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Summary: ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) is a critical metabolic enzyme and promising target for drug development. The structure determinations of ACLY have revealed its homotetramer states with various subunit symmetries, but catalytic mechanism of ACLY tetramer and the importance of subunit symmetry have not been clarified. Here, we constructed the free energy landscape of ACLY tetramer with arbitrary subunit symmetries and investigated energetic and conformational coupling of subunits during citryl-CoA synthesis process. The optimal conformational pathway indicates that ACLY tetramer encounters three critical conformational barriers and undergoes a loss of rigid-D2 symmetry to gain an energetic advantage. Energetic coupling of conformational changes and biochemical reactions suggests that these biological events are not independent but rather coupled with each other, showing a comparable energy barrier to the experimental data for the rate-limiting step. These findings could contribute to further research on catalytic mechanism, functional modulation, and inhibitor design of ACLY.

Summary: We investigated the role of the N-terminus (residues 1–43) of the myosin essential light chain (N-ELC) in regulating cardiac function in hypertrophic (HCM-A57G) and restrictive (RCM-E143K) cardiomyopathy mice. Both models were cross-genotyped with N-ELC-truncated Δ43 mice, and the offspring were studied using echocardiography and muscle contractile mechanics. In A57G×Δ43 mice, Δ43 expression improved heart function and reduced hypertrophy and fibrosis. No improvements were seen in E143K×Δ43 compared to RCM-E143K mice. HCM-mutant pathology involved an impaired N-ELC tension sensor, disrupted N-ELC-actin interactions, an altered force-pCa relationship, and a destabilized myosin’s super-relaxed state. Removal of the malfunctioning N-ELC sensor led to functional rescue in HCM-truncated mutant hearts. However, the RCM mutation could not be rescued by N-ELC deletion, likely due to its proximity to the myosin motor domain, affecting lever-arm rigidity and myosin function. This study provides insights into the role of N-ELC in the development and potential rescue of ELC-mutant cardiomyopathy.

Summary: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent urogenital malignancies. Bone metastasis from PCa reduces patient survival rates significantly. There currently exists no effective treatment for bone metastatic PCa, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study performed transcriptomic screening on PCa bone metastasis specimens and intersection analysis in public databases and identified SERPINH1 as a potential target for treatment. SERPINH1 was found to be upregulated in PCa bone metastases and with poor prognosis, high Gleason score, and advanced metastatic status. SERPINH1 induced PCa cells’ bone metastasis in vivo, promoted their proliferation, and mitigated apoptosis. Mechanistically, SERPINH1 bound to P62, reducing TRIM21-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination degradation of P62 and promoting proliferation and resistance to apoptosis of PCa. This study suggests the regulation of ubiquitination degradation of P62 by SERPINH1 that promotes PCa bone metastasis and can be considered as a potential target for treatment of bone metastatic PCa.

Summary: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is characterized by a high degree of malignancy and a poor prognosis. This study revealed that circEZH2 was frequently upregulated in GBC tissues and correlated with advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage in GBC patients. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that circEZH2 promoted the proliferation and inhibited the ferroptosis of GBC. Besides, this study discovered that circEZH2 regulated lipid metabolism reprogramming in GBC cells. Mechanistically, circEZH2 promotes SCD1 expression by sponging miR-556-5p in GBC cells. In addition, IGF2BP2 enhances the stability of circEZH2 in an m6A-dependent manner, while circEZH2 suppresses the ubiquitination and degradation of IGF2BP2 by binding to IGF2BP2. Taken together, our findings indicated that circEZH2, upregulated via a positive feedback loop between circEZH2 and IGF2BP2, promotes GBC progression and lipid metabolism reprogramming through the miR-556-5p/SCD1 axis in GBC. circEZH2 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for GBC.

BACKGROUND: The citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), a global pest of citrus, has developed different levels of resistance to various acaricides in the field. Abamectin is one of the most important insecticides/acaricides worldwide, targetting a wide number of insect and mite pests. The evolution of abamectin resistance in P. citri is threatening the sustainable use of abamectin for mite control. RESULTS: The abamectin resistant strain (NN‐Aba), derived from a field strain NN by consistent selection with abamectin, showed 4279‐fold resistance to abamectin compared to a relatively susceptible strain (SS) of P. citri. Cross‐resistance of NN‐Aba was observed between abamectin and emamectin benzoate, pyridaben, fenpropathrin and cyflumetofen. Inheritance analyses indicated that abamectin resistance in the NN‐Aba strain was autosomal, incompletely recessive and polygenic. The synergy experiment showed that abamectin toxicity was synergized by piperonyl butoxide (PBO), diethyl maleate (DEM) and tributyl phosphorotrithiotate (TPP) in the NN‐Aba strain, and synergy ratios were 2.72‐, 2.48‐ and 2.13‐fold, respectively. The glutathione‐S‐transferases activity in the NN‐Aba strain were significantly increased by 2.08‐fold compared with the SS strain. CONCLUSION: The abamectin resistance was autosomal, incompletely recessive and polygenic in P. citri. The NN‐Aba strain showed cross‐resistance to various acaricides with different modes of action. Metabolic detoxification mechanism participated in abamectin resistance in NN‐Aba strain. These findings provide useful information for resistance management of P. citri in the field. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: 2′3′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP) is the endogenous agonist of STING; as such, cGAMP has powerful immunostimulatory activity, due to its capacity to stimulate type I interferon-mediated immunity. Recent evidence indicates that cancer cells, under certain conditions, can release cGAMP extracellularly, a phenomenon currently considered important for therapeutic responses and tumor rejection. Nonetheless, the mechanisms that regulate cGAMP activity in the extracellular environment are still largely unexplored.In this work, we collected evidence demonstrating that CD38 glycohydrolase can inhibit extracellular cGAMP activity through its direct binding.We firstly used different cell lines and clinical samples to demonstrate a link between CD38 and extracellular cGAMP activity; we then performed extensive in silico molecular modeling and cell-free biochemical assays to show a direct interaction between the catalytic pocket of CD38 and cGAMP. Altogether, our findings expand the current knowledge about the regulation of cGAMP activity.

