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The glass formation and the dipolar reorientational motions in deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are frequently overlooked, despite their crucial role in defining the room-temperature physiochemical properties. To understand the effects of these dynamics on the ionic conductivity and their relation to the mechanical properties of the DES, we conducted broadband dielectric and rheological spectroscopy over a wide temperature range on three well-established carboxylic acid-based natural DESs. These are the eutectic mixtures of choline chloride with oxalic acid (oxaline), malonic acid (maline), and phenylacetic acid (phenylaceline). In all three DESs, we observe signs of a glass transition in the temperature dependence of their dipolar reorientational and structural dynamics, as well as varying degrees of motional decoupling between the different observed dynamics. Maline and oxaline display a breaking of the Walden rule near the glass-transition temperature, while the relation between the dc conductivity and dipolar relaxation time in both maline and phenylaceline is best described by a power law. The glass-forming properties of the investigated systems not only govern the orientational dipolar motions and rheological properties, which are of interest from a fundamental point of view, but they also affect the dc conductivity, even at room temperature, which is of high technical relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micronutrients play a crucial role in supporting plant growth and development, even though they are required in minimal quantities. Deficiencies in certain micronutrients can have a significant impact on plant development leading to reduced yields and lower-quality crops. Chelation, a vital process in plant nutrition, involves the formation of stable complexes of micronutrients bound to organic molecules, offering a promising solution to enhance their effectiveness in plant nutrition and mitigate deficiencies. Chelates contribute to the plant's stability and uptake of micronutrients, thus alleviating the effects of inadequacies. Chelating agents can be broadly categorized as synthetic or natural compounds. Synthetic chelators encompass substances like EDTA (Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid), DTPA (Diethylene Triamine Penta Acetic Acid), and EDDHA (Ethylene-Diamine-di-O-Hydroxy Phenylacetic Acid). In contrast, natural chelators include amino acids, peptides, and organic acids. The mechanisms of chelation in plants and soil involve intricate interactions among chelates, micronutrients, and soil components, facilitating the uptake and translocation of micronutrients within plant tissues. Although, natural chelates exhibit superior stability and compatibility with soil microbiota in addition to synthetic chelates still promotes sustained nutrient availability. Through this review, the efficacy of chelated micronutrients in enhancing plant growth, yield, and overall nutritional quality is investigated, shedding light on their potential to address deficiencies and optimize agricultural productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is responsible for outbreaks of bronchiolitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia and is effective and lethal in children under five years old. Current RSV detection methods are expensive, time-consuming, and require highly skilled personnel. Therefore, we developed a cost-effective impedimetric immunosensor for the detection of RSV based on a pencil graphite electrode (PGE) modified with a polymeric film derived from 3-amino phenylacetic acid. The current responses in the potassium ferricyanide and methylene blue solutions suggest the presence of unchanged carboxylic acid groups in the polymer. With a similar number of electrons involved in the first step of the reaction and electron/proton ratio to those proposed for aniline, a mechanism for electropolymerization was proposed. The immunosensor was assembled by activating the carboxyl groups via an EDC/NHS nucleophilic substitution reaction with the amino groups present in the anti-RSV monoclonal antibody (mAb). The detection was performed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and the data were evaluated using equivalent circuits. The charge transfer resistance values increased as PGE was modified in the following order: PGE < PGE/polymer < PGE/polymer/mAb < PGE/polymer/mAb/virus. 100 ng of mAb was used, and the immobilization times for mAb and blocker were 3 h and 50 min, respectively. The response time for RSV immobilization was 30 min. The limit of detection was 22.54 PFU mL−1, and the limit of quantification was 75.12 PFU mL−1, with a linear range from 50 – 2000 PFU mL−1, demonstrating that the proposed immunosensor is a viable alternative for the detection of RSV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of mortality in industrialized countries, with over 500 million people affected worldwide. In this work, the roles of low-molecular-weight metabolites originating from the gut microbiome, such as short-chain fatty acids, hydrogen sulfide, trimethylamine, phenylacetic acid, secondary bile acids, indoles, different gases, neurotransmitters, vitamins, and complex lipids, are discussed in relation to their CVD-promoting or preventing activities. Molecules of mixed microbial and human hepatic origin, such as trimethylamine N-oxide and phenylacetylglutamine, are also presented. Finally, dietary agents with cardioprotective effects, such as probiotics, prebiotics, mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, and polyphenols, are also discussed. A special emphasis is given to their gut microbiota-modulating properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractFree or conjugated aromatic/phenolic acids arise from the diet, endogenous metabolism of catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine), protein (phenylalanine, tyrosine), pharmaceuticals (aspirin, metaprolol) plus gut microbiota metabolism of dietary (poly)phenols and undigested protein. Quantitative data obtained with authentic calibrants for 112 aromatic/phenolic acids including phase-2 conjugates in human plasma, urine, ileal fluid, feces and tissues have been collated and mean/median values compared with in vitro bioactivity data in cultured cells. Ca 30% of publications report bioactivity at ≤1 μmol/L. With support from clinical studies, it appears that the greatest benefit might be produced in vascular tissues by C6–C3 metabolites, including some of gut microbiota origin and some phase-2 conjugates, 15 of which are 3′,4′-disubstituted with multiple sources including caffeic acid and hesperetin, plus one unsubstituted and two mono-substituted examples which can originate from protein. There is an unexamined potential for synergy. Free-living and washout plasma data are scarce. Some metabolites have been overlooked, notably phenyl-lactic, phenyl-hydracrylic and phenyl-propanoic acids, especially those from amino acids plus glycine, hydroxy-glycine and glutamine conjugates. Phenolic acids and conjugates from multiple sources exhibit biological activities, some of which are likely relevant in vivo and link to biomarkers of health. Further targeted studies are justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compounds exuded from roots play a key role in regulating plant allelopathic interactions. However, phytochormone profiling of root exudates and their contribution to an overall allelochemical activity of specific plant species is neglected topic in allelochemical research. Hairy root growth media of two different species, the fruit tree species Malus × domestica Borkh. and the herbaceous weed species Chenopodium murale L. were collected and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). We found that most of the phytohormones exuded by the hairy roots of C. murale and M. domestica were associated with the acidic fraction (96.8% and 98.9%, respectively), including 2-oxindole-3-acetic acid, phenylacetic acid, salicylic acid (SA), benzoic acid (BzA), and abscisic acid, with SA and BzA being the most abundant, while those associated with the basic fraction, including cytokinins and the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, accounted for only 1% of the plant growth substances detected in both species. Exogenous application of 0.2 µM SA, which was released from the hairy roots of C. murale and accumulated in the culture media for four weeks, significantly impaired hairy root