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Transcriptomic profiling of the thermal tolerance in two subspecies of the bay scallop Argopecten irradians
No full textThe bay scallop is a eurythermal species with high economic value and now represents the most cultured bivalve species in China. Two subspecies of the bay scallop, the northern subspecies Argopecten irradians irradians Korean population (KK) and the southern subspecies Argopecten irradians concentricus (MM), exhibited distinct adaptations to heat stress. However, the molecular mechanism of heat resistance of the two subspecies remains unclear. In this study, we compared the transcriptomic responses of the two subspecies to heat stress and identified the involved differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pathways. More DEGs were found in the KK than in the MM when exposed to high temperatures, indicating elevated sensitivity to thermal stress in the KK. Enrichment analysis suggests that KK scallops may respond to heat stress more swiftly by regulating GTPase activity. Meanwhile, MM scallops exhibited higher resistance to heat stress mainly by effective activation of their antioxidant system. Chaperone proteins may play different roles in responses to heat stress in the two subspecies. In both subspecies, the expression levels of antioxidants such as GST were significantly increased; the glycolysis process regulated by PC and PCK1 was greatly intensified; and both apoptotic and anti-apoptotic systems were significantly activated. The pathways related to protein translation and hydrolysis, oxidoreductase activity, organic acid metabolism, and cell apoptosis may also play pivotal roles in the responses to heat stress. The results of this study may provide a theoretical basis for marker -assisted breeding of heat -resistant strains
Evidence of nitrogen inputs affecting soil nitrogen purification by mediating root exudates of salt marsh plants
No full textSalt marsh has an important 'purification' role in coastal ecosystems by removing excess nitrogen that could otherwise harm aquatic life and reduce water quality. Recent studies suggest that salt marsh root exudates might be the 'control centre' for nitrogen transformation, but empirical evidence is lacking. Here we sought to estimate the direction and magnitude of nitrogen purification by salt marsh root exudates and gain a mechanistic understanding of the biogeochemical transformation pathway(s). To achieve this, we used a laboratory incubation to quantify both the root exudates and soil nitrogen purification rates, in addition to the enzyme activities and functional genes under Phragmites australis populations with different nitrogen forms addition (NO3-, NH4+ and urea). We found that NO3- and urea addition significantly stimulate P. australis root exudation of total acids, amino acids, total sugars and total organic carbon, while NH4+ addition only significantly increased total acids, amino acids and total phenol exudation. High total sugars, amino acids and total organic carbon concentrations enlarged nitrogen purification potential by stimulating the nitrogen purifying bacterial activities (including enzyme activities and related genes expression). Potential denitrification rates were not significantly elevated under NH4+ addition in comparison to NO3- and urea addition, which should be ascribed to total phenol self-toxicity and selective inhibition. Further, urea addition stimulated urease and protease activities with providing more NH4+ and NO2- substrates for elevated anaerobic ammonium oxidation rates among the nitrogen addition treatments. Overall, this study revealed that exogenous nitrogen could increase the nitrogen purification-associated bacterial activity through accelerating the root exudate release, which could stimulate the activity of nitrogen transformation, and then improve the nitrogen removal capacity in salt marsh
Unexpected methane oxidation acceleration by two species of bacteria from the rainwater promoting<i> Methylomonas</i> sp. in the soil
No full textAltering the function of a mixed microbial community through specific microorganisms is a challenge. In this study, we constructed different co-culture systems to not only elucidate the mechanisms of microbial interactions but also explain the significance to the environment. Metagenomic analysis indicated that Methylomonas sp. was the main contributor to aerobic methane oxidation in the soils. Co-culture experiments showed that the introduction of Methylophilus sp. and Rhizobium sp., isolated from rainwater, significantly enhanced aerobic methane oxidation rates, on an hourly scale, representing maximum increases of 50.49 % and 24.62 %, respectively. Furthermore, metatranscriptomic analysis revealed that Methylophilus sp. and Rhizobium sp. could recolonize in the soil with abundance increasing to 1.23 % and 0.02 %. The genes of hxlA (methanol metabolism gene) and cobC (cobalamin synthesis gene) were upregulated, leading to the upregulation of methane oxidation genes such as pmoA and mmoX. The findings uncover the mechanisms of microbial interactions that improve aerobic methane oxidation and highlight the importance of these interactions in maintaining carbon cycle equilibrium in wetlands
Application of deep eutectic solvents on extraction of flavonoids