Fusarium crown and root rot (FCRR) is a damaging ailment that can affect tomato production. It is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis‐lycopersici (FORL). The use of biological agents, in conjunction with fungicides, has become a practical strategy for combating fungal diseases in crops. Lipopeptide extracts from a potential biocontrol strain of Bacillus velezensis (SDTB038) exhibited an inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of FORL; the EC50 value was 59.95 mg/L, and at a concentration of 256 mg/L the inhibition rate reached 97.4%. The SDTB038 strain produces metabolites such as protease and siderophores. Additionally, it is capable of forming a biofilm and swimming. Phenamacril, an antifungal agent, also displayed an inhibitory effect on FORL, demonstrating an EC50 value of 1.074 mg/L. The control effects of the combination of Bacillus velezensis SDTB038 and phenamacril against FORL on tomato plants were also studied in the greenhouse. The combination of phenamacril and 108 CFU/mL SDTB038 fermentation broth exhibited a strong synergistic control effect on FORL, of up to 84.0%. The combination also led to a 35.6% increase in tomato yield compared to the control. These results demonstrate that SDTB038 possesses antifungal activity. Moreover, when combined with phenamacril, it exhibits a strong synergistic effect against FORL. This solution proves to be an effective means of controlling FCRR in tomato plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Hepatic fibrosis is a classic pathological manifestation of metabolic chronic hepatopathy. The pathological process might either gradually deteriorate into cirrhosis and ultimately liver cancer with inappropriate nutrition supply, or be slowed down by several multifunctional nutrients, alternatively. Herein, we found diet with excessive phenylalanine (Phe) and tyrosine (Tyr) exacerbated hepatic fibrosis symptoms of liver dysfunction and gut microflora dysbiosis in mice. Chitooligosaccharides (COS) could ameliorate hepatic fibrosis with the regulation of amino acid metabolism by downregulating the mTORC1 pathway, especially that of Phe and Tyr, and also with the alleviation of the dysbiosis of gut microbiota, simultaneously. Conclusively, this work presents new insight into the role of Phe and Tyr in the pathologic process of hepatic fibrosis, while revealing the effectiveness and molecular mechanism of COS in improving hepatic fibrosis from the perspective of metabolites.

Terminal heat stress has become one of the major threats due to global climate change which is significantly affecting the production and productivity of wheat crop. Therefore, it is necessary to identify key traits and genotypes to breed heattolerant wheat. The present study was undertaken with the objective of comparing the effects of heat stress (HSE) and extended heat stress (EHSE) on phenological-physio-biochemical traits of contrasting heat-tolerant and heatsusceptible genotypes during the reproductive phase. Phenological traits exhibited significant reduction under EHSE compared to HSE. Heat-tolerant genotypes maintained balanced phenological-physio-biochemical traits, while heat-sensitive genotypes showed significant reductions under both stress regimes. Among phenological traits, DM (R² = 0.52) and BY (R² = 0.44) have shown a positive effect on seed yield, indicating that biomass and crop duration contributed to the yield advantage under stress. During the grain filling stage, both the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and chlorophyll (Chl) exhibited consistently positive impacts on grain yield under both HSE and EHSE conditions. This could be attributed to the enhanced photosynthesis resulting from delayed senescence and improved assimilate remobilization under terminal heat stress. The biochemical activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was induced in tolerant genotypes under HSE. The correlation of canopy temperature with phenological-physio-biochemical traits remained static under HSE and EHSE, suggesting CT as the best selection parameter for heat tolerance. The traits showing a positive association with yield and that are less affected under stress could be used for selecting tolerant genotypes under stress environments. These tolerant genotypes can be used to develop mapping populations to decipher the genes conferring tolerance as well as to study the molecular basis of tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Activation of adhesion receptor GPR110 by the endogenous ligand synaptamide promotes neurogenesis, neurite growth, and synaptogenesis in developing brains through cAMP signal transduction. However, interacting partners of GPR110 and their involvement in cellular function remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate using chemical crosslinking, affinity purification, and quantitative mass spectrometry that GPR110 interacts with the tight junction adhesion protein occludin. By removing non-specific partners by comparing the binding proteins of GPR110 WT and an inactive mutant exhibiting impaired surface expression, occludin was distinguished as a true binding partner which was further confirmed by reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation assay. Deletion of GPR110 in mice led to the disruption of blood-brain barrier (BBB) and reduced occludin phosphorylation at Y285 in the brain. The Y285 phosphorylation increased upon the ligand-induced activation of GPR110. These data suggest an important role of GPR110-occludin interaction in BBB function and association of previously unknown GPR110-dependent occludin phosphorylation at Y285 with BBB integrity.

Summary: P53 is a master transcriptional regulator and effector of the DNA damage response (DDR) that localizes to DNA damage sites, in part, via an interaction with PARP1. However, the mechanisms that regulate p53 abundance and activity at PARP1-decorated DNA damage sites remain undefined. The PARP9 (BAL1) macrodomain-containing protein and its partner DTX3L (BBAP) E3 ligase are rapidly recruited to PARP1-PARylated DNA damage sites. During an initial DDR, we found that DTX3L rapidly colocalized with p53, polyubiquitylated its lysine-rich C-terminal domain, and targeted p53 for proteasomal degradation. DTX3L knockout significantly increased and prolonged p53 retention at PARP-decorated DNA damage sites. These findings reveal a non-redundant, PARP- and PARylation-dependent role for DTX3L in the spatiotemporal regulation of p53 during an initial DDR. Our studies suggest that targeted inhibition of DTX3L may augment the efficacy of certain DNA-damaging agents by increasing p53 abundance and activity.

Summary: Activation of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) by calcium ions (Ca2+) and calmodulin (CaM) plays an important role in numerous cellular functions including vascular smooth muscle contraction and cellular motility. Despite extensive biochemical analysis, aspects of the mechanism of activation remain controversial, and competing theoretical models have been proposed for the binding of Ca2+ and CaM to MLCK. The models are analytically solvable for an equilibrium steady state and give rise to distinct predictions that hold regardless of the numerical values assigned to parameters. These predictions form the basis of a recently proposed, multi-part experimental strategy for model discrimination. Here we implement this strategy by measuring CaM-MLCK binding using an in vitro FRET system. Interpretation of binding data in light of the mathematical models suggests a partially ordered mechanism for binding CaM to MLCK. Complementary data collected using orthogonal approaches that assess CaM-MLCK binding further support this conclusion.