growth of M. domestica and also shoot and root growth of Arabidopsis seedlings. The disruptive effect of 0.2 µM SA on the membrane potential of M. domestica hairy root and Arabidopsis root cells was determined. The data obtained could be useful for planning further studies aimed at clarifying the contribution and role of exuded phytohormones to the overall allelopathic potential of these two plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air‐dried beef is a traditional specialty dried meat product that has a rich history in Inner Mongolia. In‐depth understanding of the characteristic flavor substances of air‐dried meat in different regions can help branding of traditional air‐dried meat products and sustainable development of the air‐dried meat industry in Inner Mongolia. This study aims to investigate the characteristic flavors of air‐dried beef from various regions of Inner Mongolia (Ordos, Xinlingol, and Chifeng) by using electronic nose and GC‐MS combined with ROAV value and explore the impact of the vacuum tumbling curing process on the flavor of air‐dried meat. The samples from each region were found to contain characteristic flavor substances such as alcohols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, and oxygenates. There are five characteristic flavor substances unique to the Ordos region: 3‐dodecanol (5.938), 4‐methyl‐5‐decanol (32.686), 2,4‐dimethyl‐2‐pentanol (4.139), methylheptenone (67.445), and 3‐ethyl‐2,5‐dimethylpyrazine (4.256); three characteristic flavor substances unique to the Xilingol region: isovaleraldehyde (68.917), ethyl phenylacetate (3.746), and thymol (2.091); and two characteristic flavor substances unique to the Chifeng region: 2‐heptanol (3.984) and 6‐methyl‐2‐heptanone (6.191). Vacuum tumbling curing not only improved the pH (6.35) and L∗ value (33.74) of air‐dried meat but also increased the variety of flavor substances characteristic of air‐dried meat, including trans‐2‐decenol (2.989), isopentanol (0.585), trans‐2‐nonenal (2.937), methyl decyl ketone (4.836), phenylacetic acid (4.262), and benzoic acid (0.554). In conclusion, the addition of vacuum tumbling curing process in the industrial production of air‐dried beef products can increase the curing efficiency and improve the flavor of air‐dried beef products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The regulatory role of gut microbiota and gut-derived metabolites through the gut-liver axis in the development of cirrhotic portal hypertension (PH) has received increasing attention. Methods: The review summarized a series of investigations on effects of metabolites derived from microbiota and medicines targeting microbiome including rifaximin, VSL#3, statins, propranolol, FXR agonists as well as drugs derived from bile acids (BAs) on PH progression. Results: Patients with PH exhibit alterations in gut microbial richness and differential overall microbiota community, and several results clearly displayed the correlation of PH with enrichment of Veillonella dispar or depletion of Clostridiales, Peptostreptococcaceae, Alistipes putredinis, Roseburia faecis and Clostridium cluster IV. The gut-derived metabolites including hydrogen sulfide, tryptophan metabolites, butyric acid, secondary BAs and phenylacetic acid (PAA) participate in a range of pathophysiology process of PH through modulating intrahepatic vascular resistance and portal blood flow associated with the formation and progression of PH. Established and emerging drugs targeting on bacterial translocation and intestinal eubiosis are gradually identified as potential strategies for treatments of liver cirrhosis and PH by modulating intestinal inflammation, splanchnic arterial vasodilation and endothelial dysfunction. Conclusions: Future explorations should further characterize the alteration of the fecal microbiome and metabolite profiles in PH and elucidate the regulatory mechanism of the intestinal microbiome, gut-derived metabolites and gut microbiota targeted pharmaceutical treatments involved in PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequent use of anti‐inflammatory drugs and the side effects of existing drugs keep the need for new compounds constant. For this purpose, flurbiprofen and ibuprofen‐like compounds, which are frequently used anti‐inflammatory compounds in this study, were synthesized and their structures were elucidated. Like ibuprofen and flurbiprofen, the compounds contain a residue of phenylacetic acid. On the other hand, it contains a secondary amine residue. Thus, it is planned to reduce the acidity, which is the biggest side effect of NSAI drugs, even a little bit. The estimated ADME parameters of the compounds were evaluated. Apart from internal use, local use of anti‐inflammatory compounds is also very important. For this reason, the skin permeability values of the compounds were also calculated. And it has been found to be compatible with reference drugs. The COX enzyme inhibitory effects of the obtained compounds were tested by in vitro experiments. Compound 2a showed significant activity against COX‐1 enzyme with an IC50 = 0.123 + 0.005 μM. The interaction of the compound with the enzyme active site was clarified by molecular dynamics studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome PLLA's poor crystallization capability, using nucleating agent as crystallization improvement strategy was performed in this study. PPAPH as PLLA's an organic nucleating agent was firstly synthesized, and then PLLA was blended with different PPAPH loading through melting blend method, the resulting influences of PPAPH on PLLA's performances were investigated using the relevant testing instruments. Melt-crystallization revealed that PPAPH played important role in promoting PLLA's crystallization through providing effective sites of heterogeneous nucleation, and effect of PPAPH loading on PLLA's melt-crystallization was very poor, indicating that low PPAPH loading could cause PLLA to possess powerful crystallization capacity. In addition, the relative low final melting temperature was beneficial for PLLA/PPAPH's crystallization. However, an increase of cooling rate during cooling stage weakened PLLA/PPAPH's crystallization capacity. PLLA/PPAPH's coldcrystallization suggested that PPAPH had an inhibition effect on cold-crystallization process to some extent. Melting behaviors depended on heating rate and previous crystallization including meltcrystallization at various cooling rates and isothermal crystallization at various crystallization temperatures. PPAPH enhanced PLLA's fluidity, tensile modulus and tensile strength. Unfortunately, PLLA's transmittance was seriously weakened as PPAPH loading increased, as well as the elongation at break continuously decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deletion of the nuclear hormone receptor small heterodimer partner (Shp) ameliorates the development of obesity and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice. Liver-specific SHP plays a significant role in this amelioration. The gut microbiota has been associated with these metabolic disorders, and the interplay between bile acids (BAs) and gut microbiota contributes to various metabolic disorders. Since hepatic SHP is recognized as a critical regulator in BA synthesis, we assessed the involvement of gut microbiota in the antiobesity and anti-NASH phenotype of Shp-/- mice. Shp deletion significantly altered the levels of a few conjugated BAs. Sequencing the 16S rRNA gene in fecal samples collected from separately housed mice revealed apparent dysbiosis in Shp-/- mice. Cohousing Shp-/- mice with WT mice during a Western diet regimen impaired their metabolic improvement and effectively disrupted their distinctive microbiome structure, which became indistinguishable from that of WT mice. While the Western diet challenge significantly increased lipopolysaccharide and phenylacetic acid (PAA) levels in the blood of WT mice, their levels were not increased in Shp-/- mice. PAA was strongly associated with hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma isoform 2 (Pparg2) activation in mice, which may represent the basis of the molecular mechanism underlying the association of gut bacteria and hepatic steatosis. Shp deletion reshapes the gut microbiota possibly by altering BAs. While lipopolysaccharide and PAA are the major driving forces derived from gut microbiota for NASH development, Shp deletion decreases these signaling molecules via dysbiosis, thereby partially protecting mice from diet-induced metabolic disorders.