No full textDeep eutectic solvents (DESs), as a new type of eco-friendly solvent, have attracted increasing attention on the extraction and separation of flavonoid compounds from various samples, owing to their excellent properties such as biodegradability and ease of handling with very low toxicity. This article provides a status review of the applications of DESs in the extraction of flavonoids, including the introduction of flavonoid compounds, the properties and superiority of DESs, and extraction methods (ultrasonic-assisted extraction, heating reflux extraction, matrix solid-phase dispersion, and solid-phase extraction). Finally, prospects and challenges in the application of DESs on extraction and separation are extensively elucidated and critically reviewed
Nodulating <i>Aeschynomene indica</i> without Nod Factor Synthesis Genes: In Silico Analysis of Evolutionary Relationship
No full textAeschynomene indica rhizobia (AIRs) are special classes of bacteria capable of nodulating without nodulation factors and have photosynthetic capacity. With an aim to characterize the structural variations in Bradyrhizobium genomes during its evolution, the genomes of AIRs and the reference Bradyrhizobium strains were compared utilizing molecular biology, bioinformatics, and biochemistry techniques. The presence of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (nif) genes and photosynthetic genes, as well as components of the T3SS (Type III secretion system) and T3CP (Type III chaperone) in the genome of AIRs, was also assessed. Additionally, the origin, evolutionary history, and genes associated with the NF-independent nodulation pattern in AIRs were explored. The results indicate that horizontal gene transfer events have occurred in AIRs, and three distinct origins of AIRs were estimated: early differentiated AIRs, non-symbiotic Bradyrhizobium, and non-AIRs. In contrast to the significant genetic transformations observed in the second and third groups, the first group of AIRs displays a rich evolutionary history, exhibits high species diversity, and primarily relies on vertical transmission of nitrogen fixation and photosynthetic genes. Overall, the findings provide a fundamental theoretical foundation for gaining a deeper understanding of the phylogeny and genealogy of AIRs
Red light mitigates Cd toxicity in Egeria densa by restricting Cd accumulation and modulating antioxidant defense system
No full textControlling light qualities have been acknowledged as an effective method to enhance the efficiency of phytoremediation, as light has a significant impact on plant growth. This study examined the effects of light qualities on cadmium (Cd) tolerance in aquatic plant Egeria densa using a combination of biochemical and transcriptomic approaches. The study revealed that E. densa exhibits higher resistance to Cd toxicity under red light (R) compared to blue light (B), as evidenced by a significant decrease in photosynthetic inhibition and damage to organelle ultrastructure. After Cd exposure, there was a significantly reduced Cd accumulation and enhanced levels of both glutathione reductase (GR) activity and glutathione (GSH), along with an increase in jasmonic acid (JA) in R-grown E. densa compared to B. Transcriptional analysis revealed that R caused an up-regulation of Cd transporter genes such as ABCG (G-type ATP-binding cassette transporter), ABCC (C-type ATP-binding cassette transporter), and CAX2 (Cation/H+ exchanger 2), while down-regulated the expression of HIPP26 (Heavy metalassociated isoprenylated plant protein 26), resulting in reduced Cd uptake and enhanced Cd exportation and sequestration into vacuoles. Moreover, the expression of genes involved in phytochromes and JA synthesis was up-regulated in Cd treated E. densa under R. In summary, the results suggest that R could limit Cd accumulation and improve antioxidant defense to mitigate Cd toxicity in E. densa, which might be attributed to the enhanced JA and phytochromes. This study provides a foundation for using light control methods with aquatic macrophytes to remediate heavy metal contamination in aquatic systems
A strategy to boost xanthine oxidase and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activities of peptides via molecular docking and module substitution
No full textMolecular docking and activity evaluation screened the dipeptide module GP with low xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity and modules KE and KN with high activity, and identified them as low- and high-contribution modules, respectively. We hypothesized the substitution of low-contribution modules in peptides with high contributions would boost their XOD inhibitory activity. In the XOD inhibitory peptide GPAGPR, substitution of GP with both KE and KN led to enhanced affinity between the peptides and XOD. They also increased XOD inhibitory activity (26.4% and 10.3%) and decreased cellular uric acid concentrations (28.0% and 10.4%). RNA sequencing indicated that these improvements were attributable to the inhibition of uric acid biosynthesis. In addition, module substitution increased the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity of GILRP and GAAGGAF by 84.8% and 76.5%. This study revealed that module substitution is a feasible strategy to boost peptide activity, and provided information for the optimization of hydrolysate preparation conditions
