Vincenzo Lattanzio | Università degli Studi di Foggia (original) (raw)
Papers by Vincenzo Lattanzio
Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB, 2018
Stimulated production of secondary phenolic metabolites and proline was studied by using cell cul... more Stimulated production of secondary phenolic metabolites and proline was studied by using cell cultures of artichoke [Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek] submitted to nutritional stress. Artichoke cell cultures accumulated phenolic secondary metabolites in a pattern similar to that seen in artichoke leaves and heads (capitula). This paper shows that both callus and cell suspension cultures under nutritional stress accumulated phenolic compounds and proline, at the same time their biomass production was negatively affected by nutrient deficiency. The results obtained strongly suggest that plant tissues respond to nutrient deprivation by a defensive costly mechanism, which determines the establishment of a mechanism of trade-off between growth and adaptive response. Furthermore, the results of this research suggest that perception of abiotic stress and increased phenolic metabolites are linked by a sequence of biochemical processes that also involves the intracellular fre...
Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality, Apr 3, 2003
Phenolic compounds are plant secondary metabolites that are naturally present in essentially all ... more Phenolic compounds are plant secondary metabolites that are naturally present in essentially all plant material, including food products of plant origin. They are particularly prominent in fruit and vegetables where they are important in determining colour, appearance, flavour and taste. These compounds form one of the main classes of secondary metabolites, with a large range of structures: monomeric, dimeric and polymeric phenolics have been identified. Given a free choice the consumer selects foods with a low content of lignin (toughness) andlor tannin (astringency), but sometimes with a relatively high anthocyanin content (appearance andlor ripeness indicator). During the postharvest life of fruit and vegetables and the different technological treatments to which these plant tissues are submitted in order to extend their shelf life, some changes in secondary metabolism occur. These metabolic changes of phenolic compounds, often coupled with the activity of polyphenol oxidase, are responsible for some phenomena affecting the quality of stored plant commodities. In this connection two important aspects, related to the presence of phenolics, receiving increasing attention from biochemists, plant physiologists and food technologists, are the role of phenolics in browning reactions and the resistance mechanism against storage fungi. This paper emphasizes some aspects related to low temperature metabolism of endogenous phenolics in plant tissue under chill stress with reference to shelf life of cold stored fresh fruit and vegetables.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2015
Higher plants synthesize an amazing diversity of phenolic secondary metabolites. Phenolics are de... more Higher plants synthesize an amazing diversity of phenolic secondary metabolites. Phenolics are defined secondary metabolites or natural products because, originally, they were considered not essential for plant growth and development. Plant phenolics, like other natural compounds, provide the plant with specific adaptations to changing environmental conditions and, therefore, they are essential for plant defense mechanisms. Plant defensive traits are costly for plants due to the energy drain from growth toward defensive metabolite production. Being limited with environmental resources, plants have to decide how allocate these resources to various competing functions. This decision brings about trade-offs, i.e., promoting some functions by neglecting others as an inverse relationship. Many studies have been carried out in order to link an evaluation of plant performance (in terms of growth rate) with levels of defense-related metabolites. Available results suggest that environmental stresses and stress-induced phenolics could be linked by a transduction pathway that involves: (i) the proline redox cycle; (ii) the stimulated oxidative pentose phosphate pathway; and, in turn, (iii) the reduced growth of plant tissues.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
The effect of ultraviolet-C light (u.v.-C) at low doses on postharvest decay of strawberries caus... more The effect of ultraviolet-C light (u.v.-C) at low doses on postharvest decay of strawberries caused by Botrytis cinerea and other pathogens was investigated. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and ethylene production, as influenced by ultraviolet-C irradiation, were also determined. Strawberries (cv. 'Pajaro') from plants that had been treated with chemicals against grey mould were irradiated with u.v.-C doses ranging from 0.25 to 4.00 kJ m-2 and inoculated with B. cinerea at different times (0, 12, 24 and 48 hours) after irradiation. To assess the effect of u.v.-C light on the naturally occurring postharvest decay, organically grown strawberries were also used. After treatment the strawberries were stored at 20±1°C or at 3°C. u.v.-C doses at 0.50 and 1.00 kJ m-2 significantly reduced botrytis storage rot arising from both artificial inoculations and natural infections in comparison with the unirradiated control. The doses shown to reduce botrytis rot produced an increase in PAL activity 12 h after irradiation; this result indicates the activation of metabolic a pathway related to the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds, which are usually characterized by antifungal activity. In addition, u.v.-C irradiation caused an increase in ethylene production proportional to the doses applied, reaching the highest value 6 h after treatment. The overall results from these investigations indicate that treatment with low u.v.-C doses produces a reduction in postharvest decay of strawberries related to induced resistance mechanisms. Moreover, a germicidal effect of reducing external contaminating pathogens cannot be excluded.
