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Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) have emerged as a promising tool for controlling soil-dwelling crop pests. However, their efficacy varies according to EPN populations and targeted hosts. Wireworms are polyphagous insects causing significant crop losses, especially since the ban on pesticides previously used for their control. They are highly resistant to EPN populations and require high number of infective juveniles (IJs) to achieve optimal mortality rates. In this research, we collected and compared the virulence of 16 EPN populations, of foreign origin, purchased or collected from wireworms infested fields. Then, we have tested two hypotheses: (i) smaller nematodes induce heightened mortality rates against wireworms; (ii) virulence levels can be linked to nematodes-bacteria complex. Mortality rates scaled from three to 43 % after 56 days of continuous exposure across the 16 tested EPN populations (Heterorhabditis spp. and Steinernema spp.). Morphometric analysis of IJs revealed both intra- and interspecific variations in length and diameter among populations. Interestingly, while EPN length influence mortality at three days post-inoculation. We found leaner IJs (< 25 µm) to induce higher mortality rates at 56 days post-inoculation. To better determine the structure and dimensions of the primary entry routes utilized by EPNs, we provide optical microscope micrographs of wireworm Agriotes spp. spiracle, anal sclerotized coating anus and anal muscles. Symbiotic bacteria of each EPN population were identified, and a biochemical characterization was performed using Analytical Profile Index tests. The symbiotic bacteria belong to the species Photorhabdus antumapuensis, P. laumondii subsp. laumondii, P. thracensis, Xenorhabdus bovienii and X. nematophila. Bacteria biochemical profiles did not reflect the differences in virulence of nematodes-bacteria complex against wireworms. These findings highlight the importance of considering EPN morphometry and intraspecific variability in designing applications to control wireworms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In mesothelioma (MPM), clinical evidence indicates that the absolute eosinophil count negatively correlates with overall survival and response to standard chemotherapy. Since eosinophils poorly infiltrate MPM tumours, we hypothesised that endocrine rather than paracrine pathways mediate the therapeutic response. We thus studied the effect of eosinophil-associated factors on response to chemotherapy in mesothelioma., Methods: The culture supernatant conditioned by primary human eosinophils was added to mesothelioma cells in presence of the standard chemotherapeutic regimen. The effectiveness of an anti-eosinophil treatment was evaluated in a preclinical model of C57BL/6 mice transplanted with mesothelioma tumour cells., Findings: Supernatant of eosinophils differentiated from EOL1 cells or directly isolated from peripheral blood inhibited apoptosis induced by cisplatin and pemetrexed in 2D cultures and in spheroids. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that the anti-apoptotic effect mediated by eosinophils involved molecular interactions with the Charcot-Leyden Crystal protein or Galectin-10 (CLC-P/Gal10). The functional relevance of CLC-P/Gal10 was demonstrated by antibody-mediated depletion. Recombinant human CLC-P/Gal10 mimicked the anti-apoptotic activity of eosinophil-derived supernatants. In the mouse model, eosinophilia did not significantly affect tumour growth but altered the response to chemotherapy. Finally, pretreatment of eosinophilia with the anti-Siglec-F antibody before chemotherapy restored the effectiveness of the treatment., Interpretation: This study provides a mechanistic rationale to clinical evidence correlating the poor outcome of patients with mesothelioma and with eosinophil-derived CLC-P/Gal10, opening new prospects for intervention in this fatal solid tumour., Funding: Belgian Foundation against Cancer, Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), Télévie, Foundation Léon Fredericq, ULiège., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no conflict of interest in the scope of this work. Beyond the scope of this study, RL declares consultancy fees from GSK and AstraZeneca, and grants from GSK AstraZeneca, Sanofi and Chiesi., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cashew apple bagasse (CAB) constituting about 20 % of the cashew apple's (CA) weight, is often overlooked and considered a waste product. This study aims to valorize CAB by extracting and studying a nutritional and functional compounds from CAB, particularly proteins. Response surface methodology (RSM) design and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) are employed to optimize a protein-enriched fraction extraction process. Analysis of CAB-Protein-Pellet composition reveals that its main constituents are sugars (42.49 %) and proteins (22.10 %). HPSEC analysis confirmed the existence of a new natural protein-polysaccharide complex (PPC), an high level of Ara (11.85 g/100 g) and Gal (17.45 g/100 g) indicating the presence of polysaccharides rich in arabinose and galactose (PRAG) with the main class of polymers in the CAB-PPC being AGPs. MIR-FTIR and 1 H NMR spectra allowed new insights into the structural features of the PPC derived from CA. The effects of protein-polysaccharide interactions within CAB-PPC on structure and functionality were investigated, revealing interesting functional properties and their correlation relationship. The findings highlight some similarities between CAB-PPC and gum Arabic with minor differences. The interfacial tension of CAB-PPC (21.32 mN/m) was lower than that of gum Arabic (23.71 mN/m). Therefore, CAB-PPC could be suitable for a range of food applications including thickening, stabilization, gelling, water retention, emulsification, and foaming., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The density of wood is a key indicator of the carbon investment strategies of trees, impacting productivity and carbon storage. Despite its importance, the global variation in wood density and its environmental controls remain poorly understood, preventing accurate predictions of global forest carbon stocks. Here we analyse information from 1.1 million forest inventory plots alongside wood density data from 10,703 tree species to create a spatially explicit understanding of the global wood density distribution and its drivers. Our findings reveal a pronounced latitudinal gradient, with wood in tropical forests being up to 30% denser than that in boreal forests. In both angiosperms and gymnosperms, hydrothermal conditions represented by annual mean temperature and soil moisture emerged as the primary factors influencing the variation in wood density globally. This indicates similar environmental filters and evolutionary adaptations among distinct plant groups, underscoring the essential role of abiotic factors in determining wood density in forest ecosystems. Additionally, our study highlights the prominent role of disturbance, such as human modification and fire risk, in influencing wood density at more local scales. Factoring in the spatial variation of wood density notably changes the estimates of forest carbon stocks, leading to differences of up to 21% within biomes. Therefore, our research contributes to a deeper understanding of terrestrial biomass distribution and how environmental changes and disturbances impact forest ecosystems., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The level of methylesterification alters the functional properties of pectin, which is believed to influence plant growth and development. However, the mechanisms that regulate demethylesterification remain largely unexplored. Pectin with a high degree of methylesterification is produced in the Golgi apparatus and then transferred to the primary cell wall where it is partially demethylesterified by pectin methylesterases (PMEs). Here, we show that in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seed mucilage, pectin demethylesterification is negatively regulated by the transcription factor ZINC FINGER FAMILY PROTEIN5 (ZAT5). Plants carrying null mutations in ZAT5 had increased PME activity, decreased pectin methylesterification, and produced seeds with a thinner mucilage layer. We provide evidence that ZAT5 binds to a TGATCA motif and thereby negatively regulates methylesterification by reducing the expression of PME5, HIGHLY METHYL ESTERIFIED SEEDS (HMS)/PME6, PME12, and PME16. We also demonstrate that ZAT5 physically interacts with BEL1-LIKE HOMEODOMAIN2 (BLH2) and BLH4 transcription factors. BLH2 and BLH4 are known to modulate pectin demethylesterification by directly regulating PME58 expression. The ZAT5-BLH2/4 interaction provides a mechanism to control the degree of pectin methylesterification in seed coat mucilage by modifying each transcription factor's ability to regulate the expression of target genes encoding PMEs. Taken together, these findings reveal a transcriptional regulatory module comprising ZAT5, BLH2, and BLH4, that functions in modulating the demethylesterification of homogalacturonan in seed coat mucilage., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement. The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

In Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris), formate is a recognized alternative inducer to methanol for expression systems based on the AOX1 promoter (pAOX1). By disrupting the formate dehydrogenase encoding FDH1 gene, we converted such a system into a self-induced one, as adding any inducer in the culture medium is no longer requested for pAOX1 induction. In cells, formate is generated from serine through the THF-C1 metabolism, and it cannot be converted into carbon dioxide in a FdhKO strain. Under non-repressive culture conditions, such as on sorbitol, the intracellular formate generated from the THF-C1 metabolism is sufficient to induce pAOX1 and initiate protein synthesis. This was evidenced for two model proteins, namely intracellular eGFP and secreted CalB lipase from C. antarctica. Similar protein productivities were obtained for a FdhKO strain on sorbitol and a non-disrupted strain on sorbitol-methanol. Considering a K. Phaffii FdhKO strain as a workhorse for recombinant protein synthesis paves the way for the further development of methanol-free processes in K. phaffii., (© 2024 The Author(s). Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Knowledge regarding the combined toxicity mechanism of bisphenol compounds and microplastics (MPs) on organisms remains limited. In this study, we first developed an accurate and sensitive method to simultaneously quantify two bisphenol compounds and evaluate their accumulation and tissue distribution after co-exposure with MPs in zebrafish. Then, we determined the bioaccumulation potential of bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) in adult zebrafish in the absence and presence of MPs. Bisphenol compounds were found to accumulate in different tissues of zebrafish, with BPS showing lower accumulation levels compared to BPA. Importantly, we discovered that the presence of MPs could exacerbate the accumulation of bisphenol compounds in biological tissues. These findings highlight the enhanced bioavailability and risk posed by the co-exposure of bisphenol compounds and MPs, underscoring the need for further investigation into their combined environmental and biological health impacts.

Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are receiving growing interest today, owing to their diversity in chemical structure and source, multiple functions, and immense potential applications in many food and non-food industries. Their health-promoting benefits for humans deserve particular attention because of their various biological activities and physiological functions. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of microbial EPSs, covering (1) their chemical and biochemical diversity, including composition, biosynthesis, and bacterial sources belonging mainly to lactic acid bacteria (LAB) or probiotics; (2) their technological and analytical aspects, especially their production mode and characterization; (3) their biological and physiological aspects based on their activities and functions; and (4) their current and future uses in medical and pharmaceutical fields, particularly for their prebiotic, anticancer, and immunobiotic properties, as well as their applications in other industrial and agricultural sectors.

The co-contamination of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in rice fields presents a global imperative for resolution. However, understanding the complex microbially driven geochemical processes and network connectivity crucial for As and Cd bioavailability under the frequent redox transitions in rice fields remains limited. Here, we conducted a series of microcosm experiments, using flooding and drainage, alongside fertilization treatments to emulate different redox environment in paddy soils. Soil As significantly reduced in drained conditions following applications of biochar or calcium-magnesium-phosphate (CMP) fertilizers by 26.3 % and 31.2 %, respectively, with concurrent decreases in Cd levels. Utilizing geochemical models, we identified the primary redox cycles dynamically altering during flooding (Fe and S cycles) and drainage (Fe, Mn, and N cycles). PLS-SEM elucidated 76 % and 61 % of the variation in Cd and As through Mn and N cycles. Functional genes implicated in multi-element cycles were analyzed, revealing a significantly higher abundance of assimilatory N reduction genes (nasA, nirA/B, narB) in drained soil, whereas an increase in ammonia-oxidizing genes (amoA/B) and a decrease in nitrate reduction to ammonium genes were observed after CMP fertilizer application. Biochar application led to significant enrichment of the substrate-binding protein of the Mn transport gene (mntC). Moreover, Fe transport genes were enriched after biochar or CMP application compared to drained soils. Among 40 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), microbial predictors associated with low Cd and As contents across different treatments were examined. Bradyrhizobacea harbored abundant Mn and Fe III transport genes, while Nitrososphaeraceae carried nitrification-related genes. Two MAGs affiliated with Caulobacteraceae, carrying diverse Fe transport genes, were enriched in biochar-applied soils. Therefore, applying CMP fertilizer or biochar in aerobic rice fields can synergistically reduce the bioavailability of Cd and As by specifically enhancing the circulation of essential elements., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Within the context of ecofriendly alternatives to neonicotinoids, we explored the direct and endophytic potential of two Beauveria bassiana isolates, GHA from BotaniGard and the new endemic isolate GxABT-1, against the Sugar Beet Mild Yellow Virus ( BMYV )- Myzus persicae pathosystem. A mortality rate of 96 and 91% was registered after 8 days of treatment with GHA and Gx-ABT-1, respectively. To assess the endophytic impact, sugar beet seeds were treated, and the ability of the fungi to colonize the plant was assessed and correlated with the aphids' (1) life cycle, (2) attraction towards the plants, and (3) ability to transmit BMYV. Both fungi colonized the plants, and the GxABT-1 isolate impaired the aphids' life cycle. Myzus persicae were more attracted to leaf discs from non-treated plants than to the fungal-treated ones. Interestingly, when the choice test dealt only with the fungal treatments, aphids were more attracted to leaves from plants harboring Gx-ABT-1 than those with GHA. Moreover, no significant impact was observed for BMYV transmission despite the slight decrease in the viral load in GxABT-1 isolate-treated plants. Our findings constitute a baseline to delve more into the performance of the new endemic isolate B. bassiana in other pathosystems using different treatment methods.