Martha de la Caridad Hernández

University of Concepción · Departamento de Silvicultura

Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz is an evergreen species endemic to Chile. It grows in open areas or under tree canopy, and its leaves emerge in early spring and summer. The objective of this study was to determine changes in photosynthetic parameters, total phenol content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and anatomy of apical and basal leaves of A....

This work aimed to identify the bioactive compounds present in adult maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) leaves from different stages of development and seasons of the year and compare them with leaves obtained from maqui plants grown in vitro. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of maqui leaf extracts by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn showed the presence of dif...

Los inhibidores de proteasas vegetales con frecuencia son proteínas de baja masa molar, presentes en tejidos de almacenamiento y aéreos de las plantas. Su expresión se induce en respuesta al daño por insectos y microorganismos patógenos y el contenido de estos inhibidores puede ser alto en órganos de cereales y leguminosas. Bajo la premisa de que l...

Se registra por primera vez en Cuba Psidium acidum (DC.) Landrum (Myrtaceae), especie oriunda de América del Sur que forma parte del grupo de los guayabos ácidos. Se emplearon métodos propios de la botánica, como el trabajo con colecciones, el uso de catálogos especializados, la descripción e ilustración científica. Se discute la utilidad del fruto...

A very powerful proteinaceous inhibitor of metallocarboxypeptidases has been isolated from the marine snail Nerita versicolor and characterized in depth. The most abundant of four, very similar isoforms, NvCla, was taken as reference and N-terminally sequenced to obtain a 372-nucleotide band coding for the protein cDNA. The mature protein contains...

In this research, in-silico and in-vitro approaches were adopted with the aim to investigate the relationship between the tobacco leaf structures (trichomes) and the production of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity. Machine learning techniques were used to know the correlation between phenotypic traits and the production of secondary...

In recent years, the increasing incidence of pathogens with high resistance to synthetic drugs has renewed the interest of the scientific community for the development of studies on the potential antimicrobial activity of substances from plant origin, which are used in traditional medicine in various countries. In addition, these natural products c...

1) Resumen corto Las plantas producen productos naturales con propiedades antimicrobianas que pueden ser empleadas en el control de diferentes plagas y enfermedades que causan anualmente severas pérdidas a cultivos agrícolas. Es así que en los últimos años se ha incrementado la búsqueda de alternativas más confiables y benéficas que los compuestos...

There is a great demand of salt-tolerant sugarcane planting material in Cuba. Temporary immersion bioreactors (TIB) are effective to significantly increase sugarcane in vitro shoot proliferation rate from 1:4 in conventional containers to about 1:35. Sugarcane micropropagation in TIBs under NaCl stress may help screen mutants with salinity toleranc...

Effects of salinity (NaCl) and the carbon source mannitol (0–200 mM) on micropropagation of pineapple cv. MD2 were analyzed in temporary immersion bioreactors (TIBs). Shoot multiplication rate, shoot cluster fresh weight and levels of aldehydes, chlorophylls, carotenoids and phenolics were determined in the plant material. The content of soluble ph...

We studied the effects of liquid nitrogen storage of maize, common bean and soybean seeds on their germination, electrolyte leakage, levels of chlorophylls, phenolics, aldehydes, proteins and peroxidase activity. After storage for 28 days, seeds were retrieved from liquid nitrogen, some were set to germinate and others were analyzed biochemically....

Plants are a great source for the isolation of natural products. The discovery of novel metabolites from plants is essential for the development of chemicals used in different industries. The objective of this research is to determine the chemical composition of leaf and ethanolic leaf exudates from 10 noncommercial accessions of Nicotiana tabacum...

Theobroma cacao L. is known in folk medicine as an antiseptic, diuretic and antiparasitic. Foods derived from this plant are rich in natural products of high added value, including phenolic compounds. As in vitro cultivation handle is an alternative source for the production of these metabolites. The present study was conducted to obtain phenolic c...

p> Título en ingles: Biochemical characterization of leaves in Theobroma cacao clones and its relation with trichomes Theobroma cacao L. es un cultivo de gran importancia por sus posibles aplicaciones en la farmacia y la agricultura. Contiene metabolitos que resultan de gran interés por sus funciones biológicas naturales en la respuesta de la pla...

p> Título en ingles: In vitro antibacterial effect of tobacco leaf exudates against two bacterial plant pathogens Título corto: Efecto antibacteriano in vitro de exudados foliares de tabaco Resumen : Los productos naturales son una alternativa para el control de microorganismos que ocasionan enfermedades en los cultivos. Este trabajo tuvo como...