In this study, effects of bioelectrochemical technique on methane emission and energy recovery, and related mechanism underlying microbial competition were investigated. The results showed that running MFC was beneficial in reducing CH4 emissions and promoting COD removal rates, regardless of whether the plant roots were located at the anode or the cathode. CH4 emission was significantly higher in open-circuit reactors (6.2 mg m−2 h−1) than in closed-circuit reactors (3.1 mg m−2 h−1). Plant roots at the cathode had the highest electricity generation and the lowest CH4 emissions. The highest power generation (0.49 V, 0.33 w m−3) and the lowest CH4 emissions (2.3 mg m−2 h−1) were observed in the reactors where Typha orientalis was planted with plant roots at the cathode. The role of plants in strengthening electron acceptor was greater than that of plant rhizodeposits in strengthening electron donors. Real-time quantitative PCR (q-PCR) and correlation analysis indicated that the mcrA genes and CH4 emissions were positively correlated (r = 0.98, p < 0.01), while no significant relationship between CH4 emissions and pmoA genes was observed. Illumina sequencing revealed that more abundant exoelectrogens and denitrifying bacteria were observed when plant roots were located in cathodes. Strictly acetotrophic archae (Methanosaetaceae) were likely the main electron donor competitors with exoelectrogens. The results showed that the location of both plant species and plant roots at the electrode played an important role in CH4 control and electricity generation. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen plant configuration to reduce CH4 emissions, to promote sustainable development of wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Increasing intramuscular fat (IMF) is an important strategy to improve meat quality, but the regulation mechanism of IMF deposition needs to be systematically clarified. Results A total of 520 chickens from a selected line with improved IMF content and a control line were used to investigate the biochemical mechanism of IMF deposition in chickens. The results showed that the increased IMF would improve the flavor and tenderness quality of chicken meat. IMF content was mainly determined both by measuring triglyceride (TG) and phospholipid (PLIP) in muscle tissue, but only TG content was found to be decisive for IMF deposition. Furthermore, the increase in major fatty acid (FA) components in IMF is mainly derived from TGs (including C16:0, C16:1, C18:1n9c, and C18:2n6c, etc.), and the inhibition of certain very-long-chain FAs would help to IMF/TG deposition. Conclusions Our study elucidated the underlying biochemical mechanism of IMF deposition in chicken: Prevalent accumulation of long-chain FAs and inhibitions of medium-chain FAs and very long chain FA would jointly result in the increase of TGs with the FA biosynthesis and cellular uptake ways. Our findings will guide the production of high-quality chicken meat.

