Various disorders closely linked to gut dysbiosis have been associated with poor dietary patterns. Dietary prebiotic fibers play an essential role in modulating the gut microbiome by enhancing the abundance of beneficial microorganisms and improving the production of short-chain fatty acids. Arabinoxylan (AX) is a major component of most dietary fibers and has been shown to exhibit potential prebiotic properties and modulate gut microbiome composition. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro impact of bioengineered wheat arabinoxylan on depression-inversely linked gut microbes and human gut microbiome diversity and metabolism. This study demonstrates the ability of bioengineered AX to stimulate the growth of depression-inversely linked gut bacterial species (Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LGG). On the microbiome composition, the bioengineered AX induced an increased abundance of beneficial bacterial taxa (Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Anaerofustis, and Eubacterium) compared to the control and native AX. These effects on microbes translated into significant metabolic activity and produced primary SCFAs (acetate, butyrate, and propionate). The findings from this study suggest that bioengineered wheat arabinoxylan could be considered a promising strategy for fostering next-generation prebiotics targeting depression-inversely linked gut microbes and also supports the structure-function relationship between AX and the human gut microbiome.

In our recent article (Elschner et al. 2023), we reported about the Mitsunobu esterifcation of arabinoxylan with ferulic acid at position 5 of the arabinose side chain. However, for low molecular weight xylan, the modifcation of the anomeric hydroxyl group at the reducing end has to be considered. The end group modifcation is not visible in the spectra of arabinoxylan ferulate recorded within our original publication. The intensities of the signals arising from end groups of xylan are naturally very low and overlapped with other resonances due to low resolution of spectra from polymers. ... [From: Maintext]

O Brasil, segundo maior produtor mundial de biocombustíveis, produz etanol a partir da extração e fermentação de sacarose de colmos de cana-de-açúcar. A utilização da energia presente nas ligações químicas entre os carboidratos da parede celular (celulose, hemiceluloses e pectina), das biomassas de folha e bagaço (hoje ambos considerados resíduos de produção), é uma possibilidade para o incremento, de cerca de 3 vezes o valor atual, na produção de etanol. O entendimento da estrutura química dos polissacarídeos da parede celular de cana-de-açúcar é imprescindível para que esta tecnologia seja desenvolvida. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo isolar as hemiceluloses de colmo de cana-de-açúcar e estudar as suas estruturas químicas. Para tal, utilizou-se AIR (Alcohol Insoluble Residue) - parede celular sem açúcar solúvel - de colmo e folha de cana-de-açúcar SP80-3280 em hidrólises enzimáticas com endo-β-xilanase, liquenase e celulase isoladamente ou em conjunto de forma a determinar a estrutura fina dos polímeros atacáveis por tais hidrolases. O AIR de colmo também foi submetido ao fracionamento da parede celular com oxalato de amônio, seguido de extrações com 1M e 4M de NaOH para a separação das hemiceluloses. Somente as frações 1M e 4M de NaOH foram analisadas, através de hidrólises com endo-β-xilanases, seguido da análise dos oligossacarídeos resultantes por HPAEC-PAD (High Performance Anionic Exchange Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection) e por espectrometria de massas MALDI-TOF. Paralelamente, grupos de oligossacarídeos provenientes de hidrólises do colmo com endo-β-xilanase foram isolados por cromatografia em camada delgada (TLC) preparativa e, em seguida, hidrolisados com α-arabinofuranosidases e analisados por PACE (Polyacrylamide Carbohydrate Electrophoresis) para o esclarecimento da estrutura fina de arabinoxilanos. Os resultados obtidos mostraram a presença de xiloglucano na fração NaOH 4M em pequena proporção, cerca de 3% da parede celular, sendo este xiloglucano de 2 tipos: estrutura fina típica de gramíneas (composta por glucose, e os oligossacarídeos isoprimeverose, XG, XXG, XXGG, XXGGG) e estrutura fina de eudicotiledôneas e monocotiledôneas não-comelinóides (composta por oligossacarídeos: XXXG, XLXG/XXLG, XXXXG). A análise por MALDI-TOF da hidrólise das frações 1M e 4M de colmo de cana-de-açúcar com endo-β-xilanase revelou a existência de xilanos lineares (série homóloga de xilanos) em conjunto com um grupo de xilanos ramificados com arabinose de forma regular, com motivos arabinosilados com até 6 xiloses na cadeia principal. As hidrólises com endo-β-xilanase e liquenase em conjunto revelaram que o arabinoxilano e o β-glucano, juntos, perfazem cerca de 40% da parede celular de cana-de-açúcar, e não interferem na hidrólise uma da outra, permitindo o uso concomitante das enzimas em processos industriais. Além disso, especula-se que as arabinoses do arabinoxilano interagem, possivelmente, através de ligações por compostos fenólicos, prevenindo a ação enzimática. O presente trabalho começa a desvendar a estrutura fina das principais hemiceluloses da parede celular de colmo de cana-de-açúcar e aponta para a necessidade de experimentos que permitam compreensão de outros níveis de complexidade da parede celular, como por exemplo, as ramificações com agliconas e interações entre os polissacarídeos. / Brazil is the second-generation ethanol producer in the World, obtaining it from sugarcane soluble sugar from culms. The second generation ethanol consists of using the energy present in the covalent linkages of the cell wall carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectin) from culms and leaves (both considered nowadays as litter). This is considered as a great opportunity to increase ethanol production up to 3 times the current figures. The knowledge about sugarcane polysaccharide structure is crucial for the development of the second-generation ethanol technology. This work, aimed at the isolation and structural studis of the hemicellulosic components of the sugarcane cell walls. To achieve this, AIR (Alcohol Insoluble Residue) from culms and leaves (SP 80-3280 variety) were digested with endo-β-xylanase, lichenase and cellulase (in different sequences, or with isolated or combined enzymes) to help determining the fine structures of the polysaccharides. The AIR from culm was fractionated with increasing alkali concentrations (NaOH 0,1M, 1M and 4M) to purify the different hemicelluloses. Only the 1M and 4M fractions were analyzed, after digestions with endo-β-xylanase, followed by HPAEC-PAD (High Performance Anionic Exchange Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection) and MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry analyses. Also, the oligosaccharides obtained by the endo-β-xylanase digestion were isolated by preparative TLC (Thin Layer Chromatography), re-digested with α-arabinofuranosidases and finally analyzed by PACE (Polyacrylamide Carbohydrate Electrophoresis) in order to clarify the fine structure of the arabinoxylan from sugarcane culm. The same fractionated material was digested by an endo-β-glucanase to clarify the xyloglucan structure. The results showed that in the 4M fraction, a small concentration of xyloglucan can be found (ca. 3% of the total hemicelluloses), and this polysaccharide has the typical grass structure: XG, XXG, XXGG and XXGGG/XLGG. Other oligosaccharides, typical from eudicotyledons were also found: the XXXG, XLXG/XXLG and XXXXG. The MALDI-TOF and PACE analyses performed after digestion with endo-β-xylanase and α-arabinofuranosidases, revealed the presence of linear xylan oligosaccharides (from 2 to 14) and also fragments with arabinose substitutions. The digestions with endo-β-xylanase and lichenase at the same time, revealed that the arabinoxylan and β-glucans, are 40% of all the sugarcane cell wall mass, and one enzyme does not interfere in the activity of the other. The present work starts to clarify the fine structure of the sugarcane culm (and leaves) major hemicelluloses, and also suggest that experiments aimed at understanding cell wall complexity are important steps to help developing efficient cellulosic ethanol technologies to obtain second generation ethanol from sugarcane biomass.

