JA Torres Castillo

Autonomous University of Tamaulipas | UAT · Institute of Applied Ecology

Five samples of agricultural soil and five samples of Aloe barbadensis (P. Mill., 1768) plants with symptoms of wilt and root necrosis were collected in five localities of the state of Tamaulipas, México. The aims of this study were the morphological identification, molecular identification and in vitro evaluation of the antagonistic activity of Tr...

Edible insects are a natural resource with profound interest in the food industry. Not only because of their nutritional content and technical production advantage, but also for the presence of bioactive compounds known as entomochemicals. These include phenolic, alkaloid, and terpenoid compounds, as well as amino acids derivatives, among others. T...

El Herbario UAT “Francisco González Medrano” empezó a digitalizarse a raíz del proyecto binacional Cooperative Database on Biodiversity in the Endangered and Cross-border Tamaulipan Biotic Province. En esta investigación se conjuntaron esfuerzos para conocer la flora de Texas y Tamaulipas, con el respaldo de los herbarios UAT y PAUH de la Universid...

Phenolic compounds are a natural product of plants, many of which are foraged by insects and used for different purposes, e.g., defense against foraging, chitin hardness, antioxidants, pigment production, and antimicrobial synthesis. We extracted metabolite ethanol from P. beltrani, quantifying the total phenol content and determining its antioxida...

Antecedentes: Los bosques de Pinus pinceana en Tamaulipas crecen en condiciones de aridez en la Sierra Madre Oriental. Es importante conocer la composición y diversidad florística, además de los parámetros estructurales útiles para futuros programas de conservación. Preguntas: ¿Cómo es la estructura, composición y diversidad florística de la veget...

The arboreal ant Azteca instabilis (F. Smith 1862) was found in flowers of the epiphytic bromeliad Tillandsia baileyi (Rose ex Small) at a tropical dry forest. This is the first report of A. instabilis at Tamaulipas, expanding its distribution in the northern neotropics. The knowledge is important for further establishment of conservation strategie...

At least 59 maize races (Zea mays L.) have been registered in Mexico. The feeding damage caused by insects and mites to maize crops generates up to ~30% of maize yield losses. Spider mite-resistant plants are needed. The red spider mite, Tetranychus merganser Boudreaux (Acari: Tetranychidae), is distributed in the United States, China, Mexico, and...

Some Orthoptera species have been studied for their large amounts of phenolic compounds and bioactive potential. This work focused on Pterophylla beltrani Bolvar & Bolvar as a source of compounds with bioactive potential. Concentrated ethanolic extract of P. beltrani was evaluated for antioxidant effects, protective potential of proteins against fr...

Pterophylla beltrani Bolvar and Bolvar is an insect rich in various metabolites, with nutritional and nutraceutical potential. In this work a possible use of the ethanolic extract of this insect as a coating on strawberries is presented, which avoid fungal growth on fruit surfaces, compared with 60% of control strawberries where fungi developed. Th...

Plants can protect themselves by damaging the digestion of insects. However, some insects can activate responses in their digestive system, more specifically in the insect midgut, to deal with plant defense compounds. This is of ecological relevance as a reflection of adaptive capability of insects. This work focused on digestive proteinases of Pte...

Consumption of insects as food usually is related to intake of proteins and other nutrients. Insects also can provide components, especially antioxidants, with nutraceutical potential. Development of food products based on insects should consider these properties. Two types of mezcal were supplemented with two insect pests (Tenebrio molitor L. and...

La verdolaga (Portulaca oleracea L.) es una especie reconocida por sus altos niveles de compuestos bioactivos, entre los que destacan los compuestos antioxidantes y su capacidad colectora de radicales libres. El objetivo del trabajo fue determinar la variación de metabolitos fenólicos y sus capacidades antirradicalarias en accesiones silvestres de...

Proteolytic digestibility was evaluated on hydrosoluble proteins extracted from three insects of interest as food (Atta mexicana (Smith), Pterophylla beltrani (Bolívar and Bolívar), and Sphenarium purpurascens (Charpentier)). Enzymatic hydrolysis of insect proteins was confirmed, and it was differential depending on kind of insect or enzyme. These...