The tomato pinworm, Phthorimaea (= Tuta) absoluta, is considered one of the most destructive and invasive insect pests worldwide, having developed significant resistance to many popular insecticides. In this study, we monitored the field resistance of P. absoluta populations from China to three diamide insecticides: flubendiamide, chlorantraniliprole, and cyantraniliprole. We found that one field population from Wuzhong City (WZ) exhibited high level of resistance to chlorantraniliprole. Using the WZ population and a susceptible reference strain (YN-S), we established a near-isogenic line (WZ-NIL) of P. absoluta with resistance to chlorantraniliprole. This strain also showed substantial cross-resistance to flubendiamide, and cyantraniliprole. Genetic analysis revealed that the inheritance of resistance to chlorantraniliprole in the WZ-NIL strain was autosomal and incompletely dominant. Additionally, the pesticide synergist piperonyl butoxide significantly inhibited chlorantraniliprole resistance by compromising P450 monooxygenase activity, which was significantly higher in the resistant strain. Furthermore, WZ-NIL had significantly prolonged developmental stages, lower pupation rates, reduced female fecundity, and lower egg hatchability than YN-S individuals. The fitness of WZ-NIL relative to YN-S was estimated to be 0.73, indicating significant fitness cost associated with chlorantraniliprole resistance. Rotating chlorantraniliprole with other insecticides that have different modes of action and degradation may be particularly useful for managing chlorantraniliprole resistance in P. absoluta. [Display omitted] • The first susceptibility baseline of three diamides in Phthorimaea absoluta was set up in China. • One field population of P. absoluta (WZ) showed moderate resistance to chlorantraniliprole. • Near-isogenic line (WZ-NIL) was set up, and showed resistance to flubendimide and cyantraniliprole. • P450 monooxygenases is involved in chlorantraniliprole resistance in WZ-NIL strain. • Chlorantraniliprole-resistance conferred fitness cost in the WZ-NIL strain of P. absoluta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The first study of Klebsiella sp. for Tc(VII) reduction. • The exopolysaccharides of cells act as electron donors in oligotrophic systems. • The association of Tc(VII) bio-reduction with the respiratory chain was clarified. Technetium-99 (99Tc), a long-lived and highly mobile radionuclide, is recognized as a problematic contaminant in groundwater. Although the microbial reduction and immobilization of Tc(VII) have been substantially documented, the reduction behavior of Tc(VII) and the associated biochemical mechanisms remain unclear. This study employed the facultative Klebsiella variicola strain X-21 (K. variicola X-21) to shed further light on these intricate processes, particularly on the electron donors for Tc(VII) reduction in the oligotrophic system and the mechanism of electron transfer. The results revealed that more than 68 % of the initial Tc(VII) (1 × 10-4 M) could be reduced and deposited by K. variicola X-21 under anaerobic conditions. The presence of Fe3+ could promote the Tc(VII) reduction induced by K. variicola X-21, while NO 3 – and Cu2+ inhibit the reduction. The self-secreted exopolysaccharides of K. variicola X-21 can be metabolized to supply electrons for the Tc(VII) reduction in the absence of effective electron donors such as pyruvate, glycerol, formate, and glucose. The electron transfer of the Tc(VII) reduction induced by K. variicola X-21 depends on succinate-CoQ reductase (complexes II), CoQH 2 -cytochrome c reductase (complexes III), and cytochrome c oxidase (complexes IV) of the respiratory chain. Combined with the location and valence state of the end products, the evidence becomes definitive that the Tc(VII) reduction mainly occurs within the cytoplasm of K. variicola X-21, resulting in the intracellular accumulation of technetium in the form of amorphous Tc(IV) species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through shaking flask culture experiment, the dissolution kinetics of Si, Al and other main elements in kaolinite by two Burkholderia strains from different sources (BKZ01 and BKZ08) were studied. Combined with the growth and metabolism characteristics of the strains，the possible biochemical mechanism of selective leaching of main elements in minerals by the strains was explored. The results showed that BKZ01 had a stronger ability to metabolize malic acid and tartaric acid, BKZ08 did not produce tartaric acid，but had a relatively stronger ability to metabolize citric acid,oxalic acid,extracellular polysaccharide and protein. The leaching selectivity of BKZ01 to Si in kaolinite is significantly better than that of BKZ08. The content of SiO2 in the leaching solution is 1. 55 times that of BKZ08, while the leaching selectivity of BKZ08 to Al is significantly stronger than that of BKZ01. The concentration of AI2 O2 in the leaching solution is 2. 18 times that of BKZ01. The analysis shows that the composition and secretion of Burkholderia metabolites are the key factors affecting the efficiency of selective leaching of Al, Si, K, Fe from kaolinite minerals. Malic acid (tartaric acid) and citric acid (oxalic acid) can promote the preferential release of Si and Al, respectively. Protein and polysaccharide are beneficial to the selective leaching of K and Fe by bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthracnose, a fungal disease, commonly infects tea plants and severely impacts the yield and quality of tea. One method for controlling anthracnose is the application of citronellol, a plant extract that exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Herein, the physiological and biochemical mechanism by which citronellol controls anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum camelliae was investigated. Citronellol exhibited excellent antifungal activity based on direct and indirect mycelial growth inhibition assays, with EC 50 values of 76.88 mg/L and 29.79 μL/L air, respectively. Citronellol also exhibited good control effects on C. camelliae in semi-isolated leaf experiments. Optical and scanning electron microscopy revealed that citronellol caused C. camelliae mycelia to thin, fracture, fold and deform. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the mycelial cell walls collapsed inward and separated, and the organelles became blurred after treatment with citronellol. The sensitivity of C. camelliae to calcofluor white staining was significantly enhanced by citronellol, while PI staining showed minimal fluorescence, and the relative conductivity of mycelia were not significantly different. Under citronellol treatment, the expression levels of β -1,3-glucanase, chitin synthase, and chitin deacetylase-related genes were significantly decreased, while the expression levels of chitinase genes were increased, leading to lower chitinase activity and increased β -1,3-glucanase activity. Therefore, citronellol disrupted the cell wall integrity of C. camelliae and inhibited normal mycelial growth. [Display omitted] • Citronellol significantly exhibited the growth of Colletotrichum camelliae based on direct and indirect mycelial growth inhibition assays. • Citronellol could disrupt cell walls integrity, thereby inhibiting the mycelial growth of C. camelliae. • Citronellol might enhance the expression levels of β -1,3-glucanase-related genes, thereby increasing β -1,3-glucanase activity and promoting the degradation of cell wall components β -1,3-glucan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insecticide resistance poses a significant challenge in managing generalist herbivores such as the tobacco cutworm (TCW), Spodoptera litura. This study investigates the potential risks associated with using the novel diamide insecticide tetraniliprole to control TCW. A tetraniliprole-resistant strain was developed through twelve generations of laboratory selection, indicating an intermediate risk of resistance development. Field monitoring in China revealed a significant incidence of resistance, particularly in the Nanchang (NC) population (>100-fold). Tetraniliprole showed moderate to high cross-resistance to multiple insecticides and was autosomally inherited with incomplete dominance, controlled by multiple genes, some of which belong to the cytochrome P450 family associated with enhanced detoxification. Life table studies indicated transgenerational hormesis, stimulating TCW female fecundity and increasing population net reproduction rates (R 0). These findings suggest a potential for pest resurgence under tetraniliprole use. The integrated risk assessment provides a basis for the sustainable management of TCW using tetraniliprole. [Display omitted] • The likelihood of tetraniliprole resistance was assessed in Spodoptera litura. • High cross-resistance between tetraniliprole and other insecticides was recorded. • Tetraniliprole resistance in S. litura was autosomal, polygenic, and incompletely dominant. • Low tetraniliprole concentrations stimulated female fecundity in S. litura. • Tetraniliprole-induced hormesis poses high resurgence risk for S. litura. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (hIMPDH) is a metabolic enzyme that possesses a unique ability to self-assemble into higher-order structures, forming cytoophidia. The hIMPDH II isoform is more active in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cancer cells, making it a promising target for anti-leukemic therapy. However, the structural details and molecular mechanisms of the dynamics of hIMPDHcytoophidia assembly in vitro need to be better understood, and it is crucial to reconstitute the computational nucleoplasm model with cytophilic-like polymers in vitro to characterize their structure and function. Finally, a computational model and its dynamics of the nucleoplasm for CML cells have been proposed in this short review. This research on nucleoplasm aims to aid the scientific community's understanding of how metabolic enzymes like hIMPDH function in cancer and normal cells. However, validating and justifying the computational results from modeling and simulation with experimental data is essential. The new insights gained from this research could explain the structure/topology, geometrical, and electronic consequences of hIMPDH inhibitors on leukemic and normal cells. They could lead to further advancements in the knowledge of nucleoplasmic chemical reaction dynamics. [Display omitted] • Building nucleoplasm in human normal and CML models. • Investigating the biochemical mechanism of IMP, XMP, and GMP in normal and CML proteins. • Conducting a comparative analysis of nucleoplasm dynamics in human normal and CML cancer models. • Identifying specific hydration sites in normal and CML cancer-causing proteins and utilizing the water displacement technique (GIST) for further discovery of CML drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuta absoluta is one of the most devastating and invasive insect pests throughout the world. It feeds on numerous solanaceous plant species and has evolved resistance to various types of popular chemical agents. Tetraniliprole is a novel diamide chemical agent that acts as a modulator of the ryanodine receptor, and it has been considered as a promising insecticide against T. absoluta. In this study, we subjected a T. absoluta strain to 17 generations of continuous selection with tetraniliprole in the lab. The resulting tetraniliprole-selected T. absoluta strain (YN-Tet) exhibited a 12.9-fold higher resistance to tetraniliprole compared with a susceptible strain (YN–S), and the realized heritability (h 2) was estimated to be 0.1437. The YN-Tet strain exhibited a low level of cross-resistance to chlorantraniliprole and significantly higher cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activity. There was a fitness cost of tetraniliprole resistance in the YN-Tet strain, which had a relative fitness of 0.83 compared with the YN-S strain and a significantly lower fecundity per female. These results enhance our knowledge of the risk and mechanism of tetraniliprole resistance, enabling future optimization of resistance management strategies. [Display omitted] • Tuta absoluta has a resistance risk to tetraniliprole after continuous selection. • Tetraniliprole showed low cross-resistance to chlorantraniliprole in T. absoluta. • Piperonyl butoxide exerted synergism in tetraniliprole resistant YN-Tet strain. • Enhanced P450 monooxygenases is involved in the resistance in YN-Tet strain. • Tetraniliprole-resistance conferred significant fitness costs in the YN-Tet strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone (ZEN) contamination of various foods and feeds is an important global problem. In some animals and humans, ZEN causes significant health issues in addition to massive economic losses, annually. Therefore, removal or degradation of the ZEN in foods and feeds is required to be done. The conventional physical and chemical methods have some serious issues including poor efficiency, decrease in nutritional value, palatability of feed, and use of costly equipment. Research examined microbes from diverse media for their ability to degrade zearalenone and other toxins, and the findings of several investigations revealed that enzymes produced from microbes play a significant role in the degradation of mycotoxins. In established bacterial hosts, genetically engineered technique was used to enhance heterologously produced degrading enzymes. Then, the bio-degradation of ZEN by the use of micro-organisms or their enzymes is much more advantageous and is close to nature and ecofriendly. Furthermore, an effort is made to put forward the work done by different scientists on the biodegradation of ZEN by the use of fungi, yeast, bacteria, and/or their enzymes to degrade the ZEN to non-toxic products. Key points: •Evolved microbial strains degraded ZEA more quickly •Different degrading properties were studied [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing intramuscular fat (IMF) is an important strategy to improve meat quality, but the regulation mechanism of IMF deposition needs to be systematically clarified. Results: A total of 520 chickens from a selected line with improved IMF content and a control line were used to investigate the biochemical mechanism of IMF deposition in chickens. The results showed that the increased IMF would improve the flavor and tenderness quality of chicken meat. IMF content was mainly determined both by measuring triglyceride (TG) and phospholipid (PLIP) in muscle tissue, but only TG content was found to be decisive for IMF deposition. Furthermore, the increase in major fatty acid (FA) components in IMF is mainly derived from TGs (including C16:0, C16:1, C18:1n9c, and C18:2n6c, etc.), and the inhibition of certain very-long-chain FAs would help to IMF/TG deposition. Conclusions: Our study elucidated the underlying biochemical mechanism of IMF deposition in chicken: Prevalent accumulation of long-chain FAs and inhibitions of medium-chain FAs and very long chain FA would jointly result in the increase of TGs with the FA biosynthesis and cellular uptake ways. Our findings will guide the production of high-quality chicken meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) is a critical metabolic enzyme and promising target for drug development. The structure determinations of ACLY have revealed its homotetramer states with various subunit symmetries, but catalytic mechanism of ACLY tetramer and the importance of subunit symmetry have not been clarified. Here, we constructed the free energy landscape of ACLY tetramer with arbitrary subunit symmetries and investigated energetic and conformational coupling of subunits during citryl-CoA synthesis process. The optimal conformational pathway indicates that ACLY tetramer encounters three critical conformational barriers and undergoes a loss of rigid-D2 symmetry to gain an energetic advantage. Energetic coupling of conformational changes and biochemical reactions suggests that these biological events are not independent but rather coupled with each other, showing a comparable energy barrier to the experimental data for the rate-limiting step. These findings could contribute to further research on catalytic mechanism, functional modulation, and inhibitor design of ACLY., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Inc.)

