Characterization of MK8(H2) from Rhodococcus sp. B7740 and Its Potential Antiglycation Capacity Measurements

Menaquinone (MK) has an important role in human metabolism as an essential vitamin (VK2), which is mainly produced through the fermentation of microorganisms. MK8(H2) was identified to be the main menaquinone from Rhodococcus sp. B7740, a bacterium isolated from the arctic ocean. In this work, MK8(H2) (purity: 99.75%) was collected through a convenient and economic extraction process followed by high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) purification. Additionally, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) was performed for further identification and the hydrogenation position of MK8(H2) (terminal unit) was determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for the first time. MK8(H2) showed a superior antioxidant effect and antiglycation capacity compared with ubiquinone Q10 and MK4. High-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS/MS) and molecular docking showed the fine interaction between MK8(H2) with methylglyoxal (MGO) and bull serum albumin (BSA), respectively. These properties make MK8(H2) a promising natural active ingredient with future food and medicine applications.

Penetration of Ubiquinone (Q10) Nanoemulsion Using Olive Oil Through Rat Skin

Ubiquinon (Q10) is an endogenous antioxidant. It is lipophilic and practically insoluble in water. To improve its solubility and penetration, it was formulated into O/W nanoemulsion. The resulting Q10 nanoemulsion was then physically characterized for its droplet size, morphology, and viscosity. In addition, it was conducted a penetration test of Q10 in nanoemulsion delivery system compared to Q10 in emulsion using male Wistar rats. From the characterization results, it was found that the droplet size of Q10 nanoemulsion (70.07 ± 12.42 nm) less than Q10 emulsion (21.063 ± 3,57μm), the morphology of droplet Q10 nanoemulsion and Q10 emulsion that are spherical, and that the viscosity of Q10 nanoemulsion (10.5 CPa.s) less than Q10 emulsion (16 CPa.s). The penetration rate of Q10 in nanoemulsion and emulsion was observed at 2 hours, 4 hours, and 6 hours after treatment. The result was known that the penetration rate of Q10 in nanoemulsion (174.49 μm/h) > Q10 in emulsion (20.429 μm/h).

Blastomonas aquatica sp. nov., a bacteriochlorophyll-containing bacterium isolated from lake water

Yellow or orange-to-brown pigmented, ovoid or rod-shaped, Gram-negative staining, aerobic strains PE 4-5T and N5-10 m-1 were isolated from brackish water in Lake Peng Co and fresh to brackish water in Lake Namtso on the Tibetan Plateau, China. Bacteriochlorophyll a was produced by the isolates. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C16 : 1, C17 : 1 and C18 : 1 unsaturated fatty acids, C17 : 1ω6c (55.3 %), C17 : 1ω8c (13.0 %) and C18 : 1ω7c (10.4 %) for PE 4-5T and C18 : 1ω7c (54.7 %) and C16 : 1ω7c (18.0 %) for N5-10 m-1. The polar lipid profiles of strains PE 4-5T and N5-10 m-1 were composed of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine (not detected in N5-10 m-1), phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, sphingoglycolipid and an unknown phospholipid. The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q10 and the DNA G+C content was 66.0 mol% for both strains. The16S rRNA gene sequence of strain PE 4-5T shared 99.0 % similarity with that of N5-10 m-1, and 97.56 % similarity with those of Blastomonas natatoria LMG 17322T and Blastomonas ursincola DSM 9006T, respectively. The DNA–DNA hybridization relatedness between strains PE 4-5T and N5-10 m-1 was 79.0±1.0 %, but below 70 % with the type strains in the genus Blastomonas . Based on the variability of phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics, the isolates should be classified as representatives of a novel species of the genus Blastomonas ; the name Blastomonas aquatica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PE 4-5T ( = JCM 30179T = CGMCC 1.12851T).

Ubiquinone Q10 and Protein Contents in Rabbit Meat in Relation to Primal Cut and Rearing System

The research material included 96 slaughter rabbit carcasses. Half of them came from the animals managed in small-scale backyard farming units where animals were fed a natural ingredient diet, while the other half was from rabbits kept under commercial production conditions and fed commercial rabbit pellets. The thigh and saddle muscle samples were collected from each carcass to establish a content of ubiquinone (CoQ10) and crude protein along with its collagen level. Determination of tissue coenzyme Q10 (UQ10) was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography with some modification. Crude protein concentration was estimated using Kjeldahl procedure, while total collagen content by the method of Stegemann modified by Hurych-Chvapil, using hydrolysis according to Möhler and Volley. Ubiquinone level in slaughter rabbit tissue ranged between 76 and 127 μg/g tissue. The studies indicated that rabbit rearing system and muscle type are determinants of CoQ10 content. Meat of rabbits managed under the traditional backyard farming system exhibited higher CoQ10 concentration as compared to that determined in rabbits from the commercial rabbitry. Additionally, the CoQ10 level in the saddle was significantly higher than that in the thigh muscles, and the relationships was noted in both types of rabbit production systems. When the CoQ10 content was expressed per gram of fibrillar protein, there were not significant differences between saddle and thigh muscles. The correlation coefficient between ubiquinone and fibrillar protein averaged to 0.94. The studies also demonstrated a higher protein level in the saddle than in thigh muscles. However, no differences in protein concentration were reported in respect to the rabbit farming system. The protein composition in the saddle muscles, irrespective of a rabbit production system, revealed significantly lower collagen content compared to the proteins in thigh muscles. The obtained results and data from literature provide evidence that rabbit meat, especially from the traditional (organic) management system, is one of the best sources of animal protein and ubiquinone Q10.

Attenuation of Blood Parameters in Smokers and Non-Smokers after Intake of a Complex Food Additive

This report describes an intervention study with healthy volunteers (20 smokers, 28 nonsmokers) taking a food additive mainly containing vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (α- tocopherol), ubiquinone (Q10), vitamin A and zinkoxide for four weeks in a double blind, randomized and placebo controlled manner. Before and after the intervention blood was withdrawn and general blood parameters were analyzed. In addition, lipid soluble antioxidants were analyzed in blood plasma by HPLC and the water soluble antioxidative properties were testet with the enzymic xanthin/xanthinoxidase-reaction. In summary the results show that the smoker-verum group exhibit a significant down regulation of the leukocyte counts. The test for antioxidants show the following significant differences after intervention: Smokers exhibit an increase of both vitamin E and coenzyme Q10 and an attenuation of their (before intervention) clearly increased water soluble - antioxidative potential, nonsmokers showed only an increase of vitamin E and trends of an increase of Q10 and water soluble-antioxidative potential. These results may contribute to the discussion of the intrinsic deficiency brought about by smoking and the possible attenuation of part of these deficiency by increasing the intake of certain vitamins or food additives