Characterization and Biosynthetic Regulation of Isoflavone Genistein in Deep-Sea Actinomycetes Microbacterium sp. B1075.

Deep-sea environments, as relatively unexplored extremes within the Earth's biosphere, exhibit notable distinctions from terrestrial habitats. To thrive in these extreme conditions, deep-sea actinomycetes have evolved unique biochemical metabolisms and physiological capabilities to ensure their survival in this niche. In this study, five actinomycetes strains were isolated and identified from the Mariana Trench via the culture-dependent method and 16S rRNA sequencing approach. The antimicrobial activity of Microbacterium sp. B1075 was found to be the most potent, and therefore, it was selected as the target strain. Molecular networking analysis via the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) platform identified 25 flavonoid compounds as flavonoid secondary metabolites. Among these, genistein was purified and identified as a bioactive compound with significant antibacterial activity. The complete synthesis pathway for genistein was proposed within strain B1075 based on whole-genome sequencing data, with the key gene being CHS (encoding chalcone synthase). The expression of the gene CHS was significantly regulated by high hydrostatic pressure, with a consequent impact on the production of flavonoid compounds in strain B1075, revealing the relationship between actinomycetes' synthesis of flavonoid-like secondary metabolites and their adaptation to high-pressure environments at the molecular level. These results not only expand our understanding of deep-sea microorganisms but also hold promise for providing valuable insights into the development of novel pharmaceuticals in the field of biopharmaceuticals.

The Phylogeny and Metabolic Potentials of an Aromatics-Degrading Marivivens Bacterium Isolated from Intertidal Seawater in East China Sea.

Lignocellulosic materials, made up of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, constitute some of the most prevalent types of biopolymers in marine ecosystems. The degree to which marine microorganisms participate in the breakdown of lignin and their impact on the cycling of carbon in the oceans is not well understood. Strain LCG002, a novel Marivivens species isolated from Lu Chao Harbor's intertidal seawater, is distinguished by its ability to metabolize lignin and various aromatic compounds, including benzoate, 3-hydroxybenzoate, 4-hydroxybenzoate and phenylacetate. It also demonstrates a broad range of carbon source utilization, including carbohydrates, amino acids and carboxylates. Furthermore, it can oxidize inorganic gases, such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide, providing alternative energy sources in diverse marine environments. Its diversity of nitrogen metabolism is supported by nitrate/nitrite, urea, ammonium, putrescine transporters, as well as assimilatory nitrate reductase. For sulfur assimilation, it employs various pathways to utilize organic and inorganic substrates, including the SOX system and DSMP utilization. Overall, LCG002's metabolic versatility and genetic profile contribute to its ecological significance in marine environments, particularly in the degradation of lignocellulosic material and aromatic monomers.

BOC targets SMO to regulate the Hedgehog pathway and promote proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of BOC on glioblastoma cells and its underlying mechanisms. In vitro, BOC-knockdown was performed in glioma cell lines. CCK-8 and Transwell were used to assess the impact of BOC on the viability, invasion, and migration of gliobma cells. RNA-seq technology was employed to analyze the differential gene expression between BOC-knockdown glioma cells and the control group, and qRT-PCR was used to validate the expression of downstream differential genes. SMO-overexpression was performed to investigate the effects of SMO on glioma cells. A BOC-knockdown mouse subcutaneous tumor model was to verify the effects of BOC on mouse tumors. Tissue microarray technology was used to detect the expression of BOC and SMO in samples of normal human brain tissue and glioma tissue. In vitro, BOC-knockdown inhibited the viability, invasion, and migration of glioma cells, as well as downregulated the expression of downstream differential genes SMO, EGFR, HRAS, and MRAS. Conversely, SMO-overexpression upregulated the viability, invasion, and migration abilities of BOC-knockdown cells. In vivo, BOC-knockdown suppressed tumor growth in mice and downregulated the expression of downstream differential genes SMO, EGFR, HRAS, and MRAS. Tissue microarray results showed that both BOC and SMO were highly expressed in glioma tissues. BOC is aberrantly overexpressed in glioma patients and promotes glioma development. Mechanistically, BOC activates the Hedgehog (Hh) and RAS signaling pathways by upregulating the expression of SMO, EGFR, HRAS, and MRAS, thereby facilitating the Proliferation, invasion and migration of glioma cells.

