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Social wasps exhibit a unique nutritional cycle in which adults feed larvae with prey, and larvae provide adults with larval secretions (LS). LS serves as a vital nutritional source for adults, contributing to the colony's health and reproductive success. The LS nutrient composition has been previously reported in various wasp species, yet these analyses focused solely on worker-destined larvae, overlooking the potential caste designation effects on LS composition. Using metabolomics techniques, we analysed and compared the metabolite and nutrient composition in LS of queen- and worker-destined larvae of the Oriental hornet. We found that queen-destined LS (QLS) contain greater amounts of most metabolites, including amino acids, and smaller amounts of sugars compared to worker-destined LS (WLS). The amino acid-to-sugar ratio in QLS was approximately tenfold higher than in WLS. Thus, as the colony transitions from the production of workers to the production of reproductives, it gradually experiences a nutritional shift that may influence the behaviour and physiology of the adult nest population. This caste-specific metabolite profile and nutrient composition of LS reflect the differences in the diet and physiological requirements of worker- and queen-destined larvae and may play a critical role in caste determination in social wasps.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104128 | DOI Listing |
Plant Physiol
September 2025
Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Science4Life, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3508 TB, the Netherlands.
The increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices has driven a renewed interest in plant-microbiome interactions as a basis for the next "green revolution." Central to these interactions are root-derived metabolites that act as mediators of microbial recruitment and function. Plants exude a chemically diverse array of compounds that influence the assembly, composition, and stability of the root microbiome.
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August 2025
Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.
Introduction: Peatlands store up to a third of global soil carbon, and in high latitudes their litter inputs are increasing and changing in composition under climate change. Although litter significantly influences peatland carbon and nutrient dynamics by changing the overall lability of peatland organic matter, the physicochemical mechanisms of this impact-and thus its full scope-remain poorly understood.
Methods: We applied multimodal metabolomics (UPLC-HRMS, H NMR) paired with C Stable Isotope-Assisted Metabolomics (SIAM) to track litter carbon and its potential priming effects on both existing soil organic matter and carbon gas emissions.
Front Microbiol
August 2025
BioDyMIA Research Unit, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, ISARA Lyon, Bourg-en-Bresse, France.
Bioprotective LAB3 cells that produce bacteriocin-like substances were entrapped in 4% (w/w) sodium alginate matrices, either with or without 10% (w/w) sodium caseinate. The effects of bead formulation-alginate alone or combined with caseinate, with or without the addition of 20% (w/w) MRS broth or M17 broth-on the culturability of LAB3 cells within the beads and their anti activity were assessed over 12 days of storage at 30 °C in closed bottles. Calcium-alginate-caseinate beads supplemented with MRS broth proved most effective in preserving both culturability and anti- activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Bioeng Biotechnol
August 2025
Department Bio-Adaptive production, Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (FHG), Aachen, Germany.
Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have been identified as a promising therapeutic option for osteoarthritis, graft vs. host disease and cardiovascular diseases, among others. For widespread application of these therapies, robust and scaled manufacturing processes are required that reliably yield high amounts of high quality MSCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite being recognized as a low-cost food, rich in proteins and other nutrients, for years eggs have been the subject of controversy regarding a possible negative impact on human health linked to their frequent consumption and their cholesterol content. This narrative review describes the composition of eggs, the properties of individual nutrients, and the impact of their deficiency or excess on human health, and the development of several pathologies. The chemical-physical properties of the proteins and lipids contained in eggs and the environmental impact linked to their production are also considered.
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