Highly efficient prime editors for mammalian genome editing based on porcine retrovirus reverse transcriptase.

Prime editing is a versatile and precise genome-editing tool. Most prime editors (PEs) rely on reverse transcriptase (RT) derived from Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV). Here, we established a PE, pvPE, using a RT derived from a porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) from a Bama mini-pig.

An innovative perspective on fermented foods: isolation, purification, biochemical properties, and evaluation of the flavor formation potential of meat protein hydrolysis by Saccharomyces cerevisiae L3 proteases.

This study evaluated the extracellular protease characteristics, protein hydrolysis activity, and flavor formation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae L3. The protease was purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation, size exclusion chromatography, and molecular sieve chromatography, yielding a relative molecular weight of 48.0 kDa.

Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Alleviates Aging Defects in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the LMNA gene, leading to progerin accumulation and accelerated aging. Current therapeutic interventions remain limited. Here, we demonstrate that supplementation with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) markedly ameliorates HGPS-associated phenotypes at both the cellular and organismal levels.

Protects Against Steroid-Induced Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Through Inhibiting Inflammatory Responses and Apoptosis via Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation.

Background: Steroid-related osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) is bone death resulting from the use of chronic glucocorticoids. Due to its high incidence and lack of effective treatment, which is still a challenging problem in orthopedic surgery. Cornus officinalis (SZY) is usually used as a traditional use for the treatment of SONFH and plays a major role in traditional prescriptions, however, the specific pharmacological mechanisms of action remain unclear.

Conventional versus emerging techniques in probiotic enumeration: a comprehensive review.

Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that support host health. They are extensively used in food, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. Accurate viability assessment is imperative not only to ensure product quality and efficacy but also to meet consumer expectations.

Rapeseed transcription factor BnaC9bHLH35 promotes root growth and improves nitrogen use efficiency under low nitrate conditions.

BnaC9bHLH35 directly regulated the expression of several nitrate uptake and assimilation-related genes and improved nitrogen use efficiency. Nitrogen is one of the most important basic elements in life, which forms proteins, nucleic acids and numerous indispensable compounds. It is critical to improve the nitrogen use efficiency of crops while reduce the amount of fertilizer use.

Effects of eugenol on protease activity and structural characteristics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its hydrolysis mechanism.

The quality formation of fermented meat products is closely linked to microorganisms, with spices potentially influencing microbial activity. There is a potential effect of spices on protease activity and myofibrillar proteins (MPs) hydrolysis during fermentation, which was explored in this study. Eugenol (EG), the main component of clove extract, was extracted, and its inhibitory effect on protease activity was found to be concentration-dependent.

Overlooked risk of dissemination and mobility of antibiotic resistance genes in freshwater aquaculture of the Micropterus salmoides in Zhejiang, China.

Residual antibiotics in aquaculture ecosystems can exert selective pressures on bacterial communities, driving bacteria to acquire antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through gene mutations or horizontal gene transfer (HGT). This study investigated the antibiotic resistance risk in freshwater aquaculture ecosystems of Micropterus salmoides in Zhejiang Province. The results revealed that oxytetracycline, ciprofloxacin and florfenicol were up to 300 ng/L, and the proportion of multidrug-resistant genes varied from 32.

Photoinduced Cobalt-Catalyzed Carbonyl Umpolung Alkenylation.

Herein we introduce a cobalt-catalyzed umpolung strategy for radical carbonyl alkenylation. This method provides an alternative pathway for producing Grignard-type products from (hetero)aryl vinyl bromides and aliphatic aldehydes without pre-functionalization. The method is distinguished by its broad substrate scope, mild reaction conditions, and simple catalytic system.

LSD1 induces H3 K9 demethylation to promote adipogenesis in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.

Background: Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune orbital disease influenced by multiple factors, including genetic and immune factors. The enlargement of orbital fat tissues are mainly due to abnormal activation of adipocyte differentiation. Epigenetic modifications provide mechanistic insight for regulating gene expression and cellular differentiation.

Design, synthesis and anti-GBM activities of amide-modified Curcumol derivatives.

A series of amide-modified curcumol derivatives have been designed and synthesized via a simple four-step procedure. Notably, the derivatives with a phenyl or substituted phenyl attaching on the nitrogen atom showed significantly enhanced in vitro anti-GBM activity and excellent BBB permeability. Among them, 13t with a 4-fluorophenyl demonstrated the most potent dose-dependent inhibition of GBM cell viability, providing a novel lead compound for further anti-GBM drug discovery.

Discovery of undescribed schinortriterpenoids from Schisandra chinensis by molecular networking and their neuroprotective effects.

The dried, ripe fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill has significant nutritional as well as medicinal value and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Schinortriterpenoids (SNTs) are a distinct class of highly oxygenated and rearranged terpenoids exclusively derived from plants belonging to the Schisandraceae family.

Development of a stable luciferase@nanoflower-based method for the sensitive detection of pesticide residues in milk.

Acetylcholinesterase inhibition-luciferase bioluminescence system enables rapid detection of organophosphate and carbamate pesticide residues. However, firefly luciferase (FLuc) suffers from poor stability and short luminescence duration, thereby introducing uncertainties in detection. To address this problem, nanoflower-immobilized FLuc (FLuc@NFs) was prepared using a coprecipitation method, which markedly enhanced stability and activity.

Flavor effect, application status, and research trend of umami peptides based on microbial fermentation in food.