We investigated the role of the N-terminus (residues 1-43) of the myosin essential light chain (N-ELC) in regulating cardiac function in hypertrophic (HCM-A57G) and restrictive (RCM-E143K) cardiomyopathy mice. Both models were cross-genotyped with N-ELC-truncated Δ43 mice, and the offspring were studied using echocardiography and muscle contractile mechanics. In A57G×Δ43 mice, Δ43 expression improved heart function and reduced hypertrophy and fibrosis. No improvements were seen in E143K×Δ43 compared to RCM-E143K mice. HCM-mutant pathology involved an impaired N-ELC tension sensor, disrupted N-ELC-actin interactions, an altered force-pCa relationship, and a destabilized myosin's super-relaxed state. Removal of the malfunctioning N-ELC sensor led to functional rescue in HCM-truncated mutant hearts. However, the RCM mutation could not be rescued by N-ELC deletion, likely due to its proximity to the myosin motor domain, affecting lever-arm rigidity and myosin function. This study provides insights into the role of N-ELC in the development and potential rescue of ELC-mutant cardiomyopathy., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent urogenital malignancies. Bone metastasis from PCa reduces patient survival rates significantly. There currently exists no effective treatment for bone metastatic PCa, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study performed transcriptomic screening on PCa bone metastasis specimens and intersection analysis in public databases and identified SERPINH1 as a potential target for treatment. SERPINH1 was found to be upregulated in PCa bone metastases and with poor prognosis, high Gleason score, and advanced metastatic status. SERPINH1 induced PCa cells' bone metastasis in vivo , promoted their proliferation, and mitigated apoptosis. Mechanistically, SERPINH1 bound to P62, reducing TRIM21-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination degradation of P62 and promoting proliferation and resistance to apoptosis of PCa. This study suggests the regulation of ubiquitination degradation of P62 by SERPINH1 that promotes PCa bone metastasis and can be considered as a potential target for treatment of bone metastatic PCa., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is characterized by a high degree of malignancy and a poor prognosis. This study revealed that circEZH2 was frequently upregulated in GBC tissues and correlated with advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage in GBC patients. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that circEZH2 promoted the proliferation and inhibited the ferroptosis of GBC. Besides, this study discovered that circEZH2 regulated lipid metabolism reprogramming in GBC cells. Mechanistically, circEZH2 promotes SCD1 expression by sponging miR-556-5p in GBC cells. In addition, IGF2BP2 enhances the stability of circEZH2 in an m6A-dependent manner, while circEZH2 suppresses the ubiquitination and degradation of IGF2BP2 by binding to IGF2BP2. Taken together, our findings indicated that circEZH2, upregulated via a positive feedback loop between circEZH2 and IGF2BP2, promotes GBC progression and lipid metabolism reprogramming through the miR-556-5p/SCD1 axis in GBC. circEZH2 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for GBC., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Summary: The effective utility of physiologically active molecules is crucial in numerous biological processes. However, the regulation of enzyme functions through active substances remains challenging at present. Here, glutathione (GSH), produced in cells, was used to modulate the catalytic activity of thrombin without external stimulus. It was found that high concentrations of GSH was more conducive to initiate the cleavage of compound AzoDiTAB in the range of concentration used to mimic the difference between cancer and normal cells, which has practical implications for targeting cancel cells since GSH is overexpressed in cancer cells. Importantly, GSH treatment caused the deformation of G4 structure by cleaving AzoDiTAB and thus triggered the transition of thrombin from being free to be inhibited in complex biological systems. This work would open up a new route for the specific manipulation of enzyme-catalyzed systems in cancer cells.

