Beta-glucans are carbohydrates (glucose polymers) found in the cell walls of fungi, yeast, algae, lichens, and plants such as oats and barley. Beta-glucans bind to glucan receptor on phagocytic cells and modify these cells to become "immunologically active" by generating a variety of innate immune responses. Particulate beta-glucan has been specifically shown to engage dectin-1 receptor, which ...

A hundred and fifty samples of fish rations were collected and subjected to mycological examination. The total prevalence of Aspergillus flavus was 66.67%. Fifteen isolates among them were aflatoxinB1 producers. AFB1 was extracted and tested for pathogencity. AFB1 intoxicated fish showed off feed, sluggish swimming, dark skin, loss of reflexes, increased mucus secretion, loss of scales and asci...

BACKGROUND The formation of the cell wall in Schizosaccharomyces pombe requires the coordinated activity of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and modification of β-glucans. The β(1,3)-glucan synthase complex synthesizes linear β(1,3)-glucans, which remain unorganized until they are cross-linked to other β(1,3)-glucans and other cell wall components. Transferases of the GH72 family play impor...

As dietary supplementation with β-glucans can stimulate the innate immune response in the porcine gastrointestinal system (GIT), the aim of this study was to determine if the effects of β-glucan supplementation extend beyond the GIT to systemic levels. Hence, the effects of dietary supplementation of β-glucans derived from Laminara digitata, Laminara hyperborea, and Sacharomyces cerevisiae on c...

The influences of pelleting and 13-glucanase supplementation on the digestibility of dietary components in a barley-based diet were investigated in pigs fitted with cannulas in the terminal ileum. The diet contained 49.0% starch, 18.9% crude protein and 14.8% dietary fiber, with arabinoxylans (4.9%), mixed-linked ~-glucans (3.4%) and cellulose (3.3%) as the main fiber components. Pelleting incr...

Aims: In our previous studies, we showed the inhibitory effects of Punica granatum L. flower and Rhus coriaria L. fruit water extracts on dental plaque accumulation by several bacteria, especially Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), on orthodontic wire by in vitro assays. In this study, the anti-cariogenic properties of the extracts were evaluated by assessing their effects on expression of glyco...