The Central American locust (CAL), Schistocerca piceifrons piceifrons (Walker, 1870), is a transboundary pest that is distributed from Mexico to Panama. It is a true locust species characterized by density-dependent phase polyphenism. The ancient record of the CAL is found in the Popol Vuh, the Mayan sacred book, demonstrating how it has affected h...

Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum presenta adaptaciones locales a distintas dinámicas antropocéntricas y ecológicas, por lo que ampliar sus usos alimenticios a partir de su potencial antioxidante permitirá contribuir al conocimiento para fortalecer cadenas de valor, robustecer su aprovechamiento y el consumo de plantas comestibles silvestres local...

La distribución de las epífitas está dada por las condiciones microclimáticas que prevalecen en los bosques tropicales y subtropicales; además, son estructuralmente dependientes de los árboles hospederos. Se planteó evaluar la abundancia y distribución vertical de los cactus epífitos Rhipsalis baccifera y Selenicereus spinulosus en la selva baja ca...

Edible insects have been important sources of food proteins for human consumption and animal feed. In this study, a protein isolate from Pterophylla beltrani Bolivar & Bolivar, 1942 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) was enzymatically processed and its nutraceutical properties were evaluated. Protein isolates were obtained from an insect flour and then wa...

It has been reported that stingless bees of the genus Trigona are regular visitors to the Jatropha curcas bioenergetic plant, physic nut. These bees use their mandibular system to extract cellulose and resin from the stem, materials necessary for the construction of nests. The objective of this work was to evaluate the prevalence of begomovirus (BV...

Inhibition of intestinal proteases by several plant species constitutes a major defense strategy against insects. However, the efficacy of this mechanism depends on the diversity and concentration of enzymatic components in insects and susceptibility of intestinal activity. Protease inhibition capacity by fruit of hardy parlor palms (Chamaedorea ra...

Seagrass meadows are sites that help mitigate the effects of climate change. The protected area of the Laguna Madre of Tamaulipas is an important site for its biodiversity, which has undergone changes both in the structure and distribution of its seagrass meadows. Five seagrass species were found (Halodule wrightii, Syringodium filiforme, Thalassia...

The Central American locust, Schistocerca piceifrons piceifrons (Walker) is a major agricultural pest in Mexico and Central America. Control measures against this pest have generated much environmental damage and substantial financial costs because chemical insecticides are used. Yet various Orthoptera species also appear to be a potential source o...

The variability in the phytochemical concentrations of Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum has not been extensively analyzed among wild populations and ecologic niches in its phylogeographic area. This study aimed to determine the variations in the phytochemical and antioxidant contents of the wild Piquin chili. The total flavonoid content of hydroa...

Rhus pachyrrhachis and Rhus virens are medicinal plant species with important uses in northeastern Mexico. They belong to a complex of Rhus species called "lantriscos", which are used for medicinal applications. The medicinal effects of these species are based on traditional use, however, they require phytochemical research to validate their medici...

Insects are consumed as food in many cultures of the world and are promoted through products that increase acceptance of the practice. Insects are a potential source of nutrients and bioactive compounds; however, lack of acceptance is an obstacle to widespread consumption. Extraction of Pterophylla beltrani (Bolivar and Bolivar) was evaluated in wa...

Vascular epiphytes contribute significantly to tropical diversity. Research on the factors that determine vascular epiphytic diversity and composition in tropical areas is flourishing. However, these factors are entirely unknown in tropical-temperate transition zones, which represent the distribution limit of several epiphytic species. We assessed...

Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, is a variety of wild chili pepper belonging to the family Solanaceae and is considered as the origin for all cultivated chili species of the world. This species is an important genetic resource for agriculture and food, is widely distributed in northeastern Mexico in altitudes from 0 – 1200 m.a.s.l. This species...

The total phenolic compounds content, free radical-scavenging capacity and capsaicinoid content in populations of wild Piquin chili (C. annuum) were studied. Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts from nine ecotypes were evaluated. High contents of phenolic compounds and free radical-scavenging capacities were observed for both extracts; however, the...

Trichoderma species is a heterotrophic saprobion organism, which competes with other microorganisms, preventing them from developing. This fungus has mechanisms of action, among which are: production of antibiotics and metabolites, and hyperparasitism, which also promotes the induction of systemic resistance in plants. In this study, five native Tr...

