Cita Lustriane, Fenny M. Dwivany, Veinardi Suendo, and Muhammad Reza. J Plant Biotechnol 2018;45:36-44. https://doi.org/10.5010/JPB.2018.45.1.036

Banana is very important for both food and economic securities in many tropical and subtropical countries, because of its nutritional values. However, banana fruit is a climacteric fruit which has short shelf life, so an alternative method to delay its ripening is needed. Our group has used carrageenan as an edible coating to delay banana fruit ripening. In this study, the effect of different concentrations of carrageenan and storage temperatures on Cavendish banana shelf life and fruit quality was evaluated. The fruits were treated with 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% carrageenan and stored at two different temperatures, 26°C and 20°C. Carrageenan functional groups in banana peel samples as well as changes in surface structure of banana peel, color, weight loss, pulp to peel ratio, total soluble solid, and levels of MaACS1 and MaACO1 gene expression were analyzed. Result showed that the optimum condition to extend shelf life and maintain fruit quality was by treating the banana fruits with 1.5% carrageenan and storing them at a cool temperature (20°C). In addition, the result obtained from this study suggested that carrageenan can be used as edible coating to extend the shelf life of banana fruits (Musa acuminata AAA group).

The CELLULOSE SYNTHASE-LIKE C (CSLC) family is an ancient lineage within the CELLULOSE SYNTHASE/CELLULOSE SYNTHASE-LIKE (CESA/CSL) polysaccharide synthase superfamily that is thought to have arisen before the divergence of mosses and vascular plants. As studies in the flowering plant Arabidopsis have suggested synthesis of the (1,4)-beta-glucan backbone of xyloglucan (XyG), a wall polysaccharide that tethers adjacent cellulose microfibrils to each other, as a probable function for the CSLCs, CSLC function was investigated in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), a species with low amounts of XyG in its walls. Four barley CSLC genes were identified (designated HvCSLC1-4). Phylogenetic analysis reveals three well supported clades of CSLCs in flowering plants, with barley having representatives in two of these clades. The four barley CSLCs were expressed in various tissues, with in situ PCR detecting transcripts in all cell types of the coleoptile and root, including cells with primary and secondary cell walls. Co-expression analysis showed that HvCSLC3 was coordinately expressed with putative XyG xylosyltransferase genes. Both immuno-EM and membrane fractionation showed that HvCSLC2 was located in the plasma membrane of barley suspension-cultured cells and was not in internal membranes such as endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi apparatus. Based on our current knowledge of the sub-cellular locations of polysaccharide synthesis, we conclude that the CSLC family probably contains more than one type of polysaccharide synthase.

Microbes in marine ecosystems are known to produce secondary metabolites. One of which are carotenoids, which have numerous industrial applications, hence their demand will continue to grow. This review highlights the recent research on natural carotenoids produced by marine microorganisms. We discuss the most recent screening approaches for discovering carotenoids, using in vitro methods such as culture-dependent and culture-independent screening, as well as in silico methods, using secondary metabolite Biosynthetic Gene Clusters (smBGCs), which involves the use of various rule-based and machine-learning-based bioinformatics tools. Following that, various carotenoids are addressed, along with their biological activities and metabolic processes involved in carotenoids biosynthesis. Finally, we cover the application of carotenoids in health and pharmaceutical industries, current carotenoids production system, and potential use of synthetic biology in carotenoids production.