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Oleogels containing bioactive substances such as citral (CT) are used as functional food ingredients. However, little information is available on the influence of different oleogel network structure caused by CT addition and fatty acid distribution on its digestion behavior. Coconut oil, palm oil, high oleic peanut oil, safflower seed oil, and perilla seed oil were used in this study. The results showed that perilla seed oil-CT-based oleogels had the highest oil-holding capacity (99.03 ± 0.3), whereas CT addition higher than 10 wt% could lead to the morphology collapse of oleogels. Physical and thermodynamic analyses revealed that CT could reduce oleogel hardness and higher unsaturated fatty acid content is more likely to form oleogel with stable and tight crystalline network. Moreover, the dense structure of oleogels hinders the contact between oleogels and lipase, thus weakening triglyceride digestion. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of oleogels loading with CT., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As the first member of the family with sequence similarity 3 (FAM3), FAM3A promotes synthesis of ATP in mitochondria of hepatic cells and cells from other organs. Dysregulations of FAM3A are involved in the development of diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). So far, the molecule mechanism under the physiological and pathological functions of FAM3A is largely unexplored. Here, we determined the crystal structure of FAM3A at high resolution of 1.38Å, complexed with an unknown-source compound which was characterized through metabolomics and confirmed as methacholine by thermal shift assay and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Exploration for natural ligands of FAM3A was conducted through the same molecular interaction assays. The observed binding of acyl-L-carnitine molecules indicated FAM3A participating in fatty acid beta-oxidation. Knockdown and rescue assays coupled with fatty acid oxidation determination confirmed the role of FAM3A in beta-oxidation. This investigation reveals the molecular mechanism for the biological function of FAM3A and would provide basis for identifying drug target for treatment of diabetes and NAFLD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Fatty acids produced by the type-II fatty acid biosynthetic pathway (FAS-II) are essential biomaterials for bacterial membrane construction and numerous metabolic routes. The β-ketoacyl-ACP synthase FabF catalyzes the key C-C bond formation step for fatty acid elongation in FAS-II. Here, we revealed the substrate recognition and catalytic mechanisms of FabF by determining FabF-ACP complexes. FabF displays a distinctive bimodal catalytic pattern specifically on C6 and C10 acyl-ACP substrates. It utilizes positively charged residues located on the η3-helix and loop1 regions near the catalytic tunnel entrance to bind ACP, and two hydrophobic cavities as well as "front", "middle", and "back" door residues to specifically stabilize C6 and C10 acyl substrates for preferential catalysis. Further quantum chemistry calculations suggest that the FabF catalytic residues Lys336 and His304 facilitate proton transfer during condensation catalysis and C-C bond formation. Our results provide key mechanistic insights into the biosynthesis of molecular carbon skeletons based on ketosynthases that are highly conserved through the FAS and polyketide synthase (PKS) analogous biosynthetic routes, broaden the understanding of the tricarboxylic acid cycle that utilizes lipoic acid derived from C8-ACP accumulated due to the FabF distinctive catalytic pattern for oxidative decarboxylations, and may facilitate the development of narrow-spectrum antibacterial drugs., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The lipids and volatile compounds in pork from different parts, including the loin, belly, shoulder and hind leg were analyzed by triple quadrupole tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Q-TOF/MS) and gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS), respectively. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) and Pearson correlation analysis were utilized to establish the relationship between the lipids and volatile compounds. A total of 8 main flavour substances, 38 main phospholipids, and 32 main fatty acids were identified. The results showed that the key flavour compounds were mainly derived from unsaturated fatty acids and phospholipids containing unsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid (C18:2n6c), α-Linolenic acid (C18:3n3), arachidonic acid (C20:4n6), PE O (18:1/20:4), PE O (18:2/20:4), and PE O (18:2/18:2), etc. Understanding the relationship between flavour compounds and lipids of pork will be helpful to control the quality of pork., 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 © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Many probiotics produce functional lipids with health-promoting properties, such as short-chain fatty acids, linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids. They have been shown to maintain gut health, strengthen the intestinal barrier, and have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In this article, we provide an up-to-date review of the various functional lipids produced by probiotics. These probiotics can be incorporated into foods, supplements, or pharmaceuticals to produce these functional lipids in the human colon, or they can be used in industrial biotechnology processes to generate functional lipids, which are then isolated and used as ingredients. We then highlight the different physiological functions for which they may be beneficial to human health, in addition to discussing some of the challenges of incorporating probiotics into commercial products and some potential solutions to address these challenges. Finally, we highlight the importance of testing the efficacy and safety of the new generation of probiotic-enhanced products, as well as the great potential for the marketization of related products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflicts of interest are declared for any of the authors., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Metolachlor, the chiral herbicide, inhibits the very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) synthesis; elucidating the enantioselectivity between R - and S -metolachlor in the toxicological difference will facilitate the understanding of the site of action. We found that the endogenous accumulation of C22 VLCFAs decreased in both R -/ S -metolachlor -treated plants by 6, 12, and 24 h after treatment, with more significant reduction in the S isomer group. Gene expression of glutathione S -transferase OsGST Tau members were obviously induced upon treatments with S or R isomer; both OsGSTU1 and OsGSTU4 can metabolize metolachlor effectively, with S isomer as the preference by directly catalyzing the conjugation between S -metolachlor and glutathione. In the current study, we provide the first evidence in rice seedlings that S -metolachlor showed herbicidal toxicity by blocking the synthesis of C22-type fatty acid, which eventually affects the whole elongation chain of (V)LCFA. Meanwhile, OsGSTU1 and 4 metabolize the metolachlor with the S isomer as preference. All of these discoveries broaden our knowledge about metolachlor toxicology and enantioselectivity.

The complex pathological mechanisms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are closely related to dysregulated lipid metabolism, and the therapeutic effects of the traditional Chinese medicine Zexie-Baizhu Decoction (AA) on NAFLD have been gaining increasing attention. However, research into altered lipid metabolism, especially fatty acids, in NAFLD and the intervention of AA faces technical challenges, especially in the precise quantitative analysis of fatty acids in biological samples. The high complexity of biological matrices, particularly after drug intervention, greatly increases the difficulty of detection. Therefore, this study innovatively developed a simple and economical stable isotope derivatization technique by synthesizing d 6 N,N-dimethylethylenediamine (d 6 -DMED) in the laboratory, establishing a simple and economical method for fatty acid quantification. This method employs a chemical reaction under low-temperature conditions to ensure the efficient synthesis of d 6 -DMED. Using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry technique (UHPLC-MS/MS), combined with optimized chromatographic separation conditions and dynamic multiple reaction monitoring mode, the study established a highly sensitive detection method for 35 fatty acid derivatives. Methodological evaluation showed that the limits of quantification ranged from 0.002 to 0.060 μM, with high linearity of R² > 0.995. Additionally, the relative recovery rates were between 93.14% and 106.63%. To further demonstrate the feasibility of this method for fatty acid quantification, it was applied to measure fatty acids in multiple tissues in a mouse NAFLD model, as well as the effects of AA intervention on fatty acid metabolism. This rapid, simple, and cost-effective detection method not only enhances the understanding of NAFLD mechanisms but also provides a new strategy for evaluating the biological complex system after drug intervention., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A nanospray emitter coupled to a supercritical fluid chromatograph (SFC-nSI-MS) for mass spectrometric (MS) analysis of fatty acids (FA) positional isomers is introduced. The experimental setup uses conventional bore columns before the SF back-pressure regulator (pre-BPR). The flow is then split and nanosprayed using a short emitter post-BPR. A C18 column was used to resolve positional isomers of unsaturated FA with a 5 min gradient. Chromatographic resolution of the nSFC was compared to a LC-MS system with superior resolving power demonstrated in the nSFC MS system. This system has proven quantitative performance for analyzing pharmaceutical effects on FA composition in a complex biological matrix like E coli lysate., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lipopeptides are an important family of natural products, some of which are clinically used as antibiotics to treat multidrug-resistant pathogens. Although the lipid moieties play a crucial role in balancing antibacterial activity and hemolytic toxicity, modifying the lipid moieties has been challenging due to the complexity of the lipidation process in lipopeptide biosynthesis. Here, we show that the lipid profile can be altered by engineering both secondary and primary metabolisms, using daptomycin as an example. First, swapping the fatty acyl AMP ligase (FAAL) gene dptF with foreign FAAL homologs improved the fatty acyl specificity of the lipidation process for decanoic acid. Then, the introduction of Mycobacterium type I fatty acid synthase operon (MvFAS-Ib/MvAcpS) and Cryptosporidium thioesterase (CpTEII) enriched the fatty acid pool with decanoic acid in Streptomyces roseosporus . The engineered fatty acid metabolism eliminates the need for external decanoic acid supplementation by enabling S. roseosporus to biosynthesize decanoic acid. By complete engineering of the lipidation process, we achieved, for the first time, high-purity, natural production of daptomycin. The lipidation engineering approach we demonstrate here lays the foundation for the lipidation control in lipopeptide biosynthesis.