Molecular signatures and formation mechanisms of water-soluble chromophores in particulate matter from Karachi in Pakistan
No full textExcitation -emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy is a widely -used method for characterizing the chemical components of brown carbon (BrC). However, the molecular basics and formation mechanisms of chromophores, which are decomposed by parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis, are not yet fully understood. In this study, we characterized the water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in aerosols collected from Karachi, Pakistan, using EEM spectroscopy and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). We identified three PARAFAC components, including two humic-like components (C1 and C2) and one phenolic -like species (C3). We determined the molecular families associated with each component by performing Spearman correlation analysis between FT-ICR MS peaks and PARAFAC component intensities. We found that the C1 and C2 components were associated with nitrogen -enriched compounds, where C2 with the longest emission wavelength exhibited a higher level of aromaticity, N content, and oxygenation than C1. The C3 associated formulas have fewer nitrogen -containing species, a lower unsaturation degree, and a lower oxidation state. An oxidation pathway was identified as an important process in the formation of C1 and C2 components at the molecular level, particularly for the assigned CHON compounds associated with the gas -phase oxidation process, despite their diverse precursor types. Numerous C2 formulas were found in the "potential BrC" region and overlapped with the BrC-associated formulas. It can be inferred that the compounds that fluoresce C2 contributed considerably to the light absorption of BrC. These findings are essential for future studies utilizing the EEM-PARAFAC method to explore the sources, processes, and compositions of atmospheric BrC
Potential roles of lipases and antioxidases on longevity under nutrient restriction in two Argopecten scallops with distinct lifespans
No full textNutrient restriction (NR) extends lifespan in many species. High latitudes are characterized by cold-water temperature and food limitations, where bivalves may mimic NR like vertebrates, which could result in a prolonged life expectancy. The long-lived Peruvian scallop (7-10 years) distributes naturally at relatively higher latitudes than the annual bay scallop. However, the relationship and the mechanism underlying the food availability and lifespan are unclear in bivalves. In this study, the genetic response to NR was first investigated in bivalves with distinct lifespans. Peruvian scallops persistently responded to NR mainly via metabolic pathways, but that began to play roles in bay scallops after 56 days. Significant down-regulated expression of long-chain saturated fatty acid synthetase in both two scallops and increased expression of SCD5 and LIPN2 in Peruvian scallops might contribute to MUFA accumulation under NR. SOD1 was more highly expressed in Peruvian scallops than in bay scallops under NR, and strong autophagy was detected only in Peruvian scallops. Peruvian scallops presented much lower MDA levels and higher SOD1 activities than bay scallops. These findings help us understanding the role of lipases and antioxidases in longevity of bivalves, and provide potential biomarkers for breeding long-lived larger scallops
Surface enhanced Raman scattering microtips for microenvironment pH determination of semi-solid preparations
No full textSemi-solid preparations such as ointments, creams, gels, and pastes are common topical dosage forms with complex compositions and microstructures. pH is a critical quality attribute for semi-solid preparations, affecting properties such as particle size distribution, drug dissociation state, and rheological behavior. Currently, traditional pH electrode methods only provide an "average" pH for large-volume matrices, with low spatial resolution and accuracy. Microenvironment pH detection is crucial for accurately assessing semi-solid preparations. Herein, we developed pH-sensitive surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) microtips to achieve localized pH detection in semi-solid preparations. SERS microtips were prepared from glass needles with a tip size of around 1 mu m and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) grown in situ on glass surfaces for SERS enhancement. 4-Mercaptopyridine was selected as a pH sensitive Raman reporter and immobilized on the Au NPs, exhibiting characteristic Raman peak shifts within the pH range of 3-10. The SERS microtips were employed to conduct highly sensitive pH measurements in localized areas of 15 commercial ointments, 8 gels, and 1 laboratory-made ointment, providing higher spatial resolution and microenvironment differentiation compared to pH meters. The SERS microtips were used to monitor pH changes over time in ointment applied to localized wounds on live mice. This work introduces a new tool for pH detection in semi-solid preparations, offering a new method to enhance the prescription process and quality assessment of complex preparations like topical semi-solid preparations.
Microregion pH of semi-solid preparations such as ointments, creams, gels can be revealed by pH-sensitive surface enhanced Raman scattering microtips