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Objective: To determine whether the prokaryotic expression product of the red rice OsPrx3 gene, which encodes a peroxiredoxin, can enhance oxidative stress resistance in animals. Methods: OsPrx3 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. After ingestion of the target protein, the animal model Caenorhabditis elega was evaluated for its motility, body length, oxidative stress resistance, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and fat contents, and oxidation-related gene expression levels. Results: This gene was cloned and expressed in E. coli successfully, and the purified expressed protein had high antioxidant activity, which at 1 μg/mL scavenged more than 40% of H2O2 in five minutes. Ingestion of the target protein significantly increased the resistance to oxidative stress within 15 minutes after oxidative treatment and reduced ROS and cellular lipid content in C. elegans compared to the control group, although there were no significant changes in motility or body length. Additionally, the expression levels of several critical antioxidant genes were evidently increased in the treated C. elegans. Conclusion: The OsPrx3 protein had high in vitro antioxidant potency, and when ingested by C. elegans, significantly enhanced the resistance to oxidative stress.

Key message: The relationships between transcription and methylation were revealed in Arabidopsis thaliana NB-LRR-encoding genes in wild type (Col-0) and different mutants.Abstract: Plant nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) proteins constitute a large family that plays predominant roles in disease resistance. However, the regulation of NB-LRR-encoding genes at the transcriptional level is still poorly understood. Recently, DNA cytosine methylation in eukaryotes has been described as serving an important function in regulating gene expression. Here, we analysed the DNA methylation patterns of NB-LRR-encoding genes in Arabidopsis thaliana in samples from a wild type (Col-0) and ago4, met1, cmt3, drm1/2, and ddm1 mutants. Our results revealed that the vast majority of the NB-LRR-encoding genes in Col-0 were methylated, and the DNA methylation occurred predominantly in the CG sequence context. Moreover, DNA methylation was widely distributed in both the promoters and the bodies of most NB-LRR-encoding genes. Our results also showed that the loss of AGO4, MET1, CMT3, DRM1/2 or DDM1 functions generally led to decreased cytosine methylation in the NB-LRR-encoding genes. Analysis of the available transcriptome data from the wild type and the met1, cmt3, drm1/2 and ddm1 mutants revealed that differences in the transcription levels between the wild type and mutants were statistically significant for 63 of the NB-LRR-encoding genes. Of these genes, 38 were significantly upregulated, and the other 25 were significantly downregulated. Some NB-LRR-encoding genes with differential expression levels, which were revealed by the mRNA-Seq data, were confirmed to be significantly upregulated or downregulated in the mutants compared to the wild type by using quantitative RT-PCR. These data suggest that some Arabidopsis NB-LRR-encoding genes are likely to be regulated by altered DNA methylation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sensitive detection of trace biomarkers in exhaled breath for lung cancer diagnosis represents a critical area of research in life analytical chemistry, with profound implications for early disease detection, therapeutic intervention, and prognosis monitoring. Despite its potential, the analytical process faces significant challenges due to the ultratrace levels of disease biomarkers present and the complex, high-humidity composition of exhaled breath. This study introduces a highly sensitive method for detecting aldehyde biomarkers in exhaled breath by integrating the use of amino-functionalized microporous organic networks (NH 2 -MON) as a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber coating with gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) analysis. The method innovatively combines sample collection and extraction, achieving a dual-step enrichment process that significantly enhances both the enrichment efficiency and reproducibility of biomarker detection while effectively mitigating the interference caused by water vapor in exhaled breath. The NH 2 -MON, utilized as an SPME fiber coating, demonstrates exceptional enrichment capacity for five key aldehyde biomarkers, facilitating the development of a highly sensitive detection approach for these biomarkers in exhaled breath. Compared to previously reported methods, the proposed technique exhibits significantly lower limits of quantification, ranging from 0.77 to 11.89 pg mL -1 , and achieves substantially higher enrichment factors, ranging from 9156- to 35723-fold. The practicality and feasibility of the method were validated through the analysis of exhaled breath samples from lung cancer patients, underscoring its potential application in the early diagnosis and monitoring of lung cancer.