Toxicological, biochemical, and in silico investigations of three trehalase inhibitors for new ways to control aphids.

Insect trehalases have been identified as promising new targets for pest control. These key enzymes are involved in trehalose hydrolysis and plays an important role in insect growth and development. In this contribution, plant and microbial compounds, namely validamycin A, amygdalin, and phloridzin, were evaluated for their effect, through trehalase inhibition, on Acyrthosiphon pisum aphid. The latter is part of the Aphididae family, main pests as phytovirus vectors and being very harmful for crops. Validamycin A was confirmed as an excellent trehalase inhibitor with an half maximal inhibitory concentration and inhibitor constant of 2.2 × 10-7 and 5 × 10-8 M, respectively, with a mortality rate of ~80% on a A. pisum population. Unlike validamycin A, the insect lethal efficacy of amygdalin and phloridzin did not correspond to their trehalase inhibition, probably due to their hydrolysis by insect ß-glucosidases. Our docking studies showed that none of the three compounds can bind to the trehalase active site, unlike their hydrolyzed counterparts, that is, validoxylamine A, phloretin, and prunasin. Validoxylamine A would be by far the best trehalase binder, followed by phloretin and prunasin.

Metabolic engineering Corynebacterium glutamicum for D-chiro-inositol production.

D-chiro-inositol (DCI) is a potential drug for the treatment of type II diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome. In order to effectively synthesize DCI in Corynebacterium glutamicum, the genes related to inositol catabolism in clusters iol1 and iol2 were knocked out in C. glutamicum SN01 to generate the chassis strain DCI-1. DCI-1 did not grow in and catabolize myo-inositol (MI). Subsequently, different exogenous and endogenous inosose isomerases were expressed in DCI-1 and their conversion ability of DCI from MI were compared. After fermentation, the strain DCI-7 co-expressing inosose isomerase IolI2 and inositol dehydrogenase IolG was identified as the optimal strain. Its DCI titer reached 3.21 g/L in the presence of 20 g/L MI. On this basis, the pH, temperature and MI concentration during whole-cell conversion of DCI by strain DCI-7 were optimized. Finally, the optimal condition that achieved the highest DCI titer of 6.96 g/L were obtained at pH 8.0, 37 °C and addition of 40 g/L MI. To our knowledge, it is the highest DCI titer ever reported.

In Vitro and In Silico Explorations of the Protein Conformational Changes of Corynebacterium glutamicum MshA, a Model Retaining GT-B Glycosyltransferase.

MshA is a GT-B glycosyltransferase catalyzing the first step in the biosynthesis of mycothiol. While many GT-B enzymes undergo an open-to-closed transition, MshA is unique because its 97° rotation is beyond the usual range of 10-25°. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out for MshA in both ligand bound and unbound states to investigate the effect of ligand binding on localized protein dynamics and its conformational free energy landscape. Simulations showed that both the unliganded "opened" and liganded "closed" forms of the enzyme sample a wide degree of dihedral angles and interdomain distances with relatively low overlapping populations. Calculation of the free energy surface using replica exchange MD for the apo "opened" and an artificial generated apo "closed" structure revealed overlaps in the geometries sampled, allowing calculation of a barrier of 2 kcal/mol for the open-to-closed transition in the absence of ligands. MD simulations of fully liganded MshA revealed a smaller sampling of the dihedral angles. The localized protein fluctuation changes suggest that UDP-GlcNAc binding activates the motions of loops in the 1-l-myo-inositol-1-phosphate (I1P)-binding site despite little change in the interactions with UDP-GlcNAc. Circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, and mutagenesis studies were used to confirm the ligand-induced structural changes in MshA. The results support a proposed mechanism where UDP-GlcNAc binds with rigid interactions to the C-terminal domain of MshA and activates flexible loops in the N-terminal domain for binding and positioning of I1P. This model can be used for future structure-based drug development of inhibitors of the mycothiol biosynthetic pathway.