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is one of the most commonly used spices in stewed beef to enrich and improve its aroma during the stewing process. Gas chromatography ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS), Q Exactive GC-Orbitrap-MS-O (QE-GC-MS/O), combined with sensory evaluation were employed to analyze the flavor endowment of aroma-active compounds in cloves to stewed beef. A total of 173 volatiles were identified in the clove powder (CP), stewed beef with clove (SBC), and stewed beef with salt (SBS), of which 21 volatiles were considered as aroma-active compounds. The concept of flavor endowment of aroma-active compounds in cloves was defined innovatively, and the endowment rate values (ERVs) of stewed beef were calculated. Nine aroma-active compounds in cloves were found to have a flavor endowment effect on stewed beef, while the terpenoids exhibited high ERVs. Despite the low ERV of eugenol, it still significantly impacted the aroma profile of SBC due to its high odor activity value (OAV) and flavor dilution (FD) factor. These volatiles offered mainly the clove, herbal, anise, and floral odor to stewed beef, which was also confirmed by sensory evaluation. These findings indicated that the terpenoids, phenolics and ethers in cloves had a significant influence on the overall aroma of stewed beef through the flavor endowment, which contributed to the precise use of cloves and improved the aroma of stewed beef., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, the widespread use of bisphenol compounds and microplastics (MP) have attracted attention due to their harmful effects. Here, individual and combined effects of MP and bisphenol compounds, were assessed on adult zebrafish after co-exposure of bisphenol A (BPA) or bisphenol S (BPS) and 25 μm polyethylene MP. Impacts on their offspring (the F1 generation) were also investigated. The reproductive toxicity in adult zebrafish impacted exerted by bisphenol compounds were aggravated by the co-presence of MP. Transcriptomics and metabolomics further showed single or co-exposure of bisphenol compounds and MP could together regulate apoptosis, calcium signaling pathway and glycerophospholipid signaling pathways. Our results also showed the different toxicity mechanisms on transcriptional and metabolic profiles in the combination effects of bisphenol compounds and MP. The co-exposure of BPA and MP predominantly influenced neurotoxicity via the MAPK signaling pathway and voltage-dependent calcium channels, whereas the co-exposure of BPS and MP principally affected visual development through phototransduction and retinol metabolism. The co-exposure of BPA and MP, as well as BPS and MP, specifically regulate lipid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism in zebrafish offspring, respectively. Overall, this study provided a deep understanding of the toxicity differences between co-exposure and single exposure of bisphenol compound and MP in zebrafish, as well as the transgenerational effects and potential molecular mechanisms of bisphenol compounds and MP in zebrafish offspring., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The potential of seed endophytic microbes to enhance plant growth and resilience is well recognized, yet their role in alleviating cold stress in rice remains underexplored due to the complexity of these microbial communities. In this study, we investigated the diversity of seed endophytic microbes in two rice varieties, the cold-sensitive CB9 and the cold-tolerant JG117. Our results revealed significant differences in the abundance of Microbacteriaceae, with JG117 exhibiting a higher abundance under both cold stress and room temperature conditions compared to CB9. Further analysis led to the identification of a specific cold-tolerant microbe, Microbacterium testaceum M15, in JG117 seeds. M15-inoculated CB9 plants showed enhanced growth and cold tolerance, with a germination rate increase from 40 % to 56.67 % at 14℃ and a survival rate under cold stress (4℃) doubling from 22.67 % to 66.67 %. Additionally, M15 significantly boosted chlorophyll content by over 30 %, increased total protein by 16.31 %, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels by 37.76 %, and increased catalase activity by 26.15 %. Overall, our study highlights the potential of beneficial endophytic microbes like M. testaceum M15 in improving cold tolerance in rice, which could have implications for sustainable agricultural practices and increased crop productivity in cold-prone regions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Human milk phospholipids (HMPLs) play an indispensable role in the neurodevelopment and growth of infants. In this study, a total of 37 phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) species and 139 phospholipid molecular species were detected from human milk and other natural phospholipid sources (including 5 animal-derived species and 2 plant species). Moreover, a similarity evaluation model for HMPLs was established, including phospholipid classes, PLFAs, and phospholipid molecular species, to evaluate their natural substitutes. The closest scores for HMPL substitute in these three dimensions was 0.89, 0.72, and 0.77, which belonged to mare milk, goat milk, and camel milk, respectively. The highest comprehensive similarity score was obtained by camel milk at 0.75, while the lowest score was observed in soybean phospholipid (0.22). Therefore, these results not only monitored the stereochemical structure of HMPLs and their substitutes, but also further provided new insights for the development of infant formulae., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Author Hong Zhang, Xuebing Xu, and Ruihua Guo were employed by Wilmar (Shanghai) Biotechnology Research & Development Center Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this study, widely targeted metabolomics and chemometrics were utilized to comprehensively analyse the formation of taste compounds in Longjing green tea. A total of 580 non-volatile metabolites were identified by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry, and alterations in three metabolic pathways were investigated. Notably, the fixation process reduced phosphatidic acid levels, resulting in the formation of lyso-phosphatidylcholine and lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine, as well as the release of esterified polyunsaturated fatty acids. Baiye No.1 had high levels of L-glutamic acid and l-glutamine, while Longjing 43 showed elevated levels of flavones. Correlation analysis and sensory verification indicated that the specific concentration of L-leucine could decrease the umami of the tea. These findings advance our understanding of Longjing green tea quality improvement and cultivar development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a label-free technique, producing images where pixels contain mass spectra. The technique allows the visualization of the spatial distribution of (bio)molecules from metabolites to proteins, on surfaces such as tissues sections or bacteria culture media. One particularly exciting example of MALDI-MSI use rests on its potential to localize ionized compounds produced during microbial interactions and chemical communication, offering a molecular snapshot of metabolomes at a given time. The huge size and the complexity of generated MSI data make the processing of the data challenging, which requires the use of computational methods. Despite recent advances, currently available commercial software relies mainly on statistical tools to identify patterns, similarities, and differences within data sets. However, grouping m / z values unique to a given data set according to microbiological contexts, such as coculture experiments, still requires tedious manual analysis. Here we propose a nontargeted method exploiting the differential signals between negative controls and tested experimental conditions, i.e., differential signal filtering (DSF), and a scoring of the ion images using image structure filtering (ISF) coupled with a fold change score between the controls and the conditions of interest. These methods were first applied to coculture experiments involving Escherichia coli and Streptomyces coelicolor , revealing specific MS signals during bacterial interaction. Two case studies were also investigated: (i) cellobiose-mediated induction for the pathogenicity of Streptomyces scabiei , the causative agent of common scab on root and tuber crops, and (ii) iron-repressed production of siderophores of S. scabiei . This report proposes guidelines for MALDI-MSI data treatment applied in the case of microbiology contexts, with enhanced ion peak annotation in specific culture conditions. The strengths and weaknesses of the methods are discussed.