Carlina acanthifolia All. is widely used in traditional medicine due to the presence of essential oil (1–2%) in the outer part of the roots of the plant. It is mainly used for its choleretic and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as for the treatment of gastrointestinal problems. We obtain the fractions by sequential extraction with different solvents (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and ethanol) from carline thistles (Carlina acanthifolia All.) roots, evaluate the phytochemical compounds and for the first time, we report here the 3D fluorescence excitation-emission spectra. High extractable contents of fatty acids, terpenes, sterols, sugars and polyphenols, flavonoids and carlina oxide were found in the different fractional extracts of Carlina acanthifolia root. Three phenolic acids were detected in the ethyl acetate and n-hexane fraction, benzoic acid, phenylacetic acid, and p-methoxymadelic acid. In addition, fatty acids, pentacyclic triterpenes and sugars have been identified, these phytocomponents are responsible for the fluorescent properties of the roots. The topographic view of the excitation-emission matrix outlines a large strong first maximum ( λ e m , 1 = 570 nm for λ e x c , 1 = 470 nm) connected with the presence of vitamin E and fatty acids and a weaker narrower second one ( λ e m , 2 = 465 nm for λ e x c , 2 = 360 nm), witch is due to the presence of flavonoids, phenolic acids and palmitic acid. The emission spectrum of the main maximum is rather large at the 90% level ( δ λ e m , 1 = 60 nm) but is observed over a narrow excitation bandwidth ( δ λ e x m , 1 = 25 nm ). The Stokes shift Δ λ is around 100 nm over the excitation range from 430 to 560 nm. Seven elements—Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na and Zn, were determined in Carlina acanthifolia All. as potassium has the highest content K = 32.7 ± 0.6 g kg - 1 followed by Ca, Mg and Fe (8.24 ± 0.12 ; 1.86 ± 0.03 ; 1.25 ± 0.01 g kg - 1) , in mg kg - 1 are Na = 212 ± 3 , Mn = 41.9 ± 0.2 and Zn = 26.7 ± 0.3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several plant-associated microbes synthesize the auxinic plant growth regulator phenylacetic acid (PAA) in culture; however, the role of PAA in plant-pathogen interactions is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the role of PAA during interactions between the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae strain PtoDC3000 (PtoDC3000) and the model plant host, Arabidopsis thaliana. Previous work demonstrated that indole-3-acetaldehyde dehydrogenase A (AldA) of PtoDC3000 converts indole-3-acetaldehyde (IAAld) to the auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Here, we further demonstrated the biochemical versatility of AldA by conducting substrate screening and steadystate kinetic analyses, and showed that AldA can use both IAAld and phenylacetaldehyde as substrates to produce IAA and PAA, respectively. Quantification of auxin in infected plant tissue showed that AldA-dependent synthesis of either IAA or PAA by PtoDC3000 does not contribute significantly to the increase in auxin levels in infected A. thaliana leaves. Using available arogenate dehydratase (adt) mutant lines of A. thaliana compromised for PAA synthesis, we observed that a reduction in PAA-Asp and PAA-Glu is correlated with elevated levels of IAA and increased susceptibility. These results provide evidence that PAA/IAA homeostasis in A. thaliana influences the outcome of plant-microbial interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, millions of diabetic patients require daily life-saving insulin injections. Insulin heat-lability and fibrillation pose significant challenges, especially in parts of the world without ready access to uninterrupted refrigeration. Here, we have synthesized four human insulin analogs by conjugating ε-amine of B29 lysine of insulin with acetic acid, phenylacetic acid, alanine, and phenylalanine residues. Of these, phenylalanine-conjugated insulin, termed FHI, was the most stable under high temperature (65 °C), elevated salt stress (25 mM NaCl), and varying pH levels (ranging from highly acidic pH 1.6 to physiological pH 7.4). It resists fibrillation for a significantly longer duration with sustained biological activity in in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo and displays prolonged stability over its native counterpart. We further unravel the critical interactions, such as additional aromatic π-π interactions and hydrogen bonding in FHI, that are notably absent in native insulin. These interactions confer enhanced structural stability of FHI and offer a promising solution to the challenges associated with insulin heat sensitivity. Heat-lability and fibrillation of insulin pose significant challenges for insulin storage. Here, the authors report chemically modified analogs of insulin by functionalizing the ε-amine group of B29 Lys with phenylalanine, to improve insulin thermostability and resist fibrillation while maintaining robust in vivo activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] A complex of mixed carboxylate pentafluorobenzoate (pfb) and phenylacetate (PhAc), viz. [Tb 2 (phen) 2 (pfb) 2 (PhAc) 4 ] (phen is 1,10-phenanthroline), where each rare earth element (REE) ion is simultaneously coordinated to pentafluorobenzoic and phenylacetic acid anions, was for the first time synthesized and structurally characterized. To evaluate the influence of the second type of anion on the structure and photoluminescent properties, compounds with phenylacetic acid anions [Tb 2 (phen) 2 (PhAc) 6 ] and pentafluorobenzoic acid anions [Tb 2 (EtOH) 2 (phen) 2 (pfb) 6 ] were obtained. A change in the composition of the compounds from the phenylacetic acid anion to pentafluorobenzoate led to a change in the geometry of the metal scaffold and the REE polyhedron, a rearrangement of the system of non-covalent interactions according to the Hirshfeld surface analysis, and enhanced luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of sulfur compounds from transportation fuels is a requirement in the worldwide effort to reduce emissions from transportation fuels. Refineries use the hydrodesulfurisation (HDS) process to reduce sulfur compounds in fuels. However, the HDS process requires high hydrogen pressure and temperature, making it costly. An alternative to the HDS process is oxidative desulfurisation via solvent extraction, which requires low-temperature operating conditions. In this regard, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are attractive for researchers to desulfurise transportation fuels via solvent extraction due to their low-cost. In our study, DESs were synthesised using phenylacetic acid (PAA) and salicylic acid (SAA) as hydrogen bond acceptors (HBAs) and tetraethylene glycol (TTEG) as hydrogen bond donor (HBD) in the mole ratio of 1:2. DESs were characterised by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Physicochemical properties of DESs, such as density, viscosity and refractive index, were also measured. The synthesised DESs were used to extract organosulfur compounds from model fuel and actual diesel. An oxidation study was carried out for model fuel and diesel, followed by solvent extraction using these synthesised DESs. The extraction efficiency for PAA/TTEG(1:2) and SAA/TTEG(1:2) was achieved as 50.16% and 38.89% for model fuel at a temperature of 30°C using a solvent to feed ratio of 1.0 while for diesel, it was 38% and 37%. However, it increased to 77%, 68% and 54%, 73%, respectively, for PAA/TTEG(1:2) and SAA/TTEG(1:2) when the feedstocks were oxidised. These results showed better extraction performance of DES PAA/TTEG(1:2) than that of SAA/TTEG(1:2) at low temperature 30°C using combined extractive catalytic oxidative desulfurisation. Hence, the DES synthesised using SAA and TTEG in the molar ratio of 1:2 works better as an extraction solvent for removing organic sulfur compounds from fuels at low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional isolation methods often lead to the rediscovery of known natural products. In contrast, genome mining strategies are considered effective for the continual discovery of new natural products. In this study, we discovered a unique prenyltransferase (PT) through genome mining, capable of catalyzing the transfer of a prenyl group to an aromatic nucleus to form C-C or C-O bonds. A pair of new hydroxyphenylacetic acid derivative enantiomers with prenyl units, (±)-peniprenydiol A (1), along with 16 known compounds (2–17), were isolated from a marine fungus, Penicillium sp. W21C371. The separation of 1 using chiral HPLC led to the isolation of the enantiomers 1a and 1b. