile and the in vitro gastrointestinal bioaccessibility of its phenolic fraction. During in vitro digestion (oral, gastric, and intestinal), the total phenolic content of A. inaequidens significantly decreased from 138 to 21 mg GAE/100 g DW (15.22% bioaccessibility), while total flavonoid content dropped from 8 to 4.6 mg CE/100 g DW (57.5% bioaccessibility). Consequently, antioxidant activity, assessed by ABTS, DPPH, and hemolysis inhibition assays, also declined post-digestion. Interestingly, the digestive process modulated the flower’s inhibitory activity against digestive enzymes before and after in vitro digestion: α-amylase inhibition slightly decreased (IC₅₀ 1.8 to 2.1 mg/mL), but α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ 2.7 to 1.6 mg/mL) and lipase (IC₅₀ > 3 to 1.4 mg/mL) inhibition increased. The A. inaequidens flower is a good source of fiber and low in fat. These findings underscore its potential as a functional food ingredient, offering bioaccessible phenolic compounds with antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties. Full article

This review examines human digestive physiology and metabolic adaptations in the context of evolutionary dietary patterns, particularly those emphasizing carnivorous and scavenging behaviors. By integrating metabolomic data with archaeological, anatomical, and microbiological evidence, the study explores how early hominins adapted to intermittent but energy-dense animal-based diets. The analysis highlights the development of hepatic insulin resistance, enhanced fat and protein metabolism, and shifts in gut microbiota diversity as physiological signatures of meat consumption. Comparative evaluations of digestive enzyme profiles, intestinal morphology, and salivary composition underscore humans’ omnivorous flexibility and partial carnivorous specialization. Additionally, biomarkers such as ketone bodies, branched-chain amino acids, and trimethylamine-N-oxide are identified as metabolic indicators of habitual meat intake. These adaptations, though once evolutionarily advantageous, are discussed in relation to current metabolic disorders in modern nutritional contexts. Overall, this review presents a metabolomic framework for understanding the evolutionary trajectory of human digestion and its implications for health and dietary recommendations. Full article

Current feeding protocols used in commercial hatcheries of Mediterranean fish species are, for a species-dependent period after hatching, based on live feeds which have often raised issues of biosecurity, stability, availability, price and nutrients content. Instead, dry feeds can offer stability in nutritional value, price and supply. The aim of the present study was to evaluate an alternative feeding protocol by co-feeding live and dry feed at first feeding red seabream larvae (on 3 days post-hatching—3 dph, DF3) and to compare it to a standard feeding protocol (i.e., dry feed introduced on 22 dph, DF22). Larvae productivity and functional development of the digestive system were evaluated under actual production conditions in a commercial hatchery. Additionally, post-larvae efficiency during pre-growing was evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions. The results obtained showed that the experimental protocol (DF3) promoted larval growth without affecting larval survival and the efficiency of the digestion processes. After pre-growing, DF3-produced juveniles showed a decreased incidence of spinal cord malformations, while the initially gained growth advantage was maintained. The present study shows the feasibility of an alternative feeding protocol for red seabream intensive larviculture and points out the critical role that larval rearing may have for later production stages. Full article