Phytochemistry
Plant phenolics are secondary metabolites that encompass several classes structurally diverse of ... more Plant phenolics are secondary metabolites that encompass several classes structurally diverse of natural products biogenetically arising from the shikimate-phenylpropanoids-flavonoids pathways. Plants need phenolic compounds for pigmentation, growth, reproduction, resistance to pathogens and for many other functions. Therefore, they represent adaptive characters that have been subjected to natural Correspondence/Reprint request: Prof.
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 2011
During the Folin Ciocalteu (F-C) micro-assay for the determination of phenolics in the presence o... more During the Folin Ciocalteu (F-C) micro-assay for the determination of phenolics in the presence of methanol, fine solids can form. In a previous paper, we hypothesized that the interference from alcohol on the F-C reaction can be minimized depending on the particular procedure used to reach the alkalinity condition. In order to demonstrate our hypothesis we studied, by spectrophotometrically monitoring, the time-behaviour of the reactions carried out in the presence of different methanol concentrations at the same alkalinity condition from two protocols. The results showed that the interfering effect of methanol on the F-C micro-method can be affect and even prevented depending on working conditions. In particular, the formation of fine solids can be delayed, slowed down and prevented depending on the initial carbonate concentration used. We have explained why the initial carbonate concentration, used to reach the final alkalinity condition, plays an important role in the F-C reaction carried out in the presence of methanol. Moreover, the results from real-time monitoring showed that, differently from traditional F-C procedure, our procedure allows us to carry out the F-C micro method in the presence of 6% methanol, as an extreme concentration, reading the absorbance at real time 24 min. The real-time monitoring of absorbance can be considered as a useful means to explore the effect of other parameters on precipitate formation caused by the presence of methanol in the F-C reaction.
Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB / Société française de physiologie végétale, 2011
A cationic soluble peroxidase isoenzyme (CysPrx) has been purified and characterized from articho... more A cationic soluble peroxidase isoenzyme (CysPrx) has been purified and characterized from artichoke (Cynara cardunculus subsp. scolymus (L.) Hegi) leaves by combination of aqueous two phase extraction, ion exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. The purification fold was 149 and the activity recovery 5.5%. CysPrx was stable from 5 to 45 °C with a pH optimum around 5.5; the pI was 8.3 and the MW of 37.7 ± 1.5 kDa. MALDI-TOF MS analysis provided partial peptide sequences and resolved CysPrx isoenzyme into two putative isoforms. The presence of these isoforms was confirmed by the isolation of full-length cDNA encoding CysPrx that generate two slightly different sequences coding for two putative CysPrx: CysPrx1 and CysPrx2. The obtained MS peptides showed a 35% coverage with 100% identity with the two CysPrx deduced protein sequences. A molecular modeling analysis was carried out to predict in silico the protein structure and compare it with other plant Prx structures. Considering ...
Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research, 2008
Plant secondary metabolism constitutes a large reservoir of natural chemical diversity that encom... more Plant secondary metabolism constitutes a large reservoir of natural chemical diversity that encompasses an enormous range of compounds and enzymes, and a wide spectrum of mechanisms of gene regulation and of transport of metabolites and enzymes. Among the thousands of ...