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS. The absolute configurations of the new compounds were determined by a modified Mosher method. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1 was deduced, facilitated by PT catalysis. In the in vitro assay, 2 and 3 showed promising inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase (EcGUS), with IC50 values of 44.60 ± 0.84 μM and 21.60 ± 0.76 μM, respectively, compared to the positive control, D-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone hydrate (DSL). This study demonstrates the advantages of genome mining in the rational acquisition of new natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) are an effective approach to identify new specialized metabolites and the genes involved in their biosynthesis and regulation. In this study, GWAS of Arabidopsis thaliana soluble leaf and stem metabolites identified alleles of an uncharacterized BAHD‐family acyltransferase (AT5G57840) associated with natural variation in three structurally related metabolites. These metabolites were esters of glucuronosylglycerol, with one metabolite containing phenylacetic acid as the acyl component of the ester. Knockout and overexpression of AT5G57840 in Arabidopsis and heterologous overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana and Escherichia coli demonstrated that it is capable of utilizing phenylacetyl‐CoA as an acyl donor and glucuronosylglycerol as an acyl acceptor. We, thus, named the protein Glucuronosylglycerol Ester Synthase (GGES). Additionally, phenylacetyl glucuronosylglycerol increased in Arabidopsis CYP79A2 mutants that overproduce phenylacetic acid and was lost in knockout mutants of UDP‐sulfoquinovosyl: diacylglycerol sulfoquinovosyl transferase, an enzyme required for glucuronosylglycerol biosynthesis and associated with glycerolipid metabolism under phosphate‐starvation stress. GGES is a member of a well‐supported clade of BAHD family acyltransferases that arose by duplication and neofunctionalized during the evolution of the Brassicales within a larger clade that includes HCT as well as enzymes that synthesize other plant‐specialized metabolites. Together, this work extends our understanding of the catalytic diversity of BAHD acyltransferases and uncovers a pathway that involves contributions from both phenylalanine and lipid metabolism. Significance Statement: Combining untargeted metabolomics with genome‐wide association can lead to the discovery of new aspects of plant metabolism. Here, this approach uncovered a new BAHD acyltransferase that assembles phenylacetyl acyl glucuronosylglycerol esters. Acyl glucuronosylglycerol esters are widespread in plants, but their biosynthesis has not previously been characterized. We show that the glucuronosylglycerol component is made through a transferase associated with lipid remodeling under P‐starvation. This work expands our knowledge of BAHD acyltransferase function and identifies a new link between glycerolipid and phenylpropanoid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New phenylacetic acid derivatives with potentially valuable biological activities and the ability to act as starting materials for various functionalizations have been prepared by a multi-step synthesis. Starting from 2,6-dibromo-4-methylaniline, the synthetic route involves the construction of the basic aromatic structure (3,4,5-triphenyltoluene) (two steps), followed by its conversion into 2-[(3,4,5-triphenyl)phenyl]acetic acid and derivatives (up to five steps). Based on this multi-step synthesis, five compounds not previously reported in the literature were synthesized; the literature-known 3,4,5-triphenyltoluene was synthesized for the first time in the manner described. This synthesis is applicable for the preparation of numerous new representatives of this class of compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Fungal phytopathogens are a significant threat to crops and food security, and there is a constant need to develop safe and effective compounds that antagonize them. In‐planta assays are complex and tedious and are thus not suitable for initial high‐throughput screening of new candidate antifungal compounds. We propose an in vitro screening pipeline that integrates five rapid quantitative and qualitative methods to estimate the efficacy and mode of action of prospective antifungal compounds. RESULTS: The pipeline was evaluated using five documented antifungal compounds (benomyl, catechol, cycloheximide, 2,4‐diacetylphloroglucinol, and phenylacetic acid) that have different modes of action and efficacy, against the model soilborne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis cucumerinum. We initially evaluated the five compounds' ability to inhibit fungal growth and metabolic activity using green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐labeled F. oxysporum and PrestoBlue staining, respectively, in multiwell plate assays. We tested the compounds' inhibition of both conidial germination and hyphal elongation. We then employed FUN‐1 and SYTO9/propidium iodide staining, coupled to confocal microscopy, to differentiate between fungal growth inhibition and death at the cellular level. Finally, using a reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐detection assay, we were able to quantify ROS production in response to compound application. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, the proposed pipeline provides a wide array of quantitative and qualitative data on the tested compounds that can help pinpoint promising novel compounds; these can then be evaluated more vigorously using in planta screening assays. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Mycobacteroides abscessus (MAB) causes lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF), and infecting strains show significant genetic variability both between and within individuals. MAB isolates can be divided into dominant clonal clusters (DCCs) or non-clustering groups and can present as smooth or rough colonies on agar plates. Both DCCs and the rough colony morphology have been linked to increased pathogenicity, but the mechanisms are unclear. This study explored the genomes of MAB isolates collected from individuals within the CF@LANTA CF center along with publicly available genomes to identify genes associated with more pathogenic MAB DCCs. Sixty-eight isolates from 26 CF individuals colonized by MAB were morphotyped and sequenced, with almost half of these isolates being members of DCC group 1 (DCC1). While lung function was not significantly impacted by colonization with DCC1 or rough isolates, 102 genes were specifically associated with DCC1 isolates. These genes were enriched for functions in sulfur-based DNA modification, DNA integration, and phenylacetic acid (PAA) catabolism. PAA is produced by the human gut microbiota and found throughout the human body. We show that strains containing PAA metabolic genes allow MAB to use PAA as a sole carbon and energy source. Although the benefits of PAA metabolic genes and other enriched pathways remain unclear, these findings highlight genes associated with emerging MAB CF strains.IMPORTANCEA primary challenge in treating bacterial infections is the wide spectrum of disease and genetic variability across bacterial strains. This is particularly evident in Mycobacteroides abscessus (MAB), an emerging pathogen affecting people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). MAB exhibits significant genetic diversity both within and between individuals. However, seven dominant circulating clones (DCCs) have emerged as the major cause of human infections, demonstrating increased pathogenicity. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this increased pathogenicity and the associated genetic factors is crucial for developing novel treatment strategies. Our findings reveal that specific genes are associated with the DCC1 isolate of MAB, many of which are implicated in antimicrobial susceptibility or virulence.

