Article
Forestry
Han-Jung Sung, Ji-Hyun Park, Yeong-Don Lee, Hyeon-Dong Shin, Sang Hyun Lee
Summary: This study reports the novel occurrence of Graphiola phoenicis on Phoenix canariensis in Korea and provides mycological information of the Korean isolates.
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Lobna A. Elseify, Mohamad Midani, Ayman A. El-Badawy, Said Awad, Mohammad Jawaid
Summary: This study compares date palm fibers with other leaf fibers and finds that date palm fibers have finer diameter, higher cellulose purity, enhanced thermal stability, and high tensile strength. This research helps to identify the potential valorization of date palm fibers.
Article
Plant Sciences
Heba S. Elsewedy, Tamer M. Shehata, Nashi K. Alqahtani, Hany Ezzat Khalil, Wafaa E. Soliman
Summary: This study aimed to obtain the benefits in managing disorders by utilizing date palm extract and nanotechnology approach. The optimized DP-NLC showed proper particle size and in vitro release. The prepared DP-NLC-hydrogel exhibited acceptable physical properties for topical formulation and demonstrated effective antibacterial activity against various bacterial strains.
Article
Horticulture
Fouzia Alla, Kawtar Jdaini, Hanane M'hamdi, Hamza Mechchate, Mashail N. AlZain, Nurah M. Alzamel, Omar Noman, Jamal Mimouni, Mohammed Aziz Elhoumaizi
Summary: The study compared results of TDP method calibration with Granier's original equation, and found that using new calibration parameters improved the accuracy of sap flow measurements, indicating that a general equation is not suitable for different tree species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Muhammad Shahid, Hira Munir, Naheed Akhter, Nadia Akram, Fozia Anjum, Yasir Iqbal, Muhammad Afzal
Summary: In this study, biocompatible date palm mucilage encapsulated with silver nano particles was utilized for sustained drug release to stimulate an immune response. Characterization of the nano formulated mucilage showed efficient reduction of silver ions to AgNPs, different peak patterns, and irregular structures. The nano formulated mucilage delayed the drug release in gastric medium, suggesting its potential value as a bio-binder for controlled drug delivery.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hany Ezzat Khalil, Nashi K. Alqahtani, Hossam M. Darrag, Hairul-Islam Mohamed Ibrahim, Promise M. Emeka, Lorina I. Badger-Emeka, Katsuyoshi Matsunami, Tamer M. Shehata, Heba S. Elsewedy
Summary: The study enhanced the pharmacological activity of date palm fruit by formulating it into nanoemulsion, which showed improved drug release, reduced serum protein adsorption, and significant inhibition of cancer cell viability. The PEGylated NE exhibited proper particle size, extended drug release duration, and strong anticancer effects on MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leila Arab, Yasutomo Hoshika, Elena Paoletti, Philip J. White, Michael Dannenmann, Heike Mueller, Peter Ache, Rainer Hedrich, Saleh Alfarraj, Ghada Albasher, Heinz Rennenberg
Summary: Chronic ozone exposure selectively disrupts metabolic processes in the roots rather than the shoot, affecting mineral uptake and partitioning between roots and shoots. However, there were no significant changes in total carbon and nitrogen concentrations and their partitioning between different metabolic pools. The effects of chronic ozone exposure on mineral acquisition and partitioning between leaves and roots are discussed.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yousef A. Al-Dashti, Roberta R. Holt, Carl L. Keen, Robert M. Hackman
Summary: Research on cardioprotective foods like dates is essential for addressing global public health needs. While animal studies show promising results, more human research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits of date fruit on vascular health. Conducting thorough clinical trials and assessing functional markers of vascular disease will provide valuable information for human health.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jianhui Li, Imtiaz Hussain, Muhammad Azam, Muhammad Arslan Khan, Muhammad Tahir Akram, Khalid Naveed, Muhammad Asif, Naveeda Anjum, Jiaoke Zeng, Jiukai Zhang, Hongru Liu
Summary: Hot water treatment can enhance fruit ripening and preserve the nutritional quality of date fruits.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maryam Abdulraheem Alkhoori, Amanda Shen-Yee Kong, Mariam Nasser Aljaafari, Aisha Abushelaibi, Swee-Hua Erin Lim, Wan-Hee Cheng, Chou-Min Chong, Kok-Song Lai
Summary: This review discusses the nutritional value of date seeds and their potential in the treatment of chronic diseases. Date seeds are rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds, making them suitable for use in food, cosmetics, and medicinal formulations.
