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The hydrolysis and biotransformation of lignocellulose, i.e., biorefinery, can provide human beings with biofuels, bio-based chemicals, and materials, and is an important technology to solve the fossil energy crisis and promote global sustainable development. Biorefinery involves steps such as pretreatment, saccharification, and fermentation, and researchers have developed a variety of biorefinery strategies to optimize the process and reduce process costs in recent years. Lignocellulosic hydrolysates are platforms that connect the saccharification process and downstream fermentation. The hydrolysate composition is closely related to biomass raw materials, the pretreatment process, and the choice of biorefining strategies, and provides not only nutrients but also possible inhibitors for downstream fermentation. In this review, we summarized the effects of each stage of lignocellulosic biorefinery on nutrients and possible inhibitors, analyzed the huge differences in nutrient retention and inhibitor generation among various biorefinery strategies, and emphasized that all steps in lignocellulose biorefinery need to be considered comprehensively to achieve maximum nutrient retention and optimal control of inhibitors at low cost, to provide a reference for the development of biomass energy and chemicals.

Cochlear hair cells are the sensory cells responsible for transduction of acoustic signals. In mammals, damaged hair cells do not regenerate, resulting in permanent hearing loss. Reprogramming of the surrounding supporting cells to functional hair cells represent a novel strategy to hearing restoration. However, cellular processes governing the efficient and functional hair cell reprogramming are not completely understood. Employing the mouse cochlear organoid system, detailed metabolomic characterizations of the expanding and differentiating organoids are performed. It is found that hair cell differentiation is associated with increased mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) activity and reactive oxidative species generation. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses indicate reduced expression of oxidoreductases and tricyclic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites. The metabolic decoupling between ETC and TCA cycle limits the availability of the key metabolic cofactors, α‐ketoglutarate (α‐KG) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Reduced expression of NAD+ in cochlear supporting cells by PGC1α deficiency further impairs hair cell reprogramming, while supplementation of α‐KG and NAD+ promotes hair cell reprogramming both in vitro and in vivo. These findings reveal metabolic rewiring as a central cellular process during hair cell differentiation, and highlight the insufficiency of key metabolites as a metabolic barrier for efficient hair cell reprogramming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Fe/Mn/Mg2-LDH was utilized for the first time as a catalyst for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to facilitate the removal of Orange II. This composite was characterized using various techniques, such as XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDS, BET, and XPS. The results revealed a well-defined lamellar structure of Fe/Mn/Mg2-LDH with a metal molar ratio of Fe/Mn/Mg at 1:1:2. Moreover, the structural stability of Fe/Mn/Mg2-LDH was confirmed through the XRD, FTIR, and SEM. Fe/Mn/Mg2-LDH exhibited a good adsorption capacity towards Orange II and highly efficient PMS activation. The optimal removal efficiency of Orange II (98%) was achieved under the conditions of pH 7.0, [PMS] = 1.0 mmol L−1, [Fe/Mn/Mg₂-LDH] = 1.6 g L−1, and [Orange II] = 50 μM. Additionally, this system demonstrated good adaptability across a wide pH range. The presence of Cl− and humic acids (HA) did not significantly inhibit Orange II removal, whereas inhibitory effects were observed in the presence of CO32− and PO43−. The removal mechanism of Orange II was attributed to a synergy of adsorption and oxidation processes, wherein the generated surface radicals (SO4•−ads and HO•ads) on the surface of the Fe/Mn/Mg2-LDH played a predominant role. Furthermore, the Fe/Mn/Mg2-LDH exhibited good reusability, maintaining a removal rate of 90% over five cycles of recycling. The Fe/Mn/Mg2-LDH/PMS system shows promising potential for the treatment of wastewater contaminated with refractory organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degeneration of the cochlear spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) is one of the major causes of sensorineural hearing loss and significantly impacts the outcomes of cochlear implantation. Functional regeneration of SGNs holds great promise for treating sensorineural hearing loss. In this study, we systematically screened 33 transcriptional regulators implicated in neuronal and SGN fate. Using gene expression array and principal component analyses, we identified a sequential combination of Ascl1, Pou4f1 and Myt1l (APM) in promoting functional reprogramming of SGNs. The neurons induced by APM expressed mature neuronal and SGN lineage‐specific markers, displayed mature SGN‐like electrophysiological characteristics and exhibited single‐cell transcriptomes resembling the endogenous SGNs. Thus, transcription factors APM may serve as novel candidates for direct reprogramming of SGNs and hearing recovery due to SGN damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial epoxide hydrolases, cis-epoxysuccinate hydrolases (CESHs), have been utilized for commercial production of enantiomerically pure L(+)- and D(-)-tartaric acids for decades. However, the stereo-catalytic mechanism of CESH producing L(+)-tartaric acid (CESH[L]) remains unclear. Herein, the crystal structures of two CESH[L]s in ligand-free, product-complexed, and catalytic intermediate forms were determined. These structures revealed the unique specific binding mode for the mirror-symmetric substrate, an active catalytic triad consisting of Asp-His-Glu, and an arginine providing a proton to the oxirane oxygen to facilitate the epoxide ring-opening reaction, which has been pursued for decades. These results provide the structural basis for the rational engineering of these industrial biocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cochlear hair cells are the sensory cells responsible for transduction of acoustic signals. In mammals, damaged hair cells do not regenerate, resulting in permanent hearing loss. Reprogramming of the surrounding supporting cells to functional hair cells represent a novel strategy to hearing restoration. However, cellular processes governing the efficient and functional hair cell reprogramming are not completely understood. Employing the mouse cochlear organoid system, detailed metabolomic characterizations of the expanding and differentiating organoids are performed. It is found that hair cell differentiation is associated with increased mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) activity and reactive oxidative species generation. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses indicate reduced expression of oxidoreductases and tricyclic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites. The metabolic decoupling between ETC and TCA cycle limits the availability of the key metabolic cofactors, α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ). Reduced expression of NAD + in cochlear supporting cells by PGC1α deficiency further impairs hair cell reprogramming, while supplementation of α-KG and NAD + promotes hair cell reprogramming both in vitro and in vivo. These findings reveal metabolic rewiring as a central cellular process during hair cell differentiation, and highlight the insufficiency of key metabolites as a metabolic barrier for efficient hair cell reprogramming., (© 2024 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)