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Chronopotentiometric sensors for antimicrobial peptide-based biosensing of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>
No full textCharged antimicrobial peptides can be used for direct potentiometric biosensing, but have never been explored. We report here a galvanostatically-controlled potentiometric sensor for antimicrobial peptide-based biosensing. Solid-state pulsed galvanostatic sensors that showed excellent stability under continuous galvanostatic polarization were prepared by utilizing reduced graphene oxide/poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (4-styrenesulfonate) (rGO/PEDOT: PSS) as a solid contact. More importantly, the chronopotentiometric sensor can be made sensitive to antimicrobial peptides with intrinsic charge on demand via a current pulse. In this study, a positively charged antimicrobial peptide that can bind to Staphylococcus aureus with high affinity and good selectivity was designed as a model. Two arginine residues with positive charges were linked to the C-terminal of the peptide sequence to increase its potentiometric responses on the electrode. The bacteria binding-induced charge or charge density change of the antimicrobial peptide enables the direct chronopotentiometric detection of the target. Under the optimized conditions, the concentration of Staphylococcus aureus can be determined in the linear range 10-1.0 x 10(5) CFU mL(-1) with a detection limit of 10 CFU mL(-1). It is anticipated that such a chronopotentiometric sensing platform is readily adaptable to detect other bacteria by choosing the peptides
Genome-wide analysis with additive and epistasis effects reveals growth-related loci and candidate genes in hybrid Argopecten scallops
No full textThe first filial (F1) generation from the successful hybridization of bay scallops (Argopecten irradians) and Peruvian scallops (A. purpuratus) exhibits significant heterosis, playing a crucial role in enhancing the germplasm and increasing yields of the scallops. However, there is significant variation in the growth traits of the F1 hybrid population, and there is little information concerning its hereditary basis. To unravel the heterosis mechanism and identify key loci and genes contributing to superhybrids, genome-wide association study (GWAS) with additive and epistasis models were conducted for six growth-related traits in the F1 hybrid scallop population in this study. In total, 18,789,547 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified after filtering from 198 hybrid individuals, comprising 63.5% of maternal loci and 36.5% of paternal loci. The additive model revealed 2768 associated SNPs and 14 candidate genes, with most of the loci associated with the body mass traits. The additive-additive epistatic model identified 133,094 SNP interaction pairs and 20 candidate gene pairs with exon region SNPs, which were predominantly associated with shell morphology traits. Almost all the SNP pairs associated with body mass traits were maternal-maternal interactions, but the shell morphology traits had the most maternal-paternal and maternal-maternal interactions, suggesting that body mass traits might be affected mainly by maternal effects and that parental interaction effects mainly contributed to the shell size of the hybrid scallops. Both in the shell morphology and the body mass traits, multiple loci participate in epistasis, interacting with more than one locus and forming high-order epistatic interactions, which could be critical factors contributing to the heterosis observed in hybrid scallops. The identified associated loci and candidate genes not only constitute valuable resources for the molecular breeding of hybrid scallops, contributing to the improvement of growth-related traits, but also revealed mechanisms underlying heterosis in aquatic species, providing insights into the advantages of heterosis and paving the way for future research on hybridization in aquatic organisms
Sea cucumber physiological response to abiotic stress: Emergent contaminants and climate change
No full textThe ocean is facing a multitude of abiotic stresses due to factors such as climate change and pollution. Understanding how organisms in the ocean respond to these global changes is vital to better predicting consequences. Sea cucumbers are popular echinoderms with multiple ecological, nutritional, and pharmaceutical benefits. Here, we reviewed the effects of environmental change on an ecologically important echinoderm of the ocean, aiming to understand their response better, which could facilitate healthy culture programs under environmental changes and draw attention to knowledge gaps. After screening articles from the databases, 142 studies were included on the influence of emergent contaminants and climate variation on the early developmental stages and adults of sea cucumbers. We outlined the potential mechanism underlying the physiological response of sea cucumbers to emerging contaminants and climate change. It can be concluded that the physiological response of sea cucumbers to emergent contaminants differs from their response to climate change. Sea cucumbers could accumulate pollutants in their organs but are aestivated when exposed to extreme climate change. Research showed that the physiological response of sea cucumbers to pollutants indicates that these pollutants impair critical physiological processes, particularly during the more susceptible early phases of development compared to adults, and the accumulation of these pollutants in adults is often observed. For climate change, sea cucumbers showed gradual adaptation to the slight variation. However, sea cucumbers undergo aestivation under extreme conditions. Based on this review, critical suggestions for future research are presented, and we call for more efforts focusing on the co -occurrence of different stressors to extend the knowledge regarding the effects of environmental changes on these economically and ecologically important species
