• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.329-335
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• 2008

Tocopherols are essential lipophilic antioxidant in human cells, while little is known about its function in plant tissues. To study the impact of composition and content of tocopherols on stress tolerance, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) was transformed with a construct containing a cDNA insert encoding $\gamma$-tocopherol methyltransferase ($\gamma$-TMT/VTE4) from perilla under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. The transgenic tobacco was confirmed by PCR and RT-PCR. The total content and composition of tocopherols in the transgenic lines were similar with wild type controls. However, chlorophyll-a and carotenoid content in the transgenic lines were increased by up to 45% (P<0.01) and 39% (P<0.02), respectively. Also, the over-expression of $\gamma$-TMT increased the salt stress tolerance in tobacco plants. These results demonstrate that over-expression of $\gamma$-TMT gene in tocopherol bio-synthetic pathway can increase salt stress tolerance and contents of chlorophyll-a and carotenoid in transgenic tobacco plants.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.71-77
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• 2015

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is a widely used method for measuring the concentration of chlorophyll a as an indicator for estimating phytoplankton biomass and primary production and also for identifying carotenoids to determine phytoplankton composition. However, tissue grinding procedure requires a lot of time and experience in the analysis of multiple sample. Accordingly, we measured the concentrations of photosynthetic pigments before and after the grinding, in order to understand the grinding effects on the quantitative analysis of chlorophylls and carotenoids using samples from southwestern East Sea. When tissue grinding procedure was omitted, we found that Chl a concentrations were underestimated up to 45% in average. Also, concentrations of Zeaxanthin, 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, biomarkers of pico and nano-size phytoplankton, were underestimated up to maximum 77~85% without grinding. We found that the smaller the phytoplankton, the bigger underestimation of their biomarker pigments concentration is likely to happen due to the incomplete extraction. Thus, tissue grinding procedure should be included for HPLC analysis in all cases, to prevent the underestimation of not only Chl a but also carotenoids pigments.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 1989

A pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacterium, Methylobacterium sp. strain SY1, was isolated from soil through methanol-enrichment culture technique. The isolate was gram-negative, slightly curved rod, and motile by a single polarly inserted flagellum. The colony was smooth, bright pink, and slimy. The guanine plus cytosine content of the KNA was 66%. The cell was obigately aerobic and exhibited both catalase and oxidase activities. Carotenoid pigment and poly-$\beta$-hydroxybutyrate were present. It was found to have three kinds of plasmid with molecular weights 45,000, 38,500 and 23,000. Growth with methanol(0.5%) was fast ($t_{d}$=6.5h) and was optimal at $30^{\circ}C$ and at pH 7.0. The isolate could grow on several sugars, organic acids, amino acids, amines, and alcohols in addition to the methanol. Methanol was found to be assimilated through the serine pathway.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.569-574
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• 2015

Arthrospira platensis has high lipid and pigment (such as chlorophyll and carotenoid) contents and thus evaluated as an important resource in functional food production. The cell growth rate and pigment concentration of EM24 increased by approximately 1.2-fold than those of the wild-type strain (WT). Fluorescence intensity levels in EM24, which were quantified with a lipid triolein standard curve, also increased by approximately 1.5-fold than those in WT (62.9 mg/Lvs. 38.9 mg/L). The analysis of fatty acid profiles indicated that the gamma-linoleic acid level in EM24 increased by 1.5-fold than that in WT.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.550-557
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Angelica keiskei is a green leafy vegetable rich in plant pigment phytochemicals such as flavonoids and carotenoids. This study examined bioavailability of flavonoids and carotenoids in Angelica keiskei and the alteration of the antioxidant performance in vivo. SUBJECTS AND MATERIALS: Absorption kinetics of phytochemicals in Angelica keiskei were determined in healthy older adults (> 60 y, n = 5) and subjects with metabolic syndrome (n = 5). Subjects consumed 5 g dry Angelica keiskei powder encapsulated in gelatin capsules with a low flavonoid and carotenoid liquid meal. Plasma samples were collected at baseline, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 h. Samples were analyzed for flavonoids and carotenoids using HPLC systems with electrochemical and UV detection, respectively, and for total antioxidant performance by fluorometry. RESULTS: After ingestion of Angelica keiskei increases in plasma quercetin concentrations were observed at 1-3 and 6-8 hr in the healthy group and at all time points in the metabolic syndrome group compared to baseline (P < 0.05). Plasma lutein concentrations were significantly elevated in both the healthy and metabolic syndrome groups at 8 hr (P < 0.05). Significant increases in total antioxidant performance were also observed in both the healthy and the metabolic syndrome groups compared to baseline (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study clearly demonstrate the bioavailability of phytonutrients of Angelica keiskei and their ability to increase antioxidant status in humans.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.107-122
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• 2012

In plants, color is a powerful tool to attract insects and herbivores which act as pollinators and vehicles of seed dispersion. In particular, flower color has held key post for human with aesthetic value. Horticultural industry has developed methods to produce new and attractive color varieties in flowering plants. Carotenoids are one of the main pigments being responsible for red, orange, and yellow colors. Their biosynthetic pathway has been considered as a major target of metabolic engineering for color modification of flowers and fruits. Here, we review the diverse efforts to modify pigment phenotype by the control of carotenogenic gene expression and enzyme levels. Recent reports about regulating degradation and storage of carotenoids will be also summarized to help the creation of engineered flower with novel color phenotype which is not existed in nature.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.544-551
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• 2003