Fatty acids play a putative role as second messengers of phytohormones and regulate the rice grain weight. However, the inner mechanism is still unclear and needs to be further studied. In this study, we identified that oleic acid (C18:1) negatively correlates while linoleic acid (C18:2) positively correlates with rice grain weight. Field trials showed that 1000-grain weight was significantly reduced when treated with the fatty acid synthesis inhibitor, Firsocostat S enantiomer (FSE), at the heading and flowering stages. RNA-seq analysis revealed that FSE affects grain weight by modulating processes, such as glycolysis, sucrose metabolism, and hormone signaling. Notably, FSE inhibited the expression of OsLIN6 , which is responsible for transporting C18:1 to the phosphatidylcholine pool for C18:2 synthesis. Compared with the wild type (WT), the OsLIN6 knockout mutant exhibited a lower grain weight, an increased C18:1 content, and a decreased C18:2 content. Importantly, OsARF12 was shown to bind to the OsLIN6 promoter and activate its expression. In summary, this study highlights the crucial role of the fatty acid synthesis gene, OsLIN6 , which was regulated by OsARF12, in rice grain weight determination, thus establishing the molecular link between fatty acid synthesis and auxin signaling.

Magnesium stearate (MgSt) is a common tablet lubricant. As variations in MgSt properties are known to influence tablet attributes, the impact of MgSt fatty acid composition, particularly the significance of the stearate and palmitate contents, and its effects on tablet properties warrant further investigation. This study investigated the effect of MgSt with different stearate and palmitate contents but comparable physical properties (e.g. particle size, crystallinity, specific surface area and morphology) on lubrication performance and resulting tablet quality attributes, including mechanical strength, disintegratability and drug release. The influence of MgSt concentration and blending duration on the resulting tablet properties was also examined. Tablets produced using the lower stearate content MgSt had slightly higher tensile strength. The effect of MgSt stearate content was more apparent in the disintegration time and drug release, whereby MgSt of lower stearate content resulted in tablets with longer disintegration time and slower drug release. The lower stearate content also resulted in a lower lubrication performance, leading to a lesser reduction in tablet ejection force. As expected, a longer blending time of the tablet formulation blend with MgSt yielded tablets with reduced tensile strength, shorter disintegration time and slower drug release. Tablets with higher MgSt concentration showed a greater reduction in tensile strength, longer disintegration time and faster drug release. The study findings reinforced observations by other researchers and provided a better understanding of the fatty acid composition effects of MgSt on lubrication performance and the resulting tablet properties., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The primary objective of this work is to develop a sustainable biocatalytic transesterification process for low-grade oils, aligning with EU green technology requirements for the shift to second generation biodiesel. Thus, we investigated the immobilization and subsequent application of the lipase Biolipasa-R on transesterification processes to produce fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) from both a sunflower oil and an acid oil which is a bioproduct of the biodiesel industry. The lipase was immobilized on biomaterials, such as diatomaceous earth, with a yield of 60 %, and commercial carriers such as methacrylic resins with a yield of 100 %. The enzyme demonstrated superior activity when immobilized on diatomaceous earth, particularly in reactions involving the acid oil, outperforming the benchmark enzyme Novozym® 435 (95.1 % and 35 % conversion respectively). This work highlights the potential of Biolipasa-R as a cost-effective and efficient biocatalyst for biodiesel production and emphasizes the environmental benefits of utilizing industrial byproducts and eco-friendly immobilization techniques. The findings suggest that Biolipasa-R is a promising candidate for industrial applications in biodiesel production, offering a sustainable solution for waste management and energy generation., (© 2024 The Author(s). ChemBioChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A novel yellowish-white actinobacterial strain, designated as TS60-4C T , was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of the mangrove Bruguiera gymnorhiza (L.) Lam. in Okinawa, Japan, and was subjected to a polyphasic assessment. The strain could grow at 0-3.0% NaCl concentrations (w/v), pH 6.0-10.0, and 20-37 °C. The 16S rRNA gene sequences-based phylogeny showed that the novel isolate belongs to the family Micromonosporaceae and that it shared the highest sequence similarity (98.4%) with Micromonospora craniellae LHW63014 T . The hydrolysate of cell-wall of strain TS60-4C T contained alanine, glutamic acid, glycine, and meso-A2pm. The acyl type of muramic acid was N-glycolyl. The main (> 10%) fatty acids were anteiso-C 17:0 (22.1%), iso-C 16:0 (17.8%), iso-C 15:0 (14.7%), and anteiso-C 15:0 (10.3%) and the predominant menaquinones of the isolate were MK-9(H 6 ) and MK-9(H 4 ). The polar lipids of the isolate were phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, an unidentified aminolipid, and three unidentified lipids. The genome size of strain TS60-4C T was 6.7 Mbp with a DNA G + C content of 72.4%. The average nucleotide identity, digital DNA-DNA hybridization, and average amino acid identity value could differentiate strain TS60-4C T from its closely related taxa. The genome of the strain had 22 putative biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites, indicating a significant potential as a producer of bioactive chemicals. Consequently, the strain is considered to represent a novel genus and a new species of the family Micromonosporaceae, for which the name Rhizomonospora bruguierae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type species is R. bruguierae, with the type strain TS60-4C T (= NBRC 107566 T  = TBRC 2024 T )., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