Summary: High expression levels of mitochondria-associated hexokinase-II (HKII) represent a hallmark of metabolically highly active cells such as fast proliferating cancer cells. Typically, the enzyme provides a crucial metabolic switch towards aerobic glycolysis. By imaging metabolic activities on the single-cell level with genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors, we here demonstrate that HKII activity requires intracellular K+. The K+ dependency of glycolysis in cells expressing HKII was confirmed in cell populations using extracellular flux analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics. Reductions of intracellular K+ by gramicidin acutely disrupted HKII-dependent glycolysis and triggered energy stress pathways, while K+ re-addition promptly restored glycolysis-dependent adenosine-5′-triphosphate generation. Moreover, expression and activation of KV1.3, a voltage-gated K+ channel, lowered cellular K+ content and the glycolytic activity of HEK293 cells. Our findings unveil K+ as an essential cofactor of HKII and provide a mechanistic link between activities of distinct K+ channels and cell metabolism.

Summary: Chaos behavior has been observed in various cellular and molecular processes. Here, we modeled reversible phosphorylation dynamics to elucidate a design principle for autonomous chaos generation that may arise from generic enzymatic reactions. A comprehensive parameter search demonstrated that the reaction system composed of a set of kinases and phosphatases and two substrates with two modification sites exhibits chaos behavior. All reactions are described according to the Michaelis-Menten reaction scheme without exotic functions being applied to enzymes and substrates. Clustering analysis of parameter sets that can generate chaos behavior revealed the existence of motif structures. These chaos motifs allow the two-substrate species to interact via enzyme availability and constrain the two substrates' dynamic changes in phosphorylation status so that they occur at different timescales. This chaos motif structure is found in several enzymatic reactions, suggesting that chaos behavior may underlie cellular autonomy in a variety of biochemical systems.

2'3'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP) is the endogenous agonist of STING; as such, cGAMP has powerful immunostimulatory activity, due to its capacity to stimulate type I interferon-mediated immunity. Recent evidence indicates that cancer cells, under certain conditions, can release cGAMP extracellularly, a phenomenon currently considered important for therapeutic responses and tumor rejection. Nonetheless, the mechanisms that regulate cGAMP activity in the extracellular environment are still largely unexplored. In this work, we collected evidence demonstrating that CD38 glycohydrolase can inhibit extracellular cGAMP activity through its direct binding. We firstly used different cell lines and clinical samples to demonstrate a link between CD38 and extracellular cGAMP activity; we then performed extensive in silico molecular modeling and cell-free biochemical assays to show a direct interaction between the catalytic pocket of CD38 and cGAMP. Altogether, our findings expand the current knowledge about the regulation of cGAMP activity., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Summary: Aberrant activation of Wnt signaling triggered by mutations in either Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) or CTNNB1 (β-catenin) is a hallmark of colorectal cancers (CRC). As part of a program to develop epigenetic regulators for cancer therapy, we developed carboxamide-substituted benzhydryl amines (CBAs) bearing either aryl or heteroaryl groups that selectively targeted histone lysine demethylases (KDMs) and functioned as inhibitors of the Wnt pathway. A biotinylated variant of N-((5-chloro-8-hydroxyquinolin-7-yl) (4-(diethylamino)phenyl)-methyl)butyramide (CBA-1) identified KDM3A as a binding partner. KDM3A is a Jumonji (JmjC) domain-containing demethylase that is significantly upregulated in CRC. KDM3A regulates the demethylation of histone H3's lysine 9 (H3K9Me2), a repressive marker for transcription. Inhibiting KDM3 increased H3K9Me2 levels, repressed Wnt target genes, and curtailed in vitro CRC cell proliferation. CBA-1 also exhibited in vivo inhibition of Wnt signaling in a zebrafish model without displaying in vivo toxicity.

Summary: Inhibition of the ATR kinase has emerged as a therapeutically attractive means to target cancer since the development of potent inhibitors, which are now in clinical testing. We investigated a potential link between ATR inhibition and the autophagy process in esophageal cancer cells using four ATR inhibitors including two in clinical testing. The response to pharmacological ATR inhibitors was compared with genetic systems to investigate the ATR dependence of the effects observed. The ATR inhibitor, VX-970, was found to lead to an accumulation of p62 and LC3-II indicative of a blocked autophagy. This increase in p62 occurred post-transcriptionally and in all the cell lines tested. However, our data indicate that the accumulation of p62 occurred in an ATR-independent manner and was instead an off-target response to the ATR inhibitor. This study has important implications for the clinical response to pharmacological ATR inhibition, which in some cases includes the blockage of autophagy.

