[Main components from cultivated and wild Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma by LC-MS and GC-MS].

In this study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) were combined with non-targeted metabonomic analysis based on multivariate statistics analysis, and the content of five indicative components in nardosinone was determined and compared by UPLC. The main chemical components of Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma with imitative wild cultivation and wild Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma were comprehensively analyzed. The results of multivariate statistical analysis based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS) and GC-MS were consistent. G1 and G2 of the imitative wild cultivation group and G8-G19 of the wild group were clustered into category 1, while G7 of the wild group and G3-G6 of the imitative wild cultivation group were clustered into category 2. After removing the outlier data of G1, G2, and G7, G3-G6 of the imitative wild cultivation group were clustered into one category, and G8-G19 of the wild group were clustered into the other category. Twenty-six chemical components were identified according to the positive and negative ion modes detected by LC-MS. The content of five indicative components(VIP>1.5) was determined using UPLC, revealing that chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid C, linarin, nardosinone, and total content in the imitative wild cultivation group were 1.85, 1.52, 1.26, 0.90, 2.93, and 2.56 times those in the wild group, respectively. OPLS-DA based on GC-MS obtained 10 diffe-rential peaks. Among them, the relative content of α-humulene and aristolene in the imitative wild cultivation group were extremely significantly(P<0.01) and significantly(P<0.05) higher than that in the wild group, while the relative content of 7 components such as 5,6-epoxy-3-hydroxy-7-megastigmen-9-one, γ-eudesmol, and juniper camphor and 12-isopropyl-1,5,9-trimethyl-4,8,13-cyclotetrade-catriene-1,3-diol was extremely significantly(P<0.01) and significantly(P<0.05) lower than that in the wild group, respectively. Therefore, the main chemical components of the imitative wild cultivation group and wild group were basically the same. However, the content of non-volatile components in the imitative wild cultivation group was higher than that in the wild group, and the content of some volatile components was opposite. This study provides scientific data for the comprehensive evaluation of the quality of Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma with imitative wild cultivation and wild Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma.

[Comparison of odor and quality of Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum derived from domestic chickens and broilers].

Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum(GGEC) is commonly used for the clinical treatment of indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea, and infantile malnutrition with accumulation. In recent decades, omnivorous domestic chickens, the original source of GGEC, has been replaced by broilers, which may lead to significant changes in the quality of the yielding GGEC. Through subjective and objective sensory evaluation, biological evaluation, and chemical analysis, this study compared the odor and quality between GGEC derived from domestic chickens and that from broilers. The odor intensity between them was compared by odor profile analysis and it was found that the fishy odor of GGEC derived from domestic chickens was significantly weaker than that of GGEC from broilers. Headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry(HS-SPME/GC-QQQ-MS/MS) suggested that the overall odor-causing chemicals were consistent with the fishy odor-causing chemicals. According to the odor activity va-lue and the orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) result, dimethyl trisulfide, 2-methoxy-3-isobutylpyrazine, and 2-methylisoborneol were responsible for the fishy odor(OAV≥1) and the content of fishy odor-causing chemicals in GGEC derived from broilers was 1.12-2.13 folds that in GGEC from domestic chickens. The average pepsin potency in GGEC derived from broilers was 15.679 U·mg~(-1), and the corresponding figure for the medicinal from domestic chickens was 26.529 U·mg~(-1). The results of pre-column derivatization reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography(RP-HPLC) assay showed that the content of total amino acids and digestion-promoting amino acids in domestic chickens-derived GGEC was 1.12 times and 1.15 times that in GGEC from broilers, and the bitter amino acid content was 1.21 times folds that of the latter. In conclusion, GGEC derived from domestic chickens had weaker fishy odor, stronger enzyme activity, higher content of digestion-promoting amino acids, and stronger bitter taste than GGEC from broilers. This study lays a scientific basis for studying the quality variation of GGEC and provides a method for identifying high-quality GGEC. Therefore, it is of great significance for the development and cultivation of GGEC as both food and medicine and breeding of corresponding varieties.