A Gram-stain-negative bacterium, designated strain LY-5  T , was isolated from an activated sludge sample collected from a river in Yancheng city, Jiangsu province, China. Cells of strain LY-5  T , were strictly aerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped. Growth occurred at 15-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 5.0-9.0 (optimum 7.0) and at 0-3% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0%). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences indicated that strain LY-5  T formed a distinct phyletic branch within the family Chitinophagaceae, with closest relatives being members of the genera Phnomibacter, Aurantisolimonas, and Chitinophaga, sharing 88.5-90.3% sequence similarity. Moreover, the average amino acid identity (AAI) between strain LY-5  T and its closed phylogenetic neighbors was below 70%, indicating it belongs to a novel genus. The predominant cellular fatty acids of LY-5  T were iso-C 15:0 , iso-C 15:1 G and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω7c and/or C 16:1 ω6c), and the only isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone-7 (MK-7). The major polar lipids identified in strain LY-5  T comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and five unidentified lipids. The genome size of strain LY-5  T was 4.8 Mbp with a G + C content of 38.9%. Based on the evidence presented in this study, strain LY-5  T represents a novel species of a new genus in the family Chitinophagaceae, for which the name Polluticaenibacter yanchengensis gen. nov., sp. nov. (Type strain LY-5  T  = CCTCC AB 2023260  T  = KCTC 102218  T ) is proposed., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Two Gram-stain-negative bacterial strains, BSw22131 T and DMSP-1 T , were isolated from seawater of Arctic Kongsfjorden in the Ny-Ålesund area, Svalbard. Strains BSw22131 T and DMSP-1 T were within the genus Pseudomonas and presented 98.1 and 99.8% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Pseudomonas piscicola P50 T and Pseudomonas paracarnis V5/DAB/2/5 T , respectively. However, the results of multilocus sequence analysis (concatenated 16S rRNA, gyrB , rpoB and rpoD gene sequences) and whole-genome sequence analysis indicated that BSw22131 T and DMSP-1 T were most closely related to Pseudomonas petrae P2653 T and Pseudomonas lactis DSM 29167 T , respectively. The genome G+C contents of strains BSw22131 T and DMSP-1 T were 58.2 and 60.0%, respectively. The two isolates presented digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values of less than 70 and 96%, respectively, with type strain genomes of their close relatives. BSw22131 T contained summed feature 3 (C 16 : 1  ω6 c / C1 6 : 1  ω7 c), C 16 : 0 and summed feature 8 (C 18 : 1  ω6 c / C1 8 : 1  ω7 c) as the major cellular fatty acids, whereas DMSP-1 T contained an additional C 17 : 0 -cyclo as the major fatty acid. The major quinones of both strains were Q-9 (57.5-77.2%) and Q-8 (22.8-37.2%), and their major cellular polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. BSw22131 T could be differentiated from its related species by positive ornithine decarboxylase, esterase (C8) and l-rhamnose and d-fructose-6-PO 4 utilization, whereas DMSP-1 T could be differentiated by positive acid phosphatase but negative p -hydroxyphenylacetic acid utilization. The two strains were negative for the reduction of nitrates but contained genes related to dimethylsulfoniopropionate catabolism. The results of the polyphasic taxonomy analysis revealed that strains BSw22131 T and DMSP-1 T represent two novel species of the genus Pseudomonas , for which the names Pseudomonas huanghezhanensis sp. nov. (type strain BSw22131 T = CCTCC AB 2019135 T = JCM 36635 T = DSM 117336 T ) and Pseudomonas fjordensis sp. nov. (type strain DMSP-1 T = CCTCC AB 2019124 T = JCM 36636 T = DSM 117337 T ) are proposed.

Two Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacteria, designated as strains S88 T and W115 T , exhibiting catalase- and oxidase-positive reactions, were isolated from marine red algae in South Korea. Strain S88 T exhibited growth at 20-30 °C, pH 6.0-9.0 and 2.0-5.0% (w/v) NaCl, while strain W115 T grew at 20-30 °C, pH 7.0-9.0 and 2.0-5.0% (w/v) NaCl. Strain S88 T contained summed feature 8 (C 18 : 1  ω 7 c and/or C 18 : 1  ω 6 c ), C 16 : 0 and C 16 : 0 2-OH as major fatty acids (>5%), with major polar lipids being phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, an unidentified phospholipid, an unidentified aminolipid and two unidentified lipids. Strain W115 T contained summed feature 8 (C 18 : 1  ω 7 c and/or C 18 : 1  ω 6 c ) and C 16 : 0 as major fatty acids (>5%), with major polar lipids including phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, an unidentified phospholipid, an unidentified aminolipid and unidentified lipids. Ubiquinone-10 was the sole respiratory quinone in both strains, and the genomic DNA G+C contents were 57.0% for strain S88 T and 56.5% for strain W115 T . Despite 99.86% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strains S88 T and W115 T shared 88.8% average nucleotide identity (ANI) and 36.8% digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) value, indicating different species. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences, respectively, revealed that strains S88 T and W115 T formed a phylogenetic lineage within the genus Roseovarius . ANI and dDDH values of both strains with other type strains were less than 73.7 and 20.3%, respectively, confirming that they represent novel species. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular characteristics, strains S88 T and W115 T represent two novel species of the genus Roseovarius , for which the names Roseovarius phycicola sp. nov. (S88 T =KACC 23423 T  =JCM 36647 T ) and Roseovarius rhodophyticola sp. nov. (W115 T =KACC 23690 T  =JCM 36651 T ) are proposed, respectively.

A novel actinomycete, designated strain ZYX-F-249 T , was isolated from the gill of a leopard coral grouper in Yongxing Island, Hainan Province, China. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain ZYX-F-249 T belonged to the genus Microbispora , with high similarities to Microbispora rosea ATCC 12950 T (98.7 %), Microbispora hainanensis 211020 T (98.5 %), Microbispora clausenae CLES2 T (98.4 %), Microbispora bryophytorum NEAU-TX2-2 T (98.1 %) and Microbispora oryzae RL4-1S T (98.0 %). Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain ZYX-F-249 T showed that the strain formed a stable subclade with Microbispora rosea ATCC 12950 T in the genus Microbispora . The cell wall of the novel isolate contained meso -diaminopimelic acid, while whole-cell sugars were madurose, glucose and ribose. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H 6 ), MK-9(H 4 ), MK-9(H 2 ) and MK-9(H 0 ). The characteristic phospholipids (PLs) were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, glycophospholipids and an unknown PL. The major cellular fatty acids (>10%) were iso -C 16 : 0 and iso -C 18 : 0 . Genome sequencing showed a DNA G+C content of 71.6%. The low average nucleotide identity, digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average amino acid identity values demonstrated that strain ZYX-F-249 T could be readily distinguished from closely related species. Based on data from these phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and physiological characteristics, strain ZYX-F-249 T represents a novel species of the genus Microbispora , for which the name Microbispora maris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ZYX-F-249 T (=CCTCC AA 2023030 T =JCM 36778 T ).

Nitro-fatty acids (NO 2 -FAs) are endogenous pleiotropic lipid mediators regarded as promising drug candidates for treating inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. Over the past two decades, the anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective actions of NO 2 -FAs and several molecular targets have been identified. More recently, preclinical studies have demonstrated their potential as prospective cancer therapeutics with favorable safety and tumor-selective profiles. In this review, we describe the mechanisms of action, with a focus on NO 2 -FA antineoplastic and chemosensitizing effects. We also address the potential therapeutic applications of endogenous and structurally modified NO 2 -FAs species in cancer treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests F.J.S. and C.A.N. acknowledge financial interests in Creegh Pharmaceuticals Inc. F.J.S. has a financial interest in Furanica, Inc. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare. All descriptions, interpretations, and opinions expressed in the manuscript are solely those of the contributing authors and do not necessarily represent the views (s) of the affiliated institutions, organizations, or funding bodies., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Understanding how organics degrade under galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) is critical as we search for traces of ancient life on Mars. Even if the planet harbored life early in its history, its surface rocks have been exposed to ionizing radiation for about four billion years, potentially destroying the vast majority of biosignatures. In this study, we investigated for the first time the impact of simulated GCRs (using gamma rays) on several types of lipid biosignatures (including hopane C 30 , sterane C 27 , alkanes, and fatty acids [FAs]) in both the presence and absence of salts (NaCl, KCl, and MgCl 2 ). We measured that the lipids degraded 6-20 times faster than amino acids in similar conditions; moreover, when irradiated in the presence of a salt substrate, degradation was at least 4-6 times faster than without salt, which suggests that salty environments that are often preferred targets for astrobiology warrant caution. We detected radiolytic by-products only for FAs-in the form of alkanes and aldehydes. These results expand our understanding of the degradation of organic molecules in Mars analog environments and underscore the urgent need to direct rover missions to sampling sites protected from GCRs, for example, sites on Mars that have been recently exposed by a wind scarp retreat or meteoritic impact.