Efficacy of optimal nutraceutical combination in treating PCOS characteristics: an in-silico assessment.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a serious health condition affecting women of reproductive age. High prevalence of PCOS and associated metabolic complications needs effective treatment and management. This study evaluated the efficacy of optimal nutraceutical combinations in improving PCOS characteristics using system biology-based mathematical modelling and simulation. METHODS: A shortlisting of eight potent nutraceuticals was carried out with literature search. Menstrual cycle model was used to perform simulations on an in-silico population of 2000 individuals to test individual and combined effects of shortlisted nutraceuticals on five PCOS characteristics [oligomenorrhea, anovulation, hirsutism, infertility, and polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM)] for a duration of 6 months. Efficacy was tested across lean and obese phenotypes and age groups. RESULTS: Individual assessment of nutraceuticals revealed seven most potent compounds. Myo-inositol among them was observed to be the most effective in alleviating the PCOS characteristics. The in-silico population analysis showed that the combination of melatonin and ALA along with myo-inositol was efficacious in restoring the hormonal balance across age-groups and Body Mass Index (BMI) categories. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with the combination of myo-inositol, melatonin, and ALA demonstrated potential in managing PCOS symptoms in our in-silico analysis of a heterogeneous population, including lean and obese phenotypes across various severities and age groups, over a 6-month period. Future clinical studies are recommended to validate these findings.

Multiomics unravels potential molecular switches in the C3 to CAM transition of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.

Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (common ice plant), a facultative CAM plant, shifts from C3 to CAM photosynthesis under salt stress, enhancing water use efficiency. Here we used transcriptomics, proteomics, and targeted metabolomics to profile molecular changes during the diel cycle of C3 to CAM transition. The results confirmed expected changes associated with CAM photosynthesis, starch biosynthesis and degradation, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. Importantly, they yielded new discoveries: 1) Transcripts displayed greater circadian regulation than proteins. 2) Oxidative phosphorylation and inositol methylation may play important roles in initiating the transition. 3) V-type H+-ATPases showed consistent transcriptional regulation, aiding in vacuolar malate uptake. 4) A protein phosphatase 2C, a major component in the ABA signaling pathway, may trigger the C3 to CAM transition. Our work highlights the potential molecular switches in the C3 to CAM transition, including the potential role of ABA signaling. SIGNIFICANCE: The common ice plant is a model facultative CAM plant, and under stress conditions it can shift from C3 to CAM photosynthesis within a three-day period. However, knowledge about the molecular changes during the transition and the molecular switches enabling the transition is lacking. Multi-omic analyses not only revealed the molecular changes during the transition, but also highlighted the importance of ABA signaling, inositol methylation, V-type H+-ATPase in initiating the shift. The findings may explain physiological changes and nocturnal stomatal opening, and inform future synthetic biology effort in improving crop water use efficiency and stress resilience.

D-Pinitol mitigates post-traumatic stress disorder-like behaviors induced by single prolonged stress in mice through mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness that can occur in individuals who have experienced trauma. Current treatments for PTSD, typically serotonin reuptake inhibitors, have limited effectiveness for patients and often cause serious adverse effects. Therefore, a novel class of treatment with better pharmacological profile is necessary. D-Pinitol has been reported to be effective for depression and anxiety disorders, but there are no reports associated with PTSD. In the present study, we investigated the effects of D-pinitol in a mouse model of PTSD induced by a single prolonged stress (SPS) protocol. We examined the therapeutic effects of D-pinitol on emotional and cognitive impairments in the SPS mouse model. We also investigated the effects of D-pinitol on fear memory formation. Mineralocorticoid receptor transactivation assay, Western blot, and quantitative PCR were employed to investigate how D-pinitol exerts its pharmacological activities. D-Pinitol ameliorated PTSD-like behaviors in a SPS mouse model. D-Pinitol also normalized the increased mRNA expression levels and protein levels of the mineralocorticoid receptor in the amygdala. A mineralocorticoid receptor agonist reversed the effects of D-pinitol on fear extinction and recall, and the antagonistic property of D-pinitol against the mineralocorticoid receptor was confirmed in vitro. Our findings suggest that D-pinitol could serve as a potential therapeutic agent for PTSD due to its antagonistic effect on the mineralocorticoid receptor.