Cheynier/Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research, 2012
P1: SFK/UKS P2: SFK BLBK411-c01 BLBK411-Cheynier February 2, 2012 13: 7 Trim: 244mm× 172mm Chapte... more P1: SFK/UKS P2: SFK BLBK411-c01 BLBK411-Cheynier February 2, 2012 13: 7 Trim: 244mm× 172mm Chapter 1 Plant Phenolics: A Biochemical and Physiological Perspective Vincenzo Lattanzio, Angela Cardinali and Vito Linsalata Abstract: The plant polyphenols are a very ...
Natural Products, 2013
Plant phenolics" and "polyphenols" are secondary natural metabolites arising biogenetically from ... more Plant phenolics" and "polyphenols" are secondary natural metabolites arising biogenetically from either the shikimate/phenylpropanoid pathway, which directly provides phenylpropanoids, or the "polyketide" acetate/malonate pathway, which can produce simple phenols, or both, thus producing monomeric and polymeric phenols and polyphenols, which fulfill a very broad range of physiological roles in plants. Higher plants synthesize several thousand known different phenolic compounds. The ability to synthesize phenolic compounds has been selected throughout the course of evolution in different plant lineages, thus permitting plants to cope with the constantly changing environmental challenges over evolutionary time. Plant phenolics are considered to have a key role as defense compounds when environmental stresses, such as high light, low temperatures, pathogen infection, herbivores, and nutrient deficiency, can lead to an increased production of free radicals and other oxidative species in plants. Both biotic and abiotic stresses stimulate carbon fluxes from the primary to the secondary metabolic pathways,
Postharvest Biology and Technology, 1996
2,5-Dimethoxybenzoic (DMB) acid was tested as an antifungal compound to control the postharvest d... more 2,5-Dimethoxybenzoic (DMB) acid was tested as an antifungal compound to control the postharvest decay pathogens of strawberry fruits. The compound completely inhibited in vitro spore germination and mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer at a concentration of 5 × 10-3 M. The effect of DMB acid treatments on the decay of strawberry fruits, stored at 20°C or at 3°C plus a period of simulated shelf-life storage, was investigated. A marked reduction in decay development was observed when commercially harvested strawberries were dipped or sprayed with 10-z M DMB acid. Its practical use on berries under field conditions has been also tested. The best results were obtained when fruits were dipped for 1 minute in 10-2 DMB acid in combination with 0.05% (v/v) Tween 20.
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 2013
Land-adapted plants appeared between about 480 and 360 million years ago in the mid-Palaeozoic er... more Land-adapted plants appeared between about 480 and 360 million years ago in the mid-Palaeozoic era, originating from charophycean green algae. The successful adaptation to land of these prototypes of amphibious plants - when they emerged from an aquatic environment onto the land - was achieved largely by massive formation of "phenolic UV light screens". In the course of evolution, plants have developed the ability to produce an enormous number of phenolic secondary metabolites, which are not required in the primary processes of growth and development but are of vital importance for their interaction with the environment, for their reproductive strategy and for their defense mechanisms. From a biosynthetic point of view, beside methylation catalyzed by O-methyltransferases, acylation and glycosylation of secondary metabolites, including phenylpropanoids and various derived phenolic compounds, are fundamental chemical modifications. Such modified metabolites have altered polarity, volatility, chemical stability in cells but also in solution, ability for interaction with other compounds (co-pigmentation) and biological activity. The control of the production of plant phenolics involves a matrix of potentially overlapping regulatory signals. These include developmental signals, such as during lignification of new growth or the production of anthocyanins during fruit and flower development, and environmental signals for protection against abiotic and biotic stresses. For some of the key compounds, such as the flavonoids, there is now an excellent understanding of the nature of those signals and how the signal transduction pathway connects through to the activation of the phenolic biosynthetic genes. Within the plant environment, different microorganisms can coexist that can establish various interactions with the host plant and that are often the basis for the synthesis of specific phenolic metabolites in response to these interactions. In the rhizosphere, increasing evidence suggests that root specific chemicals (exudates) might initiate and manipulate biological and physical interactions between roots and soil organisms. These interactions include signal traffic between roots of competing plants, roots and soil microbes, and one-way signals that relate the nature of chemical and physical soil properties to the roots. Plant phenolics can also modulate essential physiological processes such as transcriptional regulation and signal transduction. Some interesting effects of plant phenolics are also the ones associated with the growth hormone auxin. An additional role for flavonoids in functional pollen development has been observed. Finally, anthocyanins represent a class of flavonoids that provide the orange, red and blue/purple colors to many plant tissues. According to the coevolution theory, red is a signal of the status of the tree to insects that migrate to (or move among) the trees in autumn.