We aimed to obtain the optimal formula for human milk fat substitute (HMFS) through a combination of software and an evaluation model and further verify its practicability through an animal experiment. The results showed that a total of 33 fatty acid (FA) and 63 triglyceride (TAG) molecular species were detected in vegetable oils. Palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, 18:1/16:0/18:1, 18:2/16:0/18:2, 18:1/18:1/18:1 and 18:1/18:2/18:1, were the main molecular species among the FAs and TAGs in the vegetable oils. Based on the HMFS evaluation model, the optimal mixed vegetable oil formula was blended with 21.3% palm oil, 2.8% linseed oil, 2.6% soybean oil, 29.9% rapeseed oil and 43.4% maize oil, with the highest score of 83.146. Moreover, there was no difference in the weight, blood routine indices or calcium and magnesium concentrations in the feces of the mice between the homemade mixed vegetable oil (HMVO) group and the commercial mixed vegetable oil (CMVO) group, while nervonic acid (C24:1) and octanoic acid (C8:0) were absorbed easily in the HMVO group. Therefore, these results demonstrate that the mixing of the different vegetable oils was feasible via a combination of computer software and an evaluation model and provided a new way to produce HMFS.

It is important to develop rapid, accurate, and portable technologies for detecting the freshness of chilled meat to meet the current demands of meat industry. This report introduces freshness indicators for monitoring the freshness changes of chilled meat, and systematically analyzes the current status of existing detection technologies which focus on the feasibility of using nanozyme for meat freshness sensing detection. Furthermore, it examines the limitations and foresees the future development trends of utilizing current nanozyme sensing systems in evaluating chilled meat freshness. Harmful chemicals are produced by food spoilage degradation, including biogenic amines, volatile amines, hydrogen sulfide, and xanthine, which have become new freshness indicators to evaluate the freshness of chilled meat. The recognition mechanisms are clarified based on the special chemical reaction with nanozyme or directly inducting the enzyme-like catalytic activity of nanozyme., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Soy sauce-based marinade beef (SSMB) is a traditional Chinese cuisine with a unique flavor. However, pre-precooling and air-cooling tunnels are necessary industrial units in the cold chain for flavor dissipation. Sensory-directed flavor analysis was performed to identify the key aroma-active compounds in SSMB that had just completed (100 ℃), pre-cooled in the brine tanks (45 ℃), and exited the air-cooleded tunnel (10 ℃). We identified 110 aroma-active substances, of which 42 were quantified based on their high flavor dilution factors. Recombination and omission tests identified 29 odorants as the main aroma-active molecules. Additionally, the flavor matrix revealed the relationship between the aroma component expression and sensory attributes. Flavor substances derived from spices, such as eugenol, anethole, and linalool, are enriched during the pre-cooling stage. The different meat attributes of the three samples were primarily related to aldehydes generated from lipid oxidation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Polyamines and their derivatives are ubiquitously present in free or conjugated forms in various foods from animal, plant, and microbial origins. The current knowledge of free polyamines in foods and their contents is readily available; furthermore, conjugated polyamines generate considerable recent research interest due to their potential health benefits. The structural diversity of conjugated polyamines results in challenging their qualitative and quantitative analysis in food. Herein, we review and summarize the knowledge published on polyamines and their derivatives in foods, including their identification, sources, quantities, and health benefits. Particularly, facing the inherent challenges of isomer identification in conjugated polyamines, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of conjugated polyamines' structural characteristics, including the cleavage patterns and characteristic ion fragments of MS/MS for isomer identification. Free polyamines are present in all types of food, while conjugated polyamines are limited to plant-derived foods. Spermidine is renowned for antiaging properties, acclaimed as antiaging vitamins. Conjugated polyamines highlight their anti-inflammatory properties and have emerged as the mainstream drugs for antiprostatitis. This paper will likely help us gain better insight into polyamines and their derivatives to further develop functional foods and personalized nutraceuticals.

