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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Food Quality Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #407428

Research Project: Integrated Approaches to Improve Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Quality with Improved Phenolics Contents

Location: Food Quality Laboratory

Title: Effect of H2 treatment under UV-B irradiation on the enrichment of germinated soybean isoflavones and mechanisms based on growth state, antioxidant system, and metabolomics

Author
item XU, WENLI - Qingdao Agricultural University
item LI, MAN - Qingdao Agricultural University
item LI, WENXIANG - Qingdao Agricultural University
item LIU, HAIYAN - Qingdao Agricultural University
item XU, XINXIN - Qingdao Agricultural University
item Yang, Tianbao
item MA, MENG - Qingdao Agricultural University

Submitted to: LWT - Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2024
Publication Date: 1/31/2024
Citation: Xu, W., Li, M., Li, W., Liu, H., Xu, X., Yang, T., Ma, M. 2024. Effect of H2 treatment under UV-B irradiation on the enrichment of germinated soybean isoflavones and mechanisms based on growth state, antioxidant system, and metabolomics. LWT - Food Science and Technology. 195. Article e115821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2024.115821.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2024.115821

Interpretive Summary: Germinated soybean is considered a healthy and natural food because of its rich contents of isoflavones and other nutrients. Hydrogen (H2) has received widespread attention as a signaling molecule and selective antioxidant. However, only a few studies have investigated the enrichment of isoflavones during soybean germination under H2 treatment. This study is to investigate the effects and mechanisms of H2 treatment under ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation on the contents and compositions of germinated soybean isoflavones. The results showed that as compared with UV-B alone, H2 promoted the growth of germinated soybeans by regulating the content of metabolites (nucleotides, fats, and amino acids) and related metabolic pathways. H2 reduced UV-B induced stress response by binding directly to reactive oxygen species or mediating the antioxidant system. This study is the first to reveal the mechanism of action by which H2 treatment relieves UV-B stress, promotes germinated soybean growth, and enrichment of isoflavones, especially aglycone. It provides the growers new tools to increase soybean germination and enrich the compositions and contents of isoflavones.

Technical Abstract: Hydrogen (H2) has positive effect on seed germination and enhances stress responses. This study is to investigate the effects and mechanisms of H2 treatment under ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation on the content and composition of germinated soybean isoflavones. The results showed that compared with UV-B alone, H2 promoted the growth of germinated soybeans by regulating the content of metabolites (nucleotides, fats, and amino acids) and related metabolic pathways. H2 reduced UV-B induced stress response by binding directly to reactive oxygen species or mediating the antioxidant system. Increased activity and gene expression levels of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamic acid-4-hydroxylase, and 4-coumaric acid coenzyme A ligase promoted isoflavone enrichment, and the conversion of glycosides to aglycones by reducing the activity and gene expression of isoflavone 7-O-glucosyltransferase and isoflavone 7-O-glucoside-6'-O-malonyltransferase. This study is the first to reveal the mechanism of action by which H2 treatment relieves UV-B stress, promotes germinated soybean growth, and enrichment of isoflavones, especially aglycone. It provides the growers new tools to increase soybean germination and enrich the compositions and contents of isoflavones.