title: Lipase activity and antioxidant capacity in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) seeds during germination.
abstract: In this paper, lipase activity was characterized in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) seeds to determine its involvement in lipid degradation during germination. The lipase activity, evaluated by a colorimetric method, was already present before imbibition of seeds and was further induced during the germination process. The activity showed a biphasic behaviour, which was similar in seeds either with or without endocarp (parchment), even though the phenomenon showed a delay in the former. The enzymatic activity was inhibited by tetrahydrolipstatin (THL), a selective and irreversible inhibitor of lipases, and by a polyclonal antibody raised against purified alkaline lipase from castor bean. The immunochemical analysis evidenced a protein of ca. 60 kDa, cross-reacting with an anti-lipase antibody, in coffee samples obtained from seeds of both types. Gas chromatographic analyses of free fatty acid (FFA) content confirmed the differences shown in the lipolytic activity of the samples with or without parchment, since FFA levels increased more rapidly in samples without parchment. Finally, the analyses of the antioxidant capacity showed that the presence of parchment was crucial for lowering the oxidation of the lipophylic fraction, being the seeds with parchment less prone to oxidation processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Unit of Plant Biology, University of Udine, via delle Scienze 91, 33100 Udine, Italy. Electronic address: sonia.patui@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patui
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Unit of Plant Biology, University of Udine, via delle Scienze 91, 33100 Udine, Italy. Electronic address: luisa.clincon@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clincon
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Unit of Plant Biology, University of Udine, via delle Scienze 91, 33100 Udine, Italy. Electronic address: carlo.peresson@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peresson
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Unit of Plant Biology, University of Udine, via delle Scienze 91, 33100 Udine, Italy. Electronic address: marco.zancani@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zancani
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Udine, via Sondrio 2/A, 33100 Udine, Italy. Electronic address: lanfranco.conte@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Lanfranco
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.affiliation: Illycaffè s.p.a, via Flavia 110, 34147 Trieste Italy. Electronic address: Lorenzo.DelTerra@illy.com.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Terra
authors.affiliation: Illycaffè s.p.a, via Flavia 110, 34147 Trieste Italy. Electronic address: Luciano.Navarini@illy.com.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Navarini
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Unit of Plant Biology, University of Udine, via delle Scienze 91, 33100 Udine, Italy. Electronic address: angelo.vianello@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vianello
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Unit of Plant Biology, University of Udine, via delle Scienze 91, 33100 Udine, Italy. Electronic address: enrico.braidot@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Braidot
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D040503:Coffea / Q000201:enzymology*; D018525:Germination; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010940:Plant Proteins; D008049:Lipase
keywords: Coffee seed; Free fatty acids; Germination; Lipase; Oxidative stress; Parchment