In field conditions, crops are adversely affected by a wide range of abiotic stresses including drought, cold, salt, and heat, as well as biotic stresses including pests and pathogens. These stresses can have a marked effect on crop yield. The present and future effects of climate change necessitate the improvement of crop stress tolerance. Plants have evolved sophisticated stress response strategies, and genes that encode transcription factors (TFs) that are master regulators of stress-responsive genes are excellent candidates for crop improvement. Related examples in recent studies include TF gene modulation and overexpression approaches in crop species to enhance stress tolerance. However, much remains to be discovered about the diverse plant TFs. Of the >80 TF families, only a few, such as NAC, MYB, WRKY, bZIP, and ERF/DREB, with vital roles in abiotic and biotic stress responses have been intensively studied. Moreover, although significant progress has been made in deciphering the roles of TFs in important cereal crops, fewer TF genes have been elucidated in sorghum. As a model drought-tolerant crop, sorghum research warrants further focus. This review summarizes recent progress on major TF families associated with abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and their potential for crop improvement, particularly in sorghum. Other TF families and non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression are discussed briefly. Despite the emphasis on sorghum, numerous examples from wheat, rice, maize, and barley are included. Collectively, the aim of this review is to illustrate the potential application of TF genes for stress tolerance improvement and the engineering of resistant crops, with an emphasis on sorghum.

Transcription Factors Associated with Abiotic and Biotic Stress Tolerance and Their Potential for Crops Improvement

Publisher Summary In this chapter, the browning reaction mechanism, and the formation of antioxidants and mutagens are reviewed. The stages in browning reaction mechanism based on Hodge's scheme are described in detail. Different stages are initial stage involving the formation of glycosyl amino products followed by Amadori rearrangement, intermediate stage involving dehydration and fragmentation of sugars and final stage involving aldol condensation, polymerization, and formation of heterocyclic nitrogen compounds. Formation of free radicals and structure of novel free radicals in the initial stage are described in detail. The sugar fragmentation and carbonyl compounds in the formation of free radicals are effective in browning process. The steps in the intermediate stages described are Amadori rearrangement products, enolization and degradation of Amadori products and precursors of melanoidins. The final stage describes the chemistry of melanoidins. The chapter also discusses the antioxidants and Maillard reaction. The stability of foods increases when Maillard reactions occur. The stabilization is considered to be because of the antioxidative action of Maillard reaction products (MRPs). Conditions for induction of antioxidative activity are explained. Detailed explanation about the antioxidative property of reductones is presented. The antioxidative property of reductones is due to their reducing activity and metal cheating ability. Application of MRPs in practical food processing is also highlighted. The relationship between mutagen formation and browning of food is explained. The role of nitroso mutagens and antimutagens is also discussed. The chapter also discusses the need for more detailed information on the structure and properties of melanoidin to elucidate the mechanism of its antioxidative activity.

Chemistry of Maillard Reactions: Recent Studies on the Browning Reaction Mechanism and the Development of Antioxidants and Mutagens

The use of stem cells has enabled the successful generation of simple organs. However, anatomically complicated organs such as the kidney have proven more refractory to stem-cell-based regenerative techniques. Given the limits of allogenic organ transplantation, an ultimate therapeutic solution is to establish self-organs from autologous stem cells and transplant them as syngrafts back into donor patients. To this end, we have striven to establish an in vitro organ factory to build up complex organ structures from autologous adult stem cells by using the kidney as a target organ. Cultivation of human mesenchymal stem cells in growing rodent embryos enables their differentiation within a spatially and temporally appropriate developmental milieu, facilitating the first step of nephrogenesis. We show that a combination of whole-embryo culture, followed by organ culture, encourages exogenous human mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate and contribute to functional complex structures of the new kidney.

Human mesanchymal stem cells in rodent whole-embryo culture are reprogrammed to contribute to kidney tissues

Murine coagulation factor VIII is synthesized in endothelial cells

Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L) R Wilczek var radiata) is one of the most important pulse crops grown in South, East and Southeast Asia It provides significant amounts of protein (240 g kg−1) and carbohydrate (630 g kg−1) and a range of micronutrients in diets Mungbean protein and carbohydrate are easily digestible and create less flatulence than proteins derived from other legumes In addition, mungbean is lower in phytic acid (72% of total phosphorus content) than pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L Millsp), soybean (Glycine max L) and cereals; phytic acid is commonly found in cereal and legume crops and has a negative impact on iron and zinc bioavailability in plant-based diets Owing to its palatable taste and nutritional quality, mungbean has been used as an iron-rich whole food source for baby food The wide genetic variability of mineral concentrations (eg 003–006 g Fe kg−1, 002–004 g Zn kg−1) in mungbean indicates possibilities to improve its micronutrient content through biofortification Therefore biofortification of existing mungbean varieties has great potential for enhancing the nutritional quality of diets in South and Southeast Asia, where protein and micronutrient malnutrition are among the highest in the world This review paper discusses the importance of mungbean in agricultural production and traditional diets and the potential of enhancing the nutritional quality of mungbean through breeding and other means, including agronomic practices © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry

Biofortification of mungbean (Vigna radiata) as a whole food to enhance human health.