This article discusses a case of acute photoallergic contact dermatitis in a 56-year-old man who developed a severe rash on his right shoulder and knee. Initially, the rash was thought to be bullous pemphigoid, an autoimmune blistering skin disease, but further examination revealed that the patient had used a diclofenac-based gel on his left knee prior to the onset of the rash. Photopatch tests were performed, which confirmed a photoallergic reaction to diclofenac and etofenamate. The patient was also found to have multiple contact allergies to other substances. The article highlights the potential for photocontact allergies to topical NSAIDs like diclofenac and etofenamate. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract The human microbiome contains genetic information that regulates metabolic processes in response to host health and disease. While acidic vaginal pH is maintained in normal conditions, the pH level increases in infectious vaginitis. We propose that this change in the vaginal environment triggers the biosynthesis of anti-vaginitis metabolites. Gene expression levels of Chryseobacterium gleum, a vaginal symbiotic bacterium, were found to be affected by pH changes. The distinctive difference in the metabolic profiles between two C. gleum cultures incubated under acidic and neutral pH conditions was suggested to be an anti-vaginitis molecule, which was identified as phenylacetic acid (PAA) by spectroscopic data analysis. The antimicrobial activity of PAA was evaluated in vitro, showing greater toxicity toward Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida albicans, two major vaginal pathogens, relative to commensal Lactobacillus spp. The activation of myeloperoxidase, prostaglandin E2, and nuclear factor-κB, and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 were reduced by an intravaginal administration of PAA in the vaginitis mouse model. In addition, PAA displayed the downregulation of mast cell activation. Therefore, PAA was suggested to be a messenger molecule that mediates interactions between the human microbiome and vaginal health.

The human microbiome contains genetic information that regulates metabolic processes in response to host health and disease. While acidic vaginal pH is maintained in normal conditions, the pH level increases in infectious vaginitis. We propose that this change in the vaginal environment triggers the biosynthesis of anti-vaginitis metabolites. Gene expression levels of Chryseobacterium gleum, a vaginal symbiotic bacterium, were found to be affected by pH changes. The distinctive difference in the metabolic profiles between two C. gleum cultures incubated under acidic and neutral pH conditions was suggested to be an anti-vaginitis molecule, which was identified as phenylacetic acid (PAA) by spectroscopic data analysis. The antimicrobial activity of PAA was evaluated in vitro, showing greater toxicity toward Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida albicans, two major vaginal pathogens, relative to commensal Lactobacillus spp. The activation of myeloperoxidase, prostaglandin E2, and nuclear factor-κB, and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 were reduced by an intravaginal administration of PAA in the vaginitis mouse model. In addition, PAA displayed the downregulation of mast cell activation. Therefore, PAA was suggested to be a messenger molecule that mediates interactions between the human microbiome and vaginal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco leaves need to aged under certain temperatures and humidity for 1 to 3 years. Natural aging, also called fermentation, is a slow process. This article explores the correlation between microorganisms on the surface of flue-cured tobacco and key flavor substances during this process. High-throughput sequencing was used to characterize the composition of bacterial and fungal communities on the surface of flue-cured tobacco from Hunan, Liaoning, Guizhou, Shandong, Yunnan, Fujian, Brazil, and Zimbabwe. Gas chromatography—mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to determine the flavor substances in flue-cured tobacco and correlation analysis between microbial diversity and flavor substances was performed. The function and abundance of key enzymes involved in the degradation of macromolecules on the surface of flue-cured tobacco were predicted using PICRUSt and FUNGuild. Different flavor styles of flue-cured tobacco possessed different flora structures, and the abundance of the genus Bacillus was high and significantly positively correlated with the content of the main flavor substances—carotenoid and cembranoid degradation products (p < 0.05). The content of the Enterobacter genus was higher in light-flavor style flue-cured tobacco and significantly negatively correlated with the above substances (p < 0.05). Among the fungal genera, Wallemia exhibited a significantly positive correlation with phenylacetic acid, palmitic acid, and α-ionol (p < 0.05). The abundance of the macromolecule-degrading enzymes in the bacterial community was generally higher than in the fungal community, especially the enzymes that hydrolyzed, transferred, and isomerized starch, protein, and cellulose. Classifying the tobacco leaves according to the flavor style revealed that the expression levels of a series of enzymes acting on pectin hydrolysis and cleavage and laccase were higher in strong-flavor flue-cured tobacco. This study explored the microorganisms related to the key substances of flue-cured tobacco and provided a theoretical basis for using microorganisms to improve the flavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemogenetic approaches employing ligand-gated ion channels are advantageous regarding manipulation of target neuronal population functions independently of endogenous second messenger pathways. Among them, Ionotropic Receptor (IR)-mediated neuronal activation (IRNA) allows stimulation of mammalian neurons that heterologously express members of the insect chemosensory IR repertoire in response to their cognate ligands. In the original protocol, phenylacetic acid, a ligand of the IR84a/IR8a complex, was locally injected into a brain region due to its low permeability of the blood-brain barrier. To circumvent this invasive injection, we sought to develop a strategy of peripheral administration with a precursor of phenylacetic acid, phenylacetic acid methyl ester, which is efficiently transferred into the brain and converted to the mature ligand by endogenous esterase activities. This strategy was validated by electrophysiological, biochemical, brain-imaging, and behavioral analyses, demonstrating high utility of systemic IRNA technology in the remote activation of target neurons in the brain. This study established a strategy for systemic administration of prodrugs to induce activation in target neurons in the mammalian brain that express Ionotropic Receptors derived from the insect Drosophila melanogaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two isolates of Roseateles were discovered in soil samples collected from Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. These isolates exhibited rod-shaped morphology and were facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, and tested positive for oxidase and catalase. Designated as strains R3-3T and R3-11, their growth was hindered by NaCl concentrations exceeding 0.5%, while their optimal growth conditions were observed at temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 30 °C and pH levels between 7.0 and 9.0. Both strains exhibited positive results for the hydrolysis of Tween 80 and DNA, but tested negative for starch, casein, chitin, and gelatin hydrolysis. Additionally, they assimilated L-Arabinose, D-mannitol, and D-Maltose, while exhibiting negative results for the fermentation of D-glucose, esculin ferric citrate, D-mannose, N-acetyl-glucosamine, potassium gluconate, capric acid, adipic acid, trisodium citrate, and phenylacetic acid. The DNA G+C content of strain R3-3T was measured at 67.5 mol%. Comparative analysis revealed that the average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between R3-3T and the Roseateles type strains ranged from 75.14% to 78.30% while the digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values ranged from 20.70% to 22.70%. Consequently, based on comprehensive genomic, chemotaxonomic, phenotypic, and phylogenomic evaluations, the isolated strains have been designated as a new species within the genus Roseateles, named Roseateles agri sp. nov. (with type strain R3-3T = KACC 23678T = NBRC 116681T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown blotch disease in Agaricus bisporus reduces its commercial value, resulting in significant economic losses. The pathogens of brown blotch disease are diverse. Current research on the biological characteristics and toxins has been limited to Pseudomonas tolaasii but lacks understanding of other pathogens. Understanding the biological characteristics of the pathogens and identifying their toxins are essential prerequisites for disease prevention and control. This study isolated two pathogens from brown discoloration in A. bisporus in Guangxi, China, and identified them as Pseudomonas tolaasii and Cedecea neteri. C. neteri exhibited stronger resistance to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and H2O2 and a broader pH adaptation range than P. tolaasii. P. tolaasii showed higher swimming motility than