Resumen El consumo de insectos es una práctica común alrededor del mundo, aunque restringida por cuestiones de cultura o apariencia. No obstante que los insectos tienen un contenido nutrimental importante, sus compuestos nutracéuticos son un importante componente de éstos, lo cual puede considerarse en la fabricación de productos alimenticios. La g...

Insects are sources of diverse natural metabolites or entomochemicals with different properties. Extraction of entomochemicals depends on the polarity of solvent and affinity of metabolites, important for yield of bioactive entomochemicals. Antioxidants and entomochemicals of Pterophylla beltrani Bolivar and Bolivar (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) have...

Moringa plants have an extensive range of bioactive compounds that can be obtained from different vegetative structures, such as leaves, seeds, stems and pod husks. These bioactive molecules include carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, oils and fatty acids, proteins and functional peptides and have great potential to be used in several formulations o...

RESUMEN En este estudio se desarrollaron e identificaron etiquetas de secuencias expresadas diferencialmente (ESTs) de frutos inmaduros de Persea americana Mill. var. drymifolia del estado de Nuevo León, México. Diez genotipos con frutos de forma y tamaño diferentes fueron seleccionados para generar ESTs por la técnica de despliegue diferencial.Se...

The Candelilla plant (Euphorbia antisyphilitica) has been used as a traditional source of hydrocarbons to elaborate candles but recently the potential applications of several compounds has expanded the perspectives for this crop. Phylogenetic analyzes of the Euphorbia genus placed to E. antisyphilitica in the Chamaesyce subgenus, where most of Amer...

Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) is a specie of significant importance because of its multiple nutraceutical properties, that has led to increase in its consumption. The seeds contain a high percentage of protein (37.48%). However, little is known about the bioactive properties of these proteins and peptides, especially those generated by enzymatic h...

Objective To evaluate differences in yield and composition of the essential oil and antioxidant contents in Turnera diffusa plants from localities in central region of Tamaulipas. Methods Samples were collected in Tamaulipas, Mexico in the arid zone. Essential oil was obtained through steam distillation and analyzed using GC–MS. Polyphenol content...

A submontane scrub vegetation from the State of Tamaulipas, Mexico, is described based on the analysis of richness, diversity and structure. Results indicate that this scrub is diverse (29 species) when compared to other similar plant communities in Northeastern Mexico and an ecotone was observed with low deciduous forests. Most species are widespr...

Insect diets are complex and usually contain antinutritional factors; because of this, modification of the digestive process and strategies to cope with the factors determines adaptation of each species. Pterophylla beltrani Bolivar & Bolivar is a forest pest that has two feeding regimes; P. beltrani feeds first on diverse vegetation but changes du...

Survival and life expectancy of Tetranychus urticae and Phytoseiulus persimilis in four varieties of roses under greenhouse conditions were studied. Differences in the number of females of Tetranychus urticae per variety were observed. Survival curve of the T .urticae population in Royal and Red Baiser varieties was type I whereas in Anastasia and...

Two non-fetuin-binding lectins from tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) seeds were purified and characterized. Both lectins LA and LB showed by two dimensional gel electrophoresis very similar apparent molecular mass, and their isoelectric point for both lectins were also very close. Mass spectrometry analysis confirmed these similarities showing h...

Trichoderma species usually produce chitinases and glucanases with inhibitory effects on several phytopathogens. In this work, the effects of such enzymes activities were evaluated on Phytophthora parasitica and Fusarium oxysporum. Enriched enzyme extracts were obtained from Trichoderma asperellum, Trichoderma virens, Trichoderma gamsii and Trichod...

The high capacity of the chloroplast genome to integrate and express transgenes at high levels makes transplastomic technology a good option for overexpressing proteins of interest. This report presents the stable expression of β-glucosidase (bgl1 gene) from Aspergillus niger and two cellulases (celA and celB genes) from Thermotoga neapolitana into...

Resumen. En el presente trabajo se determinó la descripción general de un extracto acuoso obtenido de la raíz de Ibervillea so-norae; además, se incluyó una descripción histológica de la misma raíz. Un análisis bromatológico general efectuado indicó que la raíz posee valores nutrimentales similares a los reportados para raíces tu-berosas comestible...

Insects are a biotic resource used for human medicine, nutrition, and industry. Many are a potential source of compounds such as proteins, peptides, secondary metabolites, and polymers like silk, chitin, and chitosan for industry and biotechnology. The Mexican katydid, Pterophylla beltrani Bolivar & Bolivar, is animportant insect pest that defoliat...

