Tânia Misuzu Shiga

Cell wall polysaccharides of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The soluble and insoluble cotyledon (SPF-Co and IPF-Co) and tegument (SPF-Te and IPF-Te) cell wall polymer fractions of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) were isolated using a chemical-enzymatic method. The sugar composition showed that SPF-Co was constituted of 38.6% arabinose, 23.4% uronic acids, 12.7% galactose, 11.2% xylose, 6.4% mannose and 6.1% glucose, probably derived from slightly branched and weakly bound polymers. The IPF-Co was fractionated with chelating agent (CDTA) and with increasing concentrations of NaOH. The bulk of the cell wall polymers (29.4%) were extracted with 4.0M NaOH and this fraction contained mainly arabinose (55.0%), uronic acid (18.9%), glucose (10.7%), xylose (10.3%) and galactose (3.4%). About 8.7% and 10.6% of the polymers were solubilised with CDTA and 0.01M NaOH respectively and were constituted of arabinose (52.0 and 45.9%), uronic acids (25.8 and 29.8%), xylose (9.6 and 10.2%), galactose (6.1 and 3.9%) and glucose (6.5 and 3.8%). The cell wall polymers were also constituted of small amounts (5.6 and 7.2%) of cellulose (CEL) and of non-extractable cell wall polymers (NECW). About 16.8% and 17.2% of the polymers were solubilised with 0.5 and 1.0M NaOH and contained, respectively, 92.1 and 90.7% of glucose derived from starch (IST). The neutral sugar and polymers solubilization profiles showed that weakly bound pectins are present mainly in SPF-Co (water-soluble), CDTA and 0.01-0.1M NaOH soluble fractions. Less soluble, highly cross-linked pectins were solubilised with 4.0M NaOH. This pectin is arabinose-rich, probably highly branched and has a higher molecular weight than the pectin present in SPF-Co, CDTA and 0.01-0.1M NaOH fractions.

BIOCHEMICAL AND AGRONOMICAL RESPONSES OF GRAPEVINES TO ALTERATION OF SOURCE-SINK RATIO BY CLUSTER THINNING AND SHOOT TRIMMING

The control of leaf to fruit ratio by the practice of entire clusters removal from the vine upon berry set has been used in traditional vineyards in order to regulate yield and to improve chemical composition of the berries. Although this practice has been settled in temperate zones, little is known about grapevines behavior in tropical growing areas. The aim of this work was to evaluate the biochemical and agronomical responses of two Vitis vinifera cultivars (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) grown in Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, a new winegrape region. Grapevines were submitted to cluster thinning (0%, 50% and 75% of cluster removal) and trimming treatments (trimmed and untrimmed) imposed at pea size stage. The source-sink alteration by fruit removal and shoot trimming had impact on yield, leaf sugar metabolism and grape composition. Although there was an improvement in color intensity of the berries with reduction of fruit load, the cluster thinning practice should be avoided in vineyards grown in the south of Minas Gerais State without impairment of wine grape quality. On the other hand, shoot trimming practice should be recommended only for Merlot in order to improve sugar grapes from vines with no cluster removal.

Composição físico-química de uvas para vinho fino em ciclos de verão e inverno

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o potencial de maturacao das cultivares Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay e Sauvignon Blanc submetidas ao regime de dupla poda, em Cordislândia, regiao cafeeira do sul de Minas Gerais. As plantas foram submetidas a dois ciclos de producao, um de primavera-verao, compreendido entre agosto e janeiro, e outro ciclo de outono-inverno, entre janeiro e julho. Como parâmetros de qualidade, foram avaliados os diâmetros transversal e longitudinal da baga, acidez, acidos tartarico e malico, pH, solidos soluveis, antocianinas, fenolicos totais e os teores de glicose, frutose e sacarose. Todas as variedades apresentaram maiores teores de pH, solidos soluveis, acucares, antocianinas e fenolicos totais, e reducao nos diâmetros transversal e longitudinal na safra de inverno. A cultivar Syrah destacou-se das demais no conteudo de antocianinas e fenolicos totais tanto no verao quanto no inverno, entretanto apresentou o menor conteudo de acucares. A alteracao do ciclo de producao da videira atraves da tecnica da dupla poda para colheita, no periodo de inverno, na regiao cafeeira de Minas Gerais, favorece a maturacao dos frutos e melhora consideravelmente a qualidade das uvas para vinificacao.