C. neteri. C. neteri produces two toxins identified as phenylacetic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, causing browning symptoms in A. bisporus at 20 μg and 10 μg, respectively. The present study compared various biological characteristics between P. tolaasii and C. neteri. The toxins produced by C. neteri were extracted and identified, and their toxicity to A. bisporus was evaluated, which is the first report on C. neteri toxins. These discoveries have enhanced our understanding of the biological characteristics and biotoxins of C. neteri. The research findings offer new insights for developing novel disease prevention and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial-fungal interactions are pervasive in the rhizosphere. While an increasing number of endohyphal bacteria have been identified, little is known about their ecology and impact on the associated fungal hosts and the surrounding environment. In this study, we characterized the genome of an Enterobacter sp. Crenshaw (En-Cren), which was isolated from the generalist fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani, and examined the genetic potential of the bacterium with regard to the phenotypic traits associated with the fungus. Overall, the En-Cren genome size was typical for members of the genus and was capable of free-living growth. The genome was 4.6 MB in size, and no plasmids were detected. Several prophage regions and genomic islands were identified that harbor unique genes in comparison with phylogenetically closely related Enterobacter spp. Type VI secretion system and cyanate assimilation genes were identified from the bacterium, while some common heavy metal resistance genes were absent. En-Cren contains the key genes for indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and phenylacetic acid (PAA) biosynthesis, and produces IAA and PAA in vitro, which may impact the ecology or pathogenicity of the fungal pathogen in vivo. En-Cren was observed to move along hyphae of R. solani and on other basidiomycetes and ascomycetes in culture. The bacterial flagellum is essential for hyphal movement, while other pathways and genes may also be involved. IMPORTANCE The genome characterization and comparative genomics analysis of Enterobacter sp. Crenshaw provided the foundation and resources for a better understanding of the ecology and evolution of this endohyphal bacteria in the rhizosphere. The ability to produce indole-3-acetic acid and phenylacetic acid may provide new angles to study the impact of phytohormones during the plant-pathogen interactions. The hitchhiking behavior of the bacterium on a diverse group of fungi, while inhibiting the growth of some others, revealed new areas of bacterial-fungal signaling and interaction, which have yet to be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the differences of aroma components and aroma profiles in segmented smoke of cigars, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to detect the aroma compounds of Great Wall No. 2 and Montecristo No. 4 cigars, supplemented by sensory evaluation and odor contribution weight to investigate the aroma characteristics of cigars, and the key aroma components in cigars were screened based on partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The results showed that the cigar was shorter, the interception effect was weakened, and the quantity and release of aroma components in cigar smoke were increased during smoking. In the odor contribution weight of segmented smoke of cigars, the bean and woody aromas of Great Wall No. 2 weakened and the coffee aroma increased as smoking proceeded, while the bean aroma of Montecristo No. 4 weakened and the spicy aroma increased. These changes in odor contribution weight were consistent with the results of the sensory evaluation. 12 key differential aroma components such as γ-hexalactone, 2-furoic acid, acetophenone, phenylacetic acid, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine were obtained during the smoking process of Great Wall No. 2, and 11 key differential aroma components such as cedrol, 2-methylbutyraldehyde, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, guaiacol, γ-nonanolactone were obtained during the smoking process of Montecristo No. 4. The results of this study reflected the change rules of smoke composition in the smoking process of cigar and explained the reasons for the flavor changes in the smoking process of cigar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease with the major symptoms comprising loss of movement coordination (motor dysfunction) and non-motor dysfunction, including gastrointestinal symptoms. Alterations in the gut microbiota composition have been reported in PD patients vs. controls. However, it is still unclear how these compositional changes contribute to disease etiology and progression. Furthermore, most of the available studies have focused on European, Asian, and North American cohorts, but the microbiomes of PD patients in Latin America have not been characterized. To address this problem, we obtained fecal samples from Colombian participants (n = 25 controls, n = 25 PD idiopathic cases) to characterize the taxonomical community changes during disease via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. An analysis of differential composition, diversity, and personalized computational modeling was carried out, given the fecal bacterial composition and diet of each participant. We found three metabolites that differed in dietary habits between PD patients and controls: carbohydrates, trans fatty acids, and potassium. We identified six genera that changed significantly in their relative abundance between PD patients and controls, belonging to the families Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillaceae, Verrucomicrobioaceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Streptococcaceae. Furthermore, personalized metabolic modeling of the gut microbiome revealed changes in the predicted production of seven metabolites (Indole, tryptophan, fructose, phenylacetic acid, myristic acid, 3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric acid, and N-Acetylneuraminic acid). These metabolites are associated with the metabolism of aromatic amino acids and their consumption in the diet. Therefore, this research suggests that each individual's diet and intestinal composition could affect host metabolism. Furthermore, these findings open the door to the study of microbiome–host interactions and allow us to contribute to personalized medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxindoles are prevalent structures in natural products and pharmaceutically active molecules. To support structure–activity‐relationship (SAR) studies in a medicinal chemistry program, we developed a straightforward and scalable synthesis route to 1‐aminoethyl oxindole building blocks harboring various types of substituents. Our strategy relies on an intramolecular Buchwald–Hartwig amidation of a 2‐bromophenylacetic amide precursor. The cyclization substrates can be prepared from readily available benzaldehydes by ortho‐selective C(sp2)−H bromination followed by homologation to the corresponding phenylacetic acid derivatives. The process was optimized to allow for preparation of 246 g of one representative example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives were synthesized starting from substituted phenylacetic acids, and their structures were confirmed by IR, NMR, and HRMS data. The synthesized compounds showed potent in vitro cholinesterase inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 8.59 μM against butyrylcholinesterase (6a) and 7.12 μM against acetylcholinesterase (6f). Molecular docking studies indicated that compound 6f could interact with the peripheral anion that binds to acetylcholinesterase. Moreover, compound 6c also exhibited strong anti-inflammatory effect. This compound could significantly reduce LPS-induced secretion of inflam-matory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggested that 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives may be promising lead compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional isolation methods often lead to the rediscovery of known natural products. In contrast, genome mining strategies are considered effective for the continual discovery of new natural products. In this study, we discovered a unique prenyltransferase (PT) through genome mining, capable of catalyzing the transfer of a prenyl group to an aromatic nucleus to form C-C or C-O bonds. A pair of new hydroxyphenylacetic acid derivative enantiomers with prenyl units, (±)-peniprenydiol A (1), along with 16 known compounds (2–17), were isolated from a marine fungus, Penicillium sp. W21C371. The separation of 1 using chiral HPLC led to the isolation of the enantiomers 1a and 1b. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS. The absolute configurations of the new compounds were determined by a modified Mosher method. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1 was deduced, facilitated by PT catalysis. In the in vitro assay, 2 and 3 showed promising inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase (EcGUS), with IC50 values of 44.60 ± 0.84 μM and 21.60 ± 0.76 μM, respectively, compared to the positive control, D-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone hydrate (DSL). This study demonstrates the advantages of genome mining in the rational acquisition of new natural products.