Identification of inositol monophosphatase as a broad-spectrum antiviral target of ivermectin.

Ivermectin has broad-spectrum antiviral activities. Despite the failure in clinical application of COVID-19, it can serve as a lead compound for the development of more effective broad-spectrum antivirals, for which a better understanding of its antiviral mechanisms is essential. We thus searched for potential novel targets of ivermectin in host cells by label-free thermal proteomic profiling using Huh-7 cells. Inositol monophosphatase (IMPase) was found among the proteins with shifted thermal stability by ivermectin. Ivermectin could inhibit IMPase activity and reduce cellular myo-inositol and phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate levels. On the other hand, inositol could impair the antiviral activity of ivermectin and lithium, an IMPase inhibitor with known antiviral activity. As phosphatidylinositol phosphate is crucial for the replication of many RNA viruses, inhibition of cellular myo-inositol biosynthesis may be an important antiviral mechanism of ivermectin. Hence, inhibition of IMPase could serve as a potential target for broad-spectrum antiviral development.

Rice ins(3)P synthase1 (RINO1) participates in embryonic development by regulating inositol-associated changes in auxin synthesis and its distribution.

The breeding of low phytic acid (LPA) crops is widely considered an effective strategy to improve crop nutrition, but the LPA crops usually have inferior seed germination performance. To clarify the reason for the suboptimal seed performance of LPA rice, this study investigated the impact of reduced seed phytic acid (InsP6) content in rice ins(3)P synthase1 (EC 5.5.1.4, RINO1), one of the key targets for engineering LPA rice, knockouton cellular differentiation in seed embryos and its relation to myo-inositol metabolism and auxin signalling during embryogenesis. The results indicated that the homozygotes of RINO1 knockout could initiate differentiation at the early stage of embryogenesis but failed to form normal differentiation of plumule and radicle primordia. The loss of RINO1 function disrupted vesicle trafficking and auxin signalling due to the significantly lowered phosphatidylinositides (PIs) concentration in seed embryos, thereby leading to the defects of seed embryos without the recognizable differentiation of shoot apex meristem (SAM) and radicle apex meristem (RAM) for the homozygotes of RINO1 knockout. The abnormal embryo phenotype of RINO1 homozygotes was partially rescued by exogenous spraying of inositol and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in rice panicle. Thus, RINO1 is crucial for both seed InsP6 biosynthesis and embryonic development. The lower phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate (PI (4,5) P2) concentration and the disorder auxin distribution induced by insufficient inositol supply in seed embryos were among the regulatory switch steps leading to aberrant embryogenesis and failure of seed germination in RINO1 knockout.

The developmental trajectory of 1H-MRS brain metabolites from childhood to adulthood.

Human brain development is ongoing throughout childhood, with for example, myelination of nerve fibers and refinement of synaptic connections continuing until early adulthood. 1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-MRS) can be used to quantify the concentrations of endogenous metabolites (e.g. glutamate and γ -aminobutyric acid (GABA)) in the human brain in vivo and so can provide valuable, tractable insight into the biochemical processes that support postnatal neurodevelopment. This can feasibly provide new insight into and aid the management of neurodevelopmental disorders by providing chemical markers of atypical development. This study aims to characterize the normative developmental trajectory of various brain metabolites, as measured by 1H-MRS from a midline posterior parietal voxel. We find significant non-linear trajectories for GABA+ (GABA plus macromolecules), Glx (glutamate + glutamine), total choline (tCho) and total creatine (tCr) concentrations. Glx and GABA+ concentrations steeply decrease across childhood, with more stable trajectories across early adulthood. tCr and tCho concentrations increase from childhood to early adulthood. Total N-acetyl aspartate (tNAA) and Myo-Inositol (mI) concentrations are relatively stable across development. Trajectories likely reflect fundamental neurodevelopmental processes (including local circuit refinement) which occur from childhood to early adulthood and can be associated with cognitive development; we find GABA+ concentrations significantly positively correlate with recognition memory scores.

