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Pellet degradation and nutrients hydrolysis of yellow and black soybeans during in vitro digestion was monitored by particle size, microstructure, protein, starch and fat hydrolysis measurements. Similar changes were recorded in the particle sizes of both soybeans, with a slight increase in the gastric stage and a substantial increase in the intestinal phase, compared to the oral phase. Microscopy showed yellow soybeans were damaged more severely than black soybeans after digestion. Yellow soybeans released proteins at a higher rate during simulated gastric fluid digestion, while proteins from both sources were rapidly hydrolyzed at simulated intestinal fluid. The degree of starch hydrolysis was low (~ 25–35%), and free fatty acids rapidly accumulated during the first 15 min at simulated intestinal fluid (SIF), while the rate of release slowed down at the end. Small differences were found in the main components between two soybeans, as measured after soaking and steaming: protein, starch and lipid contents corresponded to 18.7 ± 1.0%, 7.3 ± 0.1%, 9.6 ± 0.6% (black soybean) and 16.3 ± 0.4%, 6.5 ± 0.1%, 8.7 ± 0.3% (yellow soybean) respectively; this explained their similar digestion behavior. This study adds insight on the fate of soybean particles in the digestive tract, and could provide reference for the structural and functional design of relevant plant-based foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria have developed diverse strategies to counteract virus predation, one of which is the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR associated (Cas) proteins immune defense system. In this study, the structure and function of the CRISPR-Cas system in 120 Vibrio strains were analyzed by bioinformatics methods, as well as the correlation between CRISPR and mobile genetic elements (MEGs). Only 61 Vibrio strains contained one or more CRISPR structures, and finally 102 CRISPRs were identified. The typical repeat size was 28 bp, and the total length of CRISPRs is nearly 60 bp, which was the most stable length of CRISPR in Vibrio strains. The types of CRISPR-Cas present in 61 strains were I-C, I-E, I-F, II-B, III-B, III-D and the rare type IV systems. Through principal component analysis, we found that Cas gene was most closely related to CRISPR. In addition, phages and plasmids were also highly correlated, showing negative correlation with CRISPR-Cas system. CRISPR-Cas predominantly present on chromosome within Vibrio while rarely in plasmids. Comparing the structural characteristics of plasmids containing CRISPR and without CRISPR, we found plasmid pMBL287 with CRISPR contained a bacteriophage f237, with more MGES, suggesting the diversity was greater. In addition, the same mobile genetic elements IS256 and ISL3 were found in the upstream and downstream of CRISPR. This study provides the prevalence, diversity and phylogenetic distribution of CRISPR-Cas in Vibrio, revealing which type of CRISPR-Cas system is predominant, and the factors affecting its function, as well as its relationship with mobile genetic elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work studies the structural breakdown and nutrient release during in vitro digestion of soybean milk reconstituted from soybean flour with different particle sizes (> 100 mesh, 50–100 mesh, 28–50 mesh, 14–28 mesh and < 14 mesh). A clear effect of the particle size is noticed on the functional characteristics of the colloidal food during the gastric and intestinal digestion stages. In vitro gastric digestion significantly improves the release of polyphenols (21.4 ± 1.1–35.6 ± 3.2%, compared with the undigested one). In that stage, the antioxidant capacity increases between 20.8–38.5%, and is related to the particle size, hence free surface area, of soybean flour. Confocal microscopy shows that the proteins released from the soybean flour particles aggregate during gastric digestion, while the lipid droplets decompose down into smaller colloidal entities. Examination of the effect of particle size on the release of phenolic compounds, small molecule proteins/peptides, and fatty acids, showed that the highest amounts of the above substances existed when the particle size of soybean flour lies in the region of 50–100 mesh. This particle size also shows the highest bioaccessibility of the contained bioactive substances (polyphenols, 124.5 ± 0.5%; flavonoids, 49.1 ± 1.5%). These findings add insight on the role of the colloidal properties of the soybean flour with different particle sizes on the functionality of soybean milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The instability of liposomal delivery system during passaging through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) stimulates a demand to find a stable liposome. This research studied the implications of different types of phospholipids (different fatty acid chain length and saturation, various head group) on liposomal physiochemical properties and stability in the human GIT. The micropolarity of liposomal membrane increased with the decrease of chain lengths of phospholipids, while the morphology observation revealed that the liposomes formed by different phospholipids showed similar in appearance and shapes. The liposomes formed by C20:0 deformed more severely in simulated gastric fluid, while others exhibited slight changes in the membrane structure. In simulated intestinal fluid, pancreatic lipase and phospholipase A2, synergized with bile salts, damaged the bilayers structure of all liposomes, with the entrapped lactoferrin release and hydrolysis. Although the various phospholipid structures lead to some difference on the physicochemical properties (size and micropolarity), the enzymic influence displayed more significance during in vitro digestion compared to the types of wall materials. Current results could provide valuable information for the development of more stable and reliable food-grade liposomes in the GIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the anti-coccidial effect of dinitolmide and reduce its residual, the dinitolmide/MMT compounds were synthesized by the method of solution intercalation via dinitolmide intercalated into Na + -montmorillonite (Na + -MMT). The structure of compounds was characterized by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transformed infrared. Its anti-coccidial effect was examined by Eimeria tenella infection experiment. One hundred fifty AA broiler chickens were divided into five groups. Chickens were orally inoculated with 5 × 10 E. tenella oocysts after dinitolmide was given. Their curative effects were observed. The results showed that intercalated dinitolmide expanded the basal spacing ( d) of MMT from 12.6 to 15.2 Å. The IR bands of amide group in dinitolmide/MMT were detected at 1,533 cm which showed that dinitolmide was successfully intercalated into the interlayer spaces of MMT. The dinitolmide/MMT showed higher anti-coccidian oocyst activity compared with dinitolmide ( p < 0.05). The dinitolmide/MMT compound can significantly increase body weight gains and reduce bloody diarrhea, lesion score, and oocyst excretion. The anti-coccidia index of dinitolmide/MMT group (165.21) is much higher than dinitolmide group (88.84). The dinitolmide/MMT hybrid systems can be more effective in control of coccidiosis in comparison to dinitolmide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high incidence and severe damage caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection clearly indicates the need for the development of a vaccine. In this study, we evaluated the immune responses and protection against toxoplasmosis by immunizing ICR mice with a multiantigenic DNA vaccine. To develop the multiantigenic vaccine, two T. gondii antigens, MIC3 and ROP18, selected on the basis of previous studies were chosen. ICR mice were immunized subcutaneously with PBS, empty pcDNA3.1 vector, pMIC3, pROP18, and pROP18-MIC3, respectively. The results of lymphocyte proliferation assay, cytokine, and antibody determinations showed that mice immunized with pROP18-MIC3 elicited stronger humoral and Th1-type cellular immune responses than those immunized with single-gene plasmids, empty plasmid, or phosphate-buffered saline. After a lethal challenge with the highly virulent T. gondii RH strain, a prolonged survival time in pROP18-MIC3-immunized mice was observed in comparison to control groups. Our study indicates that the introduction of multiantigenic DNA vaccine is more powerful and efficient than single-gene vaccine, and deserves further evaluation and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]