Interactive effects of UV-B and Cd on growth, pigment, photosynthesis, and lipid peroxidation have been studied in Anabaena, Microcystis, and Nostoc; all the tested cyanobacteria showed differential sensitivity to different dosage of UV-B and Cd alone as well as in combination. Phycocyanin was severely affected by UV-B and Cd by all the strains; the degree of pigment bleaching was most pronounced in Anabaena followed by Microcystis and Nostoc. $UV-B_2+Cd_2$ produced nearly 83, 78, and 65% inhibition of phycocyanin in Anabaena, Microcystis, and Nostoc, respectively. The above treatment also significantly decreased the contents of Chl ${\alpha}$ and carotenoid. Presence of capsule in Microcystis protected the phycocyanin bleaching as compared to decapsulated cells. Laboratory-grown Microcystis revealed about 75 and 80% inhibition, following $UV-B_2+Cd_2$ treatment, respectively. in capsulated and decapsulated cells. Damage caused by Cd was more pronounced than UV-B. Inhibition of photosynthesis did occur in all the test strains, being maximum in Anabaena. PS II was the most sensitive component of the electron transport chain, showing 84, 80, and 70% inhibition in Anabaena, Microcystis, and Nostoc, respectively. As compared to control, significant lipid peroxidation (6.5-fold higher) was observed in Anabaena with $UV-B_2+Cd_2$, $^{14}C-uptake$ was more susceptible to Cd and Uv-B than oxygen-evolution. Approximately 84, 80, and 76% inhibition of $^{14}C-uptake$ was observed in Anabaena, Microcystis, and Nostoc, respectively. Similarly, $UV-B_2+Cd_2$ inhibited APT content of Anabaena by 87%. This ,study suggests that inhibition of carbon fixation was due to decreased ATP content of the test cyanobacteria by UV-B+Cd, where Anabaena was the most sensitive and Nostoc the most tolerant.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.275-284
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• 2002

Granular gland regeneration in the toad after dorsal skin wound histologically was examined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. After cutaneous wounds were induced by excision, animals were maintained in special cages for up to 20 days. In transmission electron microscopy (TEM), newly formed granular gland, though poorly developed, was seen on 4 day after injury. Epithelial cells moved toward apical region of newly formed gland. The cells had smooth surface and were not connected to other cells by desmosomes. Mitochondria rich cell (MRC) possessing long cytoplasmic processes formed a gland cavity and hemidesmosomes were found under the cell processes. Basal cavity of newly formed gland consisted of MRC, pro-granular producing cells (pGPC), and granular producing cell (GPC). Moreover it was observed that xanthophores moved to the base of the epithelial tissue on 10 day after the injury. These cells contained numerous pterinosomes and carotenoid vesicles. Immature pterinosomes were large and carotenoid vesicles were moderately electron dense. On 13 day after the injury, xanthophores contained abundant carotinoid vesicles and lammelated pterinosomes. Iridophores were also observed adjacent the developing xanthophores on 16 day post-injury. These observations indicated that regeneration of granular gland from glandular precursor cells during wound healing and subsequent expansion of the glandular cells might be dependent on maturation and proliferation of these newly formed cells.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.721-724
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• 2009

Astaxanthin is a valuable pigment source for many aquacultured species, including salmonoids, shrimp, sea bream, and ornamental species. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and ascidian tunic extracts were mixed with the basal diet of rainbow trout to investigate their pigmentation effects. Synthetic Carophyll Pink and natural carotenoids that came from the tunic extracts were incorporated into muscle and skin tissues. The main carotenoids found in muscle after 8 weeks were canthaxanthin in CP12 (13.4%), and CP52 (17.2%), and astaxanthin in CP12 (58.5%), and CP52 (59.2%) in the Carophyll Pink group, while those in skin were canthaxanthin in CP14 (34.5%), and CP54 (29.2%), and astaxanthin in CP14 (32.0%), and CP54 (36.5%) in the ascidian tunic extract group. The total carotenoid content in skin (53.0-69.3 mg/kg) was greater than that in muscle (9.5-13.8 mg/kg).

• KSBB Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.172-176
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• 2012

In this study, microalgae Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis) mutants induced by ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) and further selection for resistance of cerulenin, a potent inhibitor of fatty acid synthase, were characterized. The mutants selected by $2{\mu}M$, $5{\mu}M$ and $10{\mu}M$ of cerulenin were designated EC2, EC5 and EC10, respectively. Under normal growth conditions, the mutants and parental strain exhibited similar growth pattern. The mutants of A. platensis showed enhanced lipid accumulation and phycobiliproteins (phycoerythrin, phycocyanin). The lipid content of mutants EC2 and EC5 was about 4.4 and 4.8-fold higher than wild type. The phycoerythrin and phycocyanin content of mutants EC2 and EC5 was increased about 1.5 and 6.9-fold and 1.4 and 3.8-fold, respectively, compared to the wild type. The chlorophyll and carotenoid content of mutants was slightly increased. The high lipid and pigment contents exhibited by A. platensis mutants would make an excellent candidate for the production of commercially interesting biologically active compounds.