Search

The bacterial communities in the rhizosphere soil of plants facilitate the cycling of nutrient elements in the rhizosphere and regulate soil fertility. By analyzing the microecological structure of rhizosphere soil surrounding wild celery, we can provide a basis for the bionic cultivation of wild celery. In this experiment, rhizosphere soil samples from various wild celery varieties in Jilin Province were used as test materials, and high-throughput sequencing was employed to analyze and compare the rhizosphere bacterial community structures of these samples. After screening and removing chimeric sequences, a total of 1,020,108 high-quality sequences were obtained. Species classification results revealed that these bacteria encompassed 60 phyla, 183 classes, 431 orders, 702 families, and 1619 genera. There were certain differences in the composition and structure of bacterial communities among different rhizosphere soil samples. According to the richness indices, the performance order among samples was Tonghua water celery > Linjiang large-leaf celery > Linjiang old mountain celery > Tonghua large-leaf celery > Jiangyuan large-leaf celery > Tonghua old mountain celery > Linjiang water celery > artificially cultivated wild large-leaf celery > Huadian large-leaf celery > Huadian small-leaf celery > Dongfeng water celery > Jiangyuan old mountain celery. Among all bacterial communities, Pseudomonadota (37.79–22.48%) had the highest relative abundance across different regions, followed by Acidobacteriota (17.97–13.51%). RDA analysis indicated that soil pH, available phosphorus, available potassium, and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen in the celery rhizosphere were the primary factors influencing changes in bacterial communities. Based on the experimental analysis, it was demonstrated that there were differences in rhizosphere soil bacterial community diversity and composition among Tonghua large-leaf celery, Linjiang large-leaf celery, Jiangyuan large-leaf celery, Huadian large-leaf celery, Tonghua old mountain celery, Linjiang old mountain celery, Jiangyuan old mountain celery, Tonghua water celery, Linjiang water celery, Dongfeng water celery, Huadian small-leaf celery, and artificially cultivated wild large-leaf celery in Jilin Province.

Effective cancer therapy with limited adverse effects is a major challenge in the medical field. This is especially complicated by the development of acquired chemoresistance. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie these processes remains a major effort in cancer research. In this review, we focus on the dual role that Bid protein plays in apoptotic cell death via the mitochondrial pathway, in oncogenesis and in cancer therapeutics. The BH3 domain in Bid and the anti-apoptotic mitochondrial proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, mitochondrial ATR) it associates with at the outer mitochondrial membrane provides us with a viable target in cancer therapy. We will discuss the roles of Bid, mitochondrial ATR, and other anti-apoptotic proteins in intrinsic apoptosis, exploring how their interaction sustains cellular viability despite the initiation of upstream death signals. The unexpected upregulation of this Bid protein in cancer cells can also be instrumental in explaining the mechanisms behind acquired chemoresistance. The stable protein associations at the mitochondria between tBid and anti-apoptotic mitochondrial ATR play a crucial role in maintaining the viability of cancer cells, suggesting a novel mechanism to induce cancer cell apoptosis by freeing tBid from the ATR associations at mitochondria.

A phylogenetic tree can reflect the evolutionary relationships between species or gene families, and they play a critical role in modern biological research. In this review, we summarize common methods for constructing phylogenetic trees, including distance methods, maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and tree-integration methods (supermatrix and supertree). Here we discuss the advantages, shortcomings, and applications of each method and offer relevant codes to construct phylogenetic trees from molecular data using packages and algorithms in R. This review aims to provide comprehensive guidance and reference for researchers seeking to construct phylogenetic trees while also promoting further development and innovation in this field. By offering a clear and concise overview of the different methods available, we hope to enable researchers to select the most appropriate approach for their specific research questions and datasets.