Stevia rebaudiana Bert. (Asteraceae) commonly known as a natural sweetener, is a zero calorie value natural alternative source to traditional sugar (sucrose). It is native from Paraguay and Southern Brazil, but is now cultivated on a commercial scale in other countries. S. rebaudiana has also been used as a medicinal plant to cure many diseases lik...

Natural products are an alternative to control microorganisms that cause diseases in crops. This work aimed to evaluate different solvents for obtaining crude extracts from tobacco leaf exudates and to determine in vitro effect of these extracts against two phytopathogenic bacteria: Xanthomonas campestris (Xc) and Pectobacterium carotovorum (Pc). C...

Enzymes as immobilized derivatives have been widely used in Food, Agrochemical, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnological industries. Protein immobilization is probably the most used technology to improve the operational stability of these molecules. Bromelain (Ananas comosus) and papain (Carica papaya) are cystein proteases extensively used as immobiliz...

Plant scientists usually record many indicators in their experiments. The common statistical management involves univariate analyses. Such analyses generally cre- ate a split picture of the effects of experimental treatments since each indicator is addressed independently. The Euclidean distance combined with the expert’s criteria seems to show pot...

Hohenbergia penduliflora (A. Rich.) Mez. inhabits the protected ecological area of Cunagua Highland, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. The availability of this plant for experimental purposes is exceedingly limited. Tissue cultured plants of this specie, would be useful for propagation purposes. Experiments were carried out to optimize the micropropagation pro...

Introduction: Theobroma cacao L. (cocoa), family Sterculiaceae, is a plant rich in phenols. These substances are especially interesting in plants, due to their powerful antioxidant activity, essentially given by their redox properties, and may play an important role in the absorption and neutralization of free radicals. Objectives: select a promisi...

Currently there are limited publications on the understanding of the biochemical effects of liquid nitrogen (LN) exposure and occurring after LN storage of seeds. In present there are no papers on biochemical effects and physiological variations after LN on P. vulgaris, G. max L y Z. mays seed on short-term. This study presents some of the effects...

Introduction: Theobroma cacao L. (cocoa), family Sterculiaceae, is a plant rich in phenols. These substances are especially interesting in plants, due to their powerful antioxidant activity, essentially given by their redox properties, and may play an important role in the absorption and neutralization of free radicals. Objectives: select a promisi...

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of bromelain, a cysteine protease isolated from pineapple (Ananas comosus), on growth of several agronomically important fungal pathogens. Purification of bromelain from pineapple stems was carried out by chromatography techniques, and its antimicrobial activity was tested against the fungal pathogens Fusariu...

Enzymes as immobilized derivatives have been widely used in Food, Agrochemical, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnological industries. Protein immobilization is probably the most used technology to improve the operational stability of these molecules. Stem Bromelain (Ananas comosus) and Papain (Carica papaya) are cystein proteases extensively used as immo...

Introduction: plants are a source of natural diversity because of the great variety of compounds that they synthesize. Anthraquinones in particular are an important group of secondary metabolites characterized by their antimicrobial and antioxidant action. Objectives: to evaluate the antimicrobial action of dichloromethane extract from Morinda royo...

Introduction: plants are a source of natural diversity because of the great variety of compounds that they synthesize. Anthraquinones in particular are an important group of secondary metabolites characterized by their antimicrobial and antioxidant action. Objectives: to evaluate the antimicrobial action of dichloromethane extract from Morinda royo...

INTRODUCTION: most of the world production of enzymes is devoted to proteases obtaining. Applications of these biomolecules for therapeutical objectives are very varied. Some are known as natural remedies and other are drugs modifying the biological response. Pineapple plants contain some cysteine-proteases, the majority component isolated from ste...