Integrated analysis of omics reveals the role of scapular fat in thermogenesis adaptation in sunite sheep.

Inhabiting some of the world's most inhospitable climatic regions, the Sunite Mongolian sheep generates average temperatures as low as 4.3 °C and a minimum temperature of -38.8 °C; in these environments, they make essential cold adaptations. In this regard, scapular fat tissues from Mongolian sheep were collected both in winter and summer for transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to identify genes related to adaptive thermogenesis. In the transcriptome analysis, 588 differentially expressed genes were identified to participate in smooth muscle activity and fat metabolism, as well as in nutrient regulation. There were 343 upregulated and 245 downregulated genes. GO and KEGG pathway analyses on these genes revealed their participation in regulating smooth muscle activity, metabolism of fats, and nutrients. Proteomic analysis showed the differential expression of 925 proteins: among them, there are 432 up- and 493 down-expressed proteins. These proteins are mainly involved in oxidative phosphorylation, respiratory chain complex assembly, and ATP production by electron transport. Furthermore, using both sets at a more detailed level of analysis revealed over-representation in gene ontology categories related to hormone signaling, metabolism of lipids, the pentose phosphate pathway, the TCA cycle, and especially the process of oxidative phosphorylation. The identified essential genes and proteins were further validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively; key metabolic network constriction was constructed. The present study emphasized the critical role of lipid turnover in scapular fat for thermogenic adaptation in Sunite sheep.

Simultaneously degradation of various phthalate esters by Rhodococcus sp. AH-ZY2: Strain, omics and enzymatic study.

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are widely used as plasticizers and cause serious complex pollution problem in environment. Thus, strains with efficient ability to simultaneously degrade various PAEs are required. In this study, a newly isolated strain Rhodococcus sp. AH-ZY2 can degrade 500 mg/L Di-n-octyl phthalate completely within 16 h and other 500 mg/L PAEs almost completely within 48 h at 37 °C, 180 rpm, and 2 % (v/v) inoculum size of cultures with a OD600 of 0.8. OD600 = 0.8, 2 % (v/v). Twenty genes in its genome were annotated as potential esterase and four of them (3963, 4547, 5294 and 5359) were heterogeneously expressed and characterized. Esterase 3963 and 4547 is a type I PAEs esterase that hydrolyzes PAEs to phthalate monoesters. Esterase 5294 is a type II PAEs esterase that hydrolyzes phthalate monoesters to phthalate acid (PA). Esterase 5359 is a type III PAEs esterase that simultaneously degrades various PAEs to PA. Molecular docking results of 5359 suggested that the size and indiscriminate binding feature of spacious substrate binding pocket may contribute to its substrate versatility. AH-ZY2 is a potential strain for efficient remediation of PAEs complex pollution in environment. It is first to report an esterase that can efficiently degrade mixed various PAEs.

The Phylogeny and Metabolic Potentials of a Lignocellulosic Material-Degrading Aliiglaciecola Bacterium Isolated from Intertidal Seawater in East China Sea.