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
Jajneswar Nanda, Sankar Narayan Das, Abhipreet Mohapatra
Summary: Surface modification of date palm leaf fibers improves their thermal stability and tensile strength, while reducing water absorption. This is confirmed through SEM micrographs, FTIR analysis, XRD analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and DSC curve.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Riaz Ahmad, Hayssam M. Ali, Anna Lisek, Walid F. A. Mosa, Sezai Ercisli, Muhammad Akbar Anjum
Summary: This study investigated the genetic variation, phenotypic traits relationship, and inter-relationship among fruit characteristics of different date palm cultivars collected from two research stations in Pakistan. The results revealed a huge diversity in phenological and biochemical characteristics among date palm cultivars, as well as correlations among various characteristics. These findings provide important information for future breeding programs.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Maria F. Torres, Yasmin A. Mohamoud, Shameem Younuskunju, Karsten Suhre, Joel A. Malek
Summary: This study delves into the understanding of sex control in the Phoenix genus, identifying three conserved male genes and confirming an XY sex chromosome system. By investigating male-specific sequences in the date palm Y chromosome, it was found that these sequences have likely spread in defined events, appearing as blocks of varying density.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Forestry
Mojtaba Kordrostami, Mohammad Mafakheri, Jameel M. Al-Khayri
Summary: Date palm, a widely cultivated plant in arid regions, has been traditionally difficult to breed due to its long generation cycle and heterozygosity. Recent advancements in biotechnology have provided potential solutions to these challenges.
TREE GENETICS & GENOMES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Abdul Latif Khan, Ahmed Al-Harrasi, Muhammad Numan, Noor Mazin AbdulKareem, Fazal Mabood, Ahmed Al-Rawahi
Summary: This study used robust infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy methods coupled with chemometric analysis to identify sex differentiation in immature date palm leaves. The signals of monosaccharides and/or disaccharides were found to play key roles in sex differentiation, and sex-specific genes and molecular markers were identified to enhance transcript accumulation in females compared to males, providing an alternative tool for sex differentiation in date palm trees.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yaseen Mottiar, Rebecca A. Smith, Steven D. Karlen, John Ralph, Shawn D. Mansfield
Summary: This study identified a eudicot species, kenaf, that naturally contains p-coumaroylated lignin. A novel acyltransferase HcPMT was also identified and heterologous expression of this enzyme in hybrid poplar trees resulted in the incorporation of pCA in lignin.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yaseen Mottiar, Steven D. Karlen, Robyn E. Goacher, John Ralph, Shawn D. Mansfield
Summary: This study demonstrated the potential of producing more p-hydroxybenzoate in transgenic poplar trees, which could be used in the production of high-value bioproducts. The study also emphasized the importance of substrate supply in lignin engineering.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jan Hellinger, Hoon Kim, John Ralph, Steven D. Karlen
Summary: Mulberry trees, which are eudicot plants, have lignins derived from monolignol pCA esters, expanding their potential uses.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Feng Cheng, Sarah Liu, Steven D. Karlen, Hoon Kim, Fachuang Lu, John Ralph, Leida Vazquez M. Ramos, George W. Huber, James A. Dumesic
Summary: This paper describes an approach for producing high quality and high quantity of lignin through studying the structural change of lignin during treatment of poplar wood in gamma-valerolactone (GVL). The results show that multiple-step cycling of cosolvent-assisted hydrolysis can help preserve more of the virgin ether-bond structures of GVL-extracted poplar lignin.
Article
Plant Sciences
Shih-Yi Hsiung, Jing Li, Balazs Imre, Mu-Rong Kao, Hsien-Chun Liao, Damao Wang, Chih-Hui Chen, Pi-Hui Liang, Philip J. Harris, Yves S. Y. Hsieh
Summary: The xyloglucans of aquatic Araceae species have unique structures compared to other non-commelinid monocotyledon families. Lemna minor, a species of aquatic Araceae, was found to have xyloglucans with a different structure from other non-commelinid monocotyledons. A study of 26 Araceae species, including L. minor, revealed that all seven aquatic species examined had xyloglucans with one or two of three distinct features: a < 77% XXXG core motif, no fucosylation, and > 14% oligosaccharide units with S or D side chains. Two terrestrial species also lacked fucose in their xyloglucans, indicating this feature is not unique to aquatic species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Klaas Witvrouw, Hoon Kim, Ruben Vanholme, Geert Goeminne, John Ralph, Wout Boerjan, Bartel Vanholme
Summary: DCG, a phenylpropanoid-derived plant metabolite, is claimed to have cytokinin-substituting and cell-division-promoting activities. However, our experiments showed no morphological changes or transcriptional shifts in Arabidopsis seedlings, indicating that DCG does not have the reported activities. Furthermore, no evidence was found to support the uptake of DCG by plant cells, explaining the lack of observable activity. Despite an increase in DCG content in plant tissue, there was no demonstrated activity for this metabolite. These findings call for a reevaluation of the attributed cytokinin-substituting and cell-division-promoting activities of DCG.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ninna Granucci, Philip J. Harris, Silas G. Villas-Boas
Summary: This study analyzed the chemical composition of apple, orange, and carrot pomaces and found that dietary fiber was the most abundant component, mainly consisting of cellulose and pectin. In addition, soluble sugars were also major components of the pomaces. The study concluded that these food-grade pomaces have great potential for bioconversion into high-value-added products through microbial fermentation.