Organic tracers in fine and coarse aerosols at an urban Mediterranean site: contribution of biomass burning and biogenic emissions.

The concentrations of anhydrosugars (levoglucosan, mannosan, and galactosan), polyols (inositol, xylitol, sorbitol, and mannitol), and glucose were measured in PM1 and PM10 samples collected during 1 year at a traffic site in the city of Elche (southeastern Spain). Levoglucosan, mannosan, and galactosan were mainly found in the PM1 fraction since they are mainly emitted from biomass burning (BB). Likewise, inositol, xylitol, and sorbitol were primarily distributed in the fine mode, suggesting a non-negligible contribution from anthropogenic sources (specifically BB) to the levels of these compounds. This was supported by their seasonal variations, with higher concentrations during winter, and their correlations with levoglucosan concentrations. The average contributions of biomass burning and biogenic sources to OC and PM levels were calculated using levoglucosan and mannitol, respectively, as tracers. On average, BB accounted for 12% and 16% of the OC in PM1 and PM10, while the estimated contribution of fungal spores to OC and PM10 levels was 1.2 and 0.8%, respectively. The results of the present study suggest that, at least in the study area, most sugar alcohols are not appropriate tracers of biogenic emissions.

Inositol-Exchange Activity in Human Primordial Placenta.

Human placenta is an intensively growing tissue. Phosphatidylinositol (PI) and its derivatives are part of the signaling pathway in the regulation of trophoblast cell differentiation. There are two different enzymes that take part in the direct PI synthesis: phosphatidylinositol synthase (PIS) and inositol exchange enzyme (IE). The presence of PIS is known in the human placenta, but IE activity has not been documented before. In our study, we describe the physiological properties of the two enzymes in vitro. PIS and IE were studied in different Mn2+ and Mg2+ concentrations that enabled us to separate the individual enzyme activities. Enzyme activity was measured by incorporation of 3[H]inositol in human primordial placenta tissue or microsomes. Optimal PIS activity was achieved between 0.5 and 2.0 mM Mn2+ concentration, but higher concentrations inhibit enzyme activity. In the presence of Mg2+, the enzyme activity increases continuously up to a concentration of 100 mM. PIS was inhibited by nucleoside di- and tri-phosphates. PI production increases between 0.1 and 10 mM Mn2+ concentration. The incorporation of [3H]inositol into PI increased by 57% when adding stabile GTP analog. The described novel pathway of inositol synthesis may provide an additional therapeutic approach of inositol supplementation before and during pregnancy.

Effect of Natural Osmolytes on Recombinant Tau Monomer: Propensity of Oligomerization and Aggregation.

The pathological misfolding and aggregation of the microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT), a full length Tau2N4R with 441aa, is considered the principal disease relevant constituent in tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease (AD) with an imbalanced ratio in 3R/4R isoforms. The exact cellular fluid composition, properties, and changes that coincide with tau misfolding, seed formation, and propagation events remain obscure. The proteostasis network, along with the associated osmolytes, is responsible for maintaining the presence of tau in its native structure or dealing with misfolding. In this study, for the first time, the roles of natural brain osmolytes are being investigated for their potential effects on regulating the conformational stability of the tau monomer (tauM) and its propensity to aggregate or disaggregate. Herein, the effects of physiological osmolytes myo-inositol, taurine, trimethyl amine oxide (TMAO), betaine, sorbitol, glycerophosphocholine (GPC), and citrulline on tau's aggregation state were investigated. The overall results indicate the ability of sorbitol and GPC to maintain the monomeric form and prevent aggregation of tau, whereas myo-inositol, taurine, TMAO, betaine, and citrulline promote tau aggregation to different degrees, as revealed by protein morphology in atomic force microscopy images. Biochemical and biophysical methods also revealed that tau proteins adopt different conformations under the influence of these osmolytes. TauM in the presence of all osmolytes expressed no toxicity when tested by a lactate dehydrogenase assay. Investigating the conformational stability of tau in the presence of osmolytes may provide a better understanding of the complex nature of tau aggregation in AD and the protective and/or chaotropic nature of osmolytes.