Sporopollenin, a critical innovation in the evolution of terrestrial plants, is the core building brick for the outer wall of land-plant spores and pollen. Despite its significance, the basic structure of sporopollenin remains elusive due to its extreme chemical inertness. In this study, we used ethanolamine to completely dissolve rape sporopollenin and successfully identified a total of 22 components, including fatty acids, p-coumaric acid, sterols and polymeric phenylpropanoid derivatives. After that, using NaOH treatment and partial dissolution, alongside Arabidopsis mutants analysis and spectroscopic methods, we determined that polymeric phenylpropanoid derivatives crosslinked by hydroxyl fatty acids serve as the core structure of sporopollenin. The free hydroxyl groups and carboxyl groups of the polymeric phenylpropanoid derivatives can be modified by other fatty acids (C16:0, C18:0 and C18:3) as well as alcohols/phenols (for example, naringenin, β-sitosterol), resulting in a structure that protects pollen from terrestrial stresses. This discovery provides a basis for further exploration of sporopollenin's role in plant reproduction and evolution., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

The stratum corneum (SC) plays the most important role in the absorption of topical and transdermal drugs. In this study, we developed a multi-layered SC model using coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) simulations of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids in equimolar proportions, starting from two different initial configurations. In the first approach, all ceramide molecules were initially in the hairpin conformation, and the membrane bilayers were pre-formed. In the second approach, ceramide molecules were introduced in either the hairpin or splayed conformation, with the lipid molecules randomly oriented at the start of the simulation. The aim was to evaluate the effects of lipid chain length on the structural and dynamic properties of SC. By incorporating ceramides and fatty acids of different chain lengths, we simulated the SC membrane in healthy and diseased states. We calculated key structural properties including the thickness, normalized lipid area, lipid tail order parameters, and spatial ordering of the lipids from each system. The results showed that systems with higher ordering and structural integrity contained an equimolar ratio of ceramides (chain length of 24 carbon atoms), fatty acids with chain lengths ≥ of 20 carbon atoms, and cholesterol. In these systems, strong apolar interactions between the ceramide and fatty acid long acyl chains restricted the mobility of the lipid molecules, thereby maintaining a compact lipid headgroup region and high order in the lipid tail region. The simulations also revealed distinct flip-flop mechanisms for cholesterol and fatty acid within the multi-layered membrane. Cholesterol is mostly diffused through the tail-tail interface region of the membrane and could flip-flop in the same bilayer. In contrast, fatty acids flip-flopped between adjacent leaflets of two bilayers in which the tails crossed the thinner headgroup region of the membrane. To conclude, our SC model provides mechanistic insights into lipid mobility and is flexible in its design and composition of different lipids, enabling studies of varying skin conditions., 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 © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lipids, possessing unsaturated fatty acid chains and polar regions with nucleophilic heteroatoms, represent suitable oxidation targets for autologous and heterologous reactive species. Lipid peroxidation products (LPPs) are highly heterogeneous, including hydroperoxides, alkenals, chlorination, or glycation. Accordingly, delineation of lipid targets, species type, resulting products, and oxidation level remains challenging. To this end, liposomal biomimetic models incorporating a phosphatidylcholine, -ethanolamine, and a sphingomyelin were used to deconvolute effects on a single lipid scale to predict potential modification product outcomes. To introduce oxidative modifications, gas plasma technology, a powerful pro-oxidant tool to promote LPP formation by forming highly abundant reactive species in the gas and liquid phases, was employed to liposomes. The plasma parameters (gas type/combination) were modified to modulate the resulting species-profile and LPP formation by enriching specific reactive species types over others. HR-LC-MS (Münzel and et al., 2017) [2] was employed for LPP identification. Moreover, the heavy oxygen isotope 18 O was used to trace O 2 -incorporation into LPPs, providing first information on the plasma-mediated lipid peroxidation mechanism. We found that combination of lipid class and gas composition predetermined the type of attack: admixture of O 2 to the plasma and the presence of nitrogen atoms with free electrons in the molecule lead to chlorination of the amide bond and headgroup. Here, atomic oxygen driven formation of hypochlorite is the major reactive species. In contrast, POPC yields mainly to LPPs with oxidation of the oleic acid tail, especially truncations, epoxidation, and hydroperoxide formation. Here, singlet oxygen is assumingly the major driver. 18 O labelling revealed that gas phase derived reactive species are dominantly incorporated into the LPPs, supporting previous findings on gas-liquid interface chemistry. In summary, we here provided the first insights into gas plasma-mediated lipid peroxidation, which, employed in more complex cell and tissue models, may support identifying mechanisms of actions in plasma medicine., 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 © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In the current study, we attempt to remove 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol fatty acid ester (3-MCPD ester) from palm oil with developed composite adsorbent (Tween80 modified activated carbon [AC]), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometer, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen content adsorption-desorption and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the modifications. We further examined the adsorption capability of the composite adsorbent for 3-MCPD ester and found that the highest removal efficiency was 87.36% (5.3% of adsorbent dose at 104°C for 29 min). This is approximately three times higher than that of pristine AC, implying that the composite can be employed as a novel adsorbent for 3-MCPD ester reduction. Along with the adsorption mechanism of Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Temkin models were also tested. It has been suggested that Freundlich model could best describe the adsorption process. Adsorption was found to be well-fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetics according to the kinetic study. An endothermic and spontaneous adsorption mechanism was demonstrated by the thermodynamic studies., (© 2024 Institute of Food Technologists.)

Nano-embedding has appeared as a feasible technology to improve the high-quality utilization of royal jelly (RJ). Therefore, the ionic gelation method was proposed to prepared chitosan nanoparticles loaded with royal jelly (RJNPs) and the characterization and biological activity of RJNPs were evaluated in this study. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction results showed that the methyl and methylene groups of royal jelly combine with the amino groups of chitosan (CS) to become an amorphous polymer. In addition, the 48.68 % encapsulation efficiency and 31.90 % loading capacity were obtained under the optimal ratio of 1:1 RJ to CS, and the average particle size was <500 nm. The antioxidant activity of RJNPs gradually increased with the increase of the RJ proportion. Interestingly, the antibacterial activity on gram-positive bacteria was better than gram-negative bacteria. Most important, RJNPs exhibited better stability and digestibility rather than single RJ. Overall, these findings indicated that RJ can be embedded in chitosan, and RJNPs exhibited good thermal stability, antioxidant activity, antibacterial activities and bioavailability, which was important for the development and application of the high-quality utilization of RJ., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Current topical formulations containing vitamin C face limitations in therapeutic effectiveness due to the skin's selective properties that impede drug deposition. Consequently, the widespread use of toxic and irritating chemical permeation enhancers is common. Hereby, we investigated enzymatically derived fatty acid ascorbyl esters (FAAEs) obtained using natural oils for their skin permeation properties using the Strat-M® skin model in a Franz cell diffusion study. By evaluating various cosmetic formulations without added enhancers, we found that emulgel is most suitable for enhancing the cutaneous and transdermal delivery of FAAEs. Furthermore, medium-chain coconut oil-derived FAAEs exhibited faster diffusion rates compared to sunflower oil-based FAAEs with long-side acyl residues, including the commonly applied ascorbyl palmitate. Experimental data were successfully fitted using the Peppas and Sahlin model, which accounted for a lag phase and the combined effect of Fickian diffusion and polymer relaxation. In the case of long-chain esters, the lag phase was prolonged, and the calculated effective diffusion coefficients (D eff ) were lower compared to medium-chain FAAEs. Accordingly, the highest D eff value was observed for ascorbyl caprylate, being even 60 times higher than for ascorbyl palmitate. These results suggest the emerging potential of emulgel with incorporated coconut oil-derived FAAEs for efficiently delivering vitamin C into the skin., (© 2024 Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft.)