Microchemical Journal, 2009
A new combination among time, temperature, alkali and alcohol is described for the spectrophotome... more A new combination among time, temperature, alkali and alcohol is described for the spectrophotometric determination of small concentrations of phenolics in methanol extracts from plant. It is a variation of the classical Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) method, but the reaction conditions are optimized in order to eliminate methanol interferences in the assay. Alcohol concentration and reaction time limits have been evaluated as 4% methanol (v/v) and 20 min at 40°C, using a 5% (w/v) sodium carbonate solution. This F-C micro-method is reproducible, quick, inexpensive and particularly helpful if it works with numerous samples or on a small scale, such as during the setting up of an experimental procedure of alcoholic extractions.
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 2005
... Vincenzo Lattanzio 1,* ,; Roberto Terzano 1 ,; Nunzia Cicco 2 ,; Angela Cardinali 3 ,; Donato... more ... Vincenzo Lattanzio 1,* ,; Roberto Terzano 1 ,; Nunzia Cicco 2 ,; Angela Cardinali 3 ,; Donato Di Venere 3 ,; Vito Linsalata 3. ... 24 Schroeder HE, Gollasch S, Moore A, Tabe LM, Craig S, Hardie DC, Chrispeels MJ, Spencer D and Higgins TJV, Bean α-amylase inhibitor confers ...
Journal of Food Science, 1981
A new method for chromatographic separation and UV spectrophotometric determination of Odiphenol ... more A new method for chromatographic separation and UV spectrophotometric determination of Odiphenol active principles of plants has been developed. The method is based on a technique of gel filtration on Sephadex LH 20. This technique offers selectivity, resolution, and sensibility; minimum detectable 5 pg/ml. Interactions between the gel and substances examined, which control chromatographic separation, were studied. The method is useful for objectively assessing the quality of plant products and suitable for automation in the case of routine analysis.
Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB, 2018
Stimulated production of secondary phenolic metabolites and proline was studied by using cell cul... more Stimulated production of secondary phenolic metabolites and proline was studied by using cell cultures of artichoke [Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek] submitted to nutritional stress. Artichoke cell cultures accumulated phenolic secondary metabolites in a pattern similar to that seen in artichoke leaves and heads (capitula). This paper shows that both callus and cell suspension cultures under nutritional stress accumulated phenolic compounds and proline, at the same time their biomass production was negatively affected by nutrient deficiency. The results obtained strongly suggest that plant tissues respond to nutrient deprivation by a defensive costly mechanism, which determines the establishment of a mechanism of trade-off between growth and adaptive response. Furthermore, the results of this research suggest that perception of abiotic stress and increased phenolic metabolites are linked by a sequence of biochemical processes that also involves the intracellular fre...
Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality, Apr 3, 2003
Phenolic compounds are plant secondary metabolites that are naturally present in essentially all ... more Phenolic compounds are plant secondary metabolites that are naturally present in essentially all plant material, including food products of plant origin. They are particularly prominent in fruit and vegetables where they are important in determining colour, appearance, flavour and taste. These compounds form one of the main classes of secondary metabolites, with a large range of structures: monomeric, dimeric and polymeric phenolics have been identified. Given a free choice the consumer selects foods with a low content of lignin (toughness) andlor tannin (astringency), but sometimes with a relatively high anthocyanin content (appearance andlor ripeness indicator). During the postharvest life of fruit and vegetables and the different technological treatments to which these plant tissues are submitted in order to extend their shelf life, some changes in secondary metabolism occur. These metabolic changes of phenolic compounds, often coupled with the activity of polyphenol oxidase, are responsible for some phenomena affecting the quality of stored plant commodities. In this connection two important aspects, related to the presence of phenolics, receiving increasing attention from biochemists, plant physiologists and food technologists, are the role of phenolics in browning reactions and the resistance mechanism against storage fungi. This paper emphasizes some aspects related to low temperature metabolism of endogenous phenolics in plant tissue under chill stress with reference to shelf life of cold stored fresh fruit and vegetables.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2015
Higher plants synthesize an amazing diversity of phenolic secondary metabolites. Phenolics are de... more Higher plants synthesize an amazing diversity of phenolic secondary metabolites. Phenolics are defined secondary metabolites or natural products because, originally, they were considered not essential for plant growth and development. Plant phenolics, like other natural compounds, provide the plant with specific adaptations to changing environmental conditions and, therefore, they are essential for plant defense mechanisms. Plant defensive traits are costly for plants due to the energy drain from growth toward defensive metabolite production. Being limited with environmental resources, plants have to decide how allocate these resources to various competing functions. This decision brings about trade-offs, i.e., promoting some functions by neglecting others as an inverse relationship. Many studies have been carried out in order to link an evaluation of plant performance (in terms of growth rate) with levels of defense-related metabolites. Available results suggest that environmental stresses and stress-induced phenolics could be linked by a transduction pathway that involves: (i) the proline redox cycle; (ii) the stimulated oxidative pentose phosphate pathway; and, in turn, (iii) the reduced growth of plant tissues.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
The effect of ultraviolet-C light (u.v.-C) at low doses on postharvest decay of strawberries caus... more The effect of ultraviolet-C light (u.v.-C) at low doses on postharvest decay of strawberries caused by Botrytis cinerea and other pathogens was investigated. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and ethylene production, as influenced by ultraviolet-C irradiation, were also determined. Strawberries (cv. 'Pajaro') from plants that had been treated with chemicals against grey mould were irradiated with u.v.-C doses ranging from 0.25 to 4.00 kJ m-2 and inoculated with B. cinerea at different times (0, 12, 24 and 48 hours) after irradiation. To assess the effect of u.v.-C light on the naturally occurring postharvest decay, organically grown strawberries were also used. After treatment the strawberries were stored at 20±1°C or at 3°C. u.v.-C doses at 0.50 and 1.00 kJ m-2 significantly reduced botrytis storage rot arising from both artificial inoculations and natural infections in comparison with the unirradiated control. The doses shown to reduce botrytis rot produced an increase in PAL activity 12 h after irradiation; this result indicates the activation of metabolic a pathway related to the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds, which are usually characterized by antifungal activity. In addition, u.v.-C irradiation caused an increase in ethylene production proportional to the doses applied, reaching the highest value 6 h after treatment. The overall results from these investigations indicate that treatment with low u.v.-C doses produces a reduction in postharvest decay of strawberries related to induced resistance mechanisms. Moreover, a germicidal effect of reducing external contaminating pathogens cannot be excluded.
Phytochemistry
Plant phenolics are secondary metabolites that encompass several classes structurally diverse of ... more Plant phenolics are secondary metabolites that encompass several classes structurally diverse of natural products biogenetically arising from the shikimate-phenylpropanoids-flavonoids pathways. Plants need phenolic compounds for pigmentation, growth, reproduction, resistance to pathogens and for many other functions. Therefore, they represent adaptive characters that have been subjected to natural Correspondence/Reprint request: Prof.
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 2011
During the Folin Ciocalteu (F-C) micro-assay for the determination of phenolics in the presence o... more During the Folin Ciocalteu (F-C) micro-assay for the determination of phenolics in the presence of methanol, fine solids can form. In a previous paper, we hypothesized that the interference from alcohol on the F-C reaction can be minimized depending on the particular procedure used to reach the alkalinity condition. In order to demonstrate our hypothesis we studied, by spectrophotometrically monitoring, the time-behaviour of the reactions carried out in the presence of different methanol concentrations at the same alkalinity condition from two protocols. The results showed that the interfering effect of methanol on the F-C micro-method can be affect and even prevented depending on working conditions. In particular, the formation of fine solids can be delayed, slowed down and prevented depending on the initial carbonate concentration used. We have explained why the initial carbonate concentration, used to reach the final alkalinity condition, plays an important role in the F-C reaction carried out in the presence of methanol. Moreover, the results from real-time monitoring showed that, differently from traditional F-C procedure, our procedure allows us to carry out the F-C micro method in the presence of 6% methanol, as an extreme concentration, reading the absorbance at real time 24 min. The real-time monitoring of absorbance can be considered as a useful means to explore the effect of other parameters on precipitate formation caused by the presence of methanol in the F-C reaction.
Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB / Société française de physiologie végétale, 2011
A cationic soluble peroxidase isoenzyme (CysPrx) has been purified and characterized from articho... more A cationic soluble peroxidase isoenzyme (CysPrx) has been purified and characterized from artichoke (Cynara cardunculus subsp. scolymus (L.) Hegi) leaves by combination of aqueous two phase extraction, ion exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. The purification fold was 149 and the activity recovery 5.5%. CysPrx was stable from 5 to 45 °C with a pH optimum around 5.5; the pI was 8.3 and the MW of 37.7 ± 1.5 kDa. MALDI-TOF MS analysis provided partial peptide sequences and resolved CysPrx isoenzyme into two putative isoforms. The presence of these isoforms was confirmed by the isolation of full-length cDNA encoding CysPrx that generate two slightly different sequences coding for two putative CysPrx: CysPrx1 and CysPrx2. The obtained MS peptides showed a 35% coverage with 100% identity with the two CysPrx deduced protein sequences. A molecular modeling analysis was carried out to predict in silico the protein structure and compare it with other plant Prx structures. Considering ...
Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research, 2008
Plant secondary metabolism constitutes a large reservoir of natural chemical diversity that encom... more Plant secondary metabolism constitutes a large reservoir of natural chemical diversity that encompasses an enormous range of compounds and enzymes, and a wide spectrum of mechanisms of gene regulation and of transport of metabolites and enzymes. Among the thousands of ...
Cheynier/Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research, 2012
P1: SFK/UKS P2: SFK BLBK411-c01 BLBK411-Cheynier February 2, 2012 13: 7 Trim: 244mm× 172mm Chapte... more P1: SFK/UKS P2: SFK BLBK411-c01 BLBK411-Cheynier February 2, 2012 13: 7 Trim: 244mm× 172mm Chapter 1 Plant Phenolics: A Biochemical and Physiological Perspective Vincenzo Lattanzio, Angela Cardinali and Vito Linsalata Abstract: The plant polyphenols are a very ...
Natural Products, 2013
Plant phenolics" and "polyphenols" are secondary natural metabolites arising biogenetically from ... more Plant phenolics" and "polyphenols" are secondary natural metabolites arising biogenetically from either the shikimate/phenylpropanoid pathway, which directly provides phenylpropanoids, or the "polyketide" acetate/malonate pathway, which can produce simple phenols, or both, thus producing monomeric and polymeric phenols and polyphenols, which fulfill a very broad range of physiological roles in plants. Higher plants synthesize several thousand known different phenolic compounds. The ability to synthesize phenolic compounds has been selected throughout the course of evolution in different plant lineages, thus permitting plants to cope with the constantly changing environmental challenges over evolutionary time. Plant phenolics are considered to have a key role as defense compounds when environmental stresses, such as high light, low temperatures, pathogen infection, herbivores, and nutrient deficiency, can lead to an increased production of free radicals and other oxidative species in plants. Both biotic and abiotic stresses stimulate carbon fluxes from the primary to the secondary metabolic pathways,
Postharvest Biology and Technology, 1996
2,5-Dimethoxybenzoic (DMB) acid was tested as an antifungal compound to control the postharvest d... more 2,5-Dimethoxybenzoic (DMB) acid was tested as an antifungal compound to control the postharvest decay pathogens of strawberry fruits. The compound completely inhibited in vitro spore germination and mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer at a concentration of 5 × 10-3 M. The effect of DMB acid treatments on the decay of strawberry fruits, stored at 20°C or at 3°C plus a period of simulated shelf-life storage, was investigated. A marked reduction in decay development was observed when commercially harvested strawberries were dipped or sprayed with 10-z M DMB acid. Its practical use on berries under field conditions has been also tested. The best results were obtained when fruits were dipped for 1 minute in 10-2 DMB acid in combination with 0.05% (v/v) Tween 20.
