| 1. |
- Abbott, D. Wade, et al.
(författare)
-
Seaweed and Seaweed Bioactives for Mitigation of Enteric Methane : Challenges and Opportunities
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Animals. - : MDPI AG. - 2076-2615. ; 10:12
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Simple Summary The need to become more efficient in agriculture and the food industry exists parallel to the challenge of climate change. Meat and dairy production is the target of much scrutiny due to methane (CH4) emissions and global warming. On the other hand, it should be noted that two-thirds of the world's agricultural land consists of pastures and permanent grasslands and is used for livestock grazing. This land is predominantly unsuitable for arable purposes but facilitates the production of high-quality human-edible protein in the form of ruminant animal-derived meat and milk. This makes a significant contribution to feeding the world's population. There is a need to reduce CH4 emissions, however, and several approaches are being researched currently. Seaweeds are diverse plants containing bioactives that differ from their terrestrial counterparts and they are increasingly under investigation as a feed supplement for the mitigation of enteric CH4. Seaweeds are rich in bioactives including proteins, carbohydrates and to a lesser extent lipids, saponins, alkaloids and peptides. These bioactives could also play a role as feed ingredients to reduce enteric CH4. This review collates information on seaweeds and seaweed bioactives and their potential to impact on enteric CH4 emissions. Seaweeds contain a myriad of nutrients and bioactives including proteins, carbohydrates and to a lesser extent lipids as well as small molecules including peptides, saponins, alkaloids and pigments. The bioactive bromoform found in the red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis has been identified as an agent that can reduce enteric CH4 production from livestock significantly. However, sustainable supply of this seaweed is a problem and there are some concerns over its sustainable production and potential negative environmental impacts on the ozone layer and the health impacts of bromoform. This review collates information on seaweeds and seaweed bioactives and the documented impact on CH4 emissions in vitro and in vivo as well as associated environmental, economic and health impacts.
|
|
| 2. |
- Adediran, Gbotemi A., et al.
(författare)
-
Phosphorus in 2D : Spatially resolved P speciation in two Swedish forest soils as influenced by apatite weathering and podzolization
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Geoderma. - : Elsevier BV. - 0016-7061 .- 1872-6259. ; 376
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The cycling and long-term supply of phosphorus (P) in soils are of global environmental and agricultural concern. To advance the knowledge, a detailed understanding of both the vertical and lateral variation of P chemical speciation and retention mechanism(s) is required, a knowledge that is limited in postglacial forest soils. We combined the use of synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy with multi-elemental co-localisation analysis and P K-edge XANES spectroscopy to reveal critical chemical and structural soil properties. We established a two-dimensional (2D) imagery of P retention and speciation at a microscale spatial resolution in two forest soil profiles formed in glaciofluvial and wave-washed sand. The abundance and speciation of P in the upper 40 cm was found to be influenced by soil weathering and podzolization, leading to spatial variability in P speciation on the microscale (< 200 pm) with P existing predominantly as organic P and as PO4 adsorbed to allophane and ferrihydrite, according to XANES spectroscopy. These species were mostly retained at sharp edges and in pore spaces within Al and Si-bearing particles. Despite the relatively young age ( < 15,000 years) of the soils, our results show primary mineral apatite to have weathered from the surface horizons. In the C horizon however, a large fraction of the P was in the form of apatite, which appeared as widely dispersed ( > 600 pm) hot spots of inclusions in aluminosilicates or as discrete micro-sized apatite grains. The subsoil apatite represents a pool of P that trees can potentially acquire and thus add to the biogeochemically active P pool in temperate forest soils.
|
|
| 3. |
- Agustin, Melissa B., et al.
(författare)
-
Lignin nanoparticles as co-stabilizers and modifiers of nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions and foams
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Cellulose. - : Springer Nature. - 0969-0239 .- 1572-882X. ; 30:14, s. 8955-8971
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nanocellulose is very hydrophilic, preventing interactions with the oil phase in Pickering emulsions. This limitation is herein addressed by incorporating lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) as co-stabilizers of nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions. LNP addition decreases the oil droplet size and slows creaming at pH 5 and 8 and with increasing LNP content. Emulsification at pH 3 and LNP cationization lead to droplet flocculation and rapid creaming. LNP application for emulsification, prior or simultaneously with nanocellulose, favors stability given the improved interactions with the oil phase. The Pickering emulsions can be freeze–dried, enabling the recovery of a solid macroporous foam that can act as adsorbent for pharmaceutical pollutants. Overall, the properties of nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions and foams can be tailored by LNP addition. This strategy offers a unique, green approach to stabilize biphasic systems using bio-based nanomaterials without tedious and costly modification procedures.
|
|
| 4. |
- Ahlgren, Serina, et al.
