Targeted mutagenesis of amino acid transporter genes for rice quality improvement using the CRISPR/Cas9 system

High grain protein content(GPC) reduces rice eating and cooking quality(ECQ). We generated OsAAP6 and OsAAP10 knockout mutants in three high-yielding japonica varieties and one japonica line using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Mutation efficiency varied with genetic background in the T_0 generation, and GPC in the T_1 generation decreased significantly,owing mainly to a reduction in glutelin content. Amylose content was down-regulated significantly in some Osaap6 and all Osaap10 mutants. The increased taste value of these mutants was supported by Rapid Visco Analysis(RVA) profiles, which showed higher peak viscosity and breakdown viscosity and lower setback viscosity than the wild type. There were no significant deficiencies in agronomic traits of the mutants. Targeted mutagenesis of OsAAP6 and OsAAP10, especially OsAAP10, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system can rapidly reduce GPC and improve ECQ of rice, providing a new strategy for the breeding cultivars with desired ECQ.

Influences of dietary protein sources and crude protein levels on intracellular free amino acid profile in the longissimus dorsi muscle of finishing gilts

Background： The current study was carried out to determine effects of dietary protein source and crude protein（CP）level on carcass characteristics, meat quality, and muscle amino acid（AA） profile in finishing gilts. The experiment was designed as a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two sources of dietary proteins（cottonseed meal, CSM vs. soybean meal, SBM） and two levels of CP（12 % vs. 14 %, as-fed basis）. Seventy-two crossbred gilts（89.5 ± 0.9 kg） were allotted to one of four dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design for a period of 28 d. All diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and similar concentrations of standardized ileal digestible essential AA covering the nutrient requirements of pigs.Results： Growth, carcass characteristics and meat quality were not affected by dietary protein source nor crude protein level（P ＆gt; 0.10） except that average daily feed intake was increased by CSM diets（P = 0.03）. Gilts offered reduced protein diets had lower muscle p H45min（P 〈 0.05）. Neither dietary protein source nor crude protein level influenced N deposition. However, reduced protein diets decreased N intake, N excretion, and serum urea nitrogen content, whilst improved N efficiency（P 〈 0.01）. CSM diets increased N intake（P = 0.04）,but did not depress N efficiency. The concentrations of phenylalanine, tryptophan, cysteine and tyrosine（P 〈 0.05） of the longissimus muscle were decreased when gilts offered CSM diets, while muscle intracellular free valine concentration was increased（P = 0.03）. The gilts offered reduced protein diets had greater intracellular concentrations of free methionine, lysine, and total AA in muscle（P 〈 0.05）.Conclusion： These results suggest that CSM could replace SBM as a primary protein source in finishing pig diets in terms of performance, N efficiency, carcass characteristics, and meat quality, but decrease the concentrations of muscle specific AA. Furthermore, the reduced protein diet played an important role in increasing muscle intracellular concentrations of specific free amino acids（FAA）, and in reducing the relative ratios of specific FAA to lysine in longissimus dorsi muscle of pig, whose biological meaning needs further studies.

Novel metabolic and physiological functions of branched chain amino acids: a review

It is widely known that branched chain amino acids（BCAA） are not only elementary components for building muscle tissue but also participate in increasing protein synthesis in animals and humans. BCAA（isoleucine, leucine and valine） regulate many key signaling pathways, the most classic of which is the activation of the m TOR signaling pathway. This signaling pathway connects many diverse physiological and metabolic roles. Recent years have witnessed many striking developments in determining the novel functions of BCAA including：（1） Insufficient or excessive levels of BCAA in the diet enhances lipolysis.（2） BCAA, especially isoleucine, play a major role in enhancing glucose consumption and utilization by up-regulating intestinal and muscular glucose transporters.（3）Supplementation of leucine in the diet enhances meat quality in finishing pigs.（4） BCAA are beneficial for mammary health, milk quality and embryo growth.（5） BCAA enhance intestinal development, intestinal amino acid transportation and mucin production.（6） BCAA participate in up-regulating innate and adaptive immune responses.In addition, abnormally elevated BCAA levels in the blood（decreased BCAA catabolism） are a good biomarker for the early detection of obesity, diabetes and other metabolic diseases. This review will provide some insights into these novel metabolic and physiological functions of BCAA.