In this study the variability in nutritional composition, mineral profile, antinutritional factors and in vitro starch digestibility of five desi and four kabuli chickpea cultivars were studied. Proximate composition varied significantly (p<0.05) among different types of chickpea cultivars. The crude protein content varied from 18 to 31% being higher in kabuli chickpea cultivars than desi chickpea. The iron was the most abundant mineral present in all the cultivars of chickpea (4.6 to 10.5%). In addition appreciable amount of zinc was also present in all nine varieties of chickpea. Among antinutritional factors tannin concentration ranged from 0.07 to 0.22% and trypsin inhibitor’s content ranged from 9 to 31 mg/g in both the cultivars of chickpea. In vitro starch digestibility was found significantly (p<0.05) higher in kabuli chickpea than desi chickpea cultivars. Among the analyzed chickpea cultivars K850 in desi and PUSA 1108, PUSA 1088 and PUSA1053 in kabuli cultivars had good potential as a food crop therefore their cultivation and utilization should be encouraged.

Nutritional and antinutritional profile of newly developed chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) varieties.

The therapeutic effect of bone marrow-derived liver cells in the phenotypic correction of murine hemophilia A

In the present work, alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles (Al-NPs) were dispersed in a room temperature nematic liquid crystal 4-pentyl-4ʹ-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) at the concentrations of 0.2 and 0.6 wt%. Differential scanning calorimetry studies suggest decrease in clearing temperature of the composite materials as compared to the pure material. Dielectric studies show that the presence of the Al-NPs decreases the effective longitudinal component () of the dielectric permittivity while has no effect on the transverse component (). Ionic conductivity decreases for low concentration of the nanoparticles. In the case of homeotropic aligned samples, a dielectric relaxation mode has been detected in the MHz frequency region. Presence of the Al-NPs decreases the relaxation frequency corresponding to flip-flop motion of molecules about their short axes. From the frequency-dependent dielectric measurements, important dielectric parameters have been determined. Electro-optical experiments show that the threshold voltage dec...

Effect of alumina nanoparticles on dielectric permittivity, electrical conductivity, director relaxation frequency, threshold and switching voltages of a nematic liquid crystalline material

Recently the rise in noncommunicable diseases and side effects of drugs has promoted the research in food components with biologically active molecules. These bioactive components are vital in reducing and regulating the onset of such chronic degenerative diseases. Many food derived peptides are biologically active fragments encrypted within the primary protein sequence in nascent (inactive) form, hence also called ‘cryptides’. These bioactive peptides range in size from 2 to 50 amino acids. They function beyond their basic nutritional benefits. Upon oral administration, these peptides play various roles such as opiate like, antioxidative, immunomodulatory, antihypertensive, hypocholesterolemic, mineral binding, antiobesity and antimicrobial. Both animal and plant proteins are rich sources of bioactive peptides having specific physiological and biochemical functions. Digestion of proteins in vivo or in vitro produces free amino acids and peptides which enter circulatory system and exert systemic effect. Bioactive peptides can be produced in vivo through gastrointestinal digestion whereas in vitro through chemical processing of food proteins with acid, alkali, heat and enzymatic hydrolysis either by digestion or fermentation. Protein hydrolysates being rich source of bioactive peptides can serve as an alternative to intact protein and elemental formula in the development of functional foods.

Potential Applications of Food Derived Bioactive Peptides in Management of Health

The effect of cadmium selenide quantum dots on a room temperature discotic liquid crystalline material has been studied. These composites were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, impedance spectroscopy and small angle X-ray scattering. It was found that the composite with the lowest concentration of quantum dots enhanced the quasi one-dimensional conductivity of the discotic liquid crystal by five orders of magnitude without altering the columnar hexagonal phase. X-ray scattering results reveal that a decrement in the core–core distance is brought about by the intercalation of quantum dots in between the columns of the discotic liquid crystal matrix. Dielectric spectroscopy shows a relaxation mode in the high frequency region of the pure discotic material as well as in the composites.

Neelam Yadav

Papers

Nutritional and antinutritional profile of newly developed chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) varieties.

The therapeutic effect of bone marrow-derived liver cells in the phenotypic correction of murine hemophilia A

Effect of alumina nanoparticles on dielectric permittivity, electrical conductivity, director relaxation frequency, threshold and switching voltages of a nematic liquid crystalline material

Potential Applications of Food Derived Bioactive Peptides in Management of Health

Cadmium selenide quantum dots for the amelioration of the properties of a room temperature discotic liquid crystalline material