Aromatic aldehydes and amines are common plant metabolites involved in several specialized metabolite biosynthesis pathways. Recently, we showed that the aromatic aldehyde synthase PtAAS1 and the aromatic amino acid decarboxylase PtAADC1 contribute to the herbivory‐induced formation of volatile 2‐phenylethanol and its glucoside 2‐phenylethyl‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside in Populus trichocarpa. To unravel alternative metabolic fates of phenylacetaldehyde and 2‐phenylethylamine beyond alcohol and alcohol glucoside formation, we heterologously expressed PtAAS1 and PtAADC1 in Nicotiana benthamiana and analyzed plant extracts using untargeted LC‐qTOF‐MS and targeted LC–MS/MS analysis. While the metabolomes of PtAADC1‐expressing plants did not significantly differ from those of control plants, expression of PtAAS1 resulted in the accumulation of phenylacetic acid (PAA) and PAA‐amino acid conjugates, identified as PAA‐aspartate and PAA‐glutamate. Herbivory‐damaged poplar leaves revealed significantly induced accumulation of PAA‐Asp, while levels of PAA remained unaltered upon herbivory. Transcriptome analysis showed that members of auxin‐amido synthetase GH3 genes involved in the conjugation of auxins with amino acids were significantly upregulated upon herbivory in P. trichocarpa leaves. Overall, our data indicates that phenylacetaldehyde generated by poplar PtAAS1 serves as a hub metabolite linking the biosynthesis of volatile, non‐volatile herbivory‐induced specialized metabolites, and phytohormones, suggesting that plant growth and defense can be balanced on a metabolic level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ephedra sinica is one of the most famous Chinese medicinal plants. The insufficient supply of wild resources has led to the increased use of cultivated products. However, the related medicinal quality differs significantly. Although the influence of external environment on the quality of E. sinica has been studied, the impact of endophytic microbes on it remains vague. This study characterized differential metabolites and microbial community compositions in wild and cultivated E. sinica by combining metabolomics with microbiomics, and explored the effect of endophytes on the formation of differential metabolites further. The results showed that the difference in quality between wild and cultivated E. sinica was mainly in the productions of alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids. The associated endophytes had special compositional characteristics. For instance, the distribution and abundance of dominant endophytes varied between wild and cultivated E. sinica. Several endophytes had significant or highly significant correlations with the formations of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, d-cathinone, methcathinone, coumarin, kaempferol, rhamnetin, or phenylacetic acid. This study will deepen our understanding of the plant-endophyte interactions and provide a strategy for the quality control of E. sinica products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new lignan, named 4'-methoxy-neotaiwanensol (1), together with five known compounds (2−6) were isolated from the leaves of the plant Piper sarmentosum. The known compounds consist of a phenylpropanoid (2), a flavonoid (3), two acyclic monoterpenoids (4 and 5), and a phenylacetic acid derivative (6). Structure elucidation of these compounds was conducted by detailed interpretation of the spectral data including NMR and HRESIMS data. Compounds 4 and 5 are new natural products and the NMR data in methanol-d4 were reported for the first time. The other known compounds were elucidated to be hydroxychavicol (2), hispidulin (3), 4-hydroxy-benzeneacetic acid (6). In vitro, compounds 1 and 3 showed better inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase than the reference acarbose, and compound 1 and 2 exhibited moderate antioxidant effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening currently is the most devastating citrus disease worldwide. Unfortunately, no practical cure has been available up to now. This makes the control of HLB as early as possible very important to be conducted. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the application of salicylic acid (SA) and Phenylacetic acid (PAA) on one-year-old seedlings of different citrus species (Citrus reticulata, C. sinensis, C. aurantifolii) growing on C. volkameriana and C. aurantium by soil drench methods. Factorial analysis of variance showed the percent change in “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” titer and disease severity on a different combination of citrus species growing on the two rootstocks treated with inducers and Oxytetracycline (OTC) were significantly different compared to the untreated plants. SA alone or in combination with OTC provided excellent (P-value

The newly discovered iron scavenger 7-hydroxytropolone (7-HT) is secreted by Pseudomonas donghuensis HYS. In addition to possessing an iron-chelating ability, 7-HT has various other biological activities. However, 7-HT's biosynthetic pathway remains unclear. This study was the first to report that the phenylacetic acid (PAA) catabolon genes in cluster 2 are involved in the biosynthesis of 7-HT and that two genes, paaZ (orf13) and ech, are synergistically involved in the biosynthesis of 7-HT in P. donghuensis HYS. Firstly, gene knockout and a sole carbon experiment indicated that the genes orf17–21 (paaEDCBA) and orf26 (paaG) were involved in the biosynthesis of 7-HT and participated in the PAA catabolon pathway in P. donghuensis HYS; these genes were arranged in gene cluster 2 in P. donghuensis HYS. Interestingly, ORF13 was a homologous protein of PaaZ, but orf13 (paaZ) was not essential for the biosynthesis of 7-HT in P. donghuensis HYS. A genome-wide BLASTP search, including gene knockout, complemented assays, and site mutation, showed that the gene ech homologous to the ECH domain of orf13 (paaZ) is essential for the biosynthesis of 7-HT. Three key conserved residues of ech (Asp39, His44, and Gly62) were identified in P. donghuensis HYS. Furthermore, orf13 (paaZ) could not complement the role of ech in the production of 7-HT, and the single carbon experiment indicated that paaZ mainly participates in PAA catabolism. Overall, this study reveals a natural association between PAA catabolon and the biosynthesis of 7-HT in P. donghuensis HYS. These two genes have a synergistic effect and different functions: paaZ is mainly involved in the degradation of PAA, while ech is mainly related to the biosynthesis of 7-HT in P. donghuensis HYS. These findings complement our understanding of the mechanism of the biosynthesis of 7-HT in the genus Pseudomonas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical fixation of carbon dioxide (CO2) into organic halides is one of the most prominent strategies for mitigating atmospheric CO2 emission, along with the difficulties associated with the toxic and carcinogenic halogenated compounds. Cu-based nanomaterials have been explored for numerous applications in nanotechnology, including electrocatalysis, organic catalytic transformations, and photocatalysis. In this work, we have designed and developed a Cu-embedded carbazole-derived porous organic polymer (Cu@Cz-POP) nanohybrid by utilizing the Friedel–Crafts alkylation approach and employing 1,4-dimethoxybenzene as the cross-linking agent comprising unique characteristic features of the extended π-conjugated system along with an active metal center with tunable electrochemical properties. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of the conjugated Cz-POP is found to be 1060 m2 g–1. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study demonstrates the formation of CuO nanoparticles in the polymeric framework. X-ray absorption fine structure analysis (EXAFS) also reveals the existence of CuO with a smaller fraction of Cu in the polymeric framework, which is corroborated with the XPS analysis. The Cu@Cz-POP nanohybrid is fabricated by drop-casting over a Ni foam, showing promising electrocatalytic activity toward electrocarboxylation of benzyl bromide in 0.1 M TBA·BF4/CH3CN with saturated CO2 medium with a current density of 120 mA cm–2 delivering 65% yield of phenylacetic acid (PAA) as the primary product along with traces of benzyl 2-phenylacetate (BPA) and 1,2-diphenylethane (DPE), and the turnover frequency is found to be 8.556 × 10–7 s–1. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that CuO is adsorbed more favorably at the N1 nitrogen atom of Cz-POP. An electron transfer from the N1 atom and the aromatic rings of Cz-POP to the CuO center is observed and confirmed by the overlap of alpha orbitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, wild morel mushroom species have begun to be widely cultivated in China due to their high edible and medicinal values. To parse the medicinal ingredients, we employed the technique of liquid-submerged fermentation to investigate the secondary metabolites of Morehella importuna. Two new natural isobenzofuranone derivatives (1–2) and one new orsellinaldehyde derivative (3), together with seven known compounds, including one o-orsellinaldehyde (4), phenylacetic acid (5), benzoic acid (6), 4-hydroxy-phenylacetic acid (7), 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (8), N,N′-pentane-1,5-diyldiacetamide (9), and 1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid (10), were obtained from the fermented broth of M. importuna. Their structures were determined according to the data of NMR, HR Q-TOF MS, IR, UV, optical activity, and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. TLC-bioautography displayed that these compounds possess significant antioxidant activity with the half DPPH free radical scavenging concentration of 1.79 (1), 4.10 (2), 4.28 (4), 2.45 (5), 4.40 (7), 1.73 (8), and 6.00 (10) mM. The experimental results would shed light on the medicinal value of M. importuna for its abundant antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in demand for food flavorings due to the shortening and simplification of food production technology also entails an increase in the demand for new technologies for their production. The biotechnological production of aromas is a solution characterized by a high efficiency, an independence from environmental factors and a relatively low cost. In this study, the influence of the implementation of lactic acid bacteria pre-fermentation into the production of aroma compounds by Galactomyces geotrichum on a sour whey medium on the intensity of the obtained aroma composition was analyzed. The monitoring of the culture in terms of biomass buildup, the concentration of selected compounds, and the pH resulted in the confirmation of interactions between the analyzed microorganisms. The post-fermentation product underwent a comprehensive sensomic analysis for the identification and quantification of the aroma-active compounds. The use of gas chromatography−olfactometry (GC−O) analysis and the calculation of odor activity values (OAVs) allowed 12 key odorants to be identified in the post-fermentation product. The highest OAV was found for phenylacetaldehyde with a honey odor (1815). The following compounds with the highest OAVs were 2,3-butanedione with a buttery aroma (233), phenylacetic acid with a honey aroma (197), 2,3-butanediol with a buttery aroma (103), 2-phenylethanol with a rosy aroma (39), ethyl octanoate with a fruity aroma (15), and ethyl hexanoate with a fruity aroma (14). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxin is a key plant growth regulator for diverse developmental processes in plants. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is a primary plant auxin that regulates the formation of various organs. Plants also produce phenylacetic acid (PAA), another natural auxin, which occurs more abundantly than IAA in various plant species. Although it has been demonstrated that the two auxins have distinct transport characteristics, the metabolic pathways and physiological roles of PAA in plants remain unsolved. In this study, we investigated the role of Arabidopsis UDP-glucosyltransferase UGT84B1 in IAA and PAA metabolism. We demonstrated that UGT84B1, which converts IAA to IAA-glucoside (IAA-Glc), can also catalyze the conversion of PAA to PAA-glucoside (PAA-Glc), with a higher catalytic activity in vitro. Furthermore, we showed a significant increase in both the IAA and PAA levels in the ugt84b1 null mutants. However, no obvious developmental phenotypes were observed in the ugt84b1 mutants under laboratory growth conditions. Moreover, the overexpression of UGT84B1 resulted in auxin-deficient root phenotypes and changes in the IAA and PAA levels. Our results indicate that UGT84B1 plays an important role in IAA and PAA homeostasis in Arabidopsis.

The phytohormone auxin regulates a wide range of developmental processes in plants. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is the main auxin that moves in a polar manner and forms concentration gradients, whereas phenylacetic acid (PAA), another natural auxin, does not exhibit polar movement. Although these auxins occur widely in plants, the differences between IAA and PAA metabolism remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of Arabidopsis IAA CARBOXYL METHYLTRANSFERASE 1 (IAMT1) in IAA and PAA metabolism. IAMT1 proteins expressed in Escherichia coli could convert both IAA and PAA to their respective methyl esters. Overexpression of IAMT1 caused severe auxin-deficient phenotypes and reduced the levels of IAA, but not PAA, in the root tips of Arabidopsis, suggesting that IAMT1 exclusively metabolizes IAA in vivo. We generated iamt1 null mutants via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and found that the single knockout mutants had normal auxin levels and did not exhibit visibly altered phenotypes. These results suggest that other proteins, namely the IAMT1 homologs in the SABATH family of carboxyl methyltransferases, may also regulate IAA levels in Arabidopsis.