A new actinomycete strain, ODS25 T , exhibited antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Kocuria rhizophila, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, was isolated from the ants, Odontomachus simillimus, collected from National Science Museum Thailand, Pathum Thani, Thailand. A polyphasic technique was used to characterize the taxonomic position. The morphological and chemotaxonomic properties of the strain are typical of members of the genus Streptomyces. Strain ODS25 T contained ll-diaminopimelic and glucose in the whole-cell hydrolysate. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C 16:0 , iso-C 15:0 , and anteiso-C 15:0 . The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol mannosides, phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified phospholipids, three unidentified amino lipids and two unidentified lipids. The menaquinones were MK-9(H 6 ), MK-9(H 8 ), and MK-9(H 4 ). The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 71.3%. The 16 S rRNA gene sequence analysis demonstrated that the strain had the highest similarity to Streptomyces lusitanus NBRC 13464 T (98.07%) but shared the phylogenetic neighbour with Streptomyces sulfonofaciens JCM 5069 T . Both digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values among strain ODS25 T and its associated Streptomyces type strains fell within the values lower than the threshold for differentiate the strain to the same species. Based on the phenotypic characteristics and genotypic distinctiveness, strain ODS25 T is considered a novel species within the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces odontomachi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ODS25 T (=TBRC 16204 T =NBRC 115862 T )., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the Japan Antibiotics Research Association.)

This study highlighted the nutritional importance of Catostylus perezi (an edible jellyfish) in Pakistan; a society where a large proportion of the population suffers from malnutrition, while C. perezi , a blessing of the sea, is wasted or exported. In the present study, the amino acid and fatty acid profiles of the oral arms and umbrella of C. perezi were determined by HPLC. The total amino acid concentration (ΣAA) in the oral arms was 151.19 mg/100g, while in the umbrella it was 100.17 mg/100g. The ratio of total essential amino acids to total non-essential amino acids (TEAA/TNEAA) was 0.72 in the oral arms, while it was 0.70 in the umbrella. Higher amount of ω-3 with lower ratio of ω-6/ω-3 in oral arms (0.52), rather umbrella (ω-6/ω-3 ratio; 0.62). The antimicrobial activity, MIC, MBC, and MFC of the whole body of the edible jellyfish were determined. On the basis of polarity, different solvents were used, e.g. water, methanol, dichloromethane, chloroform, and n-hexane. Among all the extracts, the water extract gave the highest ZOI against C. xerosis (29 mm), while the n-hexane extract gave the lowest ZOI against S. aureus (MRSA) ATCC 33591 (8.20 mm). The water extract of C. perezi had high potential against C. xerosis with the highest AMI and PAI (1.53 and 153, respectively), while the same extract had the highest TAI against E. coli (81.43 mL/g). For fungi/yeast, the methanolic extract had the highest ZOI (29.70 mm) against S. cerevisiae and the lowest MIC/MFC (2.40 µg/mL) against the same pathogen. The n-Hexane extract gave the lowest ZOI (11.10 mm) against P. variotii and the highest MIC/MFC (31.60 µg/mL) against Penicillium sp. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to analyse the disintegrating effect of the extracts (with the highest antimicrobial effect) on the cells of selected Gram-positive, Gram-negative and yeast species. The amino acid and fatty acid profiles and antimicrobial assessment showed that C. perezi has great nutritional importance, so the use of C. perezi as food is highly recommended for the Pakistani community.

This study comprehensively characterised a protected designation of origin mussel 'Cozza di Scardovari' (Mytilus galloprovincialis) by examining how it is affected by the farming site (outer vs. inner area of the lagoon) and harvest time (21 April vs. 18 May vs. 16 June). Harvest time affected the marketable traits and fatty acid profile of mussels, whereas farming site scarcely affected marketable traits and mussel yields. Mussels from the inner area of the lagoon displayed a superior nutritional profile, including higher contents of proteins (7.8% vs. 7.4%; P < 0.05), lipids (1.2% vs. 1.0%; P < 0.001) and essential amino acids such as tryptophan (+24%; P < 0.05) and valine (+8%; P < 0.05), with a more favourable n-3/n-6 ratio (7.7 vs. 7.0; P < 0.001) than those from the close-to-sea area. Volatile organic compounds, mainly octanoic acid, dimethyl sulphide and 1-penten-3-ol, differed between farming sites within the same lagoon., 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 © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Grana Padano (GP) cheese is a renowned PDO Italian cheese whose nutritional characteristics and market price are influenced by the ripening stage. In this work, it was demonstrated that the combined use of untargeted 1 H NMR profiling and chemometric analysis can be used as a powerful tool to quantitatively characterize GP ripening and production, focusing on both aqueous and lipid fractions. An initial exploratory analysis revealed substantial variations in the aqueous fraction attributable to aging time, year and season of production. Multivariate analysis was adopted to show these differences, mainly attributable to amino acids. In contrast, the lipid fraction analysis highlighted the impact of production season on fatty acid unsaturation, influenced by feed variations. As regards the production process, this study focuses on the variations induced by bactofugation. In this respect, the aqueous fraction was found to be extensively influenced by this centrifugation step, affecting compounds crucial to organoleptic characteristics., 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 © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Herein, we describe a rapid and facile fabrication of electrochemical sensors utilizing two different toll-like receptor (TLR) proteins as biorecognition elements to detect bacterial pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Using potential-assisted self-assembly, binary mixtures of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) and 6-mercapto-1-hexanol (MCH), or MUA and an in-house synthesized zwitterionic sulfobetaine thiol (DPS) were assembled on a gold working electrode within 5 minutes, which is >200 times shorter than other TLR sensors' preparation time. Electrochemical methods and X-ray photoelectron microscopy were used to characterize the SAM layers. SAMs composed of the betaine terminated thiol exhibited superior resistance to nonspecific interactions, and were used to develop the TLR sensors. Biosensors containing two individually immobilized TLRs (TLR4 and TLR9) were fabricated on separate MUA-DPS SAM modified Au electrodes (MUA-DPS/Au) and tested for their response towards their respective PAMPs. The changes to electron transfer resistance in EIS of the TLR4/MUA-DPS/Au sensor showed a detection limit of 4 ng mL -1 for E. coli 0157:H7 endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) and a dynamic range of up to 1000 ng mL -1 . The TLR4-based sensor showed negligible response when tested with LPS spiked human plasma samples, showing no interference from the plasma matrix. The TLR9/MUA-DPS/Au sensor responded linearly up to 350 μg mL -1 bacterial DNA, with a detection limit of 7 μg mL -1 . The rapid assembly of the TLR sensors, excellent antifouling properties of the mixed SAM assembly, small size and ease of operation of EIS hold great promise for the development of a portable and automated broad-spectrum pathogen detection and classification tool.

The dynamic nature of bacterial lipid membranes significantly impacts the efficacy of antimicrobial therapies. However, traditional assay methods often fall short in replicating the complexity of these membranes, necessitating innovative approaches. Herein, we successfully fabricated model bacterially supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) that closely mimic the characteristics of Gram-positive bacteria using the solvent-assisted lipid bilayer (SALB) technique. By employing a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation and fluorescence microscopy, we investigated the interactions between these bacterial mimetic membranes and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids. Specifically, linolenic acid (LNA) and linoleic acid (LLA) demonstrated interaction behaviors correlated with the critical micelle concentration (CMC) on Gram-positive membranes, resulting in membrane remodeling and removal at concentrations above their respective CMC values. In contrast, oleic acid (OA), while showing similar membrane remodeling patterns to LNA and LLA, exhibited membrane insertion and CMC-independent activity on the Gram-positive membranes. Particularly, LNA and LLA demonstrated bactericidal effects and promoted membrane permeability and ATP leakage in the bacterial membranes. OA, characterized by a CMC-independent activity profile, exhibited potent bactericidal effects due to its robust penetration into the SLBs, also enhancing membrane permeability and ATP leakage. These findings shed light on the intricate molecular mechanisms governing the interactions between long-chain unsaturated fatty acids and bacterial membranes. Importantly, this study underscores the potential of using biologically relevant model bacterial membrane systems to develop innovative strategies for combating bacterial infections and designing effective therapeutic agents.