This study sought to explore the antimicrobial activity of punicalagin against V. parahaemolyticus and its potential modes of action. V. parahaemolyticus ATCC 17802 and RIMD 2210633Sm were exposed to punicalagin, and the energy production, membrane potential, and envelope permeability, as well as the interaction with cell biomolecules, were measured using a variety of fluorescent probes combined with electrophoresis and Raman spectroscopy. Punicalagin treatment disrupted the envelope integrity and induced a decrease in intracellular ATP and pH. The uptake of 1-N-phenyl-naphtylamine (NPN) demonstrated that punicalagin weakened the outer membrane. Punicalagin damaged the cytoplasmic membrane, as indicated by the membrane depolarization and the leakage of intracellular potassium ions, proteins, and nucleic acids. Electronic microscopy observation visualized the cell damage caused by punicalagin. Further, gel electrophoresis coupled with the Raman spectrum assay revealed that punicalagin affected the protein expression of V. parahaemolyticus, and there was no effect on the integrity of genomic DNA. Therefore, the cell envelope and proteins of V. parahaemolyticus were the assailable targets of punicalagin treatment. These findings suggested that punicalagin may be promising as a natural bacteriostatic agent to control the growth of V. parahaemolyticus.

The aim of this study was to explore the immunomodulatory effect of Polygonatum sibiricum saponin (PS) in a cyclophosphamide-induced (Cy) immunosuppression mice model. Oral administration of PS by gavage effectively alleviated weight loss caused by Cy and increased the index of immune organs. PS promoted the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes and T cell subsets (CD3+, CD355+, CD4+/CD8+) and relieved the xylene-induced inflammatory response and Cy-induced increase of serum hemolysin. Moreover, PS increased serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase. PS elevated serum level of cytokines and immunoglobulins (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-6, IL-β, SIgA, and IgG) and the expression of mRNA of IL-10, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the spleen. Increased mRNA expression of tight junction protein (ZO-1, Mucin2, Occludin) expression and protein expression of IL-6/MyD88/TLR4 in the small intestine showed that PS exhibited a restorative effect on intestinal mucosal injury caused by cyclophosphamide. Oral PS prevented Cy-induced decline in leukocytes, red blood cells, lymphocytes, hemoglobin concentrations, and neutrophils, providing evidence for alleviating hematopoietic disorders. In addition, PS increased SOD and NO levels, reduced MDA levels, and improved oxidative damage in the liver. These findings demonstrate that PS has the potential to be developed as a supplemental agent for alleviating immunosuppression caused by chemotherapeutic agents.

Brasenia schreberi is a widely consumed aquatic plant, yet the knowledge regarding its bioactive components, particularly polysaccharides, remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize the extraction process of polysaccharides from B. schreberi using the response surface method (RSM). Additionally, we characterized the polysaccharides using various methods and assessed their antioxidant capabilities both in vitro and in vivo, employing cell cultures and Caenorhabditis elegans. Furthermore, these polysaccharides were incorporated into a unique yogurt formulation. Our findings demonstrated that hot water extraction was the most suitable method for extracting polysaccharides from B. schreberi, yielding samples with high sugar content, significant antioxidant capacity, and a well-defined spatial structure. Moreover, pectinase was employed for polysaccharide digestion, achieving an enzymolysis rate of 10.02% under optimized conditions using RSM. Notably, the results indicated that these polysaccharides could protect cells from oxidative stress by reducing apoptosis. Surprisingly, at a concentration of 250 μg/mL, the polysaccharides significantly increased the survival rate of C. elegans from 31.05% to 82.3%. Further qPCR results revealed that the polysaccharides protected C. elegans by up-regulating the daf-16 gene and down-regulating mTOR and insulin pathways, demonstrating remarkable antioxidant abilities. Upon addition to the yogurt, the polysaccharides significantly enhanced the water retention, viscosity, and viability of lactic acid bacteria. These outcomes underscore the potential of polysaccharides from B. schreberi as a valuable addition to novel yogurt formulations, thereby providing additional theoretical support for the utilization of B. schreberi.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a primary seafood-associated pathogen that could cause gastroenteritis. It can attach to various surfaces and form a biofilm, which poses serious threats to food safety. Hence, an effective strategy is urgently needed to control the biofilm formation of V. parahaemolyticus. Laurel essential oil (LEO) is used in food, pharmaceutical and other industries, and is commonly used as a flavoring agent and valuable spice in food industries. The potential antibiofilm effects of LEO against V. parahaemolyticus were examined in this study. LEO obviously reduced biofilm biomass at subinhibitory concentrations (SICs). It decreased the metabolic activity and viability of biofilm cells. Microscopic images and Raman spectrum indicted that LEO interfered with the structure and biochemical compositions of biofilms. Moreover, it also impaired swimming motility, decreased hydrophobicity, inhibited auto-aggregation and reduced attachment to different food-contact surfaces. RT-qPCR revealed that LEO significantly downregulated transcription levels of biofilm-associated genes of V. parahaemolyticus. These findings demonstrate that LEO could be potentially developed as an antibiofilm strategy to control V. parahaemolyticus biofilms in food industries.