Summary: Dityrosine (DiY), via the cross-linking of tyrosine residues, is a marker of protein oxidation, which increases with aging. Amyloid-β (Aβ) forms DiY in vitro and DiY-cross-linked Aβ is found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease. Metal- or UV- catalyzed oxidation of Aβ42 results in an increase in DiY cross-links. Using DiY as a marker of oxidation, we compare the self-assembly propensity and DiY cross-link formation for a non-assembly competent variant of Aβ42 (vAβ) with wild-type Aβ42. Oxidation results in the formation of trapped wild-type Aβ assemblies with increased DiY cross-links that are unable to elongate further. Assembly-incompetent vAβ and trapped Aβ assemblies are non-toxic to neuroblastoma cells at all stages of self-assembly, in contrast to oligomeric, non-cross-linked Aβ. These findings point to a mechanism of toxicity that necessitates dynamic self-assembly whereby trapped Aβ assemblies and assembly-incompetent variant Aβ are unable to result in cell death.

Summary: CD40-Ligand (CD40L)-CD40 interaction regulates immune responses against pathogens, autoantigens, and tumor and transplantation antigens. Single amino acid mutations within the 115–155 amino acids stretch, which is responsible for CD40L functions, result in XIgM syndrome. We hypothesize that each of these amino acids of CD40L encodes specific message that, when decoded by CD40 signaling, induces a specific profile of functions. We observed that every single substitution in the XIgM-related amino acids in the 115–155 41-mer peptide in CD40L selectively altered CD40 signaling and effector functions—cytokine productions, HMGCoA reductase, ceramide synthase, inducible nitric oxide synthase and arginase expression, survival of B cells, and control of Leishmania infection and anti-leishmanial T cell response—suggesting residue-specific encoding of a distinct set of messages that collectively define CD40L pleiotropy, serve as a target for engineering the ligand to generate superagonists as immunotherapeutic, and implicate the evolutionary diversification of functions among the ligands in a protein superfamily.

Summary: Hydrogel glucose sensors with boronic acid-based fluorescence intensity theoretically hold promise to improve in vivo continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) by facilitating long-lasting accuracy. However, these sensors generally degrade after implantation and the fluorescence intensity decreases immediately over time. Herein, we describe a hydrogel glucose sensor with in vivo stability based on boronic acid-based fluorescence intensity, integrating two antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase. These protected the arylboronic acid from being degraded by hydrogen peroxide in vitro and preserved the boronic acid-based fluorescence intensity of the hydrogel glucose sensors in rats for 28 days. These antioxidant enzymes also allowed the hydrogel glucose sensor attached to a homemade semi-implantable CGM device to trace blood glucose concentrations in rats for 5 h with the accuracy required for clinical settings. Hydrogel glucose sensors with boronic acid-based fluorescence intensity containing SOD and catalase could comprise a new strategy for in vivo CGM.

Summary: We present experimental results demonstrating that, relative to continuous illumination, an increase of a factor of 3–10 in the photon efficiency of algal photosynthesis is attainable via the judicious application of pulsed light for light intensities of practical interest (e.g., average-to-peak solar irradiance). We also propose a simple model that can account for all the measurements. The model (1) reflects the essential rate-limiting elements in bioproductivity, (2) incorporates the impact of photon arrival-time statistics, and (3) accounts for how the enhancement in photon efficiency depends on the timescales of light pulsing and photon flux density. The key is avoiding “clogging” of the photosynthetic pathway by properly timing the light-dark cycles experienced by algal cells. We show how this can be realized with pulsed light sources, or by producing pulsed-light effects from continuous illumination via turbulent mixing in dense algal cultures in thin photobioreactors.