Silybin (Si) is the main element of silymarin isolated from the seeds of Silybum marianum L. Gaernt., which has superior antioxidant properties. However, the protective role of Si in maintaining liver health under oxidative stress remains ambiguous. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of the beneficial effect of dietary Si against hepatic oxidative injury induced by paraquat (PQ) in weaned piglets. A total of 24 piglets were randomly allocated to four treatments with six replicates per treatment and 1 piglet per replicate: the control group; Si group; PQ group; and Si + PQ group. Piglets in the control group and PQ group were given a basal diet, while piglets in the Si and Si + PQ groups were given a Si-supplemented diet. On the 18th day, the pigs in the PQ treatment group received an intraperitoneal injection of PQ, and the others were intraperitoneally injected with the same volume of saline. All piglets were sacrificed on day 21 for plasma and liver sample collection. The results showed that dietary Si supplementation mitigated PQ-induced liver damage, as proven by the reduction in liver pathological changes and plasma activity of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase. Si also improved superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities and total antioxidant capacity, as well as decreased malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide concentration in the liver, which were closely related to the activation of the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 signaling pathway. Meanwhile, Si reduced tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-8 production and their transcript levels as well as abrogated the overactivation of nuclear factor-κB induced by PQ. Importantly, Si improved mitochondrial function by maintaining mitochondrial energetics and mitochondrial dynamics, which was indicated by the elevated activity of mitochondrial complexes I and V and adenosine triphosphate content, decreased expression of dynamin 1 protein, and increased expression of mitofusin 2 protein. Moreover, Si inhibited excessive hepatic apoptosis by regulating the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)/Bcl-2-associated-X-protein signaling pathway. Taken together, these results indicated that Si potentially mitigated PQ-induced hepatic oxidative insults by improving antioxidant capacity and mitochondrial function and inhibiting inflammation and cell apoptosis in weaned piglets.

Rice, which feeds more than half of the world's population, confronts significant challenges due to environmental and climatic changes. Abiotic stressors such as extreme temperatures, drought, heavy metals, organic pollutants, and salinity disrupt its cellular balance, impair photosynthetic efficiency, and degrade grain quality. Beneficial microorganisms from rice and soil microbiomes have emerged as crucial in enhancing rice's tolerance to these stresses. This review delves into the multifaceted impacts of these abiotic stressors on rice growth, exploring the origins of the interacting microorganisms and the intricate dynamics between rice-associated and soil microbiomes. We highlight their synergistic roles in mitigating rice's abiotic stresses and outline rice's strategies for recruiting these microorganisms under various environmental conditions, including the development of techniques to maximize their benefits. Through an in-depth analysis, we shed light on the multifarious mechanisms through which microorganisms fortify rice resilience, such as modulation of antioxidant enzymes, enhanced nutrient uptake, plant hormone adjustments, exopolysaccharide secretion, and strategic gene expression regulation, emphasizing the objective of leveraging microorganisms to boost rice's stress tolerance. The review also recognizes the growing prominence of microbial inoculants in modern rice cultivation for their eco-friendliness and sustainability. We discuss ongoing efforts to optimize these inoculants, providing insights into the rigorous processes involved in their formulation and strategic deployment. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the importance of microbial interventions in bolstering rice agriculture and ensuring its resilience in the face of rising environmental challenges., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The dipeptide γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC), the first intermediate of glutathione (GSH) synthesis, is considered as a promising drug to reduce or prevent plethora of age-related disorders such as Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. The unusual γ-linkage between the two constitutive amino acids, namely cysteine and glutamate, renders its chemical synthesis particularly challenging. Herein, we report on the metabolic engineering of the non-conventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for efficient γ-GC synthesis. The yeast was first converted into a γ-GC producer by disruption of gene GSH2 encoding GSH synthase and by constitutive expression of GSH1 encoding glutamylcysteine ligase. Subsequently genes involved in cysteine and glutamate anabolism, namely MET4, CYSE, CYSF, and GDH1 were overexpressed with the aim to increase their intracellular availability. With such a strategy, a γ-GC titer of 464 nmol mg -1 protein (93 mg gDCW -1 ) was obtained within 24 h of cell growth., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Bee pollen is hailed as a treasure trove of human nutrition and has progressively emerged as the source of functional food and medicine. This review conducts a compilation of nutrients and phytochemicals in bee pollen, with particular emphasis on some ubiquitous and unique phenolamides and flavonoid glycosides. Additionally, it provides a concise overview of the diverse health benefits and therapeutic properties of bee pollen, particularly anti-prostatitis and anti-tyrosinase effects. Furthermore, based on the distinctive structural characteristics of pollen walls, a substantial debate has persisted in the past concerning the necessity of wall-disruption. This review provides a comprehensive survey on the necessity of wall-disruption, the impact of wall-disruption on the release and digestion of nutrients, and wall-disruption techniques in industrial production. Wall-disruption appears effective in releasing and digesting nutrients and exploiting bee pollen's bioactivities. Finally, the review underscores the need for future studies to elucidate the mechanisms of beneficial effects. This paper will likely help us gain better insight into bee pollen to develop further functional foods, personalized nutraceuticals, cosmetics products, and medicine., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: It is not always easy to find a universal protocol for the extraction of genomic DNA (gDNA) from plants. Extraction of gDNA from plants such as shea with a lot of polysaccharides in their leaves is done in two steps: a first step to remove the polysaccharides and a second step for the extraction of the gDNA. In this work, we designed a protocol for extracting high-quality gDNA from shea tree and demonstrate its suitability for downstream molecular applications., Methods: Fifty milligrams of leaf and root tissues were used to test the efficiency of our protocol. The quantity of gDNA was measured with the NanoDrop spectrometer and the quality was checked on agarose gel. Its suitability for use in downstream applications was tested with restriction enzymes, SSRs and RAPD polymerase chain reactions and Sanger sequencing., Results: The average yield of gDNA was 5.17; 3.96; 2.71 and 2.41 µg for dry leaves, dry roots, fresh leaves and fresh roots respectively per 100 mg of tissue. Variance analysis of the yield showed significant difference between all tissue types. Leaf gDNA quality was better compared to root gDNA at the absorbance ratio A 260/280 and A 260/230 . The minimum amplifiable concentration of leaf gDNA was 1 pg/µl while root gDNA remained amplifiable at 10 pg/µl. Genomic DNA obtained was also suitable for sequencing., Conclusion: This protocol provides an efficient, convenient and cost effective DNA extraction method suitable for use in various vitellaria paradoxa genomic studies., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Flaxseed meal (FSM) is a byproduct of flaxseed oil extraction which has rich nutritional value and can be used as a high-quality new protein ingredient. However, the anti-nutrient factor (ANF) in FSM restricts its potential application in feed. The strategy of microbial fermentation is a highly effective approach to reducing ANF in FSM and enhancing its feeding value. However, evaluation of the nutritional value of fermented flaxseed meal (FFSM) in growing pigs has not yet been conducted. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional value of FFSM in growing pigs and comparison of the effect of fermentation treatment on improving the nutritional value of FSM. Two experiments were conducted to determine the available energy value, apparent digestibility of nutrients, and standard ileal digestibility of amino acids of FSM and FFSM in growing pigs. The results showed as follows: (1) Fermentation treatment increased the levels of crude protein (CP), Ca and P in FSM by 2.86%, 9.54% and 4.56%, while decreasing the concentration of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) by 34.09% and 12.71%, respectively ( p < 0.05); The degradation rate of CGs in FSM was 54.09% ( p < 0.05); (2) The digestible energy (DE) and metabolic energy (ME) of FSM and FFSM were 14.54 MJ/kg, 16.68 MJ/kg and 12.85 MJ/kg, 15.24 MJ/kg, respectively; (3) Compared with FSM, dietary FFSM supplementation significantly increased the apparent digestibility of CP, NDF, ADF, Ca, and P of growing pigs ( p < 0.05) and significantly increased the standard ileal digestibility of methionine ( p < 0.05). These results indicate that fermentation treatment could effectively enhance the nutritional value of FSM and provide basic theoretical data for the application of FFSM in pig production.