Some strains of lactic acid bacteria can regulate the host's intestinal immune system. Bacterial cells and membrane vesicles (MVs) of Limosilactobacillus antri JCM 15950 T promote immunoglobulin A (IgA) production in murine Peyer's patch cells via toll-like receptor (TLR) 2. This study aimed to investigate the role of lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a ligand of TLR2, in the immunostimulatory activity of these bacterial cells and their MVs. LTA extracted from bacterial cells was purified through hydrophobic interaction chromatography and then divided into fractions LTA1 and LTA2 through anion-exchange chromatography. LTA1 induced greater interleukin (IL)-6 production from macrophage-like RAW264 cells than LTA2, and the induced IL-6 production was suppressed by TLR2 neutralization using an anti-TLR2 antibody. The LTAs in both fractions contained two hexose residues in the glycolipid anchor; however, LTA1 was particularly rich in triacyl LTA. The free hydroxy groups in the glycerol phosphate (GroP) repeating units were substituted by d-alanine (d-Ala) and α-glucose in LTA1, but only by α-glucose in LTA2. The dealanylation of LTA1 slightly suppressed IL-6 production in RAW264 cells, whereas deacylation almost completely suppressed IL-6 production. Furthermore, IL-6 production induced by dealanylated LTA1 was markedly higher than that induced by dealanylated LTA2. These results indicated that the critical moieties for the immunostimulatory activity of L. antri -derived LTA were the three fatty acid residues rather than the substitution with d-Ala in GroP. LTA was also detected in MVs, suggesting that the triacyl LTA, but not the diacyl LTA, translocated to the MVs and conferred immunostimulatory activity., Importance: Some lactic acid bacteria activate the host intestinal immune system via toll-like receptor (TLR) 2. Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is a TLR2 ligand; however, the moieties of LTA that determine its immunostimulatory activity remain unclear because of the wide diversity of LTA partial structures. We found that Limosilactobacillus antri JCM 15950 T has three types of LTAs (triacyl, diacyl, and monoacyl LTAs). Specifically, structural analysis of the LTAs revealed that triacyl LTA plays a crucial role in immunostimulation and that the fatty acid residues are essential for the activity. The three acyl residues are characteristic of LTAs from many lactic acid bacteria, and our findings can explain the immunostimulatory mechanisms widely exhibited by lactic acid bacteria. Furthermore, the immunostimulatory activity of membrane vesicles released by L. antri JCM 15950 T is due to the transferred LTA, demonstrating a novel mechanism of membrane vesicle-mediated immunostimulation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: The oils obtained from the seeds of Nigella sativa , also named black cumin, are rich in bioactive compounds that strengthen immunity and support human health. This study aimed to compare Nigella sativa oils pressed from Egyptian (Eg-NSSO), Ethiopian (Et-NSSO), and Syrian (Sy-NSSO) seeds., Methods: The analyzed oils were obtained from a local company. The content of phenolic compounds, tocochromanols, phytosterols, volatile compounds, triglycerides, and fatty acids composition was determined using chromatographic methods. The oxidative stability was determined by Rancimat technique as well as the determination of DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity. As an assessment of bioactivity, the antimicrobial and anti-aflatoxigenic properties of oils were evaluated., Results: Ethiopian oil had highest content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, phytosterols, and tocochromanols and was characterized by the longest induction period (IP = 7.89 h). The share of thymoquinone was the highest in Ethiopian oil (34.84%), followed by Egyptian (27.36%), then Syrian (22.59%). Ethiopian oil recorded a high antibacterial activity, while Egyptian oil showed a unique antifungal activity against toxigenic fungi. Aflatoxins' secretion into liquid medium containing NSSO was reduced, especially with Egyptian oil.

This paper describes the synthesis of two 6-azido-6-deoxy derivatives of phosphatidylinositol (PI), which contained different fatty acid chains. These syntheses, starting from methyl α-d-glucopyranoside, employed multiple regioselective transformations with Ferrier rearrangement as one of the key steps. The PI derivatives contained different fatty acid chains in the lipids and an azido group in the inositol residue to facilitate their further functionalization under bioorthogonal conditions. Therefore, they should be useful probes for the investigation of PI and related biology, such as PI phosphorylation, PI interaction with other molecules in cells, and the functions of lipid structures in these processes.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have garnered significant attention across numerous fields due to their ultrasmall size and exceptional properties. However, their extensive applications may lead to environmental exposure and subsequent uptake by humans. Yet, conflicting reports exist regarding the potential toxicity of GQDs based on experimental investigations. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of GQD biosafety requires further microscopic and molecular-level investigations. In this study, we employed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the interactions between GQDs and graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) with a protein model, the human intestinal fatty acid binding protein (HIFABP), that plays a crucial role in mediating the carrier of fatty acids in the intestine. Our MD simulation results reveal that GQDs can be adsorbed on the opening of HIFABP, which serves as an entrance for the fatty acid molecules into the protein's interior cavity. This adsorption has the potential to obstruct the opening of HIFABP, leading to the loss of its normal biological function and ultimately resulting in toxicity. The adsorption of GQDs is driven by a combination of van der Waals (vdW), π-π stacking, cation-π, and hydrophobic interactions. Similarly, GOQDs also exhibit the ability to block the opening of HIFABP, thereby potentially causing toxicity. The blockage of GOQDs to HIFABP is guided by a combination of vdW, Coulomb, π-π stacking, and hydrophobic interactions. These findings not only highlight the potential harmful effects of GQDs on HIFABP but also elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism, which provides crucial insights into GQD toxicology., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Pathologies in adipose (fat) tissue function are linked with human diseases such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. Dynamic, rapid release of metabolites has been observed in adipocyte cells and tissue, yet higher temporal resolution is needed to adequately study this process. In this work, a microfluidic device with precise and regular valve-automated droplet sampling, termed a microfluidic analog-to-digital converter (μADC), was used to sample secretions from ∼0.75 mm diameter adipose explants from mice, and on-chip salt water electrodes were used to merge sampled droplets with reagent droplets from two different fluorometric coupled enzyme assays. By integrating sampling and assays on-chip, either glycerol or non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), or both, were quantified optically within merged 12 nanoliter droplets using a fluorescence microscope with as high as 20 second temporal resolution. Limits of detection were 6 μM for glycerol (70 fmol) and 0.9 μM for NEFA (10 fmol). Multiple ex vivo adipose tissue explants were analyzed with this system, all showing clear increases in lipolytic function after switching from feeding to fasting conditions. Enabled by high temporal resolution, lipolytic oscillations of both glycerol and NEFA were observed for the first time in the range of 0.2 to 1.6 min -1 . Continuous wavelet transform (CWT) spectrograms and burst analyses (0.1 to 4.0 pmol bursts) revealed complex dynamics, with multiplexed assays (duplex for glycerol and NEFA) from the same explants showing mostly discordant bursts. These data support separate mechanisms of NEFA and glycerol release, although the connection to intracellular metabolic oscillations remains unknown. Overall, this device allowed automated and highly precise temporal sampling of tissue explants at high resolution and programmable downstream merging with multiple assay reagents, revealing unique biological information. Such device features should be applicable to various other tissue or spheroid types and to other assay formats.

An extracellular matrix protein, fibronectin (Fn), was covalently immobilized on 316L stainless steel, L605 cobalt chromium (CoCr), and nickel titanium (NiTi) surfaces through an 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) pre-formed on these surfaces. Polarization modulation infrared reflection adsorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) confirmed the presence of Fn on the surfaces. The Fn monolayer attached to the SAM was found to be stable under fluid shear stress. Deconvolution of the Fn amide I band indicated that the secondary structure of Fn changes significantly upon immobilization to the SAM-functionalized metal substrate. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed that the spacing between Fn molecules on a modified commercial stent surface is approximately 66 nm, which has been reported to be the most appropriate spacing for cell/surface interactions.