Metabolic engineering for compartmentalized biosynthesis of the valuable compounds in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is commonly used as a microbial cell factory to produce high-value compounds or bulk chemicals due to its genetic operability and suitable intracellular physiological environment. The current biosynthesis pathway for targeted products is primarily rewired in the cytosolic compartment. However, the related precursors, enzymes, and cofactors are frequently distributed in various subcellular compartments, which may limit targeted compounds biosynthesis. To overcome above mentioned limitations, the biosynthesis pathways are localized in different subcellular organelles for product biosynthesis. Subcellular compartmentalization in the production of targeted compounds offers several advantages, mainly relieving competition for precursors from side pathways, improving biosynthesis efficiency in confined spaces, and alleviating the cytotoxicity of certain hydrophobic products. In recent years, subcellular compartmentalization in targeted compound biosynthesis has received extensive attention and has met satisfactory expectations. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the compartmentalized biosynthesis of the valuable compounds in S. cerevisiae, including terpenoids, sterols, alkaloids, organic acids, and fatty alcohols, etc. Additionally, we describe the characteristics and suitability of different organelles for specific compounds, based on the optimization of pathway reconstruction, cofactor supplementation, and the synthesis of key precursors (metabolites). Finally, we discuss the current challenges and strategies in the field of compartmentalized biosynthesis through subcellular engineering, which will facilitate the production of the complex valuable compounds and offer potential solutions to improve product specificity and productivity in industrial processes.

The role of Arabidopsis AtFes1A in cytosolic Hsp70 stability and abiotic stress tolerance.

AtFes1A is induced by high temperatures, and encodes a protein containing the armadillo repeat motif. Little is known about its biological function, however. In this study, we observed an increased heat-sensitive phenotype in atfes1a mutants, suggesting the involvement of AtFes1A in acquired thermotolerance. We found that AtFes1A is cytosolic and associates with cytosolic Hsp70. Loss of AtFes1A leads to a selective reduction of cytosolic Hsp70 and a global increase in heat shock transcription. Thus, AtFes1A appears to prevent cytosolic Hsp70 degradation, and acts as a negative regulator of heat-shock transcription. We also found increased ubiquitination of total protein in atfes1a mutants after severe heat stress. These findings suggest that AtFes1A plays an important role in heat response signalling pathways, in addition to its role in thermotolerance.

Rapid Screening and Quantitative Analysis of 74 Pesticide Residues in Herb by Retention Index Combined with GC-QQQ-MS/MS.

In this research, a very practical QuEChERS-GC-MS/MS analytical approach for 74 pesticide residues in herb based on retention index was established. This novel analytical approach has two important technical advantages. One advantage is to quickly screen pesticide compounds in herbs without having to use a large number of pesticide standard substances at the beginning of the experiment. The other advantage is to assist in identifying the target pesticide compound accurately. A total of 74 kinds of pesticides were quickly prescreened in all chuanxiong rhizoma samples. The results showed that three kinds of pesticides were screened out in all the samples, including chlorpyrifos, fipronil, and procymidone, and the three pesticides were qualitatively and quantitatively determined. The RSD values for interday and intraday variation were acquired to evaluate the precision of the analytical approach, and the overall interday and intraday variations are not more than 1.97% and 3.82%, respectively. The variations of concentrations of the analyzed three pesticide compounds in sample CX16 are 0.74%-4.15%, indicating that the three pesticides in the sample solutions were stable in 48 h. The spiked recoveries of the three pesticides are 95.22%, 93.03%, and 94.31%, and the RSDs are less than ± 6.0%. The methodological verification results indicated the good reliability and accuracy of the new analytical method. This research work is a new application of retention index, and it will be a valuable tool to assist quickly and accurately in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of multipesticide residues in herbs.

[Identification of the gene correlated with salt stress in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae 263-H9 mutant].

The mutant 263-H9 with hypersensitivity to several stress conditions (1.5 mol/L Sorbitol, 0.65 mol/L NaCl and 15 degrees C) was obtained by using transposon mutagenesis in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain W303-1A. Unlike other mutants the transposon in 263-H9 was intergenic between GIP2 and YER053C-A. Using gene knockout, a yeast genomic library and other methods, the gene correlated with the salt stress response was identified. The data indicated that the phenotype of 263-H9 was not directly caused by the insertion of the transposon. On the other hand, the hypersensitivity to salt and other stress conditions was due to the deletion of 5 base pairs close to position 936 bp in the PBS2 gene essential for HOG signal pathway regulation under salt stress.