Hippocampal neurometabolic and structural changes from pre-to post-COVID-19: A case-series study.

BACKGROUND: Neurological complications of the COVID-19 infection may be caused in part by local neurochemical and structural abnormalities that could not be detected during routine medical examinations. We examined within subject neurometabolic and structural brain alterations from pre-to post-COVID-19 in the hippocampal region of three elderly individuals (aged 63-68 years) who had a COVID-19 infection with mild symptoms. Patients were participating in an interventional study in which they were closely monitored at the time they were diagnosed with COVID-19. Patients 1 and 2 just completed 18-20 resistance training sessions prior to their diagnosis. Patient 3 was assigned to a non-training condition in the same study. METHODS: Whole brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of the left hippocampus were collected before and after infection. Structural and spectroscopic imaging measures post-COVID-19 were contrasted to the pre-COVID-19 measures and were compared with values for Minimal Detectable Change at 95% (MDC95) and 90% (MDC90) confidence from a group of six elderly (aged 60-79 years) without COVID-19 that participated in the same study. RESULTS: After SARS-COV-2 infection, we observed a reduction of glutamate-glutamine (Glx) in Patients 1 and 2 (≥ 42.0%) and elevation of myo-inositol (mIns) and N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) in Patient 3 (≥ 36.4%); all > MDC90. MRI findings showed increased (Patients 1 and 2) or unchanged (Patient 3) hippocampal volume. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, findings from this exploratory study suggest that mild COVID-19 infection could be associated with development of local neuroinflammation and reduced glutamate levels in the hippocampus. Our 1H-MRS findings may have clinical value for explaining chronic neurological and psychological complaints in COVID-19 long-haulers.

Deleting IP6K1 stabilizes neuronal sodium-potassium pumps and suppresses excitability.

Inositol pyrophosphates are key signaling molecules that regulate diverse neurobiological processes. We previously reported that the inositol pyrophosphate 5-InsP7, generated by inositol hexakisphosphate kinase 1 (IP6K1), governs the degradation of Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) via an autoinhibitory domain of PI3K p85α. NKA is required for maintaining electrochemical gradients for proper neuronal firing. Here we characterized the electrophysiology of IP6K1 knockout (KO) neurons to further expand upon the functions of IP6K1-regulated control of NKA stability. We found that IP6K1 KO neurons have a lower frequency of action potentials and a specific deepening of the afterhyperpolarization phase. Our results demonstrate that deleting IP6K1 suppresses neuronal excitability, which is consistent with hyperpolarization due to an enrichment of NKA. Given that impaired NKA function contributes to the pathophysiology of various neurological diseases, including hyperexcitability in epilepsy, our findings may have therapeutic implications.

Deficiency of immunoglobulin IgSF6 enhances antibacterial effects by promoting endoplasmic reticulum stress and the inflammatory response in intestinal macrophages.

Immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) members are known for their role as glycoproteins expressed on the surface of immune cells, enabling protein-protein interactions to sense external signals during immune responses. However, the functions of immunoglobulins localized within subcellular compartments have been less explored. In this study, we identified an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized immunoglobulin, IgSF member 6 (IgSF6), that regulates ER stress and the inflammatory response in intestinal macrophages. Igsf6 expression is sustained by microbiota and significantly upregulated upon bacterial infection. Mice lacking Igsf6 displayed resistance to Salmonella typhimurium challenge but increased susceptibility to dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Mechanistically, deficiency of Igsf6 enhanced inositol-requiring enzyme 1α/-X-box binding protein 1 pathway, inflammatory response, and reactive oxygen species production leading to increased bactericidal activity of intestinal macrophages. Inhibition of reactive oxygen species or inositol-requiring enzyme 1α-X-box binding protein 1 pathway reduced the advantage of Igsf6 deficiency in bactericidal capacity. Together, our findings provide insight into the role of IgSF6 in intestinal macrophages that modulate the ER stress response and maintain intestinal homeostasis.

D-pinitol alleviates diabetic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting the optineurin-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress and glycophagy signaling pathway.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is an important complication resulting in heart failure and death of diabetic patients. However, there is no effective drug for treatments. This study investigated the effect of D-pinitol (DP) on cardiac injury using diabetic mice and glycosylation injury of cardiomyocytes and its molecular mechanisms. We established the streptozotocin-induced SAMR1 and SAMP8 mice and DP (150 mg/kg/day) intragastrically and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs)-induced H9C2 cells. H9C2 cells were transfected with optineurin (OPTN) siRNA and overexpression plasmids. The metabolic disorder indices, cardiac dysfunction, histopathology, immunofluorescence, western blot, and immunoprecipitation were investigated. Our results showed that DP reduced the blood glucose and AGEs, and increased the expression of heart OPTN in diabetic mice and H9C2 cells, thereby inhibiting the endoplasmic reticulum stress (GRP78, CHOP) and glycophagy (STBD1, GABARAPL1), and alleviating the myocardial apoptosis and fibrosis of DCM. The expression of filamin A as an interaction protein of OPTN downregulated by AGEs decreased OPTN abundance. Moreover, OPTN siRNA increased the expression of GRP78, CHOP, STBD1, and GABARAPL1 and inhibited the expression of GAA via GSK3ß phosphorylation and FoxO1. DP may be helpful to treat the onset of DCM. Targeting OPTN with DP could be translated into clinical application in the fighting against DCM.

Study on the osmotic response and function of myo-inositol oxygenase in euryhaline fish nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

To understand the role of myo-inositol oxygenase (miox) in the osmotic regulation of Nile tilapia, its expression was analyzed in various tissues. The results showed that the expression of miox gene was highest in the kidney, followed by the liver, and was significantly upregulated in the kidney and liver under 1 h hyperosmotic stress. The relative luminescence efficiency of the miox gene transcription starting site (-4,617 to +312 bp) under hyperosmotic stress was measured. Two fragments (-1,640/-1,619 and -620/-599) could induce the luminescence activity. Moreover, the -1,640/-1,619 and -620/-599 responded to hyperosmotic stress and high-glucose stimulation by base mutation, suggesting that osmotic and carbohydrate response elements may exist in this region. Finally, the salinity tolerance of Nile tilapia was significantly reduced after the knocking down of miox gene. The accumulation of myo-inositol was affected, and the expression of enzymes in glucose metabolism was significantly reduced after the miox gene was knocked down. Furthermore, hyperosmotic stress can cause oxidative stress, and MIOX may help maintain the cell redox balance under hyperosmotic stress. In summary, MIOX is essential in osmotic regulation to enhance the salinity tolerance of Nile tilapia by affecting myo-inositol accumulation, glucose metabolism, and antioxidant performance.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Myo-inositol oxygenase (MIOX) is the rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes the first step of MI metabolism and determines MI content in aquatic animals. To understand the role of miox in the osmotic regulation of Nile tilapia, we analyzed its expression in different tissues and its function under hyperosmotic stress. This study showed that miox is essential in osmotic regulation to enhance the salinity tolerance of Nile tilapia by affecting myo-inositol accumulation, glucose metabolism, and antioxidant performance.