Proline isomerization, the process of interconversion between the cis- and trans-forms of proline, is an important and unique post-translational modification that can affect protein folding and conformations, and ultimately regulate protein functions and biological pathways. Although impactful, the importance and prevalence of proline isomerization as a regulation mechanism in biological systems have not been fully understood or recognized. Aiming to fill gaps and bring new awareness, we attempt to provide a wholistic review on proline isomerization that firstly covers what proline isomerization is and the basic chemistry behind it. In this section, we vividly show that the cause of the unique ability of proline to adopt both cis- and trans-conformations in significant abundance is rooted from the steric hindrance of these two forms being similar, which is different from that in linear residues. We then discuss how proline isomerization was discovered historically followed by an introduction to all three types of proline isomerases and how proline isomerization plays a role in various cellular responses, such as cell cycle regulation, DNA damage repair, T-cell activation, and ion channel gating. We then explore various human diseases that have been linked to the dysregulation of proline isomerization. Finally, we wrap up with the current stage of various inhibitors developed to target proline isomerases as a strategy for therapeutic development.

The DNA damage response (DDR) is recognized as having an important role in cancer growth and treatment. ATR (ataxia telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related) kinase, a major regulator of DDR, has shown significant therapeutic potential in cancer treatment. ATR inhibitors have shown anti-tumor effectiveness, not just as monotherapies but also in enhancing the effects of standard chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. The biological basis of ATR is examined in this review, as well as its functional significance in the development and therapy of cancer, and the justification for inhibiting this target as a therapeutic approach, including an assessment of the progress and status of previous decades’ development of effective and selective ATR inhibitors. The current applications of these inhibitors in preclinical and clinical investigations as single medicines or in combination with chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy are also fully reviewed. This review concludes with some insights into the many concerns highlighted or identified with ATR inhibitors in both the preclinical and clinical contexts, as well as potential remedies proposed.

Reproductive competence in male mammals depends on testicular function. Testicular development and spermatogenesis in goats involve highly complex physiological processes. In this study, six testes were, respectively, obtained from each age group, immature (1 month), sexually mature (6 months) and physically mature (12 months old) Qianbei Ma goats. RNA-Seq was performed to assess testicular mRNA expression in Qianbei Ma goats at different developmental stages. Totally, 18 libraries were constructed to screen genes and pathways involved in testis development and spermatogenesis. Totally, 9724 upregulated and 4153 downregulated DEGs were found between immature (I) and sexually mature (S) samples; 7 upregulated and 3 downregulated DEGs were found between sexually mature (S) and physically mature (P) samples, and about 4% of the DEGs underwent alternative splicing events between I and S. Select genes were assessed by qRT-PCR, corroborating RNA-Seq findings. The detected genes have key roles in multiple developmental stages of goat testicular development and spermatogenesis. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to determine differentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO analysis revealed DEGs between S and P contributed to “reproduction process”, “channel activity” and “cell periphery part” between I and S, and in “ion transport process”, “channel activity” and “transporter complex part”. KEGG analysis suggested the involvement of “glycerolipid metabolism”, “steroid hormone biosynthesis” and “MAPK signaling pathway” in testis development and spermatogenesis. Genes including IGF1, TGFB1, TGFBR1 and EGFR may control the development of the testis from immature to sexually mature, which might be important candidate genes for the development of goat testis. The current study provides novel insights into goat testicular development and spermatogenesis.

Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most destructive diseases in the citrus industry. At present, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) cannot be cultured in vitro, and there is a lack of rapid methods to test antibacterial activity, which greatly hinders the discovery of new antibacterial agents against HLB. To establish a rapid screening method for antibacterial agents against HLB with simple operation, a short cycle, and a large number of tests, the CLas contents in leaves from different citrus branches, different leaves from the same citrus branch, and two halves of the same citrus leaf were detected. Compared with the leaves on different branches and different leaves on the same branch, the difference in CLas content of the left and right halves of the same leaf was small; the difference was basically between 0.7 and 1.3. A rapid and efficient method for primary screening agents against HLB termed the “half-leaf method” was established through our long-term optimization and improvement. To verify the stability and reliability of the activity data measured using this method, 6-chloropurine riboside, which is highly soluble in water, was used as the test agent, and its antibacterial activity against HLB was tested 45 times. The results of the antibacterial activity test showed little difference in the mean values of each data group, indicating that this method could be used as a rapid method for screening agents against HLB. We used this method to test the antibacterial activity of compounds synthesized by our research group against HLB and found that some of the compounds showed good activity.

Benzoxazole and benzothiazole have a broad spectrum of agricultural biological activities, such as antibacterial, antiviral, and herbicidal activities, which are important fused heterocyclic scaffold structures in agrochemical discovery. In recent years, great progress has been made in the research of benzoxazoles and benzothiazoles, especially in the development of herbicides and insecticides. With the widespread use of benzoxazoles and benzothiazoles, there may be more new products containing benzoxazoles and benzothiazoles in the future. We systematically reviewed the application of benzoxazoles and benzothiazoles in discovering new agrochemicals in the past two decades and summarized the antibacterial, fungicidal, antiviral, herbicidal, and insecticidal activities of the active compounds. We also discussed the structural–activity relationship and mechanism of the active compounds. This work aims to provide inspiration and ideas for the discovery of new agrochemicals based on benzoxazole and benzothiazole.

The abuse of organophosphate pesticides causes serious threats to human health, which threatens approximately 3 million people and leads to more than 2000 deaths each year. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the residue of fenitrothion (FT) in environmental and food samples. Herein, we developed a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor with differential pulse voltammetry signal output to determine FT in model solutions and spiked samples. Delicately, the sensor was designed based on the fabrication of hydrothermally synthesized titanium-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) material (NH2-MIL-125(Ti))/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) (NH2-MIL-125(Ti)/RGO) nanocomposites for better target enrichment and electron transfer. The peak response of differential pulse voltammetry for FT under optimized conditions was linear in the range of 0.072–18 μM with the logarithm of concentrations, and the detection limit was 0.0338 μM. The fabricated sensor also demonstrated high stability and reproducibility. Moreover, it exhibited excellent sensing performances for FT in spiked agricultural products. The convenient fabrication method of NH2-MIL-125(Ti)/RGO opens up a new approach for the rational design of non-enzymatic detection methods for pesticides.

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the proliferation, hormone secretion, and mRNA expression profiles of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) in vitro. A total of 12 ovaries from 6 follicular-stage goats were collected for granulosa cell extraction. The optimum concentration of NAC addition was determined to be 200 μM via the Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) method. Next, GCs were cultured in a medium supplemented with 200 μM NAC (200 μM NAC group) and 0 μ M NAC (control group) for 48 h. The effects of 200 μM NAC on the proliferation of granulosa cells and hormones were studied by 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). mRNA expression was analyzed by transcriptome sequencing. The results indicate that 200 μM NAC significantly increased cell viability and the proportion of cells in the S phase but promoted hormone secretion to a lesser degree. Overall, 122 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. A total of 51 upregulated and 71 downregulated genes were included. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses indicated that the most DEGs were enriched in terms of cell growth regulation, cell growth, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, the cAMP-signaling pathway, and the Wnt-signaling pathway. Seven genes related to granulosa cell proliferation were screened, IGFBP4, HTRA4, SST, SSTR1, WISP1, DAAM2, and RSPO2. The above results provide molecular theoretical support for NAC as a feed additive to improve follicle development and improve reproductive performance in ewes.