Silibinin (SIL), the most active phytocompound from Silybum marianum (L.), exerts many biological effects but has low stability and bioavailability. To overcome these drawbacks, the current research proposed the synthesis of silibilin oleate (SIL-O) and silibilin linoleate (SIL-L) derivatives as prodrugs with potentially optimized properties for biomedical applications, and the establishment of their in vitro-in ovo safety profiles. The physicochemical characterization of the obtained compounds using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and Raman and 1H liquid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy confirmed the formation of SIL-O and SIL-L complexes. Computational predictions revealed that these lipophilic derivatives present a lower drug-likeness score (-29.96 for SIL-O and -23.55 for SIL-L) compared to SIL, but an overall positive drug score (0.07) and no risk for severe adverse effects. SIL-O and SIL-L showed no cytotoxicity or impairment in cell migration at low concentrations, but at the highest concentration (100 μM), they displayed distinct toxicological profiles. SIL-L was more cytotoxic (on cardiomyoblasts - H9c2(2-1), hepatocytes - HepaRG, and keratinocytes - HaCaT) than SIL-O or SIL, significantly inhibiting cell viability (<60%), altering cellular morphology, reducing cell confluence (<70%), and inducing prominent apoptotic-like nuclear features. At the concentration of 100 μM, SIL-O presented an irritation score (IS) of 0.61, indicating a lack of irritant effect on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), while SIL-L was classified as a slight irritant with an IS of 1.99. These findings outline a more favorable in vitro and in ovo biocompatibility for SIL-O compared to SIL L, whose applications are dosage limited due to potential toxicity.

The cancer cell mitochondrion could be a promising target for the development of new anticancer agents. 16-([3-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]carbamoylamino)hexadecanoic acid (2) is a novel aryl-urea fatty acid that targets the mitochondrion in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and activates cell death. In the present study, the relationships between alkyl chain length in 2 analogues, mitochondrial disruption and cell killing were evaluated. The chain-contracted C13-analogue 7 c optimally disrupted the mitochondrial membrane potential (IC 50 4.8±0.8 μM). In addition, annexin V-FITC/7-AAD assays demonstrated that 7 c was the most effective cell killing analogue and C11 BODIPY (581/591) assays demonstrated that 7 c was also most effective in generating reactive oxygen species in MDA-MB-231 cells. Together, carbon chain length is a key factor that determines the capacity of 2 analogues to disrupt the mitochondrial membrane, induce the production of reactive oxygen species and kill breast cancer cells. As an aryl-urea with enhanced activity and improved drug-like properties, 7 c may be a suitable lead molecule for entry into a program of development of these molecules as anticancer agents., (© 2024 The Authors. ChemMedChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The O -acyl-ω-hydroxy fatty acids (OAHFAs) are an intriguing class of surface-active lipids which can be found in the human tear film lipid layer (TFLL). Recent studies have suggested that OAHFAs exist in the polar lipid layer and play a central role in TFLL function. Surprisingly, biophysical profiling studies have only shed light on the properties of OAHFAs bearing an oleate acyl group and insights on species with other acyl groups are scarce. Herein, we seek to address this issue through (1) focusing on the synthesis and characterization of a representative library of OAHFA analogues bearing a palmitate, palmitoleate, stearate, and linoleate acyl group, and (2) performing an in-depth mapping of their biophysical properties. Our results indicate that NMR-spectroscopic techniques can be utilized for rough estimation of the amounts of distinct acyl groups in a sample and more importantly, how the subtle variations in both parent chains and acyl groups influence the core properties of the OAHFAs. We reach the conclusion that the correlation between melting points and film properties is not as clear-cut as previously thought. Nevertheless, grouping of OAHFA species into three separate categories which display distinct behavior seems to be possible utilizing the melting points as a guiding parameter. Altogether, our study suggests that the properties of OAHFAs need to be assessed from a viewpoint which combines both the parent chain and acyl group instead of independent analysis based on either fragment alone.

This study aimed to improve the traceability of rice-producing areas to address the increasing demand for accurate methods to confirm food quality and safety. Compound-specific δ 13 C of fatty acids, δ 13 C of starch and bulk of rice were measured. PCA, PLS-DA and VIP value analysis of the obtained data were performed to track the source of rice from the six regions. The PLS-DA model established with bulk δ 13 C, starch δ 13 C, and fatty acid δ 13 C, which clearly separated the rice from six regions. The VIP graph showed the value of starch, C18:0 and C18:2 δ 13 C values (VIP > 1) were important to distinguish the origin of rice. Also, according to loading plots the contribution of starch δ 13 C was the largest. The findings indicate that the introduction of starch δ 13 C improves the precision of rice traceability and provides an effective method for identifying rice origin., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Liu Yu has patent pending to Dalian Maritime University., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Natural compounds are important source of desired biological activity which helps to improve nutritional status and brings many health benefits. Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill. which belongs to the family Aquifoliaceae is a plant rich in bioactive substances (polyphenols, saponins, alkaloids) with therapeutic potential including hepatic and digestive disorders, arthritis, rheumatism, and other inflammatory diseases, obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia. In terms of phytochemical research I . paraguariensis has been the subject of most intensive investigations among Ilex species. Therefore, we concentrated on other available Ilex varieties and focused on the content of fatty acids of these shrubs. The fatty acid compounds present in Ilex sp. samples were analyzed by GC-MS. 27 different fatty acids were identified in the extracts. The results showed that many constituents with significant commercial or medicinal importance were present in high concentrations. The primary component in all samples was α linolenic acid(18:3 Δ9,12,15). Differences of this component concentration were observed between cultivars and extensively analyzed by PCA, one- way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA. Significant correlations between compound concentrations were reported.

Over the past decade, several studies have established a direct link between functional foods, nutraceuticals, and a reduced risk of oxidative-stress-related diseases. Nutraceuticals, which encompass a variety of bioactive molecules, exhibit both nutritional and therapeutic properties. The cactus pear ( Opuntia spp.) is a plant genus with many species recognized as functional foods, largely attributed to their high content of nutraceuticals, including polyphenols, fatty acids, vitamins, amino acids, pigments, and phytosterols. These compounds of different structures and functions possess different biological activities, contributing to the health-promoting properties of cactus pear. This makes cactus pears a valuable plant for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. While extensive research has focused on the nutritional profile of cactus pear fruits, the cladodes have received comparatively limited attention. Notably, the nutritional composition of cladodes can exhibit considerable variability, influenced by species and growing conditions. Furthermore, although various bioactive compounds have been identified in cladodes, studies elucidating their mechanisms of action, health benefits, and potential therapeutic applications remain insufficient. Addressing these gaps is crucial for enhancing the understanding and utilization of cactus pear cladodes. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the structure-function relationships of the main nutraceuticals found in cactus pear cladodes. It synthesizes data from recent and relevant literature to elucidate the content of these compounds in relation to species and geographical origin, while also detailing the main biological activities and health-promoting benefits associated with cactus pear cladodes.