[Study on RhBMP-2 induced osteoporosis rat BMSCs in vitro osteogenesis and VEGF expression].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the impact of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) on bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) osteogenesis in vitro and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) expression in bone osteoporotic to prevent and treat the osteoporosis. METHODS: Twenty 6-month-old female SD rats weighted (300±20) g underwent bilateral ovariectomized. At 3 months after operation, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure bone mineral density of rats,the values were compared with preoperative to ensure the model successfully, and the osteoporosis rats' BMSCs were cultured by bone marrow adherent cultured and the BMSCs morphology was observed under a phase contrast microscope upside down. The osteoporosis rats' BMSCs at the 2nd generation (p2) were randomly divided into experimental and control groups and were added complete medium (containing rhBMP-2) and osteogenic induced liquid, respectively. Two weeks later, the formation of cell calcium nodules were detected by Alizarin red staining method,alkaline phosphatase activity was measured by enzyme standard instrument and the expression of VEGF was detected by RT-PCT method. RESULTS: (1)Whole body bone mineral density of rats before and after operation were (0.179±0.007), (0.158±0.006) g/cm2,there was statistically significant (t=4.180,P< 0.05). (2)Alizarin red staining at 2 weeks after osteogenesis induced by BMSCs (P2) in the experimental group had more strong dyeing effect than the control group obviously. (3)Alkaline phosphatase activity at 2 weeks after osteogenesis induced by BMSCs (P2) of the experimental group (15.62±1.27) ug/gprot was significantly higher than that of the control group (8.62±0.93) ug/gprot,there was statistically significant (t=7.709, P<0.01). (4)The expression of VEGF at 2 weeks after osteogenesis induced by BMSCs (P2) of the experimental group 3.723±0.143 was significantly higher than that of the control group 0.950±0.072, there was statistically significant (t=29.462, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: RhBMP-2 can improve the in-vitro osteogenesis ability of ovary osteoporosis rat BMSCs, promote the VEGF expression of osteogenesis factor. Regulating the VEGF expression may be one of the mechanisms of BMP-2 to participate in bone metabolism.

[Progress in the pathway engineering of ethanol fermentation from xylose utilising recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae].

Pathway engineering was the third generation of gene engineering. Its main goals were to change metabolic flux and open a new metabolic pathway in organism. Application of recombinant DNA methods to restructure metabolic networks can improve production of metabolite and protein products by altering pathway distributions and rates. Ethanol is the most advanced liquid fuel because it is environmentally friendly. Enhancing fuel ethanol production will require developing lower-cost feedstock, and only lignocellulosic feedstock is available in sufficient quantities to substitute for corn starch. Xylose is the major pentose found in lignocellulosic materials and after glucose the most abundant sugar available in nature. Recently a lot of attentions have been focused on designing metabolic pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in order to expand the substrate of ethanol fermentation, because it is a traditional ethanol producing strain and has wonderful properties for ethanol industry. However, it can not utilize xylose but convert the isomer, xylulose. Many attempts are based on introducing the genes in the pathway of xylose metabolism. The further research includes overexpressing the key enzyme or decreasing the unimportant flux. The sugars in lignocellulose hydrolyzates, therefore, could be efficiently utilized. Here, we describe the ethanol pathway engineering progress in ethanol fermentation from xylose with recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Establishment of a xylose metabolic pathway in an industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

To produce an industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that metabolizes xylose, we constructed a rDNA integration vector and YIp integration vector, containing the xylose-utilizing genes, XYL1 and XYL2, which encode xylose reductase (XR) and xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH) from Pichia stipitis, and XKS1, which encodes xylulokinase (XK) from S. cerevisiae, with the G418 resistance gene KanMX as a dominant selectable marker. The rDNA results in integration of multiple copies of the target genes. The industrial stain of S. cerevisiae NAN-27 was transformed with the two integration vectors to produce two recombinant strains, S. cerevisiae NAN-127 and NAN-123. Upon transformation, multiple copies of the xylose-utilizing genes were integrated into the genome rDNA locus of S. cerevisiae. Strain NAN-127 consumed twice as much xylose and produced 39% more ethanol than the parent strain, while NAN-123 consumed 10% more xylose and produced 10% more ethanol than the parent strain over 94 h.