(författare)
-
EU sustainability criteria for biofuels : Uncertainties in GHG emissions from cultivation
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Biofuels. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1759-7269 .- 1759-7277. ; 3:4, s. 399-411
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Cultivation of raw material represents a large proportion of biofuelś GHG emissions. The EU renewable energy directive 2009/28/EC specifies a GHG emission default value for cultivation of biofuel raw material (23 g CO2-e/MJ ethanol for wheat). The aim of this study was to quantify the uncertainty in GHG emissions for wheat cultivation in Sweden, considering uncertainty and variability in data at farm level. Results: Two levels of data collection at farm level were analyzed; simple (only yield and amount of N) and advanced (also including amounts and types of energy). The 2.5-97.5 percentile uncertainty for Swedish winter wheat was 20-27 g CO 2-e/MJ, which can be considered large in the context of the Directives threshold of 23 g (to two significant figures). Conclusion: It is concluded that quantifying GHG emissions in order to regulate biofuels is a difficult task, especially emissions from cultivation, since these are biological systems with large variability.
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
- Ahlqvist, Josefin, et al.
(författare)
-
Affinity binding of inclusion bodies on supermacroporous monolithic cryogels using labeling with specific antibodies
- 2006
-
Ingår i: Journal of Biotechnology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1656 .- 1873-4863. ; 122:2, s. 216-225
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A new chromatographic method based on affinity supermacroporous monolithic cryogels is developed for binding and analyzing inclusion bodies during fermentation. The work demonstrated that it is possible to bind specific IgG and IgY antibodies to the 15 and 17 amino acids at the terminus ends of a 33 kDa target protein aggregated as inclusion bodies. The antibody treated inclusion bodies from lysed fermentation broth can be specifically retained in protein A and pseudo-biospecific ligand sulfamethazine modified supermacroporous cryogels. The degree of binding of IgG and IgY treated inclusion bodies to the Protein A and sulfamethazine gels are investigated, as well as the influence of pH on the sulfamethazine ligand. Optimum binding of 78 and 72% was observed on both protein A and sulfamethazine modified cryogel columns, respectively, using IgG labeling of the inclusion bodies. The antibody treated inclusion bodies pass through unretained in the sulfamethazine supermacroporous gel at pH that does not favour the binding between the ligand on the gel and the antibodies on the surface of inclusion bodies. Also the unlabeled inclusion bodies went through the gel unretained, showing no non-specific binding or trapping within the gel. These findings may very well be the foundation for the building of a powerful analytical tool during fermentation of inclusion bodies as well as a convenient way to purify them from fermentation broth. These results also support our earlier findings [Kumar, A., Plieva, F.M., Galaev, I.Yu., Mattiasson, B.. 2003. Affinity fractionation of lymphocytes using a monolithic cyogel. J. Immunol. Methods 283, 185-194] with mammalian cells that were surface labeled with specific antibodies and recognized on protein A supermacroporous gels. A general binding and separation system can be established on antibody binding cryogel affinity matrices.
|
|
| 7. |
- Ahmad, Arslan, et al.
(författare)
-
Environmental arsenic in a changing world
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Groundwater for Sustainable Development. - : Elsevier. - 2352-801X. ; 8, s. 169-171
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
|
|
| 8. |
- Ahmed, Engy, et al.
(författare)
-
Mineral Type Structures Soil Microbial Communities
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Geomicrobiology Journal. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0149-0451 .- 1521-0529. ; 34:6, s. 538-545
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Soil microorganisms living in close contact with minerals play key roles in the biogeochemical cycling of elements, soil formation, and plant nutrition. Yet, the composition of microbial communities inhabiting the mineralosphere (i.e., the soil surrounding minerals) is poorly understood. Here, we explored the composition of soil microbial communities associated with different types of minerals in various soil horizons. To this effect, a field experiment was set up in which mineral specimens of apatite, biotite, and oligoclase were buried in the organic, eluvial, and upper illuvial horizons of a podzol soil. After an incubation period of two years, the soil attached to the mineral surfaces was collected, and microbial communities were analyzed by means of Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S (prokaryotic) and 18S (eukaryotic) ribosomal RNA genes. We found that both composition and diversity of bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities varied across the different mineral surfaces, and that mineral type had a greater influence on structuring microbial assemblages than soil horizon. Thus, our findings emphasize the importance of mineral surfaces as ecological niches in soils.
|
|
| 9. |
- Akhter, Shirin, et al.