N acetylcysteine (NAC) affects antioxidation and reactive oxygen species scavenging in the body and thereby promotes embryonic development and implantation and inhibits inflammation. The mechanism through which NAC regulates reproductive performance in the uteri of goats during early gestation remains unclear. In this study, the treatment group was fed 0.07% NAC for the first 35 days of gestation, whereas the control group received no NAC supplementation. The regulatory genes and key pathways associated with goat reproductive performance under NAC supplementation were identified by RNA-seq. RT–qPCR was used to verify the sequencing results and subsequently construct tissue expression profiles of the relevant genes. RNA-seq identified 19,796 genes coexpressed in the control and treatment groups and 1318 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 787 and 531 DEGs enriched in the treatment and control groups, respectively. A GO analysis revealed that the identified genes mapped to pathways such as cell activation, cytokine production, cell mitotic processes, and angiogenesis, and a KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were enriched in pathways associated with reproductive regulation, immune regulation, resistance to oxidative stress, and cell adhesion. The RT–qPCR analysis showed that BDNF and CSF-1 were most highly expressed in the uterus, that WIF1 and ESR2 showed low expression in the uterus, and that CTSS, PTX3, and TGFβ-3 were most highly expressed in the oviduct, which indicated that these genes may be directly or indirectly involved in the modulation of reproduction in early-gestation goats. These findings provide fundamental data for the NAC-mediated modulation of the reproductive performance of goats during early gestation.

Plant polysaccharide intervention has shown significant potential to combat obesity. However, studies on animal polysaccharides are indeed rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential functions of CIP (IL) on obesity, intestinal microflora dysbiosis, and the possible protection of intestinal barrier in mice fed with high-fat diet (HFD). Our results revealed that after 13 weeks, the HFD+L (high-fat diet + 25 mg/kg CIP) group showed significantly more weight loss and fat accumulation relative to the HFD+H (high-fat diet + 50 mg/kg CIP) group. Furthermore, CIP intervention modulated lipid metabolism and mRNA levels of inflammatory mediators in liver. Overall, CIP clearly improved the intestinal barrier in HFD-fed mice. Additionally, we observed that CIP intervention improved intestinal microbiota community richness and diversity in HFD-fed mice. The CIP intervention mice group showed a relatively low Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio compared to the HFD group. This study concluded that CIP could be used as a functional food to prevent adipocyte accumulation, reduce systemic inflammation, and protect the intestinal barrier.

The natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) is an excellent solvent for insoluble natural products and medicines. Eutectogels formed by gelation of NADESs are interesting materials that deserve attention. In this study, xanthan gum was used as a gelator to gel choline chloride-xylitol with different water contents in virtue of the excellent solubility of choline chloride-xylitol (1:1) to quercetin. We observed that water was critical to the formation of eutectogels. An MTT assay indicated that our eutectogel had excellent biocompatibility as its corresponding hydrogel. According to rheological tests, xanthan gum-based eutectogels had better viscoelastic properties, higher thermal stability, and more defined shear thinning behavior than its corresponding hydrogel. Texture profile analysis showed that eutectogels with less water content had higher hardness and adhesiveness. Meanwhile, Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) results suggested that the various rheological and texture properties of eutectogels could be attributed to changes in the water state, which was influenced by the hydrogen bonding network of NADES. This biocompatible eutectogel with tunable properties was expected to find applications in novel drug delivery vehicles, which are widely used in the fields of medicine and food.