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hoon Kim, Jorge Rencoret, Thomas J. Elder, Jose C. del Rio, John Ralph
Summary: In this study, various artificial copolymers of monolignols and hydroxystilbenes were synthesized and characterized to investigate their incorporation into the lignin polymer. The copolymerization of hydroxystilbenes with monolignols, using peroxidases as catalysts, significantly improved the reactivity of monolignols and resulted in the formation of synthetic lignins. Analysis using NMR and model compounds confirmed the involvement of hydroxystilbenes in the oxidative radical coupling reactions during polymerization.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Taichi E. Takasuka, Hoon Kim, Kai Deng, Christopher M. Bianchetti, Kaho Yamashita, Emily T. Beebe, Lai F. Bergeman, Kirk A. Vander Meulen, Samuel Deutsch, John Ralph, Paul D. Adams, Trent R. Northen, Brian G. Fox
Summary: This study demonstrates that a combination of a broad-specificity β-1,3-exoglucanase and a polysaccharide lyase from family 18 can efficiently hydrolyze untreated kelp into soluble sugars, such as glucose, gentiobiose, mannitol-end glucose, and mannuronic and guluronic acids and their soluble oligomers. The data suggest that enzyme combinations targeted to the unique polysaccharide composition of marine biomass are sufficient to deconstruct kelp into soluble sugars for microbial fermentation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Taotao Meng, Yu Ding, Yu Liu, Lin Xu, Yimin Mao, Julia Gelfond, Shuke Li, Zhihan Li, Paul F. Salipante, Hoon Kim, J. Y. Zhu, Xuejun Pan, Liangbing Hu
Summary: This article reports a novel bioadhesion strategy based on in situ lignin bonding for fabricating scalable and high-performance bamboo composites. The lignin bonds cellulose fibrils into a strong network through hydrogen bonding and nanoscale entanglement. The resulting in situ glued-bamboo (glubam) composite exhibits unprecedented shear and tensile strength. This in situ lignin adhesion strategy is simple, scalable, cost-effective, and provides a promising route for manufacturing strong and sustainable structural bamboo composites that reduce reliance on petrochemical-based adhesives.
Article
Plant Sciences
Koichi Yoshioka, Hoon Kim, Fachuang Lu, Nette De Ridder, Ruben Vanholme, Shinya Kajita, Wout Boerjan, John Ralph
Summary: A previously overlooked benzofuran moiety was discovered in lignin, revealing its potential mechanistic role in lignification.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fabiola Muro-Villanueva, Leonard D. Pysh, Hoon Kim, Tyler Bouse, John Ralph, Zhiwei Luo, Bruce R. Cooper, Amber S. Jannasch, Zeyu Zhang, Chong Gu, Clint Chapple
Summary: The phenylpropanoid pathway generates multiple bioactive metabolites, but genetic engineering manipulations may impair plant growth and affect lignin synthesis and composition.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Fabiola Muro-Villanueva, Hoon Kim, John Ralph, Clint Chapple
Summary: Lignin is a major obstacle for biomass saccharification, but recent research has found that genetically altering lignin by knocking out two subunits of Mediator can alleviate the growth inhibition phenotype. This alteration leads to the synthesis of a lignin polymer derived from p-coumaryl alcohol.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiong Huang, Wenling Wang, Ting Gong, David Wickell, Li-Yaung Kuo, Xingtan Zhang, Jialong Wen, Hoon Kim, Fachuang Lu, Hansheng Zhao, Song Chen, Hui Li, Wenqi Wu, Changjiang Yu, Su Chen, Wei Fan, Shuai Chen, Xiuqi Bao, Li Li, Dan Zhang, Longyu Jiang, Xiaojing Yan, Zhenyang Liao, Gongke Zhou, Yalong Guo, John Ralph, Ronald R. Sederoff, Hairong Wei, Ping Zhu, Fay-Wei Li, Ray Ming, Quanzi Li
Summary: This study presents new insights into the evolution of fern genomes and stem formation in tree ferns by assembling the genome of Alsophila spinulosa. The researchers also discovered a phenolic compound called alsophilin and provided the molecular basis for its biosynthesis. The findings contribute to our understanding of unique aspects of tree fern biology and fill a gap in the plant genomic landscape.