Project description:The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of aerobic decay of whole-plant corn silage and the effect of Neolamarckia cadamba essential oil on aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage. Firstly, the dynamic changes of temperature, microbial community and metabolite content after aerobic exposure of whole-plant corn silage were determined, and the main microbial species and mechanism leading to aerobic spoilage of whole-plant corn silage were analyzed. The N. cadamba essential oil was extracted from fresh N. cadamba leaves by steam distillation, and the minimal inhibitory concentration, antibacterial stability and bacteriostatic mechanism of N. cadamba essential oil against undesirable microorganisms in whole-plant corn silage were determined. According to the minimum inhibitory concentration of N. cadamba essential oil on undesirable microorganisms in silage, N. cadamba essential oil was added to whole-plant corn silage to explore the effect of N. cadamba essential oil on the aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage.
Project description:Here, we investigated the similarities and differences in the volatile profiles of plants and their holobionts. The VOC profiles of fruits, leaves, stems, and roots from seven plant species, including Turmeric seedlings (Curcuma longa), Artemisia capillaris, Euscaphis japonica, Panax ginseng, Clerodendrum trichotomum, Pyracantha koidzumii, and Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), as well as the VOCs of culturable microbial fractions characterized via GCMS-based metabolomics approaches
Project description:Metarhizium species were grown in plate (M-100 agar) co-culture with corn, for 4 and 7 days. Plate contents (plant material above hypocotyl removed) were ground under liquid nitrogen and extracted with methanol.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of sweet corn response to plant density (crowding stress). Determine the extent to which hybrid and environment influences crowding stress response and identify crowding stress transcriptional response in sweet corn
Project description:Corn bioethanol production generates large volumes of animal feed coproducts with nutritional value largely determined by their fiber and protein content. Here, we combined microscopic and biochemical lignin quantification, and proteomic analysis to characterize the corn flour (CF) feedstock and downstream dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS) and corn fermented protein (CFP) fractions from an industrial bioethanol plant. We show that the industrial processing concentrates lignin up to 8% of the dry weight of distiller grain fractions, representing an opportunity for its recovery and utilization. We also characterized the proteome of these materials, identifying ~4,200 maize (Zea mays) proteins, and ~300 yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and ~90 bacterial (Escherichia coli) proteins. Interestingly, 90% of the maize proteins present in the CF feedstock were detected in the DDGS and CFP fractions, suggesting mild protein breakdown during processing. Proteomics analysis enabled us to map the abundance levels of specific enzymes involved in lignin and starch biosynthesis in the maize endosperm, and key yeast enzymes involved in the glycolysis and fermentation pathways, revealing limiting enzymatic steps in these metabolic pathways. Additionally, we found that seed storage proteins, particularly globulins and oleosins, were enriched in the high-protein CFP fraction, consistent with its higher nutritional value. Microbial proteomics revealed that S. cerevisiae and E. coli each contributed ~3% of the total protein present in DDGS and CFP fractions. This study provides the first proteomic analysis of corn ethanol coproducts and identifies targets to enhance their utilization via maize genetics, microbial engineering, or lignin valorization strategies.
Project description:To investigate the effects of corn oil (CO), common drug vehicle, on the gene expression profiles in rat thymus with microarray technique. Female Wistar Rats were administered daily with normal saline (NS), CO 2, 5, 10 ml/kg for 14 days, respectively. Then, the thymus samples of rats were collected for microarray test and histopathology examination. The microarray data showed that 0, 40, 458 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in 2, 5, 10 ml/kg CO group compared to NS group, respectively. The altered genes were associated with immune response, cellular response to organic cyclic substance, regulation of fatty acid beta-oxidation, et al. However, no obvious histopathologic change was observed in the three CO dosage groups. These data show that 10 ml/kg CO , that dosage has been determined as the vehicle in drug safety assessment , can cause obvious influence on gene expression in rat thymus. Our study suggest that the dosage of CO gavage as the vehicle for water-in-soluble agents in drug development should be no more than 5 ml/kg if agents’ molecular effects in thymus want to be assessed. Gene expression in thymus from female Wistar rats daily administered with 2, 5, 10 ml/kg of corn oil or 10 ml/kg of saline by gavage for 14 consecutive days were measured using Agilent Rat Whole Genome 8×*60K array.