Two banana cultivars differ in composition of potentially immunomodulatory mannan and arabinogalactan

Banana (Musa acuminata and M. acuminata x M. balbisiana) fruit cell walls are rich in mannans, homogalacturonans and xylogalacturonan, rhamnogalacturonan-I, and arabinogalactans, certain forms of which is considered to have immunomodulatory activity. The cultivars Nanicão and Thap Maeo represent two widely variants with respect to compositional differences in the forms of these polysaccharides. Nanicão has low amounts of mannan in the water-insoluble and water-soluble fraction. Both cultivars have high amounts of water-soluble arabinogalactan. These commelinoid monocots lack the (1→3),(1→4)-β-d-glucans of grasses, but Thap Maeo has higher amounts of non-starch glucans associated with wild species than does Nanicão. High amount of callose was found in both cultivars. As immunomodulatory activity is associated with the fine structure and interaction of these polysaccharides, breeding programs to introgress disease resistance from wild species must account for these special structural features in retaining fruit quality and beneficial properties.

Polysaccharide composition of raw and cooked chayote (Sechium edule Sw.) fruits and tuberous roots

Chayote is a multipurpose table vegetable widely consumed in Latin America countries. Chayote fruits, leaves and tuberous roots contain complex carbohydrates as dietary fiber and starch, vitamins and minerals. The complex polysaccharides (cell walls and starch) were analyzed in the black and green varieties of chayote fruits as well as in green chayote tuberous root before and after a controlled cooking process to assess changes in their composition and structure. The monosaccharide composition and linkage analysis indicated pectins homogalacturonans and rhamnogalacturonan I backbones constitute about 15-20% of the wall mass, but are heavily substituted with, up to 60% neutral arabinans, galactans, arabinogalactans. The remainder is composed of xyloglucan, glucomannans and galactoglucomannans. Chayote cell-wall polysaccharides are highly stable under normal cooking conditions, as confirmed by the optical microscopy of wall structure. We found also that tuberous roots constitute a valuable additional source of quality starch and fiber.

FRUIT COMPOSITION OF 'NIÁGARA ROSADA' AND 'FOLHA-DE-FIGO' GRAPEVINES UNDER DIFFERENT TRAINING SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT - This work aimed on evaluating the influence of training systems in berries composition of ‘Niagara Rosada’ and ‘Folha-de-Figo’ grapevines grown in Caldas, MG. Yield per plant; diameter, weight, temperature and potassium content of the berries; pH, soluble solids, reducing sugars, total acidity and organic acids of the must; anthocyanins and phenolic compounds of the skins and phenolic compounds of the seeds were evaluated in grapevines training in vertical shoot position, lyre trellis, pergola Veronese or simple string in 2006 and 2007 seasons. ‘Niagara Rosada’ and ‘Folha-de-Figo’ grapevines training in pergola Veronese and lyre trellis, respectively, showed higher yield than the other training systems under study. Ber-ries grown under the four different training systems were cooler than ambient temperature, resulting from partial or deep shade clusters. Berries harvested from pergola Veronese trellis system showed lower soluble solids and reducing sugars levels in both cultivars. These preliminary data show that training systems exerted little influence on berries composition.Index terms: Vitis labrusca, phenolic compounds, sugars, anthocyanins, management, quality.

Ripening-induced chemical modifications of papaya pectin inhibit cancer cell proliferation

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a fleshy fruit with a rapid pulp softening during ripening. Ripening events are accompanied by gradual depolymerization of pectic polysaccharides, including homogalacturonans, rhamnogalacturonans, arabinogalactans, and their modified forms. During intermediate phases of papaya ripening, partial depolymerization of pectin to small size with decreased branching had enhanced pectin anti-cancer properties. These properties were lost with continued decomposition at later phases of ripening. Pectin extracted from intermediate phases of papaya ripening markedly decreased cell viability, induced necroptosis, and delayed culture wound closing in three types of immortalized cancer cell lines. The possible explanation for these observations is that papaya pectins extracted from the third day after harvesting have disrupted interaction between cancer cells and the extracellular matrix proteins, enhancing cell detachment and promoting apoptosis/necroptosis. The anticancer activity of papaya pectin is dependent on the presence and the branch of arabinogalactan type II (AGII) structure. These are first reports of AGII in papaya pulp and the first reports of an in vitro biological activity of papaya pectins that were modified by natural action of ripening-induced pectinolytic enzymes. Identification of the specific pectin branching structures presents a biological route to enhancing anti-cancer properties in papaya and other climacteric fruits.