Lignocellulosic materials are composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin and are one of the most abundant biopolymers in marine environments. The extent of the involvement of marine microorganisms in lignin degradation and their contribution to the oceanic carbon cycle remains elusive. In this study, a novel lignin-degrading bacterial strain, LCG003, was isolated from intertidal seawater in Lu Chao Harbor, East China Sea. Phylogenetically, strain LCG003 was affiliated with the genus Aliiglaciecola within the family Alteromonadaceae. Metabolically, strain LCG003 contains various extracellular (signal-fused) glycoside hydrolase genes and carbohydrate transporter genes and can grow with various carbohydrates as the sole carbon source, including glucose, fructose, sucrose, rhamnose, maltose, stachyose and cellulose. Moreover, strain LCG003 contains many genes of amino acid and oligopeptide transporters and extracellular peptidases and can grow with peptone as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, indicating a proteolytic lifestyle. Notably, strain LCG003 contains a gene of dyp-type peroxidase and strain-specific genes involved in the degradation of 4-hydroxy-benzoate and vanillate. We further confirmed that it can decolorize aniline blue and grow with lignin as the sole carbon source. Our results indicate that the Aliiglaciecola species can depolymerize and mineralize lignocellulosic materials and potentially play an important role in the marine carbon cycle.

Development and application of a 1K functional liquid chip for lactation performance in Bactrian camels.

Introduction: The advancement of high-throughput, high-quality, flexible, and cost-effective genotyping platforms is crucial for the progress of dairy breeding in Bactrian camels. This study focuses on developing and evaluating a 1K functional liquid single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array specifically designed for milk performance in Bactrian camels. Methods: We utilized RNA sequencing data from 125 lactating camels to identify and select 1,002 loci associated with milk production traits for inclusion in the SNP array. The array's performance was then assessed using 24 randomly selected camels. Additionally, the array was employed to genotype 398 individuals, which allowed for population validation to assess the polymorphism of SNP sites. Results: The SNP array demonstrated high overall SNP call rates (> 99%) and a remarkable 100% consistency in genotyping. Population validation results indicate that camels from six breeding areas in Northwest China share a similar genetic background regarding lactation functionality. Discussion: This study highlights the potential of the SNP array to accelerate the breeding process of lactating Bactrian camels and provides a robust technical foundation for improving lactation performance.

A near complete genome assembly of the East Friesian sheep genome.

Advancements in sequencing have enabled the assembly of numerous sheep genomes, significantly advancing our understanding of the link between genetic variation and phenotypic traits. However, the genome of East Friesian sheep (Ostfriesisches Milchschaf), a key high-yield milk breed, remains to be fully assembled. Here, we constructed a near-complete and gap-free East Friesian genome assembly using PacBio HiFi, ultra-long ONT and Hi-C sequencing. The resulting genome assembly spans approximately 2.96 Gb, with a contig N50 length of 104.1 Mb and only 164 unplaced sequences. Remarkably, our assembly has captured 41 telomeres and 24 centromeres. The assembled sequence is of high quality on completeness (BUSCO score: 97.1%) and correctness (QV: 69.1). In addition, a total of 24,580 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 97.2% (23,891) carried at least one conserved functional domain. Collectively, this assembly provides not only a near T2T gap-free genome, but also provides a valuable genetic resource for comparative genome studies of sheep and will serve as an important tool for the sheep research community.

The determinants of public acceptance of telemedicine apps: an innovation diffusion perspective.

With the rapid advancement of information technology, telemedicine apps have gradually become an indispensable tool for providing patients with more convenient, efficient, and accessible healthcare services. However, the successful implementation of these apps largely depends on widespread acceptance among the public. To thoroughly investigate the factors influencing the public's acceptance of these apps and the relationships between these factors, this study developed a theoretical model based on the Diffusion of Innovation theory and the Theory of Perceived Value. To validate this model, we conducted a survey of 387 residents in Beijing, China, and employed structural equation modeling to analyze the collected data. The research findings indicate that attributes of innovation diffusion, including relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability, significantly and positively influence the public's perceived value. Particularly noteworthy is that perceived value partially mediates the relationship between innovation attributes and public acceptance, emphasizing the crucial role of perceived value in the public decision-making process. This study employed a theory-driven approach to elucidate the acceptance of telemedicine apps and offers fresh insights into the existing literature. By integrating the research paradigms of innovation diffusion and customer perceived value, we provide a coherent explanation of how individual cognitive processes lead to acceptance behavior. In summary, this research enriches the existing theoretical studies on the acceptance of telemedicine apps and holds positive implications for healthcare practice.