Strain DM2021935 T representing a novel Acinetobacter species was isolated from a spoiled bath lotion in Guangdong, China. Based on 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis, strain DM2021935 T was closely related to 'Acinetobacter thutiue' VNH17 T , Acinetobacter junii CIP 64.5  T , and Acinetobacter tibetensis Y-23  T . Cells of strain DM2021935 T were Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, strictly aerobic, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, α-hemolytic, and non-motile. Strain DM2021935 T exhibited growth in 1-3% (w/v) NaCl at temperatures ranging from 4 to 37 °C and tolerated pH levels from 6.0 to 8.0. The predominant fatty acids in strain DM2021935 T are C 12:0 , C 16:0 , C 18:1 ω9c, and summed feature 3. Polar lipid profiles included glycolipids, phospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidyl-N-methylethanolamine. The identified respiratory quinones were ubiquinone Q-8 and Q-9. The genomic size of DM2021935 T comprised 4.15 Mb, consisting of one chromosome (3,827,633 bp) and two plasmids (241,357 and 83,010 bp). The G + C content was 41.8%. The average nucleotide identity, average amino acid identity, and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain DM2021935 T and phylogenetically related type strains were below the species delineation thresholds (72.2-95.4, 53.1-87.0, and 20.4-66.4%, respectively). AntiSMASH analysis identified four gene clusters: non-ribosomal peptide synthetase, non-alpha poly-amino group acids, YcaO cyclodehydratase, and aryl polyene biosynthesis. Based on genotypic data, strain DM2021935 T represents a novel species within the genus Acinetobacter. The proposed name for the novel species is Acinetobacter corruptisaponis sp. nov. (type strain DM2021935 T  = KCTC 92772  T  = GDMCC 1.3703  T )., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

A Gram-staining negative, non-motile, rod-shaped, oxidase negative and catalase positive strain WL0021 T was isolated from cricket (Gryllus chinensis) living in the campus of Hohai University. Strain WL0021 T was characterized utilizing a polyphasic taxonomy approach. The major fatty acids (> 5%) for strain WL0021 T were C 16:0 and summed feature 8, and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phospholipid, two aminolipids, and an unidentified polar lipid. Ubiquinone-10 was detected as the predominant respiratory quinone. The results of 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses revealed that strain WL0021 T had the highest sequence similarity of 95.3% to Microvirga flavescens c27j1 T and strain WL0021 T formed a distinct linage within the family Methylobacteriaceae in the phylogenetic trees. Whole genomic DNA G+C content was 48.3%. Combined with the results from this study, strain WL0021 T should represent a novel genus in the family Methylobacteriaceae, for which the name Hohaiivirga grylli gen. nov., sp. nov. (type strain WL0021 T =GDMCC 1.2420 T  =JCM 34655 T =MCCC 1K05886 T ) is proposed., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Microbial biofilm formation on medical devices paves the way for device-associated infections. Staphylococcus epidermidis is one of the most common strains involved in such infections as it is able to colonize numerous devices, such as intravenous catheters, prosthetic joints, and heart valves. We previously reported the antibiofilm activity against S. epidermidis of pentadecanoic acid (PDA) deposited by drop-casting on the silicon-based polymer poly(dimethyl)siloxane (PDMS). This material exerted an antibiofilm activity by releasing PDA; however, a toxic effect on bacterial cells was observed, which could potentially favor the emergence of resistant strains. To develop a PDA-functionalized material for medical use and overcome the problem of toxicity, we produced PDA-doped PDMS by either spray-coating or PDA incorporation during PDMS polymerization. Furthermore, we created a strategy to assess the kinetics of PDA release using ADIFAB, a very sensitive free fatty acids fluorescent probe. Spray-coating resulted in the most promising strategy as the concentration of released PDA was in the range 0.8-1.5 μM over 21 days, ensuring long-term effectiveness of the antibiofilm molecule. Moreover, the new coated material resulted biocompatible when tested on immortalized human keratinocytes. Our results indicate that PDA spray-coated PDMS is a promising material for the production of medical devices endowed with antibiofilm activity.

A novel bacterial isolate A520 T (A520 T  = CBAS 737 T  = CAIM 1944 T ) was obtained from the skin of bandtail puffer fish Sphoeroides spengleri (Tetraodontidae Family), collected in Arraial do Cabo (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). A520 T is Gram-stain-negative, flagellated and aerobic bacteria. Optimum growth occurs at 25-30 °C in the presence of 3% NaCl. The genome sequence of the novel isolate consisted of 4.5 Mb (4082 coding genes and G+C content of 41.1%). The closest phylogenetic neighbor was Pseudoalteromonas shioyasakiensis JCM 18891 T (97.9% 16S rRNA sequence similarity, 94.8% Average Amino Acid Identity, 93% Average Nucleotide Identity and 51.8% similarity in Genome-to-Genome-Distance). Several in silico phenotypic features are useful to differentiate A520 T from its closest phylogenetic neighbors, including trehalose, D-mannose, cellobiose, pyrrolidonyl-beta-naphthylamide, starch hydrolysis, D-xylose, lactose, tartrate utilization, sucrose, citrate, glycerol, mucate and acetate utilization, malonate, glucose oxidizer, gas from glucose, nitrite to gas, L-rhamnose, ornithine decarboxylase, lysine decarboxylase and yellow pigment. The genome of the novel species contains 3 gene clusters (~ 66.81 Kbp in total) coding for different types of bioactive compounds that could indicate ecological roles pertaining to the bandtail puffer fish host. Based on genome-based taxonomic approach, strain A520 T (A520 T  = CBAS 737 T  = CAIM 1944 T ) is proposed as a new species, Pseudoalteromonas simplex sp. nov., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

α-Lipoic acid possesses remarkable antioxidant activity; however, its poor lipid solubility greatly restricts its practical utilization. The present study was the first (i) to synthesize a novel lipophilic antioxidant of octacosanol lipoate and (ii) to assess its antioxidant potency in sunflower oil by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR) spectroscopy. In brief, octacosanol lipoate was successfully synthesized using octacosanol and lipoic acid as substrates and Candida sp . 99-125 lipase as a catalyst. The conversion of octacosanol lipoate could reach as high as 98.1% within merely 2 h, with an overall yield of 87.9%. The hydrophobicity of lipoic acid was significantly enhanced upon esterification with octacosanol. Interestingly, both traditional methods and 1 H NMR analysis consistently indicated that octacosanol lipoate exhibited superior antioxidant activity compared with butyl hydroxytoluene at high temperatures. It was concluded that octacosanol lipoate has the potential to be developed into a safe and efficient natural antioxidant which can be utilized not only in daily cooking oils but also in frying oils.

This study reports the use of the Arabidopsis KASII promoter ( AtKASII ) to develop an efficient CRISPR/Cas9 system for soybean genome editing. When this promoter was paired with Arabidopsis U6 promoters to drive Cas9 and single guide RNA expression, respectively, simultaneous editing of the three fatty acid desaturase genes GmFAD2-1A , GmFAD2-1B , and GmFAD3A occurred in more than 60% of transgenic soybean lines at T 2 generation, and all the triple mutants possessed desirable high-oleic traits. In sharp contrast, not a single line underwent simultaneous editing of the three target genes when AtKASII was replaced by the widely used AtEC1.2 promoter. Furthermore, our study showed that the stable and inheritable mutations in the high-oleic lines did not alter the overall contents of oil and protein or amino acid composition while increasing the oleic acid content up to 87.6% from approximately 23.8% for wild-type seeds, concomitant with 34.4- and 3.7-fold reductions in linoleic and linolenic acid, respectively. Collectively, this study demonstrates that the AtKASII promoter is highly promising for optimization of the CRISPR/Cas9 system for genome editing in soybean and possibly beyond.

Simultaneous detection of the dynamic distribution of long-chain fatty acid ethyl esters (LCFAEEs) during Baijiu distillation is crucial for optimizing its flavor and health attributes. In this study, we synthesized a simple, cost-effective Fe 3 O 4 @NH 2 adsorbent to simultaneously extract eight LCFAEEs from Baijiu. Through density functional theory and adsorption experiments, we elucidated 1,6-hexanediamine as a surface modifier, with the -NH 2 groups providing adsorption sites for the LCFAEEs via hydrogen-bonding interactions and van der Waals forces. Additionally, we established the magnetic solid-phase extraction-GC-MS extraction technique combined with stable isotope dilution analysis to analyze LCFAEEs. This method revealed the dynamic distribution patterns of LCFAEEs during strong aroma-type Baijiu (SAB) distillation. We observed that the concentrations of the eight LCFAEEs gradually decreased with prolonged distillation and were significantly correlated with ethanol concentration. To ensure optimal flavor and clarity in SAB, it is recommended to select the heart-stage base Baijiu with an alcohol content of 58%-63%.