Résumé : Chez lorge, la dégradation des polysaccarides des parois cellulaires et de lamidon est de première importance dans le contexte de sa valorisation brassicole. La présente recherche doctorale a été entreprise dans le but didentifier des marqueurs de sélection utilisables lors de lamélioration génétique de lorge de printemps pour ses qualités brassicoles. Des gènes candidats ont dabord été choisis sur base de leur expression dans les tissus de la graine en germination. Leur position cartographique a été déterminée et située par rapport à des marqueurs QTL connus de la qualité brassicole. Exploitant des variétés cultivées de qualités contrastées, une recherche de polymorphismes nucléotidiques au niveau de ces gènes a été réalisée. Tous les gènes savèrent polymorphes, certaines des variations de séquence conduisant à des modifications de la structure primaire de la protéine encodée. Plusieurs caractères technologiques ont été retenus et définis chez les variétés étudiées, en exploitant les données de la littérature : la teneur en extrait, la viscosité, la teneur en β-glucanes du mout, latténuation finale apparente et le pouvoir diastasique. Plusieurs caractères biochimiques ont été étudiés chez ces mêmes variétés et ont ciblé quatre activités enzymatiques impliquées dans la dégradation des polysaccharides pariétaux et de réserve. Le pouvoir discriminant et la simplicité du test dactivité amylase, ainsi que sa relation avec des critères technologiques importants, en font un test prometteur en vue de faciliter la sélection variétale. La relation entre les sites polymorphes de lADN et les caractères technologiques et biochimiques identifient une soixantaine de sites dont les polymorphismes semblent associés à au moins lun des caractères. Sur tous les sites polymorphes, treize sites sont choisis pour leur potentiel en tant que marqueurs de sélection. Ils distinguent en effet un allèle favorable et un allèle défavorable pour plus dun critère brassicole. Ces treize sites sont localisés sur des gènes de (1-3,1-4)-β-glucanase, un gène de (1-3)-β-glucanase, un gène de (1-4)-β-xylan endohydrolase et un gène dα-amylase. La mise en évidence de ces allèles peut être réalisée par des tests PCR simples (« allèles spécifiques ») et relativement peu coûteux, dont six ont été mis au point au terme de la recherche./ Summary: In barley, the degradation of cell wall polysaccharides and starch is of utmost importance for its malting quality. The aim of this thesis is the identification of selection markers useful in the breeding of spring Barley cultivars for improved malting quality. Candidate genes were first chosen based on their expression profile in tissues of germinating seeds. Their mapping positions were determined and compared with known QTLs for malting quality. Varieties with contrasted malting qualities were searched for DNA polymorphisms for each of these genes. All genes proved to be polymorphic, some of the sequence variations leading to changes in the primary structure of the encoded protein. Technological traits were chosen and used to characterize the varieties based on literature data: extract yield, viscosity, β-glucan content of the wort, final apparent attenuation and diastatic power. Biochemical traits were also investigated on the same varieties and focused on four enzyme activities implicated in cell wall polysaccharides and starch degradation. The Discriminant power and ease of the amylase test, as well as its relation with technological traits, make it a promising selection test in breeding programs. The relationship between the DNA polymorphisms and biochemical and technological traits reveals around sixty polymorphisms displaying apparent relationships with at least one trait. Thirteen out of them were chosen for their potential as selection markers. They are located on (1-3,1-4)-β-glucanase genes, on one (1-3)-β-glucanase gene, on one (1-4)-β-xylan endohydrolase gene and on one α-amylase gene. Detection of these alleles can be achieved by simple and inexpensive PCR tests ( allele specific), and six assay protocols have been set up at the completion of this research.

O Brasil, segundo maior produtor mundial de biocombustíveis, produz etanol a partir da extração e fermentação de sacarose de colmos de cana-de-açúcar. A utilização da energia presente nas ligações químicas entre os carboidratos da parede celular (celulose, hemiceluloses e pectina), das biomassas de folha e bagaço (hoje ambos considerados resíduos de produção), é uma possibilidade para o incremento, de cerca de 3 vezes o valor atual, na produção de etanol. O entendimento da estrutura química dos polissacarídeos da parede celular de cana-de-açúcar é imprescindível para que esta tecnologia seja desenvolvida. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo isolar as hemiceluloses de colmo de cana-de-açúcar e estudar as suas estruturas químicas. Para tal, utilizou-se AIR (Alcohol Insoluble Residue) - parede celular sem açúcar solúvel - de colmo e folha de cana-de-açúcar SP80-3280 em hidrólises enzimáticas com endo-β-xilanase, liquenase e celulase isoladamente ou em conjunto de forma a determinar a estrutura fina dos polímeros atacáveis por tais hidrolases. O AIR de colmo também foi submetido ao fracionamento da parede celular com oxalato de amônio, seguido de extrações com 1M e 4M de NaOH para a separação das hemiceluloses. Somente as frações 1M e 4M de NaOH foram analisadas, através de hidrólises com endo-β-xilanases, seguido da análise dos oligossacarídeos resultantes por HPAEC-PAD (High Performance Anionic Exchange Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection) e por espectrometria de massas MALDI-TOF. Paralelamente, grupos de oligossacarídeos provenientes de hidrólises do colmo com endo-β-xilanase foram isolados por cromatografia em camada delgada (TLC) preparativa e, em seguida, hidrolisados com α-arabinofuranosidases e analisados por PACE (Polyacrylamide Carbohydrate Electrophoresis) para o esclarecimento da estrutura fina de arabinoxilanos. Os resultados obtidos mostraram a presença de xiloglucano na fração NaOH 4M em pequena proporção, cerca de 3% da parede celular, sendo este xiloglucano de 2 tipos: estrutura fina típica de gramíneas (composta por glucose, e os oligossacarídeos isoprimeverose, XG, XXG, XXGG, XXGGG) e estrutura fina de eudicotiledôneas e monocotiledôneas não-comelinóides (composta por oligossacarídeos: XXXG, XLXG/XXLG, XXXXG). A análise por MALDI-TOF da hidrólise das frações 1M e 4M de colmo de cana-de-açúcar com endo-β-xilanase revelou a existência de xilanos lineares (série homóloga de xilanos) em conjunto com um grupo de xilanos ramificados com arabinose de forma regular, com motivos arabinosilados com até 6 xiloses na cadeia principal. As hidrólises com endo-β-xilanase e liquenase em conjunto revelaram que o arabinoxilano e o β-glucano, juntos, perfazem cerca de 40% da parede celular de cana-de-açúcar, e não interferem na hidrólise uma da outra, permitindo o uso concomitante das enzimas em processos industriais. Além disso, especula-se que as arabinoses do arabinoxilano interagem, possivelmente, através de ligações por compostos fenólicos, prevenindo a ação enzimática. O presente trabalho começa a desvendar a estrutura fina das principais hemiceluloses da parede celular de colmo de cana-de-açúcar e aponta para a necessidade de experimentos que permitam compreensão de outros níveis de complexidade da parede celular, como por exemplo, as ramificações com agliconas e interações entre os polissacarídeos. / Brazil is the second-generation ethanol producer in the World, obtaining it from sugarcane soluble sugar from culms. The second generation ethanol consists of using the energy present in the covalent linkages of the cell wall carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectin) from culms and leaves (both considered nowadays as litter). This is considered as a great opportunity to increase ethanol production up to 3 times the current figures. The knowledge about sugarcane polysaccharide structure is crucial for the development of the second-generation ethanol technology. This work, aimed at the isolation and structural studis of the hemicellulosic components of the sugarcane cell walls. To achieve this, AIR (Alcohol Insoluble Residue) from culms and leaves (SP 80-3280 variety) were digested with endo-β-xylanase, lichenase and cellulase (in different sequences, or with isolated or combined enzymes) to help determining the fine structures of the polysaccharides. The AIR from culm was fractionated with increasing alkali concentrations (NaOH 0,1M, 1M and 4M) to purify the different hemicelluloses. Only the 1M and 4M fractions were analyzed, after digestions with endo-β-xylanase, followed by HPAEC-PAD (High Performance Anionic Exchange Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection) and MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry analyses. Also, the oligosaccharides obtained by the endo-β-xylanase digestion were isolated by preparative TLC (Thin Layer Chromatography), re-digested with α-arabinofuranosidases and finally analyzed by PACE (Polyacrylamide Carbohydrate Electrophoresis) in order to clarify the fine structure of the arabinoxylan from sugarcane culm. The same fractionated material was digested by an endo-β-glucanase to clarify the xyloglucan structure. The results showed that in the 4M fraction, a small concentration of xyloglucan can be found (ca. 3% of the total hemicelluloses), and this polysaccharide has the typical grass structure: XG, XXG, XXGG and XXGGG/XLGG. Other oligosaccharides, typical from eudicotyledons were also found: the XXXG, XLXG/XXLG and XXXXG. The MALDI-TOF and PACE analyses performed after digestion with endo-β-xylanase and α-arabinofuranosidases, revealed the presence of linear xylan oligosaccharides (from 2 to 14) and also fragments with arabinose substitutions. The digestions with endo-β-xylanase and lichenase at the same time, revealed that the arabinoxylan and β-glucans, are 40% of all the sugarcane cell wall mass, and one enzyme does not interfere in the activity of the other. The present work starts to clarify the fine structure of the sugarcane culm (and leaves) major hemicelluloses, and also suggest that experiments aimed at understanding cell wall complexity are important steps to help developing efficient cellulosic ethanol technologies to obtain second generation ethanol from sugarcane biomass.