Early administration of branched-chain amino acid granules

The effect of malnutrition on survival in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis has not been well defined. Nutritional intervention with branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) can increase serum albumin concentration in patients with decompensated cirrhosis but its effects on survival are unclear. The BCAA to tyrosine ratio (BTR) is a surrogate marker (the normal range of BTR is between 4.41 and 10.05, and a Fischer's ratio of 1.8 corresponds to a BTR of 3.5) in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis, and BCAA inhibits hepatic carcinogenesis in patients with compensated cirrhosis. This review discusses data regarding the effect of early administration of BCAA granules based on the ratio of BCAA to BTR on prognosis in patients with cirrhosis.

不同菌材栽培糙皮侧耳营养品质综合评价

目的分析不同菌材栽培糙皮侧耳(Pleurotus ostreatus)生长及营养品质差异,并对其营养品质进行综合评价。方法以贵州5种常见菌材锥栗(Castanea henryi)、构树(Broussonetia papyrifera)、刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)、光皮桦(Betula luminifera)、青冈(Quercus glauca)为主要培养料栽培糙皮侧耳,对糙皮侧耳菌丝生长、子实体主要农艺性状及营养品质进行分析。结果糙皮侧耳在光皮桦培养基上菌丝生长速率更快,在锥栗和刺槐栽培基质中子实体主要农艺性状更好。刺槐栽培基质中糙皮侧耳子实体粗蛋白、Cu、Zn、K元素含量最高,锥栗栽培基质中糙皮侧耳子实体多糖、Na、Mg、Fe、Ca元素含量最高。以5种菌材栽培的糙皮侧耳子实体总氨基酸、必需氨基酸含量为刺槐>青冈>光皮桦>构树>锥栗,总药用氨基酸含量为青冈>刺槐>光皮桦>构树>锥栗。5种菌材栽培的糙皮侧耳子实体呈味氨基酸主要为甜味和苦味氨基酸,其中光皮桦栽培的糙皮侧耳子实体鲜甜味更佳。必需氨基酸营养品质评价及营养品质综合评价结果表明刺槐栽培糙皮侧耳子实体综合营养品质更好。Fe、苏氨酸、丙氨酸、谷氨酸、精氨酸、天冬氨酸、组氨酸、Zn和多糖是5种菌材栽培的糙皮侧耳子实体主要差异营养成分。相关性分析结果显示菌材营养成分主要与糙皮侧耳菌丝生长、子实体主要农艺性状和矿物质元素含量显著相关。结论不同营养成分的菌材对糙皮侧耳子实体生长和营养品质的影响不同,刺槐更适合作为生产糙皮侧耳主栽菌材。

Organic chloramines in chlorine-based disinfected water systems： A critical review

This paper is a critical review of current knowledge of organic chloramines in water systems,including their formation, stability, toxicity, analytical methods for detection, and their impact on drinking water treatment and quality. The term organic chloramines may refer to any halogenated organic compounds measured as part of combined chlorine（the difference between the measured free and total chlorine concentrations）, and may include N-chloramines,N-chloramino acids, N-chloraldimines and N-chloramides. Organic chloramines can form when dissolved organic nitrogen or dissolved organic carbon react with either free chlorine or inorganic chloramines. They are potentially harmful to humans and may exist as an intermediate for other disinfection by-products. However, little information is available on the formation or occurrence of organic chloramines in water due to a number of challenges. One of the biggest challenges for the identification and quantification of organic chloramines in water systems is the lack of appropriate analytical methods. In addition, many of the organic chloramines that form during disinfection are unstable, which results in difficulties in sampling and detection. To date research has focussed on the study of organic monochloramines.However, given that breakpoint chlorination is commonly undertaken in water treatment systems, the formation of organic dichloramines should also be considered. Organic chloramines can be formed from many different precursors and pathways. Therefore, studying the occurrence of their precursors in water systems would enable better prediction and management of their formation.