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Polyphenols form nanofilms with transition metal ions by coordination-driven assembly. The as-formed metal-polyphenol nanofilms can degrade in the presence of chelating ligands that exhibit high stability constant with the nanofilm-forming metal ions. We have demonstrated the degradation of Fe(III)-tannic acid nanofilms with hydroxyketone ligands, such as maltol, kojic acid, and deferiprone, which exhibit high availability and excellent cytocompatibility. The concentration screening experiments have been performed with different ligand concentrations ranging from 1 mM-25 mM. It is important to note that only deferiprone degrades Fe(III)-TA nanofilms even at 1 mM, and it retains the degradation activity at pH 7.4. The characteristic degradation activity of hydroxyketone ligands to Fe(III)-TA nanofilms may depend upon their pK a value and stability constant. The degradation studies herein are attractive for the development of biomedical applications utilizing metal-polyphenol nanofilms as a sacrificial template., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: The blood-retinal barrier (BRB) restricts the delivery of intravenous therapeutics to the retina, necessitating innovative approaches for treating retinal disorders. This study sought to explore the potential of focused ultrasound (FUS) to non-invasively deliver intravenously administered gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) across the BRB. FUS-BRB modulation can offer a novel method for targeted retinal therapy., Methods: AuNPs of different sizes and shapes were characterized, and FUS parameters were optimized to permeate the BRB without causing retinal damage in a rodent model. The delivery of 70-kDa dextran and AuNPs to the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) layer was visualized using confocal and two-photon microscopy, respectively. Histological and statistical analyses were conducted to assess the effectiveness and safety of the procedure., Results: FUS-BRB modulation resulted in the delivery of dextran and AuNPs to the RGC and inner nuclear layer. Smaller AuNPs reached the retinal layers to a greater extent than larger ones. The delivery of dextran and AuNPs across the BRB with FUS was achieved without significant retinal damage., Conclusions: This investigation provides the first evidence, to our knowledge, of FUS-mediated AuNP delivery across the BRB, establishing a foundation for a targeted and non-invasive approach to retinal treatment. The results contribute to developing promising non-invasive therapeutic strategies in ophthalmology to treat retinal diseases., Translational Relevance: Modifying the BRB with ultrasound offers a targeted and non-invasive delivery strategy of intravenous therapeutics to the retina.

Establishing a platform for the bioconversion of waste resources into value-added compounds is critical for achieving a sustainable and eco-friendly economy. Herein, we produced polyhydroxyalkanoate via microbial fermentation using cabbage waste as a feedstock and metabolically engineered Escherichia coli . For this, the hydrolysis conditions of cabbage waste were optimized by focusing on parameters such as substrate and enzyme concentrations to enhance the saccharification efficiency. The phaABC operon, which encodes key enzymes responsible for polyhydroxyalkanoate biosynthesis in Ralstonia eutropha H16, was overexpressed in E. coli . Using cabbage hydrolysate as the feedstock, this engineered E. coli strain could produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) with a polymer content of 26.0 wt % of dry cell weight. Moreover, malic acid in cabbage hydrolysate significantly enhanced poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production; the addition of 0.5 g/L malic acid markedly increased poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) content by 59.9%. This study demonstrates the potential of cabbage waste as a promising raw material for the microbial production of polyhydroxyalkanoate.