Molecular characterization, expression and antibacterial function of a macin, HdMac, from <i>Haliotis discus hannai</i>
No full textMacins are a family of antimicrobial peptides, which play multiple roles in the elimination of invading pathogens. In the present study, a macin was cloned and characterized from Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai (Designated as HdMac). Analysis of the conserved domain suggested that HdMac was a new member of the macin family. In non-stimulated abalones, HdMac transcripts were constitutively expressed in all five tested tissues, especially in hemocytes. After Vibrio harveyi stimulation, the expression of HdMac mRNA in hemocytes was significantly up-regulated at 12 hr (P < 0.01). RNAi-mediated knockdown of HdMac transcripts affected the survival rates of abalone against V. harveyi. Moreover, recombinant protein of HdMac (rHdMac) exhibited high antibacterial activities against invading bacteria, especially for Vibrio anguillarum. In addition, rHdMac possessed binding activities towards glucan, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and peptidoglycan (PGN), but not chitin in vitro. Membrane integrity analysis revealed that rHdMac could increase the membrane permeability of bacteria. Meanwhile, both the phagocytosis and chemotaxis ability of hemocytes could be significantly enhanced by rHdMac. Overall, the results showed that HdMac could function as a versatile molecule involved in immune responses of H. discus hannai
Environmentally friendly anti-biofouling polymeric membrane potentiometric sensors based on imprinted receptors
No full textPolymeric membrane potentiometric sensors using molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) receptors are an ideal tool for determination of organic ionic species. However, their applications in complicated samples are very limited because of occurrence of sensor biofouling. Herein, for the first time, we describe a simple but environmentally friendly strategy to improve anti-biofouling performance of MIP-based potentiometric sensors. The non-toxic, environmentally friendly anti-fouling agent is doped into the polymeric membrane. The released organic biocidal agent from the polymeric membrane can kill the microorganisms adhered to the sensing membrane surface, and the formation of biofilms can thus be prevented. As a proof-the-concept experiment, an all-solid-state MIP-based potentiometric ceftiofur sensor is selected as a model. Capsaicin, a naturally occurring alkaloid derived from chillis, is chosen as a non-toxic biocide agent. Another widely used biocide agent 4,5dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) with low toxicity is also used as a comparison. Compared to the undoped electrode, the capsaicin-doped MIP sensor exhibits remarkably improved anti-biofouling abilities in terms of the low survival rates and the low adhesion rates of the bacterial cells and microalgae. Especially, the capsaicin-based electrode displays similar anti-fouling and response properties to the DCOIT-based one. It can be anticipated that such anti-fouling strategy may lay the foundation for development of "green" anti-fouling sensors, which are urgently required in marine monitoring and clinical diagnosis
Time Is Ripe for Targeting Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances-Induced Hormesis: Global Aquatic Hotspots and Implications for Ecological Risk Assessment
No full textGlobally implemented ecological risk assessment (ERA) guidelines marginalize hormesis, a biphasic dose-response relationship characterized by low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition. The present study illuminated the promise of hormesis as a scientific dose-response model for ERA of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represented by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). A total of 266 hormetic dose-response relationships were recompiled from 1237 observations, covering 30 species from nine representative taxonomic groups. The standardized hormetic amplitudes followed the log-normal probability distribution, being subject to the limits of biological plasticity but independent of stress inducers. The SHapley Additive exPlanations algorithm revealed that the target endpoint was the most important variable explaining the hormetic amplitudes. Subsequently, quantitative frameworks were established to incorporate hormesis into the predicted no-effect concentration levels, with a lower induction dose and a zero-equivalent point but a broader hormetic zone for PFOS. Realistically, 10,117 observed concentrations of PFOA and PFOS were gathered worldwide, 4% of which fell within hormetic zones, highlighting the environmental relevance of hormesis. Additionally, the hormesis induction potential was identified in other legacy and emerging PFAS as well as their alternatives and mixtures. Collectively, it is time to incorporate the hormesis concept into PFAS studies to facilitate more realistic risk characterizations