Trees structure the Earth's most biodiverse ecosystem, tropical forests. The vast number of tree species presents a formidable challenge to understanding these forests, including their response to environmental change, as very little is known about most tropical tree species. A focus on the common species may circumvent this challenge. Here we investigate abundance patterns of common tree species using inventory data on 1,003,805 trees with trunk diameters of at least 10 cm across 1,568 locations 1-6 in closed-canopy, structurally intact old-growth tropical forests in Africa, Amazonia and Southeast Asia. We estimate that 2.2%, 2.2% and 2.3% of species comprise 50% of the tropical trees in these regions, respectively. Extrapolating across all closed-canopy tropical forests, we estimate that just 1,053 species comprise half of Earth's 800 billion tropical trees with trunk diameters of at least 10 cm. Despite differing biogeographic, climatic and anthropogenic histories 7 , we find notably consistent patterns of common species and species abundance distributions across the continents. This suggests that fundamental mechanisms of tree community assembly may apply to all tropical forests. Resampling analyses show that the most common species are likely to belong to a manageable list of known species, enabling targeted efforts to understand their ecology. Although they do not detract from the importance of rare species, our results open new opportunities to understand the world's most diverse forests, including modelling their response to environmental change, by focusing on the common species that constitute the majority of their trees., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Green nanotechnology is an emerging field of science that focuses on the production of nanoparticles by living cells through biological pathways. This topic plays an extremely imperative responsibility in various fields, including pharmaceuticals, nuclear energy, fuel and energy, electronics, and bioengineering. Biological processes by green synthesis tools are more suitable to develop nanoparticles ranging from 1 to 100 nm compared to other related methods, owing to their safety, eco-friendliness, non-toxicity, and cost-effectiveness. In particular, the metal nanoparticles are synthesized by top-down and bottom-up approaches through various techniques like physical, chemical, and biological methods. Their characterization is very vital and the confirmation of nanoparticle traits is done by various instrumentation analyses such as UV-Vis spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), annular dark-field imaging (HAADF), and intracranial pressure (ICP). In this review, we provide especially information on green synthesized metal nanoparticles, which are helpful to improve biomedical and environmental applications. In particular, the methods and conditions of plant-based synthesis, characterization techniques, and applications of green silver, gold, iron, selenium, and copper nanoparticles are overviewed., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Forests are a substantial terrestrial carbon sink, but anthropogenic changes in land use and climate have considerably reduced the scale of this system 1 . Remote-sensing estimates to quantify carbon losses from global forests 2-5 are characterized by considerable uncertainty and we lack a comprehensive ground-sourced evaluation to benchmark these estimates. Here we combine several ground-sourced 6 and satellite-derived approaches 2,7,8 to evaluate the scale of the global forest carbon potential outside agricultural and urban lands. Despite regional variation, the predictions demonstrated remarkable consistency at a global scale, with only a 12% difference between the ground-sourced and satellite-derived estimates. At present, global forest carbon storage is markedly under the natural potential, with a total deficit of 226 Gt (model range = 151-363 Gt) in areas with low human footprint. Most (61%, 139 Gt C) of this potential is in areas with existing forests, in which ecosystem protection can allow forests to recover to maturity. The remaining 39% (87 Gt C) of potential lies in regions in which forests have been removed or fragmented. Although forests cannot be a substitute for emissions reductions, our results support the idea 2,3,9 that the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of diverse forests offer valuable contributions to meeting global climate and biodiversity targets., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Rapeseed bee pollen has been recognized as a critical treatment for chronic non-bacterial prostatitis (CNP) and it also can modulate gut microbiota and improve gut health. This study aimed to explore the anti-prostatitis effects of rapeseed bee pollen with or without wall-disruption, and to investigate the connection between this treatment and gut microbiota., Results: The results reveal that rapeseed bee pollen can effectively alleviate chronic non-bacteria prostatitis by selectively regulating gut microbiota, with higher doses and wall-disrupted pollen showing greater efficacy. Treatment with a high dose of wall-disrupted rapeseed bee pollen (WDH, 1.26 g kg -1 body weight) reduced prostate wet weight and prostate index by approximately 32% and 36%, respectively, nearly the levels observed in the control group. Wall-disrupted rapeseed bee pollen treatment also reduced significantly (p < 0.05) the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-α), as confirmed by immunofluorescence with laser scanning confocal microscope. Our results show that rapeseed bee pollen can inhibit pathogenic bacteria and enhance probiotics, particularly in the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio and the abundance of Prevotella (genus)., Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate the alleviation of CNP with rapeseed bee pollen through gut microbiota. These results seem to provide better understanding for the development of rapeseed bee pollen as a complementary medicine. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Understanding what controls global leaf type variation in trees is crucial for comprehending their role in terrestrial ecosystems, including carbon, water and nutrient dynamics. Yet our understanding of the factors influencing forest leaf types remains incomplete, leaving us uncertain about the global proportions of needle-leaved, broadleaved, evergreen and deciduous trees. To address these gaps, we conducted a global, ground-sourced assessment of forest leaf-type variation by integrating forest inventory data with comprehensive leaf form (broadleaf vs needle-leaf) and habit (evergreen vs deciduous) records. We found that global variation in leaf habit is primarily driven by isothermality and soil characteristics, while leaf form is predominantly driven by temperature. Given these relationships, we estimate that 38% of global tree individuals are needle-leaved evergreen, 29% are broadleaved evergreen, 27% are broadleaved deciduous and 5% are needle-leaved deciduous. The aboveground biomass distribution among