This work provides an overview of proteolytic activity in the intestine of Moneilema armatum (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) adults and inhibition of such enzymes by proteins obtained from the cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica. Active intestinal proteases were detected at a neutral and slightly alkaline pH through zymography and spectrophotometric assays...

La propagación in vitro ha sido considerada como una herramienta útil para la conservación y propagación de especies vegetales. Por lo cual, se decidió implementar un sistema para la propagación de orquídeas representadas en la Reserva de Biósfera El Cielo en el Instituto de Ecología Aplicada de la UAT. El objetivo principal es generar protocolos e...

Mexico is considered the center of origin of avocado, and in the mountains of Sierra Madre Oriental in Nuevo Leon the remains of an avocado have been found, which are evidence of the place or origin of Persea americana var. drymifolia, or the Mexican avocado. Wild creoles have been found growing with native vegetation and have contrasting character...

Background: The high capacity of chloroplast genome response to integrate and express transgenes at high levels makes this technology a good option to produce proteins of interest. This report presents the stable expression of Pectin lyase (PelA gene) and the first stable expression of manganese peroxidase (MnP-2 gene) from the chloroplast genome....

Leaf explants of Persea americana Mill. var. drymifolia were established on DCR medium (Gupta and Durzan, 1985) supplemented with vitamins and growth regulators to produce callus, two sub cultures were made in intervals of 30 to 45 days between them. In order to determine the genetic variability 341 AFLP (amplified fragment lenght polymorphism) pol...

Leaf explants of Persea americana Mill. var. drymifolia were established on DCR medium (Gupta and Durzan, 1985) supplemented with vitamins and growth regulators to produce callus, two sub cultures were made in intervals of 30 to 45 days between them. In order to determine the genetic variability 341 AFLP (amplified fragment lenght polymorphism) pol...

A general biochemical description of an aqueous extract obtained from Ibervillea sonorae root was reported; furthermore, a histological description for the root is included. A bromatological analysis was carried out, and it indicated that the study nutritional variables were similar to those reported in other edible tuberous roots including sweet p...

Resumen. En la búsqueda de nuevas estrategias para el manejo de la paratrioza, Bactericera cockerelli se ha incluido en el uso de hongos entomopatógenos debido principalmente a su modo de acción el cual no requiere ser ingerido, a diferencia de otros microorganismos entomopatógenos, para actuar sobre el insecto. Se utilizaron dos aislamientos de Be...

Indian fig opuntia, Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., is a cultivated cactus adapted to semiarid conditions that has established complex interactions with insects. Several insect pests feed on and cause economic damage to the crop. The cactus weevil, Cactophagus spinolae Gyllenhal, is a phytophagous beetle that during larval and adult stages feeds o...

Seed proteins recovered after heating a seed extract from Opuntia joconostle Weber (xoconostle, an acid cactus pear) were screened for different biochemical activities, detecting only trypsin-like inhibitory activity. Two trypsin-like inhibitor forms from seeds were separated by RP-HPLC and partially sequenced and characterized as an enriched mixtu...

Gene and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) localization in a model species allow to know their organization in the genome, and the possibility for the isolation and cloning of genes with agronomic importance. Seventy-three recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the cross of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. ecotypes Colum¬bia (Col) x Landsberg er...

Moringa oleifera is a plant with a high biotechnology potential due to its high content of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, and secondary metabolites. Some of their secondary compounds have been advocated for traditional medicinal uses. This work shows an overview of the histological organization and the composition of some biochemical component...

The objective of this research was to increase the genetic diversity of the Nopal Germplasm Bank of the FAUANL using RAPD molecular markers to estimate the genetic diversity of 15 accessions of cactus pear from molecular markers recorded in the Bank. DNA extraction was performed by the method of cellular ruptor using FastDNA® Kit. Performance measu...

A trypsin inhibitor from Opuntia streptacantha Lemaire (Prickly pear) seeds was purified and characterized. Of several proteases tested, this inhibitor showed specificity to trypsin-like enzymes. The major inhibitor present in these seeds showed distinctive characteristics, most notably a low molecular weight of 4.19 kDa, as determined by MALDI TOF...