Thaumatin, an intensely sweet protein, is the major proteinaciouscompnentinthe arils ofThaumatococcusdaniellii [l].Thaumatinisamemberofafamilyofatleastfiveisoforms, separable on cation exchange chromatography and all with a molecular weight of approx. 22 kDa and possessing eight disulphide bridges. Thaumatin I and II are derived from distinct genes, the other subforms may result from post-trans...

Visceral adiposity is much more strongly associated with cardiometabolic disease in humans than subcutaneous adiposity. Browning, the appearance of brown-like adipocytes in the white adipose tissue (WAT), has been shown to protect mice against metabolic dysfunction, suggesting the possibility of new therapeutic approaches to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes. In mice, subcutaneous WAT depots ex...

The dispersal ecology of Stemmadenia donnell-smithii was studied in the tropical dry forest zone of northwestern Costa Rica. Fruit was most abundant late in the dry season and was eaten by 22 species of birds, many of which are primarily insectivorous. Stomach-content analyses substantiated our observations. Total crop size per tree and rate of fruit opening were greatest in pasture-edge trees ...

Plant browning is a recalcitrant problem for in vitro culture and often leads to poor growth of explants and even failure of tissue culture. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying browning-induced physiological processes remain unclear. Medinilla is considered one of the most difficult genera for tissue culture owning to its severe browning. In the present study, intact aseptic plantlets ...

The effects of rice bran extract (RBE) on browning in potato, banana and apple slices compared with distilled water (DW) were investigated by measuring the changes of color values. Potato slice treated with RBE had lower browning value than that treated with DW during storage 9 to 12 hrs (p≤0.05). The browning values of potato treated with RBE and DW stored for 12 hrs were 4.72 and 7.64, respec...

BACKGROUND Explant browning presents a major problem for in vitro culture, and can lead to the death of the explant and failure of regeneration. Considerable work has examined the physiological mechanisms underlying Phalaenopsis leaf explant browning, but the molecular mechanisms of browning remain elusive. In this study, we used whole genome RNA sequencing to examine Phalaenopsis leaf explant ...

BACKGROUND The discovery of the only animal pigment, bilirubin, in the plant Strelitzia nicolai has triggered a vast number of questions regarding bilirubin's formation and its role in the human body. Recent studies have confirmed that bilirubin at certain levels have many medical benefits. Various case studies have revealed that bilirubin is a potent antioxidant. Cervical cancer is one of Sout...

Induction of beige cells causes the browning of white fat and improves energy metabolism. However, the central mechanism that controls adipose tissue browning and its physiological relevance are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that fasting and chemical-genetic activation of orexigenic AgRP neurons in the hypothalamus suppress the browning of white fat. O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-Gl...

The primary task of white adipose tissue (WAT) is the storage of lipids. However, "beige" adipocytes also exist in WAT. Beige adipocytes burn fat and dissipate the energy as heat, but their abundance is diminished in obesity. Stimulating beige adipocyte development, or WAT browning, increases energy expenditure and holds potential for combating metabolic disease and obesity. Here, we report tha...