Lactic acid is an important industrial precursor; however, high substrate costs are a major challenge in microbial fermentation-based lactic acid production. Coffee waste is a sustainable feedstock alternative for lactic acid production via microbial fermentation. Herein, the feasibility of coffee waste as a feedstock was explored by employing appropriate pretreatment methods and optimizing enzyme combinations. Coffee waste pretreatment with hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid along with a combination of Viscozyme L, Celluclast 1.5 L, and Pectinex Ultra SP-L achieved the 78.9 % sugar conversion rate at a substrate concentration of 4 % (w/v). Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WiKim0126-induced fermentation with a 4 % solid loading yielded a lactic acid concentration of 22.8 g/L (99.6 % of the theoretical maximum yield) and productivity of 0.95 g/L/h within 24 h. These findings highlight the viability of coffee waste as an eco-friendly resource for sustainable lactic acid production., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Beauveria bassiana, a representative entomopathogenic fungus, is increasingly being utilized as an eco-friendly pest management alternative to chemical insecticides. This fungus produces a range of insecticidal secondary metabolites that act as antimicrobial and immunosuppressive agents. However, detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis related to these compounds remains scarce, we developed a method for the rapid analysis of these metabolites. Eight secondary metabolites (bassianin, bassianolide, beauvericin, beauveriolide I, enniatin A, A1, and B, and tenellin) were efficiently extracted when B. bassiana-infected Tenebrio molitor larvae were ground in 70% EtOH extraction solvent and subsequently subjected to ultrasonic treatment for 30 min. The eight metabolites were rapidly and simultaneously analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS). Bassianolide (20.6-51.1 µg/g) and beauvericin (63.6-109.8 µg/g) were identified as the main metabolites in B. basssiana-infected larvae, indicating that they are likely major toxins of B. bassiana. Validation of the method exhibited recovery rates in the range of 80-115% and precision in the range of 0.1-8.0%, indicating no significant interference from compounds in the matrix. We developed a method to rapidly analyze eight insecticidal metabolites using UPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS. This can be extensively utilized for detecting and producing insecticidal fungal secondary metabolites., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Mycotoxin (Research Gesellschaft für Mykotoxinforschung e.V.) and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are currently being investigated for their potential use as probiotics and starter cultures. Researchers have developed powdering processes for the commercialization of LAB. Previous studies have focused on identifying innovative cryoprotective agents and freeze-drying (FD) techniques to enhance the stability of LAB. In this study, adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) was employed to develop a strain with high FD tolerance and enhanced storage stability. Leuconostoc mesenteroids WiKim33 was subjected to heterotypic shock (heat and osmosis shock) to induce the desired phenotype and genotype. An FD-tolerant enhanced Leu. mesenteroides WiKim33 strain (ALE50) was obtained, which harbored a modified fatty acid composition and cell envelope characteristics. Specifically, ALE50 showed a lower unsaturated fatty acid (UFA)/saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio and a higher cyclic fatty acid (CFA) composition. Moreover, the exopolysaccharide (EPS) thickness increased significantly by 331% compared to that of the wild type (WT). FD tolerance, which was evaluated using viability testing after FD, was enhanced by 33.4%. Overall, we demonstrated the feasibility of ALE to achieve desirable characteristics and provided insights into the mechanisms underlying increased FD tolerance., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Hae Woong Park reports financial support was provided by World Institute of Kimchi. Hae Woong Park reports a relationship with World Institute of Kimchi that includes: employment. Hae Woong Park has patent pending to Hae Woong Park. Nothing., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are being used for probiotic and starter cultures to prevent global damage to microbial cells. To retain the benefits of LAB in the commercially used powdered form, highly efficient cryoprotective agents are required during the manufacturing process. This study suggests a novel cryoprotective agent derived from Jerusalem artichoke (JA; Helianthus tuberous L.) and describes the mechanism of cryoprotective effect improvement by sonication treatment. The cryoprotective effect of JA extract was verified by examining the viability of Leuconostoc mesenteroides WiKim33 after freeze-drying (FD). Sonication of JA extract improved the cryoprotective effect. Sonication reduced fructose and glucose contents, which increased the induction of critical damage during FD by 15.84% and 46.81%, respectively. The cryoprotective effects of JA and sonication-treated JA extracts were determined using the viable cell count of Leu. mesenteroides WiKim33. Immediately after FD and storage for 24 weeks, the viability of Leu. mesenteroides WiKim33 with JA extract was 82.8% and 76.3%, respectively, while that of the sonication-treated JA extract was 95.2% and 88.8%, respectively. Our results show that reduction in specific monosaccharides was correlated with improved cryoprotective effect. This study adopted sonication as a novel treatment for improving the cryoprotective effect and verified its efficiency., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Hae Woong Park reports financial support was provided by World Institute of Kimchi. Hae Woong Park reports a relationship with World Institute of Kimchi that includes: employment. Hae Woong Park has patent pending to Hae Woong Park. Nothing, (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exert antagonistic activity against root-knot nematodes, mainly by producing organic acids via carbohydrate fermentation. However, they have not yet been used for root-knot nematode ( Meloidogyne incognita ) control owing to a lack of economic feasibility and effectiveness. In this study, we aimed to isolate organic acid-producing LAB from kimchi (Korean traditional fermented cabbage) and evaluated their nematicidal activity. Among the 234 strains isolated, those showing the highest nematicidal activity were selected and identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WiKim0090. Nematicidal activity and egg hatch inhibitory activity of WiKim0090 culture filtrate were dose dependent. Nematode mortality 3 days after treatment with 2.5% of the culture filtrate was 100%, with a 50% lethal concentration of 1.41%. In pot tests, the inhibitory activity of an L. plantarum WiKim0090-copper sulfate mixture on gall formation increased. Compared to abamectin application, which is a commercial nematicide, a higher control value was observed using the WiKim0090-copper sulfate mixture, indicating that this combination can be effective in controlling the root-knot nematode.

Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene) is beneficial to human health due to its diverse biological activities including its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects as confirmed by pharmacokinetic tests. Despite these clinical merits, resveratrol's limited hydrosolubility and chemical vulnerability remain challenging with regard to developing a controlled delivery system with enhanced bioavailability. In this work, we report a resveratrol-β-lactoglobulin (R-BLG) composite nanocoating through a layer-by-layer assembly with Fe(III)-tannic acid nanofilms. The R-BLG composite nanocoating can be formed in planar and particulate substrates, showing excellent film stability under a broad range of pH values and against enzymatic digestion during a weeklong incubation. We envision that the proteinaceous nanocoating herein could be combined with existing pharmaceutical carrier materials (e. g., microcapsules and nanoparticles) to realize advanced drug delivery systems with an expanded repertoire of hydrophobic drugs., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

An endolichenic fungus, Xylaria grammica strain EL000614, showed strong nematicidal effects against plant pathogenic nematode, Meloidogyne incognita by producing grammicin. We report genome assembly of X. grammica EL000614 comprised of 25 scaffolds with a total length of 54.73 Mb, N50 of 4.60 Mb, and 99.8% of BUSCO completeness. GC contents of this genome were 44.02%. Gene families associated with biosynthesis of secondary metabolites or regulatory proteins were identified out of 13,730 gene models predicted., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group on behalf of the Korean Society of Mycology.)