Penduliflorain I, a new plant endopeptidase, was isolated and characterized from Hohenbergia penduliflora. Crude extract was obtained from stems. A partially purified enzyme preparation was obtained by ethanol precipitation. This preparation showed maximum activity between pH 7.5 and 8.5, was stable at ionic strength (20% decrease in proteolytic ac...

The dichloromethane extract and seven anthraquinones isolated from in vitro cultured roots of Morinda royoc L. were tested for their antimicrobial activity against seven yeast and seven bacterial strains. The extract showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 15.6 microg/m against all species of Candida tested; except C. glabrata (MIC...

INTRODUCTION: most of the world production of enzymes is devoted to proteases obtaining. Applications of these biomolecules for therapeutical objectives are very varied. Some are known as natural remedies and other are drugs modifying the biological response. Pineapple plants contain some cysteine-proteases, the majority component isolated from ste...

We previously introduced the bar gene, along with chitinase and AP24 genes, into the pineapple genome. The present report focuses on the evaluation of the first vegetative generation of a transgenic clone containing these genes. Three materials were compared: macropropagated controls (non-transformed), micropropagated controls (non-transformed), an...

Chlorella vulgaris (Chlorophyta, Chlorophyceae) has received a particular attention in the programmes of microalgae utilisation in biotechnology. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cell proteins represents a very promising method to increase protein digestibility and thus, for obtaining hydrolysates with improved nutritional and functional properties. However...

Pineapple is one of the most important tropical fruits and therefore intensive genetic improvement programs are being carried out in many countries, including Cuba. Our research team has previously introduced the bar gene, along with chitinase and AP24 genes, into the pineapple genome. Herein, we report on the biochemical side effects of the herbic...

This work was performed to compare three precipitation protocols of protein extraction for 2-DE proteomic analysis using Arabidopsis leaf tissue: TCA-acetone, phenol, and TCA-acetone-phenol. There were no statistically significant differences in protein yield between the three methods. Samples were subjected to 2-DE in the 5 to 8 pH and 14-80 kDa r...

Morindaroyoc L. (Rubiaceae) root cultures were established for the production of anthraquinones (AQs). Three independent experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of different levels of indole-3-acetic acid (0–22.8μM), culture duration (15–75days) and subculture number (0–4). The following indicators were recorded: root fresh weight per Er...

Cysteine proteinases are involved in virtually every aspect of plant physiology and development. They play a role in development, senescence, programmed cell death, storage and mobilization of germinal proteins, and in response to various types of environmental stress. In this review, we focus on a group of plant defensive enzymes occurring in germ...

Pineapple is one of the most important tropical fruit and therefore intensive genetic improvement programs are being carried out in many countries, including Cuba (1). Our research team has previously introduced the bar gene, along with chitinase and ap24 genes, into the pineapple genome (2). Gene recombinant technologies supply agriculture product...

Bromeliaceae family plants usually contain high concentration of thiol proteases. Pineapple plants (Ananas comosus) contain several cysteine proteinases (1). In the literature, these enzymes are called bromelains. Stem bromelain, in particular, exhibits therapeutic effects: antiinflammatory, digestive, anti-metastasis and anti-tumoral activities (2...

Stem bromelain (EC 3.4.22.32) is a major cysteine proteinase, isolated from pineapple ( Ananas comosus) stem. Its main medicinal use is recognized as digestive, in vaccine formulation, antitumoral and skin debrider for the treatment of burns. To verify the identity of the principle in stem fractions responsible for the antitumoral effect, we isolat...

En investigaciones previas se desarrolló un procedimiento para la diferenciación foliar de la resistencia y susceptibilidad de cultivares de banano a Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense raza 1. En este estudio se incluyen evaluaciones de otros indicadores, tales como componentes bioquímicos. El análisis del discriminante para la diferenciación de la...

Evaluations were made during 30days of in vitro-plantlet hardening. Transformed (bar, chitinase, ap24 transgenes) and non-transformed plantlets were compared. Both groups of plantlets were similar in regard with plant height and weight and peroxidase activity. However, statistical significant changes, caused by transformation, were recorded in leve...

The proteolytic enzymes isolated from the Bromeliaceae family are widely used in the medical, biotechnological, and food industries. The studies conducted in recent years on the activity against metastasis and cysteine-proteases, increase the interest in screening new natural sources of obtention of phytoproteases. In the present paper, the authors...