Umami peptides are important non-volatile compounds produced by protein degradation, contributing to food umami flavor and enhancing product quality. Microbial fermentation promotes the production of taste peptides, including umami peptides, which act as key flavor substances and precursors. Microbial-derived umami peptides are cost-effective, easy to produce, and a major source of umami peptide production.

Leveraging base excision repair for efficient adenine base editing of mitochondrial DNA.

Transcription activator-like effector-linked deaminases (TALEDs) use their single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-specific adenosine deaminase TadA8e to mediate A-to-G editing in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The working mechanism of this process is unknown, hindering the development of more effective TALEDs. Here we reveal that TALED-mediated A-to-G editing relies on the formation of an ssDNA region through base excision repair (BER), which is triggered by double-stranded DNA-specific cytidine deaminase (DddA)-induced C-to-U deamination.

Mechanism, application, and prospect of bioprotective cultures in meat and meat products.

Physical, chemical, and biological methods are often used to prevent meat spoilage and food-borne diseases. Bioprotective cultures and antimicrobial products are the basis of biological protection, especially lactic acid bacteria, which have been widely used in meat and meat products. In addition to effective inhibition of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, some bioprotective cultures can also improve product quality.

The overlooked risk of horizontal transfer of plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance genes induced by synthetic phenolic antioxidants.

Plasmid-borne conjugation transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) triggered by non-antibiotic stresses has attracted widespread attention, known to motivate conjugation through well-recognized reactive oxygen species and SOS response. However, a notable knowledge gap remains on the potential risks of reductive compounds, such as synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs), in facilitating horizontal gene transfer by the other mechanisms beyond intracellular ROS. Therefore, intragenus and wastewater indigenous microbiota conjugation models were established to examine conjugative transfer frequency of RP4 plasmid under exposure of four extensively detected SPAs.

The effect of endometriosis on oocyte quality: mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment.

Endometriosis significantly impacts the physical and mental health of women of reproductive age. While some patients can achieve pregnancy through surgery or in vitro fertilization (IVF), many still struggle with IVF failure due to poor oocyte quality. This presents a major clinical challenge that requires immediate attention.

The Circadian Rhythm Regulates the Hepato-ovarian Axis Linking Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

This study aimed to identify shared gene expression related to circadian rhythm disruption in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to discover common diagnostic biomarkers. Visceral fat RNA samples were collected from 12 PCOS and 14 non-PCOS patients, a sample size representing the clinical situation and sufficient to capture PCOS gene expression profiles. Along with liver transcriptome profiles from NAFLD patients, these data were analyzed to identify crosstalk circadian rhythm-related genes (CRRGs) between the diseases.

High-Throughput Formation of Pre-Vascularized hiPSC-Derived Hepatobiliary Organoids on a Chip via Nonparenchymal Cell Grafting.

Liver organoids have been increasingly adopted as a critical in vitro model to study liver development and diseases. However, the pre-vascularization of liver organoids without affecting liver parenchymal specification remains a long-lasting challenge, which is essential for their application in regenerative medicine. Here, the large-scale formation of pre-vascularized human hepatobiliary organoids (vhHBOs) is presented without affecting liver epithelial specification via a novel strategy, namely nonparenchymal cell grafting (NCG).

The role of RGC degeneration in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and axonal degeneration, resulting in irreversible vision impairment. While intraocular pressure (IOP) is presently acknowledged as the sole modifiable risk factor, the sensitivity of RGCs to IOP varies among individuals. Consequently, progressive vision loss may ensue even when IOP is effectively managed.

Insights into the flavor contribution, mechanisms of action, and future trends of coagulase-negative staphylococci in fermented meat products: A review.

During fermentation, meat is pre-treated and cured to cultivate a diverse microflora, resulting in fermented meat products with distinctive flavors. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus holds a crucial role in all fermented meat products, contributing to the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and the creation of flavor compounds. Fermentation technology has important research value and significance in fermented meat products.

Discovery of -Trifluoromethylated Noscapines as Novel and Potent Agents for the Treatment of Glioblastoma.

The search for new and effective chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) represents an unmet need in drug discovery. Herein, a class of novel -trifluoromethylated noscapines has been disclosed. Among them, 9'-bromo--trifluoromethyl noscapine displayed superior anti-GBM potency.

Soft-lithographically defined template for arbitrarily patterned acoustic bioassembly.

Acoustic bioassembly is recently regarded as a highly efficient biofabrication tool to generate functional tissue mimics. Despite their capacity of directly patterning live cells with close intercellular proximity, most acoustic bioassembly techniques are currently limited to generate some specific simple types of periodic and symmetric patterns, which represents an urgent challenge to emulate geometrically complex cytoarchitecture in human tissue. To address this challenge, we herein demonstrate a soft-lithographically defined acoustic bioassembly (SLAB) technique that enables to assemble live cells into geometrically defined arbitrary multicellular structures.

Impact and correlation of fermentation temperature on the bacterial community, flavor characteristics, and proteolysis of Harbin dry sausages.

Proteins undergo degradation to produce peptides and free amino acids, which in turn promote the production of volatile compounds with important contributions to the taste and aroma. This study investigated the effect of fermentation temperatures (8, 15, and 25 °C) on the bacterial community, flavor profile, and protein degradation of Harbin dry sausages. The physical and chemical properties were improved at 25 °C compared with 8 and 15 °C.