(författare)
-
Cone-setting in spruce is regulated by conserved elements of the age-dependent flowering pathway
- 2022
-
Ingår i: New Phytologist. - : Wiley. - 0028-646X .- 1469-8137. ; 236:5, s. 1951-1963
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Reproductive phase change is well characterized in angiosperm model species, but less studied in gymnosperms. We utilize the early cone-setting acrocona mutant to study reproductive phase change in the conifer Picea abies (Norway spruce), a gymnosperm. The acrocona mutant frequently initiates cone-like structures, called transition shoots, in positions where wild-type P. abies always produces vegetative shoots. We collect acrocona and wild-type samples, and RNA-sequence their messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) fractions. We establish gene expression patterns and then use allele-specific transcript assembly to identify mutations in acrocona. We genotype a segregating population of inbred acrocona trees. A member of the SQUAMOSA BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) gene family, PaSPL1, is active in reproductive meristems, whereas two putative negative regulators of PaSPL1, miRNA156 and the conifer specific miRNA529, are upregulated in vegetative and transition shoot meristems. We identify a mutation in a putative miRNA156/529 binding site of the acrocona PaSPL1 allele and show that the mutation renders the acrocona allele tolerant to these miRNAs. We show co-segregation between the early cone-setting phenotype and trees homozygous for the acrocona mutation. In conclusion, we demonstrate evolutionary conservation of the age-dependent flowering pathway and involvement of this pathway in regulating reproductive phase change in the conifer P. abies.
|
|
| 10. |
- Akhter, Shirin, et al.
(författare)
-
Integrative Analysis of Three RNA Sequencing Methods Identifies Mutually Exclusive Exons of MADS-Box Isoforms During Early Bud Development in Picea abies
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Frontiers in Plant Science. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-462X. ; 9
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent efforts to sequence the genomes and transcriptomes of several gymnosperm species have revealed an increased complexity in certain gene families in gymnosperms as compared to angiosperms. One example of this is the gymnosperm sister Glade to angiosperm TM3-like MADS-box genes, which at least in the conifer lineage has expanded in number of genes. We have previously identified a member of this subclade, the conifer gene DEFICIENS AGAMOUS LIKE 19 (DAL19), as being specifically upregulated in cone-setting shoots. Here, we show through Sanger sequencing of mRNA-derived cDNA and mapping to assembled conifer genomic sequences that DAL19 produces six mature mRNA splice variants in Picea abies. These splice variants use alternate first and last exons, while their four central exons constitute a core region present in all six transcripts. Thus, they are likely to be transcript isoforms. Quantitative Real-Time PCR revealed that two mutually exclusive first DAL19 exons are differentially expressed across meristems that will form either male or female cones, or vegetative shoots. Furthermore, mRNA in situ hybridization revealed that two mutually exclusive last DAL19 exons were expressed in a cell-specific pattern within bud meristems. Based on these findings in DAL19, we developed a sensitive approach to transcript isoform assembly from short-read sequencing of mRNA. We applied this method to 42 putative MADS-box core regions in P abies, from which we assembled 1084 putative transcripts. We manually curated these transcripts to arrive at 933 assembled transcript isoforms of 38 putative MADS-box genes. 152 of these isoforms, which we assign to 28 putative MADS-box genes, were differentially expressed across eight female, male, and vegetative buds. We further provide evidence of the expression of 16 out of the 38 putative MADS-box genes by mapping PacBio Iso-Seq circular consensus reads derived from pooled sample sequencing to assembled transcripts. In summary, our analyses reveal the use of mutually exclusive exons of MADS-box gene isoforms during early bud development in P. abies, and we find that the large number of identified MADS-box transcripts in P. abies results not only from expansion of the gene family through gene duplication events but also from the generation of numerous splice variants.
|
|