A coating must remain intact to perform its inherent functions on a surface, and often functional organic coatings fail due to deterioration because of their intrinsic vulnerabilities. In this work, we present a biomimetic material based on a glass sponge to provide a robust silica composite nanocoating with an antifog effect. The silica composite nanocoating was constructed with a binary film structure consisting of (1) a Fe(III)-tannic acid (TA) nanofilm for adhesion to coat the substrates and (2) a SiO 2 layer to enhance the durability of the coating. Due to the universal coating property of Fe(III)-TA nanofilms, we demonstrated that the silica composite nanocoating was effective regardless of the substrate. By layer-by-layer assembly of the silica composite, it is possible to precisely control the nanocoating thickness. The superhydrophilic nature of the SiO 2 layer showed an exceptional antifog effect that remained intact against multiple deteriorative conditions, including acid treatment, peroxide degradation, sudden temperature change, severe heat conduction, and oil contamination. In addition, the silica composite nanocoating is scalable for surfaces of different shapes and sizes with the aid of a spray-assisted deposition technique. The bioinspired, multicomposite nanocoating strategy herein contributes to the improvement of organic coatings for uses in applications to tackle current technological problems.

Multi-drug resistance in nematodes is a serious problem as lately several resistant phenotypes have emerged following the intermittent usage of synthetic nematicides. Contemporary research continues to focus on developing and/or repurposing small molecule inhibitors that are eco-friendly. Here, we describe the repurposing of the indole derivative, 5-iodoindole, as a nematicide for the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. 5-Iodoindole effectively killed juveniles and freshly hatched juveniles by inducing multiple vacuole formation. Notably, at higher dosage (50 μg/mL), 5-iodoindole induced rapid juvenile death within 6 h. Microscopic analysis confirmed that the rapid death was due to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Computational docking attributed this ROS production to the antagonistic effect of 5-iodoindole on glutathione S-transferase (GST), which is known to play a critical role in the suppression of ROS in nematode models. Furthermore, 5-iodoindole also effectively reduced the gall formations and eggs masses of M. incognita on Solanum lycopersicum roots in pot experiments, and importantly it did not harm the physiological properties of the plant. Overall, the study provides valuable insights on the use of 5-iodoindole as an alternate measure to control root-knot nematodes. Overall, our findings suggest the efficacy of 5-iodoindole should be studied under field conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are among the most destructive plant-parasites worldwide, and RKN control has been attempted mainly using chemical nematicides. However, these chemical nematicides have negative effects on humans and the environment, thus necessitating the search for eco-friendly alternative RKN control methods. Here, we screened nematicidal lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from kimchi and evaluated their efficacy as biocontrol agents against RKNs. Of 237 bacterial strains, Lactobacillus brevis WiKim0069 showed the strongest nematicidal activity against the second-stage juveniles (J2) of Meloidogyne incognita , M . arenaria , and M. hapla and inhibited the egg hatch of M . incognita . The culture filtrate of WiKim0069 had a pH of 4.2 and contained acetic acid (11,190 μg/ml), lactic acid (7,790 μg/ml), malic acid (470 μg/ml), and succinic acid (660 μg/ml). An artificial mixture of the four organic acids produced by WiKim0069 also induced 98% M. incognita J2 mortality at a concentration of 1.25%, indicating that its nematicidal activity was derived mainly from the four organic acids. Application of WiKim0069 culture filtrate suppressed the formation of galls and egg masses on tomato roots by M. incognita in a dose-dependent manner in a pot experiment. The fermentation broth of WiKim0069 also reduced gall formation on melon under field conditions, with a higher efficacy (62.8%) than that of fosthiazate (32.8%). This study is the first report to identify the effectiveness of kimchi LAB against RKNs and to demonstrate that the organic acids produced by LAB can be used for the RKN management., (© The Korean Society of Plant Pathology.)

The eggshell membrane is one of the easily obtainable natural biomaterials, but has been neglected in the biomaterial community, compared with marine biomaterials and discarded as a food waste. In this work, we utilized the ESM hydrolysate (ESMH), which was obtained by the enzymochemical method, as a bioactive functional material for interfacial bioengineering, exemplified by thickness-tunable, layer-by-layer (LbL) nanocoating with the Fe(III)-tannic acid (TA) complex. [Fe(III)-TA/ESMH] LbL films, ending with the ESMH layer, showed great cytocompatiblility with HeLa cells and even primary hippocampal neuron cells. More importantly, the films were found to be neurochemically active, inducing the acceleration of neurite outgrowth for the long-term neuron culture. We believe that the ability for building cytocompatible ESMH films in a thickness-tunable manner would be applicable to a broad range of different nanomaterials in shape and size and would be utilized with multimodal functionalities for biomedical applications, such as bioencapsulation, theranostics, and regenerative medicine.