these tree types is approximately 21% (126.4 Gt), 54% (335.7 Gt), 22% (136.2 Gt) and 3% (18.7 Gt), respectively. We further project that, depending on future emissions pathways, 17-34% of forested areas will experience climate conditions by the end of the century that currently support a different forest type, highlighting the intensification of climatic stress on existing forests. By quantifying the distribution of tree leaf types and their corresponding biomass, and identifying regions where climate change will exert greatest pressure on current leaf types, our results can help improve predictions of future terrestrial ecosystem functioning and carbon cycling., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In this study, we aimed to detect the physicochemical properties of distilled products (residue and distillate) obtained from anhydrous milk fat (AMF) and its dry fractionation products (liquid and solid fractions at 25°C [25 L and 25 S]). The results showed that the saturated fatty acids and low- and medium molecular-weight triglycerides were easily accumulated in the distillate, and the percentage of unsaturated fatty acid and high molecular-weight triglycerides in the residue were higher, and these components in 25 S and 25 L were influenced more significantly than those in the AMF. In addition, the distillate had larger melting ranges in comparison with the distilled substrate, while the melting ranges of residue was smaller. The triglycerides were presented as the mixture crystal forms (α, β', and β crystal) in 25 S, AMF, and their distilling products, and it was transformed gradually to a single form as the increasing of distilling temperature. Moreover, the accumulated pattern of triglycerides was double chain length in 25 S, AMF, and their distilling products. These results provide a new approach to obtain the milk fat fractions with different properties, and the findings of this study enrich the theoretical basis of milk fat separation in practical production., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. and Fass Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is the first pathogenic retrovirus discovered in human. Although HTLV-1-induced diseases are well-characterized and linked to the encoded Tax-1 oncoprotein, there is currently no strategy to target Tax-1 functions with small molecules. Here, we analyzed the binding of Tax-1 to the human homolog of the drosophila discs large tumor suppressor (hDLG1/SAP97), a multi-domain scaffolding protein involved in Tax-1-transformation ability. We have solved the structures of the PDZ binding motif (PBM) of Tax-1 in complex with the PDZ1 and PDZ2 domains of hDLG1 and assessed the binding of 10 million molecules by virtual screening. Among the 19 experimentally confirmed compounds, one systematically inhibited the Tax-1-hDLG1 interaction in different biophysical and cellular assays, as well as HTLV-1 cell-to-cell transmission in a T-cell model. Thus, our work demonstrates that interactions involving Tax-1 PDZ-domains are amenable to small-molecule inhibition, which provides a framework for the design of targeted therapies for HTLV-1-induced diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Determining the drivers of non-native plant invasions is critical for managing native ecosystems and limiting the spread of invasive species 1,2 . Tree invasions in particular have been relatively overlooked, even though they have the potential to transform ecosystems and economies 3,4 . Here, leveraging global tree databases 5-7 , we explore how the phylogenetic and functional diversity of native tree communities, human pressure and the environment influence the establishment of non-native tree species and the subsequent invasion severity. We find that anthropogenic factors are key to predicting whether a location is invaded, but that invasion severity is underpinned by native diversity, with higher diversity predicting lower invasion severity. Temperature and precipitation emerge as strong predictors of invasion strategy, with non-native species invading successfully when they are similar to the native community in cold or dry extremes. Yet, despite the influence of these ecological forces in determining invasion strategy, we find evidence that these patterns can be obscured by human activity, with lower ecological signal in areas with higher proximity to shipping ports. Our global perspective of non-native tree invasion highlights that human drivers influence non-native tree presence, and that native phylogenetic and functional diversity have a critical role in the establishment and spread of subsequent invasions., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The loss of mixing efficiency inherent to bioreactor process operated at large-scale yields to the formation of concentration gradient and thus to heterogeneous culture conditions. For processes operated with methanol feeding, P. pastoris faces oscillatory culture conditions that significantly affect the cell ability to produce secretory recombinant proteins at high yield. Extended cell residence time in microenvironments of high methanol concentration and low oxygen availability that are typically found in the upper part of the bioreactor near the feeding point, triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR) and thus impairs proper protein secretion. Methanol co-feeding with sorbitol was shown herein to reduce the UPR response and to restore productivity of secreted protein., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Copper smelting has been a source of soil contamination with trace metals in Penga Penga (Lubumbashi). The residents are exposed to trace metal ingestion, and planting trees is challenging in such soil conditions. Nevertheless, planting trees in former household dumps or using various types of amendments has allowed the provisioning of fruits in a few residences. From the perspective of scaling up the process, a survey has been conducted with the aim of assessing the effectiveness of the planting processes on the trace metal content in fruits and leaves of Mangifera indica L. and Syzygium guineense (Willd) DC. Samples were collected from residential households in Penga Penga and Kalebuka (a non-polluted suburb). The bioconcentration factor (BCF) and the safe weekly consumption (SWC) were calculated for each species. The results showed higher values of total and soluble concentrations of Cu, Pb, and Zn in the rhizosphere of the two species in Penga Penga. Metal concentrations were higher in the fruits and leaves from Penga Penga, with 47% of samples above the FAO and WHO thresholds (vs. 18.5% in Kalebuka). The BCF values were below 1, demonstrating the effectiveness of the process in reducing the translocation of metals to leaves and fruits. Recommendations from the SWC limit Pb consumption to 9 kg for mango flesh and Cd consumption to 6.6 kg for S. guineense fruits in Penga Penga (vs. 78 kg and 68 kg in Kalebuka). Finally, the results of this study provide interesting lessons for the scaling up and technical itinerary of planting trees in Penga Penga.

