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Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) are a type of membranous vesicle isolated from plant tissues. They contain proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and other components. PELNs are involved in the defensive response to pathogen attacks by exerting anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifibrotic, and antitumor effects through the substances they contain. Most PELNs are edible and can be used as carriers for delivering specific drugs without toxicity and side effects, making them a hot topic of research. Sources of PELNs are abundantly, and they can be produced in high yields, with a low risk of developing immunogenicity in vivo. This paper summarizes the formation, isolation, and purification methods; physical properties; and composition of PELNs through a comprehensive literature search. It also analyzes the biomedical applications of PELNs, as well as future research directions. This paper provides new ideas and methods for future research on PELNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: So far, the assembly and response mechanism of soil fungi in the ecological restoration process of lead zinc mines is still unclear. Methods: In this study, we selected three plants for the ecological restoration of abandoned lead zinc mining areas and explored the community assembly mechanism by which soil fungi assist plants in adapting to the environment during the ecological restoration process. Results: The results revealed that the mining of lead zinc mines led to a significant decrease in soil fungal diversity, whereas the planting of three plants significantly increased the diversity of rhizosphere fungi. Mining activities significantly reduced the abundance of soil Fusarium, Macroventuria, Cladosporium, and Solicocozyma and increased the abundance of soil Helvella. After three ecologically restored plants were planted, the abundances of Fusarium and Cladosporium increased significantly, whereas the abundance of Helvella decreased significantly. In addition, Capronia was significantly enriched in the rhizosphere soils of three plant species in the mining area. β diversity and fungal guild analysis revealed that mining activities had a great impact on fungal communities and guilds. The ecological restoration of plants changed the guilds of rhizosphere fungi, making them closer to those of the control sample. In addition, the endophyte guild was significantly enriched in the rhizosphere soil of three ecologically restored plants, increasing their adaptability. Conclusions: The results provide a reference for screening lead zinc mine bioremediation strains and developing fungal plant joint remediation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, heavy metal pollution has become increasingly prominent, severely damaging ecosystems and biodiversity, and posing a serious threat to human health. However, the results of current methods for heavy metal restoration are not satisfactory, so it is urgent to find a new and effective method. Peptides are the units that make up proteins, with small molecular weights and strong biological activities. They can effectively repair proteins by forming complexes, reducing heavy metal ions, activating the plant's antioxidant defense system, and promoting the growth and metabolism of microorganisms. Peptides show great potential for the remediation of heavy metal contamination due to their special structure and properties. This paper reviews the research progress in recent years on the use of peptides to remediate heavy metal pollution, describes the mechanisms and applications of remediation, and provides references for the remediation of heavy metal pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since industrialization, global temperatures have continued to rise. Human activities have resulted in heavy metals being freed from their original, fixed locations. Because of global warming, glaciers are melting, carbon dioxide concentrations are increasing, weather patterns are shifting, and various environmental forces are at play, resulting in the movement of heavy metals and alteration of their forms. In this general context, the impact of heavy metals on ecosystems and organisms has changed accordingly. For most ecosystems, the levels of heavy metals are on the rise, and this rise can have a negative impact on the ecosystem as a whole. Numerous studies have been conducted to analyze the combined impacts of climate change and heavy metals. However, the summary of the current studies is not perfect. Therefore, this review discusses how heavy metals affect ecosystems during the process of climate change from multiple perspectives, providing some references for addressing the impact of climate warming on environmental heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs), found in many places around the world, are thought to be more detrimental than other forms of plastics. At present, physical, chemical, and biological methods are being used to break down MPs. Compared with physical and chemical methods, biodegradation methods have been extensively studied by scholars because of their advantages of greenness and sustainability. There have been numerous reports in recent years summarizing the microorganisms capable of degrading MPs. However, there is a noticeable absence of a systematic summary on the technology for breeding strains that can degrade MPs. This paper summarizes the strain-breeding technology of MP-degrading strains for the first time in a systematic way, which provides a new idea for the breeding of efficient MP-degrading strains. Meanwhile, potential techniques for breeding bacteria that can degrade MPs are proposed, providing a new direction for selecting and breeding MP-degrading bacteria in the future. In addition, this paper reviews the sources and pollution status of soil MPs, discusses the current challenges related to the biodegradation of MPs, and emphasizes the safety of MP biodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]