To assess the fate and behavior of engineered nanoparticles in the environment, it is important to examine the physicochemical and toxicological transformation of nanoparticles as they age in seawater. In this study, we investigated how aging and seawater conditions altered the physiochemical structure of nanoparticles and affected their interactions with bacteria. For this purpose, zinc oxide nanoparticles were aged under different seawater conditions by keeping them in 1%, 10%, and 100% seawater for 1 day and 20 days. The main physicochemical parameters (surface chemistry, chemical composition, particle size, and zeta potential) and toxicity of aged nanoparticles towards gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus were examined. The results indicated that aged zinc oxide nanoparticles in various concentrations of seawater changed their surface chemistry, chemical composition, particle size, and zeta potentials. Growth inhibition results were observed in that the inhibition of gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria was higher compared with the gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria, and Staphylococcus aureus activated with the aged zinc oxide nanoparticles. Also, the results showed that the key biochemical factors affected by the aging and seawater concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large quantity and various types of fertilizer in China, with different heavy metal content and complex mechanism on metal accumulation in crops of fertilizer cause an urgency to carry out safety assessment about fertilizer. This paper expounded the research progress of heavy metal safety evaluation of fertilizer from three aspects: heavy metal content of common fertilizer, the influence of fertilizers on the accumulation of heavy metals in crops and its mechanism. Heavy metal pollution in organic fertilizer and solid waste compost was serious, and heavy metal pollution in inorganic fertilizers and other new fertilizers could not be ignored either. On the one hand, fertilizer could cause heavy metal pollution to soil and crops as a pollution source. On the other hand, it could also affect heavy metal content in crops by changing the form of heavy metals in the soil, affecting the absorption of heavy metals by roots and metal-translocation from roots to shoot. Based on the review of heavy metal pollution characteristics, bioaccumulation behavior and bioaccumulation mechanism in common fertilizers, the research prospect about metal-safety assessment of fertilizer was put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although mercury (Hg) is toxic at all valence states, organic Hg, especially monomethylmercury (MeHg, CH3Hg+, methylmercury), is more toxic than inorganic Hg (Hg(II), Hg2+). As Hg is predominately methylated via bio-methylation, studies on the mechanism of Hg bio-methylation by microorganisms are particularly important. It is widely accepted that MeHg is mainly produced by anaerobic microorganisms in the environment, and the Hg-methylating process is a cellular reaction. Hence, the production rate of MeHg is not only related to the presence and activities of Hg-methylating anaerobic microorganisms, but also the transport of Hg(II) into microbial cells and the biochemical reactions for forming MeHg in the cells. Therefore, this review described the current state of knowledge on: 1) what kind of microorganisms can methylate Hg; 2) what pathways are the Hg(II) take to enter into the microbial cells; 3) what kind of biochemical reactions happen in the cells; and 4) biogeochemical factors affecting Hg methylation, which are critical to elucidate the regulating mechanisms of Hg methylation by microorganisms. Simultaneously, the existing issues or controversies on biotic Hg methylation were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spotted bollworm, Earias vittella, is one of the most serious and devastating insect pests of vegetables and cotton. Currently, insecticides are necessary for its control in nearly all crop systems. In this paper, we evaluate the sub-lethal effects of lufenuron on biological traits and activity of detoxification enzymes: cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, esterase, and glutathione S-transeferase (GST) in second instar larvae of E. vittella. Results showed that sub-lethal concentrations (LC15 and LC40 of lufenuron), prolonged larval period (at LC40 = 13.86 ± 1.22 day, LC15 = 13.14 ± 1.15 day, control = 12.28 ± 0.7), pupal duration (LC40 = 11.1 ± day, LC15 = 11.8 ± 0.28 day, control = 9.40 ± 0.52), and extended mean generation time (LC40 = 27.3 ± 0.43 LC15 = 29.0 ± 1.19 day, control = 26.0 ± 0.65). Sub-lethal exposure significantly prolonged the pre-adult stage, decreased pupal weight, and reduced adult longevity in the parent (F0) and F1 generation. Moreover, the fecundity and egg viability were significantly lowered in parental and F1 generations at both sub-lethal concentrations compared to the control. While no significant effects were noted on reproductive parameters such as the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and net reproduction rate (R0) of F1 generation when compared to the control. Only mean generation time (T) in F1 at LC15 was significantly longer compared to the LC40 and control (LC40 = 3.79 ± 0.37, LC15 = 32.28 ± 1.55 day, control = 29.79 ± 0.55). Comparatively, the activities of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and esterase were higher than GST in treated populations. The increase in resistance development against insecticides may possibly because of elevated activity of detoxification enzymes. These results provide useful information for monitoring resistance in integrated pest management (IPM) programs for E. vittella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioleaching of lithium-ion batteries is a microbially catalyzed process. Under the action of redox, acid leaching and complexation in the presence of microorganisms, the valuable metals in the cathode material enter the liquid phase as ions and are subsequently recovered from the succeeding process. This technique has the advantages of being inexpensive, environmentally friendly and having simple needs. However, it is still in development and has not yet commercialized. In this paper, the technology is fully discussed based on numerous excellent studies. The contents include commonly utilized microorganisms, bioleaching mechanism, microbial stress response and metabolic activation, enhancement strategies, leaching characteristics and interfacial phenomena, process evaluation, and a critical discussion of recent research breakthroughs. They give readers with comprehensive and in-depth understanding on the bioleaching of lithium-ion batteries and help to improve the technology's industrialization. Researchers can make new explorations from the potential research directions and methods presented in this work to make biotechnology better serve resource recovery and social development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biochemical mechanisms of resistance to persistent organic xenobiotic p-nitrochlorobenzene (NCB) of bacterial strains isolated from two cave clays ecosystems – Mushkarova Yama (Podolia, Ukraine) and Kuybyshevskaya (Western Caucasus, Abkhazia) have been established. It has been determined that chemoorganotrophic karst caves strains could interact with NCB and transform it reducing the nitro group with formation of p-chloroaniline (ClA) followed by further destruction of NCB aromatic ring. This explained high resistance of caves strains to NCB. The studied strains could potentially be used in wastewater treatment from nitrochloraromatic compounds.

Antibiotic resistance has become a global public health priority. Polymyxins, a family of cationic polypeptide antibiotics, act as a final line of refuge against severe infections by Gram-negative pathogens with pan-drug resistance. Unfortunately, this last-resort antibiotic has been challenged by the emergence and global spread of mobilized colistin resistance determinants ( mcr ). Given the fact that it has triggered extensive concerns worldwide, we present here an updated view of MCR-like colistin resistance. These studies provide a basic framework for understanding the molecular epidemiology and resistance mechanism of MCR-like genes. However, further large-scale epidemiology and functional studies are urgently needed to better understand the biology of this clinically important antibiotic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement in nanotechnology, nanoparticles are reported to have applications in various fields. Their positive role in the environment, especially in plant ecosystem, is extensively studied nowadays. Among the metal nanoparticles, the silver nanoparticles (AgNP) are receiving special attention because of their ability to increase the growth and yield in many crops. Although many studies are found containing toxic effects of AgNPs the perspective of the present review is to collect the information about their positive role in growth and yield enhancement of crops. During this brief overview, many important crop plants are found to have a positive response towards the application of AgNPs. The appropriate elucidation of physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanism of nanoparticles in plant leads to better plant growth and development. It is concluded from this review that cautious and sensible use of nanotechnology can warrant food security through boosting agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The rice striped stem borer (SSB), Chilo suppressalis (Walker), is one of the most economically important and destructive rice pests in China. To date, the efficiency of conventional insecticides has decreased greatly because of the development of high resistance. Since the introduction of chlorantraniliprole in 2008, SSB has presented resistance issues. RESULTS: In this study, laboratory resistant strains R1 and R2 [resistance ratio (RR) of 38.8 and 110.4, respectively] were established and a field population HR (RR of 249.6) was collected. Synergist assessment and enzyme activity data suggested the potential involvement of P450s and esterases in the resistance mechanism. No target (ryanodine receptor, RyR) mutation was found in R1, but a novel mutation Y4667D was found in R2. At the same position of RyR in HR strain, Y4667D and Y4667C were observed at low frequencies. In addition, the conserved mutation I4758M was found with a frequency of 94.4%. RyR mRNA expression was significantly lower in R1, R2 and HR than in S. When treated with chlorantraniliprole, RyR mRNA expression in all four strains was downregulated to ∼ 50%. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive analysis, including biochemical, target mutations and target mRNA expression, was conducted in an attempt to interpret the chlorantraniliprole resistance mechanism in both laboratory and field SSB strains. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]