A developed procedure to differentiate banana cultivars based on foliar resistance or susceptibility to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense strain 1 infection was validated, attending to a phenotypical parameter (lesion area) and biochemical markers (free or cell wall-bound phenols, malondialdehyde and the rest of aldehydes, and proteins). Estimates...

The proteolytic enzymes isolated from the Bromeliaceae family are widely used in the medical, biotechnological, and food industries. The studies conducted in recent years on the activity against metastasis and cysteine-proteases, increase the interest in screening new natural sources of obtention of phytoproteases. In the present paper, the authors...

Filtrados de cultivo en las hojas del banano para la diferenciación de la resistencia a Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense raza 1 RESUMEN En investigaciones previas se desarrolló un procedimiento para la diferenciación foliar de la resistencia y susceptibilidad de cultivares de banano a Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense raza 1. En este estudio se in...

Stem bromelain (EC 3.4.22.32) is a cysteine proteinase isolated from pineapple plant stems (Ananas comosus), which has been traditionally employed in food industry. This protease has been also used in pharmaceutical industry as digestive and anti-inflammatory, among others. However, in recent years there has been renewed interest for this enzyme af...

Among the most important crops in developing countries are banana and plantain. However, the production is threatened by increasingly virulent forms of Fusarium wilt, and therefore, intensive breeding programmes are being carried out worldwide. As conventional field studies of banana resistance to this disease are time-consuming and destructive, an...

The isolation and purification of natural products from plants is a line very important in modern biotechnology. Bromelian (EC 3.4.22.32) is a proteinase isolated from pineapple plants (Ananas comosus), which has been traditionally employed in food industry. This enzyme has been also used in pharmaceutical industry. In recent years there has been r...

Las antraquinonas son productos del metabolismo secundario con gran importancia en la industria farmaceútica. En el presente trabajo se determina la posible presencia de estos compuestos en diferentes partes de la Morinda royoc L. El análisis cualitativo (Reacción de Bortranger) mostró una fuerte coloración roja en las raíces (médula y corteza) ind...

Although pineapple plants have been found to produce proteases ex vitro, most of the biotechnological investigations of this crop have been focused on propagation. The procedure involving the use of temporary immersion bioreactors is one of the most outstanding because of its high multiplication rate. We previously recorded specific protease activi...

La mayor parte de la producción mundial de enzimas está destinada a la obtención de proteasas. Las plantas de piña contienen varias cisteino-proteasas, el componente mayoritario aislado del tallo es la "bromelina de tallo" (EC 3.4.22.32), que ha sido usada tradicionalmente en la industria alimentaria. Sin embargo, en los últimos años, existe un ren...

Biotechnology has become an important tool to produce plant secondary metabolites and proteases are among them. Although pineapple plants have been found to produce proteases, most of the biotechnological investigations on this crop have been focused on propagation. The procedure involving the use of temporary immersion bioreactors is one of the mo...

Resumen La mayor parte de la producción mundial de enzimas está destinada a la obtención de proteasas. Las aplicaciones de estas biomoléculas con fines terapéuticos son muy variadas. Algunas se conocen como remedios naturales y otras son fármacos modificadores de la respuesta biológica. Las plantas de piña contienen varias cisteino-proteasas, el co...

La bromelina (EC 3.4.22.32) es una proteasa aislada de órganos de plantas de piña con un amplio espectro de acciones farmacológicas y alimenticias. Entre las primeras se destaca su actividad antitumoral que la han convertido en una de las cisteino proteasas más estudiadas. Se diseñó y patentó un procedimiento de extracción de bromelina (patente C 1...

Temporary immersion bioreactor (TIB) has been found an important tool to promote in vitro plant proliferatio n. In addition, TIB can be used for secondary metabolite production in a controlled environment as it mainly involves highly differentiated and specialised plant cells. Although, TIB has been reported for pineapple micropropagation, to our k...

Background. Toxic metal contamination is nowadays one of the most serious problems with great incidence on human health and the environment. As a consequence of mining and other industrial activities, municipal wastes and sewage, toxic metals like Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg, and As are being accumulated at toxic levels in soil and water. Phytoremediati...