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 2013
Land-adapted plants appeared between about 480 and 360 million years ago in the mid-Palaeozoic er... more Land-adapted plants appeared between about 480 and 360 million years ago in the mid-Palaeozoic era, originating from charophycean green algae. The successful adaptation to land of these prototypes of amphibious plants - when they emerged from an aquatic environment onto the land - was achieved largely by massive formation of "phenolic UV light screens". In the course of evolution, plants have developed the ability to produce an enormous number of phenolic secondary metabolites, which are not required in the primary processes of growth and development but are of vital importance for their interaction with the environment, for their reproductive strategy and for their defense mechanisms. From a biosynthetic point of view, beside methylation catalyzed by O-methyltransferases, acylation and glycosylation of secondary metabolites, including phenylpropanoids and various derived phenolic compounds, are fundamental chemical modifications. Such modified metabolites have altered polarity, volatility, chemical stability in cells but also in solution, ability for interaction with other compounds (co-pigmentation) and biological activity. The control of the production of plant phenolics involves a matrix of potentially overlapping regulatory signals. These include developmental signals, such as during lignification of new growth or the production of anthocyanins during fruit and flower development, and environmental signals for protection against abiotic and biotic stresses. For some of the key compounds, such as the flavonoids, there is now an excellent understanding of the nature of those signals and how the signal transduction pathway connects through to the activation of the phenolic biosynthetic genes. Within the plant environment, different microorganisms can coexist that can establish various interactions with the host plant and that are often the basis for the synthesis of specific phenolic metabolites in response to these interactions. In the rhizosphere, increasing evidence suggests that root specific chemicals (exudates) might initiate and manipulate biological and physical interactions between roots and soil organisms. These interactions include signal traffic between roots of competing plants, roots and soil microbes, and one-way signals that relate the nature of chemical and physical soil properties to the roots. Plant phenolics can also modulate essential physiological processes such as transcriptional regulation and signal transduction. Some interesting effects of plant phenolics are also the ones associated with the growth hormone auxin. An additional role for flavonoids in functional pollen development has been observed. Finally, anthocyanins represent a class of flavonoids that provide the orange, red and blue/purple colors to many plant tissues. According to the coevolution theory, red is a signal of the status of the tree to insects that migrate to (or move among) the trees in autumn.
Microchemical Journal, 2009
A new combination among time, temperature, alkali and alcohol is described for the spectrophotome... more A new combination among time, temperature, alkali and alcohol is described for the spectrophotometric determination of small concentrations of phenolics in methanol extracts from plant. It is a variation of the classical Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) method, but the reaction conditions are optimized in order to eliminate methanol interferences in the assay. Alcohol concentration and reaction time limits have been evaluated as 4% methanol (v/v) and 20 min at 40°C, using a 5% (w/v) sodium carbonate solution. This F-C micro-method is reproducible, quick, inexpensive and particularly helpful if it works with numerous samples or on a small scale, such as during the setting up of an experimental procedure of alcoholic extractions.
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 2005
... Vincenzo Lattanzio 1,* ,; Roberto Terzano 1 ,; Nunzia Cicco 2 ,; Angela Cardinali 3 ,; Donato... more ... Vincenzo Lattanzio 1,* ,; Roberto Terzano 1 ,; Nunzia Cicco 2 ,; Angela Cardinali 3 ,; Donato Di Venere 3 ,; Vito Linsalata 3. ... 24 Schroeder HE, Gollasch S, Moore A, Tabe LM, Craig S, Hardie DC, Chrispeels MJ, Spencer D and Higgins TJV, Bean α-amylase inhibitor confers ...
Journal of Food Science, 1981
A new method for chromatographic separation and UV spectrophotometric determination of Odiphenol ... more A new method for chromatographic separation and UV spectrophotometric determination of Odiphenol active principles of plants has been developed. The method is based on a technique of gel filtration on Sephadex LH 20. This technique offers selectivity, resolution, and sensibility; minimum detectable 5 pg/ml. Interactions between the gel and substances examined, which control chromatographic separation, were studied. The method is useful for objectively assessing the quality of plant products and suitable for automation in the case of routine analysis.