Effect of hydrodynamic and ecosystem conditions on persistent organic pollutant temporal-spatial variations in the Yellow Sea
No full textCoastal seas are important pools of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) discharged from land. Considering the complex conditions in coastal seas and various biochemical features of POPs, special temporal-spatial variations in POPs have been reported. To understand these variations, we developed a three-dimensional hydrodynamic-ecosystem-POP coupled model and applied it to the Yellow Sea. We selected two POP species (polychlorinated biphenyl congener 153 (PCB-153) and decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209)), which have different biochemical properties, as target materials. The dissolved PCB-153 simulated concentration was high in late spring and low in autumn, whereas that of BDE-209 was high in summer and low in winter. Both PCB-153 and BDE-209 showed high particle-bound concentrations in early spring. In summer, dissolved PCB-153 accumulated at the sea bottom, whereas dissolved BDE-209 accumulated at the sea surface. Seasonal and spatial variation differences in the two POPs are likely caused by greater Henry's Law Constant (H ') and bioconcentration factor (BCF) of PCB-153 than that of BDE-209, which leads to higher volatilization and stronger absorption by the particles for PCB-153 than BDE-209. As a component of such differences, the "biological pump" of PCB-153 in the central Yellow Sea is more apparent than that of BDE-209
Integration of clinical and spatial data to explore lipid metabolism-related genes for predicting prognosis and immune microenvironment in gliomas (Retraction of Vol 23, art no 82, 2023)
No full textConverting Tobacco Stalk Wastes into Value-Added Products via Sequential Hydrothermal and Pyrolysis Treatments
No full textWith the increasing concerns of human health and the ecological environment, tobacco stalks from the cigarette industry have been recognized as hazardous wastes requiring cautious treatment. However, there is still a lack of a simple and efficient route for full utilization of tobacco stalks. Herein, we attempted to convert tobacco stalk waste to value-added carbohydrates, bio-oil, and biochar through sequential hydrothermal and pyrolysis treatments. The results showed a high carbohydrate yield under the optimized condition using a microwave reaction system. The subsequent pyrolysis of residual solids at high temperatures could produce unexpected high-level aromatic chemicals including phenols and even benzenes-difficult to form without the facilitation of catalysts or salts. The obtained by-product biochar showed rapid absorption of tetracycline in 5 min and gradual introparticle diffusion from 30 to 240 min. The isotherm result had the characteristics of the Langmuir model, displaying homogeneous active sites on the biochar surface. Probably due to the hydrothermal pretreatment before pyrolysis, the obtained biochar exhibited a high adsorption capacity toward tetracycline without introducing the activation chemicals. These results illustrate that the proposed strategy may pave the way for dealing with tobacco wastes in the agricultural field
Surface water-groundwater interactions drive the spatial variability of dissolved heavy metals and interfacial fluxes in mangrove intertidal zones
No full textThe intertidal aquifer is a crucial area that significantly influences the transport of heavy metals and the health of coastal environment. In this study, we used a 3-dimensional sampling method to analyze the spatial variability of heavy metals in the groundwater of the mangrove intertidal zone in China. The pollution level of heavy metals and their release processes into coastal waters through groundwater discharge were also explored. Our findings revealed high spatial heterogeneity of heavy metals occurred along the cross-shore, parallel-shore, and depth directions. Specifically, heavy metals exhibited inconsistent variation trends between the seawater infiltrated zone and groundwater discharge zone along the cross-shore direction. Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Pb exhibited a similar variation trend along the cross-shore direction, but were opposite to that of Hg and As. In addition, most heavy metals showed higher concentrations in mangrove groundwater compared to inland pond water and coastal seawater, indicating that mangrove intertidal zone played a crucial role in sequestering heavy metals. The spatial variability of heavy metals can be attributed to different exchange types and magnitudes between the surface water and groundwater, as well as the complex biogeochemical reactions. Our study also identified a slight pollution level of Zn and Hg, and high groundwater discharge-derived fluxes of Hg and As compared with other study sites in the world. In addition, this study highlights the importance of considering different groundwater end-member, especially for redox sensitive heavy metals, when determining groundwater discharge-derived fluxes into the surface water in mangrove intertidal zone