Chicken fat, due to its rich fatty acids (FAs), is more prone to lipid oxidation and the production of volatile compounds. The aim of the present study was to investigate the oxidative characteristics and flavor changes of saturated (SFF) and unsaturated fat fractions (USFF) from chicken fat induced by heating (140 °C at 70 rpm min -1 for 1 h and 2 h: SFF1, USFF1, SFF2 and USFF2). The FAs and volatile compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and two-dimensional gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-ToFMS), respectively. The results showed that higher contents of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) were found in USFF compared to that in SFF, whereas USFF showed lower levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs). With the extension of heating time, the SFA/UFA ratio in USFF and SFF significantly increased ( p < 0.05), and more aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and lactones were formed. Moreover, the odor activity values of 23 important compounds in USFF1-2 were significantly higher ( p < 0.05) than those in SFF1-2. As revealed by principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA), it was obviously observed that all samples were divided into four clusters (USFF-SFF, USFF1-SFF1, USFF2, and SFF2). According to correlation analysis between FAs and volatile compounds, C18:2 ω6, C18:3 ω6 and C18:3 ω3 were significantly associated with dodecanal, ( Z )-3-hexenal, ( E )-2-decenal, 2-undecenal, ( E )-2-dodecenal, ( E , E )-2,4-nonadienal, ( E , E )-2,4-decadienal, 2-decanone, γ-octalactone and γ-nonalactone. Our data elucidated that fat fractions from chicken fat with varying degrees of saturation could impart different flavor characteristics during a thermal process.

Here a multiple heavy metal and antibiotic resistant bacterium Cupriavidus necator C39 ( C. necator C39) was isolated from a Gold-Copper mine in Zijin, Fujian, China. C. necator C39 was able to tolerate intermediate concentrations of heavy metal(loid)s in Tris Minimal (TMM) Medium (Cu(II) 2 mM, Zn(II) 2 mM, Ni(II) 0.2 mM, Au(III) 70 μM and As(III) 2.5 mM). In addition, high resistance to multiple antibiotics was experimentally observed. Moreover, strain C39 was able to grow on TMM medium containing aromatic compounds such as benzoate, phenol, indole, p-hydroxybenzoic acid or phloroglucinol anhydrous as the sole carbon sources. The complete genome of this strain revealed 2 circular chromosomes and 1 plasmid, and showed the closest type strain is C. necator N-1 T based on Genome BLAST Distance Phylogeny. The arsenic-resistance ( ars ) cluster GST-arsR-arsICBR-yciI and a scattered gene encoding the putative arsenite efflux pump ArsB were identified on the genome of strain C39, which thereby may provide the bacterium a robust capability for arsenic resistance. Genes encoding multidrug resistance efflux pump may confer high antibiotic resistance to strain C39. Key genes encoding functions in degradation pathways of benzene compounds, including benzoate, phenol, benzamide, catechol, 3- or 4-fluorobenzoate, 3- or 4-hydroxybenzoate and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate, indicated its potential for degrading those benzene compounds.

Phosphorus deficiency induces biochemical and morphological changes which affect crop yield and production. Prompt fluorescence signal characterizes the PSII activity and electron transport from PSII to PSI, while the modulated light reflection at 820 (MR 820) nm investigates the redox state of photosystem I (PSI) and plastocyanin (PC). Therefore, combining information from modulated reflection at 820 nm with chlorophyll a fluorescence can potentially provide a more complete understanding of the photosynthetic process and integrating other plant physiological measurements may help to increase the accuracy of detecting the phosphorus deficiency in wheat leaves. In our study, we combined the chlorophyll a fluorescence and MR 820 signals to study the response of wheat plants to phosphorus deficiency as indirect tools for phosphorus plant status characterization. In addition, we studied the changes in chlorophyll content index, stomatal conductance (gs), root morphology, and biomass of wheat plants. The results showed an alteration in the electron transport chain as a specific response to P deficiency in the I-P phase during the reduction of the acceptor side of PSI. Furthermore, P deficiency increased parameters related to the energy fluxes per reaction centers, namely ETo/RC, REo/RC, ABS/RC, and DIo/RC. P deficiency increased the values of MRmin and MRmax and decreased νred, which implies that the reduction of PSI and PC became slower as the phosphorus decreased. The principal component analysis of the modulated reflection and chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, with the integration of the growth parameters as supplementary variables, accounted for over 71% of the total variance in our phosphorus data using two components and provided a reliable information on PSII and PSI photochemistry under P deficiency., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 El-Mejjaouy et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The current plastic pollution throughout the world is a rising concern that demands the optimization of biodegradation processes. One avenue for this is to identify plastic-degrading bacteria and associated enzymes from the gut bacteria of insect models such as Tenebrio molitor, Plodia interpunctella or Galleria mellonella that have the ability to ingest and rapidly degrade polyethylene. Therefore, this study takes part in understanding the role of the gut bacteria by investigating G. mellonella as a biological model feeding with a diet based on honeybee wax mixed or not with low-density polyethylene. Gut microbiome was analyzed by high throughput 16S rRNA sequencing, and Enterococcaceae and Oxalobacteraceae were found to be the major bacterial families. Compared to the control, the supplementation of low-density polyethylene did not cause significant modification of the bacterial microbiota at community and taxa levels, suggesting bacterial microbiome resilience. The bacterial proteome analysis of gut contents was encouraging for the identification of plastic degrading enzymes such as the phenylacetaldehyde dehydrogenase which participate in styrene degradation. This study allowed a better characterization of the gut bacteria of G. mellonella and provided a basis for the further study of biodegradation of polyethylene based on the bacterial microbiota from insect guts., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)