Changes in primary metabolite content may affect thrips feeding preference in soybean crops.

Past research has characterized the induction of plant defenses in response to chewing insect damage. However, little is known about plant responses to piercing-sucking insects that feed on plant cell-contents like thrips (Caliothrips phaseoli). In this study, we used NMR spectroscopy to measure metabolite changes in response to six days of thrips damage from two field-grown soybean cultivars (cv.), known for their different susceptibility to Caliothrips phaseoli. We observed that thrips damage reduces sucrose concentration in both cultivars, while pinitol, the most abundant leaf soluble carbohydrate, is induced in cv. Charata but not in cv. Williams. Thrips did not show preference for leaves where sucrose or pinitol were externally added, at tested concentration. In addition, we also noted that cv. Charata was less naturally colonized and contained higher levels of trigonelline, tyrosine as well as several compounds that we have not yet identified. We have established that preference-feeding clues are not dependent on the plants major soluble carbohydrates but may depend on other types of compounds or leaf physical characteristics.

Metabolic disorder and functional disturbance in the central executive network in minimal hepatic encephalopathy.

The aim of this paper is to investigate dynamical functional disturbance in central executive network in minimal hepatic encephalopathy and determine its association with metabolic disorder and cognitive impairment. Data of magnetic resonance spectroscopy and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were obtained from 27 cirrhotic patients without minimal hepatic encephalopathy, 20 minimal hepatic encephalopathy patients, and 24 healthy controls. Central executive network was identified utilizing seed-based correlation approach. Dynamic functional connectivity across central executive network was calculated using sliding-window approach. Functional states were estimated by K-means clustering. Right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex metabolite ratios (i.e. glutamate and glutamine complex/total creatine, myo-inositol / total creatine, and choline / total creatine) were determined. Neurocognitive performance was determined by psychometric hepatic encephalopathy scores. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy patients had decreased myo-inositol / total creatine and choline / total creatine and increased glutamate and glutamine complex / total creatine in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (all P ≤ 0.020); decreased static functional connectivity between bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and between right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and lateral-inferior temporal cortex (P ≤ 0.001); increased frequency and mean dwell time in state-1 (P ≤ 0.001), which exhibited weakest functional connectivity. Central executive network dynamic functional indices were significantly correlated with right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex metabolic indices and psychometric hepatic encephalopathy scores. Right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex myo-inositol / total creatine and mean dwell time in state-1 yielded best potential for diagnosing minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Dynamic functional disturbance in central executive network may contribute to neurocognitive impairment and could be correlated with metabolic disorder.

The crystal structure of mycothiol disulfide reductase (Mtr) provides mechanistic insight into the specific low-molecular-weight thiol reductase activity of Actinobacteria.

Low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiols are involved in many processes in all organisms, playing a protective role against reactive species, heavy metals, toxins and antibiotics. Actinobacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, use the LMW thiol mycothiol (MSH) to buffer the intracellular redox environment. The NADPH-dependent FAD-containing oxidoreductase mycothiol disulfide reductase (Mtr) is known to reduce oxidized mycothiol disulfide (MSSM) to MSH, which is crucial to maintain the cellular redox balance. In this work, the first crystal structures of Mtr are presented, expanding the structural knowledge and understanding of LMW thiol reductases. The structural analyses and docking calculations provide insight into the nature of Mtrs, with regard to the binding and reduction of the MSSM substrate, in the context of related oxidoreductases. The putative binding site for MSSM suggests a similar binding to that described for the homologous glutathione reductase and its respective substrate glutathione disulfide, but with distinct structural differences shaped to fit the bulkier MSSM substrate, assigning Mtrs as uniquely functioning reductases. As MSH has been acknowledged as an attractive antitubercular target, the structural findings presented in this work may contribute towards future antituberculosis drug development.